16 blockbuster September science fiction and fantasy releases to kick off Fall
By Lacy Baugher
September 2021 release: Beasts of Prey – Ayana Gray
A highly anticipated pan-African fantasy, Beasts of Prey follows the story of two young Black teenagers on an epic adventure as they hunt down the magical beast that’s been menacing their home.
Sixteen-year-old Koffi and her mother are indentured servants at the city of Lkossa’s infamous Night Zoo, an establishment that holds some of the kingdom’s most powerful and dangerous creatures. But when she causes an unexpected accident, Koffi unleashes a power she never knew she possessed, upending her life completely.
Ekon is the second son of a hero, destined to join the elite warriors known as the Son of the Six who keep the city safe. But when a fire breaks out at the Night Zoo during his final trial, he’s sent to help stop the blaze and keep the greedy owner’s servants from fleeing.
There, his path crosses with Koffi’s in an event that will change both their lives forever – and set them on a path to hunt the most dangerous creature in the Greater Jungle, a world of wild dangers and untold magic. And if they want a future – they’ll have to survive. Together.
The official synopsis describes the story in much greater detail.
"Magic doesn’t exist in the broken city of Lkossa anymore, especially for girls like sixteen-year-old Koffi. Indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, she cares for its fearsome and magical creatures to pay off her family’s debts and secure their eventual freedom. But the night her loved ones’ own safety is threatened by the Zoo’s cruel master, Koffi unleashes a power she doesn’t fully understand–and the consequences are dire. As the second son of a decorated hero, Ekon is all but destined to become a Son of the Six–an elite warrior–and uphold a family legacy. But on the night of his final rite of passage, a fire upends his plans. In its midst, Ekon not only encounters the Shetani–a vicious monster that has plagued the city and his nightmares for nearly a century–but a curious girl who seems to have the power to ward off the beast. Koffi’s power ultimately saves Ekon’s life, but his choice to let her flee dooms his hopes of becoming a warrior. Desperate to redeem himself, Ekon vows to hunt the Shetani down and end its reign of terror, but he can’t do it alone. Meanwhile, Koffi believes finding the Shetani and selling it for a profit could be the key to solving her own problems. Koffi and Ekon–each keeping their true motives secret from the other–form a tentative alliance and enter into the unknowns of the Greater Jungle, a world steeped in wild magic and untold dangers. The hunt begins. But it quickly becomes unclear whether they are the hunters or the hunted."
Beasts of Prey is available on September 28.