Nigerian-American novelist Nnedi Okorafor has beaten a host of big names to win the World Fantasy award for her novel set in a post-apocalyptic Saharan Africa.

Who Fears Death is the story of Onyesonwu – her name means "who fears death" in Igbo – a woman with great magical powers who was conceived when her mother was raped during a battle. It beat South African novelist Lauren Beukes's Arthur C Clarke award-winning Zoo City, acclaimed Canadian author Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven and many-time British Fantasy award winner Graham Joyce's new novel The Silent Land to win the best novel award, judged by five authors and editors from the science fiction and fantasy genre.

Okorafor, born in the US to two Igbo parents, said it was "good to see a black writer win the prize in a genre dominated by whites", as well as to see a woman triumph in the male-dominated fantasy milieu. "What makes it even sweeter is this novel is very much about women, particularly African women," she said. Pointing to her fellow contenders for this year's best novel prize, NK Jemisin and Karen Lord, she said there were "a lot of dark faces on [the shortlist] this year. And the continent of Africa definitely made its presence known within the novels of several authors on the finalist list, too. There is a Nigerian proverb that goes, 'When the music changes so does the dance.' I think over the last several years the music within the genre has been changing and it's about to get really really interesting."

A professor of creative writing at Chicago State University as well as an author of young adult novels, Okorafor said she was "utterly shocked … then warm and fuzzy with joy" to win the prize, joining former World Fantasy award best novel winners including Susanna Clarke, Haruki Murakami and Ursula K Le Guin. "Of all the novels I've written, I put the most of myself into Who Fears Death and it took the most from me," she said. "It took me several years to write. It began with the death of my father. I started writing it because I loved him and he died. Writing out my pain was the only way I could cope with it."

The first scene of the novel is taken from a moment at her own father's wake, when she found herself alone with his body. Days later, she read an article in the Washington Post, "We Want to Make a Light Baby", about "horrific" practices in Sudan. "That news story rocked my world. It also showed me why my character was so feared/hated and angry - she was a product of the exact same practice discussed in the article- 'weaponised rape'," said Okorafor. "From there, my fierce and powerful character named Onyesonwu took control of the story. Where she went, I followed."

Although Who Fears Death is a dark book, Okorafor says, readers are responding to its story. "Who Fears Death is a heck of a story. There is great love, there is lust, there is gorgeous and harsh reality, there are politics strongly connected to our world, there is deep Nigerian magic, there are African dragons and masquerades, and there is a great adventure with an ending that will kick you in the gut. Yes, Who Fears Death does go dark. Very dark. It had to. I don't believe in sugar-coating or censoring a story that must be told. But within that darkness, there is always light. Always. There is always hope."

The World Fantasy awards ceremony in San Diego also saw Elizabeth Hand win the best novella prize for The Maiden Flight of McCauley's Bellerophon and Joyce Carol Oates take the best short story award for Fossil-Figures.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/01/world-fantasy-award-nnedi-okorafor?fb=optOut

Congrats. to her.

Congrats. A big progress, and an inspiration to aspiring writers.

nice1,

Congrats to her. Love it when my countrymen/women are mentioned in relation to good things. And i hope the tribalists are going to keep a respectable distance away from this soul liftin thread

Congratz to her.

Congrats to my IGBO sister

When Hausa man/woman go win that kind award for us? congrats to you Nnedi okafor, (another proud Igbo daughter)

What's it with Igbo ladies and literature. Quite a large number of them.

Congrats Nne maramma.

Congrats to Nnedi. Brilliant writer. Time to pick up Akata Witch then.

congrats. Nigerians good people, . . . .

wow! congrats.

I'm glad for Africa, Nigeria and women. And Ibos, lol.

Congrats, atleast there is something to encourage Africa writer

A big Congrats to Nnedi