WORK
To see more of my work please click on one of the buttons below
A City Dreaming
The third and final book in a trilogy where the futuristic technology of Black Panther meets the scale of The Expanse and the intricate political maneuverings of Game of Thrones.
“Not to be missed.”—Washington Post on Sweep of Stars
Maurice Broaddus returns with A City Dreaming, the third book in his Astra Black trilogy, which explores the struggles of an empire. Epic in scope and intimate in voice, it follows members of the Muungano Empire—a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretches from Earth to Titan and beyond—as it faces renewed threats to its progress.
We received a signal. Everything has changed.
The Interstellar Alliance are coming.
A new empire approaches and the Muungano, already facing foes much closer to home, will have to contend with what it means for their future. Across the solar system, from Earth to Mars and Titan, beyond the Orun Gate, and across time and space itself a battle will rage.
Their soldiers, scientists, diplomats and leaders will all have a role to play if their empire is to live on.
The Astra Black series:
Sweep of Stars
Breath of Oblivion
A City Dreaming
"Abigail's Gethesame"
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
USA TODAY BESTSELLER
LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER
THE WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER
An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!
Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters.
Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.
Featuring an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Christopher Golden, and an afterword by Brian Keene. Contributors include Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.
"Everyone's Hero
Black Panther - T'challa Declassified
Millions of comic book fans know T’Challa as the Black Panther and king of the futuristic African nation Wakanda.
But who really knows the ruler on the throne—and the man behind the mask?
He’s a king, a hero, a loving brother and son, a husband to a goddess. The orphan king—the Haramu-Fal—and the Damisa-Sarki. And a man facing his doubts, his failures, and his destiny.
Revisit the life of one of Marvel Comics’ most iconic and inspiring characters via in-world interviews, journal entries, newspaper articles, and intelligence briefings from S.H.I.E.L.D. and other agencies.
Black Panther: T'Challa Declassified draws on more than half a century of classic tales to present an insightful, completely unique—and completely personal—take on one of the most talked-about heroes of all time.
Featuring the perspectives of T’Challa’s most important allies and enemies, including Shuri, Queen-Mother Ramonda, Ororo Munroe aka Storm, Everett K. Ross, Erik Killmonger, and the White Wolf, and accounts of some of Marvel Comics’ most memorable moments, this first-of-its-kind archival collection is a must-read for fans of all ages.
Breath of Oblivion
The second book in a trilogy where the futuristic technology of Black Panther meets the scale of The Expanse and the intricate political maneuverings of Game of Thrones.
“Not to be missed.”—Washington Post on Sweep of Stars
Maurice Broaddus returns with Breath of Oblivion, the second book in his Astra Black trilogy, which explores the struggles of an empire. Epic in scope and intimate in voice, it follows members of the Muungano Empire—a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretches from Earth to Titan and beyond—as it faces renewed threats to its progress.
Beyond the Orun Gate, Epyc Ro and her elite soldiers are stranded. Capturing an alien ship and searching for a way home, they discover a stowaway who may be the key to overcoming the alien forces swarming all around them.
On board the Cypher, Captain Stacia Chikeke is struggling to keep her ship and its fractured crew together. But the discovery of an interstellar phenomenon and the opportunity to explore unites them in a singular purpose, for now.
In the slums of Indianapolis, Wachiru Adisa works to free the children of the diaspora detained in Old Earth facilities, only to be captured and sent to a nightmarish criminal justice facility, the Panopticon.
On Old Earth, Ishant Sangsuwangul is the newly assigned liaison to the corporate entity running the government there. He feels like a prisoner, but must find a way to stem the tide of conflict as animosity toward his people grows.
In the Badlands of Mars, Amachi Adisa and her new teacher Nehanda begin her training to learn from her past, chart her future, and unlock the power that is her birthright.
In the Dreaming City, the lunar heart of Muungano power, Maulana Buhari struggles with how to lead his people. Is now the time for isolation or aggression?
Together they, and all of Muungano, will guide the empire forward by any means necessary, as enemies of old and new extraterrestrial threats mount.
The Astra Black Trilogy series:
Sweep of Stars (Book 1)
Breath of Oblivion (Book 2)
A City Dreaming (Book 3)
The Knights of Breton Court - trilogy - All 3
From acclaimed novelist Maurice Broaddus, an omnibus edition of the cycle described as “The Wire meets Excalibur”: The Knights of Breton Court retells the saga of Arthur and Camelot on the pitiless streets of modern Indianapolis, where greed, desperation, and honor fuel bloodshed in a cycle that seems unstoppable. Until one man gathers his brethren around him and changes their world forever…
The wars have been raging since before King James White was born. The gangs battle for territory, for market share, for the respect that’s the only armor against attack. The unaffiliated keep their heads down and their mouths shut, hoping to survive.
But King has a hard time seeing nothing. He sees the hunger for power that preys on the weak and cannibalizes the strong. He sees Lady G., struggling to protect a soft heart on hard streets. Wayne, on a mission to reach runaways who’ll end up dead often as not. Percy, the innocent son of a fearsome father, with potential greater than any suspect. Lott, handsome and cocksure, with a secret fire burning inside. Babbling old Merle with his tinfoil wizard’s cap and tales of an unseen world.
And when elf assassins, undead addicts, and rampaging elementals emerge to threaten the neighborhood King calls home, he has to consider whether Merle is right about other things too. Like that the better future King yearns to fight for is possible. That the hearts that come together around their scarred cable spool of a round table can overcome dragonsmoke and kidnapping, deadly standoffs, teenage nihilism, and the wounds of grief that never heal. That courage, wisdom, and mercy can still win the day.
All it will take to make it true is everything.
Brutal, comic, grand, and unflinching, The Knights of Breton Court channels the power of ancient myth into an action-packed epic for our time.
Includes
King Maker,
King's Justice,
and King's War.
"The Norwood Troubles"
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The visionary writer and director of Get Out, Us, and Nope, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions, curates this groundbreaking anthology of all-new stories of Black horror, exploring not only the terrors of the supernatural but the chilling reality of injustice that haunts our nation.
“Every piece is strong and memorable, making this not only likely to be the best anthology of the year, but one for the ages.”—The Guardian
WINNER OF THE BRAM STOKER AWARD AND THE BRITISH FANTASY AWARD
• FINALIST FOR THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD AND THE LOCUS AWARD
• A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Esquire, Chicago Public Library, CrimeReads
A cop begins seeing huge, blinking eyes where the headlights of cars should be that tell him who to pull over. Two freedom riders take a bus ride that leaves them stranded on a lonely road in Alabama where several unsettling somethings await them. A young girl dives into the depths of the Earth in search of the demon that killed her parents. These are just a few of the worlds of Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele’s anthology of all-new horror stories by Black writers. Featuring an introduction by Peele and an all-star roster of beloved writers and new voices, Out There Screaming is a master class in horror, and—like his spine-chilling films—its stories prey on everything we think we know about our world . . . and redefine what it means to be afraid.
Featuring stories by: Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Djèlí Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull.
Unfadeable
Bella "Unfadeable" Fades is determined to stay out of trouble. A wiser-than-her-years graffiti artist known for tagging walls and bridges in her Indianapolis neighborhood, the Land, Bella plans to spend her summer break laying low and steering clear of anyone who might tip off to social services that she's living on her own.
But keeping a low profile is all but impossible when Bella discovers people in high places are trying to defund the Land. She has to find a way to fight back.
Getting involved will mean putting herself out there--making connections with unlikely friends and attracting potential enemies. But if Bella doesn't put her trust in her neighbors and learn how to bring her community together, her home--and her future--will never be the same.
Sweep of Stars
Maurice Broaddus's Sweep of Stars is the first in the Astra Black trilogy that explores the struggles of an empire. Epic in scope and intimate in voice, it follows members of the Muungano empire - a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretches from O.E. (original Earth) to Titan - as it faces an escalating series of threats.
"The beauty in blackness is its ability to transform. Like energy we are neither created nor destroyed, though many try."--West African Proverb
The Muungano empire strived and struggled to form a utopia when they split away from old earth. Freeing themselves from the endless wars and oppression of their home planet in order to shape their own futures and create a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretched from Earth and Mars to Titan.
With the wisdom of their ancestors, the leadership of their elders, the power and vision of their scientists and warriors they charted a course to a better future. But the old powers could not allow them to thrive and have now set in motion new plots to destroy all that they've built.
In the fire to come they will face down their greatest struggle yet.
Amachi Adisa and other young leaders will contend with each other for the power to galvanize their people and chart the next course for the empire.
Fela Buhari and her elite unit will take the fight to regions not seen by human eyes, but no training will be enough to bring them all home.
Stacia Chikeke, captain of the starship Cypher, will face down enemies across the stars, and within her own vessel, as she searches for the answers that could save them all.
The only way is forward
The Astra Black Trilogy series:
Sweep of Stars (book 1)
Breath of Oblivion (Book 2)
A City Dreaming (Book 3)
The Usual Suspects
Thelonius Mitchell is tired of being labeled. He’s in special ed, separated from the “normal” kids at school who don’t have any “issues.” That’s enough to make all the teachers and students look at him and his friends with a constant side-eye. (Although his disruptive antics and pranks have given him a rep too.)
When a gun is found at a neighborhood hangout, Thelonius and his pals become instant suspects. Thelonius may be guilty of pulling crazy stunts at school, but a criminal? T isn’t about to let that label stick.
Pimp My Airship
All the poet called Sleepy wants to do is spit his verses, smoke chiba, and stay off the COP’s radar—all of which becomes impossible once he encounters a professional protestor known as (120 Degrees of) Knowledge Allah. They soon find themselves on the wrong side of local authorities and have to elude the powers that be.
When young heiress Sophine Jefferson’s father is murdered, the careful life she’d been constructing for herself tumbles around her. She’s quickly drawn into a web of intrigue, politics and airships, joining with Sleepy and Knowledge Allah in a fight for their freedom. Chased from one end of a retro-fitted Indianapolis to the other, they encounter outlaws, the occasional circus, possibly a medium, and more outlaws. They find themselves in a battle much larger than they imagined: a battle for control of the country and the soul of their people.
The revolution will not be televised!
Buffalo Soldier
Read the steampunk adventure the New York Times called a “wild, satisfying ride.”
Having stumbled onto a plot within his homeland of Jamaica, former espionage agent, Desmond Coke, finds himself caught between warring religious and political factions, all vying for control of a mysterious boy named Lij Tafari.
Wanting the boy to have a chance to live a free life, Desmond assumes responsibility for him and they flee. But a dogged enemy agent remains ever on their heels, desperate to obtain the secrets held within Lij for her employer alone.
Assassins, intrigue, and steammen stand between Desmond and Lij as they search for a place to call home in a North America that could have been.
– New York Times review
The Voice of Martyrs
We are a collection of voices, the assembled history of the many voices that have spoken into our lives and shaped us. Voices of the past, voices of the present, and voices of the future. There is an African proverb, “Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi,” which translates as “It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” This is why we continue to remember the tales of struggle and tales of perseverance, even as we look to tales of hope. What a people choose to remember about its past, the stories they pass down, informs who they are and sets the boundaries of their identity. We remember the pain of our past to mourn, to heal, and to learn. Only in that way can we ensure the same mistakes are not repeated. The voices make up our stories. The stories make up who we are. A collected voice.
I Can Transform you
From the dust of The Trying TimesTM, corp-nations have risen up in place of failed governments, and twilight haze dropped down in place of the sky. The economy fell, and the Earth itself shot heavenward, transforming the very face of the planet into an alien landscape with towers punching past the new sky into one of many unknowns. Soon after, the jumpers started raining from among the blue lanterns that took the place of sun and stars. Mac Peterson left the employ of LG Security Forces and now cobbles together a life in the shadows of the great towers, filling policing needs for people too unimportant for the professional corp-national security to care about. His ex-wife, Kiersten, stayed behind on the Security Forces, working undercover. When she turns up dead alongside one of the tower jumpers, Mac pairs up with Ade Walters, a cyborg officer, to uncover who would try to hide Kiersten’s death among the suicides. Searching for the murderer of one of their own, Mac and Ade discover plans to transform the Earth and its inhabitants…plans that only started with the great upheaval and The Trying TimesTM. (Apex Books)
When young heiress Sophine Jefferson’s father is murdered, the careful life she’d been constructing for herself tumbles around her. She’s quickly drawn into a web of intrigue, politics and airships, joining with Sleepy and Knowledge Allah in a fight for their freedom. Chased from one end of a retro-fitted Indianapolis to the other, they encounter outlaws, the occasional circus, possibly a medium, and more outlaws. They find themselves in a battle much larger than they imagined: a battle for control of the country and the soul of their people.
The revolution will not be televised!
Orgy of Souls
Twenty souls for his brother’s life is a price that seductively beautiful Samson is willing to pay. Twenty souls drenched in blood, powdered with cocaine and more than one kind of ecstasy. A fair trade for the life of a brother. A fair trade for the life of a priest. And everyone he meets seems so willing to give theirs away. Samuel’s faith often wavers. Diagnosed with HIV and in rapid decline, he hides his disillusionment in the rituals of the priesthood. But when Samson brings him the first blood-signed contract for a young woman’s immortal soul, the steamy world of high fashion male models and the quiet decay of a sickly priest begin to writhe against the realities of life, death, and otherworldly power. (Apex Books)
SWEEP OF STARS:
"Not to be missed"
- Washington Post
VOICES OF MARTYRS:
“The lush, descriptive prose tantalizes all the senses, drawing the reader into a rich world spanning both miles and centuries. Hints of magic in both the past and present, as well as the science fiction elements of the future stories, make this an exciting exploration of genre as well as culture.”
– Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Give thanks for these griot, hip-funk, afrofuturist stories of pure horror and complicated hope. Broaddus sounds a deep beat in this true myth of survival: what our heads forget, our bones remember.”
– Karen Lord
“Maurice Broaddus has a talent for creating fascinating characters across lifetimes, fierce voices that linger and stay with you. His fantasies, fables, and far out tales come from an imagination as frightening as it is admirable. And whether they come from the past, present, or one of his cautionary futures, you are certain to find a story that speaks to you.”
– Sheree Renée Thomas
“An outcast in the distant past struggling to survive. A religious captain rationalizing away the evil of the slave ship he commands. A future biomech warrior in a literal culture war. The stories in The Voices of Martyrs again prove why Maurice Broaddus is one of the most exciting writers of today’s genre fiction. His vision spans space and time while staying grounded in the stories–in the very voices–which make us fully and tragically and hopefully human.”
– Nebula Award-nominated author, Jason Sanford
“Reminiscent of a young Charles Saunders, Maurice Broaddus’ The Voices of Martyrs is a fresh blend of science fiction, fantasy, and the folkloric history of the African diaspora.”
– Chesya Burke, Author of "Let’s Play White" and "The Strange Crime of Little Africa"
“There’s a percussive intensity to the stories in The Voices of Martyrs. These are not simplistic heroic tales but poignant examinations of the triumphs and losses, the joys and pains, and the deep, rich complexities of a culture.”
– Ayize Jama-Everett, author of "The Liminal People"
“There are fewer greater pleasures in a reader’s life than witnessing a writer whose work they have enjoyed reached a new plateau in their storytelling skills, and such is the case here; with The Devil’s Marionette, Maurice Broaddus comes into his own as a writer of dark fiction. It is the brilliance we’ve all been waiting for, and Broaddus delivers in a voice that both whispers and roars and cannot be ignored.”
– Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild Award-winner Gary A. Braunbeck, author of "Mr. Hands", "Destinations Unknown", and "Coffin County"
PIMP MY AIRSHIP:
“[Pimp My Airship] doesn’t just examine those genre assumptions. It chops them up, grinds them into a fine powder, rolls them into some quality paper, and then smokes them for fun. It simultaneously dismantles the genre and slaps it back together into something newer, fresher, and — dammit — more interesting than the original.”
– Matt Forbeck, award-winning author of "Amortals" and "Carpathia"
THE KNIGHTS OF BRETON COURTS:
“Maurice Broaddus has an uncanny ability to capture the flavor of the streets. This is a wild, imaginative journey grounded in a gritty reality so compelling that you’ll swear these characters must live in your own city. Put this on your must-read list!”
– Brandon Massey, award-winning author of "Cornered" and "Don’t Ever Tell"
“Deft characterization, authentic dialogue, exciting plot. Add a highly original premise: The Arthurian Legend magically springing up in the ‘hood, including the return of the King, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table, and even a dab of chivalry. Maurice Broaddus has definitely brought his A-game to this urban joust.”
– Gene O’Neill
“Maurice Broaddus’ writing creates a dangerous and authentic mood. The language is fierce and evokes the gritty realism of life on the streets. When the supernatural elements are introduced, they drift through the novel like smoke, leaving the reader gradually horrified as the end game is reached… For some, King Maker is going to be the best read of 2010.”
– FantasyLiterature.com
“King Maker is a fascinating novel, a true urban fantasy in the literal definition of the term, and with assured prose and strong characters, should be on every SF fan’s shelf.”
– Adam Christopher
“KING MAKER’s strength is its ability to stay true-to-life even when the fantasy components come into play; the reader has enough time to get invested in the urban drama yet won’t find anything goofy when dragons, cannibals, and mystics are hinted at and eventually encountered.”
– Antibacterial Pope
“I have to give props to Broaddus for his creativity. This is no simple retelling of the Arthur legend with new names pasted in, this is a genuine and compelling story in its own right. Characters are complicated and have their own motivations and goals. None of them simply go through the motions dictated by the legend… King Maker is one of the best modern fantasies I’ve read in ages.”
– Nicholas Kaufmann’s Journal
“A cunningly wrought retelling of the Arthurian myth, set amongst the street gangs of Indianapolis.”
— Ben Aaronovitch, author of "Rivers of London"