David Mogo, Godhunter – Suyi Davis Okungbowa

Set in an almost post-apocalyptic Nigeria where gods have fallen from the sky and all but driven humans out of the city of Lagos, Suyi Davies Okungbowa’s debut novel David Mogo, Godunter is a tale of displaced deities, urban wizards and a slightly hapless demigod trying to keep the peace. In dire need of a well-paying job, the titular godhunter accepts a somewhat dubious task from the powerful wizard Lukmon Ajala – to capture the twin high gods Ibeji. When things don’t quite go to plan, David Mogo finds himself torn between his human and divine halves, and forced to choose who and what he really wants to be.

There’s a lot to like about this book, from its wild imagination to its vibrant world building, not to mention the engaging voice of its protagonist, David Mogo, and some fantastic supporting characters. Before talking more about those elements, however, it’s worth pointing out that this is more like three linked novellas than a single cohesive novel – there’s an overarching plot running throughout, but the three parts feel more like individual stories (with their own start, middle and end) rather than component acts of a wider whole. Each part is largely satisfying in its own way, but somehow it all ends up feeling a little disconnected with slightly odd pacing, jumps in time and a sense that the tension and excitement never quite build up to the crescendo that they might have done under a different structure. Look past that, however, and there’s plenty to admire here.

For a start, David’s character – sort of a magical bounty hunter crossed with pest control – is instantly interesting, trying as he is to scrape a living under pretty awful circumstances, while balancing his competing natures and dealing with the costs of straddling two worlds. It turns out being a demigod isn’t easy, and for all his power and presence he’s often a bit reckless, regularly finding himself bailed out of tricky situations by others around him. He has a strong, characterful tone of voice, effortlessly switching between dialects as he engages with the wild mix of people, speech patterns, beliefs and cultures that make up the book’s cast. That code-switching can take a little while to get used to, but rewards the reader’s patience by contributing to the vivid, colourful world building as the author explores Lagos, Nigerian life and the Yoruba pantheon.

David’s world is rich and detailed, full of character and wracked by recognisable issues ranging from police brutality to extreme wealth inequality, not to mention the hordes of dangerous gods and godlings forcing people out of their homes. If anything the world building can be a little dense, as David offers quite detailed commentary and explanations of what’s going on – this approach might not be to everyone’s tastes, but there’s no doubt that there’s a well thought-out setting on display. At its core this is a relatively straightforward Hero’s Journey narrative, set to an interesting and well thought-out backdrop and featuring a strong protagonist backed up by an intriguing cast of secondary characters. Be aware of the structural idiosyncrasies, but if you can look past those then there’s lots to be enjoyed in this imaginative, evocative urban fantasy story.

Click this link to buy David Mogo, Godhunter.