Omar Epps’ new ebook, NUBIA: THE RECKONING, continues the saga of Zuberi, Uzochi and Lencho, the primary of a brand new technology of Nubians to awaken to extraordinary powers. The Love & Basketball star shares how he jumped from movie to the web page.
“I am a inventive and had an thought to unearth this story,” he tells EBONY. “Because it was coming collectively and I partnered with a writer and author Clarence A. Haynes, we realized that it was afrofuturistic sci-fi, and I let the story lead me to the place it wanted to go.”
Set in a futuristic climate-ravaged New York Metropolis, the three gifted teenagers we first met in NUBIA: THE AWAKENING combat in opposition to the sky king, Krazen St. John, who desires to harness their Nubian items for himself. He has assembled a superhuman militia to do his bidding, placing a ruthless Lencho, Uzochi’s cousin, in cost.
The daddy of three shares extra in regards to the novel and the way he hopes his physique of labor impacts future generations.
EBONY: You have written a duology with NUBIA: THE AWAKENING and NUBIA: THE RECKONING.
Omar Epps: Sure! The backstory is that Nubia was destroyed, and its folks fled to New York Metropolis. Skip ahead a few generations and so they’ve all misplaced their powers, or in order that they assume. The dad and mom by no means handed down their true heritage to their youngsters, however issues are beginning to occur, and there is not any rhyme, purpose or rationalization.
Within the first ebook, the youngsters begin to determine what and the place their powers come from. The second is about what they do with these talents and the way they coexist with the non-Nubians who present concern in direction of them due to these powers.
Why did you select New York Metropolis because the story’s backdrop?
That is the place I used to be born and raised. They will knock down a constructing and create a brand new one, and I nonetheless know that space just like the again of my hand. New York is a strong place, a microcosm of the American Dream. From the Puerto Rican, Dominican and Cuban cultures to Chinese language, Japanese, Russian and Jewish ones, I bought up shut and private with folks, studying the people behind the tales.
How did you resolve to make your main characters youngsters?
I needed to inform it by way of their lens as a result of, at that age when the thoughts is growing, it is tremendous highly effective. After I communicate to my youngsters’ good friend teams, they take a look at life utterly otherwise than I did after I was their age. The connectivity that expertise has afforded them could be very highly effective. Children can see one factor on the information, however then they go on social media, and it is somebody’s story boots to the bottom. That is what they join with. The potential of children immediately is unimaginable.
What do you hope readers take away from the novels?
I would like readers to stroll away with a way of unity. On the finish of the day, we are able to have all of the divisions and separations that we wish. But when an enormous rock hits this planet, everyone’s gonna be in the identical boat; combating to outlive. And so I feel for humanity to evolve for its betterment, we actually must have that as part of our basis relating to how we deal with one another.
NUBIA: THE RECKONING is stuffed with intriguing characters of colour, together with optimistic Black male position fashions that may be exhausting to seek out within the style.
I wished to create one thing that I want had existed after I was a child as a result of the ability of images is immense. Seeing my first depiction of a cheerful, prospering Black household on display screen was highly effective as a result of I spotted that may occur for me. I do know that the whole lot I do as an artist can be right here for much longer than I can be bodily, so I want to depart a breadcrumb path of inspiration and motivation for the generations to return and hopefully spark that fireplace inside them to ascend to their greatest selves.
