Wagadu - The Home of Sword and Soul

06/20/2026

Changa's Safari by Chizoba Onyedikachi Uwandu.

06/13/2026

A chill like a high pasture wind swept through Kadira as she ran to the weapons shed. The Kash*tes had never attacked in her lifetime. To her, they were a nighttime story meant to scare children into behaving themselves. Images of flaming chariots with bladed wheels streaking across the flatlands like malevolent falling stars appeared in her head. Chariot drivers wearing hideous masks steered their war wagons into crowds of hapless Haisetti as the archers loosed arrows amidst the confusion. Some of the elders knew of them but never spoke of them beyond the tales. But now they were running to arm themselves against a threat that up to this point in her life had been just a myth.
Kadira grabbed two quivers of arrows and secured them to her waist. She didn’t grab a bow; she was confident in the one she brought with her, and she knew it was powerful enough to kill a person. The thought made her stop; she’d never killed someone before, with bow, blade, or hand. Neither had any of the new recruits, as far as she knew.
Bawana’s voice broke her thoughts.
“Bakari!” he called out. “Get the horses. Find Mafaye and Kanku and ride out ahead. We need to know how close they are.”
“The messenger arrived this morning,” Bakari replied. “He said he’s been riding non-stop for four days.”
“That’s not good enough,” Bawana said. “I need to know exactly how much time we have. Take a homing hawk with you.”
Bawana ran to the stables.
“Nakinyi!” Bawana shouted.
The woman appeared seconds later, fully armored, and armed.
“Yes, commander?”
“Round up the new recruits. Separate them into groups of ten then assign them to a warrior squad.”
Nakinyi frowned. “The elder warriors will not be happy.”
“This is not a festival,” Bawana barked. “I don’t expect them to be happy. I expect them to do as I say.”
“Yes, commander!”
Nakinyi began shouting each new recruit’s name as if she’d known them for years. Kadira wondered how she’d learned them so fast.
“Kadira!” Bawana shouted.
Kadira spun around instinctively.
“Bawa . . . I mean, commander?”
“You’re with me,” he said.
“Shouldn’t be with the new recruits?” she asked.
“You’re with me,” Bawana repeated. “I’ll be damned to the Cleave if you die on your first day.”
“But how will I fight if I’m with you?” Kadira asked.
Bawana laughed. “I’m no soft leader. You’ll be in the thick of it. Besides, you might be the person that determines the outcome of this battle. Follow me.”
- A Scorpion's Tale by Yours Truly. Coming in September 2026 from MVmedia.

05/20/2026

The countdown begins! The expanded manga based on my historical fiction novel. Follow us to be notified when the Kickstarter drops!

A samurai's tale of honor and blood hand-drawn into a 32 page African historical fantasy manga.

04/09/2026

'She walked into town like a specter, quiet and unassuming, and I was smitten from the moment I saw her.'
- Marked by Sarah Macklin. Art by James Eugene. From Griots: Sisters of the Spear.

04/07/2026

MVmedia Weekly Special: Griots Sisters of the Spear!
Griots: Sisters of the Spear picks up where the ground breaking Griots Anthology leaves off. Charles R. Saunders and Milton J. Davis present seventeen original and exciting Sword and Soul tales focusing on black women. Just as the Griots Anthology broke ground as the first Sword and Soul Anthology, Griots: Sisters of the Spear pays homage to the spirit, bravery and compassion of women of color. The griots have returned to sing new songs, and what wonderful songs they are! Links in the comments.

04/05/2026

Changa Diop by Trevor Ngwenya.

04/03/2026

'So, what in – or out of – the world is this thing called sword-and-soul?
The term came about during a conversation I had with Brother Uraeus. At one point, I said: “Yes, I’m writing sword-and-sorcery fiction. But considering the African-based setting, I ought to call it ‘sword, sorcery, and soul.’” That phrase seemed a bit awkward, though . . . Sword-and-soul is a broad term, not a confining one. Essentially, it is fantasy fiction with an African connection in either the characters or the setting … or both. The setting can be the historical Africa of the world we know, or the Africa of an alternate world, dimension or universe. But that’s not a re-striction, because a sword-and-soul story can feature a black character in a non-black setting, or a non-black character in a black setting. Caveat: Tarzan of the Apes need not apply.
A sword-and-soul story may also be set in a future in which science and magic have become interchangeable, or one in which modern technology has long since been lost. Regardless of the setting, magic and heroism form the underpinnings of sword-and-soul.
Just as soul music can include everything from blues to hip hop, sword-and-soul encompasses everything from Imaro to … well, go ahead and read the stories in this book and you’ll see.
- Charles R. Saunders, Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology