A Nigerian woman with cybernetic body parts, on the run after a violent incident, teams up with a Fulani herdsman to survive the deserts of Northern Nigeria, exploring themes of identity, disability, corporate control, and societal prejudice in a futuristic African setting. The novel blends sci-fi technology, social commentary, and body positivity, offering a fast-paced journey of survival and self-discovery in a world dominated by a powerful corporation and the challenges of being different in society.

Nnedi Okorafor's latest science fiction novel "Noor" is a powerful and imaginative Africanfuturist tale that transports readers to a vividly realized near-future Nigeria. With her signature blend of intense action, thoughtful social commentary, and wildly inventive concepts, Okorafor has crafted a gripping story that is sure to captivate fans of her previous work like the Binti trilogy as well as win her many new admirers.

At the center of "Noor" is the unforgettable protagonist, Anwuli Okwudili, who prefers to go by AO - initials that to her stand for Artificial Organism. Born with severe physical disabilities that were later compounded by a tragic accident, AO has undergone extensive cybernetic augmentations, to the point that she is viewed by many as more machine than human. But AO embraces her unique body and identity wholeheartedly, refusing to be swayed by a society that labels her an unnatural "freak."

When a violent encounter forces AO to go on the run across the deserts of Northern Nigeria, she teams up with a Fulani herdsman named DNA who is also fleeing danger. As their perilous journey unfolds against the backdrop of a harsh yet wondrously depicted landscape, Okorafor immerses readers in a world shaped by advanced green energy technologies like vast solar farms and wireless energy transfer. The author's worldbuilding shines, with fascinating touches like the ubiquitous "anti-aejej" sand protection devices and the mysterious, mobile sanctuary known as the Hour Glass.

While "Noor" moves at a propulsive pace punctuated by bloody action sequences, it is also a deeply contemplative work that grapples with weighty themes. Through her nuanced exploration of AO's experiences, Okorafor offers profound meditations on the nature of humanity, the social stigma of disability, and the transformative potential of body augmentation technology. The book also serves as a pointed critique of corporate overreach and the dangers of over-reliance on tech monopolies (with the looming Ultimate Corp serving as a thinly veiled stand-in for Amazon).

Some of the story's most poignant moments come through the tentative relationship that develops between the two outcasts, AO and DNA, as they rely on each other to survive. Okorafor depicts their bond, romantic and otherwise, with sensitivity and heart. The supporting cast of rebels AO and DNA fall in with are also compellingly sketched, although some readers may wish a few of them had been given more page time.

While the pacing may meander slightly in the middle as AO traverses the desert, the final act ratchets up the tension to almost unbearable levels before arriving at a conclusion that is both stirring and thematically resonant. "Noor" cements Okorafor's status as one of the most thrillingly original voices working in science fiction today. By braiding together Nigerian cultural touchstones and futuristic spec ulation, she has created that rarest of things: a novel that is at once comfortingly familiar and breathtakingly new. "Noor" is a triumph of Africanfuturist storytelling from a writer at the height of her impressive powers.