Odafe Atogun Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Odafe Atogun

Odafe Atogun is a novelist from Nigeria. His first book, Taduno’s Song, came out in 2016 and got picked for the BBC Radio 2 based Book Club. People who review books have said his writing reminds them of Orwell and Kafka. That is a pretty big comparison for a new writer to receive.

After that, Atogun signed a deal for two books. His second novel showed up in 2017. Readers can now find his work in a number of different languages. His stories have a way of reaching people far beyond where he started.

One of the things that makes Atogun’s writing work so well is how he handles his main characters. The protagonists in his novels feel like real people, and that makes it easy to care about what happens to them. He also knows how to keep a story moving, so the pages seem to turn on their own. Reading one of his books rarely feels like a chore.

Atogun has a real talent for building a narrative that holds attention. His plots have substance, but they never stop being fun to read. There is a balance in his work between meaning and entertainment. That mix is part of why his books continue to find new readers.

Atogun keeps working on new writing, and there is more to come from him down the road. He has already shown he can reach readers in many places with stories that stay true to who he is. With each new book, he adds to a body of work that keeps growing. Fans of his writing have good reason to keep an eye out for what he does next.

Early and Personal Life

Odafe Atogun spent his childhood in Lokoja, a town in Nigeria. Money was tight and life was not easy back then. Stories and his own imagination became a way for him to cope.

That love of imagining things eventually turned into a career. Atogun now writes full time. He prefers to work at nighttime, when things are calm and the world sleeps.

Critics have had good things to say about his books. Some have named Franz Kafka, George Orwell, and Amos Tutuola when talking about his style. Those are respected names in the writing world.

Atogun aims to create stories that never feel old and that carry readers away. He has followed Kafka’s work closely since his own first novel appeared. J. M. Coetzee, Milan Kundera, Chinua Achebe, and Ngugi wa Thiong’o have also shaped his writing.

These authors have taught him a lot about the craft. He keeps picking up lessons from their books. Their voices echo in the tales he puts on paper.

Abuja is where Atogun makes his home these days. He has one son through a past relationship. That son is the person his debut novel was dedicated to.

Writing Career

Atogun’s first novel was released by Canongate. Its main character was inspired by the late Afrobeat star Fela Kuti. The book has been described as a Kafkaesque story set in a post-colonial dystopia.

Reviewers praised it as a layered work about self-worth, freedom, forgiveness, as well as faithfulness. It earned a spot on the Guardian’s 2016 hidden gems list. Ouida Books handled the Nigerian issuing. His second novel came through Canongate back in 2017 and later appeared in Nigeria through Ouida Books in 2018.

That second title was called timeless and magical. It followed a woman who fights for independence and change. Critics pointed to its folkloric elements and strong main character. They also noted its message of hope and faith.

Taduno’s Song

Odafe Atogun wrote this debut novel through Canongate Books who released the novel on August 4, 2016.

A stained envelope is sent from Taduno’s beloved homeland, signaling that his exile must come to an end. But when he returns, no one recognizes him—rumors have already declared him dead. Worse still, the authorities have taken Lela, the woman he loves.

Searching his home for clues, Taduno discovers that nearly every trace of his former life was erased. Only his memories remain. Determined to uncover the truth and find Lela, he begins investigating the forces that destroyed everything he once knew.

His search eventually leads him to an impossible choice: should he use his music to protect the woman he loves, or raise his voice for an entire nation? It’s a powerful story of love, sacrifice, courage, and resistance.

Anyone who reads this book finds it hard to put down. The story follows Taduno as he searches for his lost life and love. The choice he faces near the end stays with you. Anyone who has not picked it up yet should give it a try.

Wake Me When I’m Gone

Odafe Atogun wrote this second book through Canongate Books published the novel on August 3, 2017.

Ese lives in a fertile village ruled by a Chief who rides a white horse. A young widow, she is known throughout the region for her extraordinary beauty—and mocked by many as a simpleton. She married the man she loved, but after his death, she is left to support their young son through the small market stall he left behind.

When the Chief arrives at her home and orders her to remarry, as tradition and local law demand, Ese refuses. Instead, she hides behind the foolish persona people have come to expect from her. But defying the law carries a grave punishment, and rejecting the Chief’s desire may cost her even more.

To protect her heart, keep her son, and challenge generations of injustice, Ese must withstand the anger of both gods and men. Her fight for freedom transforms the lives around her—and forces her to endure the deepest sorrow a mother can know.

Anyone who finishes this book will come away moved by Ese’s story. She stands up to a Chief and fights for her son and her freedom. The road she walks is full of hardship and heart. Readers who have not met Ese yet should pick this one up.