It’s time for another fabulous year of Shelf Indulgence Book Club with the Ray Bradbury Center. This year, we’re focusing on reading books by local authors around Indiana!

For our June meeting, we’ll be reading Sweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus. Maurice will also be joining us for the discussion at Loudmouth Book Store!

Sweep of Stars Summary:
Maurice Broaddus’s Sweep of Stars is the first in a trilogy that explores the struggles of an empire. Epic in scope and intimate in voice, it follows members of the Muungano empire – a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretches from O.E. (original earth) to Titan – as it faces an escalating series of threats.

“The beauty in blackness is its ability to transform. Like energy we are neither created nor destroyed, though many try.” – West African Proverb

The Muungano empire strived and struggled to form a utopia when they split away from old earth. Freeing themselves from the endless wars and oppression of their home planet in order to shape their own futures and create a far-reaching coalition of city-states that stretched from Earth and Mars to Titan.

With the wisdom of their ancestors, the leadership of their elders, the power and vision of their scientists and warriors they charted a course to a better future. But the old powers could not allow them to thrive and have now set in motion new plots to destroy all that they’ve built.

In the fire to come they will face down their greatest struggle yet.

Amachi Adisa and other young leaders will contend with each other for the power to galvanize their people and chart the next course for the empire.

Fela Buhari and her elite unit will take the fight to regions not seen by human eyes, but no training will be enough to bring them all home.

Stacia Chikeke, captain of the starship Cypher, will face down enemies across the stars, and within her own vessel, as she searches for the answers that could save them all.

About the Author:
An accidental teacher (at the Oaks Academy Middle School), an accidental librarian (the School Library Manager as part of the IndyPL Shared System), and a purposeful community organizer (resident Afrofuturist at the Kheprw Institute), his work has appeared in Magazine of F&SF, Lightspeed Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Asimov’s, and Uncanny Magazine, with some of his stories having been collected in The Voices of Martyrs. As an editor, he’s worked on Dark Faith, Fireside Magazine, and Apex Magazine. His gaming work includes writing for the Marvel Super-Heroes, Leverage, and Firefly role-playing games as well as working as a consultant on Watch Dogs 2. Learn more about him at MauriceBroaddus.com.

To get your copy of Sweep of Stars, we reccommend picking them up from some of Indy’s fantastic local bookstores. Some of our personal favorites include Loudmouth Books, Indy Reads, Tomorrow Bookstore, Black Worldschoolers and Ujamaa Bookstore.

Please consider supporting the Ray Bradbury Center today! Just $5 can make a huge difference.

This is a Festival 451indy pop-up event- a celebration of the humanities and literacy through a variety of public programs including author talks, book clubs, writing workshops, films, plays, and so much more.