The debut novel from Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, the bestselling author of Friday Black.

Chain-Gang All-Stars is the story of two top women gladiators fighting for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America’s own.

‘The new maestro of dystopian lit has arrived’ – Wired

‘Beautiful and brutal’ – Independent

‘Electrifying’ – George Saunders

About the book

She felt their eyes, all those executioners …

Enter a world where, watched by millions, prisoners fight like gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom.

Welcome to Chain-Gang All-Stars – the popular and highly controversial programme inside America’s prison system. In packed arenas, watched by millions of live-stream viewers, prisoners compete as gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom.

Fan favourites Loretta Thurwar and Hamara ‘Hurricane Staxxx’ Stacker are teammates and lovers. Thurwar is nearing the end of her time on the circuit, free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. As she prepares for her final encounters, as protestors gather at the gates, and as the programme’s corporate owners stack the odds against her – will the price be simply too high?

‘An awe-inspiring novel that will be read for generations’ – Jessamine Chan

Listen to an excerpt:

Categories Africa Fiction International

Tags Book excerpts Book extracts Chain-Gang All-Stars Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah New books New releases Penguin Random House SA