Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon
#6153.64 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 2023 Reading commitment Low Wole Talabi Last reviewed 2026-08-19
Overview
A standalone Yoruba-mythology-based fantasy heist novel (2023) following Shigidi, a minor Nigerian nightmare god grown tired of his diminished role in the Orisha Spirit Company, and Nneoma, a shapeshifting night spirit, as they plot to steal a legendary artifact. Talabi is primarily known as a science-fiction short-fiction author; no other work of his shares this continuity.
Mythic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon (2023) core · 3.64 (1,674 ratings); A Yoruba-mythology-based fantasy heist novel following the deity Shigidi. Talabi is primarily known as a science-fiction short-fiction author; no other work of his shares this continuity, so this stands as its own self-contained novel rather than part of a series.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon? Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon finished? Complete (2023).
- How much reading does Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book · ~314 pages).
- How is Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon ranked? #615 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 1,674 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #615?
Ranked #615 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 3.64 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (1,674 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #614, The Saint of Bright Doors (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
- A single standalone novel: ranked on that one book alone.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 1 book · Complete · 2k ratings · Ranks #615 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment mythic fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- Nebula Award (Best Novel), 2024: finalist: Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon; 59th Annual Nebula Awards (ceremony 2024, for 2023-published work); verified directly against nebulas.sfwa.org. Winner that year was The Saint of Bright Doors (already admitted to this canon).
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.64 across 1,674 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Admit Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon (Wole Talabi) as a new universe accepted 2026-08-19
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Last reviewed: 2026-08-19
Rule: Core Canon = the single published novel (2023), a standalone with no announced sequel.