I have never read anything quite like this
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The Blurb:
Tracker is known far and wide for his skills as a hunter: "He has a nose," people say. Engaged to track down a mysterious boy who disappeared three years earlier, Tracker breaks his own rule of always working alone when he finds himself part of a group that comes together to search for the boy. The band is a hodgepodge, full of unusual characters with secrets of their own, including a shape-shifting man-animal known as Leopard.
As Tracker follows the boy's scent--from one ancient city to another; into dense forests and across deep rivers--he and the band are set upon by creatures intent on destroying them. As he struggles to survive, Tracker starts to wonder: Who, really, is this boy? Why has he been missing for so long? Why do so many people want to keep Tracker from finding him? And perhaps the most important questions of all: Who is telling the truth, and who is lying?
The Review
Marlon James will be in conversation on Wednesday 27th February as part of the UEA Spring Literary Festival and you can get tickets here
I have to preface this review with this statement: I have NEVER read anything quite like this. I haven't (yet) read 'A Brief History of Seven Killings', so this was my first introduction to James' work and I'm not sure I was prepared. (Although I'm not sure anyone can prepare for a book like this)
This, the first book in what will be 'The Dark Star' trilogy has been widely described as 'The African Game of Thrones'. I can absolutely see where this comparison comes from; the complex cast of characters and warring tribes, the arduous journeys, the mythical characters seamlessly woven within an otherwise relatable world. It also bears comparisons with the 'Lord of the Rings' books, for the nature of its epic quest to reinstate a 'true order' and its moral compass (something not quite so true for Game of Thrones!), the monstrous creatures, magic, witches and sorcery.
Much like both of these it has been compared to, it is an utter behemoth of a book! Well over 700 pages of challenging storytelling, it is not a book for the faint-hearted. It took me well over 150 pages to really find my stride with this book, but by then I was completely captivated. The way the characters speak to each other takes some getting used to and the narrative is not always told in a linear fashion. The use of language, which is both dense and stylistic, makes this a much more authentic reading experience but it really does take some getting used to. James takes his time to craft the characters and their complex relationships, they are all incredibly richly developed. Tracker is an especially well conceived character, and despite his obstinate nature, it's hard not to root for him.
The writing in this book could not be more graphic if it tried. There is a particular passage, where Tracker describes being taken hostage by some horrible, mythical beings. The description of the way they torture him and, in particular, one paragraph which involves an eyeball, is going to stay with me forever. I have never read a piece of fictional writing that has elicited such a visceral reaction from me; I had to swallow down my nausea. I have to say, that passage in particular, benefits from being read aloud, which I did to both the horror and delight of several friends!
The writing has a hallucinatory, dreamlike feel to it much of the time as we encounter landscapes unimaginable - tree cities, shadowlands and doors that lead to places beyond the realms of reason. It is both graphically violent and sexually explicit throughout and for some it might feel that the violence borders on gratuitous. However, this is not some dark tome, James also peppers this story with wonderful moments of humour between the characters with witty sarcasm that helps to provide some much needed light relief.
Apart from the aforementioned Game of Thrones, I haven't read a huge amount of fantasy so I don't know how the treatment of sexuality in this book compares to others in the genre, but I'm betting its a bit of a game changer. It unashamedly embraces its explicit queerness whilst still openly questioning the 'ideals' of masculinity and sexual orientation. I was a tad disappointed that there weren't many strong female characters in it, but rest assured that it challenges enough norms for one book!
Considering how impenetrable I found this at the start and for how much of the book I found myself slightly confused (thanks to the jumping timeline) I finished it breathless and wanting more. When it gets this type of quote from Neil Gaiman, you know it must be something special, and I can't summarise it any better than this:
“Black Leopard, Red Wolf is the kind of novel I never realized I was missing until I read it. A dangerous, hallucinatory, ancient Africa, which becomes a fantasy world as well-realized as anything Tolkien made, with language as powerful as Angela Carter’s. It’s as deep and crafty as Gene Wolfe, bloodier than Robert E. Howard, and all Marlon James. It’s something very new that feels old, in the best way. I cannot wait for the next installment.”
You won't read another fantasy book like this.
Thanks to the Publisher and The UEA Literary festival organisers for this preview copy in return for an honest review.