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lucardus's review against another edition
4.0
Eine sehr finstere, afrikanische Fantasy-Story, die keine Zurückhaltung bei der Schilderung von Gewalt kennt, sich in Sprache und Ausführung eher an literarischen Vorbildern orientiert als an anderen Genre-Autoren. Wer hier einen afrikanischen Tolkien erwartet oder einen Literaten, der in die Fußstapfen von George R. R. Martin treten will, wird sich getäuscht fühlen. Solche Erwartungen werden hier nicht erfüllt. Der Klappentext von Neil Gaiman trifft es recht gut mit den aufgeführten Vergleichen zu Gene Wolfe (Erzählerstimme) und Robert E. Howard (Mentalität und Problemlösungsstrategien des Protagonisten). Was Gaimans dritte Stimme in diesem Chor angeht, Angela Carter, bin ich nicht befähigt ein Urteil zu fällen.
Zum 5-Sterne-Gipfel reicht es nicht, da Marlon James zuweilen etwas zu viel des Guten tut, wenn es um die Schilderung von Kämpfen geht. Gegen Ende kam dahingehend eine leichte Ermüdung bei mir auf.
Aber in jedem Fall ist hier ein ziemlich einzigartiges, faszinierendes, aber auch nicht leicht verdauliches Werk entstanden, das neugierig macht auf mehr. Und es ist am Ende dieses ersten Bandes überhaupt nicht klar, wie es weitergeht.
Zum 5-Sterne-Gipfel reicht es nicht, da Marlon James zuweilen etwas zu viel des Guten tut, wenn es um die Schilderung von Kämpfen geht. Gegen Ende kam dahingehend eine leichte Ermüdung bei mir auf.
Aber in jedem Fall ist hier ein ziemlich einzigartiges, faszinierendes, aber auch nicht leicht verdauliches Werk entstanden, das neugierig macht auf mehr. Und es ist am Ende dieses ersten Bandes überhaupt nicht klar, wie es weitergeht.
timinbc's review against another edition
2.0
Gorgeously rich, probably meant to be savoured slowly, but totally not for me right now. I just want a story. I'm going to DNF this and try it again in six months. I step out with the feeling that the author wanted to narrate it very slowly into my ear from two feet away, in James Earl Jones's voice.
hagwife's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is insanely good and a read that greatly expands the audience's view of what is possible in fantasy writing. Perhaps the super short version is from Amar El-Mohtar, which described the books as "if Toni Morrison had written Ovid's Metamorphoses"(NPR, 2018). The slightly longer version starts with awe at this beautiful landscape woven out of African history and African mythology.
One of my favourite aspects of the novel is its narrative style. The entirety of the book is Tracker relaying his version of events to an inquisitor, though we never hear the inquisitor speak. As far as Tracker's story, most of that is told through conversations between characters, thus making the book almost entirely dialogue. Given that we are only receiving Tracker's version of events, there's a malleability to the story that is different from other uses of unreliable narrators. It feels less like intentionally diverting attention (Westworld) or subconsciously lying (Mr. Robot) and more so like an oral history. What is truth but the way one man saw the events and how he then chooses to remember them? And even if his version of the story doesn't match the "actual" events, what is to say that those events are any more true? This is a story where authenticity is not yoked to correctness, where truth is not an absolute because people are not absolute.
The theme of truth, the oral history style, and James' use of language combine into a worldview that feels authentic to the world in the novel. While written in English, it doesn't sound like English. James put a lot of effort into crafting a voice for his characters that sounds like a dialect, and not one where it's been translated, but one where the reader has a Star Trek-esque translation device – the characters speak and we understand. Perhaps the last novel I read where I was conscious of the amount of effort put into the way language works and how characters communicated was Zora Neal Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. The fact that many readers have found it hard to read means, at least in my opinion, that James succeeded in writing pre-colonial communications with a post-colonial language. There's that has been written on this, but recently I've been thinking about a quote from wa Thiong'o's Decolonizing the mind: "language was the most important vehicle through which that power fascinated and held the soul prisoner...Language was the means of spiritual subjugation".
I also enjoy how unapologetic and frank this book is in its queerness. We see many examples of platonic love, romantic love, and sexual attraction in all its various combinations between men. These relationships and encounters are vivid and intense; for Tracker, the line between love and hate is extremely thin and are characterized by the intenseness of his feelings, of the time and energy and many ways in which Leopard and Nyka and Mossi are intertwined with his life. And this queerness is shared and explored in a way that honors and explores the broadness of masculinity and how that impacts one's identity and vice versa.
I should point out that for any test related to the treatment and inclusion of women, this novel fails, and I think that's intentional. Tracker's relationships with women are extremely fraught, and though born out of trauma, extremely unfair to generalize, as several characters point out. It's interesting, because we don't meet any women or female presenting characters who challenge Tracker's beliefs with their actions, but we're left to wonder whether that is how these characters are or how Tracker sees them. I'm extremely interested in the second book in the trilogy, which tells the same tale, but from Sogolon's perspective.
This is also an incredibly hard book to recommend. James does not care about your sensibilities, particularly if they are European or derive historically from European ones; he's not interested in White-washing events or making them more palatable. He has built a stark reality in the world of Black Leopard, Red Wolf, one that understands that you gain nothing by trying to make it pretty or talk around it. You're going to be uncomfortable and you should be uncomfortable; it's not supposed to be easy to read about violent acts or intense grief. Most importantly though, please, please, please read the content warnings and take care of yourself first and foremost.
One of my favourite aspects of the novel is its narrative style. The entirety of the book is Tracker relaying his version of events to an inquisitor, though we never hear the inquisitor speak. As far as Tracker's story, most of that is told through conversations between characters, thus making the book almost entirely dialogue. Given that we are only receiving Tracker's version of events, there's a malleability to the story that is different from other uses of unreliable narrators. It feels less like intentionally diverting attention (Westworld) or subconsciously lying (Mr. Robot) and more so like an oral history. What is truth but the way one man saw the events and how he then chooses to remember them? And even if his version of the story doesn't match the "actual" events, what is to say that those events are any more true? This is a story where authenticity is not yoked to correctness, where truth is not an absolute because people are not absolute.
The theme of truth, the oral history style, and James' use of language combine into a worldview that feels authentic to the world in the novel. While written in English, it doesn't sound like English. James put a lot of effort into crafting a voice for his characters that sounds like a dialect, and not one where it's been translated, but one where the reader has a Star Trek-esque translation device – the characters speak and we understand. Perhaps the last novel I read where I was conscious of the amount of effort put into the way language works and how characters communicated was Zora Neal Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. The fact that many readers have found it hard to read means, at least in my opinion, that James succeeded in writing pre-colonial communications with a post-colonial language. There's that has been written on this, but recently I've been thinking about a quote from wa Thiong'o's Decolonizing the mind: "language was the most important vehicle through which that power fascinated and held the soul prisoner...Language was the means of spiritual subjugation".
I also enjoy how unapologetic and frank this book is in its queerness. We see many examples of platonic love, romantic love, and sexual attraction in all its various combinations between men. These relationships and encounters are vivid and intense; for Tracker, the line between love and hate is extremely thin and are characterized by the intenseness of his feelings, of the time and energy and many ways in which Leopard and Nyka and Mossi are intertwined with his life. And this queerness is shared and explored in a way that honors and explores the broadness of masculinity and how that impacts one's identity and vice versa.
I should point out that for any test related to the treatment and inclusion of women, this novel fails, and I think that's intentional. Tracker's relationships with women are extremely fraught, and though born out of trauma, extremely unfair to generalize, as several characters point out. It's interesting, because we don't meet any women or female presenting characters who challenge Tracker's beliefs with their actions, but we're left to wonder whether that is how these characters are or how Tracker sees them. I'm extremely interested in the second book in the trilogy, which tells the same tale, but from Sogolon's perspective.
This is also an incredibly hard book to recommend. James does not care about your sensibilities, particularly if they are European or derive historically from European ones; he's not interested in White-washing events or making them more palatable. He has built a stark reality in the world of Black Leopard, Red Wolf, one that understands that you gain nothing by trying to make it pretty or talk around it. You're going to be uncomfortable and you should be uncomfortable; it's not supposed to be easy to read about violent acts or intense grief. Most importantly though, please, please, please read the content warnings and take care of yourself first and foremost.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Grief, Rape, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Gore, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Vomit, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Excrement, and Infidelity
Minor: Drug abuse, Incest, and Drug use
This book is not written with regards to Western conventions. It does not condone or uplift violence towards others but it is also not going to shy away from the realities of such acts. You will be uncomfortable because you should be uncomfortable.testaroscia's review against another edition
3.0
This book deserved a greater effort than I gave it. Once started I just knew that if I did not (A bit like Tracker, I guess) soldier through it and not deviate to the end, I would not make it. I absolutely loved [b:A Brief History of Seven Killings|20893314|A Brief History of Seven Killings|Marlon James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1399045083l/20893314._SY75_.jpg|40236328] and although not a avowed fantasy fan I do enjoy dipping into the genre so I was surprised when I found that this book was not gathering any traction for me. I was ready for the grime, the violence, the depressing cheapness for life. Brief History had me ready for that. However the plot never hooked me in and although appreciative of James' prose and turn of phrase I was pretty glad when I got to the end. I'll probably pass on the next one.
_maymay_be's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
cecile87's review against another edition
3.0
Didn’t finish it. Even after investing in the hardcopy, which I do not regret in support of the author.
But, alas, not my kind of read. Tepid about fantasy anyway, but the operatic inhumanity was too distracting for me to stick with the rest of the story. I was liking the shape-shifting leopard, even given his casual brutality—most of his seemed used to rescue or punish the deserving. But the Tracker—even with his softness for the children—his mindless brutality and that of others in the story was more than I could take. And, I am weary of brutality against women and gays, even if it is perpetrated by same—self-hatred happens. Gratuitous brutality—and of course against children as well. The writing itself is strong. Hence three stars instead of one or two. On to something else!
But, alas, not my kind of read. Tepid about fantasy anyway, but the operatic inhumanity was too distracting for me to stick with the rest of the story. I was liking the shape-shifting leopard, even given his casual brutality—most of his seemed used to rescue or punish the deserving. But the Tracker—even with his softness for the children—his mindless brutality and that of others in the story was more than I could take. And, I am weary of brutality against women and gays, even if it is perpetrated by same—self-hatred happens. Gratuitous brutality—and of course against children as well. The writing itself is strong. Hence three stars instead of one or two. On to something else!
dreaming_ace's review against another edition
4.0
There is no easy way to describe this epic novel. It is complex and layered and sad and angry and even has a bit of deep love and found family. It is filled with mature language and themes. There is much blood and death and fighting too. I have seen others describe it as hallucinationary which seems as a good term as any. I am glad that I read this book but in some ways, I would say it was a book I knew I should read more than a book I enjoyed reading.
Switching to the audiobook midway was a good idea. This is a kind of epic tale which feels like it should be spoken around a mythical campfire somewhere, where it can just sort of overcome you but where you can always jump back in when your mind wanders away for a while.
Switching to the audiobook midway was a good idea. This is a kind of epic tale which feels like it should be spoken around a mythical campfire somewhere, where it can just sort of overcome you but where you can always jump back in when your mind wanders away for a while.
espeonesque's review against another edition
Tried again, got a lot further than the last time, but the story is still just so hard to follow on audiobook. I don't know if reading it will be easier
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the tv series based on Game of Thrones but have stayed away from book series - the food for thought and imagination per word seems too little to me in books categorised as fantasy (and they seem to so often repeat same fantasy elements) that I try to stay away from them. Anyway the bigger the book, the less likely I am to love it and all fantasy books are big. GOT won my attention due to its portrayal of underdogs and more than anything else Peter Dinklage's acting as Tyrion Lannister.
That said, the very idea of African Game of Thrones! I mean I know about fantasy elements that make culture of Europe, America, India, Arab, a few Japanese ones and even Urban Fantasy thingy. But what elements would form an African fantasy novel? What is their substitute of dragons? Or fairies? Or Zombies? Because there seems to be a sort of connection between culture of a region and it's fantasy elements.
This is why I went for BLRW. To a great extent I am satisfied. Some elements included - albinos, dismiss twins and other children born with mutations, witches, white scientists (probably from America's and Europe), people who can take form of animals, slavers etc. James' prose is a treat too - full of (often dirty) humor and the LGBT get the center stage here. Personally I think it (and McEwan's 'Machines like Me' too) should have made it to at least long list of Booker award.
The trouble with this book will be Marlon James is too much of a writer to like a sterotypical fantasy author who typically works from scene to Scene in a chronological manner and with a prose that would be unchallenging to reader even if at cost of compromising with aesthetic prose. Thus it won't probably won't win the love of those who read American fantasy genre books.
That said, the very idea of African Game of Thrones! I mean I know about fantasy elements that make culture of Europe, America, India, Arab, a few Japanese ones and even Urban Fantasy thingy. But what elements would form an African fantasy novel? What is their substitute of dragons? Or fairies? Or Zombies? Because there seems to be a sort of connection between culture of a region and it's fantasy elements.
This is why I went for BLRW. To a great extent I am satisfied. Some elements included - albinos, dismiss twins and other children born with mutations, witches, white scientists (probably from America's and Europe), people who can take form of animals, slavers etc. James' prose is a treat too - full of (often dirty) humor and the LGBT get the center stage here. Personally I think it (and McEwan's 'Machines like Me' too) should have made it to at least long list of Booker award.
The trouble with this book will be Marlon James is too much of a writer to like a sterotypical fantasy author who typically works from scene to Scene in a chronological manner and with a prose that would be unchallenging to reader even if at cost of compromising with aesthetic prose. Thus it won't probably won't win the love of those who read American fantasy genre books.