BOOKER Prize winner Marlon James follows up his 2015 Man Booker prize-winning novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings, with this fantasy fiction story, the first of his Dark Star trilogy.
Inspired by epic sagas such as Lord of the Rings, James’ Black Leopard Red Wolf combines action, adventure and African mythology.
The story is about Tracker, a character who is renowned for his skills as a hunter.
As he tells us, Tracker (or Wolf as he is sometimes known) once had a name, but he has long forgot it.
Tasked to find a child who disappeared three years prior, Tracker gets on the case, no questions asked.
However, as he goes about his business, his recalls his own past and how he got to be the way he is.
While he may seem on the right track to find this child, he comes across those who try to dissuade him from his quest.
They include the shapeshifters, alchemists, vampires, and strange creatures he encounters along the way, not to mention some very violent situations he finds himself getting caught in.
James is a very descriptive writer, and so the really violent parts like the protagonist stabbing a person or animal are very vividly described.
The story is not an easy read, and it begins very slowly.
Tracker is not a very likeable character, and it takes a while before you feel inclined to go on this journey with him.
This is one of those books that is hard to digest on your own and will, in fact, benefit from a series of group discussions.
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