“, there’s a lot of violence but never any suffering,” James said. James spares no image when it comes to the sex and violence in his latest novel, but he wanted the violence to resonate differently from what Western audiences are often used to. Then she added, “Or because the characters are black?” “I wonder if reviewers are fixed on the sexuality of this novel because it’s queer?” Gay asked. Gay told the audience she read many reviews that said James’ novel had an overt sexuality, which she did not see. “That sexual frankness, frankness in general, is part of the African.” “It’s a sign of subtlety, like subtlety has anything to do with sex,” James said. “Space-break sex” is when a novel gives the reader the lead-up to sex and when the actual act is about to happen, the writer leaves the reader with a “space break,” and begins again either with the next day or the lovers smoking a cigarette in bed. James told Gay about his contempt for “space-break sex” in literature. The whole idea of sexuality was different the fluidity was different.” “It was a very sensual and sensory world,” James said. James also stripped away the religious influences of African folklore and went back to a time when African tales had an inherent eroticism to them.

“In a lot of African stories, the trickster is telling the story, so you already know this is an unreliable narrator,” James said. Throughout their conversation, Gay and James laughed with the audience when they reflected on the genre novels they grew up reading and the great storytellers of their families who, coincidentally, were also great liars. The sprawling-style narrative gives the lead character the ability to blend truth with perspective and motive, which puts the burden of deciphering truth on the reader. As the story unfolds, many things come into question, including Tracker’s trustworthiness as a narrator.

Tracker is sent on a quest with a group that includes his friend, the shape-shifting Leopard, to help find a missing boy.

“Black Leopard, Red Wolf” follows a man named Tracker who is gifted with a heightened sense of smell, allowing him to follow scents throughout the mythical Africa-inspired lands concocted by James.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James