I was sent a copy from the publisher in exchange for this review, and what a treat it is! There's something satisfying in every element of this book. Just to get this out of the way: yes, judge this book by its cover. It's stunning. Dark and colourful, sinister, bold, and unapologetically beautiful. You'll see many reviews describing BLRW as quite aggressive. It is, certainly, but part of the allure of this tail is its brutal honesty. Marlon James throws the reader into an environment of wild and tribal, ancient and modern, hyper-real and magical society with the voice of Tracker (the main character), who finds himself joining an unlikely coterie of fantastical fellow hunters in search of a lost boy. Tracker's appeal, from a reader's perspective, is that he feels so well developed from page one, raw and violent and uncaring but in no way numb-feeling or psychotic. Part of the joy of reading this book is a fascination in Tracker, wondering where he may or may not draw moral lines in his actions and behaviours. Ultimately, BLRW is a book rich with sensory description, unexpected characters, mini-stories, and an overarching journey that, if you manage to put it down, you'll be thinking about it until you next pick it up - and when it's done, you'll be on Waterstones.com every day awaiting news of the sequel.

Since I have start reading this book I could tell that Marlon James was a realy diferent style then the books I am used to read, a big mix of feellings when reading, weird sometimes, but a realy interested style, very creative mind and different style. Hardcover is looks amazing.

Brilliant book which may have a nodding acquaintance with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings but that’s as far as it goes, since I don’t recall the hobbits being sodomised by man and beast (and generally enjoying the experience). This is a whirlwind ride through an amazing cast of characters both mortal and mythological (sometimes both) across an African landscape complete with magic doors and dangers round every Baobab tree. The central character is a flawed and unwilling hero and no character is guaranteed to reach the next chapter (Marlon is quite ruthless). My sympathies for heroes and villains alike changed with each succeeding page and the ultimate quest changes in a dark and forboding way as the book progresses. I’m reading it again as such is the pace of the book that I probably missed a lot in my first gallop.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. This is one of those rare books that is simultaneously extremely difficult to read and almost impossible to put down. The world that Marlon James has created in this book is unlike anything I have read before - it is fully alive and brimming with imagination, peopled with extraordinary characters and a completely unpredictable and thrilling plot. It is difficult to read only due to the brutality of the world, the violence is extreme and often shocking so sensitive readers should be aware that James does not shy away from portraying the most evil deeds imaginable towards men, women and children alike. However, at no time does this feel gratuitous, as it is integral to the depiction of this fantasy world. The Africa of this novel is both familiar and completely strange, often the settings feel like some kind of fever dream, and sometimes truly nightmarish. The creatures that populate the jungles and dark places are deliciously terrifying, and the sense of horror and threat is pervasive throughout. We follow our protagonist Tracker, as he joins a mission to find a lost boy - yet there are so many nuances and twists to what seems to be a simple quest, that the reader is constantly questioning what the truth is, and what motivations lie behind each characters stake in this boy. Overall, this novel is absolutely astonishing, devastating and fiercely original. I cannot wait for the next book!