The Ballad of Black Tom cover art

The Ballad of Black Tom

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The Ballad of Black Tom

By: Victor LaValle
Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
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About this listen

People move to New York looking for magic, and nothing will convince them it isn't there. Charles Thomas Tester hustles to put food on the table, keep the roof over his father's head, from Harlem to Flushing Meadows to Red Hook. He knows what magic a suit can cast, the invisibility a guitar case can provide, and the curse written on his black skin that attracts the eye of wealthy white folks and their trained cops.

But when he delivers an occult page to a reclusive sorceress in the heart of Queens, Tom opens a door to a deeper realm of magic and earns the attention of things best left sleeping. A storm that might swallow the world is building in Brooklyn. Will Black Tom live to see it break?

©2016 Victor LaValle (P)2016 Macmillan Audio Dark Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Paranormal Scary Social justice

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All stars
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Enjoyed reading something I had to think about especially the underlying story which was very sad but believable.

Different but in a good way.

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Tightly written, and filled with metaphor and history, this brilliant written Lovecraftian horror tale moves the the setting from errie Providince to the the beating heart of Harlem showing us that the great old ones maybe be indifferent to man, they understand and are pleased with the desire for revenge and justice.

A dark, juicy Lovecraftian revenge story.

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An interesting short story that provides a corrective to the vile racism of Lovecraft's Horror at Red Hook. It's atmospheric and well-written but possibly best enjoyed if you are already a fan of Lovecraftian weird fiction.

Well narrated by Kevin R. Free

Quirky Lovecraftian horror

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Definitely one of the better Lovecraft adaptions I have listened to in recent years. It doesn't have the tone or the theme of the original story, but it is good enough to stand on its own. Black Tom is a distinct and interesting character, and fits well within the setting.

The narrator is the right choice for the story and refines it further.

A Lovecraft adaption done right

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Well performed and excellent story that ahpppd be made into a film. Very lovecraftian and interesting themes.

Great reading

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More and more we are seeing Lovecrafts tales retold from an alternative participnts perspective. I not only welcome this but find it absolutely captivating. As a sub-genre of Lovecrafts work, each retelling enriches the horror experience, again and again.

An alternative retelling of The Horror at Red Hook

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