#marlon james

[literary-illuminati]

Black Leopard, Red Wolf remains undefeated champion as most asshole-genie possible answer to someone asking for '#ownvoices queer fantasy books with a non-Eurocentric setting for Black History Month'.

[deathsmallcaps]

Okay lowkey highkey ive only found one Reddit thread on Black Leopard, Red Wolf but it’s driving me up the wall. Apparently there was a marketing mismatch and whatever so this book wasn’t as popular as it should’ve been. But people are saying the prose was difficult and unoriginal and shit and I’m like ??? One person said that fantasy generally attracts easy-reading escapists and it was more difficult to read than Brian Sanderson (who I found to be a similar level of literary and difficult, and I haven’t finished the first book). One person said “wow I always thought Africa would be a cool fantasy setting but words got in the way’

Jesus Christ. I’ll admit, I did find the beginning a hard start, and there is a lot of sexual assault of pretty much every kind, and the main character’s mother issues were strong, and I enjoy looking stuff up and am somewhat familiar with the broadest strokes of precolonial West Africa*, and it was written in a highly oral style, but what these people were really uncomfortable/disinterested was the AFRICAN-ness of it all.

They keep on dancing around it. They didn’t want to directly and indirectly learn more about other cultures’ storytelling styles and values as they went. Especially not in such a literary and stylized form.

Give me one fantasy book that is especially original**. This story was in the style of old. It was dense. It has a tragic top who loves fiercely but gods forbid (fuck the gods) that anyone gets to know that. Hes a hero not because he is always the best, but because hes the main character. He’s on a quest not for the money, but for the intrigue and excitement, and later, pain and vengeance. He’s a truly restless soul.

Maybe that shit is old. But it’s classic for a reason.

And then these people. They’re like. “Oh but I read for plot, I read for character and I don’t like him. I want new stuff”

He’s a Black gay sexual assault survivor with non-lightning powers*** who isn’t afraid to say anything to anyone, who adopts unusual children and can’t help but be kind if you give him a moment. AND that’s just the main character.

(Again, I’ll admit, the first part was a little difficult, and while you shouldn’t always have to like the main character, I found him hard to want to follow. But as the story goes on, you realize it’s because he was an annoying teen at that point, and also he hates the guy he’s talking to, and for good reason.)

It’s a good book. I heard one person found it more accessible via audiobook due to its oral style. But it is stories within stories and it is delightful twists of grammar and it is action and it I s sex and it is love and it is pain and it even has devastating character lists and helpful maps.

Fuck the gods. Yall should read Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James.

*I think this story takes place in an area that geographically probably best fits south of Ethiopia but north of ‘South Africa’, because of some of the words like Shogo, the trade with ‘Asia’, and especially with the prophecy about westerners and the one kingdom that stands despite it all. But I say West Africa because a lot of the African fantasy (contemporary or High) that I’ve read is largely based around West African cultures. And while this probably takes place in East Africa, there are some cultural crossovers (like Nasi/Anansi and so on) that I understand, likely because of the prevalence of West African-descended cultures (the author Marlon James is Jamaican and has lived and worked in both the USA and Canada). He literally cited the libraries of Timbuktu, a city built for scholars, in his author notes. But enough about me

**rhetorical device

***the joke is in superhero circles that there are many Black superheroes with lightning/electricity powers. Here, it’s kind of the opposite.

[royaldeadqueen]

icymi: here’s all of my pop diva moodboards 🎤

this time, i feel like they actually slowly got worse 🤣but idk

anyway, hope y’all liked this 🤟🏻

[quotespile]

We don't own truth. Truth is truth and nothing you can do about it even if you hide it, or kill it, or even tell it. It was truth before you open your mouth and say, That there is a true thing.

Marlon James, Black Leopard, Red Wolf

[ysm-room]

The Hunger Games: Keanu Reeves Edition

I was bored.

[lgbtqreads]

Happy Caribbean American Heritage Month 2026! Happy Caribbean American Heritage Month! This year, we're celebrating with books by Caribbean American authors and/or starring Caribbean characters!...

Happy Caribbean American Heritage Month 2026!

[discoscoob]

KEANUVERSE COUPLE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

Part One: Featuring Matt, Ted Logan, Marlon James, Johnny Utah and don John.

Matt: Ghostface and Casey

Okay I know that Ghostface and Casey weren’t a couple in the movie but to me Casey is one of the more recognisable/iconic characters from the movie, despite her limited screentime. I couldn’t think of Matt as anything other than Ghostface and I can’t imagine him putting a lot of effort into a costume, Ghostface is simple, easy and cheap which is exactly what he’d go for.

Ted: Shaggy and Velma/Mary Jane

Would I even be me if I didn’t sneak some Scooby characters into here? I couldn’t decide whether to go with Velma or Mary Jane for reader so you can choose! Of course Velma would be more iconic but Shaggy and Mary Jane were an actual couple. Ted just has Shaggy energy in my opinion and it’d be a really effortless costume for him.

Marlon James: Joker and Harley

Maybe it’s annoying and overdone but I just thought Marlon looks scruffy enough to me to dress as Joker. However I did consider Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann but I thought that a full pirate outfit might be out of his budget, whereas he can get some white face paint, steal some of your lipstick and mascara and put some green hair spray dye in his hair and dig out an old suit he probably bought at goodwill for a court appearance and that’d be a lot cheaper for him. You’d definitely end up carrying the look here.

Johnny Utah: Barbie and Ken

Ken does beach and Johnny does beach (and FBI on the side) honestly as long as you’re wearing pink Johnny could probably wear anything and just be happy to be with you.

Don John: The Phantom and Christine

Modern AU… don John loves theatrics and dressing up, he wants to be the best dressed couple of the night, he’s not looking for an effortless or cheap costume, he wants to make sure you’re both turning heads. Will stay in character the whole night… even when you’re alone after the party.

Part two: featuring Jack Traven, Donnie Barksdale, Julian Mercer, Kevin Lomax and Constantine coming next…

[thatgingernerdgirl]

Keanu Reeves Characters as Cakes Part 5

Part 5 of this series for @gea-chan96 💜

Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3 ~ Part 4

Julian Mercer - Strawberry Shortcake

Sweet, bright, and perfect for a warm spring day. 🩺

Scott Favor - Fruitcake

Hard, fruity, and evil. (Sorry! 😭) 💸

Kai - Tiramisu

Quiet, reserved, and pretty. 🌸

Marlon James - Dirt Cake

Simple, childlike, and a loveable dirtbag. 🍕

Bob Arctor - Half-baked pan of brownies.

He meant well…he really did… 🌼

Thanks again to @arch-b1sh0p, @casuallyobssessed, @atomic-groupie, @saturnalia2808, @royaldeadqueen, @misspsychoticfics and @pointbreakvhs for helping me with this series! 🎂🍰🎂🍰