Title: The Ballad of Black Tom
Author: Victor LaValle
Page Count 160 pages
Publisher: Tor
Genre: Cosmic Horror
Synopsis:
"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 skin that attracts the eye of wealthy white folks and their cops. But when he delivers an occult tome 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?" - Via Amazon
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review
I picked up The Ballad of Black Tom on audio when I had a drive that was the length of the book and I’ve heard nothing but good things. I expected to have a good time listening to a new author that I had the pleasure of listening to during a convention back in January. What I thought would be a fun time turned into an absolute adventure. I was transported back in time and completely blown away. This is one of the best books that I have ever read. It was horrifying, magical, and you care deeply about our main character in such a short amount of time.
With elements of cosmic horror, interdimensional beings, occult sorcerers and other high strangeness this story is perfectly crafted. What isn’t to love?!
I will now be picking up everything else Victor LaValle has ever written.
Final Recommendation: Lovers of cosmic horror, people new to cosmic horror
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