47
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Walter Mosley is one of the best-known writers in America. In his first book for young adults, Mosley deftly weaves historical and speculative fiction into a powerful narrative about the nature of freedom. 47 is a young slave boy living under the watchful eye of a brutal slave master. His life seems doomed until he meets a mysterious runaway slave, Tall John. Then, 47 finds himself swept up in a struggle for his own liberation.
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Walter Mosley is nothing if not willing to try new things. It seems to me that this book falls squarely where historical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy intersect. It is also an odd kind of coming of age story.
The story starts out following the the life of a young slave named 47. In doing so, it gives a pretty convincing image of what life was like for plantation slaves in the pre Civil War American South. But, an SF element enters the story when 47 meets another slave that is most peculiar indeed.
Then things get interesting. It seems this other slave is on an important mission and he wants to enlist 47 in it. This new slave also seems to have magical powers. (Arthur C. Clarke style advanced tech indistinguishable from magic perhaps? It is unclear; certainly seems fantastical to me.)
As the story progresses 47 and some other slaves face a lot of trials – there is danger and there is action. And some quite frankly horrible things happen along the way. 47 has to grow up fast.
This book isn't at all like Mosley's famous Easy Rawlins crime series. But still, quite a good story.
