Midnight Robber (original 2000; edition 2000)

This was very easy to enjoy. It didn't take long to get into the flow of the Creole and the mixture of subtle sci-fi and mythology made an excellent backdrop for the brutal but liberating tale of Tan-Tan. I hope it's okay to say I felt a kindred-quality to Marlon James' Black Leopard, Red Wolf. Actually, there's a lot more going on than just SF and fantasy, the crypto-anthropology and sociology is worthy of someone like Octavia Butler or Ursula Le Guin. Smart writing with a lyrical, beating heart. For once I would've been pleased if it had been teased out to trilogy length. ( )

Nearly quit on this book a few times in the opening section as it just didn’t work for me. Glad I stocked with it though, excellent story ( )

Took me a while to finish this one, I really enjoyed this and got trapped into the story. Really hard to put this one down.

As I got to the end of this book, I didn't want it to end, it had me captured in the tale. ( )

Great book, even if it took me a bit to flow into the creole, but right off the bat it starts and finishes with hard-SF fully mixing with Anansi-tale.

What comes first? The Anansi-tale or the life of the Midnight Robber Tam-Tam? Who knows, we? Either way, both help define and refine and divine the tale.

Who is the Midnight Robber? She be the one to save two for every life she take. She's the myth of she who punishes the wicked and help those in need. She's the wronged who repays in both the good and the bad, the one who lives in slavery and delivers from it.

I'll be honest, it took a bit of effort to start my mind flowing in the right direction for the novel, and later, even when I knew what spoilers there be to make my heart bleed, it almost threw me to the ground to kick he side until he vomit. A few times, I even wanted to quit the novel. I couldn't take what Tam-Tam took. But I suffered through what she suffered through, saw her grow strong, and in her strength, I gained strength.

Things can get very dark, indeed, but there is light.

Eventually, there is hope and redemption, and the novel is good. The love is good.

Maybe as I read more novels of this type, I'll enjoy Creole more. As it is right now, I'm stuck in limbo. Seen? The language is beautiful and strange, but the poetry is clear and bright.

I'm so glad I was turned on to this form. ( )

Tiptree shortlist 2000 ( )