Whispers in the Dark

by Walter Mosley

Ptolemy Bent--"Popo"--is different. At an age when most babies are cooing "Mama, " Popo was speaking in complete sentences. He was reading college textbooks when he was still too young for nursery school. Popo may just be the smartest human being on Earth. And he spends all his time listening to the radio . . . to white noise that comes drifting down from the sky like stardust. Chill Bent is a two-time loser with a hair-trigger temper. After the death of Popo's mother, the ex-con assumes responsibility for his nephew, vowing to protect the boy from a government eager to strip away his African-American heritage and exploit his genius like a natural resource. Together, Popo and Chill are about to embark on an extraordinary journey into the farthest reaches of the mind and the soul . . . a journey you will never forget.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

37 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Walter Mosley (b. 1952) is the author of the bestselling mystery series featuring Easy Rawlins, as well as numerous other works, from literary fiction and science fiction to a young adult novel and political monographs. His short fiction has been widely published, and his nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times Magazine and the Nation, among other publications. Mosley is the winner of numerous awards, including an O. Henry Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, a Grammy, and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in New York City.

Reviews

[K2]

GoodRead!

[Andria Potter]

No idea what the hell this short story was but damn that ending. 4 ⭐

[E]

I didn't know this was a short story :-( It was just getting good when it ended!

[Lyle Boylen]

Walter Mosley is a great writer, nuff said.

[Andrena G.]

Intriguing Story; Horrible Ending!

"Whispers in the Dark", a captivating novella by Walter Mosley, centered on a brilliant young inventor, lovingly called Popo by his uncle and grandmother. His Uncle Chill, an ex con, went to great lengths to protect Popo from the authorities by managing his education at home, where, even as a toddler, he could perform feats of intelligence that were unsurpassed by even grown men and women. As Popo grew older, though, Chill had to seek alternate means to care for this child and grandmother, so he made the ultimate sacrifice to accomplish this, which resulted in tragic consequences. 😔

[Nathea Lee]

I feel like I need to read it again. It was unexpectedly brief. Just as I was settling in and becoming interested in the characters: poof! it was over.

[Asun]

A fantastic short story that perfectly portrays a black family's struggle in this totalitarian dystopian society.

[sabrina osborne]

Trippy

Wow. Kinda like life in a nutshell. Poignant. Beautiful. Sad. Walter Mosley never ceases to amaze me. An epic storyteller.

[edy]

Had to read this for a class assignment and it was good. Definitely wasn't expecting that to happen at the end of the story.

(No rating because I never rate what I have to read for class).

[Lora Graham]

This is my first Walter Mosley work, which is unfortunate because it makes me question if I really want to read anything else by him. At all. Ever. I wasn’t aware this was science fiction, as there is no indication of such on the Amazon purchase page. I’m generally not a sci-fi fan but if it’s a short book or well done movie I’ll try it out.

There is NO character development and NO world build. Ptolemy Bent, best known as Popo, is a small child who is amazingly gifted. His mother, Melba, is dead before the start of the story; accidental overdose according to doctors, tired of living according to Misty, his grandmother. Misty, already elderly, has had a stroke - brought on by Melba’s death, she says - and has lost function in one side of her body. Melba’s brother, Chill not sure if that’s his birth name) lives with Popo and Misty to take care of them. All of that is understood. What is NOT understood - silly me, requiring reasoning - is the oft-repeated online synopsis that Chill needs to protect Popo from being taken by the government and having his identity/personality “brainwashed” out of him. But there’s nothing to back this up. Nothing and no one says that’s what happens in schools but Chill. He insists that sending Popo to school would be equivalent to him being sent to Angola prison for armed robbery. Huh???

There’s talk of Chill owning an illegal “ember gun” with no explanation of what that is. Everyone has a “personal bar code”; no explanation of how or why. Chill wants to raise money to be able to just keep Popo at home and have him do homeschooling. But for some unexplained reason (imagine that) homeschooling has to be done through some sort of online link that costs a monumental amount of money. Rather than allow Popo to steal money from overseas via his homemade computer, he goes off to sell body parts to raise the money. Of course, he tells no one the plan until he’s back home. He’s sold enough to make $6M, and asks Kai Lin, the Vietnamese woman who occasionally comes to watch Popo & Misty, to marry him so they can keep Popo and split the money. She agrees. Fast forward some years, Popo is nine, and fools his uncle & granny into euthanasia. The story ends with him being sentenced to 12 years in prison and Kai Lin “never visiting her husband’s grave”. Wtf did I just read???

[reneeNaDaCherry]

😒...

[Mattie Patterson]

Excellent book

[Kelly Martin]

I didn't read this book because the author chose to write a character with misspelled words because they had a speech impairment. I personally hate when an author does that.

[Liberata Maroon]

I remember this book, but I dont remember this book. I know I read it, but I can't remember what all happened. Don't know if thats a good or bad thing. I think I sped read it in the bath one afternoon.

[Jewell]

I am beginning to like my e reader. Downloaded this book at an airport before boarding the plane home. Three hours later, the book was finished. Not one of Walter's mysteries, instead a more esoteric read. Really enjoyed the story. May read it again.

[Henry paige]

What a commentary on life, hope, faith and the universe

Walter Mosley is a fabulous author tackling many issues in few pages. Left me wanting more and wondering what would come next...

[Kati]

Feels unfinished, but still great.

[Mattie]

This was a very interesting read. It was just way too short, so much so that I feel that it was unfinished.

[CaShawn]

Very short short story. Sharp and jarring. I'd love to read this as a full-length novel.

[King]

short but a good read because of the morality of the lead character.

[Paula]

Very short! Ended very abruptly and felt unfinished, but a good read.

[Sag2364]

Too short -- full novel would have been great. interesting!

[Debra Odom]

I am not sure what I read. This is definitely a short story.

[Mary]

nook