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Black Cloud Rising
Already excerpted in the New Yorker, Black Cloud Rising is a compelling and important historical novel that takes us back to an extraordinary moment when enslaved men and women were shedding their bonds and embracing freedomBy fall of 1863, Union forces had taken control of Tidewater Virginia, and established a toehold in eastern North Carolina, including along the Outer Banks. Thousands of freed slaves and runaways flooded the Union lines, but Confederate irregulars still roamed the region. In December, the newly formed African Brigade, a unit of these former slaves led by General Edward Augustus Wild—a one-armed, impassioned Abolitionist—set out from Portsmouth to hunt down the rebel guerillas and extinguish the threat.
From this little-known historical episode comes Black Cloud Rising, a dramatic, moving account of these soldiers—men who only weeks earlier had been enslaved, but were now Union infantrymen setting out to fight their former owners. At the heart of the narrative is Sergeant Richard Etheridge, the son of a slave and her master, raised with some privileges but constantly reminded of his place. Deeply conflicted about his past, Richard is eager to show himself to be a credit to his race. As the African Brigade conducts raids through the areas occupied by the Confederate Partisan Rangers, he and his comrades recognize that they are fighting for more than territory. Wild’s mission is to prove that his troops can be trusted as soldiers in combat. And because many of the men have fled from the very plantations in their path, each raid is also an opportunity to free loved ones left behind. For Richard, this means the possibility of reuniting with Fanny, the woman he hopes to marry one day.
With powerful depictions of the bonds formed between fighting men and heartrending scenes of sacrifice and courage, Black Cloud Rising offers a compelling and nuanced portrait of enslaved men and women crossing the threshold to freedom.
From this little-known historical episode comes Black Cloud Rising, a dramatic, moving account of these soldiers—men who only weeks earlier had been enslaved, but were now Union infantrymen setting out to fight their former owners. At the heart of the narrative is Sergeant Richard Etheridge, the son of a slave and her master, raised with some privileges but constantly reminded of his place. Deeply conflicted about his past, Richard is eager to show himself to be a credit to his race. As the African Brigade conducts raids through the areas occupied by the Confederate Partisan Rangers, he and his comrades recognize that they are fighting for more than territory. Wild’s mission is to prove that his troops can be trusted as soldiers in combat. And because many of the men have fled from the very plantations in their path, each raid is also an opportunity to free loved ones left behind. For Richard, this means the possibility of reuniting with Fanny, the woman he hopes to marry one day.
With powerful depictions of the bonds formed between fighting men and heartrending scenes of sacrifice and courage, Black Cloud Rising offers a compelling and nuanced portrait of enslaved men and women crossing the threshold to freedom.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 8, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
February 7, 2022
I wanted to read something relevant during Black History month. This depiction of a piece of Civil War history and the portrayal of the life of a black man I had never heard of was a learning experience that touches both head and heart. Richard Etheridge was part of the African Brigade, a group of former slaves who were part of the Union Army, liberating people still held as slaves.
It’s a personal reflection of the man as well as of a time in America history. It’s about Etheridge’s identity conflict as the son of a slave and her master and his desire to free the woman he loves. The accomplishments of his later life as commander of the Pea Island Life Saving Station in NC include saving hundreds of lives.
I recommend reading about this little known piece of history about a courageous man.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Grove Atlantic through Edelweiss.
June 9, 2022
Black Cloud Rising is a powerful, thought-provoking book set in the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War. Our narrator, Sergeant Richard Etheridge, is a recently freed slave, now serving with Union forces occupying the south. He is the son, by rape, of his former owner and was raised with that man's two white children. He never had their privileges, but he had more privileges than many slaves on the plantation, including the ability to read and write. It's this ability that gives him his non-com rank in the Union Army.
There's no easy way to wrap this book up into a tidy bundle because of the many issues it examines. Among these issues are—
• Etheridge's reflections on the new (but not fully changed) world he lives in.
•The extent to which and the ways in which former slaves adjust to their "freedom."
• The varying sorts of racist beliefs held by the white officers leading the negro troops Etheridge serves with.
• Post-war skirmishes with "bushwackers," who now live in the same swamps that had provided a home for runaway slaves.
• Reprisals taken by the Union army against the southerners who have refused to vow allegiance to the new, unified United States.
• The highly charged position in which Black non-coms find themselves, existing in a liminal space between Black enlisted men and white officers.
• The failure of whites in general, even those sympathetic to the cause, to see Blacks as fully human.
In other words, the complexities of this historical moment are myriad, and David Wright Faladé simplifies none of them.
This is a book I know I'll be rereading because I want to spend more time with Etheridge as he observes the new, but still old, world he now inhabits. I, and all readers, have a lot to learn from this title. It's exactly the sort of title that those threatened by Critical Race Theory don't want to read or have available on library shelves. History is ugly, and fighting for a just cause makes a saint of no one.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher; the opinions are my own.
There's no easy way to wrap this book up into a tidy bundle because of the many issues it examines. Among these issues are—
• Etheridge's reflections on the new (but not fully changed) world he lives in.
•The extent to which and the ways in which former slaves adjust to their "freedom."
• The varying sorts of racist beliefs held by the white officers leading the negro troops Etheridge serves with.
• Post-war skirmishes with "bushwackers," who now live in the same swamps that had provided a home for runaway slaves.
• Reprisals taken by the Union army against the southerners who have refused to vow allegiance to the new, unified United States.
• The highly charged position in which Black non-coms find themselves, existing in a liminal space between Black enlisted men and white officers.
• The failure of whites in general, even those sympathetic to the cause, to see Blacks as fully human.
In other words, the complexities of this historical moment are myriad, and David Wright Faladé simplifies none of them.
This is a book I know I'll be rereading because I want to spend more time with Etheridge as he observes the new, but still old, world he now inhabits. I, and all readers, have a lot to learn from this title. It's exactly the sort of title that those threatened by Critical Race Theory don't want to read or have available on library shelves. History is ugly, and fighting for a just cause makes a saint of no one.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher; the opinions are my own.
April 13, 2022
Thanks to the publisher -RB Media for providing ARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
3/5 stars
As a part of Black History month, I picked up Black Cloud Rising. In American history, this story comes up as a personally challenging experience of a black man in times of civil war and how it affects a black man's life. It was my first time reading one of David's books. You might have read many such books, one you might not have read is this outstanding work of historical fiction I've always wished someone would write.
Richard is a well-developed character. It is heart-wrenching to see his loyalty and devotion. It was so inspiring to see how he demonstrates his leadership and skill under immense pressure. It was so satisfying.
I would recommend this book to everyone, especially those interested in the Black struggle. Though the story started a bit slow, it picked up the pace as it went to the main plot. David Wright Faladé is a great writer. I listened to the audiobook version of the book. This book, if you ask me, is an eye-opener to the personal struggle between men, their life, and their past.
Release Date: 15 Feb 2022.
Review Posted: 28 Feb 2022.
Visit My Blog to read this and all my other reviews.
3/5 stars
As a part of Black History month, I picked up Black Cloud Rising. In American history, this story comes up as a personally challenging experience of a black man in times of civil war and how it affects a black man's life. It was my first time reading one of David's books. You might have read many such books, one you might not have read is this outstanding work of historical fiction I've always wished someone would write.
Richard is a well-developed character. It is heart-wrenching to see his loyalty and devotion. It was so inspiring to see how he demonstrates his leadership and skill under immense pressure. It was so satisfying.
I would recommend this book to everyone, especially those interested in the Black struggle. Though the story started a bit slow, it picked up the pace as it went to the main plot. David Wright Faladé is a great writer. I listened to the audiobook version of the book. This book, if you ask me, is an eye-opener to the personal struggle between men, their life, and their past.
Release Date: 15 Feb 2022.
Review Posted: 28 Feb 2022.
Visit My Blog to read this and all my other reviews.
March 7, 2022
This book sounded like it would be right up my alley. A fictional story about the role of Black troops in the Union Army after the Civil War should have been very interesting to me. However, this book was tepid and uneventful. There was little drama or depth. The only part of the book that had any spark for me was the relationship of the protagonist to his white slave-owning father and his white siblings. I was disappointed. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
August 4, 2022
Faladé’s historical fiction novel is based on the actual experiences of the African Brigade, a unit of Black soldiers serving in the Civil War. In 1863, they were sent to the coastal South along with Union forces to hunt down guerrillas in North Carolina. They proceeded to free slaves, and burn the homes and property of slave owners sympathetic to the Confederacy. The African Brigade served under the leadership of General Edward Augustus Wild, a white, one-armed, red-bearded abolitionist. His Black soldiers admired his provocative style of leadership.
Faladé has chosen to present his story through a real historical figure, Sgt. Richard Etheridge, the son of a slave woman and her master. Etheridge was taught to read and write by his half-sister. Indeed, Etheridge has mixed feelings about his father’s family. His white half-brother is fighting with the Confederates and the two eventually meet up on the battlefield. The author includes a New York Times reporter based on a real character as well.
Enjoy this well-written account of a Black unit hunting down rebel guerrillas during the Civil War.
Faladé has chosen to present his story through a real historical figure, Sgt. Richard Etheridge, the son of a slave woman and her master. Etheridge was taught to read and write by his half-sister. Indeed, Etheridge has mixed feelings about his father’s family. His white half-brother is fighting with the Confederates and the two eventually meet up on the battlefield. The author includes a New York Times reporter based on a real character as well.
Enjoy this well-written account of a Black unit hunting down rebel guerrillas during the Civil War.
February 26, 2022
Black Cloud Rising, the historical novel that’s already been excerpted in The New Yorker, is the book I’ve always wished someone would write. Author David Wright Falade tells the story of the African Brigade, a unit of former slaves tasked with rooting out pockets of Confederate guerilla fighters in the Tidewater region of Virginia and in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. This outstanding work of historical fiction is one of the year’s best surprises, and it’s for sale now.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Grove Press for the review copy.
Sergeant Richard Etheridge is our protagonist; he is the son of a slave and her master. This is the only small criticism I have here; it seems like every time I see a fictional former slave that goes on to do momentous things, he’s the master’s progeny. However, Sergeant Etheridge did exist in real life; I have been unable to discover whether this aspect of his beginnings is fact or fiction. If it’s fact, then I withdraw my objection.
One way or the other, this is nevertheless a fantastic novel. In fact, since I taught the American Civil War for many years and have never heard if this sergeant, I wonder, initially, if his story is even true. But a little research shows Etheridge to be have been real. I had known about the existence of this brigade, but the only aspect of it I’d seen was--oh how embarrassing—from the movie, Glory, in which an all-Black military unit volunteers to lead the charge on Fort Wagner. But there, the story is told not from the viewpoint of infantrymen, but from the Caucasian officer chosen to lead them. It’s not as if I failed to do research; but during my years in the classroom, I couldn’t find a single thing that reflected the memories and experiences of the former slaves that fought for the Union. And although this book comes too late to help me teach the upcoming generation, it will be greatly useful to teachers that come after me.
At the outset of our story, Richard approaches his master at dinner, a thing that is generally not done, to tell him that he is going to enlist in the Union Army. Because he is the master’s son, he is able to get away with this, and this has also allowed him to learn to read and write, which in turn makes him officer material. Richard is a well developed character; it is wrenching to see his loyalty and devotion to his father, as well as to his half-brother Patrick, who is the legitimate heir to his father’s estate. Repeatedly the narrative points out that “the son will always seek out the father,” and it makes me ache for this young man. Nevertheless, he does go to war against his father’s wishes, and he demonstrates leadership and skill under pressure.
There is one visceral scene in which the Caucasian master of a plantation who is linked to the guerilla Confederates, is dragged to his own whipping post and beaten by his former slaves. I find it deeply satisfying. In the end and after much bloodshed, the unit is successful in its mission to clear the area of the guerillas that threaten the Union effort.
In many ways this is a coming of age story, but those that will love it most are those that enjoy military history and all things related to the American Civil War, as well as those interested in the Black struggle. It’s a great selection for Black History Month, but it will make excellent reading during the other eleven months as well. Highly recommended.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Grove Press for the review copy.
Sergeant Richard Etheridge is our protagonist; he is the son of a slave and her master. This is the only small criticism I have here; it seems like every time I see a fictional former slave that goes on to do momentous things, he’s the master’s progeny. However, Sergeant Etheridge did exist in real life; I have been unable to discover whether this aspect of his beginnings is fact or fiction. If it’s fact, then I withdraw my objection.
One way or the other, this is nevertheless a fantastic novel. In fact, since I taught the American Civil War for many years and have never heard if this sergeant, I wonder, initially, if his story is even true. But a little research shows Etheridge to be have been real. I had known about the existence of this brigade, but the only aspect of it I’d seen was--oh how embarrassing—from the movie, Glory, in which an all-Black military unit volunteers to lead the charge on Fort Wagner. But there, the story is told not from the viewpoint of infantrymen, but from the Caucasian officer chosen to lead them. It’s not as if I failed to do research; but during my years in the classroom, I couldn’t find a single thing that reflected the memories and experiences of the former slaves that fought for the Union. And although this book comes too late to help me teach the upcoming generation, it will be greatly useful to teachers that come after me.
At the outset of our story, Richard approaches his master at dinner, a thing that is generally not done, to tell him that he is going to enlist in the Union Army. Because he is the master’s son, he is able to get away with this, and this has also allowed him to learn to read and write, which in turn makes him officer material. Richard is a well developed character; it is wrenching to see his loyalty and devotion to his father, as well as to his half-brother Patrick, who is the legitimate heir to his father’s estate. Repeatedly the narrative points out that “the son will always seek out the father,” and it makes me ache for this young man. Nevertheless, he does go to war against his father’s wishes, and he demonstrates leadership and skill under pressure.
There is one visceral scene in which the Caucasian master of a plantation who is linked to the guerilla Confederates, is dragged to his own whipping post and beaten by his former slaves. I find it deeply satisfying. In the end and after much bloodshed, the unit is successful in its mission to clear the area of the guerillas that threaten the Union effort.
In many ways this is a coming of age story, but those that will love it most are those that enjoy military history and all things related to the American Civil War, as well as those interested in the Black struggle. It’s a great selection for Black History Month, but it will make excellent reading during the other eleven months as well. Highly recommended.
July 13, 2022
Loved this book, glad I own it.
Written in the 'language,' or vernacular of the 1860's, the story of Richard Etheridge, born to a North Carolina slave-owner and one of his female slaves. Richard, or 'Dick' is granted some freedom due to who his father is, but he's never allowed to forget that he is also simply property. Raised with his owner's nephew, the two boys are often inseparable, playing, having fun - until orders are given and Richard must obey while his half-cousin 'Paddy' turns overseer, making sure that Richard's work, chores, and so on, are completed to Paddy's satisfaction.
However, when emancipation arrives, Richard, now a young man, takes off to join the Negro Brigade, led by General Edward Augustus Wild. Wild is a great character! One-armed, with the other arm weak and almost useless, Wild leads several units across North Carolina, freeing bonded slaves and forcing many white slave-owners to regret the things they've done. (Like endless beatings of slaves, rape of black women, and so on.) The Confederate Army isn't the brigade's only enemy; there are 'bushwackers' galore hiding out in the swamps and woods. These are men who aren't necessarily soldiers, but loosely-organized groups determined to take out as many of the brigade as they can. If a Confederate soldier is captured, he's sent to a prison camp up north. But if a bushwacker is taken, he's hanged. Anyhow...
Richard has seen a lot and the story is his, focusing on the central dilemma of of his life: who is he? And what does he owe to the Union which has freed him? To the men under his command? Richard's been made sergeant in the brigade, a responsibility not usually offered to freed black men. And what about his former owner, John Etheridge? Yes, Richard was a slave, but not a terribly mistreated one. It was his owner's daughter who taught him to read and write, and out in the open with her father's approval. What does Richard owe this family, if anything? Richard also has a dilemma concerning Paddy, the boy he grew up with, a boy who now might be a bushwacker.
Richard's also left behind a woman he loves, but where is she? How is she? It's mentioned more than once - as if we readers need to be reminded - what usually happens to young, black, female slaves. The book is graphic in parts but entirely realistic. It moves quickly. The reading, even with the use of older phrasing, terminology and so on, isn't difficult to follow. The dialogue, authentic.
How Richard parses all the parts of his life - former slave, free man, soldier, and caring human being - gets him tied up in knots more than once. But I thoroughly enjoyed every word.
One word of caution: there are A LOT of characters here, which is necessary. It's a story of a man on the move with dozens of other men, soldiers who were former slaves etc. I should have kept a cue card at the begin., but I didn't. There's also villains in this book, both black AND white.
Still, a great book, the best I've read this year.
Five stars.
Written in the 'language,' or vernacular of the 1860's, the story of Richard Etheridge, born to a North Carolina slave-owner and one of his female slaves. Richard, or 'Dick' is granted some freedom due to who his father is, but he's never allowed to forget that he is also simply property. Raised with his owner's nephew, the two boys are often inseparable, playing, having fun - until orders are given and Richard must obey while his half-cousin 'Paddy' turns overseer, making sure that Richard's work, chores, and so on, are completed to Paddy's satisfaction.
However, when emancipation arrives, Richard, now a young man, takes off to join the Negro Brigade, led by General Edward Augustus Wild. Wild is a great character! One-armed, with the other arm weak and almost useless, Wild leads several units across North Carolina, freeing bonded slaves and forcing many white slave-owners to regret the things they've done. (Like endless beatings of slaves, rape of black women, and so on.) The Confederate Army isn't the brigade's only enemy; there are 'bushwackers' galore hiding out in the swamps and woods. These are men who aren't necessarily soldiers, but loosely-organized groups determined to take out as many of the brigade as they can. If a Confederate soldier is captured, he's sent to a prison camp up north. But if a bushwacker is taken, he's hanged. Anyhow...
Richard has seen a lot and the story is his, focusing on the central dilemma of of his life: who is he? And what does he owe to the Union which has freed him? To the men under his command? Richard's been made sergeant in the brigade, a responsibility not usually offered to freed black men. And what about his former owner, John Etheridge? Yes, Richard was a slave, but not a terribly mistreated one. It was his owner's daughter who taught him to read and write, and out in the open with her father's approval. What does Richard owe this family, if anything? Richard also has a dilemma concerning Paddy, the boy he grew up with, a boy who now might be a bushwacker.
Richard's also left behind a woman he loves, but where is she? How is she? It's mentioned more than once - as if we readers need to be reminded - what usually happens to young, black, female slaves. The book is graphic in parts but entirely realistic. It moves quickly. The reading, even with the use of older phrasing, terminology and so on, isn't difficult to follow. The dialogue, authentic.
How Richard parses all the parts of his life - former slave, free man, soldier, and caring human being - gets him tied up in knots more than once. But I thoroughly enjoyed every word.
One word of caution: there are A LOT of characters here, which is necessary. It's a story of a man on the move with dozens of other men, soldiers who were former slaves etc. I should have kept a cue card at the begin., but I didn't. There's also villains in this book, both black AND white.
Still, a great book, the best I've read this year.
Five stars.
February 26, 2022
I am genuinely sorry to say that I did not finish this book (DNF112 pages). I read as long as I could until I finally realized that my frustration level was too high to warrant the time spent reading. When I first saw the book, I wondered why I hadn't heard about it and why there were so few ARC reviews? Then I read the book and it all became clear to me. Black Cloud Rising reads like a monograph produced by an academic, not a novel designed for the public.
The vocabulary chosen in this book is both its strength and weakness. While the many unique word choices offer readers a glimpse into a fascinating character, the demands on the reader mark this book as one written for a very small audience. Even though I spent years studying literature at the doctoral level, I could not make my way through this book. It's as though there are road blocks in the middle of sentences that force readers to reread again and again just to understand a very simple concept like "officers did not associate with non-comms" An example:
"On about noon, the general called a meeting of officers and sergeants, behind Ferrebee's store. As Tynes and I approached, I noticed that the few officers who weren't already at the fore of the assemblage moved there then, as the lot of us coloured arrived. The night previous, wending my way through camp, I had likewise noted that they'd ordered built a separate fire to warm themselves by" (61-2). No. I did not confuse the order of words in my typing. I copied the sentences exactly as they appear in the book. How am I supposed to hand a book to a patron and say "our library recommends" when our library staff could not finish the book? Before you come for me, I've worked the front desk of a library for seven years. I know what people read and what they return unread. Many people are delighted to share their book frustrations IRL as well as Goodreads.
I also found the constant questions annoying because it seems as though this is a tale told many years after the fact. Are the questions rhetorical? Or a bizarre approach to memory recall? It really was not clear to me. I was annoyed when two paragraphs a few sections apart ended with the same question. If readers can be trusted to sit through many an arcane turn of phrase, surely we can also be trusted to expect that trouble is indeed coming. The problem is, I didn't sit through it. I stopped.
Even as he attempts to reach new audiences with important little known history, Faladé alienates readers by asking us to slow to a glacial pace to accommodate an untenable communication strategy. Put another way: I'm not doing homework. I read because I love reading. If the effort is too great, my love diminishes and I move onto a book that I can read with my friends and recommend to anyone who comes through the door.
The vocabulary chosen in this book is both its strength and weakness. While the many unique word choices offer readers a glimpse into a fascinating character, the demands on the reader mark this book as one written for a very small audience. Even though I spent years studying literature at the doctoral level, I could not make my way through this book. It's as though there are road blocks in the middle of sentences that force readers to reread again and again just to understand a very simple concept like "officers did not associate with non-comms" An example:
"On about noon, the general called a meeting of officers and sergeants, behind Ferrebee's store. As Tynes and I approached, I noticed that the few officers who weren't already at the fore of the assemblage moved there then, as the lot of us coloured arrived. The night previous, wending my way through camp, I had likewise noted that they'd ordered built a separate fire to warm themselves by" (61-2). No. I did not confuse the order of words in my typing. I copied the sentences exactly as they appear in the book. How am I supposed to hand a book to a patron and say "our library recommends" when our library staff could not finish the book? Before you come for me, I've worked the front desk of a library for seven years. I know what people read and what they return unread. Many people are delighted to share their book frustrations IRL as well as Goodreads.
I also found the constant questions annoying because it seems as though this is a tale told many years after the fact. Are the questions rhetorical? Or a bizarre approach to memory recall? It really was not clear to me. I was annoyed when two paragraphs a few sections apart ended with the same question. If readers can be trusted to sit through many an arcane turn of phrase, surely we can also be trusted to expect that trouble is indeed coming. The problem is, I didn't sit through it. I stopped.
Even as he attempts to reach new audiences with important little known history, Faladé alienates readers by asking us to slow to a glacial pace to accommodate an untenable communication strategy. Put another way: I'm not doing homework. I read because I love reading. If the effort is too great, my love diminishes and I move onto a book that I can read with my friends and recommend to anyone who comes through the door.
March 13, 2022
Black Cloud Rising by David Wright Falade for me, was a mediocre experience. This was a great shame as I was interested in the premise, and the story is certainly worth telling. But it didn’t hit any high notes.
It is set in the American Civil War and involves an African Unit travelling around North Carolina, freeing the enslaved. They also needed to be mindful of Bushwhackers. This term was new to me, and for those who don’t know, Bushwhackers were guerrilla type units who fought against the Union – usually employing ambush tactics.
The main character Seargent Richard (Dick) Etheridge is a mixed-race man of an enslaved woman and their master. He encounters his former master and other people from his enslaved recent past. There is a whole tapestry of white/black issues covered here and our main character needs to question some of his assumptions of what it is to be black, white, mixed-race. Dick is a relatively well-educated man and is sometimes conflicted. There is also a romantic element to this story.
I gave this audiobook a mid-range score for two main reasons (1) it didn’t reach any great heights, the stories were almost thrown at us in vignettes, rather than as a cohesive narrative and, (2) I found the narration a little too pedestrian. It did fell as if the narrator was just reading the story to the ‘reader’. Well obviously, he was, but if felt like it.
This was an average experience, 2.5 stars, rounded up as it kept me interested – a bit.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for me review.
3 Stars
It is set in the American Civil War and involves an African Unit travelling around North Carolina, freeing the enslaved. They also needed to be mindful of Bushwhackers. This term was new to me, and for those who don’t know, Bushwhackers were guerrilla type units who fought against the Union – usually employing ambush tactics.
The main character Seargent Richard (Dick) Etheridge is a mixed-race man of an enslaved woman and their master. He encounters his former master and other people from his enslaved recent past. There is a whole tapestry of white/black issues covered here and our main character needs to question some of his assumptions of what it is to be black, white, mixed-race. Dick is a relatively well-educated man and is sometimes conflicted. There is also a romantic element to this story.
I gave this audiobook a mid-range score for two main reasons (1) it didn’t reach any great heights, the stories were almost thrown at us in vignettes, rather than as a cohesive narrative and, (2) I found the narration a little too pedestrian. It did fell as if the narrator was just reading the story to the ‘reader’. Well obviously, he was, but if felt like it.
This was an average experience, 2.5 stars, rounded up as it kept me interested – a bit.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for me review.
3 Stars
December 13, 2022
Set in North Carolina in late 1863, this book tells a fictionalized version of the (real) African Brigade, an all-black regiment of (mostly) former slaves. They are fighting the southern “bushwackers,” a group of local residents who are continuing guerilla warfare against the Union occupiers. The story is narrated by Sgt. Richard Etheridge, the mixed-race son of his former owner and a slave. Etheridge is selected as a leader of the Brigade, reporting to an officer from Massachusetts, Capt. Alonzo Draper. They get to know and respect each other. Etheridge has a knack for leadership, and Draper appreciates his perspective and advice.
There is a lot going on in this novel. It is historical fiction about changes that have come about after the Emancipation Proclamation, how former slaves adapt to their new freedoms, bigots that must be forced to accept the new order, and the acts of revenge taken by both sides. We view these many issues through the eyes of Richard Etheridge. As one of the few black non-commissioned officers, he faces a number of challenges. His (white) half-brother is one of the ”bushwackers” and, though they are on opposite sides, Etheridge does not want to harm him. Some of the black troops view Etheridge as one of the “privileged.” Even though he was a slave, his life was an easier life than the field workers. He must contend with yet another group living in the swamps and enacting vengeance where they see fit. The author does a great job of blending fiction and fact in a realistic manner. It is quite an interesting episode in history that has ramifications these many years later.
There is a lot going on in this novel. It is historical fiction about changes that have come about after the Emancipation Proclamation, how former slaves adapt to their new freedoms, bigots that must be forced to accept the new order, and the acts of revenge taken by both sides. We view these many issues through the eyes of Richard Etheridge. As one of the few black non-commissioned officers, he faces a number of challenges. His (white) half-brother is one of the ”bushwackers” and, though they are on opposite sides, Etheridge does not want to harm him. Some of the black troops view Etheridge as one of the “privileged.” Even though he was a slave, his life was an easier life than the field workers. He must contend with yet another group living in the swamps and enacting vengeance where they see fit. The author does a great job of blending fiction and fact in a realistic manner. It is quite an interesting episode in history that has ramifications these many years later.
March 22, 2022
A fairly dull story about freed slaves who joined the Union Army’s African Brigade during the Civil War. Led by white officers, the brigade sweeps through coastal North Carolina to punish secessionists and free their slaves. The story is told by a recently freed slave, a son of his white master and his black mother, who was also a slave. The family dynamics are of some interest, especially his white half-sister, who insisted he be taught to read, and his loser half-brother, who believes he is superior, but proves the opposite. I was also moderately intrigued by the white general, and his relationship with Richard, the freed slave, who has to make difficult decisions as a leader.
December 11, 2022
A well-written and thoroughly researched Civil War novel focusing on an extraordinary American named Richard Etheridge and his service in the African Brigade through the last few weeks of 1863. I'd never heard of Etheridge and had only limited knowledge of the African Brigade, and so this novel was as enlightening as it was entertaining.
March 7, 2022
DNF at about 100 pages. I think there is something here for those so inclined, but I was almost immediately put off, I'm very sorry to say, especially since I had looked forward to this book so much. I even jumped to the last chapter, to see if my interest would be renewed, a tactic I have sometimes used to success when I'm wondering if I should stay with a book or not. It didn't work in this case, unfortunately. Having said all that, I could conceivably try future books from this author.
July 6, 2022
Having written the 2001 nonfiction book Fire on the Beach about Richard Etheridge’s work leading the all-Black crew of the US Coast Guard’s Pea Island station, David Wright Falade turns to fiction to give a fuller picture of Etheridge as a man. Here, he focuses on 1863, when Etheridge led a unit of Black soldiers assigned to put down resistance from Confederate landowners and other rebels after the Union had taken control of eastern North Carolina. I enjoyed learning about yet another episode of American history that I knew nothing about, and I appreciated the way Falade used Etheridge to portray the issues and attitudes of freed enslaved people, Confederate resisters and others, including many themes that still echo today.
November 23, 2021
I received an uncorrected proof from a local independent bookstore. Highly recommended when it is released in February 2022.
This novel is an outstandingly nuanced story of the African Brigade, a unit of former slaves during the Civil War. In the fall of 1863, under the generalship of Edward Augustus Wild, they led a sucessful effort to liberate enslaved people and hunt down Confederate guerilla units operating in the pocosin swamps of southeast Virginia and northeast Carolina.
The narrator is Sergeant Richard Etheridge, the son of an enslaved woman by her owner 'Mass' John B. Etheridge. Richard has been between worlds for his whole life, brought up in the North Carolina Outer Banks where there were no large plantations. His half sister taught him to read and write, and as a youth he played freely with his white cousin Patrick. But as he grew, he recognized that his father's sometimes benevolence was akin to how one might treat a spirited stallion, something that was prized but also unequivocally a possession rather than a man in his own right.
The Union army liberated thousands of enslaved people, and the decision was made to form some of the men into a battalion. At first they had been tasked with menial jobs such as building earthworks or camp maintenance. Under General Wild, an ardent abolitionist, a more active role for these troops was envisioned. All officers were still white, but educated men such as Etheridge were given non-commissioned roles.
The novel vividly portrays Etheridge's internal and external struggles. He must be a good leader and example to his men, who are depending on him. He must navigate a sometimes rocky relationship with his superior officers, all of whom are white. Some of them agree with Wild's abolitionist aims, but have never dealt with a black man in real life. And some accepted officer roles in the regiment solely to get ahead in the army, actively despising the men they are required to lead. Etheridge must often act as a 'token' educated black man to the white officers, to demonstrate the fact that Blacks are capable of intellectual tasks, while impassively masking the humiliation he feels.
He worries about the lack of news of his mother and his fiancee Fanny. Two of his fellow soldiers are particularly thorny problems. Fields, a former fellow slave is one of his corporals, but Etheridge is forced to punish him for leaving his post and trying to track down his own family. Revere, another former acquaintance from his youth, despises him as someone who seems too accepting of his half-white heritage.
As the campaign to rout out the Confederate guerrilla forces proceeds, Etheridge also faces ethical dilemmas about how far the army should go in punishing civilians who still covertly support the Confederates, as well as realizing that his boyhood friend Patrick is a member of the guerillas.
Late in the novel, Richard encounters his cousin Patrick, who says to him "I just want back what's mine". Etheridge replies "What's yours? Like me?" Richard then muses to himelf:
"As much as regretful, he seemed truly a-wonder at the puzzlement of it - that our freedom, my freedom, though previously implausible to him, had come to pass nonetheless; that I was a man, my own man, and would do my all to usher in Jubilee's arrival. But I marveled than and marvel yet at how he could not have recognized its dawning approach. If you look upon a man and see only a mule, is the fault his or your own? Patrick had known me since we were boys. We'd been game at whatever we undertook, and I gave as good as I got and bettered him more often than not. Yet where my knowledge of him had grown as we'd aged, his of me had only narrowed. When was it exactly that he came to see only a n___r?"
Richard Etheridge is a magnetic narrator, navigating the treacherous shoals of life. I was absorbed by his story, and the powerful way David Wright Falade has brought him and his history to vivid life. I am also intrigued with reading the non-fiction book Fire on the Beach, about Richard Etheridge's later life as the captain of the sole all Black life saving coast guard station on the Carolina Outer Banks, the Pea Island Lifesavers.
This novel is an outstandingly nuanced story of the African Brigade, a unit of former slaves during the Civil War. In the fall of 1863, under the generalship of Edward Augustus Wild, they led a sucessful effort to liberate enslaved people and hunt down Confederate guerilla units operating in the pocosin swamps of southeast Virginia and northeast Carolina.
The narrator is Sergeant Richard Etheridge, the son of an enslaved woman by her owner 'Mass' John B. Etheridge. Richard has been between worlds for his whole life, brought up in the North Carolina Outer Banks where there were no large plantations. His half sister taught him to read and write, and as a youth he played freely with his white cousin Patrick. But as he grew, he recognized that his father's sometimes benevolence was akin to how one might treat a spirited stallion, something that was prized but also unequivocally a possession rather than a man in his own right.
The Union army liberated thousands of enslaved people, and the decision was made to form some of the men into a battalion. At first they had been tasked with menial jobs such as building earthworks or camp maintenance. Under General Wild, an ardent abolitionist, a more active role for these troops was envisioned. All officers were still white, but educated men such as Etheridge were given non-commissioned roles.
The novel vividly portrays Etheridge's internal and external struggles. He must be a good leader and example to his men, who are depending on him. He must navigate a sometimes rocky relationship with his superior officers, all of whom are white. Some of them agree with Wild's abolitionist aims, but have never dealt with a black man in real life. And some accepted officer roles in the regiment solely to get ahead in the army, actively despising the men they are required to lead. Etheridge must often act as a 'token' educated black man to the white officers, to demonstrate the fact that Blacks are capable of intellectual tasks, while impassively masking the humiliation he feels.
He worries about the lack of news of his mother and his fiancee Fanny. Two of his fellow soldiers are particularly thorny problems. Fields, a former fellow slave is one of his corporals, but Etheridge is forced to punish him for leaving his post and trying to track down his own family. Revere, another former acquaintance from his youth, despises him as someone who seems too accepting of his half-white heritage.
As the campaign to rout out the Confederate guerrilla forces proceeds, Etheridge also faces ethical dilemmas about how far the army should go in punishing civilians who still covertly support the Confederates, as well as realizing that his boyhood friend Patrick is a member of the guerillas.
Late in the novel, Richard encounters his cousin Patrick, who says to him "I just want back what's mine". Etheridge replies "What's yours? Like me?" Richard then muses to himelf:
"As much as regretful, he seemed truly a-wonder at the puzzlement of it - that our freedom, my freedom, though previously implausible to him, had come to pass nonetheless; that I was a man, my own man, and would do my all to usher in Jubilee's arrival. But I marveled than and marvel yet at how he could not have recognized its dawning approach. If you look upon a man and see only a mule, is the fault his or your own? Patrick had known me since we were boys. We'd been game at whatever we undertook, and I gave as good as I got and bettered him more often than not. Yet where my knowledge of him had grown as we'd aged, his of me had only narrowed. When was it exactly that he came to see only a n___r?"
Richard Etheridge is a magnetic narrator, navigating the treacherous shoals of life. I was absorbed by his story, and the powerful way David Wright Falade has brought him and his history to vivid life. I am also intrigued with reading the non-fiction book Fire on the Beach, about Richard Etheridge's later life as the captain of the sole all Black life saving coast guard station on the Carolina Outer Banks, the Pea Island Lifesavers.
February 16, 2022
Black Cloud Rising by David Wright Faladé recreates a momentous period of American history throught he eyes of Sergeant Richard Etheridge of the African Brigade. This was a story I hadn't read before.
In 1863 the African Brigade consisted of formerly enslaved men tasked with conducting raids through the areas of NC occupied by the Confederate Partisan Rangers. Many of the soldiers in the brigade were brought back to their former plantations during this campaign, having the chance to free their families.
Richard Etheridge grew up in Roanoke Island as the son of an enslaved woman and her master. Although he learns to read and write from his step-sister and plays with his white cousin as a child, the Etheridge family treats him as a slave. Richard is increasingly frustrated by his inability to explore his potential. When the enslaved people in Roanoke Island are liberated, he enrolls in the Union Army, and is eventually appointed as Sargeant in the African Brigade.
Throughout the novel we gain insight into the mind of Richard Etheridge, as he contends with his new status as a free man, and begins to shed some of the impositions of slavery. This introspection is nuanced and complicated, showing the grip of bondage, but most importantly his tenacity and sense of self. Etheridge feels the weight of being a model black officer/man as he deals with his army superiors and the men under his command. He struggles with some of the orders he must follow, the ethics of dealing with hostile civilians, and the extent to which he can protect his men and family.
Wright Faladé does a fantastic job recreating the tensions of this moment: the period of personal and political transition, the fear of not knowing what has becomed of loved ones, the uncertainty of combat, the changed playing field in personal and professional relationships. The book certainly leaves you with a lot to unpack.
The writing is also fantastic!
In 1863 the African Brigade consisted of formerly enslaved men tasked with conducting raids through the areas of NC occupied by the Confederate Partisan Rangers. Many of the soldiers in the brigade were brought back to their former plantations during this campaign, having the chance to free their families.
Richard Etheridge grew up in Roanoke Island as the son of an enslaved woman and her master. Although he learns to read and write from his step-sister and plays with his white cousin as a child, the Etheridge family treats him as a slave. Richard is increasingly frustrated by his inability to explore his potential. When the enslaved people in Roanoke Island are liberated, he enrolls in the Union Army, and is eventually appointed as Sargeant in the African Brigade.
Throughout the novel we gain insight into the mind of Richard Etheridge, as he contends with his new status as a free man, and begins to shed some of the impositions of slavery. This introspection is nuanced and complicated, showing the grip of bondage, but most importantly his tenacity and sense of self. Etheridge feels the weight of being a model black officer/man as he deals with his army superiors and the men under his command. He struggles with some of the orders he must follow, the ethics of dealing with hostile civilians, and the extent to which he can protect his men and family.
Wright Faladé does a fantastic job recreating the tensions of this moment: the period of personal and political transition, the fear of not knowing what has becomed of loved ones, the uncertainty of combat, the changed playing field in personal and professional relationships. The book certainly leaves you with a lot to unpack.
The writing is also fantastic!
April 26, 2022
This will be one of my best of 2022. David Wright Falade has written a tight, fast paced novel about a very specific part of the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation has been enacted as law and the Union forces are on the Virginia-North Carolina coast, utilizing slaves who have joined the army, to free slaves who have not been freed. Told through Dick Etheridge, a slave whose father was a plantation and slave owner, the novel captures the horrors of slavery, but the with the ambiguity of feelings experienced by slaves who were not the most maltreated and were related to their owners. So much to think about, I cannot wait to meet and hear the author speak about this amazing novel.
December 8, 2021
Faladé’s historical retelling of the Union’s African Brigade formed in the fall of 1963 and tasked with routing out “bushwhacking gorillas” who rejected the legitimacy of the union is a meaningful addition to the annals of Civil War history. Told through the narrative voice of Sergeant Richard Etheridge, a historical figure known more for his later role in life as a first African-American Coast Guard officer, the reader gains a deeper understanding for the challenging situation of shifting from slave to soldier for many of the enlistees. The months long march through former enemy land, pushing always forward to gain legitimacy, provides a backdrop for an in-depth study of their actions. Drawing from historically accurate information, this novel is a long time coming and reflects in awareness that history need not to be one-sided; instead, it offers a glimpse at the equality spoken of by Faladé through Etheridge in saying “…each of us would…Understand the other to be as simple and as inscrutable… as compelling, as we are ourselves.” Worthwhile read!
March 6, 2022
The subject matter of this book may be "compelling and historical" as its publicity blurb reads, but its telling is not.
[A side note: Does anyone write "reviews" that are intended to be helpful and insightful anymore?]
As much as I wanted this book to succeed -- indeed, as much as I looked forward to being, in effect, embedded in a Black regiment during the Civil War -- I have to admit that for me, at least, this novel proved to be an immense disappointment.
Given that each of us reads for different purposes and that we also look for and enjoy different things, I would think that a minimal requirement connecting most of us is that a book feature believable characters with a narrative thread that "takes us" somewhere and, moreover, manages to do so that moves us to "turn the bloomin' pages"!
Well, this book failed on both accounts for me.
[A side note: Does anyone write "reviews" that are intended to be helpful and insightful anymore?]
As much as I wanted this book to succeed -- indeed, as much as I looked forward to being, in effect, embedded in a Black regiment during the Civil War -- I have to admit that for me, at least, this novel proved to be an immense disappointment.
Given that each of us reads for different purposes and that we also look for and enjoy different things, I would think that a minimal requirement connecting most of us is that a book feature believable characters with a narrative thread that "takes us" somewhere and, moreover, manages to do so that moves us to "turn the bloomin' pages"!
Well, this book failed on both accounts for me.
April 14, 2022
Where do I begin? Maybe by saying I don’t usually read novels about the Civil War. If I recall the only other one I read was March by Geraldine Brooks, which was brought to my attention because it won The Pulitzer Prize in 2006.
So why did I read this you ask, because the author is attending our annual Booktopia event in Vermont. I was blown away by how much I loved this book! The writing is just beautiful and the characters are so vivid. Also this story is based on real events that took place in southern Virginia and North Carolina near the coast. Where an African American Brigade canvasses the region to confront the rebel guerrillas and free slaves. My hope is that this book is nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and maybe even wins!! Please read this book. You will not be disappointed.
So why did I read this you ask, because the author is attending our annual Booktopia event in Vermont. I was blown away by how much I loved this book! The writing is just beautiful and the characters are so vivid. Also this story is based on real events that took place in southern Virginia and North Carolina near the coast. Where an African American Brigade canvasses the region to confront the rebel guerrillas and free slaves. My hope is that this book is nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and maybe even wins!! Please read this book. You will not be disappointed.
November 29, 2022
A swift recounting of a three week period of the Civil War and the successes of the African Brigade as they gather up southern bushwhackers, free slaves, and aid the greater Union cause. Naturally, this viewpoint is used to question the abject disgrace of slavery and what one owes to a family who simply “treats” you as family when the reality is nowhere near that.
Through flashback and exposition, the author does a wonderful job giving life to a smaller cast of characters and show what led them to the African Brigade and what it means for them now and their plans for after the war.
Through flashback and exposition, the author does a wonderful job giving life to a smaller cast of characters and show what led them to the African Brigade and what it means for them now and their plans for after the war.
March 8, 2022
How can a novel's flaws make it so close to perfect?
The narrative arc of "Black Cloud Rising" is jumbled and disjointed, the writing is amateurish and peppered with military jargon, and there isn't much character development. If you told me "Black Cloud Rising" was the random musings of an aging Civil War veteran, I'd have believed it.
And hence, "Black Cloud Rising" is one of the most fully realized books I've ever read.
The novel depicts a brief, relatively unimportant Union Army campaign near the North Carolina coast in late 1863. The narrator is Sergeant Richard Etheridge, a former slave and an honorable man, but no great moral philosopher. Sgt. Etheridge's division engages in a few minor battles but spends most of its time commandeering supplies from homes and plantations owned by Southerners who refuse to pledge loyalty to the Union. In fact, much of the action in the novel borders on the trivial or the mundane. Maybe all these commonplaces will disappoint the "Gods and Generals" school of Civil War buffs, but they can get their jollies re-reading "The Killer Angels" (which I also liked), I liked the seeing the more quotidian side of the conflict.
Subtly, "Black Cloud Rising" explains the Southern sense of grievance, which lasts to this day and infects people with no familial or geographic connection to the conflict, better than any book I've read or movie I've seen. I wouldn't particularly appreciate the advance guard of an invading army marching onto my property, stealing all my food and clothes, and then setting fire to my house. I don't think a lot of people would have the wisdom to wonder "did I bring this on myself," most of us prefer to imagine ourselves as innocent victims. I'm not saying I now have sympathy for The Lost Cause or will be trying to revive the DAR, I'm just saying that Mr. Wright (I guess "Faladé" is a pen name) has some excellent insights into human nature.
Read this book, have your children read this book, and if you're a history teacher, have your students read this book.
The narrative arc of "Black Cloud Rising" is jumbled and disjointed, the writing is amateurish and peppered with military jargon, and there isn't much character development. If you told me "Black Cloud Rising" was the random musings of an aging Civil War veteran, I'd have believed it.
And hence, "Black Cloud Rising" is one of the most fully realized books I've ever read.
The novel depicts a brief, relatively unimportant Union Army campaign near the North Carolina coast in late 1863. The narrator is Sergeant Richard Etheridge, a former slave and an honorable man, but no great moral philosopher. Sgt. Etheridge's division engages in a few minor battles but spends most of its time commandeering supplies from homes and plantations owned by Southerners who refuse to pledge loyalty to the Union. In fact, much of the action in the novel borders on the trivial or the mundane. Maybe all these commonplaces will disappoint the "Gods and Generals" school of Civil War buffs, but they can get their jollies re-reading "The Killer Angels" (which I also liked), I liked the seeing the more quotidian side of the conflict.
Subtly, "Black Cloud Rising" explains the Southern sense of grievance, which lasts to this day and infects people with no familial or geographic connection to the conflict, better than any book I've read or movie I've seen. I wouldn't particularly appreciate the advance guard of an invading army marching onto my property, stealing all my food and clothes, and then setting fire to my house. I don't think a lot of people would have the wisdom to wonder "did I bring this on myself," most of us prefer to imagine ourselves as innocent victims. I'm not saying I now have sympathy for The Lost Cause or will be trying to revive the DAR, I'm just saying that Mr. Wright (I guess "Faladé" is a pen name) has some excellent insights into human nature.
Read this book, have your children read this book, and if you're a history teacher, have your students read this book.
March 16, 2023
The story of a regiment of colored soldiers who fought in North Carolina during the Civil War - most who had been slaves. Good food for thought of the numerous tensions that existed among black and white, free colored and former slaves, yankees and rebels, Officers and enlisted, home owners and military.
A lot to hold onto and not always simple to read. Looking forward to meeting Mr. Faladé at Booktopia.
A lot to hold onto and not always simple to read. Looking forward to meeting Mr. Faladé at Booktopia.
April 29, 2022
Listened to the audio.
This is a story about black soldiers during the Civil War. While I appreciated the insight into the racial struggles depicted, there was too much war and not enough character building and relationships for my reading tastes. Had the love between Richard and Fannie been more fully explored I would have given it a higher rating. I’m not a romance reader by any means but Fannie seemed such a strong woman, I wanted to hear more from her. It will be interesting to meet the author at Booktopia 2022.
This is a story about black soldiers during the Civil War. While I appreciated the insight into the racial struggles depicted, there was too much war and not enough character building and relationships for my reading tastes. Had the love between Richard and Fannie been more fully explored I would have given it a higher rating. I’m not a romance reader by any means but Fannie seemed such a strong woman, I wanted to hear more from her. It will be interesting to meet the author at Booktopia 2022.
February 14, 2022
I won a copy on Goodreads. A well told story told in the voice of a Sergeant in the African Brigade in 1863. Another historical novel about events I knew little about.
February 28, 2022
Based on a true story, this is an excellent compact work of historical fiction from the POV of a formerly enslaved young man who enlists for a mission in the U.S. Army during the Civil War, and the story follows a campaign undertaken by a Black contingent in the area of North Carolina and Virginia (the vivid sense of place is a major feature of the novel).
Faladé develops Richard Etheridge as a character with real skill, showing his complex experience as the son of an enslaved woman and the man who enslaved them. He's a hero in a traditional sense (there is some military action to the plot) but also human and imperfect, and the author convincingly captures Faladé's growth in perspective as he leaves Roanoke Island, meets all kinds of new people and comes into brand new situations, some of which involve almost uncannily sudden reversals in the power structures of the times.
The story starts out slowly but builds as it goes. Likewise, the writing starts solidly and grows in strength and ultimately left me eager to see what he writes next. (There's a funny incident involving a young prisoner near the end that made me feel that the author has even more great potential as an author, beyond what this story required.) The amount of complexity this novel captures in such a short amount of time makes this a standout debut.
Faladé develops Richard Etheridge as a character with real skill, showing his complex experience as the son of an enslaved woman and the man who enslaved them. He's a hero in a traditional sense (there is some military action to the plot) but also human and imperfect, and the author convincingly captures Faladé's growth in perspective as he leaves Roanoke Island, meets all kinds of new people and comes into brand new situations, some of which involve almost uncannily sudden reversals in the power structures of the times.
The story starts out slowly but builds as it goes. Likewise, the writing starts solidly and grows in strength and ultimately left me eager to see what he writes next. (There's a funny incident involving a young prisoner near the end that made me feel that the author has even more great potential as an author, beyond what this story required.) The amount of complexity this novel captures in such a short amount of time makes this a standout debut.
May 1, 2022
Black Cloud Rising is a gripping war story from the end of the Civil War and start of the Reconstruction. Faladé writes compellingly about the experiences of Black Union soldiers and the white officers who served alongside them.
In addition to the war story, Black Cloud Rising explores the complexities of family ties where slaveholders father Black sons. What is the relationship between white father and Black son like? Between brothers, one white and one Black? The protagonist wrestles with his identity and finds himself brave in battle but a coward in other ways.
My one point of criticism is Fanny. It felt like Faladé wrote the book without her, realized there are no women in the story, and then added her in. As if to compensate, she's extra- brave and extra-independent, stretching the limits of credulity and rendering her one dimensional. She exists on a plot island, with nothing changing because of her presence.
In addition to the war story, Black Cloud Rising explores the complexities of family ties where slaveholders father Black sons. What is the relationship between white father and Black son like? Between brothers, one white and one Black? The protagonist wrestles with his identity and finds himself brave in battle but a coward in other ways.
My one point of criticism is Fanny. It felt like Faladé wrote the book without her, realized there are no women in the story, and then added her in. As if to compensate, she's extra- brave and extra-independent, stretching the limits of credulity and rendering her one dimensional. She exists on a plot island, with nothing changing because of her presence.
March 10, 2022
I really wanted to like this book. All the pieces were there, but the point of view was first person narrating events in the recent past, so everything was exposition- (telling instead of showing) with little drama or suspense, very little emotional payoff. I do think this book NAILED its perspective on white saviorism and gave its black characters (well, mostly Dick, I guess) really solid agency, it just didn’t tell the story in a way that was satisfying to me.
February 3, 2023
I couldn't put this book down. I felt as if I were reading a journal/diary that was written in 1863, and it is riveting. This is a great book for Black History Month as it details another piece of history that I doubt many of us know.
June 19, 2022
In a class I took last year, one of my fellow students was discussing conceptual art and said that to her, it wasn't art if it wasn't something she enjoyed looking at. An interesting thought although I don't agree with it - I can appreciate art that I wouldn't necessarily want hanging over my sofa.
But with books - I think I have to enjoy reading them. I am sorry to say that Black Cloud Rising was a very good book that I hardly enjoyed reading at all (and some might say, why did you keep on reading it then? and I don't really have a good answer for that except to say that it was undoubtedly a very good book).
The plot: The book is narrated through the eyes of Richard Etheridge, an actual historical figure. Dick is a mulatto who has been taught to read and write by his half-sister (the legitimate offspring of the plantation owner). One of his best childhood friends is the orphaned nephew of the plantation owner who plays with Dick and the other slaves for many years.
At a certain point after the Emancipation Proclamation, Dick announces his intention to leave the plantation and join the African Brigade, made up of freed slaves and led by the one-armed abolitionist Captain Wild (who is another historical figure). Patrick joins a band of guerrilla Confederacy sympathizers which pits him against the African Brigade whose role is to "free" any remaining slaves and to capture the guerrilla soldiers. Dick also has a girlfriend who may or may not have been raped by Patrick at some point.
There are many who believe that it is foolish and dangerous to arm former slaves and not expect them to attack any white person they encounter. Dick is given a position of some responsibility as a Sargent given that he can read and write. There are many poignant musings about racism including among abolitionists who would give their lives to free slaves but would not let a black person drink water from a cup in their kitchen. Dick tries to envision a life for blacks without slavery but (correctly) infers that racism will persist and prevent equality. He also comes to terms with the fact that in many ways he was a child of some privilege because of his parentage and believed himself superior to other blacks because of the color of his skin. He also realizes that much of his life has been an attempt to make his father proud of him and that is an impossible goal.
So why didn't I like it? I think that some of it was because of the dialect and language used by the narrator which just wasn't easy for me to understand and pulled me out of the narrative to decipher what was actually being said. I also think it might have been a case of too many battle scenes or skirmishes which I don't particularly enjoy reading about. I did get some of the multitude of characters confused. If none of the above particularly bother you, try reading this. It is undoubtedly a good book.
But with books - I think I have to enjoy reading them. I am sorry to say that Black Cloud Rising was a very good book that I hardly enjoyed reading at all (and some might say, why did you keep on reading it then? and I don't really have a good answer for that except to say that it was undoubtedly a very good book).
The plot: The book is narrated through the eyes of Richard Etheridge, an actual historical figure. Dick is a mulatto who has been taught to read and write by his half-sister (the legitimate offspring of the plantation owner). One of his best childhood friends is the orphaned nephew of the plantation owner who plays with Dick and the other slaves for many years.
At a certain point after the Emancipation Proclamation, Dick announces his intention to leave the plantation and join the African Brigade, made up of freed slaves and led by the one-armed abolitionist Captain Wild (who is another historical figure). Patrick joins a band of guerrilla Confederacy sympathizers which pits him against the African Brigade whose role is to "free" any remaining slaves and to capture the guerrilla soldiers. Dick also has a girlfriend who may or may not have been raped by Patrick at some point.
There are many who believe that it is foolish and dangerous to arm former slaves and not expect them to attack any white person they encounter. Dick is given a position of some responsibility as a Sargent given that he can read and write. There are many poignant musings about racism including among abolitionists who would give their lives to free slaves but would not let a black person drink water from a cup in their kitchen. Dick tries to envision a life for blacks without slavery but (correctly) infers that racism will persist and prevent equality. He also comes to terms with the fact that in many ways he was a child of some privilege because of his parentage and believed himself superior to other blacks because of the color of his skin. He also realizes that much of his life has been an attempt to make his father proud of him and that is an impossible goal.
So why didn't I like it? I think that some of it was because of the dialect and language used by the narrator which just wasn't easy for me to understand and pulled me out of the narrative to decipher what was actually being said. I also think it might have been a case of too many battle scenes or skirmishes which I don't particularly enjoy reading about. I did get some of the multitude of characters confused. If none of the above particularly bother you, try reading this. It is undoubtedly a good book.
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