Its a wonderful book that takes you around the world and makes you feel the pain, suffering and happiness experienced by the characters. You would never put this one down til you read the last page. Suspense, comedy and tragedy all put together in a wonderful amazing drama of the past. Gotta read this!

The heading of this review is an oversimplification, but it's essentially what happens to virtually everyone in this series of books. Whatever you think of the actual stories, it is evident that massive research on the slave trade in the USA as well as Cuba was required to write them. A couple elements are a little hard to believe, such as why a light-skinned slave passing as white, and having escaped to the safety of the North, would for one second even CONSIDER returning to the South. Also, readers will be disappointed if they would like to know how Hammond Maxwell and his second wife, Augusta got along; it is suggested that they were happy, but thre are few details, and their deaths are not much more than a footnote. However, whatever their flaws, this series of books deserves a spot in literary history because they were the first to accurately describe what the slave trade was really like. They were published during the height of the civil rights movement, and one wonders how many places they were banned, or at least not sold in the South

Ive read almost all of these books by these three authors and found them both entertaining and informitive.

First published in 1959, before the civil rights movement had changed much in the USA, Mandingo is a book that takes a harsh and simplistic view of slavery in the 1830s South. As the author recreates this period, slaves are animals to be bred, worked, and sold as the owners see fit. The N-word is used frequently, and slaves are represented as simple-minded and devoted to their owners. Bored by their rural life, young white men enjoy sex with their female slaves and wagering on fights between their most muscular male slaves. Slave breeding and prices are about the only things that the plantation owners seem to have enough knowledge about and interest to discuss.

Hammond Maxwell is 18 years old and an only child. His mother died when he was young, and his father is disabled by rheumatism. He and his father Warren are the only whites on a large Alabama plantation. Since he reached puberty he has had his choice of bedmates from the slaves of the plantation. His father is pressuring Hammond to marry his cousin Blanche who he hasn't seen since she was a baby and who lives on a distant plantation. Although Hammond has had many children by his female slaves, his father is looking for a white child who can be an heir to their plantation, Falconhurst. Blanche's father is eager to arrange a match because he is deep in debt and hopes to secure a "loan" from Hammond in exchange for his parental approval. Hammond, on his side is willing to do his duty to provide his father with progeny, but finds sex with slaves much more satisfying than with his wife. Blanche, neglected by a husband who finds more time for his pure-bred Mandingo fighter than for her, turns to drink and eventually to infidelity to ease her loneliness.

The plot is simplistic and the characters two-dimensional. One would hope that the author portrayed them that way intentionally rather than through lack of skill. In either case, the reader gets a glimpse into the dehumanizing effects of slavery on both the owner and the owned. This is a difficult book that gives a harsh glimpse at a brutal way of life.

There were 3 main books in this series, then quite a few side books. The side books were used to explain what went on during the time. I have read some of these reviews, and some of these people need to get a life. As a 52 year old Black Man, I read these books in 1969-1970 and found them facinating. Slavery was real. Sex during slavery was real. Just because you didn't like it didn't make it not happen. No, this is not a "historical" book, but fiction. Unless you have a time machine and are able to go back and record history, this is as close as you get. Read the WHOLE series and then make up your own mind. If I can Find the whole series, I would buy them.

I found a copy o this book in a box of tomes my grandmother was throwing away. I rescued it because the font in which the title was written was so primitive-looking and bizarre that it grabbed me. Ten years later, I have read this book in its entirety no less than a dozen times. It is as far from "politically correct" as you can get, and although I admit there is a level of sensationalism here, the characters seem so real to me that I have to wonder about the rest. I have not read "Drum" or "Master Of Falconhurst", the sequels, as I cannot find copies of them anywhere at this point. I doubt Amazon can either-- these books have been out of print for nearly twenty years. However, I highly recommend "Mandingo". It is truly horrifying, and if you like that sort of thing you will not be disappointed.

Long before Papa Doc Duvalier and the 'tonton macoute' there was Henry Christophe.This man with his own wits became the first and last black annointed king of Haiti.His all too brief but brilliant reign showed the entire world that an african monarch though born a slave could still rule wisely and competently with all the constitutional law at his disposal.

The Black Sun is a fictional account of the life and times of King Henry Christophe and the events leading up to his coronation.The story revolves around Henry's friendship with Armes Holbrooke a young plantation owner recently arrived from Boston to take over part of his inheritance.The french speaking Haitian society is split into three distinct groups.The white miniority who hold power and most of the wealth.The mulattoes or coloureds who have gained automatic freedom by being scioned by white fathers.And the black majority, a palpable force with no power but lots of resentment.It is this simmering resentment that greets Armes when he arrives in Port-au-Prince.Soon he strikes up a friendship with the personable Henry and the two become fast friends.Henry proves himself invaluable with his knowledge and knowhow.Soon after there is a slave revolt and Henry is singled out as one of the ringleaders.From then on the story enters into the slave majority's violent but passionate resistance to french rule as Henry's star rises higher and faster.And of course Armes is always there in the background to offer advice and assistance when called upon.Enough said.

I liked this story mainly because of its historical interest even though some licence has been taken in that respect.There is also an interesting detour into the mysteries of voodoo and its powerful spiritual hold on the people,even today.Armes passionate relationship with three women of differing backgrounds is a commentary on the vagaries of the male libido.The story is written in the genre of Mandingo and Falconhurst,very popular in the early 70's.Not to be missed by readers who enjoy that sort of read.In the unlikelihood they ever make a miniseries Brendan Fraser would suit the armes role,Julia Roberts his first love Athenee and of course Denzel would play Henry.But then such stories are politically incorrect these days.Oh well...