H.P. Lovecraft excelled in crafting a compelling mythos and creating a haunting atmosphere.

However, Lovecraft’s weaknesses were evident in his dialogue, character development, and notably, his racist views.

For aficionados of horror, Lovecraft remains a significant influence. Yet, his overt racism cannot be overlooked, as it often seeped into his narratives. One such example is “The Horror at Red Hook,” which follows Detective Thomas Malone as he delves into a malevolent cult in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood.

“The Ballad of Black Tom” offers a fresh take on the tale, presenting it through the eyes of Charles “Tommy” Tester, a black man from Harlem. Caught between a man’s dark ambitions and the law, Tommy’s story is masterfully reimagined by Victor LaValle. By flipping Lovecraft’s xenophobic original, LaValle brings to light themes of police brutality, racism, and the psychological toll of oppression. Lovecraft himself would likely have disapproved of this reinterpretation.

Tommy is portrayed as a streetwise hustler, operating as a courier or fixer to get by. His familiarity with magic and arcane artifacts is evident, yet the narrative avoids lengthy expositions about the supernatural aspects of the world. Instead, these elements are seamlessly integrated into the story.

In a more extensive work, the lack of explanation might frustrate readers seeking to understand its mystical logic. However, at 149 pages, “The Ballad of Black Tom” prioritizes storytelling over intricate details, delivering a concise and impactful narrative.

Tommy embarks on a new hustle that leads him to Flatbush, where he hopes to make a few dollars busking, despite not being a particularly good musician. He is spotted by an elderly man named Robert Suydam, who hires him to play a party at his home. This exchange is witnessed by Officer Malone and a private detective, Mr. Howard, who shake Tommy down and attempt to scare him away from returning to Flatbush. Of course, the promise of $300 in the 1920s is too hard to pass up, and Tommy returns, allowing the rest of the story to unfold.

Warning: Spoilers for The Ballad of Black Tom ahead.

Interspersed between the conjuring of cosmic horrors at Suydam’s home, the assault on the cult compound in Redhook, and the police harassment, we get a handful of scenes with Tommy and his father, fleshing out characters in a way that Lovecraft never did. Tommy has an actual arc, motivations, and personality. When the climax of the book arrives, we’re fully invested in Tommy (who now goes by Black Tom).

Getting attached to Black Tom is important because, well, he’s not the hero. In fact, there are no heroes in this story, really. There are villains, there are victims, but it’s hard to call anyone a hero. Black Tom lashes out at the white men who seek to exploit him and oppress him. It’s cathartic and satisfying as a reader, but his vengeance is also indiscriminate, and it’s implied it will lead to the end of all mankind.

Tommy Tester is a broken man at the end of the story. One who is so tired of the indignities of being a black man in a white man’s world that he would prefer the destructive indifference of the great old ones like Cthulu to the destructive indifference of systemic racism.

The Ballad of Black Tom is not a subtle book, but it’s also a quick and enjoyable read that takes the iconic Lovecraft mythos and gives it real heart. The Horror at Red Hook is not a particularly good story. It has almost no plot, its story arc is a straight line, and the characters have less depth than a sheet of looseleaf. The Ballad of Black Tom salvages what makes Lovecraft compelling, at least in theory (despite his awfulness as a person), and gives us something worth reading in the 21st century.

The Ballad of Black Tom is available on most e-book stores, but I highly recommend you go and buy a physical copy at your neighborhood independent bookshop or support your local library.