One of the most eagerly awaited fantasy novels of the year is Black Leopard, Red Wolf. Written by Booker Prize winner, Jamaican Marlon James, it comes with an effusive blurb from Neil Gaiman. Gary Wolfe waxes lyrical about it in the most recent Coode Street episode. Both men say that it is unlike any epic fantasy they have read.

It is very exciting, therefore, to discover that James will be giving this year’s J.R.R. Tolkien Lecture on Fantasy Literature at Pembroke College in Oxford. The date is February 26th, which is just a couple of days before the book is officially launched in the UK. Full details are available here.

I have an ARC of the book, and I have rarely seen such care put into a review copy. It looks gorgeous. And given what my friends are saying, I can’t wait to read it. I will also be at the lecture. If you are interested in fantasy fiction and can get there easily, I suggest you book a ticket now. Last year’s lecture with VE Schwab sold out in days.