The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Jones, Robert, Jr. The Prophets. Riverrun, 2022.

The Prophets, by Robert Jones, Jr. (first published in 2021), takes place on a Southern plantation and tells the story of Samuel and Isaiah, as their relationship – formerly no one’s business but their own – comes under scrutiny from slaveowners and other slaves. Most chapters focus on one or more of the plantation’s inhabitants, maintaining a third-person point of view while retelling the same events from multiple angles. The novel intersperses this main narrative with chapters telling the pre-slavery story of Kosii and Elewa, who enjoyed freedom and happiness in their West African village before the arrival of Europeans. Kosii lost everyone he loved and endured the transatlantic crossing, but threw himself into the sea before setting foot in America. There are also chapters which break away from both storylines in order to deliver words of wisdom, using the collective voice of seven ancestors or divine spirits. Although they remain unnamed in the text, we may surmise these to be Orishas – and specifically the Seven African Powers – of Yoruba tradition.

Samuel and Isaiah lived in the barn, where they took care of the animals. Their comparative isolation – as well as their reputation as hard workers – allowed them to be together without interference. Some of the other slaves knew that they were lovers, but no one objected. However, their commitment to each other – and their lack of interest in women – hindered the plans of slaveowner Paul, who tried to enforce breeding amongst his slaves. He raped Essie when she did not become pregnant through his program, and Amos – hoping to protect Essie and sanctify his relationship with her – put himself forward as a student and preacher of Christianity. Taking to his new role as spiritual leader and Paul’s lackey, Amos succeeded in stirring up suspicion and hostility towards Samuel and Isaiah, but he could not persuade them to fall in line and meet Paul’s expectations.

As well as refusing to rape the women assigned to them, Samuel and Isaiah were a disappointment to Paul’s wife Ruth, in her own attempt at rape. Offended by Samuel’s sexual unresponsiveness, she arranged for both men to be punished. However, Timothy – the liberal-leaning son of Paul and Ruth – was excited to find out about the relationship between the two men. Initially using Isaiah as a subject for his painting, Timothy went on to use him for sexual gratification.

Matters reached a crisis when Amos decided to tell Paul about Samuel and Isaiah, and when Timothy decided to summon Samuel to his bedroom. Samuel and Isaiah resolved to run away, but while Isaiah got a head start, Samuel went to Timothy’s room and killed him. Paul returned from the local town and caught Samuel at the scene of the crime. He told his men to hang Samuel from a tree and set fire to him. Maggie (the cook, and secretly Samuel’s mother) killed Paul, and a riot broke out. As the white men started shooting, some of the slaves managed to escape, while others attacked the gunmen. Meanwhile, Isaiah looked back to see Samuel burning, but he still imagined him catching up with him as they had planned. He kept going until he heard and felt something in the darkness which drew him in, implicitly (but not conclusively) signifying his death. The novel ends with the fate of many of its characters in the balance.