The Black Cargo
🏆 Prix Océanes 2011A reluctant slave trader — how far will his rebellion take him?
First published · 2010
Publisher's description
Jean-Baptiste Clertant, a young officer fresh from the prestigious Le Havre School of Hydrography, sets sail for Guadeloupe as second lieutenant aboard the Orion. Just before departure, the powerful shipowner Dumoulin informs him that the vessel will make a detour through Africa to procure some 'ebony wood'. Jean-Baptiste knows nothing of this vile trade. A reluctant slave trader, he grows increasingly desperate — until the day an unforeseen event compels him to act. What can he do? How far will his rebellion take him?
A genuine work of history on the slave trade, grounded in extensive research, The Black Cargo is also a gripping adventure novel.
Author's note
A historical novel on the triangular trade, I assembled extensive documentation before writing it — acquiring numerous books by specialists, reading academic theses and university research on the subject. I also reached out to African, American, and French researchers to question them on specific points. By cross-referencing this vast body of material, I believe I have reconstructed as faithfully as possible the horrific slave trade that ravaged the world for several centuries.
The ship in my novel departs from the port of Le Havre, makes two stops in Africa, then crosses the Atlantic to Guadeloupe. Given the harrowing nature of the subject matter — truly unbearable, almost inconceivable when one truly grasps it — I softened this inhumanity by juxtaposing it, especially in the second half, with a genuine adventure story, somewhere between Stevenson and Jules Verne.
Press reviews
“Olivier Merle places the novel, with seriousness and brilliance, at the service of History.”— Mohammed Aïssaoui — Le Figaro Littéraire
“History, rivalry between nations, but also love, spirituality, individual responsibility… all of this is present in The Black Cargo.”— Marianne Payot — L'Express
Editions
Éditions de Fallois · 2010
Out of print
Pocket · 2011
Out of print
France Loisir · 2011
Out of print
Hatier · 2019
Classique & Cie Collège series — Abridged text with notes and study guide by Mathilde Sorel
Ohème · 2023
Unabridged text (French)
Ohème · 2026
English translation
The Black Cargo