The Master’s Plan

By: W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor

THE MASTER’S PLAN

By Dwayne Vernon

When reading about the history of slavery as a novel, it’s always good to have the perspective of different authors, in particular those who are African American and have borne the legacy of it. To that end, I came across this jewel of a novel by Dwayne Vernon: The Master’s Plan. As one who writes historical fiction, Vernon’s novel caught my attention and held it.

Set in Maryland in 1852, this story centers around three main characters. Sabel and Jacob are slaves in their early 30s. Sabel is a field hand, who witnessed the death of his parents at the hands of white patrollers. Jacob is a house servant, the biracial product of the rape of his mother by the plantation’s white master, before she was sent away. The third character is Abigale, enduring the pain of having her husband and children sold, the family she desperately wants back. The draconian environment and the sheer oppression of the times has spurred Sabel’s determination to run away for good. Jacob’s ability to read and write, considered dangerous if discovered by white overseers, patrollers, and plantation owners, is a major asset in their plans. Over the course of time, Sabel and Jacob fall in love. Abigale becomes their close friend and comrade-in-arms in their bid for freedom; the goal, to cross over into Canada.

In certain ways, this is a romantic thriller given the perilous times for African

Americans and the danger that lurked around every corner. Indeed, there were plenty of plot twists as simple plans became more complex while Sabel, Jacob, and Abigale navigated the Underground Railroad. A couple of reminders stood out for me in this story: 1) there were many whites who opposed slavery and actively participated as stations on the Underground Railroad and 2) LGBT relationships are nothing new in the course of history, and they existed among slaves.

Looking back from the 21st century, I wonder if I could have survived and endured what they did.

Yes, there is a happilyever-after, and a spiritual component that plays out in the lives of the main characters, and Vernon applies his expertise with storytelling to put you in the action.

The Master’s Plan is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Thank you, Dwayne, for your powerful voice at the writer’s table. When we change the narrative, we change the perception.