Freeman Walker

In his disappointing third novel, Cates writes an implausible story from the viewpoint of a freed slave named Jimmy Gates. Jimmy (who later changes his name to Freeman Walker), the son of a slave and her master, receives his “freedom papers” and a copy of the Declaration of Independence (both recurring symbols) from his father before being sent away to a British boarding school. He quickly assimilates with his white classmates and teachers, but after his father drowns while crossing the Atlantic to visit, Jimmy leaves school and finds work making horse saddles. Nearing adulthood, he returns to the U.S. just as the Civil War begins. After deciding he does not want to be a soldier, he sets off for the gold mines of the American West. Unfortunately, Cates misses the grand picaresque possibilities, and the novel grows frustratingly diffuse as Jimmy becomes less an intriguing guide and more a caricature. (Oct.)