Writing

5-Star Review: Pryor Knowledge by M. B. Gibson

April 2, 2025March 26, 2025 by Dan Desai Martin

“Pryor Knowledge is historical fiction at its finest. A lush, vibrant, and at times gritty dive into the pre-Civil War South, M.B. Gibson’s latest work shines with excitement, drama, and heart.”

I wrote those words in February 2025, a few weeks after I finished reading an advance copy of Pryor Knowledge: Horse Racing, Love, and Slavery in the Antebellum South by M. B. Gibson. With the book now published, I wholeheartedly stand by that description.

Welcome back to another in my periodic book-review segments. As I noted previously, I only do spoiler-free reviews of books I would recommend to others.

With this review, it is impossible for me to more highly recommend a book. In fact, stop reading right now and order/download a copy of Pryor Knowledge. Don’t wait. Trust me, you’ll be happy.

If you are still not convinced, here’s my review:

The Plot

Pryor Knowledge is a historical fiction novel focused on the life of Ben Pryor, a horse trainer from Natchez, Mississippi, in the pre-Civil War Antebellum South. Written in first-person and based on meticulous research by Gibson, the story starts with Pryor as a young white man trying to make his mark in the early American horse-racing industry. Here’s another sentence I wrote shortly after finishing the book:

There’s no better way to experience the burgeoning (and cut-throat) world of American horse racing expertly woven with the tale of an up-and-coming trainer navigating love, heartbreak, dreams, and morality.

One standout part of the book: The horse races. Gibson does a masterful job not only describing the actual races, but of capturing the full scope of the atmosphere of race days. From details of the racing turf to the range of peddlers and tents surrounding the racecourse, readers truly feel immersed in event, as if we are witnessing the race in person. You can almost hear the crowds as you read. These are the times I got most lost in the book, in the best possible way.

And one aspect I particularly appreciate: This book does not shy away from the issue of slavery in the Deep South during that era. Ben is confronted with and struggles to navigate the issues of slavery in stark and, at times, uncomfortable ways. There is always a danger of a white author, like Gibson, writing about a white protagonist in this time era seeking to diminish or ignore the realities of slavery. Gibson rejects that temptation, giving readers an unvarnished, unapologetic view of what life was like.

The Characters

We’ve touched on the protagonist, Ben Pryor. There is much to like about Ben, and I particularly liked that he is as real and flawed as any of us. He faced difficult times, struggled with moral questions of his day, and made questionable choices. But through it all, he stayed true to himself. And he was a thoroughly enjoyable protagonist.

The book as a whole had the feel of a literary fiction book. Ben Pryor is surrounded by a cast of characters that feel as real as any in literature. There’s Old Jacob, the slave who taught Ben about horse racing. And Colonel Adam Bingley, Ben’s boss and owner of the horses he trains. As a laborer, Ben straddles the world of free white men and slaves. Through his eyes, we see an unflinching depiction of the life of slaves in the south, as well as the wealth and attitudes of white southerners. Throughout the novel, like friends and family in life, these characters’ paths fade in and out of Ben’s life, bringing a depth and realism to the novel.

The Tidbits

It took me a little bit to get into this book. Perhaps that is because historical fiction is not my normal genre. I also read it at a time when I was having a hard time getting into any book, so maybe it was me. No matter the reason, once I got into the book, I could not put it down. I think I read the final half of the book in two or three days. I was pulled in and completely hooked. And I think you will be, too.

The Details & Disclaimers

Pryor Knowledge is M. B. Gibson’s fourth novel. She is also the author of the award-winning Duncullen Saga, historical novels set in eighteenth-century Tipperary, Ireland, and Revolutionary War-era South Carolina. Her first book in that series, Aroon, was named a semi-finalist in the 2018 Kindle Book Awards. Its sequel, Harps Upon the Willows, was the winner of the 2018 Kindle Book Awards for Literary Fiction.

Disclaimer: In addition to being a talented author, M.B. Gibson is also my aunt. I’ve known her all my life, and could not be happier to see her fourth novel enter the world. I read Pryor Knowledge as a beta reader in early 2025. I was neither asked to write nor compensated for this review.