14. Oroonoko by Aphra Behn

Another novel I'd never heard of, this time by Aphra Behn (who apparently is a pin-up girl for modern lesbians).  First published in 1688, it's set in West Africa (where Oroonoko is a noble warrior prince who loves Imoinda), and a colony in South America called Surinam (ah, I've just googled, it's a real country) where Oroonoko and Imoinda are slaves.  Aphra Behn is supposed to have visited there, and certainly her descriptions sound authentic. 

It ends tragically:  Oroonoko is respected by Europeans but also betrayed by them, leads a slave rebellion, and ends up killing Imoinda rather than let her fall into the hands of their enemies.  He is captured and horribly put to death.

Aphra's sympathies as narrator are all with Oroonoko, but she's helpless to intervene.  I wonder what happened when Aphra visited Surinam herself.