Litercurious Book Review
| Title | The King’s Shadow: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Deadly Quest for the Lost City of Alexandria |
| Author | Edmund Richardson |
| Narrator | Julian Elfer |
| Publisher | Tantor Audio (April 12, 2022) |
| Format | Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook |
| Time | 8 hours and 18 minutes |
| Genre | Afghanistan Travel Guides, Central Asia History, India History |
| Language | English |
| ASIN | B09WG9P7K9 |
AUTHOR
Edmund Richardson is Professor of Classics at Durham University. He was named one of the BBC New Generation Thinkers. He is the author of ‘Alexandria: The
Quest for the Lost City’ (Bloomsbury) and ‘The King’s Shadow: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Deadly Quest for the Lost City of Alexandria’ (2022) (St Martin’s Press).
From Amazon’s Edmund Richardson Page
NARRATOR
Award Winning British born New York City actor JULIAN ELFER studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) and the British Academy at Oxford University. Other credits include roles in the film Reverie, the pilot of Models and Me, The History Channel, several audio books and the voice of Twinnings Tea. Julian
graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and studied extensively with famed British Theater director Frank Hauser.
Excerpt taken from http://nycshakespeare.com/about/
SNYOPSIS
The King’s Shadow is the story of a modernized England, in 1827, making his way through rudimentary India and Afghanistan. Using his wits to survive and evade the East India Company’s agents, James Lewis truly becomes a chameleon.
A disenchanted soldier in India, James deserts at a time when absconders where, if caught, “broken on the wheel.” He quickly learns how to con the locals for everything he needs to survive from food and lodging to clothing and money. He discovers that the more outlandish his con, the easier it is to pull off. Along the way, he makes acquaintance with every stratum of class structure. He his entertained by King’s and befriended by peasants.
Changing his name to Charles Masson, he teaches himself to be an archeologist. However, he cannot stay ahead of the East India Company, and his true identity is uncovered. He is then blackmailed into becoming one of the most important spies for England in the Middle East. Although a renowned archeologist for his work on finding the lost city of Alexandria, it is his spy network which is the most important to the East India Company and England’s interests in the region.
CONCLUSION
The King’s Shadow is a true historic spy novel. It has suspense, thrills, danger, intrigue, blackmail and world politics. Dr. Edmund Richardson has done a superb job researching and documenting the life of James Lewis, a.k.a. Charles Mason. His attention to detail and the past is unequaled in this historic tale. This true-life spy drama excites the mind and provides a look into the time and politics of the region.
Julian Elfer’s narration adds a depth to the story that was not there when I read the book. His accent, inflection, tone and pace are perfect accompaniments to the tale. I found the audio version better than reading it myself due to the Julian’s style of narration. He really makes the story come alive for the listener.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Dr. Edmund Richardson, NetGalley, and Tantor Audio for affording me the opportunity to review The King’s Shadow: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Deadly Quest for the Lost City of Alexandria.
OTHER POSTS
Mutiny On The Spanish Main – Review
It is 1797 and Captain Hugh Pigot, is the cruel and sadistic commander of HMS Hermione. After three men fall to their deaths the crew takes matters in to their own hands and…
Keep reading
THE DEVIL’S TRAP – Review
The events described in The Devil’s Trap surround the preamble to the First Indian Mutiny of 1857-58, specifically the Cawnpore Massacre, and the subsequent remedial actions taken by the British to re-establish…
Keep reading
AGENTS OF INFLUENCE – REVIEW
Agents of Influence is the true story of a British Intelligence team tasked with swaying a reluctant United States of America (USA) to join with Great Britain against the Axis Powers in…
Keep reading
WOLVES AT THE DOOR – REVIEW
Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America’s Greatest Female Spy is a very good book. It details the life of Virginia Hall and her contributions to the war effort. Virginia…
Keep reading
