James Kenneth Vaught

A Haunting Reflection

Revisado: 10-17-20

Four decades of reading this novel and it never fails to reveal more of modern culture. Now this Audible presentation of highest quality and adaptation reinforces those revelations, like a veteran’s cohort stepping into a battle gap! Shipway’s use of the first person is brilliant via G Suetonius Paulinus. This is a man’s story, no doubt, yet woven and clad throughout and within are exquisite glimpses of many peculating issues of today. Race. Privilege. Greed. Rule of Law. Expansionists economic theory. Political intrigue. Shifting moral winds. Dignity. Religious tolerance and intolerance. Love. Fear. Devotion. Pride. Humility. Incredulous myopia. The style wraps you up like a warm (not too soft) woolen cloak or stamps of firm metrical footfalls, sweat, creaking leather and chinking metal, sweet-wine soaked figs to plain soup, bread and wine under expansive British blue skies or rain sodden dark chill. The masculine relationships between Paulinus and his subordinate friends hearkens fraternal bonds of dignity. His aloof disdain for the simple joys of the natives via architecture, attire, racial superiority, and religious ineptitude never falters, yet his intelligent perspective ever so slightly reveals his foundational fissures. His aching love for Queen Cartimandua (the only woman with dialogue?) hits at the yearning heart. The plot moves along with a pace worthy of its historical origins. Striving forward with desperately needed expansion all the while dogged by climate, agendas, and unknowns this story races along at times like a barbarians chariot then languishes with a reposing bath. The tension of pre-battle nerves is as taught as a bowstring. The combat is both urgently wet and strategically comprehensive. The stories conclusion neatly ties an Ecclesiastes like assessment for this memoir. A few words for the voice actor: his use of dialect and accent for my American ears is brilliantly distinctive for the characters as well as subtle geographically underlining. Job very well done! I’ve owned this novel in my first reading’s library discharge, in both 1960’s and 2000’s cheap paperback and then a treasured 1st edition. Now I am very glad to have this Audible publication. Thank you.

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By Design

Revisado: 09-19-19

The name Amor Towles brought me to the station not having any idea where this journey would lead. I was immediately onboard!

Lifestyle design is a topic I’ve casually had an interest for some time. The little nuances, curations, tweaks/hacks of life.
Breathers of the air of Enlightenment and a declared pursuer of life, liberty and happiness, we get to determine as best we can these self-evident things, right?
You Have Arrived at Your Destination subtly reminds us that “all the world is a stage and we are merely players”, but the script may well have already been determined.
I believe there is an allusion going on in the story. Things we give away (perhaps even a book review?) contribute to the controls which do the determining.

Bravo Towles! This is thematically a million miles from the Metropol or 1938 New York, but your craft is so cunning and sharp as to once again leave us readers satisfied yet yearning for a just a bit more.
Excellent rendition by David Harbour as well.

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