Shantaram

A Novel

By: Gregory David Roberts

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

Length: 42 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Based on his own extraordinary life, Gregory David Roberts’ Shantaram is a mesmerizing novel about a man on the run who becomes entangled within the underworld of 1980s Bombay—the basis for the Apple + TV series starring Charlie Hunnam.

“It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured.”

An escaped convict with a false passport, Lin flees maximum security prison in Australia for the teeming streets of Bombay, where he can disappear. Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter the city’s hidden society of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries, who seek in this remarkable place what they cannot find elsewhere.

As a hunted man without a home, family, or identity, Lin searches for love and meaning while running a clinic in one of the city’s poorest slums, and serving his apprenticeship in the dark arts of the Bombay mafia. The search leads him to war, prison torture, murder, and a series of enigmatic and bloody betrayals. The keys to unlock the mysteries and intrigues that bind Lin are held by two people. The first is Khader Khan: mafia godfather, criminal-philosopher-saint, and mentor to Lin in the underworld of the Golden City. The second is Karla: elusive, dangerous, and beautiful, whose passions are driven by secrets that torment her and yet give her a terrible power.

Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas—this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart.

©2003 Gregory David Roberts (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Shantaram is a novel of the first order, a work of extraordinary art, a thing of exceptional beauty. If someone asked me what the book was about, I would have to say everything, every thing in the world. Gregory David Roberts does for Bombay what Lawrence Durrell did for Alexandria, what Melville did for the South Seas, and what Thoreau did for Walden Pond: He makes it an eternal player in the literature of the world." (Pat Conroy)

"[A] sprawling, intelligent novel…full of vibrant characters…the exuberance of his prose is refreshing…Roberts brings us through Bombay's slums and opium houses, its prostitution dens and ex-pat bars, saying, You come now. And we follow." (The Washington Post)

"Few stand out quite like Shantaram …nothing if not entertaining. Sometimes a big story is its own best reward." (The New York Times)

An Amazing Journey

I can’t remember when I felt so sad to be finished with a book. Every listen made it feel like a journey into the lives of these characters so much so that I could breathe the air, feel the temperature, see the colors and smell the foods - perfumes- streets and slums. I’m ready to watch and hope that Paramount Television can do as much with this series as it manages to do in print and as good a job as Humphrey Bower does in bringing it to life. Needless to say, I’ve enjoyed this thoroughly.

Great read

Excellent story held you to the end. Great read. Enjoyed very much, highly recommended. Look forward to the follow ip.

Epic story, superlative narration!

I'm not particularly good at reviewing books but am nonetheless reasonably confident to state that this piece of writing belongs to the upper echelons of contemporary literature.

The story takes the reader on an incredible journey through the protagonist's past and present, Bombay, culture, philosophy, friendship, joy, sorrow, war, peace and, not least, his own heart.

Everyone: young adults and older should read this book at least once in lifetime, (preferably sooner rather than later!) even if the genre or synopsis doesn't appeal to you at first. Open your mind, give it a chance, be blown away and learn the most beautiful of wisdoms.

I cannot praise this book highly enough and consider it as one of my top 10 books ever read. The narrater is beyond incredible: have not yet heard such flawless narration with incredible versatility in terms of accents, voices on Audible anywhere else.

excellent

excellent excellent. fab book.great from beginning to end. could have kept reading. .too bad it wasn't longer

Everything was great but Karla

Karla sounded like an idiot. The mystique and intrigue she presented felt flat and dull.

AMAZING BOOK

This book was so entertaining. I highly recommend everyone to listen to it. I never thought I would be so obsessed with it before!

Outstanding!

This is not my usual genre of book, I’m normally a Sci Fi/Fantasy girl, but Shantaram had great reviews so I decided to try it. So glad I did! Excellent story from cover to cover. Filled with adventure, history, culture, life...full of philosophical insight and discovery. The narrator was so talented and engaging I already bought another audiobook narrated by him - same Author as well (which just so happened to be recommended by my sister too!). I highly recommend this book to everyone whenever the topic of books comes up.

Great story

Though the prose can get a bit purple at times its a compelling tale that kept me entertained for all 43 hours. The narration is a little goofy but overall does the job. Certainly tugs on the heart strings as the story progresses. Regardless of how much is true or not its a well told story that makes me miss india. Recommend for those who are interested in criminal culture, or india especially though anyone with some time on their hands will enjoy

One of the best books I have ever read. The narration was fantastic!

This book was a joy to listen to. The reader was wonderful. I have bought and recommended this book to all my friends. If you have been to India it is a must read!

Amazingly epic

I loved this amazing story. A bit of truth with an amazing imagination to create an amazing story.