Darkness at Noon

By: Arthur Koestler

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

A fictional portrayal of an aging revolutionary, this novel is a powerful commentary on the nightmare politics of the troubled 20th century. Born in Hungary in 1905, a defector from the Communist Party in 1938, and then arrested in both Spain and France for his political views, Arthur Koestler writes from a wealth of personal experience.

Imprisoned by the political party to which he has dedicated his life, Nicolas Rubashov paces his prison cell, examining his life and remembering his tempestuos career. As the old intelligentsia is eradicated to make way for the new, he is psychologically tortured and forced to confess to preposterous crimes. Comparing himself to Moses, led to the Promised Land but refused entry, he sees only darkness at the end of his life, where once he saw such promise for humanity.

Frank Muller's narrative expertise is perfect for this haunting work. Rubashov's personal agony becomes Muller's as he presents Koestler's relevant and important questions.

©1968 Mrs. F.H.K. Henries (P)1999 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"A remarkable book, a grimly fascinating interpretation of the logic of the Russian Revolution...a tense and subtly intellectualized drama." ( Times Literary Supplement)

Masterpiece-- Koestler and Muller

This story haunts me, both from the writing by Arthur Koestler and the telling by Frank Muller. It is a political and historical must-read, but with frank Muller narrating.... The best.

Oh, but for a narrator!

This novel is a classic by any measure, and yet the audiobook is brought low by the narration, a breathy repetitive monotone which inexplicably dives a few notes at the end of EVERY SENTENCE. It is really quite distracting, maddening even. I found that dropping the speed to .8 helped some. A different narrator would have helped A LOT. Please try a sample first so you will know what I mean.

Very interesting

The pace started, what felt a little slow, but I came to appreciate it. Wonderfully narrated. Thought-provoking story

"Man counted in years, history in generations"

In all honesty, I had no awareness of "Darkness at Noon" until noting it at #8 of the 100 best modern novels. In time, I can likely see this among my all-time favorites.

"Darkness at Noon" is set during the 1938 Moscow Show Trials as Stalin was on a campaign to purge many of his co-founders of the Bolshevik Revolution. Though no names are
used- the USSR is merely referred to as The Party, Stalin as Number One and Hiltler as The Dictator- the characters are clear. Protagonist Nicholas Rubashov, Number Two of The Party, is arrested and interrogated at the direction of Number One under suspicion of conspiring with Western oppositional powers against The Party and The State. While the irony of being caught up in a byzantine prosecutorial system much of his own making isn't lost on him, Rubashov finds that his writings of the system's evolution as it passes from one generation to the next places himself in the uncomfortable position of trying to ascertain the most important role he can play to perpetuate a Party which he has dedicated the last 40 years of his life.

Written in 1940 while he was residing in Paris, Arthur Koestler was intimate with the story and circumstances on which the novel is based. Hungarian born and German raised, Koestler had been part of the Communist Party of Germany during the rise of Adolph Hitler. As Stalin and Hitler contested for control of Europe with competing totalitarian ideologies, Stalin's purges prompted Koestler to disavow the Communist Party and authoritarianism of which "Darkness at Noon" manifested. Originally written in German, its critical reception and timeliness led to global translation and blockbuster sales. Joining the French Foreign Legion after the Nazis invaded France but deserted and eventually made his way to England where he became a celebrated author made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire(CBE) in 1972.

While not previously familiar with Koestler his influence was obvious on the likes of Oriana Fallaci in her novel "A Man" about the prison ordeal of Greek resistance fighter Alexander Panagouli which is one of my all-time favorites. I plan to add "The Gladiators" and "Arrival and Departure" which bookend a trilogy along with "Darkness at Noon."

an amazing glimpse into the human condition

Frank Mueller once again brings a timeless classic even higher. the rhythm of this dark tale is incredible

Beautifully Written, Terrifying Story

Beautifully written book with a thread of terror weaved throughout. The story makes you feel as if you're in cell with the protagonist. There are glimmers of hope for the said character, will he get out alive, will he not? Koestler is a master story teller.

very good

tells the tale of an imprisoned political leader and the danger of totalitarianism. uses a fictional story to describe paralleled events in the early to mid 20th century.

A True Masterpiece!!

Having now read it multiple times, Koestler's book is quickly becoming one of my favorite stories of all time. Set during the great Stalin purges of 1937-40, we follow N.S. Rubashov, an allegorical amalgamation of the old Bolshevik guard, from his arrest at home in the middle of the night to imprisonment and interrogation. Koestler is a master story teller and clearly draws on his own lived experience of being imprisoned. The scenes of Rubashov's discussions with the adjacent cell mate Number 402 through tap code are particularly enjoyable. The best scenes however were those of the intellectual duels between Rubashov and Ivanov and later Gletkin during interrogation. It is during these scenes that Koestler is able to vividly portray Marxist thinking and how in the pursuit of "socialist utopia" anything is permissible. Truth becomes irrelevant and is often a stumbling block to the construction of the perfect society. Ironically, we ultimately see a man brought down by the very ideology he fought so hard to triumph and now must clearly and unambiguously confront the consequences of his life's work before it brings his own life to an end. Cannot recommend highly enough!

Darkly Uplifting

In one sense, this is just another dystopian novel about the historical abuses of the now defunct Soviet Union, in another sense; it describes the essential folly of man through the disillusioning of a true believer. The novel presents a believable character, a fearless communist intellectual that fought passionately for the cause and rose to the elite in the party, so far as to be colleges with Stalin. We watch as the protagonist’s friends do what is expedient by betraying him as the party devolves towards totalitarianism and barbarism.

Although this is not a cheerful story I found it uplifting and strangely positive, as the protagonist cleanly faces the truth of the dark side of his friends and the communist movement. While reading Darkness at Noon I could not help but think that, although the Soviet Union is now defunct, the Soviet era totalitarians are still in control of Russia, and the lies and oppression continue. Just watch Russian News (RT) for a while and count the number of negative Putin stories (generally zero).

The narration was excellent, matching the tone and spirit of the book remarkably well.

A must read novel from 1940

DARKNESS AT NOON is one of the great novels of the 20th century. It is a true classic. Those who believe true socialism is to be preferred over other political systems need to listen to this novel.