Shadow of the Moon

By: M. M. Kaye

Narrated by: Tara Ochs

Length: 34 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

The author of The Far Pavilions returns us once again to the vast, intoxicating romance of India under the British Raj. Shadow of the Moon is the story of Winter de Ballesteros, a beautiful English heiress come home to her beloved India. It is also the tale of Captain Alex Randall, her protector, who aches to possess her. Forged in the fires of a war that threatens to topple an empire, their tale is the saga of a desperate and unforgettable love that consumes all in its thrall. Filled with the mystery of moonlit palace gardens and the whisperings of passion and intrigue, M. M. Kaye evokes an era at once of its time, yet timeless.

©1956, 1957, 1979 M.M. Kaye (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Great book

M M Kaye is a master story teller! The story of a woman’s life intermixed with historic events. A long wonderful adventure!

Hated to. have the story end

Not sure which story was better written - Shadow of the Moon. or Far Pavilion. And the narration was fantaztic.

Well worth it

If you could sum up Shadow of the Moon in three words, what would they be?

epic, spell-binding, earthy

What was one of the most memorable moments of Shadow of the Moon?

all of it

What does Tara Ochs bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I like this narrator very much. It was wonderful to hear the narrative in American English, and then the characters in British English, and the various Indian accents. Some narrators go overboard, overdo each different character. This narrator lets us know that the speaker has changed, and gives a light accent for each character.

Any additional comments?

Well worth it. Love the very long, epic novels that allow one to be lost in the experience. I've had a lot of problems with the heavy Brit accent in other books, ie Shogun, and some of the Wilbur Smith works which I had to return because it was just too hard to wade through the poor narration. Hard to tell when one character leaves off, and another begins, with the heavy Brit accent. Great to hear the narrative in Shadow of the Moon in non-Brit English! Still not sure if this will equal the superb Far Pavilions, but few audio books ever have.

A wonderful book

I think I first read this after The Far Pavilions when I was about thirt

amazing epic of 19th century india

I was captivated by this story. I'm giving it 4 stars because the violence was gruesome and grapihic, though historically accurate.

As good as the Far Pavilions

Anyone familiar with this author’s writing will be thrilled with this book. Another look at India in the times of the East India Company but from a different viewpoint. A strong female character and others, all well developed. An absolute joy !

Has always been a great story.

Would you consider the audio edition of Shadow of the Moon to be better than the print version?

Not necessarily. Have owned a printed copy for nearly 30 years and have always enjoyed reading it, when time permitted. In the last few years I have come to appreciate the portability of audio books, and the luxury to listen while engaged in other tasks not condusive to holding a book.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Tara Ochs?

Vikas Adams who is the narrator of The Far Pavilions. His voice and characterizations were spot on for the story. He brought all of it to life.
Tara Ochs has a good voice for nonfiction, but is far too bland for performing.

Any additional comments?

If possible redo the narration for this story and get Vikas Adams to it.

Brilliant story

I read the book ages ago and have loved it since. The narration itself is not bad but the pronounciation of Urdu/ Hindustani words is atrocious. I don't know if audible or Tara Ochs is to blame for this. If you are aware that the text contains a bulk of foreign words, the least you could do is get guidence from someone who speaks the language. Another issue with the narration is that Tara Ochs seemed to forget what tone and accent she had given to some of the characters and changed that later in the story. For example, the character of Lou cotter had an accent verging on cockney when she is first introduced. Lou's voice and accent became more sophisticated and upperclass later on. In one part (Hirren Minar) her voice becomes almost identical to that of Winter, which would be very confusing for anyone who hasn't read the book beforehand.
Overall I enjoyed it because I love the story.

Uncommonly good narration, Tone we'll suited to the subject matter.

More romance novel than historical fiction. Still, a worthwhile stepping stone on your way to her masterpiece, the Far Pavilions.

Great Epic!

I felt like I was in India during the Victorian age!
A great epic book. It was fun to watch a character grow up.