Shadow of the Moon

De: M. M. Kaye

Narrado por: Tara Ochs

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.

Much too long for the story!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. While the storyline was very acceptable and interesting the length of the book was not.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The book 34 hours long, excessively descriptive and the story could have been told in half the time without all the adjectives and introspection.

Have you listened to any of Tara Ochs’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Did Shadow of the Moon inspire you to do anything?

No

Any additional comments?

I am not sure if the story was based on fact, but if so it was well researched and I would read another of her books f it was shorter.

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 !

Love this story, but the narrator was awful

The story is well researched, and interesting if a bit too descriptive in some places. However, the mispronunciation of so many words was very distracting. Please have someone else narrate this book, or (at the very least) have the narrator learn the pronunciation of Hindustani words. These can be looked up on the internet. For example: "Lunyo" instead of "LunJOR" was so annoying. If it was a word that wasn't used regularly it wouldn't have been so irritating. Unfortunately, the Hindustani pronunciations were so atrocious and so repetitive. Audible should have this book re-recorded, it deserves it.

Worth the listen

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

Yes- I tend to scan and miss things while reading.

What did you like best about this story?

The historical accuracy- the author had access to many first hand accounts- and the well-developed main characters.

What three words best describe Tara Ochs’s performance?

Bland. Stilted. Mediocre.

Who was the most memorable character of Shadow of the Moon and why?

Alex Randall. An honorable man, but one with flaws. He realizes his weaknesses and vulnerabilities. He's strong minded and unafraid to stand up to authority and take matters in his own hands (and at considerable physical danger) to himself when necessary.

Any additional comments?

The story is fantastic. The narration, not so much, but it's still well worth the listen.

It’s my comfort food book

I have read and listened to this book 5 to 6 times. First time in the 80’s. ( I love all MM Kaye books) I still have the well worn paperback. Love the story, obviously, but hated the narrator I have listened 2 times only because of my love of the story, but the narration makes me cringe. All the male characters sound so effeminate and pompous. While some are pompous, Alex Randal is not.
I also agree with another reviewer, and I am usually opposed to abridged version, this one could have cut out a-lot of the back stories without changing the story at all. (Johnny, Sabrina, Juanita)
I would purchase a new version with different narrator and listen for the 4th time!