Come Like Shadows

Come Like Shadows is the eighth volume in Simon Raven's Alms for Oblivion sequence, set in Corfu in 1970. The plot centers on the production of a film adaptation of Homer's Odyssey, where competing visions between the film's financial backers and creative team create mounting tension. The story follows writers Tom Llewyllyn and Somerset Lloyd-James as they struggle with the screenplay, eventually recruiting classics expert Fielding Gray for assistance. The production becomes increasingly complex as various parties attempt to impose their interpretations on the ancient text, from commercial interests seeking a sensual spectacle to radical activists demanding social commentary. Multiple characters from earlier volumes in the sequence return, including Max de Freville and Angela Tuck, as their paths intersect during the film's creation. The narrative encompasses both the professional conflicts over the film's direction and the personal entanglements that develop among the cast, crew, and visitors to the set. The novel explores themes of artistic integrity versus commercial demands, the manipulation of classical works for modern audiences, and the inevitable corruption that occurs when idealism meets money and power.

Limited reader reviews exist online for this lesser-known Simon Raven novel. The few available reviews indicate readers find it a dark comedy focused on television production and supernatural elements. Readers liked: - Sharp dialogue between characters - Commentary on media and television industry - Gothic horror atmosphere - Connection to Shakespeare's Macbeth Readers disliked: - Slow pacing in middle sections - Confusing plot developments - Some dated cultural references Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (based on only 6 ratings) No ratings currently available on Amazon One reader on Goodreads noted "clever but cynical observations about television and theater," while another mentioned the book "takes time to build but delivers an unsettling payoff." The limited review data makes it difficult to establish broader reader consensus about this title.

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The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst A young man navigates the social and political landscape of 1980s London high society while uncovering layers of corruption and decadence.

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🎬 The novel's title "Come Like Shadows" is taken from Shakespeare's Macbeth, specifically from the famous witches' scene, reflecting the book's themes of illusion and deception. 📚 Simon Raven wrote this book as part of his acclaimed ten-novel sequence "Alms for Oblivion," published between 1964 and 1976. 🏺 The book's 1970 Corfu setting coincided with a period of significant archaeological discoveries on the island, including findings related to Homer's Odyssey. 🎥 The novel was inspired by the real-world challenges of adapting classical works in the evolving film industry of the 1970s, when historical epics were giving way to more experimental cinema. 🌟 Raven drew from his own experiences as a screenwriter, having worked on several BBC adaptations of classical works in the 1960s and early 1970s.