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A Dying Light in Corduba
- The Falco Series, Book 8
- Narrated by: Richard Mitchley
- Series: Marcus Didius Falco, Book 8
- Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction
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What listeners say about A Dying Light in Corduba
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- N
- 03-05-13
Where is Christian Rodska?
This is part of a brilliant, witty and engaging series of stories about a private eye set in Ancient Rome. I have listened to all the available Falco books which are read with great wit and conviction by Christian Rodska. He brings the books to life with beautifully timed humour and creates the characters with wonderful voices. Unfortunately he doesn't read book nor The Accusers, which is a real shame. No disrespect for the other two narrators, but it really doesn't work in the same way. I will have to buy the actual book instead as I find the lack of Mr Rodska very irritating and can't listen.
8 people found this helpful
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- Ian
- 21-11-17
Spoilt by the narrator
I didn’t like this narrator at all. I thought it sounded like it was set in Scotland rather than Spain.
Story moved slowly, it made you feel like you were suffering the pregnancy with Helena. I think the action is slowing up. Plenty of period details though, if you enjoy them.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Amazon Customer
- 12-03-13
Very disappointing
Why, why, oh WHY do the powers-that-be change narrators midstream? Having established Falco's voice in Christian Rhodska, why change to someone else, who, no matter how competent, or even good, he may be in other roles, just isn't Falco? And having changed, why were there no guidelines given to the narrator - such as, the chief spy is called An-a-cry-teas, not An-ak-ra-teas? And she's Hell-en-er, not Hel-leaner?
As well as the unfamiliar pronunciation of familiar names, the narrator seemed in a hurry to get the job done, and set a cracking pace that rode roughshod over the humour of the writing and sacrificed any expression at all.
Sadly disappointing. If I could give this no stars I would.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall
- N
- 09-04-13
Entertaining and fluent
A couple of reviewers have complained about Richard Mitchley taking over from Christian Rodska. It is extremely difficult to step in to a character as well established and distinctive as Rodska's Marcus Didius Falco. I presume Rodska was on a film or something when this needed to be done. But I thought Mitchley (whom I haven't heard before) did an excellent job. He followed in Rodska's general presentation - bluff, rough but purposeful - and kept the story moving and captivating. A few mispronunciations can get under one's skin, but I could only admire his reading which would have stood well on its own. I will look for other things he has done.
4 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 07-05-22
A Satisfactory Ending?
Having read this in its order (Book 8), I found the listen/read perhaps too enriched with place description/historical information and ponderings. I listened/read over half of the book in a single day and this might have influenced this view. I noted that the chapter lengths were generally longer than usual, by the way. The novel’s joy lies in the leading couple’s relationship, and also an Austenesque relationship in the making. For me the novel did not resolve as satisfactorily as previous Falco adventures. I felt it rushed and an episode development from the first Falco novel hardly credible. There are significant loose ends and these certainly whet the appetite as to whether/how these are to be dealt with in future novels. I am going straight to Book 9. The performer of the audiobook (Richard Mitchley) was highly reliable, and fine for me and did not wrankle. I know that other listeners have strong views on Falco narrators.
1 person found this helpful
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- Marc Pipmister
- 12-06-20
brilliant as usual great story lines
ever since I caught the radio adaptation I have been hooked. Falcos daughter follows her father in the later new novels...just as good
1 person found this helpful
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- Okilpokim
- 03-07-19
Good
Will need a second listen to fully get the impact of the story sporadic listening is not recommended but like the previous entries in the series a good historical mystery
1 person found this helpful
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- Sharon Copestake
- 27-02-22
Do not listen….
Nope. This was not the story that I thought it might be. Disappointing. Dreadful midland accents ascribed to people of Ancient Rome.
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- Norma Miles
- 31-01-22
"The love he felt for her."
The birth of Helena's first child is imminent and she and Falco are far from home investigating the attacks made on two of the guests after leaving a dinner for olive oil importers in Rome. One, like Falco, had been a freelance informer, the other was none other than the chief spy himself, Anacrotes. The race is on. Will Falco solve the mystery of the hand behind the attacks before his child is born, or will his vow to be at Helena's side become another broken promise?
The Falco series are always a delight. Read in print form years ago, I am reprising them in audio format and taking great pleasure from the reaquaintance. Set in AD 73, with Vespasian on the imperial throne, the pleasures come not just from the murder mysteries but also the ongoing lives of Falco and his Helena, and with the countyside, habits and everyday life in the Roman Empire. Not one of my favourite Falco stories but still well worth reading for anyone enjoying novels set in this period and narration by Richard Midgely very good.
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- Kirsty Mackay
- 09-11-21
A TRULY GREAT READ FROM LINDSEY DAVIS
A great read, a murder mystery set in the Roman empire. I understand classic students are advised to read these books to help them know how Romans lived. . COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN
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- Norma Miles
- 31-01-22
" The love he felt for her."
The birth of Helena's first child is imminent and she and Falco are far from home investigating the attacks made on two of the guests after leaving a dinner for olive oil importers in Rome. One, like Falco, had been a freelance informer, the other was none other than the chief spy himself, Anacrotes. The race is on. Will Falco solve the mystery of the hand behind the attacks before his child is born, or will his vow to be at Helena's side become another broken promise?
The Falco series are always a delight. Read in print form years ago, I am reprising them in audio format and taking great pleasure from the reaquaintance. Set in AD 73, with Vespasian on the imperial throne, the pleasures come not just from the murder mysteries but also the ongoing lives of Falco and his Helena, and with the countyside, habits and everyday life in the Roman Empire. Not one of my favourite Falco stories but still well worth reading for anyone enjoying novels set in this period and narration by Richard Midgely very good.
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- DFK
- 19-01-20
Great series, narrator not quite as good
I’ve been enjoying this series a lot. The characters are fun, the politics are, well, politics, and they never change. The back-stabbing never changes. The motto “trust no one” is definitely valid. The narrator for this episode was good, but does not measure up to the other narrators this series has had, and I’m glad to see that it is a one time casting. It would not keep me from enjoying the rest of the series, but a great narrator always enhances the listening pleasure.
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- Eveline Howells
- 11-05-17
A dying light in cordoba by Lindsey Davis
The narator was good , The story was very good, you really need to read all the books from the beginning to understand the story line though.
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- ozgribbo
- 11-01-13
A new slant on the Romans
I have read this series for many years and it is interesting to see how the fortunes (and character) of Marcus Didius Falco progresses. The narrator gets the sometimes world-weary Falco's moods over extremely well. The everyday life of Romans is painted well and the inclusion of Roman notables is handled well. Will continue to get as many of this series as I can.