Enjoyable and absorbing

I read THE THIRD MOVEMENT immediately after The Second Movement and enjoyed every minute of it. While characters come and go throughout the Three Movements I have read so far each character is cleverly described and easily recognised even when their reintroduction occurs after a sometimes considerable period of time. The skill of the author is also enhanced by the quality of the reading.

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the enchantment continues

this wonderful dance of a book whirls through the story of the Times through the lives of the characters seen and known by the hero whom I've come to admire as much as any real friend. it is masterly writing. so sad it will end after the next compilation.

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A comedy but also an elegy

What made the experience of listening to A Dance to the Music of Time: Third Movement the most enjoyable?

I have listened to the first two movements. This third offering changes the tone as it describes the war years. While it retains its sharp wit it recognises the changed concerned of the culture.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Dance to the Music of Time: Third Movement?

There was a delightful extended metaphor early in the book (which is actually three books) when a tailor, seemingly cut off from the world's affairs in a London shop, believes he is providing Nicholas Jenkins with a military uniform for a play rather than the "theatre" of war. This is remarkably effective and echoes through the book.

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4 people found this helpful

Great series

Possibly the best "movement" out of the 4.
For full review of the series - see Part 4.

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3 people found this helpful

A world lost forever

I had previously read all 12 novels twice, and enjoyed them, but listening to them really brought them to life, with the expert help of Simon Vance. the writing is superb and truly evokes a world gone by much better than a thousand Downton Abbeys. The descriptions and pen portraits are superb, and you spend your time wondering who the model for Widmerpool really was. One thing is for sure, and that is that we all know someone with the attributes of a Widmerpool, and we are all a little curious, like Nicholas Jenkins.

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2 people found this helpful

Hauntingly humane look back on the second world wa

This is perhaps the best of the first three volumes. The ambition of Widmerpool, the dignity of Stringham, the humanity of the regiment Nick starts the war with, all these and more woven in to a thing of real beauty. Left me feeling so sad for all the lives ended or marred by th is war.

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The dance enters the war

I have stayed the course of all three Movements of this recording of the12 books that comprise A Dance to the Music of Time. After over 60 hours of listening I feel immersed in the lives of the many characters that the fictional narrator (a lightly veiled Anthony Powell) loves, socializes and works with in the years between the First World War until he is demobbed after the Second World War. This Third Movement has more dynamism as the characters play out their lives against the turmoil and uncertainty of the latter war and having got to know them better one cares more what happens to them.

It's been a pleasure to listen to such fine writing which suits being read aloud. A great deal of credit for the success of this mammoth recording is due to narrator, Simon Vance, who brings the characters alive with different voices so that I felt I was listening to conversations between real people.

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9 people found this helpful

A privilege to have read it

What did you like best about this story?

The simple, clear, narrative style.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

The range of voices.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A journey through life.

Any additional comments?

If I were Powell, perhaps I would be able to write well enough to describe how fantastically good this cycle of books is—but I am not. What I can say is that it is an astonishing work of literature. The writing is simple and clear, it is by turns humorous and tragic, just like life.
I enjoyed every sentence; when I had to stop I was irritated by the interruptions; I was sorry when it ended and I feel that reading it was my time best spent.

Simon Vance, who narrated the entire twelve books, gave voice to a whole world of men and women, all with their own vocal affectations, habits and accents, all distinct and recognisable. He is obviously a truly talented artist but that sort of reading needed far more than just talent, it required the sort of application that most people would have trouble holding for a few hours, let alone the weeks or even months that recording this massive work would have involved.

The irony is that both writer and actor put so much work into the Music of Time books and they are so skilled at their jobs that the whole thing appears completely effortless.

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2 people found this helpful

Unfortunate pronunciation error

Small quibble - narrator, clearly no Wagner8ian, doesn't know Mime is pronounced "Meemeh" not "Myme"

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Okay; but a bit is missing from audio version

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

A pleasant enough listen.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

It is fine as a social history, but I'm rather underwhelmed after having heard such high praise for it.

Would you be willing to try another one of Simon Vance’s performances?

Simon Vance is pretty good, except for his occasionally bizarre and incorrect pronunciations, e.g. 'armCHAIR', and 'VERmuth' (rather than 'verMOOTH').

If this book were a film would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

I'm almost sure there is a bit missing from the audio version—at least the one downloaded to my phone. I think it is near when Nick meets Odo Stevens and they are on training manoeuvres. The narration suddenly jumps to them talking about an unresolved issue with transportation to meet his wife etc. No mention of this before or of how the manoeuvres end. I rewound but it was the same.

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1 person found this helpful