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The Mask of Apollo

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The Mask of Apollo

By: Mary Renault
Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
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About this listen

In a vivid depiction of Ancient Greece and its legendary heroes, The Mask of Apollo tells the story of Nikeratos, the gifted tragic actor at the centre of political and cultural activity in Athens, 400 B. C.

Wherever he goes, Nikeratos carries a golden mask of Apollo, a relic and reminder of an age when the theatre was at the height of its greatness and talent. Only a mascot at first, the mask gradually turns into Nikeratos' conscience as he encounters famous thinkers, actors, and philosophers, including the famous Plato himself.

©1966 Mary Renault (P)2015 Audible, Ltd Classics Historical Fiction Fiction Celebrity

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Beautiful historical fiction that brings Ancient Greece and Sicily to life. Great yarn too. The gay protagonist must have been a bit controversial when the book was published but now is unremarkable. Would have liked go have explored Plato’s philosophy in a bit more detail in relation to Dion as the Philosopher King. But a real treat in a genre that rarely provides such well-written prose or detailed historical understanding.

Wonderful story perfectly narrated

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I haven't even finished the book yet, but already I have to say, this is the best narration of an audiobook I have ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Edwards strikes the perfect balance between bringing characters to life and letting the text speak for itself.
His narration of Niko is so lively and delicate, that I feel like he could step right out of the headphones.

When I am done with The Mask of Apollo, I will be looking for more books narrated by Edwards

Best audiobook performance I have ever heard

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A superbly evoked story of art and politics in Ancient Greece, full of atmosphere and intrigue. A magnificent performance by Barnaby Edwards - in particular his portrayal of the hero is faultless.

Brilliant

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The story is set around the middle of the forth century in Ancient Greece and Sicily, and follows the life of the fictional actor Nikeratos, who gets a peak into the (then) hot political issues centred around Dion of Syracuse - and the philosophy of Plato.

Renault made a brilliant use of her real life theatre friendships and writes very vibrant theatrical chatter. Did historical ancient actors sound like this? Well, likely not - but it’s fun and makes the story persuasive.

Are there no flaws then? Well, no. Plato was a personal hero of Renault’s, but I feel that she manages to portray the famous philosopher with a critical eye, which makes the character believable.

Beautifully performed! Also extra points for including the Author’s Notes!

Amusing theatre talk - and political tragedy

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What a great way of portraying the philosophical and theatrical issues of ancient times, by plotting around an actor’s life. Sometimes this kind of historiography can feel clunky and staged, but this novel is masterfully plotted. Well done to the author!

Unique plotting

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