Kingdom of Shadows: A Novel (Night Soldiers Book 6)

1. How does Nicholas Morath's experience as a cavalry officer in World War I affect his behavior in this book? 2. During many of Morath's assignments, he acts with very limited knowledge--he knows what he is to do, but not why, or who is involved. His uncle, a diplomat at the Hungarian legation, does not tell him the full story. Why? Is his uncle morally right to do this? Is he right in any sense? How is this used as a plot device? 3. The first verse of the Hungarian national anthem, quotes in the epigraph of Kingdom of Shadows , speaks of a people 'torn by misfortune,' a nation that has 'already paid for its sins.' How is the tone of this national anthem different from that of other patriotic songs? What can you infer about the history of Hungary from its national anthem? 4. Critics praise Furst's ability to re-create the atmosphere of World War II-era Europe with great accuracy. What elements of description make the setting come alive? How can you account for the fact that the settings seem authentic even though you probably have no first-hand knowledge of the times and places he writes about? 5. Furst's novels have been described as 'historical novels' and as 'spy novels'. He call them 'historical spy novels.' Some critics have insisted they are, simply, novels. How does his work compare with other spy novels you've read? What does he do that is the same? Different? If you owned a bookstore, in what section would you display his books? 6. Furst is often praised for his minor characters, which have been described as 'sketched out in a few strokes.' Do you have a favorite in this book? Characters in Furst's books often take part in the action for a few pages and then disappear. What do you think becomes of them? And, if you know, how do you know? What in the book is guiding you toward that opinion? 7. At the end of an Alan Furst novel, the hero is always still alive. What becomes of Furst's heroes? Will they survive the war? Does Furst know what becomes of them? Would it be better if they were somewhere safe and sound, to live out the end of the war in comfort? If not, why not? 8. Love affairs are always prominent in Furst's novels, and 'love in a time of war' is a recurring theme. Do you think these affairs might last, and lead to marriage and domesticity? 9. How do the notions of good and evil work in Kingdom of Shadows ? Would you prefer a confrontation between villian and hero at the end of the book? Do you like Furst's use of realism in the novel? ES Index : 6 Max Index : 12 Number of Words in Auth: 2 Formats : EPUB Number of Formats : 1 Has Cover : Yes All Identifiers : isbn:9780375506802 Test Text Series Index: Soldiers Single Author : Alan Furst Original Source : Mirc New Files Cleanup Sorted Author by LN, FN: Furst, Alan Title Length : 018 Title Parm D : Kingdom of Shadows Title Parm F : Kingdom of Shadows Num of Aut : 1 Title Parm B : ( Record ID : 9601 Template Work Area : Soldiers ES Name : Night Soldiers Uncomma Author : Alan Furst Title Parm A : Kingdom of Shadows “ Kingdom of Shadows must be called a spy novel, but it transcends genre, as did some Graham Greene and Eric Ambler classics .”— The Washington Post Paris, 1938. As Europe edges toward war, Nicholas Morath, an urbane former cavalry officer, spends his days working at the small advertising agency he owns and his nights in the bohemian circles of his Argentine mistress. But Morath has been recruited by his uncle, Count Janos Polanyi, a diplomat in the Hungarian legation, for operations against Hitler’s Germany. It is Morath who does Polanyi’s clandestine work, moving between the beach cafés of Juan-les-Pins and the forests of Ruthenia, from Czech fortresses in the Sudetenland to the private gardens of the déclassé royalty in Budapest. The web Polanyi spins for Morath is deep and complex and pits him against German intelligence officers, NKVD renegades, and Croat assassins in a shadow war of treachery and uncertain loyalties, a war that Hungary cannot afford to lose. Alan Furst is frequently compared with Eric Ambler, Graham Greene, and John le Carré, but Kingdom of Shadows is distinctive and entirely original. It is Furst at his very best. Praise for Kingdom of Shadows “ Kingdom of Shadows offers a realm of glamour and peril that are seamlessly intertwined and seem to arise effortlessly from the author’s consciousness.” —Janet Maslin, The New York Times “Subtly spun, sensitive to nuances, generous with contemporary detail and information discreetly conveyed. . . . It’s hard to overestimate Kingdom of Shadows .” —Eugen Weber, Los Angeles Times “A triumph: evocative, heartfelt, knowing and witty.” —Robert J. Hughes, The Wall Street Journal “Imagine discovering an unscreened espionage thriller from the late 1930s, a classic black- and- white movie that captures the murky allegiances and moral ambiguity of Europe on the brink of war. . . . Nothing can be like watching Casablanca for the first time, but Furst comes closer than anyone has in years.” —Walter Shapiro, Time In spymaster Alan Furst's most electrifying thriller to date, Hungarian aristocrat Nicholas Morath--a hugely charismatic hero--becomes embroiled in a daring and perilous effort to halt the Nazi war machine in eastern Europe.From the Hardcover edition. In spymaster Alan Furst's most electrifying thriller to date, Hungarian aristocrat Nicholas Morath--a hugely charismatic hero--becomes embroiled in a daring and perilous effort to halt the Nazi war machine in eastern Europe. From the Hardcover edition