The Lost Throne (2008) Chris Kuzneski, Puffin Books
ISBN 978-0-141-03707-3
This is a crime thriller with an interesting historical twist. The book is fairly long, about 593 pages, and 76 chapters plus prologue and epilogue. Having said that, I wasn’t bored at any point, and the story is revealed through multiple narrative voices, necessitating that the book be split into key sections (chapters) to change voice. There are three main viewpoints in the book; the Interpol and Greek police investigation, the mercenaries and their associate characters, and finally, the Spartan warriors.
At this point I should probably explain that the book is set in modern times, but the crime is in a Greek Orthodox monastery, virtually untouched/closed off since medieval times. On top of this, there are continual links to historic relics and cultures, especially archaic Greece, and the ancient Spartan city-state. This is one of the reasons that the book appealed to me, as I spent three years studying ancient history and archaeology at university, a lot of it looking at Greece.
There is lots of research evident in this book, and it is the detail that makes it so successful. These details provide the clues to linking up what is happening, and solving the crime. The observance of these details is what enables some of the characters to survive the dramatic ending to the story. The text is quite graphic in places, and those details also form part of the clues. The graphic detail is necessary to explain links and conclusions, as well as reflecting the brutal nature of the Spartan warrior culture. This culture, and that of the orthodox monks are portrayed very well.
The pace of the story is also well thought out. There are plenty of ups and downs, as well as spurts of rapid action. These bursts of action get more and more frequent as you travel through the story. Events move on at a faster pace, and viewpoint or narrative voices switch more readily. This all works together to create a sense of urgency and tension for the dramatic conclusion of the novel.
I enjoyed this book because of the historical and cultural aspects to it. I thought that they were very well done. It is unusual for someone to write about the Spartan cultures in fiction. Most people stick to Athenian statesmen or artisans, or Macedonian leaders like Alexander the Great. I also found that the pace and the tension hooked me in, urging me on to complete the book. The questions it throws at readers made me very reluctant to put the book down, as I wanted to know what the answer was! I am one of those people who find it difficult to let go until I know WHY. In this book, that was of just as much importance as the who!
What I have learned so far;
· The importance of detail to a novel
· Effective use of details in a story
· An example of how to use pace to good advantage, and to create tension and questions with it.
