I am not going to lie, I very much thought this book was about Alexandria in Egypt but no, this is an incredible tale of India, Afghanistan, and the story of a deserter.

Richardson has woven a fascinating story of the search for one of Alexander the Great's Alexandrias, focusing on the story of one man's attempt to find it and how colonial imperialism destroyed the search. This is also the story of yet another botched invasion of Afghanistan by a European power.

Richardson's book is well researched and organized and I found the prose engaging and not-at-all dry. I felt I had a real sense of the places and people involved, as well as the place this story holds in history.

Overall, this is a great book for those interested in the region and time period and I look forward to reading more!

The King’s Shadow is a true historic spy novel. It has suspense, thrills, danger, intrigue, blackmail and world politics. Dr. Edmund Richardson has done a superb job researching and documenting the life of James Lewis, a.k.a. Charles Mason. His attention to detail and the past is unequaled in this historic tale. This true-life spy drama excites the mind and provides a look into the time and politics of the region.

Julian Elfer’s narration adds a depth to the story that was not there when I read the book. His accent, inflection, tone and pace are perfect accompaniments to the tale. I found the audio version better than reading it myself due to the Julian’s style of narration. He really makes the story come alive for the listener.

This is an interesting history of Charles Masson, but while it does follow his path through Afghanistan on his quest for Alexandria Beneath the Mountains, it is really a bigger tale of Afghanistan itself. That's not a bad thing, but definitely not what I expected going into it.

The author, Edmund Richardson, does a remarkable job tracing the major players during this time period, often going on tangents before revealing how important each one was to Masson's, or Afghanistan's, story. While important to the whole tale, it ultimately ended up feeling less like a quest for Alexandria and more like a compacted history of the East India Company's manipulation of Afghanistan.

I just wanted more archeology, even if I did end up really enjoying the book.

As for the narrator, Julian Elfer is excellent in this audiobook. He has an extremely soothing and lyrical voice that made this an absolute pleasure to listen.

The King's Shadow: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Deadly Quest for the Lost City of Alexandria
by Edmund Richardson
The voice of the audible book is wonderful showing the struggle and the nature of the events of a runaway soldier, the first British man in Afghanistan. Reminding the readers that part of the battles in modern Afghanistan have an old cause. In 1830's leaving the East India company Charles Masson starts a story of long walks, depravity, and gold. The personal struggles he faces to find the path to one of the many Alexandria's left by Alexandra the Great in his mission to conquer the world. Showing the nature of the history of man, to be erased or burned when it does not service them. The struggle of Britain to control the world by setting leaders against each other as long as they keep their loyalty to the men who place them in power. Its mysteries and lost treasure is something many modern readers would not know. Places that have been devastated now by the Taliban. Bring much of the history of Afghanistan to the forefront, the history of Buddhist monitories, and stupas, and the promises of kings. A reminder of the stories of man changed and switched to fit those in power.

3.5 rounded up
Interesting and informative, I learned a lot. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

I love history; have been a fan for years! And I love to dig into the mysteries of the past.
This book, however, seemed discordant. It would suddenly jump from one location and personality to another – in a completely different time. It leaves the reader/listener struggling to keep up.

That said, I am intrigued to research Charles Masson. I am thrilled that Masson was rescued “from history’s cutting-room floor.” I did, kind of, want to shake him until his teeth rattled for some of the stupid decisions he made.

The book was a bit herky-jerky and could have used some smoothing out. And at the end, I was left wondering exactly what the author’s point was. I assume it was to rescue Masson from that historical cutting-room.
The book left me dazzled by the vast difference between the Afghanistan in the headlines throughout modern times and the Afghanistan of the early to mid-1800s. I felt inspired to pick up my (non-existent) archaeology tools and head off to the Middle East.

I listened to this book on a drive between St. Louis, MO and N Texas. It did not fail to keep my interest and melted away the miles. Despite my apparent negative comments, I would gladly recommend this for anyone interested in history or at least the history of the Middle East or archaeology.

Book: 2 Stars
Narrator: 4 Stars

I [like many other reviewers] have never heard of Charles Masson [that I remember. I do read a lot, but his name and story seem brand new to me so I think it's safe to say that I have never come across him - I am not a big lover of all things Alexander the Great, so that may be why, and I know we never learned about him in school] and so it was intriguing to me to be able to read a story about a man who goes in search of one of Alexander's lost cities of Alexandria. Unfortunately, the title of this book is very misleading and you don't really get that story at all.

What you do get is a maybe true, maybe not true story of one James Lewis, who decides one morning to leave his post with the East India Company and takes off across India, where he becomes Charles Masson and has some great adventure. Maybe. ;-) I will say that most of the adventures he does have are pretty hair-raising and if true, amazing. His obsession takes him all over with him ending up in Afghanistan, where he fell in love with the people and the country itself. When he is forced to leave, I think it completely broke his heart and in turn broke him. It is one of the saddest moments of the book.

That said, there is little about finding a lost city [though there is a lot of information about Alexander that was pretty fascinating] and a lot about all the interesting characters that Masson comes across, joins forces with and is hunted by. It doesn't make for a bad read per say, but there is absolutely some letdown due to what the title says the book is going to be about.

Am I sorry I read it? No. It was a good romp and I did enjoy most of the story. I just wish the lost city wasn't such a minor element in the overall story.

I was privileged to receive an audiobook ARC for this book and I am so glad I did. This was a dense book in parts and I find [for myself anyway] that an audiobook helps me absorb more than just reading it.
I will be honest here and say that the narrator [Julian Elfer] was one of the best things about this whole reading experience. He did an excellent job and really made the story interesting with his reading and inflections. I will be adding him to my favorite lists and look forward to listening to another book read by him soon. Very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Edmund Richardson, Julian Elfer [Narrator], St. Martin's Press and Tantor Audio for providing this ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.