The King's Last Song [Paperback]

Geoff Ryman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

"[Ryman] has not so much created as revealed a world in which the promise of redemption takes seed even in horror."—The Boston Globe

“Sweeping and beautiful. . . . The complex story tears the veil from a hidden world.”—The Sunday Times

“Inordinately readable . . . extraordinary in its detail, color and brutality.”—The Independent

"Ryman has crafted a solid historical novel with an authentic feel for both ancient and modern Cambodia."
—Washington DC City Paper

“Another masterpiece by one of the greatest fiction writers of our time.”—Kim Stanley Robinson

"Ryman's knack for depicting characters; his ability to tell multiple, interrelated stories; and his knowledge of Cambodian history create a rich narrative that looks at Cambodia's "killing fields" both recent and ancient and Buddhist belief with its desire for transcendence. Recommended for all literary fiction collections."
—Library Journal

Archeologist Luc Andrade discovers an ancient Cambodian manuscript inscribed on gold leaves but is kidnapped—and the manuscript stolen—by a faction still loyal to the ideals of the brutal Pol Pot regime. Andrade’s friends, an ex-Khmer Rouge agent and a young motoboy, embark on a trek across Cambodia to rescue him. Meanwhile, Andrade, bargaining for his life, translates the lost manuscript for his captors. The result is a glimpse into the tremendous and heart-wrenching story of King Jayavarman VII: his childhood, rise to power, marriage, interest in Buddhism, and the initiation of Cambodia’s golden age. As Andrade and Jayavarman’s stories interweave, the question becomes whether the tale of ancient wisdom can bring hope to a nation still suffering from the violent legacy of the last century.

Geoff Ryman is the author of the novels Air (winner of Arthur C Clarke and James Tiptree awards) and The Unconquered Country (a World Fantasy Award winner). Canadian by birth, he has lived in Cambodia and Brazil and now teaches creative writing at the University of Manchester in England.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After thriving in science fiction (the Arthur C. Clarke Award–winning Air), Ryman takes on the political history of Cambodia in this unsettling if overlong novel. In 2004, U.N. archeologist Luc Andrade discovers a 12th-century memoir written by Jayavarman Seven, one of the first Buddhist kings of a predominantly Hindu kingdom. While transporting the book to safety, Luc is kidnapped by a disgruntled Cambodian army lieutenant-colonel who believes the book should be returned to the people. As Luc fights to stay alive, his Cambodian friends—Map, a former Khmer Rouge murderer who now makes money hustling tourists, and William, a motorcycle taxi driver whose parents were killed during Pol Pot's regime—search for Luc and the ancient treasure. Ryman mixes his contemporary storyline with a less compelling narrative of Jayavarman, a precocious young prince turned exiled warrior king. While Luc's life story and current predicament are particularly well done, Ryman's take on Jayavarman and the development of his battle strategies can be plodding. In the end, it's the vibrant emotional lives of Luc and his friends that capture the tragic beauty of Cambodia. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Ryman’s reputation as a leading speculative fiction author has been forged with novels that push the envelope of literary innovation with often-disquieting results. His dark, surreal exploration of the Oz mythos, Was (1993), envisioned Baum’s real-life inspiration for Dorothy as a sexually abused teenager living in squalor. Now Ryman steps outside the sf genre for a sweeping mainstream novel that recaptures a slice of Cambodia’s cultural history. When French archaeologist Luc Andrade unearths an ancient Cambodian manuscript, he’s taken prisoner by a political faction still loyal to the defunct Pol Pot regime. During a search-and-rescue attempt by Andrade’s friends, an ex-Khmer Rouge agent and a young tourist guide, Andrade translates the manuscript in full for his captors. The narrative alternates between Andrade’s plight and the story of twelfth-century King Jayavarman VII, including his childhood, eventual rise to power, and conversion of the populace to Buddhism, which spurred construction of the famous Angkor Wat temples. Ryman draws on his extensive knowledge of Indo-Chinese history and his masterful descriptive powers to paint an unforgettably vivid portrait of Cambodian culture past and present. His focus on the power of a peaceful philosophy to assuage pain and guilt brings a message of hope to a country still haunted by its war-torn past. --Carl Hays

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Small Beer Press (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931520569
• ISBN-13: 978-1931520560
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #819,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Geoff Ryman is a Canadian living in the United Kingdom. His first book based on events in Cambodia was published in 1985, the award-winning The Unconquered Country. The King's Last Song was inspired by a visit to an Australian archaeological dig at Angkor Wat in 2000. He has been a regular visitor since, teaching writing workshops in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap twice, and publishing three further novellas set in Cambodia. In Britain he produced documentaries for Resonance FM, London, on Cambodian Arts. He has published nine other books and won fourteen awards. He teaches creative writing at the University of Manchester.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars `I know who I am', September 6, 2008

By 

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The King's Last Song (Paperback)

In this novel, Geoff Ryman moves between the 12th century life and times of Cambodia's King Jayavarman VII (c 1120 - c1215) and the 20th/21st century lives of Luc, Map and William. When archaeologists discover an ancient book written on gold leaves at Angkor Wat, everyone wants to be involved.

`The gold leaves have slept for a thousand years.'

The precious artefact is stolen and its guardian, Professor Luc Andrade is kidnapped with it. The search for Luc and the precious book brings together a number of people, including the young motoboy William, and the ex-Khmer Rouge cadre Map both of whom are also victims of Cambodia's recent history. The book itself contains the wisdom of King Jayavarman VII, the Buddhist ruler who, through uniting a war-torn Cambodia in the 12th century, was able to create a kingdom that was a relative haven of prosperity and learning.

This is one of the best novels I have read this year. The mystery surrounding the book, the contrasts and similarities of Cambodia across the centuries and the urgency of the mission to find Luc are brought together very well. The sense of history, the desolation of war and the dislocation of lives is also handled well, and many of the characters are finely drawn.

For me, the love and respect of Professor Luc Andrade and King Jayavarman VII for Cambodia is the central theme that unites the two major threads of the novel. Each of them, by looking to a brighter future, can see a hope for Cambodia that cannot have been apparent to most living through the turmoil in either century. This novel will stay with me a long time, and has awakened a desire to learn more about Cambodia both past and present.

'They walked into night and a different history.'

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From S. Krishna's Books, January 5, 2009

By 

skrishna (http://www.skrishnasbooks.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The King's Last Song (Paperback)

When I first heard about The King's Last Song, I immediately knew that I wanted to read it. I love learning about other cultures and histories through my fiction reading, and Cambodia is a place I don't know much about. Plus, the description of the book lists Angkor Wat as a major locale in the novel - Angkor Wat is one of my top "places to see." It was originally built as a Hindu temple complex in the jungles of Cambodia and was later abandoned. I think it's one of the most beautiful structures I've ever seen on paper and would love to visit it one day.

In order to appreciate the novel, it is necessary to have a very basic understanding of recent Cambodian history. Cambodia was occupied by the French for over a century and was secretly bombed by the United States during the Vietnam War. When it finally achieved its freedom from France, the Khmer Rouge took over under Pol Pot and ended up murdering about 1/5 of the country's population in just four years. It still hasn't recovered from this tragedy.

This is the backdrop for The King's Last Song. It takes the reader through ancient Cambodian history as well as present-day Cambodia, in which we are able to witness the scars left on the country. While the novel is slow, it is full of details and very rich in history. Anyone interested in learning more about Cambodia should pick this novel up immediately.

The most beautiful aspect of the novel is the tribute within it to Cambodia. It is a torn country that still hasn't fully healed from the ghosts of its past. The people are tired of war, though many have known nothing else during their long, exhausted lives. The author obviously has a great affection for Cambodia and The King's Last Song is his attempt to tell its story to the larger world. However, it's not just a tribute to the past; inside the novel is contained hopes for its future, for peace and prosperity.

One of the things I appreciated most about the novel was the extended afterword in the back of the book. In it, Ryman painstakingly takes the reader through the historical accuracies of his novel. As an avid historical fiction reader, I can't help but be very grateful to him for his efforts in this area. It is always frustrating not to be aware of what is true and what is the author's conjecture when reading historical fiction; in this case, that isn't a problem.

I really enjoyed reading The King's Last Song. It is richly layered, comparing past and present day Cambodia and is full of details and tidbits about Cambodian life that any reader will enjoy. It's definitely piqued my interest in the country and I will be trying to find more books about it in the future.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sensitive and interesting novel about Cambodia, past and present, November 6, 2009

By 

A. D. MacFarlane (England, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The King's Last Song (Paperback)

This is a very interesting book: a look at Cambodia past and present, and the repetitive, recurring nature of its troubles. The discovery of King Jayavarman's gold leaf memoirs should be a great thing for Cambodia, but it is stolen and some of the recent conflicts come back to the surface. I especially enjoyed reading about Luc with the texts (some of which are shown in the book) and the historical scenes of Jayavarman's life. All the characters, Kings to moto-boys, are portrayed with a raw, real sympathy that makes understanding easy. Most importantly, Ryman is not a blundering white man writing about an exotic land; he is careful and considerate, and this book is a pleasure (though sometimes difficult, because of its subject) to read. The pace sometimes slows too much, such as the long story of Map's past, but it retained my interest throughout.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in a part of the world that receives little coverage in Western media or literature.