Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1063417 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 480 pages

Customer Reviews

A fascinating historical thriller!
My wife brought this book home a few days ago as she loves Da Vinci style thrillers, I don't however. But I do enjoy good writing. I picked up "Air and Shadows" and started reading the first chapter, In spite of my self I was hooked! In less the 48 hours I had finished the book. The Plot involves Ciphered seventeenth century letters that lead to a race to find an undiscovered Shakespear play. The story could easily have turned into another run of the mill historical thriller full of stereotypical characters and genre scenes we have all seen too many times, but the author doesn't allow that to happen. The book is intelligent, without being preachy, and the twists and turns are believable and for the most part I did not see them coming. Real historical nuance is woven into the fiction to create an especially satisfying read. This book really should enjoy a wide audience and would make a great movie in the right hands.

ETAOIN SHRDLU And Other Cyphers,
This is my first experience with Mr. Gruber and his writing and based upon the time I spent with this book I will certainly search out his earlier work.

I learned about, "The Book of Air and Shadows", while driving and listening to a reviewer on NPR compare this book to one of the most successful books, in terms of sales, of the last several decades. I generally will not take such advice as it is tends to be hyperbolic at best or is based on some axe the person has to grind against the book in the comparison as much as the one to be recommended.

Mr. Gruber's writing does not need to be compared to anyone else's work. If you like historical thrillers/mysteries and appreciate a book that is not just another version of something you have read before this author will reward you.

If you like Shakespeare that's fine if you don't that's fine too as the book is well written moves briskly between a variety of characters and while it can certainly be called intelligent it is not a scholarly hunt for The Bard that will leave non-enthusiasts bored.

There are a couple of traits worth noting; the author tells his story through a variety of people in widely separate places in History and he does so with great skill. Every character has a distinct voice and none come off as caricatures, which a lesser author certainly would have manufactured. The author does force readers to proceed at his pace whenever the character of Bracegirdle is narrating. In a book that moves along with a crisp cadence this may bother some readers. Don't let it bother you it is well worth the few minutes of extra time.

Buy and read this work you will have no regrets.

Interesting idea but not the best writing
I had not heard about the book or the author before and decided to take a complete chance on this one, primarily as I was intrigued by the Shakespeare theme.
I finished the book but mainly because I wanted to follow the story through to the end, just.
But I must admit that the style of writing, and the depiction of the characters, was not really to my taste, maybe a bit too clunky and obvious. Also I did not like or empathise with many of the characters which I think was part of my dislike for the novel. The plot itself is engaging up to a point though.