The King's Last Song: Or Kraing Meas

I haven't got a copy now because I've given all mine away. I had all of Ryman's books and when I saw he'd written one set in Cambodia, I was very nervous because it's a country I work extensively in and have friends and family in. The book exceeded my hopes, in the detail, atmosphere and just - I wish I could write a coherent critical review, but I can't. It's one of my favourite books because the Cambodia in it is the country I've grown to love, and it's the first non-Cambodian author book that I felt I could give to my Khmer friends and say this is about you. I loved everything in it.

Archaeology can be a dangerous business. "The King's Last Song" is the story of an Khmer Rouge member and a young boy as irregular circumstances put them on a quest to rescue an archeologist and his most treasured find - a book written by one of the most celebrated Kings of Cambodian kings, King Jayavarman VII. Unusual friendships form in this story that combines modern adventure with history. "The King's Last Song" is a fine and recommended read, sure to please many a reader.

I picked this book up at my college bookstore after it caught my eye a couple times. The author had done a signing at some point at the store, so they had a bunch of copies prominently displayed. Didn't start reading it until this summer, but I'm very happy I finally got around to it. It took me a couple starts to get into it, but the characters started to click with me after the first 100 pages. I have to admit I was considering abandoning the book around page 50 because it really wasn't too inspiring at that point. It's hard for me to explain exactly what I thought was wrong with the early pages, but that's how some books are, they take a little time to sink in. I enjoyed the dual story structure of both ancient and modern Cambodia. It's not so much a crime story about an ancient relic being stolen as it is about the people of Cambodia, and that's a good thing. No need for me to write and essay about it. This is a very good book, recommended as a great fiction novel for travelogue fans. I'll probably go on to read some other Ryman books now, Cheers.

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.

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