A Set of Six


Read by Peter Dann

(4.2 stars; 5 reviews)

Each of the stories in this collection is spun from a simple, if typically wry and bleak, idea. In "Gaspar Ruiz", a South American general who has fought in a war of independence tells his guests a long tale about a notorious strong man that explains the origin of his current domestic arrangements. "The Informer" leads the reader into the depths of a political conspiracy, dealing very slyly indeed with questions of truth and pretence. In "The Brute", we are asked whether we can believe there could be such a thing as a positively malevolent ship, while "An Anarchist" introduces us to an unfortunate man who has had a vision of society itself as malevolent and has not been able to rest in peace ever since. "The Duel", the most obviously likeable tale in this collection, recounts the history of an unfortunate feud between two officers of Napoleon's army that caused them to fight a series of duels over many years. "Il Conde" rounds out the collection, giving a new twist to the saying "See Naples and die". (Summary by Peter Dann) (8 hr 22 min)

Chapters

Author's Note 8:50 Read by Peter Dann
Gaspar Ruiz, part 1 21:20 Read by Peter Dann
Gaspar Ruiz, part 2 31:02 Read by Peter Dann
Gaspar Ruiz, part 3 30:43 Read by Peter Dann
Gaspar Ruiz, part 4 41:54 Read by Peter Dann
The Informer, part 1 25:00 Read by Peter Dann
The Informer, part 2 29:09 Read by Peter Dann
The Brute 46:25 Read by Peter Dann
An Anarchist 48:21 Read by Peter Dann
The Duel, part 1 36:18 Read by Peter Dann
The Duel, part 2 32:51 Read by Peter Dann
The Duel, part 3 33:48 Read by Peter Dann
The Duel, part 4 44:30 Read by Peter Dann
The Duel, part 5 34:56 Read by Peter Dann
Il Conde 36:56 Read by Peter Dann

Reviews

The Duel - a bizarre tale


(4 stars)

Six stories by Conrad of which The Duel is the most interesting, if rather bizarre. The usual excellent reading by Peter Dann