Δυο βιβλία της Γουέλς έχουν μεταφραστεί στα ελληνικά, αυτό και το Τελευταίο Καρέ, και τα δυο βιβλία τα βρήκα στο φετινό παζάρι βιβλίου μόνο με 3 και 4 ευρώ αντίστοιχα. Καλή αγορά! Λοιπόν, διάλεξα τον Ταμερλάνο για πρώτη επαφή με αυτήν την συγγραφέα, μιας και ήταν μικρό και θα διαβαζόταν πολύ γρήγορα, σίγουρα έμεινα ευχαριστημένος, αλλά χωρίς να νιώθω ότι διάβασα κάτι το τρομερό ή το διαφορετικό. Δεν μπορώ να πω ότι έχω και πολλές γνώσεις για τον Κρίστοφερ Μάρλοου και το έργο του (περισσότερα ξέρω για τον Φίλιπ Μάρλοου του Τσάντλερ), αλλά σίγουρα ήξερα ότι σαν προσωπικότητα ήταν κάπως εκκεντρική για την εποχή του και αρκετό μυστήριο περιβάλλει τον θάνατό του. Το μικρό αυτό βιβλίο (περισσότερο νουβέλα είναι παρά μυθιστόρημα) ασχολείται με τις τελευταίες μέρες της ζωής του Μάρλοου σ'ένα παρακμιακό Λονδίνο όπου επικρατούσε η πανούκλα και ο φόβος του πολέμου. Αφηγητής της μικρής αυτής ιστορίας είναι ο ίδιος ο Κρίστοφερ Μάρλοου, ένας εκκεντρικός ποιητής και θεατρικός συγγραφέας και συνάμα άθεος, ομοφυλόφιλος και ίσως κατάσκοπος. Τέλος πάντων, η όλη ιστορία ήταν αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα, μου άρεσαν πολύ οι περιγραφές του Λονδίνου της Ελισαβετιανής εποχής, ο χαρακτήρας του Μάρλοου σ'αυτό το βιβλίο δεν ήταν και τόσο αντιπαθής, μπορώ να πω ότι τον συμπάθησα σχετικά, αλλά πιστεύω ότι με τόσο ενδιαφέρον θέμα, δηλαδή τη ζωή και τον μυστήριο θάνατο του εκκεντρικού και τόσο γνωστού ποιητή/θεατρικού συγγραφέα, θα μπορούσε να γραφεί ένα πιο μεγάλο μυθιστόρημα με περισσότερα στοιχεία και καλύτερη σκιαγράφηση του Μάρλοου και των υπόλοιπων χαρακτήρων. All in all, ένα ενδιαφέρον μικρό μυθιστόρημα που διαβάζεται γρήγορα και εύκολα χωρίς να εντυπωσιάζει.
Well that's another book read. An odd sort of mix, I have read I think better attempts at elizabethan english. Why? I found myself wondering, use the archaic spelling skry, but say that Walshingham slept with Marlow rather than lay with him.There are always inconsistancies in these things though, and the flouridity of the style seemed most suitable.[return][return]I have never read any Marlow. Though occasional paraphrases would bring quotes to mind "And this is Hell nor am I out of it" for example, before reading this all I really remembered of him apart from a few titles was a quote that his plays consisted of, "puppets spouting golden verse" Which seemed to sum up more or less my attitude to the cast of this piece. [return][return]The gaoler for example I thought much to well spoken for his role.this is Marlow inflating the language I suspect we are mean't to presume. Blaize's seemed the most puppet like. His motivation seemed bizzare, How Marlow guessed the identity of this Tamburlaine is beyond me it seemed nothing but the plots demand for some closure.[return][return]While the scenes from the seamy side of life provided plenty of colour. I found them unlikely if I had the shadow of the gallows hanging over me I doubt very much that I would seek out such distractions let alone that they would succeed. That they did suceed is evident by Marlows foolish blasphemies.[return][return]"There are worse fates than damnation." is a quote from the closing paragraphs. And presumably is meant to suggest that Marlow would prefer his works immortality to his souls" It follows then that a refusal to implicate Raleigh would not be for any ethical reason but for intellectual pride, historical immortality, Something that seems unlikely to me in anyone.
Do You like book Tamburlaine Must Die (2015)?
This short novel was written as a fictional account by Marlowe of what is to prove his final three days of life. Welsh has attempted to capture the essence of Elizabethan English rather than reproduce it and I felt that she had done an excellent job of this as well as conveying a sense of Marlowe's intellectual pride and poetic nature. She has speculated on the events that led to his death in Deptford drawing on primary and secondary sources, though given that it is a first person account she avoids describing the incident itself, only conveying in her final Author's Note the facts as known and the coroner's verdict that has often been contested through the centuries. I found it a very satisfying read and while a departure from her contemporary work in terms of time period each of her novels have been beautifully written and conveyed a sense of drama and willingness to explore the darker nature of human nature.
—Vivienne
Christopher Marlowe's death is a mystery that still inspires people to speculate. This short work of fiction is an interesting piece doing the same. I enjoyed the writing style, but wish there had been a bit more story on both ends. A good and fast read that gives a quick taste if you're in the mood for historical fiction, centered solely on Marlowe and what his last days might have been like, with no Shakespeare in sight. It has peaked my interest in learning more about Marlowe's life and works as previously I've never seen him mentioned without be overshadowed by the so famous Mr. S!
—Shaunesay Eslanai
I've been on a bit of a Marlowe kick, and I read this novel while taking a break from another novel about Christopher Marlowe's life, "A Dead Man at Deptford" by Anthony Burgess--which is a very poetic and philosophical book, but is written in a rather dense-style that wears me out quickly. Compared to the Burgess novel, "Tamburlaine Must Die" is a quick and easy read, but that is about the only compliment I can give it. This book is full of exposition dumps, clumsy phrasing and jarringly-inappropriate sexual content (like Marlowe's character getting an erection from watching a hanging). Louise Welsh's interpretation of Marlowe's personality was sadistic and shallow, making him a hard character to like or feel any kind of attachment to.
—Valerie
