Come Like Shadows
Encyclopedia
Come Like Shadows is Volume VIII of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven
, published in 1972
. It was the eighth novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence and is also the eighth novel chronologically. The story takes place in Corfu
in 1970.
, The Sabre Squadron
, Friends In Low Places
, The Judas Boy
and Places Where They Sing
.
Tom Llewyllyn – Writer and historian. Fellow of Lancaster College for seven years. Major character in The Rich Pay Late
, Friends In Low Places, The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Harriet Ongley – Rich widow who is the caretaker of Fielding Gray. Appeared in The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Tessie Buttock - Hotel owner. Friend of Llewyllyn and Gray. Appeared in The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Places and The Judas Boy.
Gregory Stern – Publisher. Happily married to Isobel. Appeared in Fielding Gray, The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Places, The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Foxy J Galahead - Producer.
Max de Freville - Gambler and movie financier. Appeared in The Sabre Squadron
, The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Placesand The Judas Boy.
Stratis Lykiadopolous - Companion of de Freville. Appeared in Friends In Low Placesand The Judas Boy.
Jules Jacobson - Director.
Dr LaSoeur - Doctor. Appeared in The Rich Pay Late.
Elena - Actress.
Gretel - Actress.
Margaret Lichfield - Actress. Plays Penelope
in The Odyssey.
Sasha Grimes - Actress.
Angus Carnavon - Actor. Plays Odysseus
.
Angela Tuck - Friend of de Freville. Appeared in Fielding Gray, Friends In Low Places and The Judas Boy.
Burke Lawrence - Director. Appeared in The Rich Pay Late and Friends In Low Places.
Earle Restarick - In the CIA. Appeared in The Sabre Squadron and The Judas Boy.
Savidis - Co-worker of Restarick. Appeared in The Judas Boy.
Aloysious Sheath - Co-worker of Restarick.
Captain Detterling - MP and former soldier. Partner of Gregory Stern in the literary world. Appeared in Fielding Gray, Sound The Retreat, The Sabre Squadron, The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Places and The Judas Boy.
Lord Canteloupe – Minister of Commerce. Appeared in Sound The Retreat, The Sabre Squadron, Friends In Low Places, The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Somerset Lloyd-James – MP and associate of Lord Canteloupe. Major character in Fielding Gray, The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Places, The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
, to be shot on Corfu
. After some wrangling they ask Fielding Gray to help, since he is a man with knowledge of Greek
and the classics in general. The shooting has many comic turns since the movie team wants to do a sexy story while the foundation supplying the money demands something more radical that will substantially alter the story. Left-wing actress Sasha Grimes, who is to be the foundation's "watcher" during the shoot, suggests, for example, that Odysseus give away his land to the poor.
Gray works hard to keep the original story and even starts a sexual relationship with Grimes to be able to control her better. Max de Freville and his friend Lyki are also engaged in the movie and make visits during the shooting. They also bring Angela Tuck, suffering from terrible obesity in later years. When Angela, in a deal with Fielding, watches him having sex with Sasha, she has a heart attack and dies. Fielding, thinking about old age, is trying to blackmail producer Foxy Galahead for £50,000 to continue to keep Sasha Grimes under control. Galahead, Max, Lyki and director Jules frame Fielding and he is arrested by Earle Restarick during a trip to Zurich. Restarick and his thugs keeps Fielding prisoner in Athens and since the film team told them another story Restarick believes that Gray once again is digging in the things told in The Judas Boy
. Restarick threatens to turn Fielding into a junkie to make him confess.
Galahead throws a Christmas party for a number of guests, among them Lord Canteloupe, Somerset Lloyd-James and Captain Detterling. When Galahead brags to actress Elena about how he framed Fielding, she tells the three Englishmen at the party, and they decide to rescue Fielding. Canteloupe, infuriated by the thought that an Englishman be kept prisoner in a country of no importance (like Greece), bursts into the villa where Fielding is (officially) being nursed after a "mental breakdown" and takes him home to England. When Fielding arrives home Harriet is not there. At peace, he begins on a number of new commissions given him by Gregory Stern.
Simon Raven
Simon Arthur Noël Raven was an English novelist, essayist, dramatist and raconteur who, in a writing career of forty years, caused controversy, amusement and offence...
, published in 1972
1972 in literature
The year 1972 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Fiction:*Richard Adams - Watership Down*Jorge Amado - Teresa Batista Cansada da Guerra *Martin Amis - The Rachel Papers...
. It was the eighth novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence and is also the eighth novel chronologically. The story takes place in Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
in 1970.
Characters, in the order of appearance
Fielding Gray – Rather successful writer and former major who has lived with Harriet Ongley in a small town on the English coast for eight years. A major character in Fielding GrayFielding Gray
Fielding Gray is Volume IV of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven, published in 1967. It was the fourth novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence though it is the first novel chronologically...
, The Sabre Squadron
The Sabre Squadron
The Sabre Squadron is Volume III of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven, published in 1966. It was the third novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence and is also the third novel chronologically...
, Friends In Low Places
Friends In Low Places (novel)
Friends In Low Places is Volume II of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven, published in 1965. It was the second novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence and is the third novel chronologically. The story takes place in and around London in 1959.-Characters, in the...
, The Judas Boy
The Judas Boy
The Judas Boy is Volume V of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven, published in 1968. It was the fifth novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence and is the sixth novel chronologically. The story takes place in London, Athens and on Cyprus in 1962.-Characters, in the...
and Places Where They Sing
Places Where They Sing
Places Where They Sing is Volume VI of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven, published in 1970. It was the sixth novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence but is the seventh novel chronologically...
.
Tom Llewyllyn – Writer and historian. Fellow of Lancaster College for seven years. Major character in The Rich Pay Late
The Rich Pay Late
The Rich Pay Late is Volume I of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven, published in 1964. It was the first novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence though it is the fourth novel chronologically. The story takes place in and around London in 1956 and culminates with the...
, Friends In Low Places, The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Harriet Ongley – Rich widow who is the caretaker of Fielding Gray. Appeared in The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Tessie Buttock - Hotel owner. Friend of Llewyllyn and Gray. Appeared in The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Places and The Judas Boy.
Gregory Stern – Publisher. Happily married to Isobel. Appeared in Fielding Gray, The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Places, The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Foxy J Galahead - Producer.
Max de Freville - Gambler and movie financier. Appeared in The Sabre Squadron
The Sabre Squadron
The Sabre Squadron is Volume III of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven, published in 1966. It was the third novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence and is also the third novel chronologically...
, The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Placesand The Judas Boy.
Stratis Lykiadopolous - Companion of de Freville. Appeared in Friends In Low Placesand The Judas Boy.
Jules Jacobson - Director.
Dr LaSoeur - Doctor. Appeared in The Rich Pay Late.
Elena - Actress.
Gretel - Actress.
Margaret Lichfield - Actress. Plays Penelope
Penelope
In Homer's Odyssey, Penelope is the faithful wife of Odysseus, who keeps her suitors at bay in his long absence and is eventually reunited with him....
in The Odyssey.
Sasha Grimes - Actress.
Angus Carnavon - Actor. Plays Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
.
Angela Tuck - Friend of de Freville. Appeared in Fielding Gray, Friends In Low Places and The Judas Boy.
Burke Lawrence - Director. Appeared in The Rich Pay Late and Friends In Low Places.
Earle Restarick - In the CIA. Appeared in The Sabre Squadron and The Judas Boy.
Savidis - Co-worker of Restarick. Appeared in The Judas Boy.
Aloysious Sheath - Co-worker of Restarick.
Captain Detterling - MP and former soldier. Partner of Gregory Stern in the literary world. Appeared in Fielding Gray, Sound The Retreat, The Sabre Squadron, The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Places and The Judas Boy.
Lord Canteloupe – Minister of Commerce. Appeared in Sound The Retreat, The Sabre Squadron, Friends In Low Places, The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Somerset Lloyd-James – MP and associate of Lord Canteloupe. Major character in Fielding Gray, The Rich Pay Late, Friends In Low Places, The Judas Boy and Places Where They Sing.
Plot summary
Tom Llewyllyn and Somerset Lloyd-James (the latter by mistake) have been engaged to write the script of a movie version of The OdysseyOdyssey
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
, to be shot on Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. After some wrangling they ask Fielding Gray to help, since he is a man with knowledge of Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and the classics in general. The shooting has many comic turns since the movie team wants to do a sexy story while the foundation supplying the money demands something more radical that will substantially alter the story. Left-wing actress Sasha Grimes, who is to be the foundation's "watcher" during the shoot, suggests, for example, that Odysseus give away his land to the poor.
Gray works hard to keep the original story and even starts a sexual relationship with Grimes to be able to control her better. Max de Freville and his friend Lyki are also engaged in the movie and make visits during the shooting. They also bring Angela Tuck, suffering from terrible obesity in later years. When Angela, in a deal with Fielding, watches him having sex with Sasha, she has a heart attack and dies. Fielding, thinking about old age, is trying to blackmail producer Foxy Galahead for £50,000 to continue to keep Sasha Grimes under control. Galahead, Max, Lyki and director Jules frame Fielding and he is arrested by Earle Restarick during a trip to Zurich. Restarick and his thugs keeps Fielding prisoner in Athens and since the film team told them another story Restarick believes that Gray once again is digging in the things told in The Judas Boy
The Judas Boy
The Judas Boy is Volume V of the novel sequence Alms for Oblivion by Simon Raven, published in 1968. It was the fifth novel to be published in The Alms for Oblivion sequence and is the sixth novel chronologically. The story takes place in London, Athens and on Cyprus in 1962.-Characters, in the...
. Restarick threatens to turn Fielding into a junkie to make him confess.
Galahead throws a Christmas party for a number of guests, among them Lord Canteloupe, Somerset Lloyd-James and Captain Detterling. When Galahead brags to actress Elena about how he framed Fielding, she tells the three Englishmen at the party, and they decide to rescue Fielding. Canteloupe, infuriated by the thought that an Englishman be kept prisoner in a country of no importance (like Greece), bursts into the villa where Fielding is (officially) being nursed after a "mental breakdown" and takes him home to England. When Fielding arrives home Harriet is not there. At peace, he begins on a number of new commissions given him by Gregory Stern.