{"product_id":"long-lives-the-king-a-novel-by-d-h-binney-950n","title":"Long lives the king: A novel by D. H Binney","description":"\u003cp\u003eLearning about their common ancestor, Georges de la Roche, the self-proclaimed King of Tavuora, Andrew Pierre and Roger Hayward find their destinies altered  Editorial Reviews  Review This slim volume from the antipodes is both a reflection of contemporary society and a historical romance. The story begins with the visit of Roger Hayward at age nine to his cousin's sheep farm where he is secretly shown an Amati violin, The scene then shifts to the 1830s where the Grand Duke Georges de la Roche, the self-crowned King of Tavuora, arrives to set up his ideal Pacific kingdom. A remnant from the French aristocracy, the Grand Duke finds his fortunes caught between the local chieftain Oneporoporo and the opposition of the British colony already downstream from his domain. Events from the establishment of the kindgom alternate throughout the book with events a century later from the life of Roger now living in Port Wynyard, where de la Roche's dream ended. Roger, a failure in his marriage and career, is trying to put his life back together when, in an accident, he again meets his cousin who he has not seen for twenty-one years. The two recognize their common descent ftom the Grand Duke; they are both bearers of relics of the mysterious animal from de la Roche's menagerie -the Purple Dolt. Mixed in with these two stories, old and new, is a potent measure of island magic. A surprise ending, bringing in a very crucial contemporary concern of New Zealanders, knits the alternating threads together. Binney is also a painter (he did the cover plate). His prose shows that painter's eye for detail, but his canvas is miniature. The tale is writ too small, actually a novella. Within this limited space, the characters and their motivations are merely told to us, not developed. With the exception of the Grand Duke, they are like people met at a cocktail party-we only make their acquaintance. To New Zealanders familiar with the history of the settlement of their country, the Grand Duke's story may be old hat, but to an outsider, the Grand Duke and his entourage are worth an evening's visit. -- From Independent Publisher \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Book Express","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41829363482698,"sku":"950n","price":13.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0618\/9101\/8826\/files\/950n_3ac98b13-96bb-475c-bc33-6321aab8e528.jpg?v=1764439713","url":"https:\/\/www.bookexpress.nz\/products\/long-lives-the-king-a-novel-by-d-h-binney-950n","provider":"Book Express","version":"1.0","type":"link"}