The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer (with sound clip)

A Month of Romance Audio Favorites Selection

Narrated by Daniel Philpott

I haven’t read The Unknown Ajax in years, but it was one of the first of Ms. Heyer’s novels I purchased in audio and I remember being utterly delighted by it, thinking that the story came to life in a way I hadn’t experienced when reading the book.  Daniel Philpott’s performance is nothing short of perfect and, re-listening to it in order to write this review, I couldn’t help but think what a shame it is that he hasn’t narrated more audiobooks in the genre.  (He has one other Heyer title to his credit – Charity Girl.)

The story is a simple one, and one that also appears in some of Ms Heyer’s other books – that of the outsider who is flung into the midst of an unsuspecting family and then proceeds to fix their problems and bring them closer together.

At the beginning of The Unknown Ajax, the irascible and autocratic Lord Darracott is awaiting the arrival of his heir, a young man he has never met.  Major Hugh Darracott – Hugo – has recently sold out of the army and, given his parentage – his father married a Yorkshire “weaver’s daughter” – the family expects him to be an uneducated, uncouth clodpole.

Right from the start, it’s clear that Hugo is no pushover when he makes his way to Darracott Place under his own steam, ignoring the arrangements dictated by his grandfather.  On his arrival – several hours later than expected – he is immediately ushered into the presence of the family: his grandfather, his aunt and her two grown children, Anthea and Richmond, who is the one member of the family upon whom their cantankerous grandsire dotes.

Seeing at once that they are expecting a common-as-muck dimwit, Hugo immediately sets about living down to expectations, adopts a broad Yorkshire accent and acts like a total country bumpkin. In actuality though, Hugo was educated at Harrow, is wealthier than anyone else in the family, is very shrewd and possessed of a wicked sense of humour. Watching him pull the wool over (almost) everyone’s eyes is a delight as they are taken in by his permanently guileless expression and the impression he gives of being a brainless giant.

The first person to suspect that Hugo is not at all what he seems is his cousin Anthea, whom it seems he is expected to marry so as to keep everything (i.e, the money and property) in the family. Although the book is more of a comedy than a romance, the exchanges between them are witty and often flirtatious, with a strong undercurrent of attraction as Anthea shows herself to be well up to Hugo’s weight in the verbal sparring department.

Anthea’s brother, Richmond, is eighteen, and has never really been away from home, which is very unusual at a time when the scions of the nobility were sent to schools such as Eton and Harrow to receive their education. He is a spirited and lively young man who has no outlet for his youthful energies, as his grandfather will not countenance the army career for which he yearns. Hugo is quick to spot that cooping him up at Darracott Place with nothing to do is asking for trouble, and he tries to warn his grandfather and cousins to that effect – but to no avail. When disaster strikes, it’s Hugo’s clear head, the respect he inspires in everyone around him and his innate ability to command that saves the day, and watching him pull everything back from the brink by the sheer force of his personality and his quick thinking is a delight, with several laugh-out-loud moments along the way.

This is, without doubt, one of the best of the Georgette Heyer audiobooks currently available, and that is in no small way down to Daniel Philpott’s outstanding performance. His narration is very well-paced, his timing and handling of the humour in the story are excellent, and his characterisations are all spot on.

There are six or seven main male roles in the book; each one of them is clearly differentiated and there is never any question as to who is speaking. He is just as meticulous with the more minor roles – valets, servants, customs officers – again, each of them is performed distinctly and appropriately according to their ages and stations in life.  His speaking voice is a natural tenor, so he doesn’t raise the pitch much to portray the females, but Anthea, her mother and aunt are all distinct from one another. He does a splendid job with Mrs Darracott, one of those eternally nervous females to whom he gives a very breathy and often breathless tone, and the superbly unflappable Lady Aurelia is given a clipped, commanding manner which suits her down to the ground.

Mr Philpott’s characterisation of Hugo is outstanding, and I confess to having fallen head-over-heels for him almost immediately. He gives his voice a depth and resonance which is very attractive, and sustains the different degrees of Hugo’s Yorkshire accent with aplomb. It’s a brilliant, multi-faceted  performance in which he somehow manages to reveal the true Hugo to the listener underneath the top layer of Hugo-the-bumpkin. This is Georgette Heyer, so the book is squeaky clean, but in the more tender moments with Andrea, the warm, softer tone he adopts is really quite knee-weakening!

If you’re a Heyer fan, chances are you’ve listened to The Unknown Ajax already. But if you’ve not read or listened to any of her books before, I think this is the perfect place to start.

Caz

Narration: A+

Book Content: B+

Steam Factor: You can listen out loud

Violence: None

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: AudioGO, LTD