The Shadow-Line

By: Joseph Conrad

Narrated by: Fred Williams

Written at the start of the Great War, when his son Borys was at the Western Front, The Shadow-Line is Conrad's supreme effort to open man's eyes to the meaning of war through the stimulus of art. In many ways an autobiographical narrative, this masterpiece of his final period relates the story of a young and inexperienced sea captain whose first command finds him with a ship becalmed in tropical seas and a crew smitten with fever. As he wrestles with his conscience and with the sense of isolation that his position imposes, the captain crosses the "shadow-line" between youth and adulthood.

It is the qualities, both individual and collective, needed to confront the ship's crisis that symbolize the qualities needed by humanity, not only to face evil and destruction but also to come to terms with life.

©1923 Joseph Conrad (P)2000 Blackstone Audiobooks

Story of taking on responsibilities

Obstacles and hardships must be overcome during a first command of a ship's captain. The narration was average.

The introspection of the moment

At 19 I had to read this story for a course in college. I fell asleep after a few pages. Today at seventy-eight I find myself drawn to the introspection of the narrator as he grows and judges his behavior—it reminds me of my own coming of age. Conrad’s choice of words provide a deep understanding of those moments of doubt, awareness and understanding. I may at some point re-read the story and write down his words—as a way of articulating my own path of growth—to give myself even more appreciation for living.

Old-fashioned seafaring tale. Superb narration.

Conrad was originally going to call this novella “First Command.” Although it’s a work of fiction, his introduction makes clear that it’s somewhat autobiographical, drawing upon Conrad’s own youthful experience when he was made the captain of a troubled sailing ship. And although the introduction denies any supernatural element, readers are bound to think, at times, that the vessel has been put under a curse by its previous captain, a mysterious malevolent despot now deceased. They’re also likely to think of “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

The writing is at times magnificent – impeccably phrased, filled with wisdom – and yet also at times wearyingly wordy. Every line of conversation, for example, every turn of a man’s head or change of expression, is minutely described and overanalyzed in a way no modern writer would dare. Conrad takes paragraphs to say things that nowadays would take a sentence or two, and his philosophical asides can sometimes be hard to follow.

Another problem is that the story is oddly shapeless, in that the first quarter or so is concerned with incidents on shore, at a private hostelry for seamen, that lead in a roundabout way to the young narrator’s taking command of the ship. We learn a lot more than we need to about this establishment and the various characters who reside there. And yet, maybe because of its exotic Asian setting, I found this seemingly extraneous portion quite fascinating and enjoyable – easily as enjoyable, in fact, as the adventure at sea.

What made the book so enjoyable, I think, was the really superb reading by Fred Williams. He has the perfect voice and delivery for it, to the point where I actually searched Audible for other things he’s narrated. A couple of commenters have criticized his reading; I’m baffled by this, and agree with something I came across in an audiobook review: “Fred Williams’s mature, gravelly voice carries all the weight of age and experience as surely as if the graying Conrad himself were, years later, telling the tale of his own first command. It is a harrowing but heartwarming story read with the wizened dignity that only an older reader can create. Let’s hear more from Fred Williams.”

Good story, and well-honed characters

A captain in his first command is tested by failing winds and a sick crew. The crux of the story, however, rests with the captain’s interactions with mate, the cook/steward, and a couple of crewmen still capable of performing their duties. The pace is slow, but oddly suspenseful at the same time.

The narrator’s languid delivery may, for some, complement the pace of the story itself, but I found it a bit too much.

Overall, strongly recommended for any fan of Conrad’s sea stories.

Wonderful rendition all round

Perfect example of Conrad’s genius andthe narration was superb. I will be looking for anything else that features this narrator.