Flood of Fire

Ibis Trilogy, Book 3

By: Amitav Ghosh

Narrated by: Raj Ghatak

The stunningly vibrant final novel in the bestselling Ibis Trilogy

It is 1839 and China has embargoed the trade of opium, yet too much is at stake in the lucrative business and the British Foreign Secretary has ordered the colonial government in India to assemble an expeditionary force for an attack to reinstate the trade. Among those consigned is Kesri Singh, a soldier in the army of the East India Company. He makes his way eastward on the Hind, a transport ship that will carry him from Bengal to Hong Kong.

Along the way, many characters from the Ibis Trilogy come aboard, including Zachary Reid, a young American speculator in opium futures, and Shireen, the widow of an opium merchant whose mysterious death in China has compelled her to seek out his lost son. The Hind docks in Hong Kong just as war breaks out and opium "pours into the market like monsoon flood." From Bombay to Calcutta, from naval engagements to the decks of a hospital ship, among embezzlement, profiteering, and espionage, Amitav Ghosh charts a breathless course through the culminating moment of the British opium trade and vexed colonial history.

With all the verve of the first two novels in the trilogy, Flood of Fire completes Ghosh's unprecedented reenvisioning of the nineteenth-century war on drugs. With remarkable historic vision and a vibrant cast of characters, Ghosh brings the Opium Wars to bear on the contemporary moment with the storytelling that has charmed readers around the world.

©2015 Amitav Ghosh (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved

I am sorry this book ended.

I am sorry this book ended since it is the last of the IbisTrilogy. I felt like I was living at that time all of the characters.

The history !

I loved the characters, the history, the geography, and the old shipping languages. What a great and entertaining way to learn about the foundation of capitalism in its true form.

So sorry to hear that the Ibis Trilogy has ended

I was so sad to see that I had finished the Ibis Trilogy. Over the last four years the characters that populate the Trilogy have come to dominate my mind tha

Rollicking frolicking saga ends in a happy defeat.

Although I hadn't read the preceding novels in this trilogy in some time, the final novel drew me right back into the parallel strains of its multiple overlapping narratives. without recapping the drama that ensues, suffice it to say that this hugely satisfying tale provides insight into the history, and human costs of the opium wars from several points of view; male and female of Indian, American, Chinese, and of course, British nationalities and cultural perspectives.

Ibis trilogy

These three books are scholarly work by amitav ghosh and how he tells about opium wars through his characters is amazing
The amount of knowledge you gain is unfathomable .hats off to amitav ghosh to spend one sixth of his life in writing it

Worth a listen

Fantastic use of language. The characters are familiar from the preceding two books, and the whole comes to a satisfactory conclusion

Opium

The narrator, the story, the history. It was a good wrap up of the trilogy,

A Fine Conclusion to the Ibis Trilogy

What did you love best about Flood of Fire?

"Flood of Fire" wraps up the Ibis Trilogy. I eagerly snapped it up as soon as I learned that it was available and I was not disappointed! Ghosh has a very precise and economical style of writing, bordering on austere at times, but it is well suited for telling his story about places and peoples that are unfamiliar to most Westerners (myself included).

What did you like best about this story?

As with the other books in the series, it takes us on a trip to the exotic Far East of the early 19th century and destinations such as India, China, and Hong Kong among others. It explores the morality (or lack of morality) of the British Empire in its dealings with "lesser" races and countries. Ghosh does a fine job of developing his characters, and pushes the story ever forward at a steady pace. The look into colonialism is fascinating, and the power of the British in this era is a revelation, as is their will to use it in pursuit of their own ends. Underlying Hindu beliefs play against the prevailing greed of the British to produce quite a conclusion.

Have you listened to any of Raj Ghatak’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The narration was exactly what the novel required. Ghatak did an excellent performance of the various dialects and accents, and was very successful in developing differentiated voices for the major characters. Some narrators seem to put their voices in front of the narrative - but this never happens in Flood of Fire. Aside from a few odd pronunciations, this was a clean and enjoyable listen.

Who was the most memorable character of Flood of Fire and why?

Zachary Reed has a tremendous story arc from ordinary sailor, to successful opium salesman, to ruthless business magnate.

Any additional comments?

Very worthwhile listening.

Many storylines converge

This is Ghosh's last entry in the Ibis trilogy, but he hints in the epilogue that the story may continue, since it's based on an historical archive that goes on after the conclusion of the first Opium War.
In addition to well-described passages on life in India and the soldier's experience in the early days of Hong Kong, it's a great war story. It's series of interlocking narratives and at times it's difficult to keep up with the many threads. Several of the pieces are continuations of stories begun the first 2 volumes, of course, and while he does include a certain amount of backstory, I had to rack my brains to come up with several of the events referred to. Eventually it all works out.
The narrator is terrific, handling several Indian and English accents with ease.

Fantastic trilogy - please make into a movie!

It took me 5 years to finish this trilogy. Not because I'm a slow reader - it because I became a mom and sitting down to read a book became a luxury. After finishing Sea of Poppies I was desperate to continue the series. Only this year I relented to my husband's suggestion of listening to the other 2 books on audio. I'm converted! The performances were gripping and I could listen while finishing chores.

The vivid way in which Ghosh writes - you can picture the landscapes of primordial Hong Kong and feel the interweaving of he complex characters. There were times I laughed out loud and held back tears. This series begs to be transferred to the big screen. I heartily recommend you read the series, and if like me, are pressed for time - do it on Audible.