A Street Shaken by Light

One of Britain's outstanding historical writers delivers a romantic and picaresque masterpiece that tells the fascinating story of William Neilson.

In 1720, the young William Neilson leaves Edinburgh to make his fortune in Europe, first sailing to Rotterdam and then on foot to Paris, where he meets and is immediately employed by the banker John Law. A day later he is in the Bastille, but not before he has encountered a young woman of surpassing beauty to whom Neilson will be devoted for the rest of his life.

Imprisoned in the Bastille, he has no possibility of seeing or communicating with his beloved. When at last he recovers his freedom, he is despatched at once to sea, bound for the Indies. He will be shipwrecked, become an equerry on the Ile-de-France, anon command a disorderly legion in Persia, become a linguist able to hold his own in diplomatic and mercantile circles, all the while anticipating a summons from the Stuart king in exile in Rome, until he is sent back to France, and thence to Scotland in the service of the Young Pretender.

This is brilliant, irresistibly entertaining fiction. A whole world of adventure and romance comes alive in the hands of one of our most ingenious storytellers, one of our finest writers.

“PRAISE FOR JAMES BUCHAN: 'I don't believe that this country has a better writer to offer than James Buchan' Michael Hofmann, London Review of Books . 'There is really no word for it but 'masterpiece'' Philip Hensher, Spectator . 'Buchan is emerging as the new Graham Greene' Simon Freeman, Sunday Herald . 'A daringly ambitious, phenomenally accomplished novel' John Dugdale, Sunday Times . 'A remarkable book' Jonathan Mahler, New York Times . 'Nobody, but nobody tells a love story better'”

'A hugely readable adventure-romance encompassing imperial France, the East India Company, Persia, the Jacobite rebellion, shipwreck, duels, derring-do and more. Buchan [...] really knows how to construct a ripping tale' -- Adam Roberts, Guardian
'There is nothing quite like a James Buchan novel: even another James Buchan novel ... By throwing everything he has into this transporting romp, Buchan does what a good fiction writer should: he makes us believe' -- John Self, Financial Times
'Writers who create a six-book historical series revolving around a fictionalised historical character can seldom be accused of lacking ambition. Judging by this thrilling first instalment in the William Neilson chronicles, Buchan is equal to such a commitment ... Buchan has not only created a thoroughly engaging protagonist, but has complete control over the milieu that he depicts' -- Alexandar Larman, Observer
'In the end, novels succeed not only by what they do, but, more importantly, by how they do it ... It is the how that makes the book exceptional. A lesser novelist would have stretched out Will's adventures over six or seven hundred pages. Buchan knows when to cut and dance away' -- Allan Massie, Scotsman
'An epic voyage well worth taking ... Exhilarating' -- Marianka Swain, Telegraph

James Buchan was for many years a correspondent of theFinancial Times in the Middle East, and later in central Europe and the US. He has written more than a dozen works of fiction and history, and his novels have won major literary awards, including the Whitbread First Novel Award and theGuardian Fiction Prize.

In 1720, the young William Neilson leaves Edinburgh to make his fortune in Europe. A romantic and picaresque adventure set in the eighteenth-century in Scotland, France and India. One of Britain's outstanding historical writers delivers a romantic and picaresque masterpiece that tells the fascinating story of William Neilson. In 1720, the young William Neilson leaves Edinburgh to make his fortune in Europe, first sailing to Rotterdam and then on foot to Paris, where he meets and is immediately employed by the banker John Law. A day later he is in the Bastille, but not before he has encountered a young woman of surpassing beauty to whom Neilson will be devoted for the rest of his life. Imprisoned in the Bastille, he has no possibility of seeing or communicating with his beloved. When at last he recovers his freedom, he is despatched at once to sea, bound for the Indies. He will be shipwrecked, become an equerry on the Ile-de-France, anon command a disorderly legion in Persia, become a linguist able to hold his own in diplomatic and mercantile circles, all the while anticipating a summons from the Stuart king in exile in Rome, until he is sent back to France, and thence to Scotland in the service of the Young Pretender. This is brilliant, irresistibly entertaining fiction. A whole world of adventure and romance comes alive in the hands of one of our most ingenious storytellers, one of our finest writers.

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