The Ludwig Conspiracy

by Oliver Pötzsch
Published: 2011 (2013 in English)

I can vividly recall reading (and raving about) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, written way back in 2003. I was ahead of the curve on that one, having found it shortly after it hit bookstores. I couldn't wait to start reading each evening, and though I hate the hackneyed "couldn't put it down," I did more or less experience that sense of not wanting to fall asleep too few chapters in each night until I was finished.

It was that experience that makes me wonder how I missed this almost equally delightful book.

It follows a similar kind of theme - an unusual hero, Steven Lukas, an antique book dealer (shades of The Ninth Gate?) is drawn into a mystery surrounding a desperate message, a strong woman who partners with him on the chase, and an enigmatic real character, in this case, the wild and possibly crazy Ludwig II of Bavaria.

One of the reasons I was so intrigued by Brown's novel was his exploration of Da Vinci in areas other than his genius in art. He was a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect, and wrote in "mirror" script, essentially as if looking at the words in the mirror. He kept notebooks with detailed information and speculation on everything from anatomy, astronomy, and botany, to cartography, painting, and palaeontology. 

That same interest pique holds true for this novel, as the writer introduces us to the "Mad King," Ludwig II - Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm; also called the Swan King or the Fairy Tale King (der Märchenkönig), who was King of Bavaria from 1864 until his death in 1886.

If you take any interest in Fairy Tales or architecture or castles, you will have heard of Neuschwanstein Castle. It sits on a peak in southern Bavaria, is white, shining, and a gorgeous example of perfectly depicted towered, turreted, shining "castle" as we who love myth and magic dream such a structure to be.

The story is written from the focusing on three primary characters, or character sets: Steven and Sara Lengfeld, a woman who claims to be the niece of the man who, by giving him a diary, gets Steven involved in the whole chase-and-discover story.

Then there is The King, a modern character, served by Paladins with names like Gareth, Tristan, and Bors. 

And finally there is Theodor Morot, assistant to a physician in 19th century Bavaria, and intimate of the Mad King. 

It is Morot's coded diary that is at the heart of the tale, and we jump from time to time, and to a degree place to place - though, unlike Brown's book we remain in Bavaria - as the modern adventurer's attempt to decode the diary, and secrets are created and hidden in its pages as the story in the 1800s unfolds. And our primary heroes, Steven and Sara, are in constant danger from The King and Court as they stay close behind them ready to grab what they uncover and dispatch them from their search. 

As with most good books of its kind, there are clues to be found in the writing - if you're really good you might riddle them out. Either way, you'll be satisfied that they were there and not pulled out of a hat at the end. 

Another thing that impressed me was that the book had been written originally in German, but the translation is so beautifully done there is nothing awkward or even difficult to understand in terms of colloquial language, customs, or norms. You feel comfortable that you're in Germany, that the country is native to the main characters, and that you understand what they're doing - "hearing" them in German, and seeing the streets and cafes and scenery from that point of view. The translator is Anthea Bell, who has translated over 200 works, and its easy to read why her services would be in demand.

There's still plenty of summer left for a "beach read," and this book would be a good selection.

Prost!