SEPARATION OF POWER

This version of SEPARATION OF POWER, like many abridgments, has difficulty establishing a balance between background and story. It is as if Armand Schultz is reading two books. The first half contains an almost tedious level of character development, and Schultz sounds as if he cannot wait for the "story" to begin. When the story finally emerges, so does Schultz, with vigor. The second half is a tightly written and equally well-performed political thriller. Schultz is particularly effective in conveying the emotions of the politicians, each of whom has his or her own political motives. As the story builds, so does Schultz's performance. His inflections and subtle pauses add to the intrigue and make the initial tedium a distant memory. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]