THE SOUND OF THUNDER

This production, a prequel to A TIME TO DIE, artfully blends the wonderful words of Wilbur Smith with the expressive voice of Steven Crossley. Smith paints word pictures of a land and people in turmoil during the Boer War while Crossley vividly draws listeners into the brutality of battle and the joy of personal success. His skillful narration covers all of the bases: tempo, pace, diction, intonation, dialect, gender. What's more, his style conveys the depth of feeling that Smith attaches to each person, each scene. Alas, like many books that are part of a series, this sweeping story of the Courteney brothers, Sean and Garrick, comes to an abrupt end, probably in preparation for the sequel. Nonetheless, it's a perfect fit between writer and reader. T.J.M. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]