SABRIEL

Harry Potter fans will likely be drawn to Garth Nix's fantasy, with its magical incantations and young protagonist. In fact, SABRIEL is more evocative of Tolkien's RINGS trilogy--it's an epic journey in a world as richly realized as Middle-earth and much darker and bloodier than Harry's trials at Hogwarts. Unlike THE LORD OF THE RINGS, a young woman's voyage of self-discovery is at the heart of the story. Tim Curry brings authority to the reading, grounding the fantastic elements with nuance of character and depth of emotion, particularly in his portrayal of the eponymous heroine, Sabriel, a magic-wielding necromancer. But he also gets the chance to show off some vocal acrobatics, as when he purrs and growls his way through the mysterious cat-guide, Mogget's, dialogue. As the breathless adventure comes to a close, listeners can rejoice in being able to continue the series with LIRAEL and ABHORSEN. J.M.D. 2003 YALSA Selection (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 03]