SHADOWLAND

This is a good example of how a fine book might not necessarily adapt well to the audiobook format. Straub's novel of magic and mystery, in which two boys come to maturity in the mysterious setting of Shadowland, seems like it would adapt well. It's structured as a series of told stories. Individual lines are easy on the ear, and William Dufris does a good job with them, delivering them in a leisurely, resonant fashion. However, there are dozens characters, and each character shifts back and forth between an adult self, a re-experienced childhood, and altered states of consciousness. In the end, it's more work to keep track of the story than it's worth. G.T.B.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 04]