QUEEN'S PLAY

The Lymond series, Dorothy Dunnett's historical fiction set in sixteenth-century Scotland, is challenging narrating. Almost 60 characters abound--speaking English with Scottish, English, Irish, and French accents. Andrew Napier, a native Brit, handles all the dialogue effectively except for that of the French speakers. And they play a large part in this novel--as Scotland rests its hopes for overcoming English governance by betrothing 7-year-old Mary Queen of Scots to King Henri II's heir, Francis, Dauphin of France. In addition to his imprecise French accents, Napier does not project the wit and devil-may-care audacity of Francis Crawford of Lymond, who is sent to France in disguise as Mary's protector. M.D.H.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 04]