ENOUGH TO MAKE A CAT LAUGH

Deric Longden inhabits a different world. It closely resembles our own in most respects, but it's lightly touched by a fey magic that makes the most ordinary occurrences luminous. It is his gift to share his world with us. As his title suggests, cats loom large in his world, but humans, dogs and even inanimate objects have substantial supporting roles. It's hard to say if Longden would do well as a general-purpose audiobook reader, but he projects his own work wonderfully. This recording is like a quiet chat with a man who, while confused and bemused by the details, firmly believes that a benevolent universe is unfolding as it should. It's a minor quibble, but this five-and-one-half-hour program could have easily fit onto four cassettes instead of the six it occupies here. J.N. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 99]