THE RELIGION

Simon Vance draws listeners into the 110-day war for Malta between the Muslims and the Knights of St. John the Baptist in 1565. As the war rages, Tannhauser, raised by Muslims and now a Christian sword-for-hire, helps Contessa Carla La Penautier find her estranged son, Orlandu, fathered by Ludovico Ludovici, a monk and vicious Inquisitor. Vance uses a variety of accents to distinguish the far-reaching cast of multinationals. The Italians seem a bit off, but the rest of the characters have more subtle accents. Vance deals with this huge cast in a way that differen?tiates individuals yet doesn't overshadow the story. His narration captures every nuance of the battle for religious supremacy. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 07]