INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS

Jack Finney's original novel from 1954 is considerably less grim than the well-known film versions it spawned later. The amiable, folksy reading by George Wilson complements the small-town ambience that permeates the proceedings. When things eventually do get dark and sinister (at least for a while), Wilson is also up to the task of generating sufficient creepiness about those strange seed pods from space that can make perfect, though emotionless, copies of our friends and neighbors. Wilson is a good choice here. His voice and vocal rhythms have an old-fashioned quailty that fits science fiction classics of the '40s and '50s like a comfortable shoe, yet he mixes in some contemporary flair that makes this old chestnut sound fresh and exciting. J.P.M. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 01]