IN THE COURTS OF THE CRIMSON KINGS

In this parallel universe, established by humans 2000 years ago, the absence of natural resources has resulted in a technologically advanced society. Here an anthropologist from Earth, in the story called Terra, falls in love with a mercenary on Mars, who soon must fight to protect the Ruby Throne. Todd McLaren adopts the tone of an objective but interested reporter, deftly presenting long passages of explication without lagging. Excerpts from the Encyclopedia Britannica that head chapters stay properly in the background. In understated tones, McLaren makes the formal, sometimes stilted speech of the Martians sound like natural speech. He also creates well-differentiated accents for a number of the Terrans. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2008]