MONARCH OF DEADMAN BAY

Caras's tale is an odd mix of natural history, philosophy and fiction set on Kodiak Island. The listener is led season by season through the life of a bear who, in the course of six tapes, grows from cub to colossus. The kodiak manages to have every experience a bear can have, including the inevitable confrontation with man. Dietz opts for a consistent, instructional tone to convey a tale which leaps from nature facts to the poetic. The narration is reminiscent of nature programming, but without a visual presentation it seems uninspired. Although highly informative and of probable interest to nature aficionados, the result is flat. H.B.K. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPT 94]