CAPRICE AND RONDO

Christopher Kay gives a marathon performance of the seventh book in Dorothy Dunnett's House of Niccolo series. Kay's voice is confident, and his reading of the many travel scenes is engaging. The story’s bloody scenes of battle are well depicted but disconcerting. Kay's particular strength is in delivering the dialogue of the male characters—his portrayals of the female characters are less compelling in comparison. This lengthy novel will be of interest primarily to followers of the Niccolo series, as beginning with this recording so far into the story would be confusing. Kay's performance anchors this sprawling epic to its flawed hero, Nicholas de Fleury, whose fortunes are the heart of this episode. R.F. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]