A RIVER IN THE SKY

On the eve of WWI, Amelia Peabody and family gird for an archaeological expedition to Palestine to unearth the legendary Ark of the Covenant. This refreshing prequel is set in 1910, before the family entanglements featured in Peters's recent books. Barbara Rosenblat's unsurpassed performance scintillates once again. The many characters' distinctive voices profoundly contrast in tonal range and quality while retaining a sensitive awareness of age, sex, culture, and nationality. Rosenblat never ceases to amaze as she creates brand-new inflections to enhance each new personality, such as that of The Reverend Plato. Middle Eastern religious tension in this prewar period, murder, and mayhem surround the troupe as they strive to find son Ramses, lost while working on a dig in Jerusalem. Flawless expressive nuances embellish the familiar and so lovely voices of Amelia and husband Emerson as Rosenblat's charming AUDIOFILE Golden Voice continues to gleam. A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2010]