OUTCAST

When a Roman trading vessel runs aground off the coast of Britain, the infant Beric is rescued and raised by a local peasant family. At age 15, however, the village casts him out, and for several years he is beset by cruel twists of fate. Rosemary Sutcliff’s vividly detailed account of Roman Britain and Europe is enriched through Johanna Ward’s expert interpretation. Ward’s clear, crisp tones fit well in this story dominated by male characters. She creates a fine array of accents and moods that carry the listener through the storms of Beric’s young life until they eventually resolve happily as the sea tosses him one last time upon a shore he can call home. J.J.F. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]