THE TALISMAN

Aycliffe spins a tale of the supernatural that aspires to the tradition of Poe and Hawthorne. His narrator, Tom Alton, a curator at the British Museum, encounters the manifestation of Evil in a recently unearthed Babylonian statue. Everyone who comes in contact with the statue, an archetype of Satan, dies mysteriously or becomes possessed by it. Unfortunately, Aycliffe's plotting depends upon the reader's ability to suspend disbelief. Not all questions posed are answered, nor are all actions explained satisfactorily within the text. However, Christopher Kay's performance is superb. His voice is chillingly appropriate to the genre. His tone lends a sense of truth to frequently unconvincing characters and insubstantial situations. Once again, an exceptional reading elevates an unexceptional story. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]