THE CRYSTAL STAIR

Slowly and thoughtfully revealing the world of Ulm, Chetwin reads her novel as a careful storyteller. Each element is described thoroughly to create a fantasy world for the listener, and Chetwin's skillful deliberation allows listeners time to digest the details of this new world. This is true fantasy, with odd characters such as Gom and Stig, peoples such as Spinrathe, and places such as Dunderfoss. The complicated plot may be a bit difficult for listeners to keep straight--an accompanying text would be helpful to cue the reader's memory when confusion sets in. Nonetheless, fantasy buffs will enjoy this intense battle of good versus evil. D.L.M. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 02/ JAN 03]