SIGNAL--CLOSE ACTION!

The incomparable Michael Jayston reads up a storm with this Napoleonic-era sea story, set in the Mediterranean just before the Battle of the Nile. Jayston's impeccable pronunciation, his variations in accents and characterization, and his timing and the varying tension in his voice make this a remarkable listening experience. Commodore Richard Bolitho is tasked with taking a tiny squadron on an intelligence mission: Where are the French? There are battles and captures and blood. One can smell the powder smoke, thanks to the compatible skills of Jayston and the author. Nor are the human dimensions slighted; the characters are alive! They move and plot and think. A real achievement all around. D.R.W. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 06]