KING SOLOMON'S MINES

Deepest, darkest Africa as imagined by a nineteenth-century Englishman may seem hopelessly dated to modern listeners. This recording of an 1886 novel about a trio of adventurers who search for Solomon's legendary chamber of diamonds, however, is surprisingly fresh. The credit is entirely due to Bill Homewood, whose comfort with the work is evident--he did the abridgment and wrote the notes in addition to handling the narration. The most memorable of his many voices is that of the hideous witch Gagaoola, a Gollum-like character who mutters curses and cackles diabolically. Overall, Homewood emphasizes that, rather than being a condescending portrayal of Africans, the story is all in good fun. D.B. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 06]