ONE FOR SORROW, TWO FOR JOY

The owls--and the other creatures of Birddom--are not what they seem. Unbeknownst to humans, they're engaged in a war, as the magpies and crows aim to wipe out the weaker species. In a conversation segment afterward, narrator Ray Lonnen says he thought of this fantasy as being similar to a Western, an adventure story with good and evil sharply defined. His interpretation illuminates his characterizations of noble robin Kirrick, the tiny hero who puts Birddom before his own life; thuggish magpie Slyekin, who plots to run Birddom; and slick Traska, Slyekin's henchman, who always looks out for himself. Often bloody and violent, the stirring tale is not suitable for young children but should delight teens and older listeners. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 05/ JAN 06]