TUNNELS

Seeking his missing father, 14-year-old Will discovers a subterranean settlement below his British suburb. Once in "The Colony," Will reunites with brother Cal while fighting the Styx, the brutal police. Steven Crossley's crisp tones take on the challenge of a story with mediocre character development and dialogue. His delivery is even and clear, but he can't do much to redeem an unappealing cast of characters, who range from whiny to nasty. Crossley succeeds in imparting the delicious tension of Will's constant peril, but the melodrama in the story seeps in despite Crossley's professional reading. Listeners may be frustrated when this long audiobook ends in a cliff-hanger with most of the book's mysteries unsolved. C.A. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2008]