KIM

You know a novel is succeeding when you begin to hear and think in the voices of the characters--and that's doubly true of a good audiobook. Kipling's masterpiece about an orphaned British beggar boy who knows the streets and marketplaces of India better than any native would be a pleasure read plainly. But Dastor's masterful performance, which individualizes dozens of Indian and British voices, is unparalleled in artistry, wit and precision. Despite his reputation as a trumpeter of imperialism, Kipling is himself full of wit, irony and rich imagination in this tale of Kim and the Tibetan holy man, who journey "the broad, smiling river of life" that is India's great highway. Together they encounter a series of adventures as colorful and memorable as those of Huck Finn traveling down the Mississippi. But more than an action story, here is a story told in dialogue, one whose key events are exchanges of wit, whose rendering of the vernacular of British India is the thread and essence of its tale. Clearly, this is a novel that, better than almost any, lends itself to audio performance. This Cover to Cover Classic is a standout, and one of this reviewer's all-time favorite audio experiences. D.A.W. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 00]