THE DEMON KING

The first in a new trilogy, this audiobook draws listeners in with Carol Monda’s enchanting narration of the parallel stories of Han Alister, a former street lord, and Raisa, princess heir of the queendom. Monda’s mature reading is a perfect match for the mythical aspects of the story, including the history of the Fells and the magical powers ascribed to the wizards and members of the clan. Monda expertly provides a wide variety of voices for the array of characters who inhabit the realm, but she’s not as successful at keeping the pace moving during the narrative. The one distraction from this magical tale is that the voice of Princess Raisa, meant to be aristocratic, comes across as slightly whiny; therefore, the strength of her character, intended to suggest that of her legendary ancestor Queen Hanalea, doesn’t fully shine. E.N. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2010]