THE TALE OF TROY

In mythology, the Trojan War was the last great adventure of the heroic age, resonating in complex strands throughout the entire Greek-speaking world. Its profound significance gained a great deal by also being a terrific yarn--or several cycles of terrific yarns--sexy, violent, funny, tragic and full of memorable characters. Perhaps because of this, plus the elements of fantasy and magic, Troy has become a favorite subject with which to divert children. This compacted, sanitized version is intended for 8 to 13-year-olds. The sex has been expurgated, the characters diminished, the plot greatly thinned and only the battle scenes elaborated. On the plus side, and a big plus at that, youngish Benjamin Soames delivers an exciting interpretation of the text. The musical punctuation by Impressionist composers, though acutely anachronistic, nonetheless adds considerably to the thrills. Y.R. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JAN 98]