THE VEIL OF SNOWS

This is the last in a trilogy that began with SWAN LAKE and A CITY IN WINTER. A futuristic fairy tale, it contains all the elements of good and evil expected in such epics. In this volume, the narrator, an aged singer, is the only one left to tell of how the "Usurper" deposes the good queen. As always, Guidall's individual characterizations are strong. However, in this performance, he tends to read the entire book with the same intensity; a little less drama would have been more appropriate, particularly when reading descriptions of the physical surroundings (mountains, lakes, etc.) and would have provided a more varied listening experience. Although the teller recaps former events, this will be enjoyed more by those who have either read or listened to the first two books. S.S.R. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 99]