THE SPINDLERS

Simon Vance’s rich performance conveys both the tender and spine-chilling moments as young Liza embarks on a quest to the world below to recover her brother’s soul, which has been stolen by arachnid-like creatures called spindlers. Vance embodies the characters and creatures wholeheartedly through diverse voice and pitch modulations. Liza’s fear and fatigue are revealed with a ragged pace, and her analytical thoughts about her situation are conveyed with an desperate tone followed by a slow-developing calmness. Vance’s portrayal of the spindlers is exceptionally vivid and suspenseful, especially that of the throaty, bloodthirsty queen. Vance’s dramatic reading envelops the listener in this lush and lyrical fantasy-adventure. M.F. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2012]