THE PROMETHEUS DECEPTION

Just who is "The Directorate," and what does it want with Nicholas Bryson? In Robert Ludlum's latest thriller, the intelligence operative races around the world, not knowing whom to trust and escaping from life-threatening situations at least a half-dozen times on each cassette. Michael Prichard keeps up with the plot admirably, letting none of its absurdity enter his performance. He slows the narrative to a tense crawl as we wait for Nick and his wife to figure out how to keep from being blown to bits, and speeds to manic mode as they hurtle toward their next encounter with the villains. Prichard's characterizations are competent enough, a difficult task with the shallow personalities he has to work with. R.P.L. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/ JAN 02]