SpellsingerReview by Paul Fiander
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By Alan Dean Foster
Published by Graphic Audio |
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There are bad trips and then there are the kind of trips that lead you down a path that can change your life forever. Although this statement drips with cliche, Spellsinger is a story that has a unique feel throughout. From the more commonly used anthropomorphised animals to the obscure like Marxist Dragons Alan Dean Foster has created a narrative that draws the reader in and supplies a generous helping of twists and turns throughout its seven hour plus duration.
The story itself follows the adventure of Jonathon Thomas Meriweather (called Jon-Tom by the locals and from here onwards) a law student at UCLA who thanks to the use of a flowery job title gets pulled from our world to one inhabited by a mixture of creatures including the ones previously mentioned and a whole host more. The descriptions and mannerisms of each character are fully fleshed from the sly Otter Mudge to the lothario Kaz. More importantly the world is fully realised in more than a few series the towns that are described lack the feeling they are truly functional. This is not the case here as we get descriptions about the fantastical means of travel all the way down to the sewage management. Then there is of course the matter of magic which has a unique feel mixing science and music to create an amalgamation that is slightly confusing but ultimately very rewarding. |
Spellsinger was published in 1983 and there are now 8 books in the series. This is very much an introduction to the series and the surreal opening does feel a little mystifying at times, however if you stick with the story it does pay you back. Unlike many openings to a series there is a nice mix of action both physical and magical. When this is mixed with the more descriptive sections it allows the narrative to flow creating an overall well paced story.
The rough idea is Jon-Tom is “called” to help the “people” in this other world to fight a growing danger that only Clothahump the wizard can see (I'll keep his manner of animal secret as it's a nice description). There is however an issue as what was needed was an engineer and Jon-Tom does not really fit that bill. As the story progresses though we find our Law student is slightly more capable than we would have guessed and this helps to set up the rest of the book and I’m guessing series. Although the comparison is slightly unfair you could think of this as a mix of The Wind in the Willows and The Lord of the Rings and if fantasy adventure is your thing then this is a great title to consume.
This is the first Graphic Audio title I have reviewed and it was a rather refreshing experience. We follow a main narrator but the characters are played by actors who generally do a great job of bringing them to life, though Mudge’s english accent does have a bit of the Van Dyke about it. The tag for Graphic Audio is “a Movie in your mind” and with excellent sound effects this is certainly the feeling you get experiencing the production. The book itself as well as the quality of the production allow me to easily recommend Graphic Audio for your listening requirements.
The rough idea is Jon-Tom is “called” to help the “people” in this other world to fight a growing danger that only Clothahump the wizard can see (I'll keep his manner of animal secret as it's a nice description). There is however an issue as what was needed was an engineer and Jon-Tom does not really fit that bill. As the story progresses though we find our Law student is slightly more capable than we would have guessed and this helps to set up the rest of the book and I’m guessing series. Although the comparison is slightly unfair you could think of this as a mix of The Wind in the Willows and The Lord of the Rings and if fantasy adventure is your thing then this is a great title to consume.
This is the first Graphic Audio title I have reviewed and it was a rather refreshing experience. We follow a main narrator but the characters are played by actors who generally do a great job of bringing them to life, though Mudge’s english accent does have a bit of the Van Dyke about it. The tag for Graphic Audio is “a Movie in your mind” and with excellent sound effects this is certainly the feeling you get experiencing the production. The book itself as well as the quality of the production allow me to easily recommend Graphic Audio for your listening requirements.
Production Details
Director; Terence Aselford
Starring; Terence Aselford as Narrator, Gregory Linington as Jon-Tom, Bradley Smith as Mudge, Chris Genebach as Clothahump, Yasmin Tuazon as Talea, Shanta Parasuraman as Flor, David Jourdan as Pog, Andy Clemence as Caz, James Konicek as Falameezar, with Richard Rohan, Ren Kasey, Jeff Allin, Paul Reisman, Ken Jackson, Michael Glenn, Nanette Savard, Todd Scofield, Alyssa Wilmoth, Michael John Casey, Scott McCormick, Rose Elizabeth Supan and Mort Shelby
Book Adapted for GraphicAudio byTimothy Lynch
Dialogue Editors; John Glennon
Sound Designers; John Glennon
Additional Original Music; John Glennon
Cover Illustrator; Alex Allen
Producers; Richard Rohan and Duane Beeman
Executive Producer; Anji Cornette
Starring; Terence Aselford as Narrator, Gregory Linington as Jon-Tom, Bradley Smith as Mudge, Chris Genebach as Clothahump, Yasmin Tuazon as Talea, Shanta Parasuraman as Flor, David Jourdan as Pog, Andy Clemence as Caz, James Konicek as Falameezar, with Richard Rohan, Ren Kasey, Jeff Allin, Paul Reisman, Ken Jackson, Michael Glenn, Nanette Savard, Todd Scofield, Alyssa Wilmoth, Michael John Casey, Scott McCormick, Rose Elizabeth Supan and Mort Shelby
Book Adapted for GraphicAudio byTimothy Lynch
Dialogue Editors; John Glennon
Sound Designers; John Glennon
Additional Original Music; John Glennon
Cover Illustrator; Alex Allen
Producers; Richard Rohan and Duane Beeman
Executive Producer; Anji Cornette
