Tortall and Other Lands

Each of these 11 tales is narrated by a solo female voice, and the matching of voice to story is solid. Any fault in this production lies with the tales themselves, which range in depth and in the age-level of their intended audience. All of them feature a struggle against authority or injustice, a quality that gives the narrators a chance to display their talents. Pierce fans will be pleased to revisit people and places from her previously published work, but those unfamiliar with Tortall can pass on this mixed bag, despite the high quality of the performances. M.M.O. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine