Gospel According to Tolkien

Like a perfectly popped kernel of corn, this production reveals the interior of what may be a dense text to some. Illuminating the hidden depths of the entire Tolkien universe, Wood has done both the reader of Tolkien's books and the curious a service, flawed only by a narrator who does not seem to have grasped the nuances of that universe. Nadia May gives incorrect pronunciations for Tolkien's fine-tuned languages, which rankles the listener and shows a lack of detail on the part of the director. But her voice carries the tone of the text effortlessly, and true fans should be forgiving when given such a rich indulgence. S.M.M. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine