Outcast

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review of OUTCAST and OATH BREAKER.]--The fourth installment (OUTCAST) of Paver's prehistoric saga finds Torak marked as a soul eater, cast out from the clans, and succumbing to a soul sickness that robs him of his ability to distinguish good from evil and his powers to survive. As in the first three tales, Ian McKellen's opulent, melodic voice beckons listeners into Torak's world. Vengeance and change are the themes of the fifth episode (OATH BREAKER), and, once more, this richly imagined world is animated by McKellen's unvoiced reading, unfolding with sumptuous intonation and perfectly measured pacing. As Torak, Renn, and Wolf seek to avenge the death of a friend, McKellen draws us into their struggles by using his voice like a musical instrument, heightening the drama of warring clans and evil mages and softening his tones to spine-tingling effect when crisis is at hand. These are masterful performances. S.G. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine