The Tale of Troy

In mythology, the Trojan War was the last great adventure of the heroic age, resonating in complex strands throughout the entire Greek-speaking world. Its profound significance gained a great deal by also being a terrific yarn--or several cycles of terrific yarns--sexy, violent, funny, tragic and full of memorable characters. Perhaps because of this, plus the elements of fantasy and magic, Troy has become a favorite subject with which to divert children. This compacted, sanitized version is intended for 8 to 13-year-olds. The sex has been expurgated, the characters diminished, the plot greatly thinned and only the battle scenes elaborated. On the plus side, and a big plus at that, youngish Benjamin Soames delivers an exciting interpretation of the text. The musical punctuation by Impressionist composers, though acutely anachronistic, nonetheless adds considerably to the thrills. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine