Perchance to Dream

Beaumont's short stories provide fantastic listening--all the more so as told by the skillful variety of narrators in this production. Some of Beaumont's most famous stories were made into "Twilight Zone" episodes, but in this collection, listeners will see a much wider range of works, though all with some element of wonder. Stefan Rudnicki takes the lion's share of the narrations, and, given that he excels at science fiction, he also steals much of the show. Yet every narrator executes his or her story with a strong, spot-on delivery. Taken together, the stories make for a well-curated collection with narrations that listeners will enjoy. L.E. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

August 24, 2015
The legacy of prolific author Beaumont (1929–1967) might be better preserved with a less exhaustive collection. The repeated use of unlikable protagonists getting their comeuppance as a core story concept, and the preponderance of nagging, unpleasant women, bury much of the better, more thoughtful work in the collection. The most interesting and touching stories include “The Magic Man,” in which a traveling magician who makes his living selling patent medicine survives on the adoration and love of his audience, and “In His Image,” a story about what a man will do for love when he comes to understand his own true nature. Readers are advised to flip past “The Jungle,” which uncomfortably exoticizes tribal Africans and punishes an unpleasant protagonist by killing his wife, and “Father, Dear Father,” the concluding joke of which has not aged well. Better curation would have saved readers the trouble of skipping around to find the gems. Agent: Susan Ramer, Don Congdon Associates.