The Sword in the Stone

Starred review from March 31, 2008
Neville Jason's approach, he says, is to be “humble to the material” he is working with and to let the “powers of absorption work.” It is apt that in this classic retelling of the King Arthur legend, the wizard Merlin often teaches the boy Arthur (aka Wart) by changing him into other creatures—a fish, a bird—to learn by absorption, by being, with empathy being the least of the lessons taught. It is a perfect fit of sensibilities. Jason, who was awarded the Diction Prize by Sir John Gielgud at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, delivers fully developed characters with such warmth and spark that listeners are instantly transported to Sir Ector's castle. Originally written in 1938, this audiobook is perfect for any J.K. Rowling fan, as its humor, intellect and playfulness feels as contemporary as a Harry Potter novel. In fact, Rowling has described White's Wart as “Harry's spiritual ancestor.” Combined with the brilliant performance by Jason, what more could a fantasy fan want?

The Sword in the Stone was first published in 1938 and later incorporated into White's four-part Arthurian opus, THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING. (This recording includes the original text and some additional scenes that were deleted from the more familiar 1950s edition.) The story follows Arthur's childhood up to the momentous day when he pulls the sword from the stone and discovers his true identity. Jason's narration reveals that he understands White's sense of humor. He plays up the comedy particularly well in the dialogue: he is remarkably adept at giving individual voices to each character, from the na•ve Arthur to the world-weary Merlyn and the buffoonish King Pellinore, and switching convincingly between regional accents. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine