From the first moment of Alan Garneru2019s classic adventure, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, when the swirling music of Arnold Baxu2019s symphonic poems gives way to the deep, rich voice of Philip Madoc, listeners are swept away into a breathtaking story (for over-nines) of wizards and trolls.

Ancient magic and low cunning team up to produce a penultimate battle between good and evil in this high fantasy. Two children, Susan and Colin, arrive in Cheshire and encounter a sinister and peculiar countryside steeped in the centuries-old u201cLegend of Alderley.u201d It is said that 140 knights and their milk white mares hover in an enchanted sleep deep in the ground in Fundindelve, the great dwarf-hall. They will awake when England is in dire peril at the last battle of the world. Philip Madocu2019s sonorous voice susurrates as his orotund tones increase the tension. His deep voice is perfect for the Wizard Cedellin Silverbrow, and the dwarves and menacing Svart creatures, but he also gives Susan and Colinu2019s voices a childish courage, as they face the horrors of a frightening chase through dark subterranean tunnels. Madoc exhibits his classical training at the RSC in his use of dialects, guttural pronouncements, and screams as the children and their protectors fight for their very lives. Selections of music composed by Arnold Bax lend an aura of creepy menace and gloom to selected sections throughout.

I found this book and The Owl Service very difficult to read but very easy to listen to. I guess it falls somewhere between The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings. It has a sort of local, gossipy feeling to the narrative and the story, though written as a childrenu2019s book, is just as captivating whatever age you are. Itu2019s well worth a listen if youu2019re a fantasy fan. It is one of the few audiobooks that my wife and I listened to together and both enjoyed.nSusan & Colin are adequate as hero & heroine but the real stars are the wizards, shape shifters, dwarves and other creatures that inhabit the dark claustrophobic caves and tunnels of the edge. It is strangely political in places and bears listening to a few times. The story borrows extensively from Celtic, Norse and Arthurian legends, as well as the folktale The Legend of Alderley Edge.nThe production, reading and incidental music are all very polished but I found despite playing around with the equalizer settings itu2019s a bit bassy. So turn your bass down and treble up u2013 apart from that, enjoy the experience.nThe Svarts are excellent: u2019Golemu2019 eat your heart out!