The Guns of Navarone

Don't sit down to listen to this tape until you have a clear ten hours to spare because turning it off is next to impossible. During World War II a small group of commandos sneaks onto a German-held Greek island to destroy a gun battery which guards a strategic strait. The tale is gripping, and Steven Pacy makes it even more so as he narrates in a taut and spare style. Pacy's modulated, crisp British accent, his perfect understatement and timing convince listeners they are hearing a spontaneous account rather than a reading. A perfect choice for audio--particularly as the narrator so successfully captures the drama and characters. R.B.F. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

The acclaimed 1957 thriller upon which this dramatization is based recounts the attempt of a British commando team to penetrate an impregnable Nazi stronghold in the Aegean and destroy its powerful dual canons. This BBC version is far more faithful to the original than the hit film of 1961. Its production values are excellent. In compressing the tale to two hours, however, the producers sacrificed the texture and characterizations that made the original a classic nail-biter. The cast adequately plays the stereotypes the adapters wrote for them. The listener never fully believes that the heroes face arduous effort and deathly peril. For those who like their war dogs tame. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine