VALHALLA RISING

In his Dirk Pitt novels, Clive Cussler knows how to spin a captivating yarn. This time out, an oil king is intent on destroying a scientist's formula for an energy-saving oil. Naturally, the scientist's daughter becomes involved, as well, in a tale that mixes intrigue with history and romance. Scott Brick does a solid job. He adds appropriate emotion without letting his reading overpower the work itself. The pace is steady, with appropriate pauses for scene and chaper changes. The only weakness is Cussler's dialogue. He writes it to be read silently, not aloud. So on tape, it comes across as stilted. But it's a small price to pay for the kind of story that makes commuters take the long way home. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]