CHILDREN OF ASH AND ELM A History of the Vikings

Perhaps a history of the violence-prone Vikings, including many surprising, even shocking, details, calls for a vigorous, intense narration, but Samuel Roukin sometimes overdoes it, sounding overwrought, even angry. Fortunately, his narration is thoughtfully expressive even at the pitch he's chosen. He matches sound and sense with intelligence, even sensitivity--he could be the author reading. And he does, eventually, sometimes, vary the dynamics. His pronunciation of Old Norse seems convincing, but some other foreign words--names of people and places--less so. While he could have toned the energy down a notch, his deep voice, British accent, good pacing, understanding of the text, and congenial manner win the listener over, making the program solidly informative and consistently interesting. W.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2020]