LEGENDS: STORIES BY THE MASTERS OF FANTASY, VOL. 1

The first installment in this four-volume anthology features two novellas, Stephen King's "The Little Sisters of Eluria" and Robert Silverberg's "Seventh Shrine." Both posit alternative universes. There's no denying the potent combination of King's storytelling acumen and Muller's indefinable dramatic power. Nonetheless, King's literary shortcomings do not bring out the best in Muller. He brings out a lot of King's unintentional silliness, which he compounds with his own overused mannerisms and difficulty impersonating young women. Sam Tsoutsouvas is far more successful with "Shrine," a murder mystery set on a distant planet. He possesses an exciting voice, and he's helped by Silverberg's graceful writing. Y.R. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 99]