THE PRESENCE

The story line sounds terrifying: Katharine Sundquist, archaeologist, takes a job in Hawaii to investigate the find of an early man; her asthmatic son, Michael, takes a midnight dive with friends. The friends begin to turn up dead, and Michael's lungs become allergic to oxygen. Surprisingly, however, the program fails to envelop the listener with fright. Abridgment seems to be the culprit, for Lee Meriwether's narration captures what suspense there is, and her characterizations are skillful. The story proceeds along a predictable route, never achieving truly scary heights. Pass on this, or prepare to be disappointed. M.A.M. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 98]