STORIES

As editor Gaiman cheerfully explains in his introduction, these 27 short stories are all fantasy—of a sort. Although listeners will find few dragons, elves, wizards, and swords among the tales, there are many other aspects of the fantastic here: vampires, demons, alternate worlds, and bad acid trips. All the narrators are consistently good, unlike the stories themselves, and their high-quality readings enhance some of the mediocre stories. Some narrators stand out: Euan Morton brings delightful growly working-class Scottish accents to the works of the UK authors. Peter Francis James’s baritone moves gracefully through stories, evoking shadows and the night. And Katherine Kellgren never simply narrates but acts out her tales, making listening all the richer. G.D. 2011 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2010]