TIMELINE

Crichton is known for his fanciful plots and his attention to scientific detail. Lloyd brings both together in a performance that makes this thriller more plausible. A high-tech American company finds a way to transport people to 1337 A.D. Three archaeologists are sent back in time to rescue their mentor, who has stepped into the earlier world. Lloyd demonstrates versatility as he portrays a large number of diverse characters. He is called upon to voice many ancient dialects and jumps from one to the other gracefully. One almost doesn't notice the occasions he inadvertently pauses in the middle of a sentence before realizing its not finished. Perhaps some of the ancients are overdone, but Lloyd makes up for that with his crisp narration. He's especially proficient in his handling of the surprise ending and anticlimactic epilogue. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 00]