Like the curate's egg, good in parts

I'm not sure who the 'Third Ear Radio Theatre' are, but I wasn't taken by them on the evidence of this compilation. The individual items fall neatly into three categories: classic tales, new writings, and 'Radio 2000'.

The two classic tales (by Clark Ashton Smith and CL Moore) are adventure-horror yarns in the super-melodramatic, vaguely Lovecraftian style. They're narrated here against a background of music and sound effects to add to the atmosphere. The narration is well done generally, although the complex grammar and vocabulary seem to be beyond the narrator's understanding in places. The music tends to swell at the dramatic points, sometimes with enough volume to drown out the narration, which is annoying but won't make you lose the thread.

The five following stories were, I think, written as well as acted by members of Third Ear. These are straight science-fiction tales rather than horror, and something of a mixed bag. They're very much run-of-the-mill, but you'll probably find something to like and perhaps even think about in at least a few of them.

'Radio 2000', which ends the compilation, continues the sci-fi theme with a fast-moving collection of clips that are supposedly from the audio entertainment medium of the future. They seem intended as comedy, but I found nothing funny or interesting in any of them.

If you have a spare Audible credit burning a hole in your pocket, and you really like CAS and Moore, you may decide it's worth buying for the two classic tales alone. If you find enjoyment in any of the new writings as well, consider it a bonus.

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