The Sword and the Flame

In this final book of Lawhead’s Dragon King series, Quentin, the poor boy who became king, must again defeat necromancer Nimrood. However, Quentin must also deal with a kidnapped son, the loss of his magical sword, and a kingdom that’s falling apart. Though the novel is filled with excitement and turmoil, this audio production falls flat. Tim Gregory’s narration is simply too over-the-top and exaggerated. Although he does convey the tension of the novel, his attempts to expand that tension with nearly every word will leave listeners exhausted. Additionally, the voices he creates for the book’s characters sound more like caricatures than individuals, and some are indiscernible from one another. A Thomas Nelson paperback. (May)