I have been very impressed with the CDs so far. I was pleasantly surprised by the dramatic readings. After hearing the audio dramas, I was a tad disappointed about the switch in format. I've never been a fan of audio books that are read by a single reader. I thought these would be flat and tedious at times. I was sure I'd enjoy them but not nearly as much as I would an audio drama. These are different. They are written to be like two handed plays. Told in first person, each story minimizes interaction between large numbers of characters thereby eliminating the need for the narrator to relate extended dialogs and taken on multiple roles. The setup emphasizes two characters and the dynamics and dialog between them. Sometimes, with skillful vocal work an actor can channel an absent character as Kathryn Leigh Scott did for Grayson when reading Julia's lines in Clothes of Sand. Alec Newman was chilling in that one. The story weaved itself between Maggie's childhood and her recovery following her escape from Barnabas in 1967. The Ghost Watcher also had Alec create a different type of character, a swashbuckling hero who may not be all that he seems to be. Skin Walkers was a chilling account of the lost period in Quentin's life after 1897. My personal favorite is The Path of Fate. While it's technically a dramatic reading, it's almost a full audio drama. True it's told mostly from the POV of Angelique, with Quentin as the secondary character. Both Selby and Parker create a dual role with the aid of SFX. I found this scarier than anything done on the show. Curse of the Pharoah is a sequel to the Leviathan story. While that period was never my favorite, the audio format works well here allowing us to create the monster that could not be shown on DS. I've yet to find one I did not like. I was surprised also by the range of the characters used. I thought they would limit themselves mostly to the main 4 used in the audio dramas. So far in addition to the regulars, they've used G Trask, Carolyn, Marie Wallace in a new role and Jenny in an upcoming release, Lisa Richards as a new character, and I'm especially looking forward to Doctor Who's Leela, Louise Jameson. I had such a crush on her when I was a kid. Who am I kidding? I STILL DO!! I am very thankful that Big Finish is giving us NINE CDS of new Dark Shadows this year. If I had to choose between them and a new movie, Johnny Depp would lose. And yes, I am eagerly anticipating the movie.
