Halfhyde and the Admiral

Kliatt, Jan, 2005 by Janet Julian

HALFHYDE AND THE ADMIRAL. Philip McCutchan. 1990. Read by Christopher Scott. 6 tapes. 7.5 hrs. Soundings Audiobooks, ISIS. 1-842-83336-7. $54.95. Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes. A

St. Vincent Halfhyde, late of the Royal Navy, is now the captain of a steamer sailing for Chile. He's still a lieutenant in the reserves, so he does a "favor" for the Admiralty and carries passengers along to Valparaiso. They are Canon Rampling, an upright and uptight clergyman, and his companion Warden Tidy, and the demanding, imperious Mrs. Weder, the widow of a German who also turns out to be the sister of the obnoxious Admiral Watkiss, who has become the head of the Chilean Navy. There are political complications as well as personal ones. Humor abounds, with good-natured jabs at organized religion, naval bureaucracy, and stilted Victorian mores.

Scott, best known for his work in radio (he is a regular contributor to BBC radio drama), has narrated over 100 audio-books. He has fun with Halfhyde's many daft characters. Watkiss is bombastic, his sister is bossy, the canon is a prude. Halfhyde's mistress is supposed to be Australian, but she sounds Cockney. An excellent rendering of an amusing novel. Salty language and racist epithets. Janet Julian, Grafton, MA

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.