‘Thin Red Line’ Is Lost in the Translation

When a big-budget film is based on a novel, the source material is often repackaged or reissued. Often, the audio book version is released with a cover looking much like an ad, as in the case of “The Thin Red Line,” by James Jones. (Random House Audiobooks, abridged fiction, four cassettes, six hours, $25.95, read by Joe Mantegna.)

Jones, who also wrote “From Here to Eternity,” published this tale in 1962. He explored masculine personalities and identities, based on his experiences in the Pacific during World War II. However, if you really want to become enmeshed in his depiction of the infantry battalion C-for-Charlie Company, you had best catch Terrence Malick’s flick. This poorly adapted and poorly narrated audio has about as much emotional nuance as a bowl of lemon Jell-O.

This is a novel with much action and many characters. The truncation is choppy and sometimes difficult to follow.

Mantegna uses an array of accents to separate the characters’ identities, but does so with varying degrees of success. His badly rendered attempts at Southern or British accents greatly disrupt the flow of the story.

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Another audio floating around in Audiobookland that ties in with a movie is Nicholas Sparks’ “Message in a Bottle.” (Time Warner AudioBooks, unabridged fiction, six cassettes, eight hours, $29.98, read by Kimberly Schraf. Also available abridged, three cassettes, three hours, $17.98, read by Kathleen Quinlan and Bruce Boxleitner.)

Sparks is not, and never will be, a writer for the ages. His dialogue is hackneyed and his descriptions cliched.

Still, this tale of lost love and missed chances will make you get out your handkerchief. The plot, featuring star-crossed lovers and a dramatic seafaring scene, just screams “screenplay.” Not surprisingly, the movie, starring Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn, will soon be released.

Of course, no one picks up an audio by Sparks expecting depth, as anyone who listened to “The Notebook” will attest. However, if you are in the mood for a better-than-average romance, this fits the bill. It is just too bad that the audio was not paired with a warmer, more inviting reader.

Schraf is a polished narrator, but too much so. Her diction is crisp and clear. She ably lowers her voice for male characters and brightens it for a young boy. She cries and sighs, laughs and yawns. It is just that these vocal mannerisms sound a tad removed, as if we can hear her acting.

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If you absolutely cannot wait for the release of George Lucas’ next installment in the “Star Wars” epic, “Episode 1: The Phantom Menace,” just relax. You can feed your habit with “Star Wars, Dark Forces: The Collector’s Trilogy,” by William C. Dietz. (HighBridge Audio, original material, six CDs, six hours, $49.95, full cast production. Each story is also sold separately on two cassettes, $17.95 each.)

Based on Dietz’s graphic novels and interactive computer games, these stories are lively, fun and mindless. Similar to radio plays, with booming sound effects, rousing original music and a roster of actors, the three audio books in this collection are more fun than a barrel of space monkeys.

The intergalactic yarns, “Soldier for the Empire,” “Rebel Agent” and “Jedi Knight,” concern rebel hero Kyle Katarn and his quest to avenge his father’s death. It is none too original, but it is fun, thanks to the production values. The delivery and sound effects of the cassettes are far superior to almost anything else on the market, but there is a tonal clarity to the CDs that is just stupendous. If you listen through a headset, you will hear wraparound sound effects that will greatly enhance your enjoyment.

This is just perfect for those moments when you want to feel like a kid again. That is, if you can keep it away from your kids long enough to hear it.

Rochelle O’Gorman reviews audio books every other week. Next week: Dick Lochte on mystery books.

For more reviews, read Sunday Book Review.

* Passion Play: Edward Hirsch on how to fall in love with poetry; Carol Muske Dukes on Adrienne Rich’s “Midnight Salvage”; and Richard Howard on Eugenio Montale.