Lost Cantos of the Orobouros Caves

By: Maggie Schein, Pat Conroy

Narrated by: Janis Ian, Pat Conroy

Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

A collection of fables in the literary tradition of Italo Calvino (if he were a Taoist seeker), Lost Cantos of the Ouroboros Caves brings together medicine men, monks, immortals, witches, seekers, souls in various stages of their cycles in and out of lived-life, and the occasional talking animal, all searching for the meaning of it all and each other.

©2011 Maggie Schein (P)2013 Skyboat Road Company, Inc.

Creative, thought-provoking stories

Maggie Schein has written and enjoyable and engaging series of fables. These are not the type of short stories that you will want to simply read and move on. They are creative, intricate fables that address life's big questions and offer some wonderfully different perspectives. One of my favorites examines the connections between all living things in the universe. Is the predator prey relationship really what it seems? Could it be that the prey willingly allow their fate in order to sustain the predator?

While reading the stories, I often felt like the writing was almost poetry or music. At times there is a cadence to Maggie Schein's writing. There are some sections of stories that repeat themselves almost like a chorus. And this brings me to the narration.

The narration is expertly done by writer, singer and songwriter Janis Ian. Her narration adds another dimension to the writing, especially in those sections which are poetic/musical. I'm not sure another narrator would have managed to find this interpretation of the words.

This collection of stories will remain in my library and I will visit them over and over in the future.