WILD WIND A Chaos Novella (1001 Dark Nights)

John Hartley's low, rolling narration sinks into Jagger Black's wrenching sadness over the murder of his father. Like Jagger, his dad was a member of the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Hartley's soft intensity reflects Jagger's state of raw grief when he first meets Archie at the cemetery where his dad is buried. Hartley's voice for Archie has a lighter timbre, so she sounds appropriately feminine in conversation. Hartley's other narrative choices are less successful; in particular, he cannot convincingly depict Jagger's scattered emotions. And with numerous male Club members, it's hard to distinguish individual speakers. Stella Bloom narrates a few chapters from Archie's point of view, sounding both frank and cute. Overall, Hartley achieves a biker vibe but not a seamless narrative experience. C.A. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2021]