A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER

Matt Godfrey flawlessly delivers Roger Zelazny's last--and possibly best--fantasy novel. Listeners meet Victorian characters who gather only when the full moon occurs on Halloween--3-4 times per century. They play the Game, in which Players battle to end the world or begin a new era of slaughter and slavery. Godfrey masterfully distinguishes the Players; for example, The Great Detective, Sherlock Holmes, and The Doctor and his experiment, Frankenstein. Each Player has a suitably voiced nonhuman companion. The standouts are Jack the Ripper's incomparable dog, Snuff, and Graymalk, a literary cat. The London setting, compelling conversations, and graphic descriptions offer irresistible listening that is unique among horror, fantasy, and mystery stories. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2022]