DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP

David Ackroyd breathes new life into Willa Cather's 1927 classic about the friendship between Bishop Jean Marie Latour and Father Joseph Vaillant, based on real clerics who were sent to the New Mexico Territory to establish the Catholic Church. Ackroyd's narration in the voice of a respectful observer is exquisite. His pace is steady as he recounts the story of these friends and their mission with reverence for the author's beautiful, poetic language. Subtle changes in tone and accent differentiate the characters in conversation. Other historical characters, like Kit Carson and Manuel Antonio Chaves, sound believable in this realistic fiction. Whether you are an old fan or just discovering this beloved Cather classic, Ackroyd's narration will not disappoint. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]