THE TROUPE

Robert Jackson Bennett is notable in the fantasy/horror genre. In THE TROUPE, we follow the progress of a young pianist, George, who is searching for his father in a troupe of vaudeville players. The novel moves quickly from a coming-of-age story to a metaphysical fantasy in which the vaudevillians must save the world from the forces of darkness. Narrator Luis Moreno succeeds in presenting this poetic nonsense (lost songs of creation, flesh-eating fairies, vengeful puppets, magic doors) as if it were spiritually meaningful. He uses his intensity and his expressive voice to make each character unique. George not only sounds youthful but we also hear both his arrogance and ignorance. For those who like “speculative fiction,” listening to Moreno’s production will be a pleasure. D.L.G. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2013]