Winged Creatures

Product description Winged Creatures tells the story of the aftermath of a random shooting in a fast-food restaurant, as the stunned survivors attempt to deal with their shock in very different ways. The prose is raw and intimate, leaving a visceral impression. From Publishers Weekly Freirich's novel offers a sprawling cast of characters, each giving their own personal accounts after going through a life-altering event. However, Dion Graham fails to make good use of the palette here, whispering and mumbling his way through the entire story. Graham's characters are unbelievable and forced, sounding unrealistic and unfamiliar. His reading becomes farcical and fake as his theatrical vocal antics lose the seriousness of Freirich's story. Instead of a narrator, Graham sounds like an actor trying too hard in an early audition, emphasizing every word in an attempt to create a mysterious and captivating atmosphere. Sadly, the story itself is wonderful, but Graham is mismatched. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin's Griffin paperback (Reviews, Nov. 12). Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. About the Author Roy Freirich is a screenwriter and songwriter living in Malibu, California. Winged Creatures is his first novel. Dion Graham, from HBO's The Wire, also narrates The First 48 on A&E. An Audie Award winner and critically acclaimed actor and narrator, he has performed on Broadway, off Broadway, internationally, in films, and in several hit television series. His performances have been praised as thoughtful and compelling, vivid and full of life. From AudioFile Six people traumatized by a random shooting in a suburban restaurant react in very different ways. Young teenagers Anne and Jimmy hid together as the gunman killed Anne's father. Anne tries to give the horror meaning through religiosity; Jimmy stops speaking. Charlie, slightly wounded, unwisely decides he should take his good luck to the casinos. Carla, stunned, stops coping with her colicky baby, and Dr. Laraby, the ER doc who couldn't save the victims, starts doctoring his wife in a dangerous way. No one wants to talk to poor Ron Abler, the trauma counselor. Dion Graham tends to perform in phrases rather than sentences. It sounds fine but rarely serves the author's meaning. Still, the well-plotted story and vivid writing will pull listeners through. B.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine