THE DOG STARS

Heller's postapocalyptic America is a lot like that of Cormac McCarthy in THE ROAD, save the fact that true love and sublime happiness are still very present and immediate, despite the devastation. Narrator Mark Deakins gives listeners an inspired portrayal of the main character, Hig, a pilot who flies a '50s-era twin-engine plane alongside his dog. Hig is a broken man, having lost his wife after surviving a plague. Deakins's voice manages to capture his grief through slight shifts in tone. A phantom radio transmission sends Hig past the point of the unknown, and as he goes, Deakins captures the essence of his emotional state perfectly. A memorable novel is brought to life in an underplayed yet effective reading that will have listeners returning to it time and again. L.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2012]