THE SPEED OF DARK

In the near future, Lou, though autistic, holds down a steady job, lives on his own, drives a car, and even excels at fencing. Perhaps he's a genius. But he has two problems. A jealous rival is vandalizing his car and may be planning murder. On the job, his unscrupulous boss is pressuring him and other autistic workers to take a new cure for their "deficiency," whether they like it or not. Most of the story is told by Lou, as if writing in a journal. He is an engaging and surprisingly astute observer. Narrator Grover Gardner, apparently trying to emulate the autistic adult's lack of affect, pulls back from the emotional tugs-of-war that events produce in Lou. This is not a successful approach, as it sometimes makes Gardner sound uninvolved as a narrator. Happily, he shows much more range in his expert impersonations of the other characters. His wonted crisp, attractive intonations are always a pleasure. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 03]