THE SACKETT BRAND

William Tell Sackett is shot off the edge of a cliff without warning, and when he survives his long fall into a river, he discovers that his outfit and wife, Ange, have disappeared. For a L'Amour tale, this story of murderous treachery is surprisingly dark. David Strathairn's Tell is deeply restrained, with the smoldering emotions he speaks of very well-banked indeed; listeners must supply much of the emotional pain Tell describes as Strathairn's narration does little to portray it. Yet L'Amour's characters are not given to sentimentality. As the story progresses, Tell's level voice becomes more and more believable, especially when it's joined by other distinctive characters who help him seek justice. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 05/ JAN 06]