THE CHEE-CHALKER

Most famous as the originator of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard began his career writing pulpy science fiction tales and adventure novels like THE CHEE-CHALKER. This multicast performance of FBI Agent Bill Norton's investigation into Alaskan heroin trafficking is overproduced and overlong. There's a good deal of gore, violence, and a smidgen of sex in this cold case in the frozen North. One bright spot is a fight and shoot-out on a fishing boat, but for the most part the sound effects and music are the only thing making this thin tale a bit better than it deserves to be. Still, fans of Hubbard will likely be pleased. R.O. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2009]