THE MOUNTAIN MAN Return of the Mountain Man

In this installment of the Mountain Man series, set in the Idaho territory of the 1870s, series hero Smoke Jensen, himself a fugitive, gets a chance to avenge himself on the desperadoes who murdered his wife and son. Situations and dialogue are earthy, if otherwise conventional. This "movie in your mind" version can't make up its mind if it's an audiobook or audio drama. Between long stretches of narrative, dramatized scenes bring the volume to life. The actors throw themselves into their performances endearingly. Their energy and commitment take the edge off their melodramatic characterizations. Sound effects and music could have been handled with more care and finesse but are serviceable. Y.R. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2009]