PAGAN BABIES

Steve Buscemi doesn't exactly do a different voice for each character in Elmore Leonard's yarn about a questionable priest who joins forces with a female ex-con who is out to even the score with her shady ex-husband. Instead, he gives each character a distinct personality and attitude that keeps the players straight. Buscemi is a natural for reading Leonard's offbeat, cynical novel, and his character interpretations are right on the money. Some listeners may find the subject matter, which includes a massacre and executions in Rwanda, too grisly, but Buscemi's reading, a perfect match for an already fine novel, will make it a must for any fan of Leonard's work. J.A.S. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 01]