SECOND CHANCE

When authors narrate their own books, the results can be hit or miss. Chet Williamson's reading is all hit. Woody Robinson longs for the 1960s, for weed and political debates and a long-dead lover. He organizes a nostalgia party, but something goes wrong . . . Has he traveled through time, or has something sinister traveled from the past to the present? Williamson understands his story and characters intimately and delivers a strong, confident narration, pausing for effect and never stumbling. The story gains emotional power through his reading; for example, when Woody speaks to his children for the first time, his voice breaks, perfectly. Each character is instantly recognizable—from Woody's smoky musician's rasp to Pan's Southern drawl—and Williamson never overacts for effect. A.Z.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2011]