SOFTLY CALLS THE SERENGETI

Frank Coates weaves the reality of poverty and corruption in Kenya into an adventure surrounding the fate of orphaned boys. Narrator Jerome Pride draws listeners in as they wonder how two writers—an Australian man and a British woman—who are planning a trip to remote villages will become involved in the tensions of a Nairobi slum. Pride's voice can take on the qualities of an outside observer when necessary, yet it has enough emotion and introspectiveness to convey the thoughts and feelings of the many characters. At times, the hero's recklessness seems hard to believe, but the balance of fictional adventure and real-life upheaval effectively draws listeners into the world of Nairobi's poor. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2012]