HARD COUNTRY

This Western saga is aptly titled—the territory of New Mexico, its way of life, and its people were hard indeed. George Guidall’s excellent storytelling skills take the listener from 1875-1918, following the Kerney family through three generations of hardship, war, tragedy, and triumph. The fast-moving plot has more action than conversation. Still, it’s Guidall’s character voices that bring the story to life. He perfectly portrays stubborn cowboys, evil villains, young boys, and scrappy women. His tone remains just detached enough to help soften the blows of the endless stream of tragedies. The untimely death of nearly every character will soon have the listener feeling as hardened as the country itself. M.M.G. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2012]