BUSHRANGER OF THE SKIES

Written and set in rural Australia in the 1930s, BUSHRANGER features Upfield's serial detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, whose task it is to stop murderous pilot Rex MacPherson from taking over his father's ranch. As Bonaparte dodges bombs and treks through miles of scrub, he is both helped and hindered by rival Aborigine tribes. Hosking has the requisite Aussie accent and the ability to differentiate characters as he narrates the story from dramatic opening to satisfying conclusion. Only the Aborigine pidgin seems demeaning in these politically correct times. Upfield admired the native Australians, but his condescending views led him to be banned from school curricula. Ironically, both the hero and villain here are half-castes. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 00]