Into the Storm

April 28, 2008
Forensic archeologist Anderson uses fascinating, little-known historical details to bolster his debut tale of modern marines transported to a parallel world where dinosaurs still roam. Whisked away in the midst of battling the Japanese in the early days of WWII, Lt. Cmdr. Matt Reddy, captain of the USS Walker
, finds his ship, crew and passengers suddenly involved in a very different war between the peaceful mammalian Lemurians and the vicious, raptor-descended Grik. Reddy must support his crew through the loss of their home world, teach the Lemurians to use steel and steam and keep a sister ship, commanded by a delusional army captain, from falling into the claws of the Grik. Paying homage to such tales as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
, Robinson Crusoe
and William R. Forstchen and Greg Morrison's Crystal Warriors
, Anderson expands on familiar concepts with high-tension nautical battles and skillful descriptions of period attitudes and dialogue.

During the heat of battle with the Japanese in WWII, the U.S.S. WALKER sails into a raging typhoon in an attempt to elude the enemy. After a disturbing ride through a weightless sea, the ship emerges into a calm that belies reality. William Dufris plunges headlong into this improbable adventure, finding himself called upon to create voices for characters of several nationalities, as well as pseudohuman creatures. His enthusiasm allows the audio to enhance the already-fine story. While essentially a science fiction tale, the text also contains numerous bons mots, both subtle and overt, and Dufris's comic timing delivers them perfectly. This production sticks with the listener for a surprisingly long time. R.L.L. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine