Ranger Games

What would incite an Army Ranger with a spotless record and boundless potential to rob a bank and throw his career away? That's the question Ben Blum sets out to answer in this outstanding piece of personal journalism about his cousin Alex, who committed this inexplicable crime. Narrator Johnathan McClain's pacing is ideal. He carries the narrative briskly along, using more intensity when needed but without slipping into melodrama. He provides subtle vocal shifts for the various characters, including a passable Canadian accent for Blum's partner in crime, a British Columbiaborn Ranger who incited the robbery. Ultimately, Blum is unable to provide definitive answers, but he asks challenging questions about the way elite soldiers are trained. D.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine