Sail

Starred review from July 28, 2008
Patterson's epic tale of the Dunne family, who find themselves trapped in paradise, fighting for their lives, is a strong commercial novel that demands even stronger performances. Luckily, Dylan Baker and Jennifer Van Dyck are up to the challenge and put forth simply infectious performances that will set listeners' pulses racing. Playing distinct adolescent roles as well as a number of others, the two narrators display their wide ranging abilities and captivate to no end. Listeners will be enthralled from the very beginning; this duo knows exactly when to crank up the tension. A Little, Brown hardcover.

Katherine Dunne plans a sailing trip with her three kids as a way to bring them closer. But from the beginning, the trip is fraught with danger in the form of mechanical malfunctions, storms, and other seemingly random problems. Katherine and the children work together to overcome adversity on the seas. The suspenseful tone is captured well by the production's pair of narrators. Dylan Baker excels, in particular, with a snarky, whiny tone and a deeper, slightly raspy voice for the two evil plotters. Jennifer Van Dyck varies the pitches for Katherine's children. While the narrators do a fine job overall, the book's sole problem is an organizational one. Several characters are voiced at different times by each narrator. For consistency's sake, that could have been avoided. But it doesn't mar the listener's enjoyment. M.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine