The First Mountain Man

Graphic Audio's full cast re-creates the many violent and charming characters in Johnstone's classic Western. Creative voices, music, and digital sound effects enhance the gunfights, horse-and-wagon travel, and Indian attacks that are part of the journey to the Shining Mountains. The cast members, especially those who portray precocious Jake and the powerful Preacher, give skillful performances, and the battles are exciting and frightening. The small band of travelers is divided by secrets, passions, and hatred, but Preacher holds them together and keeps them safe. At the end of each CD, listeners are told to "reload," and this adds a quirky authenticity to the moving experience of the Old West. S.C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine