E-book and audiobook fiction reviews: The Revenant, Room and more
Michael Punke's reworking of a classic survival tale that inspired epic Leonardo DiCaprio film is read just right by Jeff Harding, while Emma Donoghue's very different survival tale sounds theatrical in a four-handed narration
by Michael Punke (read by Jeff Harding)
Harper Collins (audiobook)
There are a lot of “revenants” around. Originating in France as “people returned from the dead”, they star in a nicely chilling TV series and as chic zombies in an enjoyable series of Young Adult novels by Amy Plum. This “revenant” is also a return – of Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest bout of overflowing facial hair in pursuit of an Oscar: a film of the book has just been released. Actually Michael Punke tells the real-life blockbuster story of American frontiersman Hugh Glass. A sort of Jack London character made flesh, he has been left for dead in the middle of a wild nowhere (actually near the Missouri River), surrounded by terrifying people (vicious fur traders, nervous Native Americans) and attacked by an even more terrifying bear. The action hits hard and fast, but the narrative takes its time in explaining why and how he got there, and tracing his revenge on those that did the dirty deed.
Top audiobook narrator Jeff Harding sounds just right. His voice is hard with just enough rough edges to suggest he might have hunkered by a camp fire and battled himself. He knows when to slow the pace – to describe landscape or state of mind – and inject urgency in the action sequences. I can’t imagine how Leo could be better.
