The Shadow-Line

At 57, with his son Borys on the Western Front at the start of the Great War, Conrad wrote of another young man embarking on a life-altering adventure, his first command. The youthful but nameless narrator is full of fresh na•veté, and the next three harrowing weeks test every ounce of strength, courage, and humanity the young captain has. Is this Conrad's letter to his son, encouraging him to face his trials with a manly heart? Possibly. Fred Williams's mature, gravelly voice carries all the weight of age and experience as surely as if the graying Conrad himself were, years later, telling the tale of his own first command. It is a harrowing but heartwarming story read with the wizened dignity that only an older reader can create. Let's hear more from Fred Williams. P.E.F. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

September 1, 2023

This coming-of-age high-seas adventure novella, originally published in 1916, follows an unnamed sea captain during his inaugural voyage. Recommended for the captaincy of a ship whose captain has died, a young first mate on the verge of retiring from life at sea readily accepts the position and sets sail with glad aspirations. Early into the voyage, stagnant air halts the ship in the water, and, one by one, the crew members contract a severe feverish illness. While the captain and scant sailors remain healthy, most of the crew is relegated to the hold, unable to aid with navigation. A crew member who continuously rants about the former captain's ghost manifesting the ship's woes adds to the new captain's trials. Darkness envelops the ship as it's assaulted by treacherous storms and limps toward a Singapore port. Accomplished British actor David Horovitch (House of the Dragon) enhances the production with nuanced character voices, superb pacing, and the cadence of a master storyteller. VERDICT Loosely based on Conrad's (Heart of Darkness) personal maritime experiences and told from the perspective of the now older and wizened captain, this is a winner for libraries looking to update their selection of audio classics.--Kym Goering

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