Recently I had the privilege of listening to Roland's The Bear With Two Shadows on Audible. I want to share with you my thoughts on the experience.
First I have to tell you-I never delve into plot. I hate when reviewers give away too much. So don't look for that here.
The story revolves around a bear named Hibbs, his Grandmother who is an incredibly powerful and fierce being, and two others he refers to as his friends and brothers. Other characters quickly come into play and all of them are intriguing. Memorable.
Like I said, I won't give anything away, but Roland has seamlessly woven together bits from mythology, legend, history, and various belief systems to create an incredible tale. The settings and situations are stark, ethereal, tense and haunting, and the characters are alive and vital. More than once I caught myself chuckling or laughing out loud. I was also brought to tears.
I loved that the characters weren't perfect and that they struggled with their own weaknesses and the consequences of their choices. I also loved how they grew. Not movie-miraculous. Rather, the common sense kind of growth that comes from good teaching and taking responsibility for one's actions. There's also innocence and loss, acceptance and courage and sorrow.
If you've never read the ebook version of this story, I highly recommend it. Highly. And if you like to listen to books, well, I honestly can't say enough here.
Jack deGolia does a fantastic job. He differentiates the characters with his voice and he speaks clearly and concisely. He even taught me how to pronounce several names I just stumbled over before.
This is one of those books that translates really well to spoken narration. It's rich in character, settings, action, texture and atmosphere. The plot drives itself and I loved, LOVED that I got to meet so many of my favorite characters here.
If Tolkien came to America and wrote stories from our legends, especially the Lakota ones, I imagine this is something he would have written. I can't give it any higher praise.
Be warned. There is one CON that's kind of a big deal. *wink* I couldn't mulit-task! The story had ALL my attention! I tried to do housework while I listened in the beginning. I gave up.
Like a child, I cozied up on the couch, closed my eyes and listened while Jack painted my imagination with Roland's world.
Maybe that's as it should be....
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