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The Woods Out Back

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The Woods Out Back

Written by: R. A. Salvatore
Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
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About this listen

Gary Leger thought life after college would bring great things. Instead, he's stuck in a dead-end job and finding that the real world isn't all it's cracked up to be. But when he walks into the woods behind his house one day, Gary finds a world beyond the "real world" - a realm of elves and dwarfs and witches and dragons. There he discovers that he is the only one who can wear the armor of the land's lost hero - and wield a magical spear. And if he doesn't, he can never go home again.

©1993 R.A. Salvatore (P)2010 Tantor Classics Fantasy Fiction Magic Magic Users
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Paul Boehmer is one of my favourite narrators, and this time he does VOICES! So good. The story is interesting and more humorous than Salvatore’s other works that I love and cherish. A solid adventure.

Boehmer hits another homer!

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I enjoyed the story, some unique elements, interesting use of those elements.

It took me a long time to be able to 'forget' that is was being narrated. The narration was done very well but the voice had a quality about it that made me keep thinking about the voice rather than just getting lost in the story. I have since decided that it just takes me a book and a half to get used to a new narrator.

good story, took time to adjust to narrator

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This R.A. Salvatore tale introduces 'Gary Leger': a nondescript young man working a dead-end job and living with his parents. He is kidnapped by a Leprechaun and enlisted in a historic ongoing war between Elves & Goblins - wearing Magical Armor fitted to his size and sent on a quest to reforge a Magical Spear.
Beyond the obvious parallels with Narnia (battling an Ice-Queen/Witch antagonist with an army of cruelly-treated minions, for example), Salvatore builds on a reasonably familiar trope - an Isekai tale (conspicuously "normal" person transported into a hidden Fantasy setting and turned into a hero). Don't expect anything particularly innovative.
Fortunately, however, the author is quite good at narrative-building. The dwarven/eleven/troll characters are fairly typecast but portrayed well, the dialogue is realistic & kid-friendly, and Salvatore describes the events with mind's-eye vivid imagery.. but the book didn't blow me away.

As to presentation: Tantor Audio Inc. did very well casting Paul Boehmer to read the book. The book is best consumed at 1.15X speed for the most natural-sounding results (Boehmer reads a little bit too slowly).. but the narrator is well above-average.

Altogether, 'The Woods Out Back' rates 7.5 stars out of 10. If you can get it as a 'Plus' option, don't hesitate. Even if they ask for a Credit it's likely worth it (particularly if you're listening with kids).

ATTN PRODUCERS: PLEASE redesign the cover of the book. "LARPer in the bushes" was a bafflingly uninspired jacket photo request from the marketing/packaging people. Any AI Image Generator could do a 1000% better job

Whimsical G-rated Story

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