I should come clean right up front. I've never been a fan of audio books - always preferring to turn the page, see the words, glean the meaning between the lines by scanning the lines. I've only enjoyed a few audio experiences: live readings, of course, and some of Stephen King's and Harlan Ellison's readings of their own work.

Until now.

True, old-time storytellers operated exclusively via the spoken word. But I was a loner, and the printed word felt as if it were directed at me. All "eye contact" was with me. I didn't want to share my experience of a story with anyone else. Now I'm surprised to report that audio has made something of an impression on me. 

"Sudden in a Shaft of Shadow," a new audio dramatization from Wyrd SisterS ProductionS which contains two stories by author and editor David B. Silva, has located the chink in my armor. I am well on the way to an about-face on the audio format, thanks in part to the CD's very high production values - the recording is crystal-clear, if a bit on the soft side (I had to turn up the player volume quite a bit). More importantly, the performances are crisp and "invisible." That is, listening to this recording is a lot like reading the stories yourself, without extraneous things to distract you or jolt you out of the trance. The necessary sound effects are spot-on and tastefully done, as is the incidental music.

Dave Silva edited The Horror Show, the legendary Eighties horror magazine which (along with Twilight Zone Magazine) fed many a thirst for the weird and wonderful by providing long drinks of the field's best writers. But Mr. Silva, who now co-edits Hellnotes, is an accomplished writer in his own right, and nowhere is it more obvious than in these quietly eerie stories.

In "A Time to Every Purpose," two adults relive an incident from their youth, but not in a way the narrator expects. When Jeremy Taft schedules a meeting, it seems he wishes to unburden himself of guilt - for one day the two boys had caused the death of a young schoolmate. But does he? And did they? Sometimes quiet horror works its magic best, and this story evokes a shiver without resorting to extremes.

"Beyond Lake 313" is an environmental horror story of science gone awry, perhaps due to good intentions. Indeed, where can good intentions lead us? A young intern's good intentions are tested in this effectively understated cautionary tale. 

Though Mr. Silva's stories resonate with meaning, equal credit  goes to Garrett Peck's narration. It's smooth and flowing with the natural inflections of a storyteller who knows the material well. Both stories, one in First Person and the other in Third, benefit from his cool, calm reading style. The actors who recite other characters' dialogue add further life and variety to the reading. In the end, the listening experience seemed almost as personal as my own turning of pages.

Strong material enhanced by an equally strong presentation make a tough case for audio's legitimacy, and "Sudden in a Shaft of Shadow" delivers both with verve. If future productions from Wyrd SisterS continue to blend excellent writers with superb performances, then I will have to make room on my bookshelves for more compact discs. Highly recommended.