Destiny's Drum

Capt. Phil Sheridan unwittingly tests the adage that the enemy of my enemy is my friend when he arrives on the Indonesian island of Kamling and is quickly drawn into the feud between a devious slave trader and a gold miner. Phil sides with the miner, but the pair (along with the miner's daughter) have little to defend themselves with against the trader and his minions unless they enlist the natives for help. The musical score for this full-cast production does well to inspire a sense of urgency and excitement. The fighting scenes keep listeners en-gaged with the use of music, sound effects, and good emphasis and tone by the narrator. As with most pulp fiction, there are some elements (depictions of non-Europeans that are dubious at best, but the story itself is thrilling. The cast provides distinct and suitably dramatic voices for the genre. A Galaxy paperback. (June)