Book Review: Whisper In The Wind (Audio Book) Author: Rich Orth - Review by: Alan Lisanti

Book: Whisper In The Wind (Audio Book)
Author: Rich Orth
Genre: Dark Poetry

Review by:  Alan Lisanti

Whisper In The Wind is a collection of 53 of the author, Rich Orth's works. Each poem is recited by actor/producer/voiceover artist, Adam Ginsberg with Robert Frankenberg (Grave Gear Studios) providing the sound effects and ambient music to them. Adam Ginsberg does a fantastic job of reading these poems, and adds an element of drama to them, emphasizing the right lines or words, pausing for dramatic effect, and approaches them all with the mark of a true professional. This combined with the ambience and mood setting power of Robert Frankenberg providing the backdrop for the words with the added sound effects and musical interpretations add an extra element to this collection of poetry that really breathes life into them and makes them come alive. The complete package is one that engulfs the reader into the world and mind of Rich Orth and his poetic offerings, and engulfs its reader’s attention. The poems in and of themselves are entities in their own right, and there is a drawing power, or an allure to the styling’s and approach of Rich Orth. If anything, presenting these works in such a way (as an audio book), and having the added elements of Ginsberg and Frankenberg lending their respective talents only serves to enhance the power and impact of the book, as well as Rich Orth's words. When you sit down, perhaps with some headphones on, and you close your eyes and commit yourself to allowing the experience to unfold, there is more than one occasion where you can quite literally envision the words themselves and the imagery invoked by them to jump off the page. This is, after all, the objective of poetry, and also the power and potential of it to speak to our spirit and our humanity as an art form. Rich Orth can certainly paint a very vivid picture with his words, and he does all throughout this book. When this skill is developed and subsequently executed it becomes the greatest tool at a writer's disposal. It has the transcendental quality to essentially transform words on a sheet of paper to that of a living, breathing, and moving picture or painting...only the screen or the canvas becomes the power and limitless potential of the reader's own imagination. Whisper In The Wind transports the listener into the darkest corners and shadows of Rich Orth's mind, and will make you forget about the present for the time being while it's doing so. There is a captivating quality to it, and it really does become an experience of twists and turns through death, despair, isolation, and the questioning of one's own sanity. There is a shade in Orth's style that is undeniably reminiscent to Edgar Allan Poe. This is more evident in certain poems, or at certain moments than others. However, there is also a certain twist and personal injection to it that makes it very much Rich Orth's own interpretation and voice. I think there is an aspect of respect and admiration as far as Poe's influence goes, and that makes for an approach that calls to mind his work, and echoes some of its essence while still possessing the strength and ability to stand on its own and have its own unique entity to it at the same time. The opening poem, Sentinel, is powerful and instantly grabs your attention, and almost commands you to invite yourself in to Rich Orth's dark and twisted world. Other poems such as, Waiting On The Sun have a unique and intelligent approach to the rhythm and rhyme scheme. This one in particular stands out for that reason in that the rhyme pattern is atypical, and therefore grabs your attention and holds it there. Poems such as, Objectification, and Diabolic Flight are very descriptive and vivid in their imagery. If you could imagine something along the lines of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories such as, The Tell Tale Heart, or The Murders In The Rue Morgue, but in the form of a poem, you can get a pretty decent idea of Diabolic Flight. However, this is only one example of Rich Orth's ability to tell a story through his poetry without losing the poetic aspect of it or having it fall too far into actual story territory. This can often be a very fine line for some writers, but there are many examples of this all throughout Whisper In The Wind. Other titles that stood out to me include, Patchwork Doll, Plagued By Silence, Medicine Of The Mind, Death's Lullaby, and Paradise Lost. Later on, Letter To Home, also took me a bit by surprise, and was particularly powerful. It is very obvious Rich Orth is right at home in the world of the macabre. Whisper In The Wind is a gripping exploration of both darkness and the the tormented human spirit. Whisper In The Wind is available now.

You can find Rich Orth's poetry page on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Rich-Orth-POEtry-204086576424888/

If you would like to purchase a copy directly from the author, Rich Orth, contact him by emailing him here: rrockhopper@hotmail.com

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 horns