Long Odds

Felbrigg Napoleon Herriot’s narration is the secret weapon of this production. His voice carries the weight of a man who’s seen too much sun and not enough mercy, yet he maintains a crisp, almost musical cadence that keeps the story from feeling like a dusty relic. The first-person immediacy of Quatermain’s tale—told with the kind of drink-slurred bravado that suggests this story might’ve been embellished over whiskey—works brilliantly in audio. Herriot sells the moments of tension with a growl that tightens your chest and the quieter, reflective passages with a sigh that feels like a shared secret. That said, the editing can be jarring; abrupt cuts between scenes occasionally disrupt the flow, as if the producer was racing against Haggard’s own tight deadline. The production also leans heavily on Haggard’s era’s colonial attitudes, which may rub some listeners the wrong way—not just for their outdated nature, but because they’re never really interrogated here. Still, if you’re here for the thrill of the hunt, *Long Odds* delivers in spades. It’s a masterclass in how to tell a complete story in under 40 minutes, and Herriot’s performance makes it feel like you’re right there in the lion’s path.