Midnight Son
4.5/5
Critic Rating
James Dommek, Jr., an Alaska Native writer and musician, sheds new light on a real-life mystery that pits Native American folklore against the US justice system. In the vast Alaskan Arctic, legend has it there once lived a mythic tribe—Iñukuns—that only existed in rumors and whispers. This changed forever when an actor-turned-fugitive, Teddy Kyle Smith, had an encounter that brought Iñukuns from myth to reality. Smith was an aspiring actor with a promising career until it all came quickly crashing down with a gunshot, a manhunt, bloodshed, and other frightful events. The story of Smith’s tragic downfall has long haunted James Dommek, Jr., the great-grandson of the last of the Iñupiaq story-tellers. Midnight Son is his journey in discovering who Teddy Kyle Smith was, what he did, and what he really saw. Along the way, listeners will experience the soul of the real Alaska as narrator Dommek, Jr. brings this multilayered and sprawling tale to life. Please Note: Midnight Son contains adult language and violent themes. Discretion is advised.
Critic Reviews
Score: 4.5
Neroli Price • Daily Maverick • Dec 4, 2020
"Setting the tone for the rest of the series, Midnight Son starts out with a legend passed down by the Iñupiaq ancestors of narrator, James Dommek Jr. It’s a story that immediately decentres the colonist’s point of view and brings into question the nature of what is considered factual and by whom. While the first half of the story feels like a true crime mystery, the second half becomes a courtroom drama as Smith is tried for his crimes. This story has so many ingredients that make it a must-listen, but above all, it is a gripping adventure set in an epic landscape."
