The Way

In 2048, 52-year-old Will, a Buddhist living at a dharma center in Colorado, is tasked with taking a cure to California after an illness known as Disease X wiped out a large portion of the population. With a hit man chasing him, he sets off across what is left of the western U.S. in a rusted-out pickup truck pulled by two mules; as they travel, they encounter herds of camels, tigers, and glowing crocodiles. Fueled by memories of his lost love, Will makes his way across the land, joined by a raven named Peau, a Maine Coon cat named Cassie, and a 14-year-old orphan named Sophie. Narrator Byron Wagner offers a laid-back, almost amiable performance of Groner’s (Exiles) engrossing story about nature, survival, and hope. Wagner’s narration mirrors Will’s slow but purposeful trek across a desolate and dangerous country, relaying Will’s observations of nature and his references to Buddhism in an approachable, matter-of-fact manner.