Book Review: The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
Posted on February 22, 2022 31 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Empire of the Wolf
Publisher: Orbit (February 22, 2022)
Length: 496 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
You’d think as someone who has been reviewing books for as long as I have, I should be better at this, but whenever I come across something I absolutely and wholeheartedly adored, I always seem to find myself at a loss for words. You know the kind of book I’m talking about—the ones that leave you with a hangover for days and in agony over what to say, because I feel like nothing I could ever come up with will do it justice. It’s those times that I wish I could write, “I loved this book, PERIOD” and leave it at that, but of course, another part of me just wants to gush and gush and gush. I promise I’ll try to be as coherent as possible.
The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan takes place in a world vaguely analogous to our own, influenced strongly by the time of the Holy Roman Empire which was marked by strong papal authority and the spread of the Church. The story is told through the eyes of a young woman named Helena, the nineteen-year-old clerk and perhaps one day the apprentice to the Emperor’s Justice Sir Konrad Vonvalt. On his travels across the vast expanse of the empire, it is Vonvalt’s duty to ensure that its laws are being observed and followed. Safeguarding the peace and doling out justice wherever he goes, his authority is only second to the Emperor’s.
And wherever Vonvalt goes, Helena is also by his side to assist him, as it has been so since he rescued her from an orphanage when she was child. Traveling with the Justice is also his steadfast friend and protector, the veteran soldier Dubine Bressinger. As the three of them arrive at a town under investigation for suspected heathen practices, Vonvalt shows his dedication to upholding the law but also his compassion for the villagers who simply want to worship their old gods. This act of mercy, however, may have just doomed them all. It soon becomes clear there is more to the situation beneath the surface. The brazen murder of a Baron’s wife may be involved, which sets Vonvalt, Helena, and Bressinger on the trail of an unknown killer. Still, a simple investigation isn’t going to cut it this time, as the layers of the case peel back to reveal a darker conspiracy rotting at the heart of the Empire.
The entire story is told in retrospect by a much older Helena, recalling the adventures of her youth. It may be a common fantasy trope but it’s one of my favorites, and I loved the juxtaposition between the character’s wiser, more seasoned narration describing the naïve, fresh-faced, and impulsive girl she used to be. And young Helena is most certainly someone still struggling to find herself. Having been in Sir Konrad Vonvalt’s service since she was a child, she’s forever grateful to him for giving her a future even though she harbors doubts about whether she actually enjoys the work. Still, she respects Vonvalt too much to voice her concerns, even as the constant pressure to seek his approval frequently makes her grumpy and resentful, leading her to rebel in little ways, much like how a teenager would test the limits of her father.
Which brings me to the best part of the book: the expertly written mentor/apprentice relationship. Speaking of tropes I love, this is another one of my favorites. In many ways, Vonvalt and Helena in The Justice of Kings reminded me very much of Merela and Girton in The Wounded Kingdom trilogy by RJ Barker (which, incidentally, is another amazing fantasy series you should not miss). Both are narrated by protagonists looking back on their apprenticeships to mentors who were more parent than teacher. From the tone of older Helena, it was clear she had much fondness for Vonvalt and vice versa, though neither were quite equipped to show it. There were just so many nuances in their dynamic, so much the reader could read into the subtle complexities of their bond, that I was simply consumed with the masterful way in which all of this was conveyed.
The characters themselves were deep and superbly written. The more time I spent with them, the more I felt involved in their lives and cared about what happened to them. My heart was in my throat whenever they found themselves in danger, or if one of them had a brush with death. I even found my eyes tearing up for minor characters when tragedy befell them. My favorites were of course Helena, Vonvalt, and Bressinger, but I pretty much felt involved with all of the supporting cast and even the villains.
Finally, I can’t end this review without mentioning the story or the world-building, so well entwined that both were equally important in bringing the setting to life for me. The Justice of Kings starts off as a murder mystery, but quickly develops into something much greater and far more satisfying. For a Justice has more in their toolkit than just the authority granted to him or her by the Emperor; skilled ones like Vonvalt can also work a form of magic, enabling them to imbue their voice with the power to compel, or even use necromancy to talk to the dead. A vast conspiracy also drives the plot, as a power struggle in the capital threatens to undermine the power of the Justices. To an honorable man like Vonvalt, who is firm in his belief in the law and that no one is above it, it is a harsh truth to accept, and it’s fascinating to watch how the effects of this conflict gradually weigh him down.
Funny how I started this review feeling at a loss for words, and now I have to force myself to stop before I rave on for another ten paragraphs! While I’m aware it’s only February, I have a feeling this will be my favorite book of the year as it’s going to be damn difficult to unseat. Fantasy, mystery, drama, intrigue, action—The Justice of Kings has it all. Needless to say, I loved this book to bits, and I am wholeheartedly recommending it to everyone! It certainly ended far too soon, and I cannot wait for the next installment.
Bookshelf Roundup: 02/19/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on February 19, 2022 23 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
Just a small haul and a quick update today, but a couple of very exciting new arrivals. A big thank you to Tor Books for an ARC of Book of Night by Holly Black. This is one of my most anticipated releases this spring, but I probably won’t wait until then to read it!
And from Orbit Books I also received an ARC of The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish. I’ve enjoyed several of his books in the past, so I’m looking forward to starting this opener to a new fantasy series about an exiled prince who steps into the role of an assassin. I’m definitely intrigued.
One audiobook in the digital haul this week, but it’s also a good one. Crowbones by Anne Bishop is the latest novel set in the author’s world of The Others. Feels like I’ve been waiting on this forever! My thanks to Penguin Audio.
Reviews
The Great Witch of Brittany by Louisa Morgan (4 of 5 stars)
The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart (3 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Been Reading
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
Book Review: The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart
Posted on February 17, 2022 14 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 22, 2022)
Length: 336 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Welcome to the Paradox Hotel. A playground for the super rich, its offers its exclusive clientele the chance to travel back in time to any era they want. But meddling with the time stream also has its consequences. To prevent any of their time tourists from mucking about with the past too much, the hotel also employs time agents like our protagonist January Cole, whose job is to track and fix any time ripples before their effects can get out of hand.
Unfortunately, too much time travel can also have some deadly side effects. One of the nastier symptoms is mental degradation, a state known a being Unstuck. When this happens, the time traveler will experience lapses where past and future moments collide with the present, making it difficult to tell what is real. Due to her many years of working security for the Paradox, January has become Unstuck, her condition having progressed into the later, more severe stages, though she is reluctant to admit it, insisting on staying on the job.
So, when January finds a dead body in one of the hotel rooms, she doesn’t know what to think. Is this real, or is it something only she can see? With a blizzard rolling in, the Paradox is also on lockdown, trapping a group of trillionaires within its walls, along with the ghosts purported to haunt its halls. It all just seems too coincidental, and January has a suspicion that all this has been planned. Hiding among them is a killer who knows how to manipulate time in their favor, and the hotel is rife with wealthy victims, any of whom might be next.
As someone who has read and enjoyed Rob Hart’s The Warehouse, I was excited to jump into The Paradox Hotel, whose premise boasts of a locked room mystery with time travel. But as it turns out, the mystery aspect doesn’t feature too prominently. For one thing, there is a lot of preamble; by the time we got to the part with the dead body, I confess I’d almost forgotten that this was supposed to be a murder mystery. In addition, we also had a multitude of factors that made the plot confusing to follow, but I’ll talk more about that in a bit.
The good news though, is that there’s time traveling aplenty. I was impressed with a lot of the ideas here, and there are some fascinating world-building elements related to time travel. That said, if you’re not into sci-fi or don’t read the genre regularly, the story might be a bit hard to follow, with time travel being a challenging subject to write about in the first place, and the author could also have done a better job articulating some of the more intricate concepts. If you zone out for even a second, you might miss some important detail, so this is a book that truly requires the reader’s full attention.
Another factor that could complicate things is the main character herself. Because of her condition, January could be considered an unreliable narrator, leading you to constantly question where or when she might be, and whether or not she is experiencing something real versus reliving one her memories or having one of her “slips” through time. She isn’t the easiest protagonist to get behind either. Often, I found her too standoffish, judgmental, and overly sarcastic. Character development in general was sparse, and had the unfortunate effect of making a caricature out of most situations, the people of this world reduced to stereotypes, and January herself felt like a generic smartass, I’ve-got-a-tragic-backstory-to-excuse-my-too-edgy-to-follow-your-stupid-rules kind of heroine, unloading her unpleasantness onto everyone from hotel clientele to close friends.
Still, The Paradox Hotel wasn’t a bad book, as ultimately I enjoyed myself. Of course, I wish the story had featured a stronger mystery element or that the plotline hadn’t been so convoluted, but the second half of the book contained a ton of action and entertainment which made it a quick and fun read (despite the dinosaur parts coming across as just a tad self-indulgent). For me, this one felt more like a standard fluff read, but I was glad it kept me turning the pages.
Waiting on Wednesday 02/16/22
Posted on February 16, 2022 5 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse (November 15, 2022 by Gallery/Saga Press)
If Rebecca Roanhorse writes it, I’ll read it, simple as that!
“Celeste, a card sharp with a need for justice, takes on the role of advocatus diaboli, to defend her sister Mariel, accused of murdering a Virtue, a member of the ruling class of this mining town, in a new world of dark fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of Black Sun, Rebecca Roanhorse.
The year is 1883 and the mining town of Goetia is booming as prospectors from near and far come to mine the powerful new element Divinity from the high mountains of Colorado. where a rare ore known as divinity, is mined with the help of the pariahs of society known as the Fallen, the descendants of demonkind, living amongst the Virtues, the winners in an ancient war, with the descendants of both sides choosing to live alongside Abaddon’s mountain in this tale of the mythological West from the bestselling mastermind Rebecca Roanhorse.”
Book Review: The Great Witch of Brittany by Louisa Morgan
Posted on February 14, 2022 18 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Great Witch of Brittany by Louisa Morgan
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Redhook (February 15, 2022)
Length: 448 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
If you’ve read Louisa Morgan’s A Secret History of Witches, the name Orchiére will sound familiar. There, we first got to meet Ursule, the latest in a long line of women with magic flowing in their veins. Now in The Great Witch of Brittany, readers will get to know the story of her namesake, her legendary great-grandmother.
Born in Brittany, France in the mid-1700s, the original Ursule was the daughter of a fortune-teller, though at this time, the Orchiéres had not produced a witch in generations, leading everyone to believe that magic in the clan was dead. Traveling with their Romani caravan, Ursule would watch as her mother conned gullible customers using false spells and carefully chosen words, but little did anyone know, the spark of magic lives on in our young protagonist, and The Great Witch of Brittany is the multi-part saga that tells of how she grew into her powers.
Still, after Ursule first discovers she has magic, she is forced to hide them, lest they draw the attention of witch hunters who would see her burned at the stake. But for all their caution, Ursule and her mother end up running for their lives anyway, eventually finding safe haven on a goat farm where they work as laborers. As Ursule grows up, she begins dreaming of passing on her gift, and following a brief romance with a blind musician, she gives birth to a daughter, Léonie, who unfortunately has no interest in learning the Romani ways. Luckily, Léonie ends up having six daughters, the youngest of whom is Nanette, mother of the Ursule in A Secret History of Witches.
Thus, it would be accurate to call this novel a prequel of sorts, but the good news is, it also works perfectly fine as a standalone. That said, I also felt that it was very rewarding being able to experience the connection between the two books and seeing how they linked together. As such, even though A Secret History of Witches isn’t a requirement, I would still highly recommend checking it out, either before or after The Great Witch of Brittany, just to have the full picture.
The two books also have many similarities, thematically and in their structure. Both are multi-generational stories, though in The Great Witch of Brittany, we are seeing everything through the eyes of Ursule, in stark contrast to the changing perspectives between the different women in A Secret History of Witches. As a result, I felt the flow here was much improved and a lot less repetitive. Getting the full story from a single perspective also led to more stability and coherence, which could be why I also found this novel so much easier to get into.
Above everything else, the book shines as character study, exploring Ursule as a woman, a daughter, a mother, and a legend. Despite being known as one of the greatest witches to have ever lived, this is the true story of Ursule which shows that she was not always wise, nor was she always responsible with her powers. As a young woman, she was more often than not driven by selfish desires, though in many cases, you could also hardly fault her for wanting so desperately to protect her loved ones. On her journey to self-discovery, she weathers through many mistakes and suffers terrible losses, but somehow always manages to overcome these challenges, emerging stronger and more confident of herself on the other side.
All in all, The Great Witch of Brittany was a simple story, yet extraordinary in its depth and richness, exactly the kind of book I love. Louisa Morgan continues to impress, and hopefully she’ll keep writing more of these “witchy” novels because I really enjoy them!
Bookshelf Roundup: 02/12/22: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on February 12, 2022 21 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
First, up, with thanks to the team at Del Rey for a review copy of The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart! I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while, and I think it’ll be my next read. Thank you also to the kind folks at Subterranean Press for an ARC of Scanned Clean: Rereading Michael Marshall Smith in the Digital Age by Dr. David Sweeney, a revisiting of the perceptions and representations of emerging technology in the nineties, in the context of today’s internet age.
Also thanks to Tor Nightfire for an ARC of Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel. The synopsis of this one sounds really unsettling, definitely the kind of horror I go for. From Tor I also received a review copy of Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson, a Stormlight Archive novella set between Oathbringer and Rhythm of War. While we wait for the next novel, I’ll take anything in this series! And thanks to Tor.com for an ARC of A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow, the follow up to A Spindle Splintered. I can’t wait to continue Zinnia Gray’s story in this second installment of the Fractured Fables series reimagining some classic fairy tales.
A big thanks to Harper Audio for the new audiobooks in my digital haul this week, which includes Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik, The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley, and Gallant by V.E. Schwab!
Reviews
Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (4 of 5 stars)
Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Appeal by Janice Hallett (3.5 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Been Reading
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
Thriller Thursday Audio: The Appeal by Janice Hallett
Posted on February 10, 2022 22 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (January 25, 2022)
Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrators: Daniel Philpott, Aysha Kala, Rachel Adedeji, Sid Sagar
The Appeal by Janice Hallett was an unusual mystery, but then the book was also written in an unusual way. Had I known just how unusual, I would have chosen to read the print version over listening to the audiobook, because I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more.
In the close-knit community of Lockwood, a group of residents have gotten together to form the Fairway Players, a local theater troupe. They are mostly made up of amateur actors, led by Martin Hayward, who is the director, and his wife Helen, the lead actress. When their two-year-old granddaughter Poppy is suddenly diagnosed with brain cancer, the couple turn to members of the Players as well as the community for donations to help pay for an expensive experimental treatment.
But while most were happy to pitch in, a few have expressed doubts about the Haywards’ appeal for help. Sam, an actress new to the Players, is suspicious of the family’s unwillingness to divulge any details about Poppy’s new drug treatment. There are also questions about where exactly the funds would be spent. As the questions grow and tensions escalate, the situation reaches its boiling point on the night of the dress rehearsal for the Fairway Players’ new production of All My Sons by Arthur Miller. The next day, someone is found murdered, and though a suspect is arrested, there are hints that the real culprit may still be unidentified and on the loose.
The Appeal is written in the epistolary style, presented to readers as a series of text messages, emails, letters, and newspaper articles, etc. The novel’s introduction reveals the context: following the Lockwood murder and arrest, a team of two law students have been tasked by their senior barrister to investigate. In trying to piece together what happened, they have gathered all the written material relevant to the case and arranged everything into chronological order. Somewhere in this collection of documents is the clue to find the true killer.
While generally I love a good epistolary novel, especially a mystery, there were several issues with this one that made it more difficult to follow. One was the sheer number of people involved. In all, there must have been more than a dozen key players to keep track of, and unfortunately when your entire narrative is told through a pile of documents, unique character traits and personalities don’t tend to come through as well. There were only a handful of characters I found memorable, while all the rest became a jumble in the back of my brain. Introducing everyone also took up a lot of time, and as a result much of the first half was slower and given to preamble.
With the plot growing ever more complex, things also got more confusing, which wasn’t helped by the audio format. I’m admittedly better at retaining information when it’s presented visually, and I don’t doubt all the characters would have been easier to remember if I had read the print version, which might be something to consider if you’re interested in The Appeal and are contemplating which format to pick up. The audiobook definitely has some disadvantages in this case.
Still, all in all, I am very impressed with the author’s ambitious undertaking. The Appeal had the vibes of a classis whodunnit, but the way it was written felt truly fresh and unique. Despite some of the confusion it caused, I loved the epistolary format, and it was fascinating to see an entire murder mystery play out in a series of documents like that! If you’re a mystery fan looking for something clever and different, and are not afraid of authors who break the mold, I would recommend checking out The Appeal.
Waiting on Wednesday 02/09/22
Posted on February 9, 2022 7 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
The Final Equinox by Andrew Mayne (September 13, 2022 by Thomas & Mercer)
Yay, more Jessica Blackwood and Theo Cray! This fall will see the release of book two and the conclusion of their crossover duology.
“Dr. Theo Cray and FBI agent Jessica Blackwood follow a deadly celestial trail in a thrilling novel by the Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Mastermind.
A signal is detected at the outer edge of the solar system. Computational biologist Dr. Theo Cray and magician-turned-FBI-agent Jessica Blackwood are looking—and listening—a little closer.
The man at the center of this cosmic mystery is billionaire Thomas T. Theismann. He’s spent a lifetime—and a fortune—trying to find out if we’re alone in the universe. Highly skeptical, Theo joins the effort to find the source of the signal, and he quickly enlists Jessica to look into the suspicious death of another academic at the lab. As their investigations converge, they uncover curious connections to the otherworldly contact, including a 1970s science-fiction writer and the body of an astronaut found buried in an ancient tomb.
As they delve into Theismann’s history, Theo and Jessica’s fascination with the signal intensifies. How dangerous will the investigation get? That depends on how deep into the unknown Theo and Jessica are prepared to venture.”
Book Review: Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
Posted on February 8, 2022 14 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Nightfire (February 8, 2022)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve been reading a lot of “haunted” books lately, but Echo was pretty special because it’s not every day one comes across a story about a haunted mountain.
It begins with an accident. Mountaineer Nick Grevers and his climbing partner Augustin had traveled to a remote Swiss Alps peak called the Maudit in an effort to scale it. Tragedy strikes, however, with Augustin falling to his death, while Nick survives, albeit with his half his face obliterated by rockfall. Or at least, that was the official story, though Nick’s boyfriend Sam Avery isn’t so sure. The doctors and nurses at the Swiss hospital where they are treating Nick are strangely evasive when asked questions about his injuries, or where he and Augustin were climbing. Nick himself has little recollection of the incident, doped up on morphine with his face wrapped up in bandages.
As Sam wrestles with the shock of almost losing Nick and what their lives will look like going forward, he leaves Switzerland to return to his home of New York in order to decompress. Meanwhile, 32 patients die under brutal and mysterious circumstances at the hospital where Nick is staying, and then come the suicides of the staff who were treating him. It appears when Nick attempted to climb Maudit, an ancient evil from the mountain may have come back with him.
One of the weirdest, creepiest horror novels I’ve read is Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, and I’ve been eager to read more of his work ever since. Echo definitely helped scratch that itch. The book begins with a spine-tingling opener, the perfect teaser as to what’s to come. But before we get into the meat of the story, there’s the setup, because even though this is a horror novel, it is also very much an exploration of relationships, often through the idealistic and naïve lens of youth.
In the middle of it is Nick and Sam, a happy and loving couple before the accident, despite the former’s enthusiasm for mountain climbing and the latter’s disapproval for the dangerous hobby. When Sam’s deepest fears are realized, he wonders if he can ever look upon Nick’s once beautiful but now mutilated face again without revulsion, and whether or not that would change their relationship. Those thoughts are next followed by no small amount of shame and guilt as he realizes how shallow he’s being. Nick, on the other hand, is more optimistic, though granted, readers are always reminded that his mind may be his own, influenced by a multitude of factors including painkillers, PTSD, and of course whatever malicious entity that might be growing inside of him.
Back and forth, we get alternating viewpoints between the two young men as Nick gradually reveals what happened to him on fateful climb at Maudit, while Sam realizes his true feelings for his boyfriend and sets off to do everything in his power to save him. There is also a good chunk of the story devoted to the relationship between Sam and his sister, and the shared trauma they both experienced as children that still haunts them and shapes their lives to this day.
The horror in this book itself is not the in-your-face variety, but more like slow creeping dread, which is what I love about the author’s books. You won’t find too much gore in here; instead, you get lots of disturbing scenarios, suspenseful moments and unsettling imagery.
My only criticism is that the plot probably could have been more streamlined, as there were parts in the middle that meandered and felt bloated with sections that didn’t feel as relevant or particularly useful to the overall story. This dragged the pacing down somewhat, significantly enough that it was a bit of struggle to push myself through these slower parts, but fortunately things pick up again in the second half and we get to finish on a strong note.
Echo would be a good book for you if you enjoy slow-burn horror, especially if you prefer a bit of vagueness to your scary stories, the kind that sparks the dark corners of your imagination. I would also recommend it highly for readers who like character driven stories enriched with deep, complex relationships.
Book Review: Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
Posted on February 7, 2022 18 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Nightfire (February 8, 2022)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
First let me just say I enjoyed Dead Silence, though perhaps not as much as the majority, so I also want to preface this review with a confession: I am extremely picky when it comes to sci-fi horror. And when your synopsis touts something as irresistible as “Titanic meets The Shining” then heck yeah, my expectations are going to be somewhere in the stratosphere. That the book fell short of them has more to do with me and my feelings on the different direction the story took in the second half, which I felt stole something away from the creeping horror. In other places, I also found myself distracted by the erratic, choppy pacing.
As the novel opens, a crew of a workers are finishing up a maintenance project in deep space when they suddenly pick up a distress signal from a luxury liner called the Aurora. Normally this wouldn’t be too unusual, except the Aurora went missing twenty years ago, lost to the mysteries of space…until now.
As the head of the team, protagonist Claire Kovalik decides to investigate, leading her crew of Voller, Kane, Lourdes, and Nysus onto the ghost ship. What they find is shocking. After more than two decades of drifting in space, the Aurora’s life support systems are all offline, and its interior is littered with hundreds of bodies. With increasing unease, Claire and her crewmates also discover that most of the cruise liner’s passengers appear to have died under mysterious circumstances. Something terrible had happened here, something strange and unimaginable. As the darkness and paranoia begin to close in around them, Claire must fight to find a way out.
As I had mentioned though, there was a clear shift after the first half of the novel. I have to say up until that point, Dead Silence was pretty much exactly what I’d expected and wanted, as Claire and her crew explored the haunted ship filled with the dead. The vibe I was getting reminded me very much of Event Horizon—creepy, atmospheric, and tense as all hell. Indeed, the first half unfolded beautifully into this awe-inspiring cinematic experience that made me feel like I was watching a movie.
With the second half though, that all changed. A lot of this had to do with the way the story was structured, split into two separate timelines, the past and the present. While the shift was somewhat jarring to begin with, there were other issues that fanned my cynicism towards it. For one thing, we lost much of the momentum as the pace ground to a halt during this transition, and recovery was impossible as things never felt quite the same again. I started to lose interest as more of the intrigue was removed, and the plot began to feel a tad too crowded with the addition of corporate politics, pandemic themes, conspiracies, and even a touch of romance (which kind of felt shoehorned in). Don’t get me wrong, the action and thrills towards the end were fun, but they were definitely feeling a lot less impactful at this point.
To wrap this review up on a high note though, I really enjoyed Claire’s character development and journey. As backstories go, hers is certainly one of the more tragic. When Claire was a child, she became the sole survivor of a viral outbreak that killed everyone else in her colony including her mother. The trauma of that event has stayed with her since, affecting her mind thus making her a somewhat unreliable narrator at times. We’re led to question her memories and what she sees, and to sympathize with her struggles against her own self-doubt.
If you enjoy sci-fi horror, then chances are you’ll love Dead Silence. There were certain elements of the story that I wish had been different or handled another way, but overall I had a good time with the book.
The BiblioSanctum 