The Silenced is a fast-paced thriller that will have you gripped and keep you reading throughout the night. Terrifying and electrifying in equal measure, Stephen Lloyd Jones's new novel is perfect for fans of Stephen King, Sarah Lotz and Lauren Beukes. _______________________________________________________ 'Original, richly imagined and powerfully told' Guardian on The String Diaries 'Outstanding stuff . . . the pace grabs hold right from the very start and doesn't let go . . . A lean, taut thriller' James Brogden on The Silenced 'So gripping you'll want to read late into the night; so terrifying you shouldn't' Simon Mayo on The String Diaries _______________________________________________________ Mallory Grace just killed a man. To survive the next hour, she'll have to kill again. To survive the night, she'll need a miracle. Obadiah Macintosh doesn't seem like a miracle. He is a recluse who works alone at an animal sanctuary, and he has a secret. When the dogs in his care alert him to intruders hidden by the darkness, he knows they are coming for him. Mallory and Obadiah were strangers, brought together for one purpose. To give new light to a terrifying world. But now they are on the run, and evil intends to find them. THE SILENCED is fast-paced, dark and electrifying - the war between good and evil is brewing . . .
Silenced by Stephen Lloyd Jones of this with Mallory in London was as dark as it was powerful. Almost immediately it is clear this is not a story for the faint hearted. Switching then to Obe’s story in West Cornwall, the book takes on a different feel though no less interesting. There is obviously a connection between these diverse threads but what is it?
Having read and loved The String Diaries by this author I had some idea what to expect I guess. He manages to interweave myth and legend with a normal world very well. In this story you will learn some Turkish words! I ended up googling some of them with varying degrees of success. The ordinary drama (though it is not ordinary) plays out with undertones of the mystic/mysterious.
The main characters came over strongly in this book for the most part. That said I found it hard to really like any of them. Both Mallory and her sister were extremely strong characters but even Mallory wasn’t that likeable. Obe was lovely but I still found him quite hard to really be involved with.
For the most part the writing here is extremely good. It makes for a tense and well paced read that I simply could not put down. The Turkish aspect didn’t work as well as the equivalent in The String Diaries for me. There were times when The Silenced felt very managed and contrived I guess though I would never have stopped reading it. As a warning it can be powerfully visceral at times. My review of the previous book from this author is here.
And that is not what I call an “epilogue” however I do hope that the author writes more books!