Book Review: Silence Fallen
Silence Fallen is the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to with 2 different narrators voicing the characters and their respective chapters. I didn’t know that at the time, however, so when George Newbern started talking, I thought for a moment my device had switched to a different book. Both narrators did a marvelous job, and their different styles were a welcome variety to the telling of the story.
Alas, poor Mercy is once again caught in a crossfire of forces well beyond her control, except this time she’s taken far from the comfort of her home Tri-Cities area. Silence Fallen explores Prague and a few other areas of Europe from Mercy’s untraveled perspective, and eventually Adam’s perspective (no spoilers there, I think). The switch between first- and third-person perspectives wasn’t as jarring as I’d thought it would be, and Briggs seems to handle both with skill. Settings and characters were varied and well-drawn, introducing a host of new werewolves and vampires who stood well on their own. There were a lot of them, though, so don’t expect to get to know any of them too well. Thankfully, this book comes with a character glossary, which I didn’t discover until after I’d finished, but wished I had.
Plot and pacing were well enough. I wished it would move a bit faster in places, especially toward the beginning, but it never slowed enough to make me lose interest. As with many books, the second half picks up considerably, so hang in there. The ending was particularly gratifying, and may be my favorite of the entire series to date—and I won’t say one word beyond that. =]
The only reason this book gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because of Mercy’s habit of explaining every little thing she says and does in exhausting detail. One of the tremendous benefits of books is that they allow insight into character’s heads that film just can’t do, but there are limits. Sometimes a simple “Yes” is all I need, and, if the character is drawn well enough, I’m perfectly capable of reasoning why without being led by the nose through every contingent thought Mercy ever had on the subject. It’s a small quibble, however, and didn’t detract enough from the story to make me stop listening, though I did cringe a few times.
No sense putting a recommendation out there; if you’ve read this far, you’re going buy the book no matter what I say, so do it already and get reading. But if you’re torn between the cheaper Kindle edition or the more expensive audiobook, I can wholeheartedly recommend the audiobook.