At First, You Hear the Silence

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Many moons ago I wrote a review of a collection of stories by Mark Fuller Dillon. These stories are still excellent, and they're still out there, available as an ebook. In a Season of Dead Weather is well worth your time. The same can be said for his unusual 'alien invasion' novella All Roads Lead to Winter, Oh, and they'd both free! So, if you've got an e-reader, there's no excuse.

Mark has now produced another story, and it's just as good as those 2013 publications. At First, You Hear the Silence is, according to one reviewer:

"A new twist on what used to be called science fantasy, it strikes a great balance between horror, sf, and action writing. This is a modern, intelligent story with its roots firmly in the Golden Age pulp tradition."

 I wrote that, as Mark let me see the story before publication and asked for a recommendation. I was happy to oblige. It's an absorbing read. Here's the synopsis.

At thirteen, Philippe can see his father trapped in a world of secrets and silence, a world with no place for honesty or courage. But when the walls of that world fall apart, and something from outside breaks in, the silence becomes a warning shout... and Philippe will be tested in ways his father could never imagine. This is a dark modern fantasy, suitable for Young Adult to Adult readers.

The book costs 0.99 cents, but the first 40 per cent can be sampled for free. That's a great deal. If you want an entertaining read with a slight Twilight Zone/Fifties monster movie vibe, this is for you.