The Silhouette

by Thomas William Shaw, Carly Strickland (Editor)

As far back as Alan Quinn can remember, his family has been on the move. It isn't until they find a house in Ashton, Kansas that Alan feels he can finally call a place home. Three weeks later, his father disappears, leaving him alone to be raised by his mother who quickly gives up on the search for her missing husband. Distraught, Young Alan Quinn takes it upon himself to take things into his own hands. On the search, he meets local friends, the LeCarre's, a new dog, Peaches, and a mysterious new ally named Darius who appears to know more than he leads on. Together, they bring Alan closer to the answers he seeks and awakens a species his father only described in the stories Alan grew up hearing: The Silhouettes.

Paperback

First published February 8, 2013

About the author

Proud Father, Loving Husband, Community Actor, and Struggling Writer.

Reviews

[Linda Ulleseit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel is full of great potential. I love the idea of dreams that touch waking life, of dream chasers and Silhouettes that are alive and can shape reality. I like the idea of a world where dreams are created for humans, a world humans have infiltrated and nearly destroyed. The teenage boy, who is discovering this world that his parents have invested so much in, is believable in his confusion. The reader is strung along not knowing which side is good or evil for most of the book, which keeps the tension high.

However, and this is a big however, this gem falls vastly short of its potential. The spelling errors are atrocious. There are sentences that are missing words or have issues with subject/verb agreement, or are just not clear. Many scenes that would really pop with a good revision are left in 'telling' mode, which gives the reader the scene as if watching a movie but does not allow them to experience it as if they are in it. It grieves me to say that this book is a good example of a great idea self-published too soon.

[Valley Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shaw's "The Silhouette" had a lot of twists that kept me wondering exactly where the action was taking me. The plot held my interest throughout. The interweaving of multiple realities, and the friction between the various life forms/civilizations was quite interesting. Sometimes the characters seemed a little less developed than I would have preferred. I wasn't certain if that was part of YA flavor or from the entire story being told from a single young perspective.
Overall, I enjoyed the story, and would definitely want to read the next installment.
My only real concern about this book wasI was the level of editing -- it should have been cleaned up quite a bit more before being released. Adults readers can generally overlook a few random, minor flaws, but young readers will be heavily influenced by what they read, absorbing stories as examples of what constitutes good writing and reading material. This alone seems all the more reason to have things right.

[A.L. Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shaw has some interesting ideas that he plays with in "The Silhouette" - a land where dreams are reality, and where strange creatures can touch the lives of men.

However, the good ideas he has are fettered by the book's technical flaws. From homophone misuse to clunky, unbelievable dialogue, The Silhouette reads like a first draft in need of proofreading. I read this book for free, as part of a Goodreads monthly reading group. I am glad I didn't spend money on it, and would not recommend it for others to purchase - at least not until the author rewrites it.

[Melanie Cusick-Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I don't normally read fantasy books, this was a nice change for me. I was sucked into the book quickly: the narrator has a strong voice and I found him interesting. The concepts (around dreams) were also intriguing and overall I enjoyed the story.

[Ivan Amberlake · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great book! I've been a fan of it ever since it appeared on www.authonomy.com.

[Yannis Karatsioris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story, apporopriate for YA fantasy fans.
Mystery, fantasy and good imagery, offered by a talented young author from the U.S.

Give it a try when it comes out.