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Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell
(The Cosmere)
by
Originally appearing in the Dangerous Women anthology and now available as a solo ebook, Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell is a chilling novella of the Cosmere, the universe shared by Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series and the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive.
When the familiar and seemingly safe turns lethal, therein danger lies. Amid a forest whe ...more
When the familiar and seemingly safe turns lethal, therein danger lies. Amid a forest whe ...more
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Brandon Sanderson hit a home run with this one! Madam Silence is the widowed owner of a waystop, on the edge of the vast Forests where shades, destructive ghosts of those who have died, lie in wait for the unwary. Silence runs the inn and tavern with the help of her fourteen year old daughter, William Ann. Silence is also secretly a bounty hunter who hunts down criminals who visit her waystop, for the bounties on their heads, needing the money to keep her inn and her independence.
One day Silenc ...more
One day Silenc ...more
4.5/5
"They say he shook hands with the Evil itself, that he visited the Fallen World and came back with strange powers. He can kindle fire on even the deepest of nights, and no shade will dare come for his soul. Yes, the white fox. Meanest bastard in these parts for sure. Pray he doesn't set eyes on you, friend. If he does, you're dead"
I really feel this book doesn't get enough love. This is definitely one of my favourite Sanderson Novellas, I honestly loved everything about it, the plot was ver ...more
"They say he shook hands with the Evil itself, that he visited the Fallen World and came back with strange powers. He can kindle fire on even the deepest of nights, and no shade will dare come for his soul. Yes, the white fox. Meanest bastard in these parts for sure. Pray he doesn't set eyes on you, friend. If he does, you're dead"
I really feel this book doesn't get enough love. This is definitely one of my favourite Sanderson Novellas, I honestly loved everything about it, the plot was ver ...more
3.5/5 Stars
Mini Review (I read this in Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection)
That was unexpectedly creepy… This novella follows Silence Montane, a greatly written middle-aged mother who tries her best as a bounty hunter to protect her family. It’s really different from Sanderson’s usual stories where this time, taking place in the world of Threnody, the undertone of the novella is darker and similar to a horror movie.
Khriss’s diary in the beginning tells us more of the world and the scary c ...more
Mini Review (I read this in Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection)
That was unexpectedly creepy… This novella follows Silence Montane, a greatly written middle-aged mother who tries her best as a bounty hunter to protect her family. It’s really different from Sanderson’s usual stories where this time, taking place in the world of Threnody, the undertone of the novella is darker and similar to a horror movie.
Khriss’s diary in the beginning tells us more of the world and the scary c ...more
Below average...more
I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat: Sanderson’s weakest attribute is his inability to write robust and authentic female characters and when he, in the foreword, mentioned that this story was part of an anthology about strong women, I was both eager and apprehensive.
And wouldn’t you know it, our heroine, Silence, a bounty hunter, seemed like a variant of most of the female characters in his other books. That is, a facsimile. The premise itself was interesting; a small town located
*** 4.75 ***
Wow! This was very unexpected!!! This story is “Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell” and it takes place on the shard world of Threnody, where vast Forests contain shades and monsters, inciting the natives of the world to liken them to Hell... In this place you have to be tough, and if you chose to live close to the Forests you had to be even tougher. Madam Silence is one of the toughest, being a proprietress of an Inn on the border with the land of the Shades. She is a widow ...more
Wow! This was very unexpected!!! This story is “Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell” and it takes place on the shard world of Threnody, where vast Forests contain shades and monsters, inciting the natives of the world to liken them to Hell... In this place you have to be tough, and if you chose to live close to the Forests you had to be even tougher. Madam Silence is one of the toughest, being a proprietress of an Inn on the border with the land of the Shades. She is a widow ...more
Mar 07, 2015
TS Chan
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
brandon-sanderson,
dr-reading-challenge
Update: Dec 2016
After reading Khriss' essay on The Threnodite System in the amazing Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection, I finally know what the shades are and I'm mind-blown by this concept.
This is what I call genius at work. .
--------------------------------
Mar 2015: Sanderson's claim that his weakness lies in short stories is surely debunked by now. In just 89 pages, he managed to build good characters, another intriguing (Cosmere) world and an engaging and satisfying plot.
While th ...more
After reading Khriss' essay on The Threnodite System in the amazing Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection, I finally know what the shades are and I'm mind-blown by this concept.
This is what I call genius at work. .
--------------------------------
Mar 2015: Sanderson's claim that his weakness lies in short stories is surely debunked by now. In just 89 pages, he managed to build good characters, another intriguing (Cosmere) world and an engaging and satisfying plot.
While th ...more
As Novella’s go this is not one of my favorites from the Brandon Sanderson universe. It is a really short time to build a story and sometimes it just isn’t enough. I can tell that there is a much bigger world going on and I want to know more about it…but in less than 90 pages it is almost impossible.
What he was able to do is tell the story of Silence. I woman raised to be hard and an assassin but who has decided that she will not raise her own children in that way. However when you are an assass ...more
What he was able to do is tell the story of Silence. I woman raised to be hard and an assassin but who has decided that she will not raise her own children in that way. However when you are an assass ...more
Mar 03, 2016
Karl
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2016-03-books-bought,
subterranean-own
In the novella "Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell" Brandon Sanderson gives us an inventive fantasy adventure featuring an older woman as the point of view character. The pace of the story fluctuates between historical reminiscences and outright action.
Within the boundaries of the "Forests of Hell" we have the spirits of the dead (here called shades) floating aimlessly, nightly, in order to kill the living invaders of their realm. All it takes to arouse the dead's savagery is a drop of b ...more
Within the boundaries of the "Forests of Hell" we have the spirits of the dead (here called shades) floating aimlessly, nightly, in order to kill the living invaders of their realm. All it takes to arouse the dead's savagery is a drop of b ...more
3.5 STARS
Read this as part of the Dangerous Women anthology. My review for it and another novella here .
Always love reading about strong female leads. Silence was that in every sense of the word. My only regret as with all these novellas is that I wish it was longer.
Another great read by Brandon Sanderson.
I tried reading the "Dangerous Women" anthology that this novella first appeared in. I got to the Snodgrass story and just couldn't get past it. I mean, I enjoy sex as much as the next man, but holy shit lady, you made it WEIRD. If I wanted stories about a dude fucking a catgirl, I'd go watch some Japanese porn, thank you very much. Way too much weird sex, not enough anything else in that one IMO. Anyway, I returned the book in disgust without ever gettin ...more
I tried reading the "Dangerous Women" anthology that this novella first appeared in. I got to the Snodgrass story and just couldn't get past it. I mean, I enjoy sex as much as the next man, but holy shit lady, you made it WEIRD. If I wanted stories about a dude fucking a catgirl, I'd go watch some Japanese porn, thank you very much. Way too much weird sex, not enough anything else in that one IMO. Anyway, I returned the book in disgust without ever gettin ...more
Read as part of Arcanum Unbounded.
My least favorite work of Sanderson to date. I liked that he tried to go for a frontier setting on the book which also felt like a tale such as Sleepy Hollow but the characters and story were flat for me.
My least favorite work of Sanderson to date. I liked that he tried to go for a frontier setting on the book which also felt like a tale such as Sleepy Hollow but the characters and story were flat for me.
Feb 08, 2017
Jarek "the Mistborn" Dąbrowski
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
brandon-sanderson-read,
read-in-2017
As with most of the short stories in The Arcanum Unbound collection I wish there was more. Sanderson has such an imagination for creating entire worlds,its rules,inhabitants religions etc its amazing. I really hope that someday he will decide to at least make a full lenght stand alone in this world. Awesome stuff:)
What a unique and awesome story! I'm very glad I read this one, as I was skeptical if I was going to enjoy it or not. It's very different from Brandon's usually colorful worlds, as it's more dark and "Evil".
I'm super glad that we are expected to see more from Threnody!
I'm super glad that we are expected to see more from Threnody!
4.5 stars. Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell is a piece of brilliantly written short story by Brandon Sanderson, we follow Silence, an innkeeper who runs her inn at the edge of the dangerous Forests of Hell, to undergo a serial of tricky, risky businesses in order to keep her inn and keep her 14 years old daughter and 8 years old foster child to stay out of slavery.
I can't reveal more plot because I may spoil the plot twists. But this short story is imaginative with a gloomy setting of ...more
I can't reveal more plot because I may spoil the plot twists. But this short story is imaginative with a gloomy setting of ...more
Scary
Very good short story. Creepy shades hunting people in the forest. As usual well written and engaging. Well worth reading.
Very good short story. Creepy shades hunting people in the forest. As usual well written and engaging. Well worth reading.
Absolutely gorgeous! Dark, inventive, incredibly immersive and all in 50 pages or so. Sanderson is a real master of the short form...
(and this is in addition to all addictive door-stoppers he is producing at an incredible rate! - fascinating!)
(and this is in addition to all addictive door-stoppers he is producing at an incredible rate! - fascinating!)
Read this in Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection.
Dang! This was an intense short story! I was on the edge of my seat most of the way through this bad boy! What a good short story. A little...darker? than I'm used to with Sanderson, but not so dark you want to send people away. The shades are creepy. Just downright spooky, something you would see from Stephen King and not B. Sanderson. And Silence Montane? Flipping awesome! I think that Sanderson just knows how to create very cool women cha ...more
Dang! This was an intense short story! I was on the edge of my seat most of the way through this bad boy! What a good short story. A little...darker? than I'm used to with Sanderson, but not so dark you want to send people away. The shades are creepy. Just downright spooky, something you would see from Stephen King and not B. Sanderson. And Silence Montane? Flipping awesome! I think that Sanderson just knows how to create very cool women cha ...more
If you only read one novella from Brandon Sanderson, Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell would be my top pick (by a smidgen – they’re all awesome. And really, why would you limit yourself to just one?). It’s just one more example why Sanderson is one of my favorite authors – his novellas are every bit as good as his full-length novels. I loved this one because it had the perfect mix of characterization, setting, story, pacing, action, and resolution. It felt like a snippet out of a fully
...more
Excellent read if you're a Cosmere fan.
Review in Portuguese from Desbravando Livros:
Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell é uma novella escrita pelo autor Brandon Sanderson e que foi anteriormente publicada na antologia Dangerous Women, organizada pelos autores George R.R. Martin e Gardner Dozois. Em 2015, a novella começou a ser vendida separadamente, imagino eu que pelo seu grande potencial e por se passar na Cosmere (!), universo que foi criado pelo autor.
Acompanhamos a narrativa pelo po ...more
Review in Portuguese from Desbravando Livros:
Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell é uma novella escrita pelo autor Brandon Sanderson e que foi anteriormente publicada na antologia Dangerous Women, organizada pelos autores George R.R. Martin e Gardner Dozois. Em 2015, a novella começou a ser vendida separadamente, imagino eu que pelo seu grande potencial e por se passar na Cosmere (!), universo que foi criado pelo autor.
Acompanhamos a narrativa pelo po ...more
This story was originally part of a larger anthology but is also available as a stand alone story which is how I read it. Most of Brandon Sanderson's stories take place in the 'cosmere' which is a kind of a galaxy with different stories taking place on different planets.
This one short story takes place on a planet that Sanderson hasn't visited before. It's called Threnody and is inhabited by Shades, shadow like creatures which come out at night when you isolate specific rules.
This was a really f ...more
This one short story takes place on a planet that Sanderson hasn't visited before. It's called Threnody and is inhabited by Shades, shadow like creatures which come out at night when you isolate specific rules.
This was a really f ...more
Not my favorite of his stories, but interesting. Particularly that ending. I do love a good ending.
This was really good!! I immediately was interested in the book, setting, and characters. It actually reminded me of The Name of the Wind in feel! As always, I wish there was more!
Mini-review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 3/23/16: I think this is one of my favorite Brandon Sanderson novellas to date. (Though I think LEGION is right up there but in a totally different way.) SHADOWS FOR SILENCE IN THE FORESTS OF HELL (whew, that’s a long title for a short book) was instantly ...more
Mini-review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 3/23/16: I think this is one of my favorite Brandon Sanderson novellas to date. (Though I think LEGION is right up there but in a totally different way.) SHADOWS FOR SILENCE IN THE FORESTS OF HELL (whew, that’s a long title for a short book) was instantly ...more
E o Brandon fez de novo. Quando é que esse cara vai escrever alguma coisa ruim?
3.5 stars
This was unexpectedly eerie if not outright dark.
If you're reading it in Arcanum Unbounded, you will get a setup of this world just before this novella and that only somewhat prepares you.
What I appreciate in this novella, is the focus on a strong female lead who isn't so because of her brute strength( unlike the many feeble attempts to assign a female character attributes that are traditionally associated with a male protagonist).
A middle aged mother fiercely protective of her childre ...more
This was unexpectedly eerie if not outright dark.
If you're reading it in Arcanum Unbounded, you will get a setup of this world just before this novella and that only somewhat prepares you.
What I appreciate in this novella, is the focus on a strong female lead who isn't so because of her brute strength( unlike the many feeble attempts to assign a female character attributes that are traditionally associated with a male protagonist).
A middle aged mother fiercely protective of her childre ...more
A tense, creative, and exciting little short. Really well done - a good length, not quite as long as some of his shorts. Enjoyed.
Since I discovered the existence of Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere, I'm kinda crazy trying to read about it. And shadows, this book is amazing!
It was originally published in the fantastic anthology Dangerous Woman, by Gardern Dozois and G.R.R. Martin (need to buy this one). I really wish a novel from this novella, the world is fucking incredible and well written, with the right doses of creep, terrifying and mystical. And Silence Montane? She's definitely a dangerous woman. I liked what Brandon sa ...more
It was originally published in the fantastic anthology Dangerous Woman, by Gardern Dozois and G.R.R. Martin (need to buy this one). I really wish a novel from this novella, the world is fucking incredible and well written, with the right doses of creep, terrifying and mystical. And Silence Montane? She's definitely a dangerous woman. I liked what Brandon sa ...more
Another solid novella with an interesting setting in the cosmere - the life threatening dangers of the supernatural which manifest after dark.
I found this rather similar to Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle series, but instead of demons and wards, we have shades and silver.
Brandon Sanderson has assured that we will see more of this world in the future. I certainly hope so.
I found this rather similar to Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle series, but instead of demons and wards, we have shades and silver.
Brandon Sanderson has assured that we will see more of this world in the future. I certainly hope so.
Sanderson is a master of worlds and magic systems and awesomeness.
This short yet captivating story introduces us to Silence Montane who runs an Inn that has become a safe haven for travelers and locals within the Forests of Hell. The forest is surrounded by shades, there are rules that must be followed in order to survive.
Read my review here.
Read my review here.
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Brandon’s major books for the second half of 2016 are The Dark Talent, the final volume in Alcatraz Smedry’s autobiographical account of his battle against the Evil Librarians who secretly rule our world, and Arcanum Unbounded, the collection of short fiction in the Cosmere universe that includes the Mistborn series and the Stormlight
Archive, among others. This collection features The Emperor’s S ...more
Archive, among others. This collection features The Emperor’s S ...more
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“Hush now, my dear one . . . be not afraid. Night comes upon us, but sunlight will break. Sleep now, my dear one . . . let your tears fade. Darkness surrounds us, but someday we’ll wake. . . .”
—
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“Never call this land hell, he had said. Respect the land as you would a dangerous beast, but do not hate it.”
—
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