The Dissonance

A Novel

By: Shaun Hamill

Narrated by: Soneela Nankani

ONE OF BOOKPAGE'S 10 BEST SCI-FI, FANTASY & HORROR NOVELS OF 2024 • From the acclaimed author of A Cosmology of Monsters ("I loved it" —Stephen King) comes an epic contemporary fantasy, a mixture of The Magicians and It: a story of dark magic, terrible mistakes, and second chances.

"You can never go home again," the saying goes—but Hal, Athena, and Erin have to. In high school, the three were students of the eccentric Professor Marsh, trained in a secret system of magic known as the Dissonance, which is built around harnessing negative emotions: alienation, anger, pain. Then, twenty years ago, something happened that shattered their coven, scattering them across the country, stuck in mundane lives, alone.

But now, terrifying signs and portents (not to mention a pointed Facebook invite) have summoned them back to Clegg, Texas. There, their paths will collide with that of Owen, a closeted teenager from Alabama whose aborted cemetery seance with his crush summoned something far worse: a murderous entity whose desperate, driving purpose includes kidnapping Owen to serve as its Renfield. As Owen tries to outwit his new master, and Hal, Athena, and Erin reckon with how the choices they made as teens might connect to the apocalyptic event unfurling over the Lone Star State, shocking alliances form, old and new romances brew, and three unsuccessful adults and one frightened teen are all that stand between reality and oblivion.

From one of the boldest, most brilliant voices in modern fantastical horror, The Dissonance is a thrilling and beautifully written story of magic and monsters, forgiveness and friendship.

Loses some steam in the 3rd act

First two acts were great and then it felt like it got kind of out of character for act 3. I still like the very end, but just felt like the build up was so good and had kind of a weird turn.

Not want you’re expecting

I love anything that makes think and wonder about reality… the story is interesting and captivating characters.

A fun read.

Plenty of well written characters. Fantasy tinged with Horror. A bit like the magicians but darker with a touch of horror. Definitely worth the read/credit.

Hell yeah!🤘🏼

Just a big fan of magical realism and Shaun pulls it off nicely! The characters stuck with me afterward, which is a sign of a great story.

The Dissonance - An amazing new urban fantasy horror novel that grabs your heart and doesn’t let go.

This is, by far, one of the best Urban Fantasy/Dark Academia-esque novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading to date. It takes some of my favorite parts of things like “The Magicians” or “The Scholomance” and twists, expands, and makes them feel new, refreshing, and exciting. It also maintains that dark, scary, brutally really appeal of Hamill’s other works. There’s a sense of “nostalgic ennui” that comes from this story that really mimicked that feeling you get as you start to really grow up (saying hello to your 30’s). It leaves a pit of dread and heartache at the stories core that its characters and their friendship somehow twist to make you feel not only okay, but that everything will BE okay. Easily a 5 star read. One of the best books I’ve read in recent memory. I CANNOT wait to see what else Hamill does in the future. Read this book!!