Mute

By: Jeffrey Hale

Narrated by: Roberto Scarlato

They came from the sea. They came from the shadows. They came from the sewers. But what are they, and what do they want? No one knows. Their thirst for blood is insatiable. They scramble from city to city, spreading destruction and death in their wake. Some call them "Mutes". Some call them "Mimes". Their names are synonymous with terror.

Fortunately, there are a few brave enough to stand against the monsters and risk their lives for the greater good; for the survival of the human race. Will they withstand the brutal assault? Or, will they fall in the attempt?

Only time will tell.

©2013 Grand Mal Press (P)2015 Grand Mal Press

Critic reviews

"Hale knows how to keep the apocalypse fresh while hitting those classic decaying notes. A worthy addition to the genre." (David Dunwoody, author of Empire and The Harvest Cycle)

"Mute is a classic horror B-movie in book form, and I mean that as a major compliment. Hot chicks, sex, psychotic mental patients, and cannibal mutants - and that's just the first few chapters! This book is rollicking good fun!" (JG Faherty, author of The Burning Time, Carnival of Fear, Cemetery Club, and the Bram Stoker Award-nominated Ghosts of Coronado Bay)

"Jeffery Hale brings us a frightening and very human look at a savage world in ruins, but this isn't your average post apocalypse novel. Forget zombies; beware the Mutes!" (Robert Essig, author of Through the In Between, Hell Awaits)

Mute

Any additional comments?

The theory behind the Mutes themselves was sound, for the most part it felt very "been there, read that." I have read/ listen to the same theme before.

MEH STORY WITH GOOD NARRATION!

What did you like best about Mute? What did you like least?

The concept was very interesting....but I found it boring at times and a little repetitive....The narration was good though!

Would you be willing to try another book from Jeffrey Hale? Why or why not?

I might, he has good ideas!

Which character – as performed by Roberto Scarlato – was your favorite?

Leo

Do you think Mute needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

ummm....I don't know if I would listen to it...

Any additional comments?

** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **

I love Roberto's voice and narration, and would probably listen to the phonebook if he read it to me....lol This was an interesting twist on one of my fave genre's, but I was not super impressed, even if my heart kind of had a soft spot for Leo...This was drawn out more than it should have been, sometimes, less is more..some writers need to learn to edit themselves a bit more, I say this when I find myself not paying attention to a story, or saying things in my head like...we get it...move it along....not a bad story...but not awesome either....YMMV!

The Strain mixed with Night of the Living Dead

This is a book that sort of struggles to get its identity. The main character is well fleshed out, a slightly crazy empathic psychic who escapes from a mental institution, but all the ancillary characters feel like they were just put together to push the plot forward, and at no point does it feel like the lead character, Leo, is ever in any danger. Therein lies the crux of the problem. You want Leo to bleed, at least a little. He needs to struggle to survive, but at no point does it feel like he won't be on the next page. Also, this feels like it wanted to be the first book in a series, so who knows where that went.

The Mutes are pseudo-zombies, but have a lot more in common with the vampires from the Strain. They are basically living, mindless, insane killers who just want to feast on human entrails, and wash them down with some spurts of blood. These do play out like a serious threat. They are a pretty coolforce to be reckoned with, and you will love their every appearance.

What really saves the book is Robert Scarlato. The man is a master craftsman, and he can enhance a story with just a few words. Scarlato has quickly become a favorite of mine, and with this book it is eveident how good he truly is, because I believe that if someone else had narrated then this would have been a 3 star book at best. That isn't to say that the book doesn't have its moments, it does, but he adds a lot more depth than the written page alone cannot cover of impart.

This is a decent book, with a great performance, and is well worth your time; especially if you like the zombie genre, The Strain, or 28 Days Later. I would get a second book if it came out, just to see where Hale would take it to.