Whispers from the Depths

By: C. W. Briar

Narrated by: Aidan Watson

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Joyful and blessed are Voice-bearers, for the Heavens have set them apart.

As Whisperers gifted with the Voice, Betka and her people are enslaved. Only they can control the dangerous spirits that haunt the waters, but they are forced to serve under cruel taskmasters. Betka has little hope of freedom from her service or her own bitterness.

They toil for the goodness of others.

A powerful water spirit terrorizes the castle where Betka’s sister is serving. Betka is assigned to the crew sailing to face the foe, and she fears for the only family she has left.

Rage is found nowhere in them.

In the beleaguered, flooded castle, a new threat awaits - a magic more powerful and horrifying than anything they have ever seen. Loyalties will be tested, and enemies will become desperate allies.

Betka is their only hope of escape - if she can subdue the wrath that endangers them all.

She who wields the waters for revenge drowns herself tenfold.

©2019 C. W. Briar (P)2020 C. W. Briar

Maybe It will work for you.

I am going to be up front here I only made it a third of the way through the book. So take that into account. The book might be worth it if you can finish it. But for me I hit the limit of my patience with this book. The first chapter of this book was good. Not sure it was connected to the rest of the story except to set up the history of the world but it was a good mix of action and tension.

Then there is the rest of the third I read. The problem that made me drop the book is how the author writes their scenes or doesn't write them as the case may be. They write it like they are a director who is making a movie on a shoe-string budget. What do I mean by that? Well, so much of this book you are being told what happened through dialogue or inner thoughts. The point were I quit was when I thought I was going to finally get to some action. There was the build-up then suddenly the scene ended and I was being told how badly the main character was hurt afterward. Felt like the writer couldn't afford a special effects budget. I wasn't aware that that cost extra in books. There are other points where I felt that scenes got cut out and I am left wondering why stuff wasn't shown.

The second complaint I had was the writer did not show their main character doing anything. There was more than enough of her complaining about her situation but never did they show what she thought the world should be like or her doing anything that might change her situation so she just came off as vary vary whiny. This issue might not have been as big of problem if there had been more of external plot. When I stopped there was still nothing concrete for the characters to try to achieve or any clear motivations. So if you are thinking about this book just be prepared that you are going to need to get past a rough beginning to the book.