Review: Silence is Silver by Andrew Watson
Blurb:
The Urdahl believe pain is inevitable. But if one can lean into that suffering they can achieve anything.
Beneath the desert sands, Bas has spent his entire life training to become a fully-fledged Urdahl. And now his time has come to prove his worth. First, he must drink from the Seeing Bowl to clear his clouded mind and witness visions bestowed to him by ancient deities. Next, he must prove strength of body with the Passage of the High Pass. But destiny is shrouded in red and strength of arm will not be enough to survive its true tests.
Will he ascend to a full Urdahl or will his visions of blood come to pass?
The turning season has begun.
Taking place before the events of the Shadowbinders trilogy, “Silence is Silver” is a novella for both old and new readers.
Review:
What I liked:
Right from the opening lines, I knew I was going to enjoy this novella. It was almost poetic, slowly letting the image dissolve into my mind as the setting came alive. Once the characters were established, it became a deeply personal journey through the rich world of the Urdahl.
The story is very straightforward. But it isn’t rushed through. Instead, Watson painstakingly takes you through each step of Bas’ journey, slowly letting the world around him creep into the readers’ minds and making Bas’ experience all the more real. The Urdahl are undoubtedly inspired by the Fremen and/or the Aiel, and Watson doesn’t stop from letting the culture dictate Bas’ journey. In fact, the constant allusion to sayings, lessons, and beliefs made this world more grounded. Having grown up in a place where culture and beliefs dictate your life more than actual laws, I could relate to Bas more than I thought was possible. Everything from questioning norms to suffering because of arbitrary laws, Bas is a character that I’m sure is going to play a major role in the Shadowbinders series.
It's not just the Urdahl culture, but also the absurd flora and fauna of this world that made it rich and nightmarish. The luminescent mushroom cave, the strange spider creature, and the giant predator birds, all play a role in Bas’ growth in their own brutal way. Where the Urdahl culture establishes Bas’ inner conflicts and struggles, this absurd world full of brutal action sets the external conflicts. Seeing Bas navigate all of this without once rushing through any step of the journey was a delight to read.
The point of this novella is to give readers a glimpse into the world of Shadowbinders, and it does a stellar job of evoking curiosity and intrigue.
What I didn’t like:
The novella is a prequel and can be read without having read the main series. However, I genuinely feel like reading book 1 first will make this novella a richer experience. There was a lot about the Urdahl and this world that I felt a little confused about. Without any context, and not enough explanation, I can imagine some readers feeling a little lost.
As amazing as Bas’ journey was in the book, the ending makes it feel incomplete. I liked how Watson tied everything together in the end, but the conclusion left me wanting more. This novella is less of a prequel and more of a prologue.
Apart from those two minor complaints, the novella is a really good experience. Plus, it’s only 70 pages or so. I would’ve finished it in a single sitting if I didn’t have other stuff on my plate.
Finally:
If you’re on the fence about the Shadowbinders series, Silence of Silver is a great argument for why you should get off the fence and dive right in. Read it for the brutal world. Read it for the visceral personal journey. Just read it. Trust me.
TL;DR:
WHAT I LIKED: the Urdahl culture, the brutal and weird creatures, Bas’ coming-of-age
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: a sense of feeling incomplete by the end
