Review: The Whisper that Replaced God by Timothy Wolff

Blurb:

Murder is just, so long as it serves the crown.

Hidden behind a mask and with a dagger in his sheath, Mute serves the crown with pride. A fair life, if not a monotonous one. But his next contract nicks too close, for murder within a brothel is always nasty business, especially the one which Mute frequents. The brothel his Dorothy works, his Dorothy who awaits Mute and only Mute. Surely none would dare touch her, for if they did, royalty or not, they would fall to Lord Mute, the Silent God's chosen one. They would scream…

And not a sound would be heard.

Review:

Overview

I had a feeling that this novella would be exactly what I needed and I was right. Fresh, unique, and full of wonderful prose I was sucked in from the very first page and finished it in an evening.

The Whisper that Replaced God is the story of a mad prince with dark magic from a forbidden god. I loved the first-person native, hearing Lord Mute’s thoughts on everything and the random dashes of madness, the moments when he was lying to himself and knew it, and his blunt reactions to everything and everyone were what made this story so captivating for me.

Wolff breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the reader in the most satisfying way. I loved the telegraping that built tension and humor. Even with it being an overall dark tale there was a good amount of clever prose and humor. There were so many great one-liners and thought-provoking sentiments that I had something to highlight on nearly every page. 

Characters

The main character, Lord Mute is mad, an assassin prince, who has been tossed aside by society because of his power to invoke total silence with a whisper. You would think this character would be utterly unlikable but I found him captivating. I loved hearing all of his thoughts, from the philosophical and profound to the blunt, humorous, and downright mad.

This is a short novella so the focus is on Lord Mute, and we spend a good amount of time in his head, which places the rest of the cast in a supporting role. Every character that Lord Mute encounters exposes different aspects of his character, and this was done so well!

Worldbuilding

The world-building was perfect for the length of the novella. We get enough details to understand Lord Mute and his place in the world as well as some little details that get you thinking about the grander scope as well. I particularly enjoyed the little bits we got about the forbidden god, and how there are places in this world where he is not forbidden and magic is embraced instead of feared. 

Plot

Wolff executes this tale expertly, drawing us straight into the action, building tension, and always leaving us wondering where it could all lead. 

Enjoyment

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this novella and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a quick read with expert prose that feels wholly unique.