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Mute
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.
"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
"Mute reads like a young Stephen King." -Iain McKinnon, author of Domain of the Dead
“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! This book will keep you turning the pages and yearning for another taste, and the ending will leave you speechless!” – Robert Essig, author of Through the In Between, Hell Awaits
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.
"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
"Mute reads like a young Stephen King." -Iain McKinnon, author of Domain of the Dead
“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! This book will keep you turning the pages and yearning for another taste, and the ending will leave you speechless!” – Robert Essig, author of Through the In Between, Hell Awaits
- GenresHorror
ebook
First published March 12, 2013
337 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Hale
6 books13 followersJeffrey Hale is no stranger to suburban horror. He's been accosted by goat-human hybrids, chased by inbred wenches, attacked by giant killer bees, and survived countless hours of prime-time television. When he isn't busy fighting for his life, he can be found reading, writing, playing the bass guitar, or otherwise making a damn fool of himself.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 18, 2014
Leo has been institutionalized for quite some time when the orderlies start releasing inmates and havoc ensues. Leo takes off as he hears the screams of the men and women around him being attacked by these wild creatures. Leo's not used to the pace he's keeping, having been cooped up all these years, but he manages to make it off the grounds.
Leo gets an up-close view of these beings that are called "Mutes," who the orderlies believed were demons and Leo realizes he needs to find safety and the best way to do that is to find a vehicle.
Leo's mind is not altogether there as he finds a delivery truck he calls "Kirby" with whom he converses with on his trek into the unknown.
Leo wonders where the Mutes came from and if they are just in this immediate area. Leo runs into many different characters on his journey, but will he find the answers he's searching for?
The idea behind the Mutes was a good one, I just felt the execution fell a little short. This read should have been more hard-hitting, had more edge-of-your-seat tension. I wanted, nay needed, to experience the dire situations and be drawn in, looking over my own shoulder and waiting for the Mute to jump out at me.
The main character, Leo, never really ran into any real conflict that was not easily overcome which left me feeling a little unsatisfied.
The secondary characters were not as fleshed out as needed to make you care about their future. Kristin, a girl he picked up along the way, really bugged me as Leo was dependent upon himself at first and she soon began to control him. Her reactions to the Mutes left me a little stumped as her sympathetic plight towards them really didn't fit seeing as they were super-killers who wanted to dine on her entrails.
That being said, the writing was solid. The story had a good pace. I did like Leo's quirky-ness and I would have liked to have read more about him.
This was a middle-of-the-road read for me. I see the potential in this writer and I will definitely give his other works a try.
Leo gets an up-close view of these beings that are called "Mutes," who the orderlies believed were demons and Leo realizes he needs to find safety and the best way to do that is to find a vehicle.
Leo's mind is not altogether there as he finds a delivery truck he calls "Kirby" with whom he converses with on his trek into the unknown.
Leo wonders where the Mutes came from and if they are just in this immediate area. Leo runs into many different characters on his journey, but will he find the answers he's searching for?
The idea behind the Mutes was a good one, I just felt the execution fell a little short. This read should have been more hard-hitting, had more edge-of-your-seat tension. I wanted, nay needed, to experience the dire situations and be drawn in, looking over my own shoulder and waiting for the Mute to jump out at me.
The main character, Leo, never really ran into any real conflict that was not easily overcome which left me feeling a little unsatisfied.
The secondary characters were not as fleshed out as needed to make you care about their future. Kristin, a girl he picked up along the way, really bugged me as Leo was dependent upon himself at first and she soon began to control him. Her reactions to the Mutes left me a little stumped as her sympathetic plight towards them really didn't fit seeing as they were super-killers who wanted to dine on her entrails.
That being said, the writing was solid. The story had a good pace. I did like Leo's quirky-ness and I would have liked to have read more about him.
This was a middle-of-the-road read for me. I see the potential in this writer and I will definitely give his other works a try.
August 20, 2016
Despite it being hammered to death by everyone who can tap out three consecutive sentences on their keyboard, zombies remain the favourite of my horror sub-genres. So when an author tries to do something different with his or her zombies, I feel honour-bound to check out what they have brought to the table. Sometimes I'm surprised, other times it just doesn't work for me.
Sadly, with Jeffrey Hale's Mute it was a case of the latter.
I'm not sure if it was Leo himself, who I found to be somewhat grating. Or his humanising of his car, which felt forced and over-played. Or the narrative structure Hale opts for, revolving around Leo choosing to deliver three letters he finds in the wreckage of a delivery truck, five whole years after the "Mutes" rose up and the world went to hell. Aside from this never feeling remotely credible to me - despite Leo's best efforts to convince anyone he comes across (and thereby the reader) of his need to engage in such a reckless and foolhardy venture through the middle of a zombie apocalypse - I also got little out of the manner in which Hale flicked back in time through Leo's ability to empathically channel memories from objects he held.
And then there's the ending, which, well ... .
All in all, there's likely enough here for people who like quirky characters doing quirky things amidst hordes of pseudo-zombies clambering for their warm flesh. But you're going to have to like the quirk.
2 Horn Honking Zombies for Mute.
Sadly, with Jeffrey Hale's Mute it was a case of the latter.
I'm not sure if it was Leo himself, who I found to be somewhat grating. Or his humanising of his car, which felt forced and over-played. Or the narrative structure Hale opts for, revolving around Leo choosing to deliver three letters he finds in the wreckage of a delivery truck, five whole years after the "Mutes" rose up and the world went to hell. Aside from this never feeling remotely credible to me - despite Leo's best efforts to convince anyone he comes across (and thereby the reader) of his need to engage in such a reckless and foolhardy venture through the middle of a zombie apocalypse - I also got little out of the manner in which Hale flicked back in time through Leo's ability to empathically channel memories from objects he held.
And then there's the ending, which, well ... .
All in all, there's likely enough here for people who like quirky characters doing quirky things amidst hordes of pseudo-zombies clambering for their warm flesh. But you're going to have to like the quirk.
2 Horn Honking Zombies for Mute.
May 28, 2016
** 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!
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!
July 26, 2013
The world has changed in the 5 years Leo has been locked up in the nut house. Making his escape after the facility is overrun by bloodthirsty humanoid creatures, Leo and his new best friend Kirby go on a quest to find redemption and truth.
This is a very good quasi post-apocalyptic tale about a couple of friends on the run from the “Mutes” that are taking over the world and devouring everything in their path. The story starts off smack dab in the middle of the action and does not look back. Good solid characterization and plenty of action.
This is a very good quasi post-apocalyptic tale about a couple of friends on the run from the “Mutes” that are taking over the world and devouring everything in their path. The story starts off smack dab in the middle of the action and does not look back. Good solid characterization and plenty of action.
October 31, 2013
Received as part of the First Read giveaway - while the theory behind the Mutes themselves was sound, for the most part it felt very "been there, read that."
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews