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Voiceless
For Max Pendleton, the New Mexico town of Sueno Roto is dreary and lonesome. Unfortunately, it is also his new home. Forced by a crippled economy to take up residence at his wife's uncle's vacant, desolate house, Max finds himself entangled not only in a sinister revenge plot, but also in something enigmatically unknown. As his shaky marriage crumbles, he finds inspiration in the least likely of places. Sometimes a man's best friend truly is his dog. .
In VOICELESS, Zelazny draws the account of a desperate life in the dust and shines the light of hope into the darkest of places.
In VOICELESS, Zelazny draws the account of a desperate life in the dust and shines the light of hope into the darkest of places.
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2014
About the author
Trent Zelazny
38 books121 followersTrent Zelazny was an American author of crime, horror, and fantastical fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 8, 2015
REVIEWED: Voiceless
WRITTEN BY: Trent Zelazny
PUBLISHED: September, 2014 by Evil Jester Press
“Voiceless” is a grim and tragic crime thriller, filled with despair, melancholy, and bitterness. But infused amongst these somber tones is a bloom of hope, love, and affirmation. Quite simply, Trent Zelazny mines the darkest of human conditions and uncovers rare gems. The protagonist, Max, is our everyman, trodden upon and victim of stacked circumstances, but even he can find strength and inspiration in the lowliest of places. Seemingly against the entire world, Max, and the dog he befriends, find victory by the unlikeliest of means. “Voiceless” sings loud, and its song is triumph.
Five out of Five stars
WRITTEN BY: Trent Zelazny
PUBLISHED: September, 2014 by Evil Jester Press
“Voiceless” is a grim and tragic crime thriller, filled with despair, melancholy, and bitterness. But infused amongst these somber tones is a bloom of hope, love, and affirmation. Quite simply, Trent Zelazny mines the darkest of human conditions and uncovers rare gems. The protagonist, Max, is our everyman, trodden upon and victim of stacked circumstances, but even he can find strength and inspiration in the lowliest of places. Seemingly against the entire world, Max, and the dog he befriends, find victory by the unlikeliest of means. “Voiceless” sings loud, and its song is triumph.
Five out of Five stars
January 7, 2015
Voiceless is an extraordinary piece of writing. It's a disquieting thriller that grabs you by the shirtfront, gets right in your face, and keeps you there, uncomfortable, until it's done. Not when you're done.
The main character, Max, isn't terribly likable, but you find yourself rooting for him all the same. Describe him as hapless, call him Mister Milquetoast, but don't count him out. Trapped in a bitter, loveless marriage; trapped by circumstance in a town named Broken Dream (with its very own Trash Street, no less); trapped in a house with a terrible past; and trapped in his own head with all its fears and impotence, Max has a feeling of defeat about him, but he isn't quite pathetic. There's a core to him, an essential integrity; it just takes some real nastiness to bring it out.
And nastiness does happen, from petty, cringe-worthy rounds of marital fighting to terrible, life-ending violence. Nobody emerges unscathed, and several don't emerge at all.
Trent's prose is packed with dark, almost hallucinogenic imagery both within Max's head and without the town of Sueño Roto, making one a haunting mirror image of the other. When everything comes together in the last quarter of the book, it's impossible to put down.
Voiceless is a book that stays with you in a way only certain books can.
Five out of five stars.
The main character, Max, isn't terribly likable, but you find yourself rooting for him all the same. Describe him as hapless, call him Mister Milquetoast, but don't count him out. Trapped in a bitter, loveless marriage; trapped by circumstance in a town named Broken Dream (with its very own Trash Street, no less); trapped in a house with a terrible past; and trapped in his own head with all its fears and impotence, Max has a feeling of defeat about him, but he isn't quite pathetic. There's a core to him, an essential integrity; it just takes some real nastiness to bring it out.
And nastiness does happen, from petty, cringe-worthy rounds of marital fighting to terrible, life-ending violence. Nobody emerges unscathed, and several don't emerge at all.
Trent's prose is packed with dark, almost hallucinogenic imagery both within Max's head and without the town of Sueño Roto, making one a haunting mirror image of the other. When everything comes together in the last quarter of the book, it's impossible to put down.
Voiceless is a book that stays with you in a way only certain books can.
Five out of five stars.
November 11, 2015
Trent Zelazny paints a sometimes desperate portrait of a man beaten down by life but still searching for something. Max is trapped in a loveless marriage and a lifeless town. Mostly, he is trapped by his own fear and lack of confidence. The writing is sharp, the characters real, and the story simply amazing.
The tension in Voiceless is like a pot simmering on the stove - you just know it's going to boil over but you don't know when. The underlying sense of malice in the small, claustrophobic town grows as the story unfolds. The antagonists are everybody's antagonists. Those guys in the bar that are too loud and stare at you too long. That group of thugs you pass on the street and hear them mutter things and laugh. But what if they actually came after you, wanted something from you? The bad guys in Voiceless are REALLY bad, and they want something from Max.
Voiceless is at once a novel of heartbreak and a story of redemption. It is emotion ripped to the bone. Truly a stunning story. Voiceless is the first novel I've read by Trent Zelazny but it will not be the last.
The tension in Voiceless is like a pot simmering on the stove - you just know it's going to boil over but you don't know when. The underlying sense of malice in the small, claustrophobic town grows as the story unfolds. The antagonists are everybody's antagonists. Those guys in the bar that are too loud and stare at you too long. That group of thugs you pass on the street and hear them mutter things and laugh. But what if they actually came after you, wanted something from you? The bad guys in Voiceless are REALLY bad, and they want something from Max.
Voiceless is at once a novel of heartbreak and a story of redemption. It is emotion ripped to the bone. Truly a stunning story. Voiceless is the first novel I've read by Trent Zelazny but it will not be the last.
January 18, 2015
I don't normally read crime thrillers, but I'm glad that preference (or lack thereof) didn't make me miss reading a great story. Trent writes a fantastic, gritty story about a couple who move from Portland, Oregon to a decaying New Mexico town due to harsh circumstances, and circumstances get harsher after that. One of the key things that was interesting for me was that 99% of the characters in the book aren't particularly likeable, a fact that makes the character development of Max, the main character of the book, an interesting evolution to read. There are other characters that are so detestable that I was personally amazed they weren't all just there to be killed off, but they play intrinsic parts in Max's development so there is some worth there. It's a fairly quick read simply because the story flows so well, so definitely give it a shot.
November 12, 2015
With VOICELESS, author Zelazny gives the reader an engaging tale that takes its time building pace and tension, but grabs ahold of us with the sheer power of his description and dialogue. The protagonist Max--somewhat spineless and maybe a bit of a whiner--isn't always likable, but Zelazny nonetheless makes us care for his plight because he crafts Max into a fully realized human being. As well, the remote New Mexico town of Sueno Roto has so much depth that it feels like one of the characters. But probably my favorite part of this book is Max's strained relationship with his wife. Their dialogue is painful (in a good way!) and the tension between them will dig right under your skin. I'm excited to read more by this author!
April 21, 2016
Voiceless is a suspenseful novel with very realistic characters, chiefly the timid protagonist (I can identify with) who, already struggling to cope with his overbearing wife, gets himself entangled in a gravely precarious situation after they move to a remote small town. His wife constantly berates him, the town bullies harass him, and the house ... or the whole desert ... seems to be haunted.
SPOILER: Though supernatural overtones weren't followed through in a substantial way, the character grew and the inevitable ending was satisfying.
SPOILER: Though supernatural overtones weren't followed through in a substantial way, the character grew and the inevitable ending was satisfying.
February 26, 2015
I had to put this book aside before I finished it. I bought it at the recommendation of a friend who loved it. The main character was so whiny and depressing that I just didn't care about him. I have too many other books I enjoy to force down one I don't.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews