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Where Gods Whisper
The world ended.
What replaced it was worse.
Mencken Barnes has only fragmented memories of life outside the small room where she has spent most of her existence. Time comes in brief stretches of consciousness she calls awakenings. She doesn't know why she was taken, where she is held, or whether anyone is coming for her.
Outside her cell, life has been rebuilt on silence and control.
But something in Mencken refuses to stay quiet. A buried truth pushes her forward. And in a world that has forgotten what it was, that truth may be the last thing that matters.
Where Gods Whisper is a dystopian novel told partly through its own evidence: in-world newspaper articles, government documents, interview transcripts, and text-message exchanges woven through the narrative.
Scientia potentia est.
PRAISE FOR WHERE GODS WHISPER
"A haunting dystopian thriller that's underpinned by a compelling political mystery."- Kirkus Reviews
"An absorbing dystopian... crisp scene craft and a sharp eye for the motivations that drive humanity... The result is a realistic, deeply resonant portrayal of the costs of survival in a fractured world." - BookLife
What replaced it was worse.
Mencken Barnes has only fragmented memories of life outside the small room where she has spent most of her existence. Time comes in brief stretches of consciousness she calls awakenings. She doesn't know why she was taken, where she is held, or whether anyone is coming for her.
Outside her cell, life has been rebuilt on silence and control.
But something in Mencken refuses to stay quiet. A buried truth pushes her forward. And in a world that has forgotten what it was, that truth may be the last thing that matters.
Where Gods Whisper is a dystopian novel told partly through its own evidence: in-world newspaper articles, government documents, interview transcripts, and text-message exchanges woven through the narrative.
Scientia potentia est.
PRAISE FOR WHERE GODS WHISPER
"A haunting dystopian thriller that's underpinned by a compelling political mystery."- Kirkus Reviews
"An absorbing dystopian... crisp scene craft and a sharp eye for the motivations that drive humanity... The result is a realistic, deeply resonant portrayal of the costs of survival in a fractured world." - BookLife
- GenresDystopia
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 8, 2026
About the author
Mike Colapietro
4 books10 followersMike Colapietro is a New York Times bestselling co-author (The Man Who Killed Kennedy), ghostwriter, and, reluctantly, a person who has to write his own biography.
Born and raised in Rhode Island, Mike started his career as a journalist before moving into ghostwriting and collaborative nonfiction, co-authoring several books along the way. He now runs Words That Matter, LLC, from Aventura, Florida, where he lives with his wife and two cats. Where Gods Whisper is his debut novel.
Born and raised in Rhode Island, Mike started his career as a journalist before moving into ghostwriting and collaborative nonfiction, co-authoring several books along the way. He now runs Words That Matter, LLC, from Aventura, Florida, where he lives with his wife and two cats. Where Gods Whisper is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 13, 2026
This book is a gem. Ripe with realism and heart, it makes even a post-apocalyptic story feel relatable. Mencken and Oslo are written so beautifully and you kind of feel like you’re on the journey with them. The documents and papers shown to add some exposition are also an incredible touch. Couldn’t put this one down and very much looking forward to whatever is next from Mr. Colapietro!
July 18, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my first ever ARC book and I’m so glad it was this one!! Thank you to the publisher, author, and BookSirens!
3.75 stars, rounded up!
I really enjoyed reading this book, even though it’s not one of my normal genres. I honestly think I would’ve rated it higher had it been more my style.
The themes in Where Gods Whisper are so relevant to what politics and big companies look like today—so much so that it almost comes off as speculative fiction. It really had me thinking about how far AI can go and if whistleblowers have alternative motives than just telling the world what they know.
Watching the main character grow was great too. I really enjoyed how information about the world was revealed as she learned it and it kept me guessing. I’m someone who can almost always guess a plot twist, but this one got me!! I couldn’t see it coming at all.
The only downside for me (and I can be quite not-picky) was that sometimes the descriptions of things felt a little bit like a word salad.
All things considered, I’d absolutely recommend giving this book a try. It’s a great debut novel.
3.75 stars, rounded up!
I really enjoyed reading this book, even though it’s not one of my normal genres. I honestly think I would’ve rated it higher had it been more my style.
The themes in Where Gods Whisper are so relevant to what politics and big companies look like today—so much so that it almost comes off as speculative fiction. It really had me thinking about how far AI can go and if whistleblowers have alternative motives than just telling the world what they know.
Watching the main character grow was great too. I really enjoyed how information about the world was revealed as she learned it and it kept me guessing. I’m someone who can almost always guess a plot twist, but this one got me!! I couldn’t see it coming at all.
The only downside for me (and I can be quite not-picky) was that sometimes the descriptions of things felt a little bit like a word salad.
All things considered, I’d absolutely recommend giving this book a try. It’s a great debut novel.
July 26, 2026
This is my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised by how well put together it was.
"Scientia potentia est."
Knowledge is indeed power and the premise of this book is to find out what happened in this dystopian future at the same speed as our protagonist.
Mencken Barnes wakes up one morning into a world in which she is a prisoner. Upon discovery of a book she begins to learn about the world outside of the walls.
"For too long, this has been a country of exclusive individualism when its promise demands inclusive equality."
The themes in this book are not as fanciful as one might expect considering the current world climate. This is very disturbing.
What is happening and what does it mean?
Not all questions are answered in this book, I'm sure that this will become an epic story. This story pulled me in enough to want to find out what happens next.
If you want a speculative epic dystopian story which holds a mirror to the present time, then you can't go wrong with this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and am leaving a completely honest review.
"Scientia potentia est."
Knowledge is indeed power and the premise of this book is to find out what happened in this dystopian future at the same speed as our protagonist.
Mencken Barnes wakes up one morning into a world in which she is a prisoner. Upon discovery of a book she begins to learn about the world outside of the walls.
"For too long, this has been a country of exclusive individualism when its promise demands inclusive equality."
The themes in this book are not as fanciful as one might expect considering the current world climate. This is very disturbing.
What is happening and what does it mean?
Not all questions are answered in this book, I'm sure that this will become an epic story. This story pulled me in enough to want to find out what happens next.
If you want a speculative epic dystopian story which holds a mirror to the present time, then you can't go wrong with this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and am leaving a completely honest review.
September 20, 2026
Knowledge Is Power
Alright Besties... this one dropped me into the ruins and made me work for every answer. Mencken’s first steps beyond the only room she has ever known are eerie, heartbreaking, and weirdly beautiful, especially as she tries to understand ordinary things the rest of us would never think twice about. I loved how the story mixes her survival journey with documents, articles, and transcripts that slowly expose what happened before everything fell apart. 🥺 Her connection with Oslo gave the bleakness some warmth, and the way knowledge, memory, and control kept circling back through the story was genuinely thought-provoking. It got a bit heavy in various places, especially when the documentary sections stack up, but trust... Push through because the payoff is worth it! This is the kind of dystopian read that makes you question who actually controls the story, who controls the truth, and what happens when people stop asking questions.🤔
🥀 My ratings and review are my own. 🖤
Alright Besties... this one dropped me into the ruins and made me work for every answer. Mencken’s first steps beyond the only room she has ever known are eerie, heartbreaking, and weirdly beautiful, especially as she tries to understand ordinary things the rest of us would never think twice about. I loved how the story mixes her survival journey with documents, articles, and transcripts that slowly expose what happened before everything fell apart. 🥺 Her connection with Oslo gave the bleakness some warmth, and the way knowledge, memory, and control kept circling back through the story was genuinely thought-provoking. It got a bit heavy in various places, especially when the documentary sections stack up, but trust... Push through because the payoff is worth it! This is the kind of dystopian read that makes you question who actually controls the story, who controls the truth, and what happens when people stop asking questions.🤔
🥀 My ratings and review are my own. 🖤
August 31, 2026
5 ⭐
I received an advance review copy for free via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author, illustrator, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.
“Scientia potential est.” Knowledge is power.
While this quote is powerful in itself, so are a few others we find in this stunning debut novel from Mike Colapietro.
“…to fully appreciate order, you need to see chaos.”
“We are increasingly becoming a society without safety, community, or identity, yet we push forward, boats against the current.”
"For too long, this has been a country of exclusive individualism when its promise demands inclusive equality."
“…machines are only as good or bad as the people who wield them.”
What is happening???
Throughout this story, we follow Mencken Barnes as she wakes up from her “prison world,” only knowing gray, tasteless, porridge-like food, Chaplain Davis, and fleeting memories of her parents. Upon waking up and realizing she is alone, she ventures out to into the unknown to find her parents. As she does so, she never forgets what her parents instilled in her – Scientia potential est – Knowledge is power. She learns about and navigates this strange new world around her, but it is not what she was expecting. All the while, she carries a book that was stowed away in her cell – Where Gods Whisper – which tells the story of the “before,” and what led to the ultimate collapse of the world as they knew it.
The Vibes:
This harrowing, dystopian story is set in a time now so far from our own – beginning in 2049 or so. It’s technological, political, economic, and sociological parallels to today’s timeline show what COULD happen in the future with the massive uptick in use and reliance of artificial intelligence (AI), unfair labor practices of large corporations, and a government that stops working for its people, but works for itself.
What did I love?
I quite enjoyed the style of prose in this book. Not only to we get Mencken (and other character’s) stories, but we also get the supplemental materials from Where Gods Whisper and learn the backstory that led to the collapse. This kept me engaged through the entirety of the story, so much so that I didn’t want to put this book down, thinking: “BUT WHAT HAPPENS NOW?!” This kept the slower pace more exciting, in my opinion.
The ending also opens up to more books in the future following Mencken and her journey “after.” Especially since we have two letters from her as follow up materials on the author’s website.
As someone who loves a good dystopian novel, I loved being able to connect the happenings of today to something in the book. It made me feel more connected to the story itself.
What was not my favorite:
Due to the author being a journalist, some of the writing is pretty dry. I had to reread some passages to fully grasp some concepts. The ending also seemed a little bit rushed for the last few chapters, especially from the point where we get an unexpected visitor. This did not take away from the overall love of this story for me and I would definitely continue if this were made into a series.
So who would love this book?
This is great for people who love dystopian settings, unexpected twists, and stories that are added in sections rather that right up front. It makes you scratch your head the entire time thinking, “Could this be our future?” and “How can we prevent this?” It makes the reader think of the deeper meanings rather than what is first revealed.
Overall, Where Gods Whisper is a speculative story that provides depth and makes the reader feel a little uncomfortable at times, while still pulling the reader in for more.
I received an advance review copy for free via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author, illustrator, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.
“Scientia potential est.” Knowledge is power.
While this quote is powerful in itself, so are a few others we find in this stunning debut novel from Mike Colapietro.
“…to fully appreciate order, you need to see chaos.”
“We are increasingly becoming a society without safety, community, or identity, yet we push forward, boats against the current.”
"For too long, this has been a country of exclusive individualism when its promise demands inclusive equality."
“…machines are only as good or bad as the people who wield them.”
What is happening???
Throughout this story, we follow Mencken Barnes as she wakes up from her “prison world,” only knowing gray, tasteless, porridge-like food, Chaplain Davis, and fleeting memories of her parents. Upon waking up and realizing she is alone, she ventures out to into the unknown to find her parents. As she does so, she never forgets what her parents instilled in her – Scientia potential est – Knowledge is power. She learns about and navigates this strange new world around her, but it is not what she was expecting. All the while, she carries a book that was stowed away in her cell – Where Gods Whisper – which tells the story of the “before,” and what led to the ultimate collapse of the world as they knew it.
The Vibes:
This harrowing, dystopian story is set in a time now so far from our own – beginning in 2049 or so. It’s technological, political, economic, and sociological parallels to today’s timeline show what COULD happen in the future with the massive uptick in use and reliance of artificial intelligence (AI), unfair labor practices of large corporations, and a government that stops working for its people, but works for itself.
What did I love?
I quite enjoyed the style of prose in this book. Not only to we get Mencken (and other character’s) stories, but we also get the supplemental materials from Where Gods Whisper and learn the backstory that led to the collapse. This kept me engaged through the entirety of the story, so much so that I didn’t want to put this book down, thinking: “BUT WHAT HAPPENS NOW?!” This kept the slower pace more exciting, in my opinion.
The ending also opens up to more books in the future following Mencken and her journey “after.” Especially since we have two letters from her as follow up materials on the author’s website.
As someone who loves a good dystopian novel, I loved being able to connect the happenings of today to something in the book. It made me feel more connected to the story itself.
What was not my favorite:
Due to the author being a journalist, some of the writing is pretty dry. I had to reread some passages to fully grasp some concepts. The ending also seemed a little bit rushed for the last few chapters, especially from the point where we get an unexpected visitor. This did not take away from the overall love of this story for me and I would definitely continue if this were made into a series.
So who would love this book?
This is great for people who love dystopian settings, unexpected twists, and stories that are added in sections rather that right up front. It makes you scratch your head the entire time thinking, “Could this be our future?” and “How can we prevent this?” It makes the reader think of the deeper meanings rather than what is first revealed.
Overall, Where Gods Whisper is a speculative story that provides depth and makes the reader feel a little uncomfortable at times, while still pulling the reader in for more.
July 18, 2026
Where Gods Whisper
By Mike Colapietro
Illustrated by Jonathan Ridley
Publisher: Paradigm Press
Publication Date: July 8, 2026
ASIN: B0H598WJYT
Pages: 264
Triggers: Confinement, psychological manipulation, authoritarian rule, memory loss, violence, and societal collapse
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What Did I Just Walk Into?
Apparently, humanity looked at the ruins of civilization and decided the best solution was more secrecy, stricter rules, and absolutely no honest communication.
Mencken Barnes knows very little about her surroundings, her history, or the people responsible for keeping her isolated. Her existence is divided into short periods of awareness, leaving her to piece together a reality that refuses to explain itself. She has questions. The people around her have answers. Naturally, nobody feels like sharing.
That always works out well.
As Mencken begins uncovering fragments of information, the story expands beyond one locked space and reveals a society built on obedience, suppression, and carefully managed narratives. The more she discovers, the clearer it becomes that someone has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep certain facts buried.
Unfortunately for them, curiosity rarely stays contained just because authority says please.
Here’s What Slapped
Mr. Mike Colapietro presents the story through a combination of traditional scenes and supplemental materials, including reports, correspondence, interviews, and other records. These additions are not decorative filler. They gradually widen the reader’s understanding while also creating new doubts about who can be trusted.
The structure works especially well because readers receive information alongside Mencken. There is no convenient lecture explaining everything before the plot begins. Each new detail must be examined, questioned, and compared against what has already been revealed.
Mencken is an engaging protagonist because her strength does not feel effortless. She is confused, frightened, determined, and occasionally forced to make choices with incomplete information. Her development feels earned rather than handed to her by the magical power of being the main character.
The political and technological elements also feel uncomfortably believable. The story explores how control can be disguised as protection and how easily public perception can be shaped when only a few people control the message. Apparently, putting terrible decisions into official paperwork makes them respectable.
The illustrations and document-style inserts add another layer to the reading experience. They make the world feel larger than the central storyline and give the impression that the reader is examining evidence from an actual case.
What Could’ve Been Better
Some descriptive passages are dense and may require a slower pace. There were moments when I had to reread a section because my brain briefly filed for workers’ compensation.
The overall payoff, however, makes the extra attention worthwhile.
Perfect for Readers Who Love
Unreliable institutions, concealed histories, speculative technology, layered storytelling, mysterious records, and characters who refuse to accept the version of reality they are given.
Where Gods Whisper is intelligent, unsettling, and surprisingly emotional. It offers enough mystery to keep the pages turning while raising questions about truth, power, identity, and who benefits when everyone else remains uninformed.
Five stars for reminding me that the most dangerous thing in a controlled society may be one person who starts paying attention.
Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review
By Mike Colapietro
Illustrated by Jonathan Ridley
Publisher: Paradigm Press
Publication Date: July 8, 2026
ASIN: B0H598WJYT
Pages: 264
Triggers: Confinement, psychological manipulation, authoritarian rule, memory loss, violence, and societal collapse
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What Did I Just Walk Into?
Apparently, humanity looked at the ruins of civilization and decided the best solution was more secrecy, stricter rules, and absolutely no honest communication.
Mencken Barnes knows very little about her surroundings, her history, or the people responsible for keeping her isolated. Her existence is divided into short periods of awareness, leaving her to piece together a reality that refuses to explain itself. She has questions. The people around her have answers. Naturally, nobody feels like sharing.
That always works out well.
As Mencken begins uncovering fragments of information, the story expands beyond one locked space and reveals a society built on obedience, suppression, and carefully managed narratives. The more she discovers, the clearer it becomes that someone has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep certain facts buried.
Unfortunately for them, curiosity rarely stays contained just because authority says please.
Here’s What Slapped
Mr. Mike Colapietro presents the story through a combination of traditional scenes and supplemental materials, including reports, correspondence, interviews, and other records. These additions are not decorative filler. They gradually widen the reader’s understanding while also creating new doubts about who can be trusted.
The structure works especially well because readers receive information alongside Mencken. There is no convenient lecture explaining everything before the plot begins. Each new detail must be examined, questioned, and compared against what has already been revealed.
Mencken is an engaging protagonist because her strength does not feel effortless. She is confused, frightened, determined, and occasionally forced to make choices with incomplete information. Her development feels earned rather than handed to her by the magical power of being the main character.
The political and technological elements also feel uncomfortably believable. The story explores how control can be disguised as protection and how easily public perception can be shaped when only a few people control the message. Apparently, putting terrible decisions into official paperwork makes them respectable.
The illustrations and document-style inserts add another layer to the reading experience. They make the world feel larger than the central storyline and give the impression that the reader is examining evidence from an actual case.
What Could’ve Been Better
Some descriptive passages are dense and may require a slower pace. There were moments when I had to reread a section because my brain briefly filed for workers’ compensation.
The overall payoff, however, makes the extra attention worthwhile.
Perfect for Readers Who Love
Unreliable institutions, concealed histories, speculative technology, layered storytelling, mysterious records, and characters who refuse to accept the version of reality they are given.
Where Gods Whisper is intelligent, unsettling, and surprisingly emotional. It offers enough mystery to keep the pages turning while raising questions about truth, power, identity, and who benefits when everyone else remains uninformed.
Five stars for reminding me that the most dangerous thing in a controlled society may be one person who starts paying attention.
Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review
August 19, 2026
A debut novel!
I’m always careful when handling debuts, for one reason: they’re the equivalent of toe-dipping for an author, and the last thing I want is to discourage anyone from writing just because they lack experience. At the same time, pointing out what works along with what could be improved is akin to being intellectually honest with both the writer and their potential audience. It’s a balance, you know?
That said, hadn’t I known beforehand that Where Gods Whisper was Colapietro’s debut, I would have thought it to be the work of an experienced writer. Of course, Colapietro is a journalist and coauthored books, but this is his first solo foray, and there’s a difference between articles and a full-blown novel.
Where Gods Whisper is a dystopian thriller, quite lyrical and introspective in places, even if it’s been written in a third point of view; this is a good choice, since it helps sympathizing with Mencken without getting too far into her head like it would happen with a first.
Technically speaking, Colapietro has an excellent grasp on grammar and punctuation, and working with an editor helped him put out a real polished work. I’m also happy to note how the story arc is finely developed without turning into a sprawl: I’m a fan of minimalism, of doling out details when and if relevant to the plot. In Where Gods Whisper, all the scenes are necessary—not a single spot where the narration could have been tightened.
Another detail I like is the difference in voices. For example, Mencken has her own; the book reads different, and so does the article about the senator. This is not something to be taken for granted: it takes skills to work with different mediums and avoid having them sound alike.
Hat tip for the balance between prose and dialogues, too. That gives the book a pleasant rhythm, something I appreciated because it works well with Colapietro’s writing style.
It’s hard for me to point out flaws. Maybe I would avoid capitalizations and onomatopeias for cries, as they kinda threw me out of the story. That’s in the realm of nitpicking, however.
I’m always careful when handling debuts, for one reason: they’re the equivalent of toe-dipping for an author, and the last thing I want is to discourage anyone from writing just because they lack experience. At the same time, pointing out what works along with what could be improved is akin to being intellectually honest with both the writer and their potential audience. It’s a balance, you know?
That said, hadn’t I known beforehand that Where Gods Whisper was Colapietro’s debut, I would have thought it to be the work of an experienced writer. Of course, Colapietro is a journalist and coauthored books, but this is his first solo foray, and there’s a difference between articles and a full-blown novel.
Where Gods Whisper is a dystopian thriller, quite lyrical and introspective in places, even if it’s been written in a third point of view; this is a good choice, since it helps sympathizing with Mencken without getting too far into her head like it would happen with a first.
Technically speaking, Colapietro has an excellent grasp on grammar and punctuation, and working with an editor helped him put out a real polished work. I’m also happy to note how the story arc is finely developed without turning into a sprawl: I’m a fan of minimalism, of doling out details when and if relevant to the plot. In Where Gods Whisper, all the scenes are necessary—not a single spot where the narration could have been tightened.
Another detail I like is the difference in voices. For example, Mencken has her own; the book reads different, and so does the article about the senator. This is not something to be taken for granted: it takes skills to work with different mediums and avoid having them sound alike.
Hat tip for the balance between prose and dialogues, too. That gives the book a pleasant rhythm, something I appreciated because it works well with Colapietro’s writing style.
It’s hard for me to point out flaws. Maybe I would avoid capitalizations and onomatopeias for cries, as they kinda threw me out of the story. That’s in the realm of nitpicking, however.
July 28, 2026
Thanks to author & Booksirens for providing an ARC copy for me.
Overall, a solid effort for a debut novel. The themes of corporate greed, dystopian society under corrupt politics & institutions along with possibly rogue AI, are not new for the post-apocalypse genre, but the world-building through the eyes of a young adult protagonist who awakens in a prison after many years finding that she is now free to leave, puts an unusual extra layer on how the reader experiences the world being built.
Mencke was imprisoned as a young child, and kept in ignorance until one day all the doors open and is in possession of a book ("Where Gods Whisper") full of news reports, articles, and other documents and she leaves the prison complex. As she learns about the outside world, the book also slowly reveals some of the backstory of who was involved, and when and how the nuclear apocalypse occurred. I liked the writing style allowing us readers to learn at the same pace as the main character.
First she meets up with Oslo, another survivor, who helps Mencke learn the skills to survive, scavenging plants, supplies, using a rifle for hunting rodents, fire starting and even cooking. Determined to find her parents, Mencke eventually leaves Oslo, following the signs (or logos) of a former corporate giant that manufactured home service robots.
On the down side, I could not buy into the majority of the survivors' behavioural psychoses as plausible - and much of the expository passages excerpted from the book, became confusing with multiple characters and word salad descriptions, that failed to shed much light on the themes, or the motivations of individual characters, past or present. Perhaps better editing would improve matters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Overall, a solid effort for a debut novel. The themes of corporate greed, dystopian society under corrupt politics & institutions along with possibly rogue AI, are not new for the post-apocalypse genre, but the world-building through the eyes of a young adult protagonist who awakens in a prison after many years finding that she is now free to leave, puts an unusual extra layer on how the reader experiences the world being built.
Mencke was imprisoned as a young child, and kept in ignorance until one day all the doors open and is in possession of a book ("Where Gods Whisper") full of news reports, articles, and other documents and she leaves the prison complex. As she learns about the outside world, the book also slowly reveals some of the backstory of who was involved, and when and how the nuclear apocalypse occurred. I liked the writing style allowing us readers to learn at the same pace as the main character.
First she meets up with Oslo, another survivor, who helps Mencke learn the skills to survive, scavenging plants, supplies, using a rifle for hunting rodents, fire starting and even cooking. Determined to find her parents, Mencke eventually leaves Oslo, following the signs (or logos) of a former corporate giant that manufactured home service robots.
On the down side, I could not buy into the majority of the survivors' behavioural psychoses as plausible - and much of the expository passages excerpted from the book, became confusing with multiple characters and word salad descriptions, that failed to shed much light on the themes, or the motivations of individual characters, past or present. Perhaps better editing would improve matters.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 17, 2026
Where Gods Whisper creates its dystopian mystery through a protagonist whose fragmented memories mirror the fractured world around her.
Mencken Barnes’s confinement and recurring awakenings gradually reveal a larger story about control, survival, and buried truth.
The use of newspaper articles, government documents, interview transcripts, and text messages gives the novel an investigative dimension.
Rather than relying only on conventional narrative, the book allows its fictional world to emerge through pieces of evidence.
The result is a tense speculative thriller where discovering what happened becomes inseparable from understanding the society that replaced the old world.
Mencken Barnes’s confinement and recurring awakenings gradually reveal a larger story about control, survival, and buried truth.
The use of newspaper articles, government documents, interview transcripts, and text messages gives the novel an investigative dimension.
Rather than relying only on conventional narrative, the book allows its fictional world to emerge through pieces of evidence.
The result is a tense speculative thriller where discovering what happened becomes inseparable from understanding the society that replaced the old world.
September 27, 2026
I usually rate pretty much every book I read, a five. I rated this book a three because the author did take the time to write it. Judging from other reviews I have read, I must be that one person who just didn't get it. I kept reading this dystopian novel because nuclear bombs were dropped and people were being locked up and isolated and I never did find out why. Never. Parts of the past which I guess were what were supposed to lead me to who did what and why, failed to give me a clue. Was it a robot or a bad man? I have no idea what was going on. That is all I have.
August 31, 2026
If you are a fan of Leave The World Behind, this book not only expands on that idea, it builds on it. There is so much to like here. The documents between the chapters not only widen the world and deepen the mystery, they are immersive, dragging you into the story. Well thought out and emotionally executed. Recommend.
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July 17, 2026PRAISE FOR WHERE GODS WHISPER
"A haunting dystopian thriller that's underpinned by a compelling political mystery."- Kirkus Reviews
"Creatively challenging norms of form and genre, this enrapturing story reads like the long-form lovechild of Asimov and Atwood, making it damn near impossible to put down." - BlueInk (Starred Review)
"An absorbing dystopian... crisp scene craft and a sharp eye for the motivations that drive humanity... The result is a realistic, deeply resonant portrayal of the costs of survival in a fractured world." - BookLife
"A haunting dystopian thriller that's underpinned by a compelling political mystery."- Kirkus Reviews
"Creatively challenging norms of form and genre, this enrapturing story reads like the long-form lovechild of Asimov and Atwood, making it damn near impossible to put down." - BlueInk (Starred Review)
"An absorbing dystopian... crisp scene craft and a sharp eye for the motivations that drive humanity... The result is a realistic, deeply resonant portrayal of the costs of survival in a fractured world." - BookLife
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews