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Whispers from the Depths
Joyful and blessed are Voice-bearers, for the Heavens have set them apart.
As Whisperers gifted with the Voice, Betka and her people are enslaved. Only they can control the dangerous spirits that haunt the waters, but they are forced to serve under cruel taskmasters. Betka has little hope of freedom from her service or her own bitterness.
They toil for the goodness of others.
A powerful water spirit terrorizes the castle where Betka's sister is serving. Betka is assigned to the crew sailing to face the foe, and she fears for the only family she has left. There is no mercy for the Whisperer who fails in their task.
Rage is found nowhere in them.
In the beleaguered, flooded castle, a new threat awaits—a magic more powerful and horrifying than anything they have ever seen. Loyalties will be tested, and enemies will become desperate allies.
Betka is their only hope of escape—if she can subdue the wrath that endangers them all.
She who wields the waters for revenge drowns herself tenfold.
"A surprising yet inevitable conclusion will leave readers eager for more from Briar." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"A thoughtful fantasy with a well-developed protagonist." - Kirkus Reviews
As Whisperers gifted with the Voice, Betka and her people are enslaved. Only they can control the dangerous spirits that haunt the waters, but they are forced to serve under cruel taskmasters. Betka has little hope of freedom from her service or her own bitterness.
They toil for the goodness of others.
A powerful water spirit terrorizes the castle where Betka's sister is serving. Betka is assigned to the crew sailing to face the foe, and she fears for the only family she has left. There is no mercy for the Whisperer who fails in their task.
Rage is found nowhere in them.
In the beleaguered, flooded castle, a new threat awaits—a magic more powerful and horrifying than anything they have ever seen. Loyalties will be tested, and enemies will become desperate allies.
Betka is their only hope of escape—if she can subdue the wrath that endangers them all.
She who wields the waters for revenge drowns herself tenfold.
"A surprising yet inevitable conclusion will leave readers eager for more from Briar." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"A thoughtful fantasy with a well-developed protagonist." - Kirkus Reviews
ebook
First published February 19, 2019
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About the author
C.W. Briar
10 books52 followersC.W. Briar writes dark fantasy stories that fuse the suspense and creepiness of horror with the senses of wonder and adventure from fantasy. His first book, Wrath and Ruin, is a collection of haunting short stories from a variety of genres. His next book, Whispers from the Depths, is coming January 2019.
Briar is a graduate of Binghamton University and works as an engineer on trains and aircraft. His lives near Binghamton, NY with his wife, kids, and corgis.
Briar is a graduate of Binghamton University and works as an engineer on trains and aircraft. His lives near Binghamton, NY with his wife, kids, and corgis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 10, 2019
4.5 stars
Plot: 4/5 Characters: 4/5 Writing: 5/5
Whispers from the Depths was a dark fantasy novel that captivated me throughout. It wasn't a story with a happy ending but it still ended on a note of hope and the promise of better things.
The Whisperers were a group of people gifted with the 'Voice' that allowed them to communicate with the water sprits that resided in rivers, lakes and seas and therefore had the ability to manipulate water. They were not able to harm other people using their power without causing an even greater harm to themselves and their purpose was to share their gift with the world and help people, to always give without ever expecting anything in return. Many years ago, the Whisperers were esteemed and respected but they were invaded by a group of people with different beliefs who enslaved them and treated them abominably.
Betka was a young, enslaved Whisperer who lived in fear and did her best to keep her head down despite her hatred for her captors. She had been taken from her family and enslaved along with her sister Tosna when she was very young and that traumatic event fuelled her bitterness and desire for revenge. However, as she was a Whisperer, even the thought of revenge or causing others pain was enough to cause her discomfort and minor pain. When the castle where Tosna was stationed was under attack from an angry sea-spirit Ylvalas, Betka became determined to go there with the crew sent to deal with the issue to make sure her sister survived.
Briar was brilliant at developing characters because even the most vicious characters felt multi-faceted and it was hard to completely hate them. Rorlen and Denogrid treated Betka and Asi (the other Whisperer who came on the journey) terribly. They physically and verbally abused them. The other crew members like Kuros were more tolerant to them and treated them more humanely. Despite their horrible treatment, Asi was ever forgiving and carried on helping and caring for them as if nothing had ever happened. Betka, however, was full of revenge and throughout the book we experience her conflict between exacting her revenge on them and forgiving and forgetting like Asi.
The way they were trapped in the castle, unable to escape and pursued by an evil water spirit hell-bent on killing them really built up the tension and created an almost cinematic reading experience. Rorlen and the other crew members were forced to overcome their hatred towards Betka and Asi because they were the only ones able to keep them alive. I liked how their grudging acceptance of the two women because it was necessary to survive evolved into a tenuous respect by the end of the book that would hopefully grow and flourish in the future.
The book was generally about the importance of forgiveness, although I didn't think it was fair how the Whisperers were expected to just accept such horrible treatment and forgive those who enslaved them. However, that forgiveness did earn Betka and Asi measure of respect and esteem in the end. I'm not sure what I think about the ending of the book but generally it was an amazing and engaging book that I would definitely recommend to others. I think C. W. Briar is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.
Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Plot: 4/5 Characters: 4/5 Writing: 5/5
Whispers from the Depths was a dark fantasy novel that captivated me throughout. It wasn't a story with a happy ending but it still ended on a note of hope and the promise of better things.
The Whisperers were a group of people gifted with the 'Voice' that allowed them to communicate with the water sprits that resided in rivers, lakes and seas and therefore had the ability to manipulate water. They were not able to harm other people using their power without causing an even greater harm to themselves and their purpose was to share their gift with the world and help people, to always give without ever expecting anything in return. Many years ago, the Whisperers were esteemed and respected but they were invaded by a group of people with different beliefs who enslaved them and treated them abominably.
Betka was a young, enslaved Whisperer who lived in fear and did her best to keep her head down despite her hatred for her captors. She had been taken from her family and enslaved along with her sister Tosna when she was very young and that traumatic event fuelled her bitterness and desire for revenge. However, as she was a Whisperer, even the thought of revenge or causing others pain was enough to cause her discomfort and minor pain. When the castle where Tosna was stationed was under attack from an angry sea-spirit Ylvalas, Betka became determined to go there with the crew sent to deal with the issue to make sure her sister survived.
Briar was brilliant at developing characters because even the most vicious characters felt multi-faceted and it was hard to completely hate them. Rorlen and Denogrid treated Betka and Asi (the other Whisperer who came on the journey) terribly. They physically and verbally abused them. The other crew members like Kuros were more tolerant to them and treated them more humanely. Despite their horrible treatment, Asi was ever forgiving and carried on helping and caring for them as if nothing had ever happened. Betka, however, was full of revenge and throughout the book we experience her conflict between exacting her revenge on them and forgiving and forgetting like Asi.
The way they were trapped in the castle, unable to escape and pursued by an evil water spirit hell-bent on killing them really built up the tension and created an almost cinematic reading experience. Rorlen and the other crew members were forced to overcome their hatred towards Betka and Asi because they were the only ones able to keep them alive. I liked how their grudging acceptance of the two women because it was necessary to survive evolved into a tenuous respect by the end of the book that would hopefully grow and flourish in the future.
The book was generally about the importance of forgiveness, although I didn't think it was fair how the Whisperers were expected to just accept such horrible treatment and forgive those who enslaved them. However, that forgiveness did earn Betka and Asi measure of respect and esteem in the end. I'm not sure what I think about the ending of the book but generally it was an amazing and engaging book that I would definitely recommend to others. I think C. W. Briar is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.
Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 8, 2020
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/pflysDyq2CA
So.
…
I’m supposed to be a writer who can forms words to adequately express my thoughts and feelings, but what do you do when you don’t know how to put them into words?
Case in point, this book.
It was a delightfully, beautifully, breathe-stealing tale that made me cry by the end because it was so powerful.
Delightful in how the author really weaves a story that blew me away and how I went from despising one character to hoping his life doesn’t end.
Beautiful in that everything I’ve been reading about the Whisperers bears the fullest fruit by the end, making me cry as a result.
Breathe-stealing because how many times am I going to clinch my hands in a fist, almost wanting to pray no one gets injured, dies, or suddenly disappears.
Maybe this review doesn’t fully convey how powerful this story was, but C.W. Briar is officially an author on my watch list. There is not turning back from this.
And not sure I would want to anyway
Fantastic debut with a deep story of friendship and love overcoming even in the darkest and most hate-filled situations.
Added note: This is a DARK fantasy. For readers who have light stomachs, be forewarned that there are few parts that I had to skim. They were a little too much for me so wanted to give a heads up for anyone who has a light stomach as well.
I received an ARC from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a positive review.
So.
…
I’m supposed to be a writer who can forms words to adequately express my thoughts and feelings, but what do you do when you don’t know how to put them into words?
Case in point, this book.
It was a delightfully, beautifully, breathe-stealing tale that made me cry by the end because it was so powerful.
Delightful in how the author really weaves a story that blew me away and how I went from despising one character to hoping his life doesn’t end.
Beautiful in that everything I’ve been reading about the Whisperers bears the fullest fruit by the end, making me cry as a result.
Breathe-stealing because how many times am I going to clinch my hands in a fist, almost wanting to pray no one gets injured, dies, or suddenly disappears.
Maybe this review doesn’t fully convey how powerful this story was, but C.W. Briar is officially an author on my watch list. There is not turning back from this.
And not sure I would want to anyway
Fantastic debut with a deep story of friendship and love overcoming even in the darkest and most hate-filled situations.
Added note: This is a DARK fantasy. For readers who have light stomachs, be forewarned that there are few parts that I had to skim. They were a little too much for me so wanted to give a heads up for anyone who has a light stomach as well.
I received an ARC from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a positive review.
June 25, 2019
[Reviewed by Debjani Ghosh for Readers' Favorite]
Whispers from the Depths is a thoroughly engaging, dark fantasy novel. In a brief span of 297 pages, it packs a punch with fantastic world-building, rich imagery and a colorful ensemble of characters. I was surprised to find an exhaustive explanation of the rich legacy of the Whisperers’, their magic, their ways of working and their descent to slavery in this short book. Such succinct expositions are unseen in today’s fantasy novels.
Further, Briar has vividly described the scenes of destruction in the castle. However, even more spectacularly described are the powers of the water spirits. These could rival the CGI effects of any fantasy film. Briar has also brilliantly developed his characters. He effortlessly shows Betka’s inner conflict – protecting her cruel captors versus hurting them. On the other hand, even the cruelest of the enslavers performs good deeds making it hard to hate them.
For all it’s good points, I could not agree with the theme of forgiveness. Briar could have added more events to create additional tension in the storyline which could have resulted in a captivating transformation tale of sworn enemies to fragile allies.
Whispers from the Depths turned out to be an enjoyable page-turner for me that conveys some powerful messages. Although it has a bittersweet ending, don’t let that deter you from picking it up. I would recommend this book to all adult fantasy fans due to the dark setting.
Whispers from the Depths is a thoroughly engaging, dark fantasy novel. In a brief span of 297 pages, it packs a punch with fantastic world-building, rich imagery and a colorful ensemble of characters. I was surprised to find an exhaustive explanation of the rich legacy of the Whisperers’, their magic, their ways of working and their descent to slavery in this short book. Such succinct expositions are unseen in today’s fantasy novels.
Further, Briar has vividly described the scenes of destruction in the castle. However, even more spectacularly described are the powers of the water spirits. These could rival the CGI effects of any fantasy film. Briar has also brilliantly developed his characters. He effortlessly shows Betka’s inner conflict – protecting her cruel captors versus hurting them. On the other hand, even the cruelest of the enslavers performs good deeds making it hard to hate them.
For all it’s good points, I could not agree with the theme of forgiveness. Briar could have added more events to create additional tension in the storyline which could have resulted in a captivating transformation tale of sworn enemies to fragile allies.
Whispers from the Depths turned out to be an enjoyable page-turner for me that conveys some powerful messages. Although it has a bittersweet ending, don’t let that deter you from picking it up. I would recommend this book to all adult fantasy fans due to the dark setting.
February 26, 2019
THIS. BOOK. Seriously. Just stop reading this review and go read this book. It is absolutely everything I wanted it to be and way more. I am going to re-read as soon as possible because I just want to go back into this world.
C.W. Briar has created a beautifully deep debut novel of friendship and love overcoming darkness. A very dark tale, but captivating and I just couldn’t put it down.
The characters…the world building…everything about this book was incredible. 5 stars for sure and it is definitely going in my top reads of 2019. Now, go pick Whispers From The Depths up and get reading!
*I recieved an ARC from the publisher as part of a blog tour. All opinions are my own.*
C.W. Briar has created a beautifully deep debut novel of friendship and love overcoming darkness. A very dark tale, but captivating and I just couldn’t put it down.
The characters…the world building…everything about this book was incredible. 5 stars for sure and it is definitely going in my top reads of 2019. Now, go pick Whispers From The Depths up and get reading!
*I recieved an ARC from the publisher as part of a blog tour. All opinions are my own.*
February 23, 2019
I enjoyed this book so much, and about three-quarters of the way through I lamented the fact that nowhere can I find a hint of this being part of a series! I knew I was going to want more from this world and C. W. Briar's worldbuilding before I'd even finished Whispers from the Depths. Still, the story is wrapped up nicely.
In this dark fantasy novel, a young woman named Betka is one of a special group of people who have been given a gift--or a curse, depending on whom you ask--that allows them to hear and command water spirits. She has been enslaved, ripped from her family at a young age, and treated with contempt by those she serves. But because of her abilities, she is also unable to act with revenge or hurt those who hurt her or else suffer the same--or worse--pain than she might inflict. Even thinking about it causes her discomfort.
But she's not the only one with this power. Her sister, Tosna, also wields this gift, and as the story unfolds, she has an opportunity to see her sister whom she's been separated from for many years. Despite the risk and less-than-pleasant circumstances of her position, she is able to go with a group of soldiers on a mission bound for the city where her sister is enslaved. Her hope is to see her sister again, but what she encounters are unspeakable destruction and death wrought at the command of Ylvalas the mighty water spirit.
The story is dark, but C. W. Briar has done an excellent job of constructing characters that you simultaneously love and loathe. Some you love for their kindness, but then Briar has also made it possible to also see their kindness as weakness for a moment only to be shown the strength hidden beneath. I gotta say, I teared up at the end of the book and because I generally shy away from a book with a sad ending, I was pretty sure this would have one. Surprisingly, it did not. Not really, and I'd definitely recommend Whispers from the Depths to older teens and above...at least a PG-13 sort of rating. If you enjoy dark fantasy, great world-building, interesting and conflicted characters, you'll enjoy this book and wish for more.
*I did receive an ARC from the publisher (which was pretty cool!). I'm sharing my own opinions about the book w/o requirement. I hope to see more from C. W. Briar and wouldn't be sad if he took us on more adventures in this same world!
In this dark fantasy novel, a young woman named Betka is one of a special group of people who have been given a gift--or a curse, depending on whom you ask--that allows them to hear and command water spirits. She has been enslaved, ripped from her family at a young age, and treated with contempt by those she serves. But because of her abilities, she is also unable to act with revenge or hurt those who hurt her or else suffer the same--or worse--pain than she might inflict. Even thinking about it causes her discomfort.
But she's not the only one with this power. Her sister, Tosna, also wields this gift, and as the story unfolds, she has an opportunity to see her sister whom she's been separated from for many years. Despite the risk and less-than-pleasant circumstances of her position, she is able to go with a group of soldiers on a mission bound for the city where her sister is enslaved. Her hope is to see her sister again, but what she encounters are unspeakable destruction and death wrought at the command of Ylvalas the mighty water spirit.
The story is dark, but C. W. Briar has done an excellent job of constructing characters that you simultaneously love and loathe. Some you love for their kindness, but then Briar has also made it possible to also see their kindness as weakness for a moment only to be shown the strength hidden beneath. I gotta say, I teared up at the end of the book and because I generally shy away from a book with a sad ending, I was pretty sure this would have one. Surprisingly, it did not. Not really, and I'd definitely recommend Whispers from the Depths to older teens and above...at least a PG-13 sort of rating. If you enjoy dark fantasy, great world-building, interesting and conflicted characters, you'll enjoy this book and wish for more.
*I did receive an ARC from the publisher (which was pretty cool!). I'm sharing my own opinions about the book w/o requirement. I hope to see more from C. W. Briar and wouldn't be sad if he took us on more adventures in this same world!
March 21, 2019
I just finished reading Whispers from the Depths, and my heart is bleeding out. It is a raw, powerful, deep story that punches you in the gut. It's about a young girl who has the ability to calm the dangerous water spirits-- She is a Whisperer. Others fear and hate the Whisperers, and have enslaved them. Betka suffers much abuse as she does her best to embrace the humility and servant heart that Whisperers are supposed to have, but she sees her gift as a curse and struggles greatly with hatred and the growing bitterness in her heart. She volunteers for a mission with the hopes of reuniting with her sister and discovers something in the water more horrifying and dangerous than any water spirit she has ever met or heard about.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Betka and flashes back to important moments of the past to help readers understand the Whisperers, their gifting, and their duty to protect and never harm another. You can feel the epic design of the storyworld, but we catch only a snapshot of it. There were some moments I grimaced. Violent scenes that might raise a flag for more sensitive readers, but not overdone.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and would recommend for readers who enjoy dark fantasy with suspense and a touch of horror.
**I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
The story unfolds through the eyes of Betka and flashes back to important moments of the past to help readers understand the Whisperers, their gifting, and their duty to protect and never harm another. You can feel the epic design of the storyworld, but we catch only a snapshot of it. There were some moments I grimaced. Violent scenes that might raise a flag for more sensitive readers, but not overdone.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and would recommend for readers who enjoy dark fantasy with suspense and a touch of horror.
**I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
September 14, 2021
C. W. Briar is a monster. I love it!
This book was everything I hoped it would be. Gritty. Dark. Horrifying.
The plot of the story moved faster than I initially thought it was going to and took a very different direction only a few chapters in, which I enjoyed. Once the characters got to the castle and all heck started breaking loose, well, I knew it was going to get good.
Betka, the main character pov through the book, really swayed with her emotions and it felt realistic. Taken as a slave and forced to work for a people who hated her kind (Whisperers), you can understand her journey the whole time.
A little over halfway through, I started to pick up the little clues Briar had placed as to what the real story was, and I had, in part, guessed correctly. And man oh man, did I enjoy that! A wonderful twist.
There were a couple of pet peeves of mine, such as jumping to a character pov that felt unneeded and (for me) added nothing to the story. Several other pov jumps (their own chapters, which was a plus) didn't feel like it added enough to the story to be worth being there. Those chapters could have been used to build up one of the other characters (Asi) in a more rounded way.
That being said, still a solid 5-stars as the overall story and characters were wonderfully written, it was dark, grisly, and packed with emotion. I highly recommend this book!
This book was everything I hoped it would be. Gritty. Dark. Horrifying.
The plot of the story moved faster than I initially thought it was going to and took a very different direction only a few chapters in, which I enjoyed. Once the characters got to the castle and all heck started breaking loose, well, I knew it was going to get good.
Betka, the main character pov through the book, really swayed with her emotions and it felt realistic. Taken as a slave and forced to work for a people who hated her kind (Whisperers), you can understand her journey the whole time.
A little over halfway through, I started to pick up the little clues Briar had placed as to what the real story was, and I had, in part, guessed correctly. And man oh man, did I enjoy that! A wonderful twist.
There were a couple of pet peeves of mine, such as jumping to a character pov that felt unneeded and (for me) added nothing to the story. Several other pov jumps (their own chapters, which was a plus) didn't feel like it added enough to the story to be worth being there. Those chapters could have been used to build up one of the other characters (Asi) in a more rounded way.
That being said, still a solid 5-stars as the overall story and characters were wonderfully written, it was dark, grisly, and packed with emotion. I highly recommend this book!
December 16, 2019
Horrifying yet Compelling Read
This was a dark story for sure, more gory in places than I care to read, and emotionally trying. The characters suffer so much. I would have liked there to be more goodness and happiness in their lives, but that wasn’t the purpose of the tale. This story is an epic battle between Hate and Love, and the difficult road between them. The writing was beautiful, almost poetic at times. And the power of the sea spirit was truly terrifying, nearly as terrifying as the power of hate itself. Yet the story ended with hope, and I appreciated that.
Spoiler Note: I docked a star because the author killed off certain characters I wish had lived lol...
Content Warning: some of the deaths in this book are truly horrifying. I don’t recommend this book to young or sensitive readers.
This was a dark story for sure, more gory in places than I care to read, and emotionally trying. The characters suffer so much. I would have liked there to be more goodness and happiness in their lives, but that wasn’t the purpose of the tale. This story is an epic battle between Hate and Love, and the difficult road between them. The writing was beautiful, almost poetic at times. And the power of the sea spirit was truly terrifying, nearly as terrifying as the power of hate itself. Yet the story ended with hope, and I appreciated that.
Spoiler Note: I docked a star because the author killed off certain characters I wish had lived lol...
Content Warning: some of the deaths in this book are truly horrifying. I don’t recommend this book to young or sensitive readers.
June 22, 2022
Very good elemental fantasy.
8/10
8/10
August 11, 2020
“Let goodness be your defiance. One day, when the waters rise to take away the wicked, you will still be standing your ground, rooted and unmoved.” – Whispers From the Depths by C.W. Briar
I expected a thrilling ride, but I didn’t expect how much Whispers From the Depths could make you sweat.
Dark fantasy is definitely a hit or miss with me. I am addicted to suspense, though not horror, so if you can give me a story that has me white-knuckling the book and wondering who will make it out alive, but also not cross that line into flat out scary where I have to sleep with the lights on for the next month; then it is the perfect dark fantasy. Whispers From the Depths beautifully fits into that category.
It really didn’t take long for this book to hook me. With such an invigorating plot line, relatable main character, and high intensity suspense, Whispers From the Depths is not only an attention-grabber, but also an attention-captivator.
I loved the pacing of this novel. The story progresses over a couple of weeks but then, once the action starts, the remaining three quarters of the book is the happenings of one day, making the book very hard to put down. Think Jurassic Park, but the dinosaurs are an angry water spirit. Another movie that I found myself considering as a parallel (seriously, don’t laugh) is like, a very dark and bloody Moana…But I’m not going to expound on that, because, spoilers. But, the parallel is there, if only in my brain–and my brain alone…Maybe?
Side note: if the fear of drowning is a one of your top fears, probably avoid this book. I’m gonna have a hard time going near any body of water for the next few days.
The characters.
Oh my word.
I’ve heard so many writers advise on creating antagonists that have human and relatable motives for their actions, but that’s something that is far more easily talked about than actually accomplished in stories. That is not the case with Whispers From the Depths. All of these characters, with their vastly different beliefs, vastly different personalities, and incredible choices, make them so human. And Asi? Oh my goodness, she is everything we should strive to be, even though I feel like most of us fall closer to Betka.
Overall, this book took my breath away. With the suspense, with the morals and values, and with the characters, Whispers From the Depths is easily a 5-star novel that my friends will have to endure me ranting and raving about.
Content: There is very little cursing –by our language standards (I only counted a couple of “d**n”s). The characters do have a way of substitute cursing, like “spirit’s breath”, “son of a sow”, and other similar sayings. The gore is pretty intense and very detailed. So, it’s not for the queasy stomach. And lastly, the sexual content is very low, though there are crude jokes made by a few of the characters, and several instances in which the two female Whisperers are afraid of being forced to do something by the soldiers, but nothing happens.
So I recommend this books to fans of Dark Fantasy!
I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.
This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.
I expected a thrilling ride, but I didn’t expect how much Whispers From the Depths could make you sweat.
Dark fantasy is definitely a hit or miss with me. I am addicted to suspense, though not horror, so if you can give me a story that has me white-knuckling the book and wondering who will make it out alive, but also not cross that line into flat out scary where I have to sleep with the lights on for the next month; then it is the perfect dark fantasy. Whispers From the Depths beautifully fits into that category.
It really didn’t take long for this book to hook me. With such an invigorating plot line, relatable main character, and high intensity suspense, Whispers From the Depths is not only an attention-grabber, but also an attention-captivator.
I loved the pacing of this novel. The story progresses over a couple of weeks but then, once the action starts, the remaining three quarters of the book is the happenings of one day, making the book very hard to put down. Think Jurassic Park, but the dinosaurs are an angry water spirit. Another movie that I found myself considering as a parallel (seriously, don’t laugh) is like, a very dark and bloody Moana…But I’m not going to expound on that, because, spoilers. But, the parallel is there, if only in my brain–and my brain alone…Maybe?
Side note: if the fear of drowning is a one of your top fears, probably avoid this book. I’m gonna have a hard time going near any body of water for the next few days.
The characters.
Oh my word.
I’ve heard so many writers advise on creating antagonists that have human and relatable motives for their actions, but that’s something that is far more easily talked about than actually accomplished in stories. That is not the case with Whispers From the Depths. All of these characters, with their vastly different beliefs, vastly different personalities, and incredible choices, make them so human. And Asi? Oh my goodness, she is everything we should strive to be, even though I feel like most of us fall closer to Betka.
Overall, this book took my breath away. With the suspense, with the morals and values, and with the characters, Whispers From the Depths is easily a 5-star novel that my friends will have to endure me ranting and raving about.
Content: There is very little cursing –by our language standards (I only counted a couple of “d**n”s). The characters do have a way of substitute cursing, like “spirit’s breath”, “son of a sow”, and other similar sayings. The gore is pretty intense and very detailed. So, it’s not for the queasy stomach. And lastly, the sexual content is very low, though there are crude jokes made by a few of the characters, and several instances in which the two female Whisperers are afraid of being forced to do something by the soldiers, but nothing happens.
So I recommend this books to fans of Dark Fantasy!
I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.
This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.
March 30, 2019
Guys. This book was soo good. I received an ARC from the publisher and read it in one sitting. It’s rightfully pitched as Beowulf meets Frozen and Briar constructed a fabulous world with an epic magic system and mythology.
I’m always down for sibling stories, so I loved Betka’s mission to go find her sister. But then so many other awesome relationships formed like with Asi and Kuros.
So so many powerful messages about forgiveness even in the face of adversity and cruelty (which was a hard one to read sometimes.) and redemption.
Betka struggles with hatred and fear throughout the book, and while you don’t want her to give in to that, you can definitely see where she’s coming from and understand why. And that’s one of the most amazing parts of this book, I think, is the message that when we decide to forgive, and do so with our whole heart, it is such a powerful thing.
And the ending was basically 🌊🏰💔😢😊
So many powerful moments, chilling descriptions, an eerie vengeful spirit bent on destroying everything, and one girl fighting her own anger and pain.
I loved every second of it. Highly recommended! It fits more for older readers due to some of the grim, and dark setting, but definitely don’t pass this one up!
I received an ARC from Uncommon Universes Press. This review is my own independent and fair evaluation.
I’m always down for sibling stories, so I loved Betka’s mission to go find her sister. But then so many other awesome relationships formed like with Asi and Kuros.
So so many powerful messages about forgiveness even in the face of adversity and cruelty (which was a hard one to read sometimes.) and redemption.
Betka struggles with hatred and fear throughout the book, and while you don’t want her to give in to that, you can definitely see where she’s coming from and understand why. And that’s one of the most amazing parts of this book, I think, is the message that when we decide to forgive, and do so with our whole heart, it is such a powerful thing.
And the ending was basically 🌊🏰💔😢😊
So many powerful moments, chilling descriptions, an eerie vengeful spirit bent on destroying everything, and one girl fighting her own anger and pain.
I loved every second of it. Highly recommended! It fits more for older readers due to some of the grim, and dark setting, but definitely don’t pass this one up!
I received an ARC from Uncommon Universes Press. This review is my own independent and fair evaluation.
February 19, 2019
The Whisperers are trapped by their own powers. Although they have the power to speak to and control water spirits, they cannot use the same powers they wield to set themselves free—whatever harm they cause to others will be inflicted on themselves. When the tribute is late from Kysavar Castle, the king sends a team to find out what happened, and Betka, a palace Whisperer, gets herself sent there so she can find out what has happened to her sister. What she finds instead is horror—betrayal, mutiny, and a powerful water spirit gone rogue.
Opening with the dramatic fall of the Whisperer temple, the story jumps NINETY-TWO YEARS into the future, which was really annoying, because I wanted to know what happened to Eder. You do eventually find out what happened to him, but only in flashbacks, and some ingenious story weaving, but it was still… irritating.
That aside, Briar treats us to a story of contrasts: Betka, the bold, angry Whisperer, ready to rebel against the teaching of the order, vs Asi, the calm, timid Whisperer, who holds that by doing everything with love and according to the teachings of the order, they will be able to regain their freedom. Kuros and Vydan, almost-kind soldiers who do not hate the Whisperers, treating them as humans within the bounds of their orders vs Rorlen and Denogrid, hardened soldiers who bully and torture the Whisperers because of the powers they wield.
Whispers From the Depths holds no punches. It is dark and gritty, grim and full of death, and yet there is always this glimmer of hope, first held out by Asi—and then grasped by all the others—that love truly does conquer all.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Opening with the dramatic fall of the Whisperer temple, the story jumps NINETY-TWO YEARS into the future, which was really annoying, because I wanted to know what happened to Eder. You do eventually find out what happened to him, but only in flashbacks, and some ingenious story weaving, but it was still… irritating.
That aside, Briar treats us to a story of contrasts: Betka, the bold, angry Whisperer, ready to rebel against the teaching of the order, vs Asi, the calm, timid Whisperer, who holds that by doing everything with love and according to the teachings of the order, they will be able to regain their freedom. Kuros and Vydan, almost-kind soldiers who do not hate the Whisperers, treating them as humans within the bounds of their orders vs Rorlen and Denogrid, hardened soldiers who bully and torture the Whisperers because of the powers they wield.
Whispers From the Depths holds no punches. It is dark and gritty, grim and full of death, and yet there is always this glimmer of hope, first held out by Asi—and then grasped by all the others—that love truly does conquer all.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 6, 2019
This is one of those rare books that not only entertains but also reveals deep truths buried deep within yourself. My truth? I would make a very bad whisperer.
Whisperers are people blessed with the ability to control water and water spirits. They are also cursed with the inability to take revenge or to act violently. This makes them easily enslaved.
While reading this book I became Betka and suffered with her through her torments. I often found myself wishing she would just kill them all, curse or no curse. I wanted so badly for her to find a way to break the curse and use her power to bring justice to this godless kingdom.
I am very human. Betka is human too, but she is also a whisperer. Justice is not what this book is about.
*I was given a free copy of this book in order to disseminate my honest opinion of it. If you have read the above review then you know I have completed that assignment.*
Whisperers are people blessed with the ability to control water and water spirits. They are also cursed with the inability to take revenge or to act violently. This makes them easily enslaved.
While reading this book I became Betka and suffered with her through her torments. I often found myself wishing she would just kill them all, curse or no curse. I wanted so badly for her to find a way to break the curse and use her power to bring justice to this godless kingdom.
I am very human. Betka is human too, but she is also a whisperer. Justice is not what this book is about.
*I was given a free copy of this book in order to disseminate my honest opinion of it. If you have read the above review then you know I have completed that assignment.*
April 26, 2023
What a ride! Immersive worldbuilding and a fascinating magic system serve as the backdrop for a group of characters very much at odds with each other trapped together in a harrowing adventure. I found the past point of view interspersed with the present timeline interesting, and especially appreciated the character development and realistic growth. I did not expect to feel such empathy for all the characters (except Denogrid 😠), but even amidst the horror, there were some truly moving moments!
*A bit of gore—not for the faint of heart*
*A bit of gore—not for the faint of heart*
May 3, 2019
Whispers in the Depths was a thrilling ride from the opening chapter to the final words.
March 25, 2019
Painful in its beauty.
This tale full of new wonders will grip your heart as you weep with those who weep. Only the greatest voice will prevail, and that only when the greatest price has been paid. Your eyes will sting and your chest ache, but your soul will be satisfied.
This tale full of new wonders will grip your heart as you weep with those who weep. Only the greatest voice will prevail, and that only when the greatest price has been paid. Your eyes will sting and your chest ache, but your soul will be satisfied.
March 9, 2019
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
One of my favorite reads of 2019!
A dark fantasy that left me an emotional mess. Though, to be honest it is not that hard to mark me cry when it comes to a book especially when it is a book like this. By that, I mean that it resonated deeply with me and I became lost in it. I am currently suffering from some serious book hangover effects. While I am somewhat disappointed that this will most likely be a standalone s, I feel it brought it all together quite well.
There are not many books that I could reread but this is definitely on the list of those that I would. I love fantasy but I also love when authors go into that darker realm of fantasy. That being said, this story may not be for everyone. It is not all sunshine and roses but if that appeals to you then definitely give this a read. The world and characters that Briar has brought to life are both enchanting and touching. I would love to dive into this world again and again if I could.
I always love discovering new authors and Briar is no exception. This is going to be a tough book to move past, I may have to wait a few days before I start my next read.
October 17, 2023
My interest in the mystery stayed high through this entire debut novel, and there was enough layered character drama, action sequences, and mysterious happenings to keep me happily turning pages the whole time. Its author is a skillful wordsmith with one foot on the horror pedal. I wouldn't say I was ever actually frightened, but I often acknowledged to myself, "Okay that's creepy." Some of the scenes are pretty grisly, so it's not for the faint of heart. But I ended up 1) being shocked and appalled by how the plot resolves and 2) being really satisfied with how it resolves. It was meaningful, but in a way that trusts the reader to do the interpreting.
October 5, 2019
Disclaimer: I received a free paperback copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, and all thoughts and opinions I give are my own.
Whispers from the Depths is a standalone epic fantasy that I think would appeal to fans of Brandon Sanderson or Robert Jordan: political court intrigue, interesting magic system, etc. I think if someone was just starting out with the epic fantasy genre, this would be a good introduction, as it’s not too long or overwhelming. Though you will see later that I think its short length works against it somewhat.
Betka is a Whisperer, gifted with a heavenly power to use her voice to control water in various forms. She’s the palacewater-bender Whisperer and is enslaved by the king and his army with physical, mental, and magical chains. When she hears that the castle Kysavar where her sister Tosna is being held is being attacked by the water demon Ylvalas, she goes with the rescue party to find her sister and in the meantime, maybe find a path to freedom.
It did not take me very long to become absorbed in the unique magic system of this world. I loved the world building in this book and though I kept questioning whether or not a 292-page book would be enough to satisfy my need for Tolkien-level worldbuilding, it did not disappoint in that aspect.
One aspect that suffered greatly from the small page count was the pacing. Stuff always felt rather rushed, and there would be huge time jumps in between chapters where it would just mention offhand that “Betka figured out the prayers needed to repel the water to get them to the roof,” or something like that, but such a big deal had been made out of the issue of how is Betka going to learn this or there’s not enough time for her to do any studying before Ylvalas destroys them, that you feel rather cheated. Some examples of this include in Chapter Three, when Betka frets about needing to go on the ship. We’re led to believe that there’s a chance she won’t be allowed. So in Chapter Four when she’s on the ship and they’ve already been sailing a few days, it feels like an entire chapter is missing, one where Betka had to convince her masters that she NEEDS to be on that ship no matter what. Or in Chapter Thirteen, when Betka almost dies trying to get the group into the castle, and it seems impossible to get in. Then in chapter fourteen, it’s just mentioned offhand that “Betka’s prayers had gotten them inside” when you kind of wanted to see her work through that problem, since it seemed like such a huge obstacle for them. Or in a similar vein, the timeline in the past that is shown to us how the current regime came into power. In one chapter, Eder, a young Whisperer, is taken captive and is going to be sold as a slave to a local lord. This is a problem for him, because the sacred treasures his master entrusted him with are at the temple and he’ll no longer be there to guard them. So he resolves to sneak into the treasure room that night and try and save them, however possible. Then, the next time we see Eder, it’s twenty years later, he’s married to the lord’s widow, and there’s only an offhand comment of “He never had been able to get the treasures.” Well, we wanted to see him fail to get the treasures and barely escape with his life, thank you very much.
The writing in this book isn’t the greatest—lots of characters “nodding” (my pet peeve, and at one point, a character nods then immediately answers “yes,” making that nod redundant) the same word (eg. “dropped”) being used two sentences right next to each other, giant infodumps of completely redundant and irrelevant information at various places, pieces of dialogue not having a clear attribution as to who is saying them or who is being addressed by the speaker, passages where seemingly everyone in the vicinity got swept away by the demon but all of a sudden the main group of guards is still there, etc.
The characterization in this book really needed some work. Sure, we got to know Betka, and you could say we got to know Eder in the five or so chapters we see of him, and Betka spends a lot of her time either with Asi or reminiscing about the good old days with her sister Tosna, so we also get to know Asi and Tosna. But Bren, Rorlen, Denogrid, Purvos, Vydan, and pretty much any man who came from either Tosna's or Betka's castles just faded into the background unless they were mentioned again. Rorlen and Denogrid literally read as the exact same person until about halfway through the book. During the second half of the book, we got a POV chapter from a guard working at the Kysavar palace and one from Rorlen, but why did we need either of those chapters? Rorlen's chapter served no purpose, and the chapter from the guard working at Kysavar certainly got us to feel sympathy when we learned about the hundreds of deaths that happened there, but that's just it. We're told that innocents, women, children, elderly folks, all died. Any normal person would be horrified to learn about the slaughter of a single child, much less hundreds. Instead, we should have had chapters characterizing one or two of the men in Betka's group. For example, Betka is helped by Kuro and bonds further with him, and then Rorlen makes fun of him. Or someone tells Betka a story about Bren's past, giving us a good idea of who Bren is besides "a random guy who came with the group and who is close to death."
In summary: An enjoyable read with amazing worldbuilding that would appeal to fans of classic fantasy stories in the vein of Brandon Sanderson or Robert Jordan.
Thank you to Uncommon Universes Press for sending me a free copy of this book. You can view more of my book reviews on my blog The Discerning Reader at http://corinnejet.wordpress.com.
Whispers from the Depths is a standalone epic fantasy that I think would appeal to fans of Brandon Sanderson or Robert Jordan: political court intrigue, interesting magic system, etc. I think if someone was just starting out with the epic fantasy genre, this would be a good introduction, as it’s not too long or overwhelming. Though you will see later that I think its short length works against it somewhat.
Betka is a Whisperer, gifted with a heavenly power to use her voice to control water in various forms. She’s the palace
It did not take me very long to become absorbed in the unique magic system of this world. I loved the world building in this book and though I kept questioning whether or not a 292-page book would be enough to satisfy my need for Tolkien-level worldbuilding, it did not disappoint in that aspect.
One aspect that suffered greatly from the small page count was the pacing. Stuff always felt rather rushed, and there would be huge time jumps in between chapters where it would just mention offhand that “Betka figured out the prayers needed to repel the water to get them to the roof,” or something like that, but such a big deal had been made out of the issue of how is Betka going to learn this or there’s not enough time for her to do any studying before Ylvalas destroys them, that you feel rather cheated. Some examples of this include in Chapter Three, when Betka frets about needing to go on the ship. We’re led to believe that there’s a chance she won’t be allowed. So in Chapter Four when she’s on the ship and they’ve already been sailing a few days, it feels like an entire chapter is missing, one where Betka had to convince her masters that she NEEDS to be on that ship no matter what. Or in Chapter Thirteen, when Betka almost dies trying to get the group into the castle, and it seems impossible to get in. Then in chapter fourteen, it’s just mentioned offhand that “Betka’s prayers had gotten them inside” when you kind of wanted to see her work through that problem, since it seemed like such a huge obstacle for them. Or in a similar vein, the timeline in the past that is shown to us how the current regime came into power. In one chapter, Eder, a young Whisperer, is taken captive and is going to be sold as a slave to a local lord. This is a problem for him, because the sacred treasures his master entrusted him with are at the temple and he’ll no longer be there to guard them. So he resolves to sneak into the treasure room that night and try and save them, however possible. Then, the next time we see Eder, it’s twenty years later, he’s married to the lord’s widow, and there’s only an offhand comment of “He never had been able to get the treasures.” Well, we wanted to see him fail to get the treasures and barely escape with his life, thank you very much.
The writing in this book isn’t the greatest—lots of characters “nodding” (my pet peeve, and at one point, a character nods then immediately answers “yes,” making that nod redundant) the same word (eg. “dropped”) being used two sentences right next to each other, giant infodumps of completely redundant and irrelevant information at various places, pieces of dialogue not having a clear attribution as to who is saying them or who is being addressed by the speaker, passages where seemingly everyone in the vicinity got swept away by the demon but all of a sudden the main group of guards is still there, etc.
The characterization in this book really needed some work. Sure, we got to know Betka, and you could say we got to know Eder in the five or so chapters we see of him, and Betka spends a lot of her time either with Asi or reminiscing about the good old days with her sister Tosna, so we also get to know Asi and Tosna. But Bren, Rorlen, Denogrid, Purvos, Vydan, and pretty much any man who came from either Tosna's or Betka's castles just faded into the background unless they were mentioned again. Rorlen and Denogrid literally read as the exact same person until about halfway through the book. During the second half of the book, we got a POV chapter from a guard working at the Kysavar palace and one from Rorlen, but why did we need either of those chapters? Rorlen's chapter served no purpose, and the chapter from the guard working at Kysavar certainly got us to feel sympathy when we learned about the hundreds of deaths that happened there, but that's just it. We're told that innocents, women, children, elderly folks, all died. Any normal person would be horrified to learn about the slaughter of a single child, much less hundreds. Instead, we should have had chapters characterizing one or two of the men in Betka's group. For example, Betka is helped by Kuro and bonds further with him, and then Rorlen makes fun of him. Or someone tells Betka a story about Bren's past, giving us a good idea of who Bren is besides "a random guy who came with the group and who is close to death."
In summary: An enjoyable read with amazing worldbuilding that would appeal to fans of classic fantasy stories in the vein of Brandon Sanderson or Robert Jordan.
Thank you to Uncommon Universes Press for sending me a free copy of this book. You can view more of my book reviews on my blog The Discerning Reader at http://corinnejet.wordpress.com.
March 29, 2019
A truly heart-wrenching tale of adventure and love.
June 12, 2019
In a kingdom where Whisperers can use the Voice they have been gifted with to control dangerous spirits, to the advantage of those in power, doing so ended up with war and their kingdom being the losers. Whisperers are supposed to use their talents for the goodness of others, but some were easy to be led astray. This led to Whisperers being enslaved by the conquering population.
Betka is one of these Whisperers, at a young age and just beginning her training when the war occurred. She now lives in basic conditions, as a slave and having to do what her cruel masters want her to. Their name for her is ‘hag’, never her actual name. She is no more than an animal to them. She works all hours, doing menial tasks and has just a brief period each month to try and train herself further on the old teachings, by reading whatever texts she can find. Whisperers can supposedly earn their freedom, by either being offered marriage and being bought out of their enslavement, or by earning jewels for tasks undertaken. Once they earnt enough they could be free. But, it seemed the closer any Whisperer got, the harder or nearer impossible it was to earn these final jewels.
Betka’s sister was also a Whisperer, as had been their grandfather, one of those who was offered marriage and became a free man. Both of them remember his teachings and try to adhere to them whenever possible. If they use their special Voice for evil or harm to another, then they will suffer the same pain or more. Betka’s sister is far away at another castle and Betka hears word of some sort of disturbance where her sister is and a mission being arranged to find out what has happened. The king’s taxes have been collected by one of the lords there and they must also finds them and returned them to help fund the war.
Betka manages to get herself onto one of the ships for this mission. She and another young female whisperer are badly treated by the head of the soldiers accompanying them. There is also a young male whisperer as well, but he is usually kept separate from them for most of the time. As they approach the settlement, weird weather keeps them from approaching closer. A small group, including Betka and the other female whisperer, Asi, are taken to find out what happened to the castle and the settlement around it. The soldiers have horses and the girls are left to walk and beaten if they aren’t fast enough.
Neither of them can sense any water spirits, affecting the weather or the castle, but something is threatening matters. When they reach the castle walls, there are no guards on the walls or gates. They wait for daylight to investigate further. No-one can be seen, nor any evidence of people or bodies anywhere. Where has everyone gone? The soldiers start searching for the lord and the kings tax money, but find no trace of either. They find strange walls and pools of water acting oddly, but Betka and her friend can’t hear any voices of any water spirits. Who is behind this, seems to be someone with enormous power over magic and also great rage and anger.
They will all have to work together if they wish to survive, but most of the soldier’s refuse to listen to a ‘hag’, until matters get much worse. A huge battle will have to be won if any of them hope to get out alive! Betka seems to be finding her own voice, but must watch she does not use her powers for revenge against those soldiers who treat her so badly. If she does, she will suffer multiple times worse than those she harms with her voice. Betka finds her sister, but not as she remembers her. Betka wants freedom especially from those soldiers that are cruel to her, but a couple are nicer to her and Asi. Asi is the calming effect on Betka and tries to remind her of the old teachings of love and what may happen if she follows the opposite path.
This was a great introduction to the author’s work. I had no idea what to expect from the blurb, but found myself really enjoying the read. You get an introduction to what brought about the enslavement of Whisperers and past events. Some of them from the viewpoint of Betka’s grandfather, Eder. An interesting concept of people that can control water and water spirits, for many purposes. Many are feared for their power and this has been proven to be the case in the past. I could see this setting continuing in more books in the future and look forward to seeing what the author will come up with next. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Betka is one of these Whisperers, at a young age and just beginning her training when the war occurred. She now lives in basic conditions, as a slave and having to do what her cruel masters want her to. Their name for her is ‘hag’, never her actual name. She is no more than an animal to them. She works all hours, doing menial tasks and has just a brief period each month to try and train herself further on the old teachings, by reading whatever texts she can find. Whisperers can supposedly earn their freedom, by either being offered marriage and being bought out of their enslavement, or by earning jewels for tasks undertaken. Once they earnt enough they could be free. But, it seemed the closer any Whisperer got, the harder or nearer impossible it was to earn these final jewels.
Betka’s sister was also a Whisperer, as had been their grandfather, one of those who was offered marriage and became a free man. Both of them remember his teachings and try to adhere to them whenever possible. If they use their special Voice for evil or harm to another, then they will suffer the same pain or more. Betka’s sister is far away at another castle and Betka hears word of some sort of disturbance where her sister is and a mission being arranged to find out what has happened. The king’s taxes have been collected by one of the lords there and they must also finds them and returned them to help fund the war.
Betka manages to get herself onto one of the ships for this mission. She and another young female whisperer are badly treated by the head of the soldiers accompanying them. There is also a young male whisperer as well, but he is usually kept separate from them for most of the time. As they approach the settlement, weird weather keeps them from approaching closer. A small group, including Betka and the other female whisperer, Asi, are taken to find out what happened to the castle and the settlement around it. The soldiers have horses and the girls are left to walk and beaten if they aren’t fast enough.
Neither of them can sense any water spirits, affecting the weather or the castle, but something is threatening matters. When they reach the castle walls, there are no guards on the walls or gates. They wait for daylight to investigate further. No-one can be seen, nor any evidence of people or bodies anywhere. Where has everyone gone? The soldiers start searching for the lord and the kings tax money, but find no trace of either. They find strange walls and pools of water acting oddly, but Betka and her friend can’t hear any voices of any water spirits. Who is behind this, seems to be someone with enormous power over magic and also great rage and anger.
They will all have to work together if they wish to survive, but most of the soldier’s refuse to listen to a ‘hag’, until matters get much worse. A huge battle will have to be won if any of them hope to get out alive! Betka seems to be finding her own voice, but must watch she does not use her powers for revenge against those soldiers who treat her so badly. If she does, she will suffer multiple times worse than those she harms with her voice. Betka finds her sister, but not as she remembers her. Betka wants freedom especially from those soldiers that are cruel to her, but a couple are nicer to her and Asi. Asi is the calming effect on Betka and tries to remind her of the old teachings of love and what may happen if she follows the opposite path.
This was a great introduction to the author’s work. I had no idea what to expect from the blurb, but found myself really enjoying the read. You get an introduction to what brought about the enslavement of Whisperers and past events. Some of them from the viewpoint of Betka’s grandfather, Eder. An interesting concept of people that can control water and water spirits, for many purposes. Many are feared for their power and this has been proven to be the case in the past. I could see this setting continuing in more books in the future and look forward to seeing what the author will come up with next. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
December 27, 2019
Preface: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'd give it 4.5ish stars.
The book throws you for a loop from the first page, beginning right in the middle of a religious uprising. The Whisperers, whose magical Voice allows them to commune with water spirits, are being attacked by proponents of another religion for their help in oppressing the common people. Violence ensues, as the Whisperers struggle to protect their most precious artifacts - and ultimately fail.
Then we fast-forward 90+ years to the present, where our main character, Betka, is being berated for a nearby river spirit not receiving her queen's blood sacrifice. We see how far the Whisperers have fallen, from being revered priests to mere slaves. Betka is, as one might imagine, highly resentful of this, and longs to strike back at her masters - but her own powers prevent her from doing so.
The novel dips into various other POVs as well, usually only for one chapter, or a handful. This actually ended up being really interesting, because one POV character ends up giving us sympathy for a town that was destroyed by a vengeful ocean spirit (the crux of the plot). We see the attack through his eyes, and when we find his body later, it's genuinely distressing. We also get to see what motivates certain characters, and more of the life of the character from the first chapter. They all have unique voices, so it's never difficult to tell them apart, and all of them have a purpose instead of merely being self-indulgent. It's really well done.
The central powers are interesting, too. The Voice is supposed to be a tool only for good - so much so that any pain inflicted by it rebounds on the user as well. The Voice is also wielded through vocal prayers in a foreign language, most of which isn't translated, which adds to its mystique. I do wish we got to see it used against water spirits more often (aside from the ocean, which is a special case). I would have been interested in seeing how communing works under normal circumstances.
The cast of characters is varied both in background and temperament. I don't want to go into too much detail, for fear of spoiling things, but many of the characters undergo intense development throughout the story. Several that initially seem like villains become more nuanced, and some that seem like heroes show a darker side. No one is wholly good or evil, which was great. Even the main character grapples with her darker impulses.
That being said - one flaw I found with this book was just how miserable it could be at times. The Whisperers are looked down on, fair enough, but the amount of abuse and suffering they endure was really draining, and at times hard to understand. The main two prove themselves to be on the rest of the cast's side many times, but don't get any credit for it, almost to the point of absurdity. It's somewhat justified with a few characters for spoiler-y reasons, but for some it just seemed like unnecessary mustache-twirling jerkishness. A few characters do come around in the end, but it does feel like it takes a little too long.
That being said, the themes of duty/compassion vs vengeance/justice are very interesting. In particular, the main character, Betka, longs for vengeance, while her fellow Whisperer, Asi, insists on servitude being the right choice. Ultimately Betka chooses between the two, in a way that is bittersweet but satisfying. However, at times the theme of serving becomes a little uncomfortable, mostly because of the above point - the Whisperers are treated /so/ badly, and Asi seems to think they should just lie down and take it. In reality, I would have liked to see more middle ground between the two. Standing up for yourself, but still being compassionate and helping others. The story seems to find that middle ground in the end, but didn't quite go far enough for my taste.
In the end, though, this was an enjoyable read. It's got an interesting magic system, a unique world, and strong, complex characters. I would recommend it.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'd give it 4.5ish stars.
The book throws you for a loop from the first page, beginning right in the middle of a religious uprising. The Whisperers, whose magical Voice allows them to commune with water spirits, are being attacked by proponents of another religion for their help in oppressing the common people. Violence ensues, as the Whisperers struggle to protect their most precious artifacts - and ultimately fail.
Then we fast-forward 90+ years to the present, where our main character, Betka, is being berated for a nearby river spirit not receiving her queen's blood sacrifice. We see how far the Whisperers have fallen, from being revered priests to mere slaves. Betka is, as one might imagine, highly resentful of this, and longs to strike back at her masters - but her own powers prevent her from doing so.
The novel dips into various other POVs as well, usually only for one chapter, or a handful. This actually ended up being really interesting, because one POV character ends up giving us sympathy for a town that was destroyed by a vengeful ocean spirit (the crux of the plot). We see the attack through his eyes, and when we find his body later, it's genuinely distressing. We also get to see what motivates certain characters, and more of the life of the character from the first chapter. They all have unique voices, so it's never difficult to tell them apart, and all of them have a purpose instead of merely being self-indulgent. It's really well done.
The central powers are interesting, too. The Voice is supposed to be a tool only for good - so much so that any pain inflicted by it rebounds on the user as well. The Voice is also wielded through vocal prayers in a foreign language, most of which isn't translated, which adds to its mystique. I do wish we got to see it used against water spirits more often (aside from the ocean, which is a special case). I would have been interested in seeing how communing works under normal circumstances.
The cast of characters is varied both in background and temperament. I don't want to go into too much detail, for fear of spoiling things, but many of the characters undergo intense development throughout the story. Several that initially seem like villains become more nuanced, and some that seem like heroes show a darker side. No one is wholly good or evil, which was great. Even the main character grapples with her darker impulses.
That being said - one flaw I found with this book was just how miserable it could be at times. The Whisperers are looked down on, fair enough, but the amount of abuse and suffering they endure was really draining, and at times hard to understand. The main two prove themselves to be on the rest of the cast's side many times, but don't get any credit for it, almost to the point of absurdity. It's somewhat justified with a few characters for spoiler-y reasons, but for some it just seemed like unnecessary mustache-twirling jerkishness. A few characters do come around in the end, but it does feel like it takes a little too long.
That being said, the themes of duty/compassion vs vengeance/justice are very interesting. In particular, the main character, Betka, longs for vengeance, while her fellow Whisperer, Asi, insists on servitude being the right choice. Ultimately Betka chooses between the two, in a way that is bittersweet but satisfying. However, at times the theme of serving becomes a little uncomfortable, mostly because of the above point - the Whisperers are treated /so/ badly, and Asi seems to think they should just lie down and take it. In reality, I would have liked to see more middle ground between the two. Standing up for yourself, but still being compassionate and helping others. The story seems to find that middle ground in the end, but didn't quite go far enough for my taste.
In the end, though, this was an enjoyable read. It's got an interesting magic system, a unique world, and strong, complex characters. I would recommend it.
May 10, 2019
This is one of those books I didn’t think I needed until after I read it. Whispers From The Depths is a dark fantasy novel that I highly recommend to readers of this genre. This gritty read is packed with action, bravery, love, mystery, and an excellent dose of horror. The story gives a beautiful display of friendship and love. It’s the classic good overcoming evil. Love overcoming hate and revenge. The main characters, Betka and Asi emphasized these themes through their noble actions to save the men that were so cruel to them. I absolutely admired the women for that. I might have left those horrible spearmen crushed in Ylvalas’ fingers. Just saying. For sure they were the better women and great examples to follow. So follow their example, not mine. XD
Our heroine, Betka, is a Whisperer. She’s a convincing female lead that can manipulate water. From the start I found myself rooting for her and her freedom. One character I couldn’t stand was Rorlen. Any mention of hags or demands from Rorlen had me rolling my eyeballs out of their sockets. I’ll admit though it was interesting to see Rorlen squirm at the end of Betka’s mercy. Without Betka and Asi those spearmen had no chance. There was really only one redeemable spearman, Kuros. He treated the Whispers like human beings. His sense of humor had me cracking up each time he opened his goofy mouth.
The worldbuilding was believable. It definitely felt like the Viking era, which I loved! While there were so many epic scenes, I must say my favorites took place when they were trapped in the castle. I felt like I was there with the group being stalked by Ylvalas. It was like a house of horrors that just kept building and building. The tension had me gripped. I was caught between wanting to stay and escape the nightmare! And boy was the payoff sooo satisfying. Not predictable at all. The ending wasn’t cheesy and sparked a flame of hope that warmed my heart.
This book may better fit with adults rather than young adults. Or it might depend on the kind of reader you are. Just be aware of some grisly scenes. Well, it is an evil spirit eager to tear anything in its path after all. :)
Favorite quotes:
“Be like the tree whose kindness stays the axeman’s hand because it blesses him with fruit and shade. You will be spared, and the love you show others will grow deep roots. Let goodness be your defiance. One day, when the waters rise to take away the wicked, you will still be standing your ground, rooted and unmoved.”
“If a warrior can’t laugh at his foe, the foe has already won.”
Our heroine, Betka, is a Whisperer. She’s a convincing female lead that can manipulate water. From the start I found myself rooting for her and her freedom. One character I couldn’t stand was Rorlen. Any mention of hags or demands from Rorlen had me rolling my eyeballs out of their sockets. I’ll admit though it was interesting to see Rorlen squirm at the end of Betka’s mercy. Without Betka and Asi those spearmen had no chance. There was really only one redeemable spearman, Kuros. He treated the Whispers like human beings. His sense of humor had me cracking up each time he opened his goofy mouth.
The worldbuilding was believable. It definitely felt like the Viking era, which I loved! While there were so many epic scenes, I must say my favorites took place when they were trapped in the castle. I felt like I was there with the group being stalked by Ylvalas. It was like a house of horrors that just kept building and building. The tension had me gripped. I was caught between wanting to stay and escape the nightmare! And boy was the payoff sooo satisfying. Not predictable at all. The ending wasn’t cheesy and sparked a flame of hope that warmed my heart.
This book may better fit with adults rather than young adults. Or it might depend on the kind of reader you are. Just be aware of some grisly scenes. Well, it is an evil spirit eager to tear anything in its path after all. :)
Favorite quotes:
“Be like the tree whose kindness stays the axeman’s hand because it blesses him with fruit and shade. You will be spared, and the love you show others will grow deep roots. Let goodness be your defiance. One day, when the waters rise to take away the wicked, you will still be standing your ground, rooted and unmoved.”
“If a warrior can’t laugh at his foe, the foe has already won.”
June 13, 2019
Betka had been branded at a young age, her markings present for all to see. While men tore her elder sister, Tonsa, away, she was allowed a precious few years to remain with her father before being forced into servitude. Her Whisperer Voice condemned her to a life of service, and to hurt another was to reflect and amplify the pain back on to herself. She was a captive in mind, body, and spirit, forced to sacrifice for all. Her only hope at freedom was to earn eleven rubies for her shackle. When news of an attack reached the palace, seeing an opportunity, she volunteered her services. Not only in the hope of chance to be free, but the place under siege was the location her sister had been sent to serve. But the path is never easy. The very person who condemned her to slavery is leading the mission, and worse still, the siege is of no normal force. A great and powerful evil has risen, and it seeks to claim everything in its never-ending fury.
Whispers from the Depth is an intense and gripping fantasy by C.W. Briar. From priests to slaves we watch the fall of the Whisperers as the followers of Rask take their place in power. Whilst Betka's story occurs in a time beyond this, we are granted small insights into the path, added to the chapters in a similar manner to an intermission. All events from past to present unfold to knit together and become part of the greater picture. I thought the portray of Betka's character was brilliant. Her range and progression on emotions, forbidden thoughts, anger, and hatred as she steers from the course her gifts force her to follow, was executed well, as was Asi's character, who in contrast embraced all the teachings offered with a never faltering will to serve and protect. Betka's development is as deep as her character, and I loved watching how situations tempered her right until the end. Packed with action, conflict, and tension Whispers from the Depth will keep you engaged, enraged, and wanting more.
Whispers from the Depth is an intense and gripping fantasy by C.W. Briar. From priests to slaves we watch the fall of the Whisperers as the followers of Rask take their place in power. Whilst Betka's story occurs in a time beyond this, we are granted small insights into the path, added to the chapters in a similar manner to an intermission. All events from past to present unfold to knit together and become part of the greater picture. I thought the portray of Betka's character was brilliant. Her range and progression on emotions, forbidden thoughts, anger, and hatred as she steers from the course her gifts force her to follow, was executed well, as was Asi's character, who in contrast embraced all the teachings offered with a never faltering will to serve and protect. Betka's development is as deep as her character, and I loved watching how situations tempered her right until the end. Packed with action, conflict, and tension Whispers from the Depth will keep you engaged, enraged, and wanting more.
August 25, 2020
Admittedly, I was skeptical at first. I always am when I start reading a genre that isn't my usual fare. But, given a little time my skepticism began to wane and Whispers From The Depths became one of those books I had to get back to reading any chance I got.
Tosna, Betka, and Asi are Whisperers. They speak and control the waters of their land, but enslavement by an invading force have made the three young women prisoners. Their powers can be used for something as minor as stirring a cup of tea to calming a raging storm at sea. They can be used for good, or for evil - but using them for evil will only bring enormous suffering to the Whisperer itself. This keeps them in check, a fact their captors used to every advantage.
When Betka is given the chance to find, and she hopes, to rescue her sister Tosna who was taken away when they were children, she finds herself aboard a ship with fellow Whisperer, Asi. All too soon things start to go horribly wrong. The water spirit seems both enraged and absent at the same time. They cannot hear it. They cannot control it. At their final destination, the castle were Betka's sister was taken, they find death and destruction everywhere.
This started a bit slow for me, while Briar mapped out the backstory and led me through a series of odd place names and events that I couldn't seem to link to each other. I had a hard time keeping the character names straight, who was good, who was bad, who was somewhere in the middle. But this was really the only distracting flaw. Briar's writing is both complex and simple at the same time, descriptive without being overly so, moving the plot forward at a pace that started somewhat plodding and confusing, but ramped up page by page until I wasn't able to read as quickly as I wanted to.
Well written, well edited, and well worth the time for any Fantasy reader.
Tosna, Betka, and Asi are Whisperers. They speak and control the waters of their land, but enslavement by an invading force have made the three young women prisoners. Their powers can be used for something as minor as stirring a cup of tea to calming a raging storm at sea. They can be used for good, or for evil - but using them for evil will only bring enormous suffering to the Whisperer itself. This keeps them in check, a fact their captors used to every advantage.
When Betka is given the chance to find, and she hopes, to rescue her sister Tosna who was taken away when they were children, she finds herself aboard a ship with fellow Whisperer, Asi. All too soon things start to go horribly wrong. The water spirit seems both enraged and absent at the same time. They cannot hear it. They cannot control it. At their final destination, the castle were Betka's sister was taken, they find death and destruction everywhere.
This started a bit slow for me, while Briar mapped out the backstory and led me through a series of odd place names and events that I couldn't seem to link to each other. I had a hard time keeping the character names straight, who was good, who was bad, who was somewhere in the middle. But this was really the only distracting flaw. Briar's writing is both complex and simple at the same time, descriptive without being overly so, moving the plot forward at a pace that started somewhat plodding and confusing, but ramped up page by page until I wasn't able to read as quickly as I wanted to.
Well written, well edited, and well worth the time for any Fantasy reader.
March 6, 2019
Dark but not Devoid of Hope
I came across CW Briar with his short story anthology, Wrath and Ruin and fell in love with this collection. He’s a master of creepy horror but with satisfying endings. His stories hold their own with the masters Poe and Bradbury.
With this in mind, I dove into Whispers from the Depth. See what I did there?
The back story which starts as something of a prologue weaves well into the main story. However, it’s in the main action, Briar’s story shines. He has great descriptions and turns of phrase that I found myself highlighting.
Betka is a three-dimensional character who makes us feel the oppression of her slavery as a Whisperer under harsh masters. Briar takes us more than once to the hopelessness that she may never earn enough jewels to be freed. She’s also on a quest to the city where her sister Tosna is enslaved. The city has been attacked by a water spirit, and her master is on his way as part of a crew to plunder the ravaged city while Betka is on a quest to find her sister, if she’s even alive. Her companion, Asi, is a fellow slave who maintains an optimistic attitude despite serving the same harsh masters.
The story twists and turns with a few flashbacks to Eder, a Whisperer from the time when they were replaced by the god Resk as the state religion.
The story went directions that I didn’t expect, but there is sufficient foreshadowing to highlight the brilliance of the plot twists.
There is a lot to chew on at a deeper level. With a wrathful water god, take that as an intentional pun or not.
Betka is often cynical about Asi’s optimism but restrains her revenge on their masters knowing she will face twice the wrath. Their contrasting views on enslavement provide the central theme. Is serving God bondage or freedom?
I came across CW Briar with his short story anthology, Wrath and Ruin and fell in love with this collection. He’s a master of creepy horror but with satisfying endings. His stories hold their own with the masters Poe and Bradbury.
With this in mind, I dove into Whispers from the Depth. See what I did there?
The back story which starts as something of a prologue weaves well into the main story. However, it’s in the main action, Briar’s story shines. He has great descriptions and turns of phrase that I found myself highlighting.
Betka is a three-dimensional character who makes us feel the oppression of her slavery as a Whisperer under harsh masters. Briar takes us more than once to the hopelessness that she may never earn enough jewels to be freed. She’s also on a quest to the city where her sister Tosna is enslaved. The city has been attacked by a water spirit, and her master is on his way as part of a crew to plunder the ravaged city while Betka is on a quest to find her sister, if she’s even alive. Her companion, Asi, is a fellow slave who maintains an optimistic attitude despite serving the same harsh masters.
The story twists and turns with a few flashbacks to Eder, a Whisperer from the time when they were replaced by the god Resk as the state religion.
The story went directions that I didn’t expect, but there is sufficient foreshadowing to highlight the brilliance of the plot twists.
There is a lot to chew on at a deeper level. With a wrathful water god, take that as an intentional pun or not.
Betka is often cynical about Asi’s optimism but restrains her revenge on their masters knowing she will face twice the wrath. Their contrasting views on enslavement provide the central theme. Is serving God bondage or freedom?
March 26, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Whispers From the Depths
Author: C.W. Briar
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: February 19, 2019
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Uncommon Universes Press
Pages: 292
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Joyful and blessed are Voice-bearers, for the Heavens have set them apart.
As Whisperers gifted with the Voice, Betka and her people are enslaved. Only they can control the dangerous spirits that haunt the waters, but they are forced to serve under cruel taskmasters. Betka has little hope of freedom from her service or her own bitterness.
They toil for the goodness of others.
A powerful water spirit terrorizes the castle where Betka's sister is serving. Betka is assigned to the crew sailing to face the foe, and she fears for the only family she has left. There is no mercy for the Whisperer who fails in their task.
Rage is found nowhere in them.
In the beleaguered, flooded castle, a new threat awaits—a magic more powerful and horrifying than anything they have ever seen. Loyalties will be tested, and enemies will become desperate allies.
Betka is their only hope of escape—if she can subdue the wrath that endangers them all.
Review: I had to DNF this book as well. While I felt like this book started strong with a compelling plot, the books characters went in a direction and I couldn’t connect with them any further. The book is well written, with compelling characters and the world building was pretty good, but I couldn’t connect with it unfortunately.
Verdict: Not for me, but it might be for you!
Book: Whispers From the Depths
Author: C.W. Briar
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: February 19, 2019
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Uncommon Universes Press
Pages: 292
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Joyful and blessed are Voice-bearers, for the Heavens have set them apart.
As Whisperers gifted with the Voice, Betka and her people are enslaved. Only they can control the dangerous spirits that haunt the waters, but they are forced to serve under cruel taskmasters. Betka has little hope of freedom from her service or her own bitterness.
They toil for the goodness of others.
A powerful water spirit terrorizes the castle where Betka's sister is serving. Betka is assigned to the crew sailing to face the foe, and she fears for the only family she has left. There is no mercy for the Whisperer who fails in their task.
Rage is found nowhere in them.
In the beleaguered, flooded castle, a new threat awaits—a magic more powerful and horrifying than anything they have ever seen. Loyalties will be tested, and enemies will become desperate allies.
Betka is their only hope of escape—if she can subdue the wrath that endangers them all.
Review: I had to DNF this book as well. While I felt like this book started strong with a compelling plot, the books characters went in a direction and I couldn’t connect with them any further. The book is well written, with compelling characters and the world building was pretty good, but I couldn’t connect with it unfortunately.
Verdict: Not for me, but it might be for you!
March 9, 2019
Starting off, I loved the focus in this book. We don’t really get a wide sense of the world, like a lot of fantasy—but the worldbuilding, the characters, and the magic system are all very tightly focused and it really benefits the plot.
The characters are well-drawn. Betka was an easy protagonist to sympathize with, and I felt instantly drawn to Kuron--I especially loved that, while he seemed to agree with her more often than not, he showed it not in dramatic, outright rebellion, but in small, simple ways. It made him very real. And as much as I wanted to hate Rorlen...the further I got into the book, the more grudgingly I realized that he wasn't a simple black-and-white villain. In the end I almost felt more sorry for him than anything.
I loved the creepy haunted-house feel once they entered the castle. And—this sounds weird, but I appreciate the restraint shown here. There were some shocking/gruesome moments where I thought “oh gosh did he really just go there?!?” (And a couple moments of “but whyyyyyy, did you HAVE to do that?!?” 😉) But Briar kept it to a few very well-timed, gut-punch moments where it really underscored the themes of the book.
And on that note, the metaphors and themes of anger/destruction vs forgiveness, sacrifice...wow. The more I think about it the more multi-layered everything in the book becomes.
Basically, I love this book! It’s amazing, I adored certain characters, I identified so strongly with Betka, and right now it definitely leads my favorite reads of 2019 list. Love love love it! This one is well worth your time.
The characters are well-drawn. Betka was an easy protagonist to sympathize with, and I felt instantly drawn to Kuron--I especially loved that, while he seemed to agree with her more often than not, he showed it not in dramatic, outright rebellion, but in small, simple ways. It made him very real. And as much as I wanted to hate Rorlen...the further I got into the book, the more grudgingly I realized that he wasn't a simple black-and-white villain. In the end I almost felt more sorry for him than anything.
I loved the creepy haunted-house feel once they entered the castle. And—this sounds weird, but I appreciate the restraint shown here. There were some shocking/gruesome moments where I thought “oh gosh did he really just go there?!?” (And a couple moments of “but whyyyyyy, did you HAVE to do that?!?” 😉) But Briar kept it to a few very well-timed, gut-punch moments where it really underscored the themes of the book.
And on that note, the metaphors and themes of anger/destruction vs forgiveness, sacrifice...wow. The more I think about it the more multi-layered everything in the book becomes.
Basically, I love this book! It’s amazing, I adored certain characters, I identified so strongly with Betka, and right now it definitely leads my favorite reads of 2019 list. Love love love it! This one is well worth your time.
October 25, 2019
I wanted to like this book so much, but it just didn't happen. The beginning of the book was very good. The world building and the character depictions were well done and made me eager to read more. We learn that Whisperers are basically slaves that have gifts called the Voice, which allow them to communicate with water spirits. Their "owners" use Whisperers to give them safe travel over seas and promote rain and such. Betka is a Whisperer who finds out that the palace where her sister Tosna is has been attacked. When her and the another Whisperer Asi arrive there with Captain Rorlan and his team of men, they find the palace encased in water and an evil water spirit. This about where things went down hill for me. What happened at the palace was very interesting, and about 2/3 through the book I was still excited for what happens next. However, one of my biggest issues was Asi. The comments she would make about her slavery and her actions that she had in the remaining chapters were constantly infuriating and only continued to get worse as the story wore on. Captain Rorlan was another character that just kept rubbing me the wrong way, I understand he was supposed to be a type of villian but a lot of his actions and comments in the last 1/4 of the book were eye rolling. I felt like this story had an amazing idea and could have been so much better.
I received a free copy from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2019
I enjoyed the story, especially at the beginning, and the plot was very captivating. The world building was well done and I found myself yearning for each additional kernel of detail about the world and about the Whisperers. However, the further I got into the book, the more frustrated and, frankly, disgusted I became with Asi's character and the message she was bringing to the book. The message of "if we choose to serve, they are gifts regardless of who compels them," and so basically excusing and glorifying her own slavery, was unexpected and unwelcome while I was reading it. I loved the book until about 3/4 of the way through, when these messages started becoming more and more frequent, and then I felt like I had gotten roped into reading political views I don't agree with and was not looking for or expecting in this book because I was invested in the characters and plot. Otherwise, I did like the plot, characters, and world building. Overall, it was a decent read, but I'll be wary of reading anything from this author again.
I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy.
I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy.
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