Outback horseman Lane Dimity is one of the most powerful social media personalities on the planet. Although unable to speak since the tragedy that took place on his eighth birthday, his words reach out across the world, changing lives. When he learns that more than a thousand stallions have been bred by the U.S. pharmaceutical company Pilatos, he is determined to free them. The heir to Pilatos, Karen Lawford, will do everything in her power to stop him.Pilatos has gambled its future on the revolutionary drug Stablex, and the genetically unique stallions are needed to produce it...and there are no limits to what Pilatos will do to ensure Lane doesn’t interfere. It is only when Karen learns the shocking truth of what lies at the heart of the laboratories that there’s any chance of change, but is it too late for Lane? Sometimes, you only learn how much you love someone once you lose them.
Excellent..! It took me a while to read as I had put it down while my twin sister was going through cancer treatments..We both loved horses..and learned to ride together ...every summer from the age of 11- 15,we went to a two week riding camp..I was even going to send her the book , but she passed at Easter...it was such a healing read....as the tears were flowing in memory of my twin sister..and the riding adventures we had...
This story was unbelievable. I have a lot of horses since I was a child and I wrote and taught myself how to ride in my teens and I had horses for a while but then we had a farm in, I had to sell them. But as you write it is an emptiness in your, and your soul when you are not around then. I am a private duty nurse and I took care of a lady who is in her seventies would have been riding before she had a brain an aneurysm and she told me Kathy ride again by one of my horses but I knew I couldn't and I had no place to board her. But it got me thinking if she could be riding horses that 70 I could be riding horses when I'm in my 50s and 60s it's so a few years later I bought a horse his name was Sandy. When you talk about the bond that you have with them it is so true it when I had to put him down because he had strangles it was so hard but I made sure that I was the last person you see but he died. So please continue to write wonderful stories like this and I will be looking for of them to read again thank you so much.
This book will definitely be stored in my "good enuf to re-read many times" folder. Muted is filled with a perfect mix of drama, action, intrigue, and a dash of romance that left me wanting to rush ahead to see what's next, yet wanting the final page to never come. This is much more than a feel good story about horses and the people that love them. The characters grab hold and don't let go as Ms. Owens leads you thru a great plot with characters that are both believable and endearing. I'm better for having read it and will re-read it many times in the future. Don't miss out. Add Muted to your good reads today. It's worth the effort for sure!
This book took me a long time to get through. The beginning was gut wrenching. It reminded me in some ways of The Red Pony: not in the content necessarily because short of a boy, a horse, and lack of money, there isn’t anything similar in the situation. Just the way it makes the reader feel is similar.
The descriptions in this book were sometimes painful to read because they were so cliche. The dialogue to me often didn’t feel authentic. It’s also very seldom that situations as complicated as the ones presented in this book resolve so neatly in every conceivable way.
Is it enjoyable to read. I suppose for some people it would be, but if you are a person who tends to read critically if pass this one by.
This is my book, so ignore my review (I'm just trying to get it into some of my book clubs, and it requests a review first). Released in November, 2018, as of April 2019, there are 45 unsolicited reviews in four countries, 37 on U.S. Amazon, and all are five star except a single four star review from a scientist who loved the book but didn't like the fact that some of the scientists were the bad guys, which is a perfectly valid point (well, in the book, there's a pharmaceutical company using animals in the product devlopment... it happens).
Whoa. Back off, horse lovers. Don't read the prologue. Take it up from chapter one and just assume something bad happened.
Some more awful things are happening, and money making is at the core of the situation. A new drug called Stablex can help men live longer, healthier lives - not women, and it will be highly expensive. The drug is produced with the aid of horses, but don't worry, the horses are looked after just fine. If you believe that....
The action has an unusual social media influencer, a mute horse lover from Australia who rides and writes books. He pits wills against a giant pharma company, and the tightly-wound daughter of the owners gets to know him. The pair take a brief road trip to view stallions - in Vienna and mustangs in a corral - but it was clear to me that this was a distraction. I was asking where were the (ahem, spoiler) and I know enough that all my guesses were right.
This story is Le Guin's 'The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas', with horses.
As many scenes involve distressing issues I cannot recommend the book for young and tender readers. However, if adults would like a technothriller, conspiracy thriller or just an unusual look at modern life and horsemen/ horsewomen, this is very well written and will keep you turning pages, while learning how we should relate to our equine friends.
I read a Kindle version. This is an unbiased review.
Wow.....I almost closed the book after starting the prologue....but knew from the reviews that it was worth reading. Am I glad I kept reading!! Warning -- don't start it if you have ANYTHING else to do, it's a little hard to put down! If you love horses, this book will make you cry -- with happiness and with pain at times -- I had purchased the first 2 in the series about a year ago, and they kind of got lost in the library (I may have too many books.....LOL), the third is now out and I immediately purchased it upon finishing Muted. Without giving any spoilers, it's a heartbreaking look at our society and how some people value profit and wealth over everything else.....my hope is this book will open some eyes about this failure and point us back in a better direction..... Now off to accomplish something before I start reading the second book, Rescued.....
It's rare to find an author who can write authentically about so many topics, but Ms. Owens knows Australia, Austria, America, and horses, and the love of horses that seems a madness to people who have never felt it. There are many young girls who were madly in love with horses but were never allowed to own or even ride them. I was one of these girls. My hungry heart grieved at the deaths of the starving horses, even as my responsible soul would have put them out of their misery. Being grown-up doesn't make life easier. I've never read an author who understood or explained it better than Ms. Owens. I recommend this book for every teen, pre-teen, young adult, or like me young senior citizen. Congratulations on a fine novel.
This is a ten star book at the very least. Although the first chapter was horrifying, I read on and enjoyed every minute of it. The author is knowledgeable about horses and catches the deep emotion that wells up in all horse people. This author is going places!
I loved this book! The characters are believable and interesting. I have been blessed to have several horses in my lifetime [currently 76 and riding] and can honestly state that each of them has come with things to teach. I had an incredibly lovely Hanoverian mare that dumped me six times, once, headfirst into a wall & scared me. I tried to sell her to someone who might be able to give her the confidence she needed....fortunately, she came back to me & I have an amazing friend who was able to ride her....I watched and eventually was able to ride her as well. She blessed me with many hours of liberty work ... I'd turn her loose and marvel at how very CAREFUL she was with me. Such joy shared by a lovely mare. Sadly, she developed Laminitis, and I lost her. My next horse was [IS] Braveheart, aka,' Ben'. I think it was love at first sight for both Ben and me. A stunningly beautiful black horse with a white star and white socks on both left legs. Not only beautiful but with a sense of humor [yes, he DOES]. We celebrated his 27th birthday on April and he is still ridden three times a week. Several years ago, Ben had an injury & I decided to look for another horse to ride as Ben's injury lasted almost 2 years .... Then Merlin, a 5 year old Mustang, entered my life. Merlin, named 'Amigo' by the person I bought him from, has been an incredibly lovely boy. Bigger than most Mustangs, 16 1 and 1,039 pounds, he is kind and willing to try anything I ask him to do. He actually remembers movements from our lessons and literally puffs himself up when praised for doing a good job. He is also very safe and even young children can safely ride him. My point in all of the above is that horses DO have souls and bring so much into the lives of those who love them and are willing to be still and "LISTEN" to their messages. Thank you for a lovely read, I have "Rescued" ready to read and look forward to reading it. KEB
This was.. a lot to digest! It had a great opening prologue but I’m not sure it needed to be 400 pages long as it felt a bit repetitive at times. Though it was slow paced the plot was interesting enough to keep me coming back. Then after about the last 75 pages my interest really peaked and there were some great plot twists. It’s definitely a good horse lover’s novel, although some might complain there is not as much emphasis on the horses as there is the relationship/dynamic between Karen and Lane. One of my main problems with this book is that I don’t understand why a person like Lane would fall for someone like Karen. I didn’t really see much in her personality that would have attracted him. I understand the concept of him wanting to save her and help her find her sense of joy again but what about her personality would have made him go for a woman like that? They really were complete opposites for most of the book. Lane doesn’t seem like the type of person that would pursue a relationship based solely off of looks. I guess the author took opposite attract to an extreme. 🤷♀️ This has been on my to be red shelf for probably over three years now and I am glad I finally got to it. I’m still debating whether I will read the second in the series or not.
There are things to like about this book. It has a horse-centric story with great descriptions of horses and landscapes. The interplay of marketing and public opinion and the use of social media are well described, and most of the scenes involving horses are riveting. Unfortunately they don’t outweigh the stark black-and-whiteness of the plot, the simplistic characters, and the ridiculous levels of wealth everywhere. The sameness of the dialogue eventually grated on my nerves as well. Although I’ve never been to Australia, I know that Australian English isn’t the same as American English and someone who grew up on the Navajo Reservation doesn’t have the same speech patterns as someone who grew up in Kentucky and neither of those people had the same speech pattern as someone whose first language is German. Finally, if you’re going to set most of your book in the U.S., learn the American terms. For starters, Americans call their mothers “Mom “ not “Mum,” they ride in elevators not lifts, and they drive on blacktop or tarmac or bitumen. Finally, the book was way longer than it needed to be. A good editor would have done wonders for it. I might read another of her books just for the horse scenes, but I don’t know.
Wow this is a 10 star book about horses. My last name means Stallion and I love horses . This story will make you cry and at times make you happy. Very touching story. First off the first few pages of the book tells a story about a little boy named Lanes birthday and what happened that day. A man named John owed a company and he also owned lots of Friedsian horses. Stablex was a company he was working on for a new product . His daughter Karen owed 10 % of the company and used to love riding horses as a little girl. Now she doesnt have anytime to do that . For she is a major player at the farm and for the company. But her dad is the boss man no matter what .This story is surprizing and also shocking toward the ending. But us horse loves hope there is lying some good in this story to over come the pain.
A book for horse lovers and haters of mistreatment
What a book! What excellent characters. Lane Dignity may be a fictional character but I just know there are people like him in this world. There has to be. He knows empathy, heartbreak, laughter, joy, and love.
Karen Lawford is the hard-nosed businesswoman working in the family company who is easy to dislike. At first. The author let's us in on the heart she hides away in the name of profits for Stablex, a wonder drug.
The horses stabled for research rip our hearts out. The horses cared for by Lane, his friends, and colleagues make our hearts soar.
I didn't expect to cry so much. I definitely didn't expect the wonderful twist at the end.
I'll be reading the other books in The Dimity Horse Mysteries and other books by Leanne Owens.
This is a dnf. I don't buy it. There are 52 approved active and alumni Friesian stallions in the United States. That's a pretty far cry from 1000 used for pharmaceutical production as posited in this book. That's enough to make it impossible for me find anything I can believe about this story. And then there's the instant woo woo mystical zen relationship between horse and man. I have had horses for over 30 years, loved them, worked with them and cared for them throughout their lives. I have had heart horses and special relationships with special horses. Instant woo woo mystical zen relationship? No. Relationships built from care and consistency and kindness, yes.
This has to be one of the best books I’ve read in the last decade - or ever, if I’m honest. It’s well written, with amazing characters and an incredible plotline.
I felt so many different emotions while reading it and yes, I admit to crying in public when I read the prologue. Thank god for sunglasses…
Don't dismiss this book if you're not a horse fan. It's so complex and unexpected that reading this story was simply a joy—horses or not.
Please be aware that there is some animal cruelty going on. So if that is a trigger for you, then better stay away from this.
OMG! When I started the prologue, I thought, "I cannot read this book!" But then I kept on. It was a little slow starting (after the prologue), but as I continued reading, I could not put it down. It has been a LONG, LONG LONNNNNNNG, time since I have read a book that I could not put down to go to bed. I was determined to keep reading. I had to find out "the source." I had to find out what Karen was going to do. I got so involved in the characters. Now, I must ask, "Will there be a sequel?"
An amazing book that takes you on a journey of emotions. I choose this book because horses have been a large part of my life for over 45 plus years, from breeding, raising, training to showing. As I read this book , I felt the full scope of emotions from disgust to sadness, and awe to happiness. We have made plans to visit Austria and especially Vienna this year. A visit to the Spanish Riding School is at the top of our list I would definitely recommend reading this book. I had a difficult time putting it down much to my husbands regret.
I have never read any books by this author but am looking forward to reading more. This is a story that needs to be told. There are many horses being used for testing along with other animals. All in the so called name of science. The human body and mind were designed to live with whatever cards they were dealt. Good or bad. How else can we explain some people living into their hundreds still healthy and others dying young and on scientific discovered medications. Again...great story and great read.
Outback horseman Lane Dimity is one of the most powerful social media personalities on the planet. Although unable to speak since the tragedy that took place on his eighth birthday, his words reach out to people across the globe. When he learns that more than a thousand Friesian stallions are being held by the U.S. pharmaceutical company, Pilatos Industries, he knows he has to do all he can to free them. The heir to Pilatos, the cool and efficient lawyer Karen Lawford, will do everything in her power to stop him.
If you like romance, if you like mysteries, if you like crime novels, if you like plot twists, if you like medical stuff, if you like horses, if you like animals, if you just like to read…
READ THIS BOOK.
I read Muted in a matter of days… This is one of the best books I have ever read. It seriously has taken the place of my favorite book. It kept me guessing the entire book… I couldn’t predict what was going to happen. I was blind sided by plot twists.
I smiled, I laughed, I cried… it’s seriously one of the very best books I’ve ever read. I am obsessed.
I recommend taking the authors advice and skipping the prologue. This is how I read it and I loved it.
Lane is the premier horse guru in the world. Karen is the ice princess of the corporate world. Sparks fly when they meet. What is really going on at the pharmaceutical company's farm? What's behind the over 1,000 silent stallions there? More twists and turns than a sidewinder rattlesnake tracks in the desert sand. How evil is Karen's father? When Lane disappears what will Karen do? All the answers are in this excellent book. Highly recommended for all ages, over 16.
I wanted to love this book but it just didn't grab me. I was about 25% into it and the horses seemed to be just a side note. I love books that describe the horses and their behaviors and personalities and how the riders connect with them. The main character connected with the horses but not in a way that seemed realistic to me. It was very new agey.
The beginning started off really well but then the characters seemed very young for adults. I was trying to stick it out but I decided to stop reading.
I'm sure others would feel very differently and enjoy this book.
Rating this book my favourite of the year so far… despite starting it back in Feb and only reading a chapter I recently dived back into it and it was worth it and became a page turner. I guess I was a little reluctant being an avid horse lover and often find novels with horses as the subject matter to be off putting due to inaccuracies.
However this book captured the essence of not only horses on successively but took it a step further to capture their spirit. I also really loved the snippets at the beginning of each chapter of the main characters thoughts on horsemanship, being at one with a horse and listening to them. The main character, Lane, with his mutism coincides well with advocating for horse, those who don’t have a voice but speak volumes to those who choose to listen.
I did shed some tears a couple times and I feel they were well deserved.
My mind was trying to decide if I wanted to continue reading a book about fanatics saving the world. I have to eat those words. My mind felt like it was on a roller coaster and it went up and down, around and around never knowing for sure what was coming next. The range of feelings I actually felt was enormous. I'm so glad I kept reading. It made me look at life quite differently. AWESOME!
If you never loved a horse. Never loved a family member. Never loved a friend. Then this book is not for you! I am not the best horse rider in my large family of riders, but I am a lover of horses. To feel their mighty stature beneath your fingers and feel their muscles strong beneath you, running free with the wind, is something you will feel with reading this book.