The Silent Bells

by N.D. Wilson

The long wait is over! The Ashtown Burials series will finally reach its conclusion in this limited serial edition. Hope you subscribed when you could, because subscriptions are now closed. But keep your fingers crossed...a full printed edition may be a possibility at a future date.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

Unknown Binding

Reviews

[Maya Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The serial was a first draft, so I have grace for some rough edges. Besides, we got a Trinitarian reference, an argument about Aquinas, the heir of Solomon, a 100 Cupboards cameo, our protagonists all mature and everything, a baby, dragons upon dragons, and adult Cyrus Smith (who is just excellent wow), so I can't really complain. A fitting end. Evil is destroyed and God's wrath and mercy have the final say. The world is evil but it's also really beautiful, in all corners (and in this book we are in Wisconsin and Seattle and Brazil and Ghana and Ireland, and plenty other places too). If you've read books 1-3 you know what kind of weird you're in for.

Oh and I almost forgot: Wilson has Nolan correct the bad Latin from book 1! (Incorrect dative plural of draco.) (And then everyone insists the incorrect Latin is actually important for reasons of Historical Accuracy and they keep it on the crest anyway, but still. I've been annoyed about that for a solid decade now.)

[John Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me waiting…

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

For everyone waiting, good Ashtown news is coming soon…

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

FINAL review as of Sept 2025, after receiving the last chapter.
All is resolved, all is done, the good guys win. I echo my earlier comment, Wilson needs to learn to let people breath, bathe, eat good food, sleep, and sing songs. The tension is tiring and made me not care about the characters or who was left or who wasn't around anymore. Again, read about Lorien or Rivendell in LOTR, and learn from how Tolkien interspersed intense difficulties with refreshing and healing places along the way.

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Chapters started back as of May 2025 with chapter 16 "Death's Door"
I have pretty much totally forgotten what I was reading back in 2020, but my memory is that the chapters were "grim" and the characters joyless, filthy, exhausted, ill-fed, beaten up and relentlessly pursued.

Wilson needs to learn from CS Lewis and Tolkien to add some moments of peace even in the middle of the big battles. Tom Bombadil? Rivendell? Lorien? All spaces of healing and cleanliness and nourishing food and rest as the journey (and battle) progresses.

My chapter 16 summary? Just when you thought it was the darkest it could ever be? You are thrown into a black pit of cold and dirty water. And then you realize, "No, it wasn't pitch black before. But it is now!"

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As of 2024, no chapters have been forthcoming. Will look for the book at some point.

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Dec 2022
God bless Nate Wilson. He's struggling with daily migraines since his brain tumor surgery, and it is no wonder this book hasn't been completed. Praying he gets healthy and can focus on the book at some point to finish it. I think he got to about chapter 14 or so.
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Can't remember when the subscription actually started, in the summer of 2020 I think. Have been reading each chapter as it is mailed.

Up to Chapter 13 so far as of April 2021.

[Becky]

Not really finished, but I don’t remember what’s happening or who the characters are at this point. Maybe I’ll pick up a finished copy one day and read it through and care more.

[christine ✩]

CHAT I CAN FINALLY MARK THIS AS READ H O L Y M O L Y I ONLY WAITED like eight years for this moment WILD that I was 12-13 when I first read this and I'm abt to turn 21 gang what

however I am deeply underwhelmed currently and kind of really mad about some of the final chapters and that is a rant that exists elsewhere and will not be put on goodreads For Now. At least I have received a resolution of some kind. < I am fully aware this is a draft mostly but it's not like major plot points are going to change and those are what I am mainly concerned about here.
the Wilson Themes(tm) are always strong, but the plotlines... idk man help

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this was from 2022

"We are the last embers of a once great fire. We must survive, not as animals, content to eat and breath and sleep, but as light, as sparks. We will all die, but when we do, let us die setting other souls alight. Even in death, I pray we will set fires throughout the world to haunt and hunt the darkness until dawn comes forever."

hyacinth has been directly mentioned my life is complete lol i think 13 year old me would be quite literally over the moon. currently on ch 10 or something out of 15 published apparently

edit, the next day: hi lol I've finished all 15 and I am UNHAPPY. i mean also happy because it's been what, almost 7 years since this was originally meant to be published and i'm finally getting to read at least part of it but also unhappy bc there are only 15 chapters :( but also WHAT ARE MUSHROOM MEN DOING HERE I THOUGHT WE LEFT THEM BACK IN DOOR BEFORE!! all of this is driving me nuts tbh i don't even know anymore man. lightning trees are cool. bells really do be silent

[Suzan Cumings]

!!!

[Caly · Rating 4 out of 5]

After waiting years for this series to be finished, it’s nice to finally know how this story ends.
Am I happy? Yes, yes I am.
Surprised? Very!
Thrilled the Ashtown circle is complete? Absolutely.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've waited a lot of years for this ending, and I find my eyes lifted.

Here be a call to "tread the world and tend the wilds" with my brothers and sisters, through death and darkness, in bold and tear-filled and imperfect service to my King and Keeper, until the laughter of the Jubilee.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! Glad this will be getting a final polish and be making it into a real book format next year. Audiobook too? 🤞

[Tara Tarr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Ashtown Burials, and I actually have not read The Silent Bells yet, though I intend to purchase the serials at some point. To all the worried, sad, and angry commenters writing reviews (if any of you even read these): I listen to N. D. Wilson's podcast, Stories are Soul Food (highly reccomend) and would like to inform the people of Goodreads that it has been said that finishing The Silent Bells is his project for 2025. So, we might be seeing a complete and published volume 4 out by the end of the year if all goes well!

[Christine Bubb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the 15 chapters available and am dying for an ending!!!!!

[Gideon Robinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

cant wait for the next chapter.

[Elizabeth]

I guess I’ve finished reading this? He seems to have stopped mailing them, though the story doesn’t quite feel wrapped up.

[Olivia Cornwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

So. This was super super fun ❤️ Lots of intense action, delving into deep places for undiscovered secrets, lots of excellent quotes ❤️

Ashtown was in shambles, and this was everyone regrouping to come back swinging. I LOVED how it dipped a little into 100 Cupboards territory with the doors and ways between worlds/places. And the specific references to The Door Before.

The ending did feel... not quite as Big and Climactic as I expected. A little rushed, but honestly the last newspaper chapter was AMAZING so I am okay for now 🤣

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The long wait is not over! The fifteen chapters already written do not end the book. It was not worth the money that I paid for it. 6 dollars a chapter? It was also unpolished. The only good thing about it was that the writing was amazing, as always.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

pissed

[Peter Kjos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait till this is finished…👀

[DJ Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t appreciate that it took so long and I hated the serial format, but The [completed] Silent Bells (first draft) was a satisfying conclusion to a great series!