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Ordshaw #4
The City Screams
Tova’s getting her hearing back.
She’s going to wish she wasn’t.
Alone in Tokyo for experimental ear surgery, Tova Nokes is finally shaking up her life. But when she starts to hear things she shouldn’t, all she wants is to make it home alive.
There’s a voice saying it’s where she comes from that makes her special.
If she can only survive violent stalkers, and the terrible screams, she might figure out why…
She’s going to wish she wasn’t.
Alone in Tokyo for experimental ear surgery, Tova Nokes is finally shaking up her life. But when she starts to hear things she shouldn’t, all she wants is to make it home alive.
There’s a voice saying it’s where she comes from that makes her special.
If she can only survive violent stalkers, and the terrible screams, she might figure out why…
- GenresFantasyUrban Fantasy
135 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2021
10 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Phil Williams
25 books138 followersPhil Williams is an author of fantasy, horror and dystopian fiction, including the Blood Scouts epic military fantasies, the Ordshaw urban fantasy thrillers and the post-apocalyptic Estalia series. He also works as a fiction editor and writes reference books to help foreign learners master the nuances of English, two of which are regular best-sellers on Kindle. As a long-term teacher and tutor of advanced English, he runs the popular website “English Lessons Brighton”.
Phil lives with his wife by the coast in Sussex, UK, and spends a great deal of time walking his impossibly fluffy dog, Herbert.
Phil lives with his wife by the coast in Sussex, UK, and spends a great deal of time walking his impossibly fluffy dog, Herbert.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 15, 2019
Tova travels to Japan after getting a chance to have a surgery to recover her hearing. It gets weird from there.
Jumping in mid-series always has me unsure if my floundering about is me with the usual getting used to a new world stuff, or the fact that I may be missed something important by not reading previous stories. Things straighten out for me though, and by the end, I saw that the not knowing the answer to the few things that may have been learned through prior books (or forgotten since I rarely reread the summary after I add them) is what made this story so fun to read and I loved that I was as clueless as Tova as to what was going on.
I loved Tova and her braveness- not only for being a trooper with the crazy stuff that happens to her but for trying to break away from the safe zone she lives in by going after a chance for herself, and her heartbreak when it looks like a failure and that she doesn’t crumble for long. She’s great and all her struggles, fears, and joys, were shown so well.
The story is nicely paced with little bits dropped here and there that kept me wanting to know more (seriously, you should see my notes) and then it cranks the dial and ramps up everything to twelve- I couldn’t put the book down for the rest of the afternoon.
There were a few things I was unsure of- like why just being from Ordshaw made Tova a special interest to anyone in the first place, and some of the ending was a bit unclear to me. But this did what I think these extended series novellas should do- and that is get me interested in the world, give me a taste without giving me everything, and do it while being a ton of fun. In that, this book succeeded on all levels.
Total addictive blast!
A special thank you to the author Phil Williams, who offered a copy for review after I hijacked his twitter thread.
Also posted at
https://starlitbook.com/
Jumping in mid-series always has me unsure if my floundering about is me with the usual getting used to a new world stuff, or the fact that I may be missed something important by not reading previous stories. Things straighten out for me though, and by the end, I saw that the not knowing the answer to the few things that may have been learned through prior books (or forgotten since I rarely reread the summary after I add them) is what made this story so fun to read and I loved that I was as clueless as Tova as to what was going on.
I loved Tova and her braveness- not only for being a trooper with the crazy stuff that happens to her but for trying to break away from the safe zone she lives in by going after a chance for herself, and her heartbreak when it looks like a failure and that she doesn’t crumble for long. She’s great and all her struggles, fears, and joys, were shown so well.
The story is nicely paced with little bits dropped here and there that kept me wanting to know more (seriously, you should see my notes) and then it cranks the dial and ramps up everything to twelve- I couldn’t put the book down for the rest of the afternoon.
There were a few things I was unsure of- like why just being from Ordshaw made Tova a special interest to anyone in the first place, and some of the ending was a bit unclear to me. But this did what I think these extended series novellas should do- and that is get me interested in the world, give me a taste without giving me everything, and do it while being a ton of fun. In that, this book succeeded on all levels.
Total addictive blast!
A special thank you to the author Phil Williams, who offered a copy for review after I hijacked his twitter thread.
Also posted at
https://starlitbook.com/
July 14, 2019
This was my first foray into the Ordshaw universe, and it was quite a fun ride!
I appreciated the book's brisk pace, which is to be expected of a novella. Despite the fast clip this book runs at, I still totally got a sense of the main character Tova and her personality and backstory, as well as the personalities of all her friends and her relationships to them. Williams does a good job of expressing a lot through a little--just one quick line of dialogue is often enough for us to get a clear picture of the history between these characters.
The mystery that unfolds throughout gripped me from the start and never let up. I did get the feeling that the author was purposely holding back a lot of key information that likely is unveiled in the main book series, but it never felt cheap, as if he were saying "Haha, you'll have to buy more books to figure it out!" Instead, it felt like a natural extension of the story. Tova is clueless and wandering around in the dark, unable to grasp any answers with certainty, and it makes sense that we are right there alongside her never fully understanding what's going on or why.
While that aspect might be unsatisfying to some, I appreciated the realism it added to the tale, although I did somewhat think it ended abruptly, and there were other parts of the story and one character in particular's characterization that I found to be odd and unexplained in a way that made it seem like I was missing something, rather than it being intentionally obtuse.
But overall, those minor nitpicks barely detracted from my enjoyment of the book, which kept me hooked for its duration. The City Screams is a fast, exciting thriller with hints of the larger Ordshaw mythos that has me eager to begin the main series.
I appreciated the book's brisk pace, which is to be expected of a novella. Despite the fast clip this book runs at, I still totally got a sense of the main character Tova and her personality and backstory, as well as the personalities of all her friends and her relationships to them. Williams does a good job of expressing a lot through a little--just one quick line of dialogue is often enough for us to get a clear picture of the history between these characters.
The mystery that unfolds throughout gripped me from the start and never let up. I did get the feeling that the author was purposely holding back a lot of key information that likely is unveiled in the main book series, but it never felt cheap, as if he were saying "Haha, you'll have to buy more books to figure it out!" Instead, it felt like a natural extension of the story. Tova is clueless and wandering around in the dark, unable to grasp any answers with certainty, and it makes sense that we are right there alongside her never fully understanding what's going on or why.
While that aspect might be unsatisfying to some, I appreciated the realism it added to the tale, although I did somewhat think it ended abruptly, and there were other parts of the story and one character in particular's characterization that I found to be odd and unexplained in a way that made it seem like I was missing something, rather than it being intentionally obtuse.
But overall, those minor nitpicks barely detracted from my enjoyment of the book, which kept me hooked for its duration. The City Screams is a fast, exciting thriller with hints of the larger Ordshaw mythos that has me eager to begin the main series.
August 12, 2019
The City Screams was my introduction to the Ordshaw world and after finishing it I want more. Tova is deaf since childhood. We meet her in Tokyo where she’s just about to undergo revolutionary ear surgery that will allow her to get her hearing back. In theory, surgeons succeeded. Except, instead of hearing people, Tova hears things she shouldn’t. Are those voices from another dimension? Or is the city screaming?
Willis does a good job of telling this twisting tale with excellent pace. The set-up has so much going for it that the plot could definitely have been stretched out into a much more sizable book, but the author opted for making it a fast, high-impact read. With less than 50 000 words, it’s probably the shortest book in the contest. Despite my lack of knowledge of the Ordshaw series, I never felt lost or confused.
The story has plenty of action mixed with horror elements and the final twist is brilliant and hilarious. Just wait and see what was the goal of agents of elsewhere :) We can debate if it doesn’t change the tone of the book, but I loved it.
Tova is a relatable lead character, one that could definitely carry future novels, so hopefully, there is more in store for this compelling protagonist.
Willis does a good job of telling this twisting tale with excellent pace. The set-up has so much going for it that the plot could definitely have been stretched out into a much more sizable book, but the author opted for making it a fast, high-impact read. With less than 50 000 words, it’s probably the shortest book in the contest. Despite my lack of knowledge of the Ordshaw series, I never felt lost or confused.
The story has plenty of action mixed with horror elements and the final twist is brilliant and hilarious. Just wait and see what was the goal of agents of elsewhere :) We can debate if it doesn’t change the tone of the book, but I loved it.
Tova is a relatable lead character, one that could definitely carry future novels, so hopefully, there is more in store for this compelling protagonist.
July 31, 2019
I'm always on the lookout for books with deaf protagonists. They're unfortunately few and far between, and finding one that does the community justice is even harder. I'm hearing, so I can't vouch for what the community thinks of Tova, but I connected with her from the beginning. Before I knew it I was 3/4 through the book.
I'm glad to hear there are other books that explore this world because the lack of answers was the most frustrating part. I felt just like Tova- an innocent bystander caught up in something much bigger.
I would very much like to see more of Tova and her Ordshaw community.
I'm glad to hear there are other books that explore this world because the lack of answers was the most frustrating part. I felt just like Tova- an innocent bystander caught up in something much bigger.
I would very much like to see more of Tova and her Ordshaw community.
December 4, 2020
The City Screams is an offshoot of the Ordshaw series. I've already binge read all of Pax's books, and although it was mentioned that there were other cities out there that are similar to Ordshaw, I didn't give it any real thought at the time. The idea of a fae or other beings underground in Tokyo was so much fun.
I like Tova right off the bat! I loved her quiet courage and low-key feisty moments. Within a chapter, she felt familiar (in the best way) and I was not-so-quietly rooting for her while being chased by creeps and navigating sketchy medical centers.
I really hope we get to see Tova in the future, hopefully paired with my favorite duo! Because Williams is absolutely not allowed to abandon Ordshaw yet IMHO.
I like Tova right off the bat! I loved her quiet courage and low-key feisty moments. Within a chapter, she felt familiar (in the best way) and I was not-so-quietly rooting for her while being chased by creeps and navigating sketchy medical centers.
I really hope we get to see Tova in the future, hopefully paired with my favorite duo! Because Williams is absolutely not allowed to abandon Ordshaw yet IMHO.
September 14, 2019
The City Screams is my initiation into Williams' work, and what an incredible introduction it has been! An urban fantasy set in Japan that pulls in a healthy dose of lore from the area, this story perfectly portrays the concepts of courageousness and resolve, that not everything of consequence need be witnessed only through sight, and that there is always more to be discovered beneath the surface. Conspiracies, strange organizations, mysterious ongoings, peril, and hope, it's a genuinely fun read that keeps you guessing until the very end - and that twist! Excellently realized characters and a plot where nothing is at it seems, there's no shortage of surprises along the way. It's length smartly strips all the fluff, resulting in a fast-paced adventure where every word matters, and honestly, I finished this book craving more of the Ordshaw world.
Being a story of this size, there are a few concepts that, while possessing excellent backbones, lack just a bit of fleshing out. I know The City Screams can be read as a completely independent standalone within the series, but I feel reading Under Ordshaw and Blue Angel prior to diving into this one could've been beneficial, and most likely would've answered all of my lingering questions. The story itself ties up nicely, however, everything is left open-ended, so I'm really hoping this isn't the last we see of Tova. I'm excited to experience the events that paved the way for this great story, and also see where Williams takes us in the future.
Being a story of this size, there are a few concepts that, while possessing excellent backbones, lack just a bit of fleshing out. I know The City Screams can be read as a completely independent standalone within the series, but I feel reading Under Ordshaw and Blue Angel prior to diving into this one could've been beneficial, and most likely would've answered all of my lingering questions. The story itself ties up nicely, however, everything is left open-ended, so I'm really hoping this isn't the last we see of Tova. I'm excited to experience the events that paved the way for this great story, and also see where Williams takes us in the future.
June 21, 2019
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
When Phil Williams sent me the copy of The City Screams, I hoped it would expand on the themes encountered in his previous two novels, Under Ordshaw and Blue Angel, since there are many dark corners in there that I would love to explore. What I found was instead a very different kind of story, one that however was both intriguing and fascinating: instead of investigating further the mysteries of the imaginary city of Ordshaw, here we travel to Japan, following the journey of an Ordshaw citizen, Tova Nokes, as she lands in Tokyo to undergo a revolutionary medical procedure.
Tova lost her hearing at a very young age, and although she adapted to her disability as she grew up, the offer from Mogami Industries to be part of their experimental surgery, one that will return her hearing, is too good to pass up. Moreover, aside from the opportunity to visit a different country, there is a bonus thrown in: the chance to meet Tova’s idol, the rock singer Natalie Reid – another Ordshaw citizen – and to finally be able to hear her music.
The operation does not seem to sort the desired effect, though, and all Tova is able to hear, once the new implant is activated, are anguished screams coming from all over the city – and the disembodied voice of someone called Ki, who tries to warn her about a sort of unspecified danger she must avoid at all costs. From that moment on, Tova will find herself enmeshed into a breathless adventure that looks more like an obstacle course than anything else, and it will take all her resourcefulness and strength to stay above water and keep hold of her sanity.
First things first, I just loved the Japanese setting in The City Screams: if on one side the story showed that Ordshaw is not unique in its peculiarities, on the other the alien-ness of the parallel world coexisting and interweaving with our primary one is enhanced here by the social and cultural differences of a society so dissimilar to ours, despite some of its leanings toward western mores. What’s truly intriguing here is Tova’s point of view: she is not only the proverbial stranger in a strange land, she also lacks one of her senses, which makes those new and surprising sights even more perplexing, adding to the sense of displacement she suffers once a maelstrom of weird events threatens to overwhelm her.
It’s quite easy to care for Tova as a character: despite the disability, she has managed to build herself a good life, one centered around family, work, friends - like the sisterly Ren - and boyfriend Ethan, who however does not shine for his supporting attitude. Not unlike Pax, the central character of the other two novels in the Ordshaw series, Tova is a strong, determined person and at the same time a quite average one, but when push comes to shove she is able to unearth a reservoir of toughness and resilience that carry her over the increasing obstacles she finds on her path, starting with the anguish caused by the failure of the “miracle” implant.
Tova might not be the classic heroine, and she certainly is not the ass-kicking kind of person modern literature and movies have led us to expect, but for this very reason she feels real and relatable, an ordinary person forced to face extraordinary (and baffling!) circumstances and meeting them with admirable resourcefulness. The best moment in her growth came for me when Tova realizes that until that moment she had let others determine what she could or could not do, allowing them to put fetters on her ability to deal with life’s little and big problems – the moment when she consciously choses to walk on her road and not the one others picked for her:
[…]It was easier to stay in a bubble, not push it. The story of Ethan’s life. Hell, the story of her life before coming out here. After a thought, Tova casually signed, “F*** off, Ethan, I can take care of myself.”
What’s not to admire, indeed… :-)
The City Screams, like its companion novels, leaves us with some unanswered questions, since the author clearly wants to keep the most important cards close to his chest for a final revelation, so this novella does feel somewhat… incomplete, especially when the real motivation for the mysterious Ki’s actions is revealed, and ultimately sounds quite shallow and self serving. But meeting Tova is worth accepting a few more gray areas in the overall narrative, and the author’s words about finding her again in the near future – probably in the final book of the series – give me a renewed enthusiasm for this Urban Fantasy arc and its as-yet unexplored threads.
Originally posted at SPACE AND SORCERY BLOG
When Phil Williams sent me the copy of The City Screams, I hoped it would expand on the themes encountered in his previous two novels, Under Ordshaw and Blue Angel, since there are many dark corners in there that I would love to explore. What I found was instead a very different kind of story, one that however was both intriguing and fascinating: instead of investigating further the mysteries of the imaginary city of Ordshaw, here we travel to Japan, following the journey of an Ordshaw citizen, Tova Nokes, as she lands in Tokyo to undergo a revolutionary medical procedure.
Tova lost her hearing at a very young age, and although she adapted to her disability as she grew up, the offer from Mogami Industries to be part of their experimental surgery, one that will return her hearing, is too good to pass up. Moreover, aside from the opportunity to visit a different country, there is a bonus thrown in: the chance to meet Tova’s idol, the rock singer Natalie Reid – another Ordshaw citizen – and to finally be able to hear her music.
The operation does not seem to sort the desired effect, though, and all Tova is able to hear, once the new implant is activated, are anguished screams coming from all over the city – and the disembodied voice of someone called Ki, who tries to warn her about a sort of unspecified danger she must avoid at all costs. From that moment on, Tova will find herself enmeshed into a breathless adventure that looks more like an obstacle course than anything else, and it will take all her resourcefulness and strength to stay above water and keep hold of her sanity.
First things first, I just loved the Japanese setting in The City Screams: if on one side the story showed that Ordshaw is not unique in its peculiarities, on the other the alien-ness of the parallel world coexisting and interweaving with our primary one is enhanced here by the social and cultural differences of a society so dissimilar to ours, despite some of its leanings toward western mores. What’s truly intriguing here is Tova’s point of view: she is not only the proverbial stranger in a strange land, she also lacks one of her senses, which makes those new and surprising sights even more perplexing, adding to the sense of displacement she suffers once a maelstrom of weird events threatens to overwhelm her.
It’s quite easy to care for Tova as a character: despite the disability, she has managed to build herself a good life, one centered around family, work, friends - like the sisterly Ren - and boyfriend Ethan, who however does not shine for his supporting attitude. Not unlike Pax, the central character of the other two novels in the Ordshaw series, Tova is a strong, determined person and at the same time a quite average one, but when push comes to shove she is able to unearth a reservoir of toughness and resilience that carry her over the increasing obstacles she finds on her path, starting with the anguish caused by the failure of the “miracle” implant.
Tova might not be the classic heroine, and she certainly is not the ass-kicking kind of person modern literature and movies have led us to expect, but for this very reason she feels real and relatable, an ordinary person forced to face extraordinary (and baffling!) circumstances and meeting them with admirable resourcefulness. The best moment in her growth came for me when Tova realizes that until that moment she had let others determine what she could or could not do, allowing them to put fetters on her ability to deal with life’s little and big problems – the moment when she consciously choses to walk on her road and not the one others picked for her:
[…]It was easier to stay in a bubble, not push it. The story of Ethan’s life. Hell, the story of her life before coming out here. After a thought, Tova casually signed, “F*** off, Ethan, I can take care of myself.”
What’s not to admire, indeed… :-)
The City Screams, like its companion novels, leaves us with some unanswered questions, since the author clearly wants to keep the most important cards close to his chest for a final revelation, so this novella does feel somewhat… incomplete, especially when the real motivation for the mysterious Ki’s actions is revealed, and ultimately sounds quite shallow and self serving. But meeting Tova is worth accepting a few more gray areas in the overall narrative, and the author’s words about finding her again in the near future – probably in the final book of the series – give me a renewed enthusiasm for this Urban Fantasy arc and its as-yet unexplored threads.
Originally posted at SPACE AND SORCERY BLOG
January 29, 2025
1.5 rounded down to 1.
Setting:
This book takes place in modern day Tokyo.
Character:
Tova: Tova is a young woman and she is deaf but this doesn't really seem to be any manner of hindrance to her life. She's extremely good at reading lips when people speak verbally and has a knack for just understanding what people mean even if she can't hear them. She's also from Ordshaw… which is important I guess. I don't understand why nor does she.
Plot:
Tova has come to Tokyo for an experimental surgery and some fancy technology which is supposed to restore her hearing. It works… very temporarily. Soon she stops hearing things she should and starts hearing things she's not meant to; chilling screams from nowhere and a man's voice.
My Thoughts:
I need to start this review with a crucial piece of information. I picked this up under the assumption that it was a horror novel. It isn't. That was a misunderstanding on my part which is no failing of the story but which did affect my enjoyment.
The second thing I should call attention to is I have not read any of the previous three books which are set in this same world. This book is apparently intended to function even if you haven't read those books and… maybe it does?
Let's address the main concern I had. This book isn't a horror story unless the thing you're scared of is an author not explaining anything and if that's your fear you will be terrified. Williams offers no solid answers to any of the many questions Tova and the reader have. Where are those screens coming from? Eh… ya know… places… beings maybe. Why can Tova hear them? Because she can of course. What a silly question. What exactly is Ki? He clearly refers to humans as a group which he is not part of. Is he an alien? Some sort of supernatural creature? Dealer's choice I guess. Pick whatever you like. There's some vague suggesting about what he might be but the scraps of information we do get are, at best, questionable considering the circumstances. So yeah, no idea really. The one answer we do get a fairly decent guess about is what Ki wants and it's a bizarre and underwhelming choice by the author. That's Ki’s goal? Oh but like he does a really good job at it. I don't care. You have a supernatural and/or extraterrestrial creature and that's what you choose to have them do??? Points for originality I guess.
If you want a really weird urban fantasy story and don't mind not getting answers then I guess you might like this. Otherwise I find this hard to recommend.
Setting:
This book takes place in modern day Tokyo.
Character:
Tova: Tova is a young woman and she is deaf but this doesn't really seem to be any manner of hindrance to her life. She's extremely good at reading lips when people speak verbally and has a knack for just understanding what people mean even if she can't hear them. She's also from Ordshaw… which is important I guess. I don't understand why nor does she.
Plot:
Tova has come to Tokyo for an experimental surgery and some fancy technology which is supposed to restore her hearing. It works… very temporarily. Soon she stops hearing things she should and starts hearing things she's not meant to; chilling screams from nowhere and a man's voice.
My Thoughts:
I need to start this review with a crucial piece of information. I picked this up under the assumption that it was a horror novel. It isn't. That was a misunderstanding on my part which is no failing of the story but which did affect my enjoyment.
The second thing I should call attention to is I have not read any of the previous three books which are set in this same world. This book is apparently intended to function even if you haven't read those books and… maybe it does?
Let's address the main concern I had. This book isn't a horror story unless the thing you're scared of is an author not explaining anything and if that's your fear you will be terrified. Williams offers no solid answers to any of the many questions Tova and the reader have. Where are those screens coming from? Eh… ya know… places… beings maybe. Why can Tova hear them? Because she can of course. What a silly question. What exactly is Ki? He clearly refers to humans as a group which he is not part of. Is he an alien? Some sort of supernatural creature? Dealer's choice I guess. Pick whatever you like. There's some vague suggesting about what he might be but the scraps of information we do get are, at best, questionable considering the circumstances. So yeah, no idea really. The one answer we do get a fairly decent guess about is what Ki wants and it's a bizarre and underwhelming choice by the author. That's Ki’s goal? Oh but like he does a really good job at it. I don't care. You have a supernatural and/or extraterrestrial creature and that's what you choose to have them do??? Points for originality I guess.
If you want a really weird urban fantasy story and don't mind not getting answers then I guess you might like this. Otherwise I find this hard to recommend.
June 23, 2019
*I received a free copy of this novella with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
The City Screams is a standalone novella set in the Ordshaw universe, but specifically in Tokyo rather than Ordshaw (although there are links and references).
In this story we meet Tova and immediately join her on her journey, not just from Ordshaw to Tokyo, but from hope to joy, to disappointment, horror, hope again and so on. Phil Williams has really captured the roller-coaster of emotions here and the reader experiences it all right alongside with Tova. We also experience her confusion and lack of knowledge – not every question has an answer here.
There is a running theme of trust in the story. Not only is Tova unsure of WHO to trust when things begin to get a bit…odd, but she cannot even trust her own senses. There is a real horror there, in the knowledge that she has to live with the results of whatever happens with her hearing. Worse was the slowly dawning realisation that no longer hearing a scream does not mean that the sound (or what was causing it) has gone away. That one kept me up at night for quite a while afterwards!
With quite a simple premise and a relatively short number of pages, this story manages to take a couple of unexpected turns and leave the reader anxious to know more about what lurks beneath the city streets and above the audible threshold. Good job there are more Ordshaw books to explore the world further…!
The flight attendants had been unfaltering in their attention. She’d got through the airport to a taxi here without trouble. The surly driver might not have even realised she was deaf, since he lost interest in conversation once she showed him the apartment’s address. And the city through the car windows looked infinitely cleaner and better organised than Ordshaw. This building, and those strange men, were nothing. The only real danger, the thing she was avoiding thinking about, was the surgery. Mogami industries promised to achieve the impossible. It wasn’t scary because it might fry her brain; it was terrifying to think it might work.
– Phil Williams, The City Screams
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
The City Screams is a standalone novella set in the Ordshaw universe, but specifically in Tokyo rather than Ordshaw (although there are links and references).
In this story we meet Tova and immediately join her on her journey, not just from Ordshaw to Tokyo, but from hope to joy, to disappointment, horror, hope again and so on. Phil Williams has really captured the roller-coaster of emotions here and the reader experiences it all right alongside with Tova. We also experience her confusion and lack of knowledge – not every question has an answer here.
There is a running theme of trust in the story. Not only is Tova unsure of WHO to trust when things begin to get a bit…odd, but she cannot even trust her own senses. There is a real horror there, in the knowledge that she has to live with the results of whatever happens with her hearing. Worse was the slowly dawning realisation that no longer hearing a scream does not mean that the sound (or what was causing it) has gone away. That one kept me up at night for quite a while afterwards!
With quite a simple premise and a relatively short number of pages, this story manages to take a couple of unexpected turns and leave the reader anxious to know more about what lurks beneath the city streets and above the audible threshold. Good job there are more Ordshaw books to explore the world further…!
The flight attendants had been unfaltering in their attention. She’d got through the airport to a taxi here without trouble. The surly driver might not have even realised she was deaf, since he lost interest in conversation once she showed him the apartment’s address. And the city through the car windows looked infinitely cleaner and better organised than Ordshaw. This building, and those strange men, were nothing. The only real danger, the thing she was avoiding thinking about, was the surgery. Mogami industries promised to achieve the impossible. It wasn’t scary because it might fry her brain; it was terrifying to think it might work.
– Phil Williams, The City Screams
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
May 15, 2019
I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.
This is a unique and fascinating tale. Tova is deaf. She won a ticket to Japan to participate in an experimental procedure designed to restore her hearing. She is alone, and although she is shy and apprehensive, she takes the chance undergoing the procedure. It works. She can hear. However, she starts hearing conversations between people who are not there. Thus starts a frightening interchange with some very frightening characters and circumstances.
As Tova encounters attempts on her life, aliens from an unknown destination, scary government people and the loss of hearing, which is why she was there in the first place, we see Tova grow from a frightened young girl, to a strong, determined woman. The character development of Tova is well done and she is easy to like and believe in. The world outside of Ordshaw is complex and exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella by Mr. Williams, and look forward to reading more of his books. You should grab this one.
This is a unique and fascinating tale. Tova is deaf. She won a ticket to Japan to participate in an experimental procedure designed to restore her hearing. She is alone, and although she is shy and apprehensive, she takes the chance undergoing the procedure. It works. She can hear. However, she starts hearing conversations between people who are not there. Thus starts a frightening interchange with some very frightening characters and circumstances.
As Tova encounters attempts on her life, aliens from an unknown destination, scary government people and the loss of hearing, which is why she was there in the first place, we see Tova grow from a frightened young girl, to a strong, determined woman. The character development of Tova is well done and she is easy to like and believe in. The world outside of Ordshaw is complex and exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella by Mr. Williams, and look forward to reading more of his books. You should grab this one.
March 19, 2019
A fantastical thrill ride through Tokyo. A deaf girl, unknown saviors with hidden agendas and something lurking behind it all. A great read which has left me with more questions than answers. I haven't read the Ordshaw trilogy but it will certainly be on my reading list. I was kindly sent this book by the author for review (Thank you ). A read that will be enjoyed by adventure, thriller and fantasy / supernatural tales. Excellent work.
April 25, 2019
This is a great novella in the world of Under Ordshaw and Blue Angel, and it takes us outside of Ordshaw for the first time with a new protagonist. I very much enjoy the Ordshaw books, and this definitely enhanced my respect for the world and worldbuilding, and increased my eagerness to read more by Phil Williams. I'd say this makes the most sense though if you have actually read the other books but could also be a nice intro to the world in which Ordshaw resides.
April 9, 2019
This is Williams best Ordshaw book yet. I really connected with Tova and didn't want to put the book down till I finished it. The book is set in Japan, but connects with the other books in the series. It's a good mystery with lots of action. It can be read alone, but makes a better story if you read "Under Ordshaw" first just to understand what's out there.
March 31, 2019
The City of Screams takes place in Tokyo. Tova leaves the comfort of her hometown Ordshaw for a surgery in hopes of hearing little does she know she is in for the ride of her life.
December 30, 2020
As always a very interesting story! Great subject ideas & very enjoyable! I would say it is an alternative magic fantasy story, well written with a good plot. Had me guessing all along! I do always enjoy this writers work!
March 31, 2019
As an author of urban fantasy, I rate Phil Williams alongside Holly Black. It is their ability as a writer to conjure out of a world which is everyday normal, a setting which is not only frightening but “believably unlikely”. The Ordshaw stories does this brilliantly by turning an English city into a place where supernatural and mystical elements exist in the shadows.
In The City Screams, the same effect is created in Tokyo. This novella goes one step further, it successfully leaves us feeling alienated as we follow the misadventures of Tova Nokes. It achieves this disturbing sense of isolation by describing what it’s like to be in a culturally diverse city, on your own and as a deaf person. It is truly frightening, without the monsters!
A large part of the first act plunges us into a world without sound and a very different language. Tova has won a competition to try an experimental approach to restore her hearing but she’s on her own because she wants to establish her independence.
Her resilience endears you to her. (That and her wonderfully eccentric fashion sense!) Tova will face enormous challenges as she encounters Ki and Mei, two Yōsei, the Japanese equivalent of fairies. Poor Tova is pursued by members of the Obake Police – whose job appears to be to prevent any contact between the two races. There’s also the international branch of the UK’s Ministry of Environmental Energy to contend with as well.
Tova’s surgery has left her accessing the sounds of the supernatural world, particularly the terrible screams and sounds of torture from the city itself. Those sounds are not what others want her to hear either. Like a pinball, she rebounds from one threat to another as she tries to make sense of her silent world where she has no one she can trust.
I loved this story. Though I confess to feeling a little frustrated at the lack of some explanation at the end, a factor that is necessitated by events continuing in the next book in the series. I’m pleased this is not the end of Tova, like Pax in the first two books, Phil Williams writes intriguing female characters that demand respect. They are not kick-ass versions of Scarlett Johansson, they are normal women placed in jeopardy who survive by their sharp wits and bloody-mindedness. They fit perfectly into a setting where everything appears normal, except for those fleeting images at the edge of your vision, the rustle in the branches and the strange footprints in the mud.
The truly original element of this story is the use of a deaf protagonist, it raises the tension but also defines an environment most of us take for granted. Silence becomes the biggest threat and next to it, that inability to hear what dangers may be right behind you.
In The City Screams, the same effect is created in Tokyo. This novella goes one step further, it successfully leaves us feeling alienated as we follow the misadventures of Tova Nokes. It achieves this disturbing sense of isolation by describing what it’s like to be in a culturally diverse city, on your own and as a deaf person. It is truly frightening, without the monsters!
A large part of the first act plunges us into a world without sound and a very different language. Tova has won a competition to try an experimental approach to restore her hearing but she’s on her own because she wants to establish her independence.
Her resilience endears you to her. (That and her wonderfully eccentric fashion sense!) Tova will face enormous challenges as she encounters Ki and Mei, two Yōsei, the Japanese equivalent of fairies. Poor Tova is pursued by members of the Obake Police – whose job appears to be to prevent any contact between the two races. There’s also the international branch of the UK’s Ministry of Environmental Energy to contend with as well.
Tova’s surgery has left her accessing the sounds of the supernatural world, particularly the terrible screams and sounds of torture from the city itself. Those sounds are not what others want her to hear either. Like a pinball, she rebounds from one threat to another as she tries to make sense of her silent world where she has no one she can trust.
I loved this story. Though I confess to feeling a little frustrated at the lack of some explanation at the end, a factor that is necessitated by events continuing in the next book in the series. I’m pleased this is not the end of Tova, like Pax in the first two books, Phil Williams writes intriguing female characters that demand respect. They are not kick-ass versions of Scarlett Johansson, they are normal women placed in jeopardy who survive by their sharp wits and bloody-mindedness. They fit perfectly into a setting where everything appears normal, except for those fleeting images at the edge of your vision, the rustle in the branches and the strange footprints in the mud.
The truly original element of this story is the use of a deaf protagonist, it raises the tension but also defines an environment most of us take for granted. Silence becomes the biggest threat and next to it, that inability to hear what dangers may be right behind you.
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