The Silent Symphony

by Marcel M. du Plessis

Cassius Wortham leaves all he knows behind to make it as a writer in the City, a nameless, walled metropolis at the crossroads of the world. But things are not as they seem. His roommate might have mob connections, his artist friend has addiction issues, and the waitress at the poetry club has political aspirations. Not to mention the invisible spirit of history that follows them around waiting to chronicle a looming catastrophe. An overseas turmoil brings tides of refugees to the walls of the City. Ambitious leaders play at social engineering. The loudest voices are drowned in the growing silence. Only Cas, his friends and their ghostly tagalong hold the key to the future, for in the end the silent will decide the fate of the City. Listen…and you too may hear the instruments of the Silent Symphony.

490 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 30, 2021

About the author

Marcel M du Plessis is an author of literary fiction, horror, fantasy, and satire. He has worked as an editor, teacher, and content creator. He adores all things classical (music and movies) and all things nerdy (something with a controller or something with a set of dice). Good stories mean everything to him and he hopes to entertain and surprise you.

He is the author of The Silent Symphony, The Curse of Balar, and The Bright Report, with many more to come...

Reviews

[Marcel Plessis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Best Effort

This book took everything I have. Hopefully this is the “worst” I’ll ever do. Hopefully this story - or at least one of the characters - talk to you.

[Megan Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been thinking for a whole day now since I finished this book, and honestly... wow.

What a ride! It felt somewhat like riding on the most exciting rollercoaster of my life, except there were no seatbelts and I had a drink in my hand (bad idea, friends).

Firstly, this book is so beautifully written. The language alone makes it worth it. The author was able to make me feel as if I were one of his silent watchers myself, rooting for our intrepid heroes through their harrowing journeys. I felt myself falling in love with the characters on a soul deep level, and each cut to them left a mark on my own skin.

Where do I even start this? I mean, I could ramble on about the intricate wordsmithing and worldbuilding all day. *Hold my drink*... If your soul is thirsty, my friends, this book will satiate the need.

Let me start with our narrator.. A watcher in the truest sense, who could not help themselves when it came to looking after their charges, as it were. A story you cannot help to try and unravel.

Cassius... my dear sweet boy... what can I say, I have a thing for the tall and dark, and the need in me to protect him grew in me like a storm.

Kat... poor lost artist, someone you find yourself relating to despite her quirks.

Aylena... *heartbreak* her story will leave you in tears.

Warrick.. what can I even say about such a broken person, looking to piece together what they are left to be worth something? Can't we all relate on some level?

I would mention more characters, but I do not want to give away too much of the story, you see? I strongly encourage you to pick up this book and let it fill you to the brim with more emotion than you know what to do with!

All in all.. for me to have to take a day to process the devastation and pure bliss this book caused my brain and heart... that is all the praise I can give. Truly, what a magnificent piece of work. A world built so beautifully, with so many places for you to explore, if you only know to look! I felt it coming to life before my eyes.. I was walking the streets as the Silence grew.. I was taking art classes with Kat, and writing my heart out with Cass, and working at the Lilac Tree with Aylena.

Mr du Plessis, bravo my friend. Truly, your heart and soul could be felt in this piece, and I was honoured to be part of the journey through the Silence and beyond.

[OldBird · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are indie books you find with reviews saying they're "thought provoking". This is actually one of them where it's true. This paranormal 1984 for our times is a strange, lyrical beast of a book, but one that will undoubtedly make you think.

The only downsides are that it really needed a good editorial run through to catch typos, wrongly used words, missing words, and some slightly odd dialogue in the first chapters.

Our narrative voice is a "Watcher"; some kind of spirit being that witnesses important events in the world. This Watcher has been drawn to the great walled City, specifically to see the rise of a new governor, ye they find themselves drawn to follow the stories of five individuals: Warrick the "Wild Child" as he returns home to make himself rich, Kat the "Artist" who only wants to create, Cassius the "Scribe" who aspires to be a journalist and spread the truth, Aylena the "Poet" who has a basement full of secrets, and Mirielle the "Refugee" who is not all she seems.

The setting of the walled City could be a mash up of anywhere Western Europe to America. Politics and personalities clash in this story of multilayered characters (do not be deceived by their initial quirks; their stories become apparent in time) and cruel machinations. The themes of control, directing fear and hate towards those who are "other", media bias, and perfect isolationism make this a very cleverly thought out story to reflect our times. It's also a warning of what can happen when beliefs become the accepted truth, and how our own sense of belonging can be used against us by those who choose what that truth is.

As to whether the ending is a downside or not depends on the reader. I can't help but wish for a second volume to get to the bottom of the unanswered questions like what happened to Kat when she escaped the city, why the black wings left without Aylena, what became of Warrick, how the city was destroyed, and how "Watcher" came to have Eva.

A curios read, and one that will leave you with questions not just about the characters, but about Western society itself.