Award-winning novelist and cult favorite Graham Joyce transports listeners to a mysterious world of isolation and fear with this hypnotically dark story…a daring and powerful novel about love, loss, and rebirth.In the French Pyrenees, a young married couple is buried under a flash avalanche while skiing. Miraculously, Jake and Zoe dig their way out from under the snow—only to discover the world they knew has been overtaken by an eerie and absolute silence. Their hotel is devoid of another living soul. Cell phones and land lines are cut off. An evacuation as sudden and thorough as this leaves Jake and Zoe to face a terrifying situation alone. They are trapped by the storm, completely isolated, with another catastrophic avalanche threatening to bury them alive…again. And as the couple begins to witness unsettling events neither can ignore, they are forced to confront a frightening truth about the silent land they now inhabit. The Silent Land is a brilliantly conceived novel that puts a husband and wife in a strange and frightening reality where it would seem they are the last two people on Earth. Together they will face the ultimate test of their love for each other, and they will be forced to decide what their lives are worth—and what they will sacrifice to save each other. Joyce has written a mysterious masterpiece, a tour de force that will thrill fans of Peter Straub and the hit television show Lost.
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"His best, easily. INTENSELY creepy - often wanted to shut the book so I didn't have to face what was coming. Realised the secret of the book about 50 or so pages before it was revealed, but that only made it harder to finish the book because it was so emotionally rending, again I kept wanting to shut the book so I didn't have to face what was coming. Beautiful ending, so moving. I read they're going to turn this one into a film, which I'm very pleased about, as long as they don't alter it too much. Could be one of the most haunting films made, if they do it right. The book certainly lingered with me." — Vrinda (5 out of 5 stars)
"His best, easily. INTENSELY creepy - often wanted to shut the book so I didn't have to face what was coming. Realised the secret of the book about 50 or so pages before it was revealed, but that only made it harder to finish the book because it was so emotionally rending, again I kept wanting to shut the book so I didn't have to face what was coming. Beautiful ending, so moving. I read they're going to turn this one into a film, which I'm very pleased about, as long as they don't alter it too much. Could be one of the most haunting films made, if they do it right. The book certainly lingered with me."
“A sensitive exploration of love’s redemptive power.”
“An unforgettable story…You’ll be turning the pages and wishing you could go on doing so long after the book has ended. A magnificent achievement.”
“Stark, layered, ominous and yet appealing…Luckily for the reader, in the end Mr. Joyce delivers relief along with satisfaction and wonder.”
“This tour de force invites comparison to the work of Haruki Murakami and Ian McEwan…So perfectly rendered…Joyce’s skill at conveying the creepiness of inexplicable events creates undeniable tension…The novel is encased, like the village, in a veil of ice and mystery…The novel’s conclusion is both beautiful and devastating with its insight into the lives of two decent, honest people. Few times while reading fiction have I been so overcome by how remembering the past and living in the moment combine to form the core of our existence. In The Silent Land—a classic in the making—Joyce’s great and abiding gift is to make the reader feel this truth fiercely and protectively.”
“A story like this is often only as good as its puzzle, but Joyce remembers that such things are worth unraveling only if you’re invested in the characters…Jake and Zoe’s relationship thoughtfully remains at the forefront with sharp banter and finely drawn moments…As engaging as a twisted fireside yarn and paced almost as quickly.”
“World Fantasy Award winner Graham Joyce may be the best guide available to the uncertain terrain of dreams, intoxication, and madness…Joyce’s crisp prose, transparent as ice crystals, is the perfect medium for [his] tale. Emotion-laden yet unsentimental, unflinchingly attuned to the fluencies of love, The Silent Land brings us to the brink of death and gives a glimpse of the unfathomable beauty lying beyond.”
“A gently haunting fantasy thriller…Joyce brings freshness to this familiar supernatural scenario by emphasizing the humanness of his characters over the weirdness of the phenomena. By the time the tale sounds its final bittersweet note, readers will remember the passionate emotional bond the two have shared and self-sacrifices that are the hallmark of a love that can transcend death.”
“This latest tale of supernatural suspense by O. Henry Award and British Fantasy Award winner Joyce will keep the reader intrigued. Its slow pace and beautiful prose build to a clever apex. Fans of the supernatural will enjoy this original love story.”
“Joyce spins a story of devotion that is equal parts romance and nightmare…An affecting story of soul mates and the elements that bind them together.”
“John Lee tells the surreal story of a couple on a ski trip who narrowly escape from an avalanche, only to find themselves caught in a strange netherworld in which time seems to have slowed. Trapped in a ski village where everyone else has vanished, Jake and Zoe struggle to figure out if they’re dead or alive—or somewhere in between. Although Lee’s characterization of Zoe has a breathless urgency that can become tedious, he deftly handles Joyce’s descriptions of the ominous snowy landscape. The authoritative tone of Lee’s narration helps ground the listener in the shifting realities of the plot.”
" It was surprisingly a very good book. I was hooked the whole time, and I don't usually read anything besides horror books. It makes you appreciate what you have and who you have in your life. "
" We all have our favorite writers. Graham Joyce is one of mine and this book is filled with the reasons why. A mysterious, scary, heartbreaking story delivered in crystalline prose. Filled with love and humor and, most importantly of all, truth. "
" The book had some heartbreakingly beautiful lines and passages, but it suffered from being predictable. The characters and their relationship was good stuff, and original. The plot and theme, on the other hand, border on being overused. "
" Beautiful, powerful story. Made me cry. "
" two skiers get caught in an avalanche - when the dig themselves out they find that they are the only two people alive - the village is deserted or is it? Is it aliens? a ghost story? - a fast and entertaining read. "
" Recommended by a good friend. I enjoyed this though I did think it was fairly predictable. "
" Well written, suspenseful story that kept me going until the end. I felt I had figured it out about half way through but it didn't distract from my enjoyment of the story. "
" Two people get caught in a avalanche, get out and when they get back to the resort everyone is gone. Lost meets the Shining, loved it. "
" I read this in one evening. I couldn't put it down. "
" Tender. "
" Not a bad read but it was a bit predictable to me. "
" A diiferent kind of horror/dark fantssy novel that I really enjoyed. "
" This book was very different from other books I've read. It was suspenseful, but not like a typical suspense novel. I really enjoyed it. "
" Very nice. Compelling, suspenseful, full of depth in interesting ways. Deserves the WFA nomination it got. "
" Predictable. Skimmed last half of it. "
" Interesting. A beach book kind of read. "
" Loved the uniqueness of this book. Keeps you guessing without frustration. I'll definitely read more of his books. "
" The story was a little predictable but well plotted. "
" Would make a great thriller film. "
" Could not put this book down. Creepy and calm at the same time. "
" The narrative is crisp, simple,well-paced, beautiful and dreamy without being overtly ornate. Most of all, I thought the setting was a metaphor for human life, in some ways. A truly satisfying read. Definitely recommend it. "
" Written to be a movie, obviously. Could actually be very scary as a movie. "
" Really? Was anyone surprised by this at all? It was a fast read, but not surprising. "
" I knew the "surprise" about 1/2 way through the book... And I've never read his stuff before. "
" Empty hotels are inherently creepy and interesting, and most of the middle part of this novel was both page-turning and compelling, but the end was for me the opposite. "
" I liked the mood, Twilight Zoney. Little light on character, heavy on situation. Take it with you for a distraction when you don't want anything too involved. "
" A quick, reasonably-entertaining read--but entirely too familiar, alas. (Go read his Tooth Fairy, which turned the familiar inside out...) "
" This book was amazing. It stayed with me for a few weeks and I ran to the library to find all of his other writing. This, however, is by far my favorite. "
" Meh. It was fine, but disappointing after all the rave reviews of Graham Joyce's earth-shattering brilliance. Maybe just not his best book? I don't know. "
Graham Joyce (1954–2014), a winner of the O. Henry Award, the British Fantasy Award, and the World Fantasy Award, was the author of many notable books, including How to Make Friends with Demons, Smoking Poppy, Indigo (a New York Times Notable Book of 2000), The Tooth Fairy (a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 1998), and Requiem, among others.
John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.
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