From the New York Times bestselling author of The Theory of Death comes a short story set in an imaged future where computers speak for humans.
This tale begins, "It was a time when the world, though filled with sound, was quiet." Technology has replaced the need to speak with texting, but when a virus spreads across the entire world, it leaves everyone blind. Doctors come together to fight the epidemic, but, as "The Voiceless" seek to answer, what does the ability to speak mean without the desire to do so?
"The Voiceless" by Faye Kellerman is one of 20 short stories within Mulholland Books's Strand Originals series, featuring thrilling stories by the biggest names in mystery from the Strand Magazine archives. View the full series list at mulhollandbooks.com and read them all!
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“Faye Kellerman imagines the human future without speech in her short story for Mulholland Books’ Strand Originals series. While the people in her story don’t talk with their vocal chords, narrator Kristin Kabli does. She depicts the world of computerized communication that has replaced physical speaking—that is, until an epidemic breaks out, leaving the voiceless humans blind as well . Kabli’s reading is a resounding reminder of the beauty of human articulation: inflection, pitch, tone, volume, all the variations that carry meaning and emotion, develop intrigue and suspense, express time and place. The juxtaposition of her performance and the computerized rendition of her voice heightens that awareness, making this a brief celebration of a well-performed audiobook as well as an intriguing sci-fi tale.”
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