Slumber of Silence (The Talisman #4.5)

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Author(s)

Brett Salter

Publisher Name

Independently Published

Genre(s)

Age Range

10+

Release Date

November 10, 2023

ISBN13

979-8862462456

ISBN10 or ASIN

Ah-hah! Nothing like the pungent smell of an ancient cave and the thrill of the hunt for a pair of mangey Garms to really make you feel alive, huh? In this canon novella of The Talisman Series, “Slumber of Silence”, Rome and Julian find themselves out on a mission for The Alliance, tracking a couple of Garms through a cave system that seems as old as the mountain range that shadows it. At first, it’s just another heroic operation to protect our world from the invasive Darkbrands, but the boys from Georgia quickly determine that these dank and cavernous passageways are so old and mysterious that they may have never even seen a human or dragon before. Or have they? What long-forgotten riddles hide within the pressing darkness of the cave? What silent and slumbering secrets have been kept for eons undiscovered? And without any backup from The Alliance, will Rome and Julian even survive to tell them?

Editor review

1 review

New threat from The Void

November 24, 2023

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

What worked:
This novella fits right into the Talisman world and focuses on the leading dragon/knight pair of Rome and Julian. Young readers will like that the book can be completed in just a couple of days and the short chapters keep the action moving. The whole novella is comparable to one mission from the regular series as the boys are tasked with finding and closing a possible portal to The Void. The potential for an invasion of Darkbrands creates additional tension as readers ponder the chances of another war breaking out.
Rome’s growth as a dragon has gifted him with supernatural senses. This ability comes in quite handy while the boys travel deep within the cave’s passages. Rome’s senses tell him there’s another presence in the tunnels but he can’t figure out what it means. There’s no evidence any other human has ever ventured into this space so readers are left to wonder what Rome is sensing. It’s unclear if something might be shadowing Rome and Julian as they plunge into the dark depths or maybe an enemy surprise is lurking as they near the portal. It’s humorous that Julian is afraid of bats after all of the Darkbrand monsters he’s faced in the Talisman series. His incessant chatter and funny comments add levity to the story.
What didn’t work as well:
Previously, the boys fought and defeated the most powerful creatures from The Void. The Garms are the lowest of the Darkbrand and primarily act as scouts. So, given the superior weapons and strength of Julian and Rome, why do they struggle so much to eliminate two Garms in this book?
The final verdict:
This book offers a brief spin-off to give readers a taste of the Talisman series. Loyal fans will enjoy one more adventure with Rome and Julian and I recommend you give it a shot.