The Silent End by Samuel Sattin
Ragnorak Publishing (September 2015)
524 pages; $20.95 paperback/$4.99 ebook
Reviewed by Frank Michaels Errington
Samuel Sattin makes his home in Oakland, California and has been writing for some time now. His prior novel was titled League of Somebodies which boldly combines comic book storytelling into a traditional novel format. The Silent End is his first novel with Ragnarok Publications and if I had to pigeonhole this work I would call it YA Horror.
Three seniors at Myer’s high school, Nathaniel Eberstark, Gus Mustus, and Lexi Navarro are drawn into a mystery that will threaten their lives and the lives of everyone in the otherwise quiet town of Mossglow.
The story starts with the disappearance of Eberstark’s mother and the impact that has on his home life.
After Mother disappeared, Father disappeared in a sense as well. Apart from roaming the outskirts of town like a madman, when home, he ranted on and on about the evil living beneath our city having been exposed, that it intended to claim our innards as its own.
Sattin builds a solid foundation with our three intrepid heroes overcoming their fears and working together to do the impossible. The result is a very imaginative horror story for all ages and a monster that exists because someone figured out how to make it exist.
I do have to say this was not a perfect read for me. It seemed to get bogged down a bit about halfway through, particularly as the kids unraveled the story of Edwina Hailee Myers, the wife of the man who started all of the troubles. Fortunately for the story it wasn’t long before things got back on track.
The Silent End is not the best tale I’ve read this year; far too many nonsensical things are happening for my liking, but at the same time the story is entertaining and one I can certainly recommend for younger readers in middle school and above. Be aware, there are a few F-bombs and sex does come up, but certainly nothing more than the average teen will be exposed to in the hallways of many schools today.
