Joe Lennox is a successful young writer living in Vienna - a city which provides a refuge from the tragic memory of his brother's death, for which Joe feels a secret guilt.
Voice of Our Shadow
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About the Author
Jonathan Carroll was born in America but has lived most of his adult life in Vienna. His prizewinning novels have been translated into 17 languages.
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First Sentence
At night here I often dream of my parents. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
At night here I often dream of my parents. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Gollancz Fantasy Masterworks series kicks off 2002 with Jonathan Carroll's follow-up novel to The Land of Laughs (Masterworks No.9). If your idea of fantasy reaches no further than a few goblins, elves and sword-wielding barbarians then you may be wondering why this contemporary novel of revenge from beyond the grave (or is it? Answers on a postcard please.) has been included in Gollancz's fine series. Fortunately for us, it would seem as if this publisher is aiming to ambrace as broad a range of classic fantasy as possible in this series of reprints, and that can only be a good thing. Essentially, if you thought that his first novel was a masterpiece (as I did), then you're going to be similarly blown away with this heady melange of jealousy, eroticism, adultery and hauntings. Also as in Land of Laughs, be prepared for the last couple of pages to give you a shocking jolt, leaving you with a tale which stays with you long after you've read the last of its 190 pages. Proof that novels don't always need to be 600 pages long to leave a lasting impression. If you're a fan of dark fantasy then buy it to treat yourself, and to encourage the people at Gollancz to continue with their sterling work
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Andy Barkham
Format:Paperback
I only read this novel as it was in the Fantasy Masterworks series. As such, when I was halfway through, I was wondering why it was there. The novel itself was interesting - a well penned story of a man growing up after a childhood trauma in which he is involved in his older, bullying brothers death. This leads to his escaping from America and fleeing his past to start a new life in Vienna. There he meets a couple, and falls in love with the married woman.
Up to that point the story is fairly standard - though the characters are well drawn and the settings deftly described. Then the book twists and the supernatural begins to appear. Nothing gross or over the top - just a subtle infusion as our percetion is slowly skewed from the normal to the paranormal. As the novel continues, the supernatural plays a background role - more background than expected, but effective never the less, untilthe quite stunning climax.
A superbly crafted novel. Well written, characters well drawn and well crafted.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By WDBonett
Format:Paperback
The world is divided into those that know JC's work and those that don't. He is a master story teller of the old school. You can imagine hearing his tales around an atmospheric midnight campfire in the woods. There's a real humanity to his characters, and his story lines always surprise and move. Voice of Our Shadow is one of the more evocative of his books right up there with Outside the Dog Museum, and After Silence. Read this, read them all!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Mikko Saari
Format:Paperback
Voice of Our Shadow is the story of Joe Lennox. As a kid, he kills his delinquent brother, kind of accidentally, but manages to suppress the guilt. He turns his brother's story into a short story. The story is made into a play, making enough money for Joe so he can move to Vienna to live a life as a writer.
In Vienna, he learns to love the city, meets some friend and finds love - but unfortunately in a wrong place, with a wrong person. Soon Joe has another death on his conscience. A nightmare begins, as the fantastical elements of this story come to life. The story has elements of horror and supernatural.
Jonathan Carroll has written a beautiful and fast-moving book. It's not my favourite of his work, but even a weaker Carroll book is still a good one. Worth reading, but don't start with this is you're new to the world of Jonathan Carroll.
In Vienna, he learns to love the city, meets some friend and finds love - but unfortunately in a wrong place, with a wrong person. Soon Joe has another death on his conscience. A nightmare begins, as the fantastical elements of this story come to life. The story has elements of horror and supernatural.
Jonathan Carroll has written a beautiful and fast-moving book. It's not my favourite of his work, but even a weaker Carroll book is still a good one. Worth reading, but don't start with this is you're new to the world of Jonathan Carroll.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By N. Clarke
Format:Paperback
This is a wonderfully original and understated novel: a coming-of-age story with a mystery at its heart, embellished with fantasy elements that become stronger and more integral as the book heads to its conclusion. Unlike much fantasy writing these days, there's no unnecessary padding here; rather, you're left wanting more.
The setting, Vienna, is evoked with a nicely economic style, while the (few) characters come to life naturally through their words and actions. The creeping unease builds gradually, and is never overdone - and the ending packs a considerable punch. Fabulous. You can read it in an evening - go on!
By Dominika
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Did not expect such a quick arrival - very pleased with that. As described. Very happy with this purchase. Would definately recommend it.
By unlikely_heroine
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
Joe Lennox makes a new life for himself as a writer in Vienna after his mother and brother die in his homeland of the United States. Joe finds good friends in the engaging married couple of Paul and India Tate, who take him under their wing and enliven what had been a somewhat solitary existence. But there is trouble ahead as Joe finds himself increasingly attracted to India.
This novel is gripping from the first page thanks to Carroll's highly-engaging writing style. Carroll's prose is both readable and believable and kept me speedily turning the pages here. Though this edition is part of the "Fantasy Masterworks" series, much of the book is written as a "straight" literary novel and the "fantasy" and supernatural elements only come into play towards the end of the book. I found the change of tone effective and genuinely unsettling.
Carroll finishes this story with a headspinning denouement. I had expected a final twist in what was already a slightly twisted tale but Carroll either pushes the boundaries brilliantly, or conjures up a spectacular ending out of nowhere that whilst certainly creepy and unsettling, doesn't entirely convince in the context of all that has gone before. My problem here is that I can't make up my mind which of these is true, or whether I loved the ending or hated it. Nevertheless, safe to say that it spooked me as I woke up at 4am with the images and ideas from the final pages of "Voice of our Shadow" running through my mind.
Recommended if you enjoy well-written fiction that messes with your mind.
This novel is gripping from the first page thanks to Carroll's highly-engaging writing style. Carroll's prose is both readable and believable and kept me speedily turning the pages here. Though this edition is part of the "Fantasy Masterworks" series, much of the book is written as a "straight" literary novel and the "fantasy" and supernatural elements only come into play towards the end of the book. I found the change of tone effective and genuinely unsettling.
Carroll finishes this story with a headspinning denouement. I had expected a final twist in what was already a slightly twisted tale but Carroll either pushes the boundaries brilliantly, or conjures up a spectacular ending out of nowhere that whilst certainly creepy and unsettling, doesn't entirely convince in the context of all that has gone before. My problem here is that I can't make up my mind which of these is true, or whether I loved the ending or hated it. Nevertheless, safe to say that it spooked me as I woke up at 4am with the images and ideas from the final pages of "Voice of our Shadow" running through my mind.
Recommended if you enjoy well-written fiction that messes with your mind.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Flawed page-turner
This isn't a bad book. What lets it down is the supernatural elements, which don't work at all, and the ending which is appauling. Read more
Published on 5 April 2011 by Monkey Man
3.0 out of 5 stars
A book of two halves
This book is very much made up of two halves, and a very disappointing ending. The first half (or more accurately first two-thirds) contains no fantastical elements whatsoever,... Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2009 by C. Reynolds
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Magician at work
Jonathan Carroll's work decentres the quotidian, and then adds a jarring blast of impossibility. The maxim that 'magic is science, misunderstood' seems to suffuse his work, and the... Read more
Published on 8 April 2006
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