Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell (Kindle Single) Kindle Edition

The foreword at the beginning describes Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell as one of the many short novellas compiled together in a collection titled “Dangerous Women,” a notion this novella lives up to brilliantly without falling prey to many of the tropes that strong female protagonists are often victims of. I’d actually recommend reading Sanderson’s foreword, since it gives some intriguing insight into Sanderson’s thought-process on not only developing the protagonist and overall premise of this novella, but also on how he wanted this story to stand apart from his contemporaries. For example, take a trip to your local Barnes and Nobles, walk down the fantasy aisle, close your eyes and point at one of the shelves. In the off chance that you actually do this, you’ll most likely end up on a novel portraying its titular heroine brandishing a sword in a showing of strength and defiance. Don’t get me wrong, these can be enjoyable as I’ve read my fair share in the past; yet this character archetype has admittedly been done to death and Sanderson wanted to avoid this cliché by illustrating a heroine that relies more on intellect and instincts, rather than physical prowess.In a nutshell, the protagonist Silence is what I feel can be described as an allegory that perfectly encapsulates the essence of the strong women we see in our everyday existence. At first glance, Silence is a bounty hunter tasked with killing and bringing in dangerous men wanted by the law in order to make a living. However, as unrealistic and overly-fantastical as that sounds, she is also a mother caring for two children and the proprietor of an inn sitting in an extremely dangerous region. On top of all of this responsibility, she is also a grieving widow who has undergone a tragic loss in her life, yet she still manages to find the inner drive to overcome her grief and keep pushing forward each day in order to protect the ones she loves. She isn’t another clichéd snarky heroine running off to save the day much to the shock and disbelief of her male counterparts. Instead, we’re treated to a devoted mother caring for her children by making ends meet by any means necessary. As a man, this to me embodies how I view a strong woman, regardless of the fantastical setting and story. A heroine doesn’t need to be stoic and uncaring to be strong, in fact I feel just the opposite. Sure at times Silence can be introverted and cruel when faced with the realities of her dangerous situation and those who would seek to take advantage of it. Yet while she bares this tumultuous burden, she also possesses the capacity to show kindness and love towards those she holds dear to her heart; serving not only as a stark reminder of what she’s ultimately fighting for, but also why the extreme measures she must often take are necessary and in the end are justified in her eyes. The unquestionable devotion she has towards her children, and how it pushes her to commit such brutal acts of violence is what I feel forms the real heart of the story. It’s cruelty ultimately born out of her love as a mother, and that is what makes her dangerous.I’m admittedly unfamiliar with Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series, so I can’t say how or if this connects into the main canon. However, I have read and absolutely adored his Mistborn books, yet I cannot say how or where this ultimately fits into Sanderson’s shared Cosmere universe. But frankly that’s fine by me since it stands perfectly fine on its own, though I’d love to see this world revisited and expanded upon in the future. I say this because in such a short span of time Sanderson does such a phenomenal job at illustrating this world that you’d might assume this was the start of a brand new series. The forest is portrayed in such a harrowing manner that the characters’ innate fear of it is immediately conveyed to the reader; creating a sensation of relief and sanctuary when they’re in the safety of the inn; but also a greater feeling of trepidation and paranoia as they venture out beyond its walls and into the woods where even the slightest error could end in an agonizing death. It possesses the same nuanced depth and attention to detail that fans should expect from Sanderson’s work; complete with heavily enforced rules that the characters need to ultimately be aware of, but also find means to circumvent to their advantage. Obviously it doesn’t have the same degree of depth as the magic system found in something like Mistborn, or the analysis of the Epics in his Reckoners series due to this being a novella. But like the rest of the overall package, what Sanderson accomplishes in such a short amount of time is so riveting and complex that it feels just as satisfying as reading one of his longer works.Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell is simply Sanderson at his best in condensed form. He crafts incredibly compelling characters with believable motivations, along with a gripping story that has immediate stakes, and an imaginative fantasy world that’s just as fascinating as it is horrifying. Yet most importantly, it defies contemporary tropes and portrays a heroine that I feel does justice to real-life women everywhere who love their children and would do anything to see them safe.

I loved Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell. Dark, gritty, and grim, the tone of the story is not my typical fare. And, to be honest, I feel a little guilty admitting how much I enjoyed it–after all, Brandon Sanderson is one of the biggest names in fantasy, and expressing admiration for his work is like admitting that one likes to drink water.But trust me: Shadows is one of his best, yet. As an added bonus, it’s one of Sanderson’s few works that weighs in at less than the weight of a small child (okay, so it’s an ebook, which means it’s electronic and so the weight is negligible…but you get my point: it’s only novella in length). As with all of his stories, Sanderson lays out rules for a system of magic, or supernatural power, and then proceeds to put his characters into a conflict wherein each of the rules will be necessary to the outcome. Because Shadows is shorter than is typical for Sanderson–except for his juvenile fiction–the language tight, the setting more narrow, the plot quick to unfold.The world of Silence Montane is peopled by what seems reminiscent of 16th century Protestants, from the names to the kinds of weapons that the characters rely upon. Silence is an innkeeper with a secret, alone in the world, but somehow managing to stay independent in a dangerous world. When a dangerous criminal passes through her inn, an opportunity, and a threat, emerges. But any who cross Silence underestimate her at their peril.Sanderson is adept at setting up and introducing elements that will emerge later as a twist at the story’s end, and Shadows is no exception. More, the story is replete with twists as Sanderson takes his characters through one conflict after another, piling them up, before finally resolving each with satisfying and redemptive completeness.Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell is only available as an ebook. I recommend it to any of Sanderson’s fans for a quick and satisfying read, as well as to anyone looking to experience Sanderson for the first time.

This story has danger, sorrow, hope and a twist at the end. Very worthwhile to read. I recommend it for any fantasy fan.

I enjoyed the ending. Silence and her daughter William Anne of course were my heroes. The suspense kept me on edge. Having to live with creepy Shades and strict rules in my opinion took a lot to master and adapt too. Thank the heavens for Silver! This is a good choice for anyone who likes a well told novella with horror descriptions!

“Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell” is a novella / short story from Brandon Sanderson. In it, Silence (the main character’s name) runs a “waystation” that serves as a refuge, inn, and bar. It borders a forest that the people around there call “Hell”. In the forest lands reside the “shades”. They are the souls of the departed who have lingered around. They are mostly passive – unless you break one of the three rules. Don’t light a fire, don’t run, and don’t shed blood. Especially don’t do that. The shades when provoked, have the power (and insatiable desire) to kill and to make you into another shade. Our main character, Silence, knows the dangers of the shades all too well and that’s why she’s protected her waystation so thoroughly with silver – the only thing that can repel and kill the shades. But there’s even more to this story. As the reader continues in the book, we find that there is more to Silence than meets the eye.I’ll be honest, this book blew me away. It absolutely amazes me that Sanderson can create such an interesting and all immersive world in such a short number of pages. This book can be read in an hour, but when you finish it, you really feel like you’ve read a full length novel. It’s that well done and consuming. This is a must read for any Sanderson fan. It would also be a great starter book for someone who would like to see Sanderson’s style of writing without diving into one of his massive epics. Five stars all the way! Excellent!