Customer Reviews

The Dead Whisper On

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Hines burst on the scene with an imaginative, yet gritty, suspense thriller called "Waking Lazarus." It was hailed by readers and critics, rightfully so. Now, with a second book under his belt, we're assured of more great stories.

This time, his protagonist is a woman named Canada, a citizen of Butte, Montana, who begins hearing the voice of her deceased father in the shadows. Soon, she is called into a secretive network, unaware that her whole life will be turned upside down--including everything she's believed about her parents, her past, and the future. "The Whisper On" lacks some of the breakneck pacing of "Waking Lazarus," but only because it takes longer for us to connect with the main character. Canada is a memorable figure, though, and we gain sympathy with her as the story moves along, as it becomes more personal.

Hines is a master craftsman, using active sentences and tight storytelling to propel the plot forward. By the story's end, he pulls out a few surprises, and even more significantly, attaches practical and spiritual meaning to the events in Butte, Montana. He refuses to let readers be merely entertained--though he does a great job of entertaining us. Mixing elements of Dean Koontz and Ted Dekker, Hines tells a story that is neither frivolous or preachy. He asks us to move beyond ourselves, to look beyond the shadows, and discover deeper meaning and purpose.

This book really surprised me! I am a former Stephen King reader. I love his storytelling and imagination, but after reading one of his newer novels, I remembered why I stopped reading them--they're just too crude and the language is so offensive.

I wasn't sure I what I expected when I began The Dead Whisper On, but when the supernatural plot elements began emerging, I was quite surprised. However, he wrote it all within a moderately Christian Worldview (nothing completely inappropriate, although some evil was presented). There was also no crude plot elements or bad language.

For me this did not stunt the story at all, but instead added to it immensely. The story was suspenseful, the characters were well-developed, and the ending wrapped things up without seeming at all contrived.

TL Hines has done a great job with this novel. I really enjoyed his first book, Waking Lazarus, and while this one isn't as good as his first, it's definitely worth the time. Canada MacHugh isn't your typical hero (she's an overweight red-headed garbage collector...that's what I call original!), but she has her good points when the time comes. The premise is awesome. When the book started out, I didn't think Hines would be able to pull this off, but he brings all the pieces together. He even manages to give "the Shadows" a reasonable explanation. I love the way he included real sites from Butte (look up the Berkeley Pit on the internet) to give it an authentic feel.

Hines is able to bring together some genuinely creepy moments (shadow spiders crawling all over someone), great characters (a golem named Keros), and a plausible explanation for it all. All in all, this is a fabulous thriller sure to please readers of Dean Koontz or Stephen King.

This is a science fiction thriller, that revolves around "Canada" MacHugh, a former demolition mine specialist, turned garbage collector, in Butte, Montana. Her father, also a miner, died eleven years earlier, with his last words to his daughter being a promise, that if there was any way possible, to communicate with her from "the other side", he would do it. One night, while on a trash run, she thinks she hears her father's voice from the shadows. That one, eery moment, leads to the unraveling of a sinister plot, that could not only destroy the entire city of Butte, but could eventually, lead to the end of life, as the world knows it.

The reader is then bombarded with an onslaught of shadow characters, that can not really be seen, but are more like "undulating waves." In Canada's trailer, her father's, "shadow character", undulates, on her couch, "like a wave, moving back and forth, like surf on a beach." Without giving away too much of the story; the horror grows, as billions of shadowy spiders, are added to the mix, and then people start turning gray, and body parts, turn to ash, and they disintegrate, leaving behind what could easily be confused, with the remnants from an urn, or a spilled ash tray.

There is a time or two, where the reader can be confused, as to, who is who, and what is good, and what is bad; and not, as a part of the writer's plot. In the midst of shadowy characters and spiders, throw in a few supposed government agents, and Canada has her hands full.


Oh yea! For good measure, let's throw in "THE GOLEM, FROM JEWISH MYSTICISM!" With a little polish, on future plots, this young author, has the potential to knock on the door of Stephen King's neighborhood.

This book is an equal to Waking Lazarus which was a "can't put down" book. I can't wait for the next T. L. Hines book.

Filled with shadows, spooks and dark, sinister landscapes, The Dead Whisper On by T. L. Hines is a scary book--and I make it a point not to read scary books. I made an exception for this one.

The Dead Whisper On is really very good. I know that, because when I picked it up the other morning (of course I read it in broad daylight as my mama didn't raise no fool), I didn't, couldn't put it down again until I'd finished the last page. I'd intended just to check it out, but the author hooked me with the first sentence-"A dead man spoke to her from the shadows."

The primary character, a young woman named Canada MacHugh, is a sad and sorrowful garbage collector, both in job and pysche. Scarred from an upbringing full of pain and alcoholism, Canada is lost and lonely, missing her dead father. Already a victim, she's ready for something different--and she gets it.

Tightly written and well paced, T. L. Hines is a gifted writer and surely on the way to a brilliant career. The Dead Whisper On is so visually haunting I feel like I saw the movie instead of read the book.

However, I do have one criticism, it may be too tightly written. I think that Hines, in an effort to keep things clipping along, left out some background that would make the story more credible.

I don't want to give anything away so I won't sight specifics but why does the good guy seem just as evil as the bad guys? Why did Canada meet up with the bad, good guy so early on? What's the war about? Oh, I get that it's the battle between hope and despair, love and fear, but I think it would be better and even scarier with more depth and detail.

Still in all, if it was any scarier I might not have read it.

Armchair Interviews says: Unique in that this is a "faith thriller."

Canada MacHugh's life is about to change in ways she never imagined. As far as Canada is concerned though, a change would be nice. She has lived her whole life in the mining community of Butte, Montana, and once upon a time she even worked as a miner. These days she is biding her time as a garbage collector, all the while wondering if life has more in store for her.

One day on the job she begins hearing the voice of her father, who has happened to be dead for several years. As she continues to hear his voice she finally convinces herself she isn't crazy and somehow she is communicating with the dead. Her father introduces her to a secret world she never knew existed, a covert network of shadows and operatives who work together to save the world from impending disasters. Canada soon learns that her help is needed and she now has the chance to find the purpose she has long been searching for. As she begins her new life, she soon discovers that things aren't always what they seem. Canada must now find a way to battle the great darkness that threatens her life and the town she loves.

T.L. Hines stormed onto the scene last year with his highly acclaimed debut novel, Waking Lazarus. In this latest thriller he is continuing to establish himself as one of this market's greatest talents. The Dead Whisper On is a strange and delightful supernatural tale that twists and turns its way to an unexpected and satisfying conclusion. At no time does Hines hint at where the story is going, and it makes the ride that much more enjoyable. Canada MacHugh is a delightful character and her journey inspires us all to fight the darkness that threatens to destroy us all. This is fresh and unique storytelling that fans of supernatural thrillers will love. (From Christian Review of Books)

I'm a fan of the supernatural/suspense genre, so this book looked like an interesting read. However, it was far from that and I was very disappointed ... I should have stopped a quarter of the way in and cut my losses, but luckily, it is short, and I was hoping for a recovery (it never came).

Before I continue on, if you are also a fan of this genre, then I recommend the Odd Thomas or Frankenstein novels by Dean Koontz, the Charlie Parker novels by John Connolly, anything by Neil Gaiman, or any of the classic Stephen King books instead of this. The ones I mentioned are far better.

This particular book disappointed me for a variety of reasons -- the largest: the protagonist is not a believable character ... at all. She doesn't fit and she's impossible to relate to. There's something, "fingernails on the chalkboard" like feeling I got every time I heard this middle aged, trash coll... excuse me ... sanitation engineer, call her dead-for-eleven-years dad, "Daddy".

Speaking of her dead dad, she speaks to him like they're having a Sunday conversation and barely questions why she is able to talk to her dead-for-eleven-years dad.

The missions. Seriously? She flew half way around the country to reunite a dad and a daughter after a destructive tornado... when they were within shouting distance anyway? Seriously? And this is what made her choose this line of work?

The crying. Every other page is a new description of someone (mostly the main character) blubbering, sobbing, tears dripping... crying! Way over the top!

The bartender. I don't know if I've ever encountered a more laughable (unintentionally) character in any book. Seriously.

The plot holes and time line problems. Everywhere. I'm not going to point them out because that would be a spoiler, but at least thirty times while reading, I said to myself, "Seriously?"

One person has collected 5000 pounds of home made explosives. Seriously? That's laugh out loud funny right there. And no one questions if these explosives are even going to work?

The main character took a 5 day nap. Seriously.

The book ends with a "The End". I haven't read a book the ended like this since elementary school ... which got me wondering, was this written by a kid? Hmmmm... it kind of all adds up.

To summarize, I was disappointed and was surprised to see all of the positive reviews for this book, which prompted me to write this. There are no likable or believable characters and the supernatural aspect is just plain goofy. Positives: it's short.

Hines certainly has his competition out there. But it could be that he's in a league of his own! And for a title like, "The Dead Whisper On," what can I say except it makes me wanna shout a little, and tell everybody! This guy really put it together well, and he allowed the reader to get a little bit creeped out at times. And he put together a book that will send an explosion through you!

Well, welcome to Butte, and enjoy what it has to offer, especially the memory of the mines. Candace MacHugh, (you can call her Canada) has memories of blowing stuff up, and now she is a trash collector. And without warning she hears the voice of her dad, Bud. And Bud has news for Canada, and it isn't good news either. Should she heed the warning and join her dad on this mission? And she makes room in her life for somebody she hasn't spoken to in quite some time. Lights, cell phones, ACTION!!

Did I just say action? Yes, it is a time to take some action, do what needs to be done and stop thinking about it! Hines packs a punch the whole way through this crazy mess. And if your smart, you'll take action and go pick this up immediately for a great read!

The sometimes flippant heroine of "The Dead Whisper On" is a copper miner's daughter who followed in her dad's footsteps into the mines and now that the mines are shut down has become a garbage collector. Candace "Canada Mac" MacHugh has a promise from her dad, who died eleven year ago, that he'll contact her again, so she's not surprised when she hears his disembodied voice whispering to her. He wants her to join him in a network of operatives who work with the shadow world in doing good and publicizing it to the media. However, I was surprised that she so easily left everything to follow her ghostly father. As she's being initiated as a "spook" in this network she finds it's hard to tell who's telling the truth. When she finally does figure out where the truth lies in all of this, she begins coming across horrifying shadow spiders and people who are spontaneously combusting. The book is not overtly Christian, but definitely deals in good vs. evil. There is an evil appearing golem who sometimes quotes the Bible, but that's about it. The book's biggest plus is its heroine. Canada Mac is a feisty gal who is very likeable and the reader will want her to succeed. However, I feel the author gets bogged down in the details of some of the plot twists and turns which took away from the book's mystery and suspense. Some of the explanations just didn't work. At one point I was wondering how this network run by ghosts was financed as its human operatives seemed to have the latest in spy technology at their finger tips.