Synopsis:
In a world where sound is a tangible force, Muso’mi is a maadiregi―an expert in the art of consuming it. At the prestigious Mahadum, she researches the language of silence, seeking to master the gift her mother calls theft. But academic intrigue turns to deadly peril when her friend vanishes after unearthing a hidden truth.
Pursuing clues through pools of quietude across worlds, Muso’mi stumbles upon a horrifying discovery: a pattern of carnage left in fields of harvested silence. Now, the hunter becomes the hunted, as her unique expertise draws her into the orbit of a serial killer who understands the power of sound all too well.
Review:
I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Written in a style that I can only describe as truly poetic, Crimson in Quietus follows Muso’mi and Fin’Lei, two women from very different backgrounds who both end up working at the Mahadum researching silence. Their combined journey evokes a roller-coaster of emotions, from love and loss, to joy, terror, and everything in between.
And the worldbuilding was captivating. The setting encompasses multiple worlds, each easily accessed by the others. There is advanced technology too—spacecraft, cybernetics, AIs—but there’s also a layer of true magic woven throughout every aspect of people’s lives. And that magic is based on sound.
I loved the concept of sound magic, and the effects silence had on the worlds too. Different people manipulate sound in different ways. Fin’Lei uses it to create replicas of tangible objects (I thought of them as echoes, since it’s sound magic.) Muso’mi uses her magic to “steal” sound from others. When she releases it, it sometimes hits her with massive recoil. And the elusive killer has the means of consuming sound, what he refers to the “soul scream” as his victims die.
I really enjoyed this book, though I wish Fin’Lei would have had one more chapter at the end. Her story arc ends somewhat abruptly and left me wondering where she ended up and how she was faring, while Muso’mi’s felt much more complete.
I mentioned about that it’s written in a poetic manner, and I meant that. There are passages that feel like the stanzas of a poem, and the way things are described leaned toward poetry more than traditional prose. The author also uses non-standard dialogue tags, and there were many words sprinkled throughout (mostly referring to the world’s animals and food items) that were, based on the note in the glossary at the end, either derived from Swahili or came from a completely fictional language (sometimes a combination of the two.) I loved the uniqueness of the author’s style and how rich the story was because of it.
Crimson in Quietus was a fascinating story with excellent worldbuilding that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys science fantasy/urban fantasy and books with non-standard styles. It was a great read!
Crimson in Quietus is available for preorder and will release September 1, 2026.
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