Synopsis
From the acclaimed author of A Cosmology of Monsters comes an epic contemporary fantasy: a story of dark magic, terrible mistakes, and second chances.
“You can never go home again,” the saying goes—but Hal, Athena, and Erin have to. In high school, the three were students of the eccentric Professor Marsh, trained in a secret system of magic known as the Dissonance, which is built around harnessing negative emotions: alienation, anger, pain. Then, twenty years ago, something happened that shattered their coven, scattering them across the country, stuck in mundane lives, alone.
But now, terrifying signs and portents (not to mention a pointed Facebook invite) have summoned them back to Clegg, Texas. There, their paths will collide with that of Owen, a closeted teenager from Alabama whose aborted cemetery seance with his crush summoned something far worse: a murderous entity whose desperate, driving purpose includes kidnapping Owen to serve as its Renfield. As Owen tries to outwit his new master, and Hal, Athena, and Erin reckon with how the choices they made as teens might connect to the apocalyptic event unfurling over the Lone Star State, shocking alliances form, old and new romances brew, and three unsuccessful adults and one frightened teen are all that stand between reality and oblivion.
From one of the boldest, most brilliant voices in modern fantastical horror, The Dissonance is a thrilling and beautifully written story of magic and monsters, forgiveness and friendship.
Review
My biggest thanks to the author for ensuring an ARC was sent my way!
A convergence of genres, The Dissonance completely envelopes readers under Shaun Hamill’s skillful hand through touching character arcs in the backdrop of a mystical, enigmatic world. Alternating between the ’90s and 2019, Hal, Athena, and Erin navigate a world that looks a bit different than the reality we know. Trained in what is known as the Dissonance, a brand of magic that relies upon feelings of disharmony, these characters find themselves in their 30s with a rare invitation back to their hometown of Clegg, Texas for an undisclosed anniversary. The past never stays buried, and the effects of their experiences as teenagers in the 90s come calling with a voice that is impossible to ignore. A story of friendship, love, power, and the possibility for the fantastical, The Dissonance is a striking novel that reminds us what it means to imagine, the strength of found family, and the immense weight of power.
A seamless blend of dark fantasy, coming-of-age themes, and gruesome horror, Hamill masterfully crafts this mysterious world where magic exists in elusive, unchartered territory. The idea of the Dissonance stems from a fantastical power that thrives on the in-between spaces of the world, the untapped energy that’s so hard to define succinctly. Yet, for all of its elusiveness in description, there’s something innately human about this system revealed to Hal, Erin, and Athena as teens. This aids tremendously in crafting an immersive atmosphere in which pages seemingly fly by. In many ways, the organic, all-encompassing nature of the Dissonance lends itself to so much creativity, so many possibilities. It’s truly an awe-inspiring creation on Hamill’s part, one that while vast, never once feels out of control.
In addition to harnessing the grand ideas of the Dissonance, Hamill’s ability to write flawed, complex characters is unmatched, an idea suggested in his previous novel, A Cosmology of Monsters, and confirmed now. No one is depicting the cyclical nature of character development with this degree of nuance like Hamill. Connections between these characters as found family members is established with ease and a degree of authenticity that is often difficult to capture. Moreover, the ethos instituted between us, the reader, and these characters is noteworthy; numerous scenes thrive in a state of extreme suspense given the intensity of my own feelings for these folks. Perhaps this is due to the classic dual timeline of coming to know these characters across the span of decades, or maybe it’s the reality in which this story is grounded, tinged with the otherworldly. In any case, Hal, Athena, and Erin felt like my own friends, my own family confronting their demons and fighting to maintain the potentially cosmic balance of “normalcy.”
While The Dissonance functions just fine on the basis of entertainment and creative prowess, a greater confrontation of organized power is exhibited within the confines of these pages. This story feels like a greater examination of the weight of power, how steep the price is to wield such a thing. There are some big swings taken with this novel in which a plethora of ideas instituted by religious organizations, academics, and occultists converge, ultimately resulting in a thought-provoking, ethereal mysticism rooted in our humanness. Demonstrated so clearly through Hal, Athena, and Erin’s journey is the beauty that is found in the broken, the love that exists in those in-between spaces. Humanity thrives at the core of this story, evoking the strongest of emotions across the board.
The perfect combination of heart, horror, and the mystic, Shaun Hamill’s The Dissonance hits all of the right notes in this melancholic, deeply emotional hit of a novel. Hal, Athena, and Erin’s journey exemplifies the haunting reach of the past exacerbated by the immense weight of power in the present. This is the kind of story that defies realms of space and time to deliver a heartfelt reflection on the magic of love and friends, the ties that bind us together oh so tightly. Hamill’s creations institute feelings of wonder with room to grow, the possibilities of this world endless. It’s my sincerest hope that this is not the last we see of the Dissonance in a world where we could all use a little more magic.
The Dissonance by Shaun Hamill releases on July 23rd from Pantheon.
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