Whispers From the Depths Story Experience by Special Guest C.W. Briar

Being a Whisperer used to be a title of honor. It meant keeping the dangerous water spirits at bay and receiving the praise of the people. That was before the rebellion … before the Whisperers were enslaved.

Those better times are now only stories passed down to the current generation. Betka works in the palace, harassed and abused without any way to fight back. The same magic she uses to fight off spirits also prevents her from fighting back against her captors.

Freedom is a distant dream.

Then news arrives that Ylvalas, the most feared spirit in the kingdom, has attacked her sister’s village. Warriors are being dispatched to rescue survivors. Betka volunteers, desperate to save what little family she has left. She knows it will be dangerous. She’ll have to work with the same warriors who enslaved her, including the man responsible for so much of suffering.

If she can rescue her sister, and maybe find a way to escape, the risks will have been worth it.

Unfortunately, they are all heading into a nightmare beyond anything they could have imagined.

What kind of experience is Whispers From The Depths?

I wanted the story to feel like getting hit by a tidal wave in the dark. Based on early reviews, I think I was at least somewhat successful. Several reviewers have struggled to describe the experience, not because they didn’t like it but because they were surprised.

The book is probably a different from the high adventure escape they were expecting. It’s dark fantasy. The elements of the fantasy genre are there — magic, action, and Viking influences — but there are also scenes that draw on the horror genre.

This a good time to mention that it’s a heavy, gritty story. When I mention horror, I don’t mean copious amounts of blood and guts. There is quite a bit of violence, but my kind of horror focuses on suspense and dread. Think Hitchcock’s The Birds or Jurassic Park rather than Freddy Krueger.

The grittiness of the story is as much in the character arcs as it is in the action. Whispers From The Depths is a book that asks some difficult questions about how we react to our enemies. I know the questions are difficult because they challenged me personally as I explored them.

So if you like your fantasy with a bit of bite, I think the book will be a good fit for you. Even if you’re on the fence, give it a try. Several reviewers admitted it was darker than what they usually read, but they really liked it because there’s always this light of hope at the end of the tunnel.

Who is author C.W. Briar?

A goofball for the most part. I like books that put me in suspense and challenge me with deep themes, but I also don’t take myself too seriously for too long. There’s a bit of me in one of the book’s characters, Kuros. Part of his response to the threats they face is to crack jokes, and it helps him and the others stay relaxed. I like to laugh, especially when it diffuses a tense situation.

Whispers From The Depths is my debut novel, but it’s my second book. I previously wrote a collection of creepy short stories called Wrath and Ruin. Looking ahead, I’ll be writing more fantasy books that blend action, chills, and humor. I also have some short stories that will be published in anthologies this year.

If you want to keep up on my latest book news, follow me. I’m on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (though the last one is my least favorite). You can see pictures of my corgis. I also have a website at cwbriar.com where, by the way, I’m running a sweepstakes for free water park tickets for a couple more weeks.

And give Whispers From The Depths a try. I think it will take you on a surprising journey.