The Invention of Sound

By: Chuck Palahniuk

Narrated by: Jefferson Mays

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

A father searching for his missing daughter is suddenly given hope when a major clue is discovered, but learning the truth could shatter the seemingly perfect image Hollywood is desperate to uphold.

Gates Foster lost his daughter, Lucy, 17 years ago. He's never stopped searching. Suddenly, a shocking new development provides Foster with his first major lead in over a decade, and he may finally be on the verge of discovering the awful truth.

Meanwhile, Mitzi Ives has carved out a space among the Foley artists creating the immersive sounds giving Hollywood films their authenticity. Using the same secret techniques as her father before her, she's become an industry-leading expert in the sound of violence and horror, creating screams so bone-chilling, they may as well be real.

Soon Foster and Ives find themselves on a collision course that threatens to expose the violence hidden beneath Hollywood's glamorous façade. A grim and disturbing reflection on the commodification of suffering and the dangerous power of art, The Invention of Sound is Chuck Palahniuk at the peak of his literary powers - his most suspenseful, most daring, and most genre-defying work yet.

©2020 Chuck Palahniuk (P)2020 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"This dark, humorous tale sparkles with the inventive details - including a scream powerful enough to crumble buildings - and provocative insights on the 'commodification of pain' and what it means to turn 'people's basic humanity into something that could be bought and sold.' The result is a wry, devilish delight." (Publishers Weekly)

"Palahniuk expertly balances skewering of cultural institutions with profound insights into the nature of authenticity and the myriad ways we become damaged. The sheer abundance of creative ideas buoyed aloft by the vibrancy of the prose signal a master storyteller energized by delight in his own ingenuity....After his foray into literary advice, Consider This (2020), Palahniuk's heralded return to fiction will galvanize his many avid readers." (Booklist)

Bone Chilling Enjoyment

An impulse purchase that ended up being more enjoyed than originally thought. The characters and the twists are deeply enjoyable, making a second listen an absolute MUST to get the full imprint this story leaves upon the listener. The narration was masterfully done as well!

good one chuck

I have read all of Chuck's books, this is my favorite one since doomed. seems more like a classic chuck than some of the more recent stuff

fantastic story held back by the oral delivery

If you like Chuck's flavor of writing, then you'll love this. The issue is that this seems like a book that would be far easier to comprehend through the written medium, as I'm assuming paragraph breaks/ new chapters on paper would telegraph when the narrative switches to another storyline. The exclusion of this telegraphic caused some confusion among the first few hours of listening, but once the separate storylines became clear the book began to shine. I've since ordered this in print to get the full experience of a story that is absolutely worthy of multiple reads.

Not Palahniuk's Best

Where I usually hang on every word of Palahniuk's books I found my mind wandering.

Chuck returns to forn

As much as I loved Chuck's earliest offerings - Choke, Fight Club, Survivor, Diary, Haunted, etc, I haven't gotten anything out of his output in the past 10 years. Fans of older Palahniuk will love this.

Great narration as well.

Not Chuck's best

The root concept of the evil folly artist is amusing, but the overall journey was a disjointed fever dream that was less than enjoyable. I have been a fan of Chuck's works for over 20 years, and this is only the second time I've been ambivalent to his work.

Even for Palaniuk it was dark

I just wasn’t really prepared for the visceral nature of the piece. It was too much for me.

Short but Sweet..ly Disturbing

There must be something wrong with me ha because this guy’s novels disturb the hell out of me, but I seriously can’t get enough. This one was no different, albeit shorter than I’d wish. Great narration. Great story. Chuck strikes again.

Twisted and Thought Provoking

As he always does, Chuck weaves a web of science fiction coupled with just enough true to life phenomenon to make you believe there is truth behind the unbelievable. Great work, but not for the squeamish. As always, great payoff in the end...even when the earlier parts may make you uncomfortable. Stick with it and be rewarded for your bravery.

Fabulous book!

This book was narrated very well and easy to listen to. I have already recommended it to friends.