Silver Heart

A Paranormal Mystery Novel

By: J.R. Rain, Matthew S. Cox

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

True love can withstand distance and time... but can it survive immortality?

Over more than a century as a mermaid, Alexis Silver never really questioned the profound effect her first husband had on her, despite their brief time together. She’s tried a few relationships with other immortals, but none lasted. Content to be on her own, Alex chases the kind of adventures her mortal life could never offer.

When her dark master friend Licinia suggests a trip to the land once called Ptolemais, Alex's curiosity is piqued. However, when their jaunt hits a snag. Licinia wants to conduct a ritual to fix it, but the only source of the rare magical components she needs demands a favor: they must find his missing daughter.

As Alex delves into the case, she soon realizes the girl's disappearance is far from ordinary. In fact, it’s downright demonic.

Silver Heart is the fifth book in the Alexis Silver series of underwater-themed mysteries and adventures, and is part of the broader Vampire for Hire world.

Better than other books by this author teem up.

The narration has to be among the best ever, but it really depends on well written books that state who is talking. Normally, differentiating one character from another is a major part of the overall skill, but with the even pace and inflection and the slightly robotic sound of the voice there is no mistaking one character from another. This narration sounds like the simulation it is, but it also sounds almost like someone imitating a voice simulation. It is smooth and pleasant and correctly shifts tone for various sentences that old electronic narrators have notably failed. I think I could listen to many many books with it as long as a different base voice is used for "male" or <nationality>.

As for the story, it didn't make five stars, but it is definitely better than the vampire detective series these same authors wrote together. The major flaw to this story is it's weak explanation to various existences. Apparently, "belief" is capable of sealing magic, creating gods and demons, as well as form the laws of physics inside demiplanes. Such whimsical and poor rationality feels reminiscent of a debate club member arguing the case for non-reality... that we don't actually exist, and are but notions of thought on a cosmic wind with the rules of good and bad just as potentially impermanent. One thing for most LitRPG books, because the so often depends on a "system" they don't have quite that weak of a foundation when they lack good arguments. In this case I think at least Matthew Cox has some better rationality in his Vampire Innocent series. Despite that major failing, the story is fun, motivated with justice and civil decency, and case a good cover focus. Enjoy!