THE SOUND OF DISTANT ENGINES
BY ROBERT E. DUNN
PUBLISHED BY SILVER SHAMROCK PUBLISHING
AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 2020
This Silver Shamrock release is one nobody in my circle has talked about or promoted, and I suppose it’s because the title isn’t what most would consider horror. Yes, our MC sees some ghosts of his past; however, they’re not scary, nor do they do anything scary. They’re more of PTSD hallucinations brought about by the VA medicine Matheson takes and the trauma from things he did in his past as a sniper. Otherwise, the story has a very dramatic touch to it throughout, with a little bit of suspense. Luckily for me, I’m not a reader who strictly keeps to a genre. I enjoy mystery, crime, suspense, science fiction, and more. As such, I was able to go into this book without expecting horror and just enjoy myself. I assumed ahead of time this wouldn’t really be the normal Silver Shamrock fare, and I was right.
From start to finish, I loved The Sound of Distant Engines. The discussions throughout (especially in the beginning) are very well done, and the thrill of the chase is alive and even heartwarming as it progresses. I liked all the characters, the threats to their freedom, and the ugly opposition being a combined church and government operation controlling the population’s ability to think for themselves and have their own identities. The only issue I had was the very end jumps ahead a bit in time – think of the last two pages as an Epilogue – without telling us how Matheson’s actions changed things. You’re left to guess, which isn’t a big deal in a horror story – but in a story like this, all about returning freedom to the people, you kind of expect a little more clarity as to what the ride was all for.
**
Highlights: Extremely well-written … thought provoking … some excellent dialogue … dramatic and gripping … a quick and satisfying ride
Shadows: The final scene leaves you without really knowing what changed
For fans of: Drama and suspense … stories about war heroes and the struggles they face coming home from war … tuning cars and/or technology
Takeaway: Though this was my first time reading Robert E. Dunn, it definitely will not be my last. The Sound of Distant Engines kept me glued from beginning to end in one exciting and enjoyable sitting. Not only did I feel a lot of love for this story and Matheson as a character, I was also scared of the future he lives in.
Would I read this author again? Yes
AIDEN MERCHANT 
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