In the second installment of the Invisible College series, readers follow Robinson and McKenna as they present Rob’s Aesir-detecting lightbulb invention to the world. While the military seeks to steal this technology and credit a different inventor with the patent, the newlyweds are also dealing with an Aesir problem much closer to home – a possible Semblance in the family. With ingenuity, foresight, and a lot of love and trust, Rob and McKenna will try to thwart their enemies from all sides while also trying to save mankind.

When this book ended I immediately wanted more! The characters are evolving in important ways while staying true to who they are at the core. The conflicting interests between our protagonists, the military, the government, and the Aesir are intertwined in realistic and interesting ways. While the world this story takes place in is fictional, the types of dilemmas the characters face are relatable, as is the fight about who is doing the most “right” thing for everyone.

This story is creative, smart, and full of heart. I would highly recommend reading the first book in the series to understand the magic in this world and to fully appreciate the development of the characters. A wonderful book for lovers of fantasy!

Jeff Wheeler has an uncanny knack for taking things that are familiar to us and working them into fantasy in a fashion where they fit together seamlessly and yet harken back to reality, giving the reader something to relate to... even if what is being presented isn't remotely possible in the real world.
Those who are familiar with what influenced Jeff Wheeler will find themselves with a more than passing understanding of things that transpire, but there's enough of an original twist that keeps you turning the pages to see where the ride is going next.

In this latest installment in the *Invisible College,* the line between enemy and ally blurs further. Our Deaf heroine McKenna's quandary that was started in book one continues as she struggles with the fact that while she understands multiple languages in lip-reading, she is unable to *do* magic, being that it is based upon sound.
She understands the concept; it just exceeds her grasp, and perhaps she is skirting around her own understanding of why. Robinson might be on the path to figuring it out... but life happens at the speed of war and the machinations of jealous men don't help.

It's worthy of being read twice. Jeff Wheeler packs enough in his stories that it might even take a third reading to notice everything and start piecing things together.

[My review is based on an ARC and is unbiased. I have received no compensation or consideration for my review.]

Jeff Wheeler has done it again. I absolutely love this world that he has created. I loved the world fair feel to the expo in this book and of course I have loved getting to know Rob and McKenna even better in this book. The tension is also top notch. I could hardly put it down.
The worst part is that I have to wait to read the next one!
100% recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Honestly, I was very bored when reading the sequel. I just felt like we didn’t really add much to the overall story. I do agree that there were some interesting elements including the “dog intelligence” and the strenikk but overall i felt like the plot points that were added were very small and just gave the reading an overall sense of the distrust in government and war.

Jeff Wheeler's "The Violence of Sound" hooks readers immediately when McKenna is attacked during what should have been a romantic outing with Robinson to the Volksoper opera. This sequel to "The Invisible College" maintains gripping tension throughout while moving at a noticeably faster pace than the first book.

The relationship between McKenna and Robinson grounds this story in something real and relatable. Both characters display remarkable intelligence, making them easy to connect with as they navigate increasingly dangerous situations involving Robinson's breakthrough technology that detects Aesir devices.

What makes this book truly engaging is the layered mystery—events unfold both in plain sight and in the shadows. Even as an attentive reader, I found myself repeatedly surprised when seemingly unrelated elements suddenly connected. By the final chapters, I was simultaneously thinking "What is going on?" while frantically turning pages.

Wheeler's world-building continues to impress, with the opera scene featuring the Erlking's daughter cleverly mirroring the challenges our protagonists face. Although the book clearly sets up another installment, it delivers enough satisfying moments to feel complete while leaving me eager for the next entry in the series.

For readers who enjoy intelligent thrillers with science fiction elements, "The Violence of Sound" delivers on all fronts—proving that Wheeler's series is only gaining momentum.

I like to read all of Jeff Wheeler’s novels twice in a row because the first time, they are always so engaging that I can hardly wait to turn the page! The second time, however, I can take my time and savor all the delightful little details that make reading his books such a rich experience.

The Invisible College series is no different! It is very unlike his other stories, but I absolutely love it every bit as much as the others. Since I have no gift for words, but I do for music, I can only say that I was captivated by a world of deafness in a place where music is critical to survival. It is such a creative storyline! And as always, these books are great for any and all ages…beautifully clean in every way, with great wisdom and moral values much needed today.

I cannot recommend The Violence of Sound enough! This series, which begins with The Invisible College (I also recommend you read this one immediately, before The Violence of Sound), posits a very original type of magic, which incorporates sound/music, and which cannot be practiced by deaf people. This figures prominently in the plot development, as Rob tries to find a way for McKenna, his wife, to be able to practice magic, and as she hides terrible secret that could get them both killed. There is also a supernatural element, represented by the Aesir, an immortal race that flourishes in the ice. There is tension between humans, and a very human war within the Invisible College, as well as the war between the humans and the Aesir, which is complicated when an Aesir inhabits a human, making them into a Semblance - outwardly human, but animated by an alien consciousness. There was a time when Aesir and humans coexisted peacefully - but once the Aesir shared their magic with humans, and humans then turned greedy with it, the tensions and fighting began. Jeff does a fabulous job of drawing us into this world of steampunk and supernatural, good and evil (although we are challenged to determine which is which), and the ride is an exciting one! I truly cannot wait for how the story will continue in The Alchemy of Fate. In this series we have romance, intrigue, mysteries, paranormal war, alchemy and magic. I truly cannot sing the praises loud enough. This is the 12th series for Jeff, and I have loved every one of them. I hope you will run, not walk, to start reading this series!! You will be so glad you did.

Jeff Wheeler has done it again. What a fantastic continuation of the trilogy of the Invisible College. The burgeoning love between Professor Hawksley and his new bride McKenna is taken to the breaking point. The threat of war with an alien species, the machinations of a military regime and the politics of a magical order that have lost the moral roots of their founding are just a few of the obstacles that keep the reader turning the pages.
Jeff always delivers a captivating story with well crafted, lovable and not so lovable characters. By the last page I was already looking for the link to preorder the final book of this trilogy. It is crafted with suspense and family-friendly.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a true page turner with many unforeseen plot twists.
Happy reading.

I truly enjoyed The Violence of Sound. The different character voices give insights into all of the subtle parts you might only suspect if given only one perspective. It was action packed and had me rooting for the Hawksleys. I can't wait to see what happens next!

The Sound of Violence; a spoiler free review.

Jeff Wheeler has created a captivating world with a unique race of villain, set in what I would call a steam punk meets Victorian era-esque society with a dash of wizardry. I love his easy to digest writing style and the underlying clean wholesome romance of this series that is geared towards emotional intimacy and suggestion that doesn’t detract from the story. .

I loved this book even more than the first in the series. There was none of the forcefully rushed romantic entanglement that some found to be disagreeable part of The Invisible College storyline. The Sound of Violence delved deeper into what was going on with McKenna, bringing troubles for her that kept me on the edge of my seat reading in every spare moment. Robinson experiences his own tribulations and it winds together beautifully in a cliffhanger that I simultaneously loved and yet loathed because now I must once again wait to read more of their journey. Even more engrossing than the first book of the series, I can’t wait to see where this unique storyline goes.

Wow! What a step up from ‘The Invisible College’. I was lucky enough to obtain an ARC for this book, and let me tell you, It’s already in my basket to purchase at launch.

Hawksley & McKenna’s tale continues here and now. Picking up from where we left off in book 1, we delve further into the secrets of the Invisible College, learn how far the Aesier will truly go, and what are our main characters hiding from us.

The book does end on a semi-cliffhanger. While we all know something was going to happen, you can never be too sure what it will be.

My biggest complaint with the book is the structure. So much build up for a lacklustre pay-off. This is what detracted my score from being 5 stars to a 4.

I am really looking forward to the next book. In the mean time, I’m going to check out what else Jeff has written!

I love this book and this new series. It is a mash up of fantasy and steampunk, with a spin. As usual Mr Wheeler has used his love and knowledge of history and inserted his own spin on reality.
In my opinion the second book is better than the first as the characters are all fleshed out more fully and the pace picks up. You are swept along viewing the story from many different points of view and so you can see the bigger picture.
The two main characters are adorable in their youth and exuberance for each other and life. Facing whatever comes at them together. Relationship goals right there folks.
I don’t like giving away spoilers in reviews and I won’t now. But I will say the action never stops and the machinations will keep you enthralled.
I love the world building, some of it reminds me of the Icelandic sagas, whilst the steampunk aspect of the modern world seems set somewhere at the beginning of the twentieth century. As there are men going off to war and face a literal unseen enemy at the frontlines.
I love the other more fantastical worlds that the author has written, as fantasy is my preferred genre. But there is a small part of that in this series, as in there is magic and an enemy right out of a high fantasy novel.
I was surprised at how much I do like it, especially not being a great fan of steampunk type stories.
I can’t wait to read the next instalment.
I do have to admit I received an advanced copy of the book, but my views are my own and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

In this second installment of The Invisible College series, the reader once more is reunited with Robinson and McKenna. Robinson is able to use sound and music to cast spells; he is a wizard at the College. He has fallen in love with and married McKenna who suffered total hearing loss caused by a "plague" released by the mysterious and seemingly destructive Aesir race that only appears during the winter months. McKenna very much wants to be a part of the Invisible College but is unable to do so because of her hearing impairment: though she speaks very clearly and communicates by reading lips, there seems to be no way for her to cast a spell, even when she knows the words, because she cannot hear.

This is not terribly discouraging to me because Wheeler's worlds are built upon unexpected gifts through supernatural powers, as we have seen in his other series, such as the Kingfountain, Muirwood, and others. There is a higher power that surpasses the human mind and often times is revealed in miraculous ways—as McKenna begins to experience powers she was hitherto been unaware of, the reader can safely surmise that the higher power has plans for this strong, dedicated, and caring young woman of integrity and bravery.

Robinson is dedicated (as an elocutionist) to assist McKenna overcome the obstacles of deafness to realize her dreams, while he is also very much committed to defeating the Aesir, who are difficult to track, see or hear until it is too late. Having lost his brother to the scourge of the Aesir, Robinson is not terribly strong himself, though he has survived the enemy's onslaught. But what he may lack in physical strength, he more than makes up for with his intelligence and his ability to use magic in a variety of ways. For example, he can play the violin and control the actions of those around him with the instrument through the melodies, pace, and intensity of his music. And his new invention may finally give the advantage to the military to discover and defeat the Aesir as they move to attack.

Beside the Aesir (who can take over a human's body without that person's appearance changing—called Semblances), there are other dark powers at work—one secret group wants to welcome the Aesir (through a concerted rebellious contingent of society that believe they should capitulate to the enemy); there are also other "players" within the government and military who seem to have a personal (and not honorable) stake in how the war proceeds/plays out.

So typical of the excellent writing and spellbinding creative genius apparent in the worlds he creates for the reader, Wheeler spins his tale with finesse, providing subtle foreshadowing that is almost impossible to detect, and characters that we can root for, care for...as well as villains of several kinds that create havoc, suspense, and a rumbling sense of intrigue as the pages turn and surprises (good and bad) are discovered at every turn.

The ending of this "installment" is definitely a cliffhanger on one hand, but also presents an enormous revelation on the other. The cliffhanger does not worry me—I have faith in the author's intent and "record" in his treatment of these very real characters. However, it is enlightenment delivered through the military officer Crossthwaite, in charge of seeking out Semblances within society and the military, that adds an entirely new layer to the story. It is in the last few pages that readers will be thrilled to discover another dimension of this struggle between good and evil that we could not have foreseen.

I LOVE how Wheeler uses music in this story—certainly most of us can agree that music can be very powerful. Mr. Wheeler, however, imbues it with power beyond entertainment, giving it a supernatural ability to create spells, enrapture audiences, and stop criminals (in their tracks) who hear him play. The concept of "the violence of sound" infers to the "other side" of sound, not at all musical in nature, that can be destructive. What a fertile imagination this author has.

I am happy to recommend this book. I was able to read it on NetGalley in advance. I cannot wait for the third book! Wheeler does not disappoint!!

⭐️2.75

I love this series so far.

Unfortunately, this second book didn't leave me as engaged as the first one.

But that END?!?!??! OMG

I highly enjoyed the first book in this series, The Invisible College, and so was excited to dive into book 2, The Violence of Sound, to find out where Rob and McKenna's adventures would take them next. It's a solid book 2, with plenty of intrigue and plot twists. There are also many quieter moments where we get to see Rob and McKenna's relationship deepen. Strengths include the enjoyable characters, worldbuilding, and deaf representation. Themes of love and war, and how far should the latter allow the government to go--such as secretly spying on private citizens in their homes--make it a timely read. It leaves off on a cliffhanger, promising there will be at least one more book in the series. From his author's note at the end of the book, he indicates it will only be a few month's wait!

Jeff Wheeler is an excellent writer who works so well with world-building and character growth. I have found myself so invested in The Invisible College world, and being able to return to it with the second installment in this series has been great.
The drama in this book made it hard to put down; I almost didn't want to go to work to finish it. Watching Robinson and McKenna's character growth and development in this book was so sweet and fulfilling. I cannot wait to see where this series goes. I rarely feel this invested in a series.
I have some regrets about reading this book before it comes out. I have to wait longer for the next book to come out. The reader torture at the end of the book... I had to stare at my ceiling for a little while to recover.
If you like high stakes at all times and getting attached to characters and their love, this book series is for you!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC of The Violence of Sound!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

As always when it comes to reading anything by Jeff Wheeler, I was drawn right in and brought on a beautiful ride! I love this world and everything about it. The characters, the magic and world building is so in-depth and I cannot wait to see what happens next!

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me access to the e-arc and letting me review.

I loved the first book "Invisible College". It had a tight plot and the world building was amazing and I wanted to see where the story went.

The writing in "The violence of sound" is of similar quality as the first - easily understood and clear and concise. But the plotline needs some work - there were too many instances of the author bashing us on the head with the same scene and hand wringing Mckenna experiences.
Too many unexplained "uncanny" feelings that Mckenna and Rob couldn't explain.

It made for a frustrating read. It felt like the plot was going nowhere. I missed the urgency from the first book. There were also too many sappy love sick scenes that I could have done without. Nothing wrong with it, but just not my thing.

The first book was 4.5 for me, the second a 3.5 at best. Will I pick up the third book in the series? Very likely but if the same trend of circling plotlines and sappy love scenes continue, I might DNF. I hope an editor takes a good look at this.

The Violence of Sound masterfully blends dark themes of violence, morality, and power with deep character exploration in a richly crafted world. Though its pacing can be slow, especially early on, the emotional depth and complex relationships between the characters make the buildup worth it, culminating in a compelling and thought-provoking read.

Good follow up, a bit slow, seemed to wander a lot jumping back and forth. To be honest, not sure what the purpose of this book was, seemed like filler, did not really get anywhere.