I was provided with an early audio copy of this novel which was released 15 Apr 2025.

I love Jeff Wheeler worlds and stories. It’s easy to get immersed in his the trials of good versus evil. And it’s refreshing to see the threads of morality running thru his works.

Where I love the idea of the Invisible College of sorcerers fighting an ancient enemy to save mankind, this book reads a bit like Middle Earth. The first book hooked me and this book developed characters baiting me for book 3. Hopefully it’s the bridge book between action sequences.

A little too much going on for an audiobook.. probably better in print. It was just difficult to keep up with all the characters at first. I eventually got into the story but not to the point where I’m anxious to find out what happens next even though it definitely ended in a bit of a cliffhanger.

This book was amazing. The author builds such an amazingly complicated, yet easy to follow world. The characters are easy to connect with and the story pulls you in. Waiting until September for the next book is going to be difficult with where the story left off.

**Audiobook ARC given by NetGalley***

I WANT to like this series. It is compelling and has a crazy plot and story line. However, 2 things keep holding me back from rating it higher.
1. It seems like the Deaf character is in there just for the plot work but not actually because the author has not done the work to bring the Deafness of the character into full development. He almost gets there and then misses the mark. I am hesitating on speaking more specifically on this because I am not Deaf and it is not something I can speak to from experience. His use of the character just kept rubbing me the wrong way - despite the character being pretty interesting otherwise. I would be happy to see a review from someone of the Deaf community.

2. It may be that I am listening to this on audiobook but there are several times in the book where I am failing to understand how they connected the thing to the other thing. Some of the connections between the Aesir and the magic of those inside the Invisible College seem to be explained by, it just works because it has worked since the war. Some of the magic, I would like further explained too - these intelligence's, why do they respond to music - among other questions. Some of this may be explained later in the series or some may have been explained in the book and I missed it bc of the audio format.

Overall, it was enjoyable. The narrator is great and I enjoyed listening to this book.

The Violence of Sound by Jeff Wheeler is the second installment of The Invisible College series. The second book had such a slow start, that I considered abandoning it, but once the switch flipped and pace picked up, I could not put it down, though I was tempted to throw my eReader against a wall, only because

The narration by Kate Rudd was extremely well done. It was engaging and she was able to give each character a unique voice, making the story easy to follow.

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio and 47North for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and read the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Book Rating: 4 Stars
Audiobook Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Apr 15 2025

Tags:
#47North
#TheViolenceOfSound
#TheInvisibleCollege
#JeffWheeler
# KateRudd
#YarisBookNook
#netgalley

I have read almost all of Jeff Wheeler’s series (some multiple times), so I am a confirmed fan. This series is remarkably different than his other series in that it is set in the Victorian era with a more “modern” feel. Yet, it is definitely a Jeff Wheeler book/series. There are small tells like the cadence of the main characters names and using their first, middle, and last names.
There are also larger themes that are consistent in all his novels and which I believe he is a master at depicting without preaching it, explicitly pointing it out, or leading the reader to it. These are a sense of morality, integrity, and humility. There is also a deep appreciation for knowledge, self reflection, and honor.
Just like with all his stories, this one evokes a sense of time and place, yet is easily accessible to read, so it is perfect for those who don’t enjoy the classics. I was able to get lost in the world he created and walk alongside the characters and listen in to their conversations and innermost thoughts.
I have a vision impairment, so I especially appreciate that McKenna is deaf. It isn’t often that you find disability representation in fantasy books. I look forward to finding out if she is able to finally use magic. I did miss seeing her and Professor Hawksley work together to try to overcome this issue. I feel like once they got married they stopped trying.
I am looking forward to the next two books in the series. I received an advanced reader copy of this book.

While I loved this story, I wasn't overly fond of the narration--McKenna came across as whiny, even annoying. It's unfortunate, because I didn't get that impression at all when I read the ebook (which was how I read it initially).

I was given an advance copy as an opportunity for an honest review. "The Violence of Sound" is the second book in a series from Jeff Wheeler. This series is an epic fantasy adventure following a Darwinian-style, dystopian society, with a magically superior protagonist that has been a thread for thousands of years against humanity. The protagonist storyline follows a brilliant professor (Robinson) and his new wife (McKenna), who are in the middle of several internal struggles, built from the first book of this series. I found this book a very engaging adventure, with constant twists and turns, which made the book very difficult to put down. I listened to the audiobook, and once again, Kate Rudd's narration is spot on, and her character voices are so unique I instantly knew which character she was portraying, and it pulled me right in as if I was watching a movie with my imagination! I am on edge for the next book, Mr. Wheeler! I can't wait to see how this exciting adventure plays out!

This thrilling continuation of Robinson and McKenna’s adventure presented a fast pace ride with quite a few twists along the way. The unique magic system involving music and ‘intelligences’ continues to be expanded upon in this book. I’ve really enjoyed this style of magic system in this world. The magic mixed with mechanical devices reminds me of steampunk to some extent.

The struggle McKenna goes through with her desire to use magic and the challenges presented to her for that and living in society allows the reader to have a glimpse at what struggles someone who is deaf may go through. It’s refreshing to see an aspect of human life that isn’t often portrayed in content to be woven into a fantasy novel.

I am not sure if ‘The Invisible College’ series has ties into other worlds of Jeff Wheeler but I sure seemed to pickup hints about fountains at one point that made me think of his other series.

I immensely enjoy the audio narration by Kate Rudd. She brings to life all the characters in Jeff Wheeler’s books.

Oh, and the cliffhangers. It’s so difficult to read series that are still being written because of cliffhangers! I can’t wait for the next book to drop so I can consume it!

This was such a fun sequel to The Invisible College! We continue to learn about this super cool magic system with music as the catalyst for magic and see the love of our main characters grow! There is some discrimination against McKenna because she is deaf which made me want to go into the story to kick some a** but the author did well with the representation I think. The war time action was exhilarating and the corruption they faced was infuriating but this book serious was such an entertaining story. I can’t wait for the third!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jeff Wheeler and Brilliance Audio for my ALC! I will be in line for the third as soon as it’s posted!! lol

This book has a lot going for it, intricate world-building, a fantastic and unique magic system, and a society grappling with the constant threat of war with a magical race known as the Aeiser. It’s clear a lot of thought and care went into building this world, and it shines in many places. The premise, as described in the synopsis "A husband and wife brought together by magic strive to stop a war of the worlds in an epic adventure of hope, sorcery, and secrets", promises an action-packed, fast-paced narrative, where both McKenna and Robinson are at the forefront of battle. But that’s where it fell a bit flat for me.

Instead of the high-stakes adventure described, the story focused more on the everyday life within a world living under constant looming danger. This isn’t a bad thing — in fact, the exploration of how people adapt, survive, and resist under pressure was compelling and well-written. But the mismatch between the synopsis and the story made the slower pacing and introspective tone feel jarring at times.

The magic system itself is genuinely creative. A beautiful blend of music, sounds and tone, to call upon sentient animal-like intelligences.
The history is a great concept — The Aeiser hibernate for centuries at a time, unable to survive outside of the cold of winter. During these long periods of hibernation, humanity continued to grow and expand across the world. What was once a peaceful coexistence slowly shifted — as humans developed and claimed more of the world, the Aeiser began to see them as a threat. This growing tension eventually sparked the war that now defines the conflict in the story. The world is imaginative and complex, and the ongoing war does give the story tension, though it simmers rather than boils.

The relationship between the main characters, Robinson and McKenna, began in the first book (The Invisible College) and continues here. While their dynamic has its moments, I felt the development of their relationship in book one, was rushed and it doesn't feel like they are as deeply connected in this book as you feel they should be. It feels a little surface level.

McKenna stands out as the strongest character in both books. She is deaf, which was due to an illness created by the Aeiser, to reduce humans ability to use magic. This meant that many people in society would dismiss and discriminate against her. She could read body language and lips well and due to her family's privileged position was tutored on how to develop her language skills so she could be ‘accepted’ into society – though her drive and determination came from wanting to learn how to use magic. I wish more time had been spent on this.

By the end of the book, things seemed to be ramping up, a lot of the story elements were connecting, hinting that book three might deliver the building action. I’m still on the fence about continuing the series, but I do think there will be many people who love this book and do recommend it. Hopefully book three leans into the story that’s been simmering beneath the surface.

ARC audio copy from NetGalley and 47North.

I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

PHENOMINAL BOOK! I WILL BE ADDING THE SERIES TO MY PHYSICAL LIBRARY!!

Whoever told me to read book one is the MVP of this review. I got to chapter 8 of this book, stopped and read book one, then returned. I would have been okay reading The Violence of Sound alone; however, reading The Invisible College made this edition of the series make sense. This world was AMAZING! The world-building that began in the first installment carried over to this edition and became richer. This book felt slow to me when I first began reading, but after going through the first book, the pacing of this one made complete sense! It was the Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets the Gilded Age. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I listened to this.

Kate Rudd did an amazing job with the voice acting. She brought depth and individuality to each character, and I completely enjoyed that! I appreciated the care given to the main female character, McKenna, and her hearing disability. She was not written as weak by any means; she was bold and confident in who she was and what she wanted. She was very vocal and went after her goals head-on regardless of those who did not believe in her. Robinson is super smart, his character gives sexy geek vibes, and I love it! He is passionate about his craft, somewhat to his detriment, but he loves McKenna fiercely and will do what he must to protect her.

As a musician, I loved the way music was used in this book's magic system; it was absolutely beautiful!
Their situation is alarming to say the least, and that ending made me want to rip my hair out!

What is going to happen? Will they survive her secret? Does he have a secret that even HE doesn't know about???? I NEED ANSWERS!

Thank you so much, Netgalley, Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio, and Jeff Wheeler for this outstanding ALC of the Violence of Sound!

4.5*

At last, we get to dive into book two of the Invisible College series by Jeff Wheeler, and I was so excited to get my hands on it. McKenna and Robinson are such great characters, and I love their relationship. They truly seem to listen and care for each other in a time where marriage for the sake of status seemed to be more of the norm. Since this has some sci-fi/ fantasy elements, anything can be possible, and I think that’s a trademark of the novels I’ve read by Wheeler.

In this installment, Robinson is trying to protect his wife while also trying to keep away from nefarious characters who seem to be coming out of the woodwork. McKenna, on the other hand, has a target on her back and with her deafness, is unable to fully protect herself unless she stays close to Robinson (she gets kidnapped a couple of times). Some great secrets come out, but I am trying so hard not to spoil any details. Readers should read book 1, The Invisible College, before diving into this book. Their story continues from the first one, so I do not recommend reading them out of order.

We are still, more or less, on a mission to prevent the Aesir from decimating the human population, but are they as bad as we previously thought? If you like period inspired mysterious adventures, this is a great one to dive into.

This is an excellent 2nd book. It flows amazingly from the first one. I really enjoyed the twists that this one took. The audio book is fabulous. As with the first book, I think the disability representation is well done.

2 Stars – Ambitious, But Out of Tune

The Violence of Sound aims to be bold and experimental, but ultimately struggles to find harmony between concept and execution. The premise—exploring the raw, disruptive power of sound as both metaphor and force—is intriguing, and there are moments of striking, visceral imagery.

Unfortunately, the narrative often feels disjointed and hard to follow. The prose leans heavily into the abstract, which, while stylistically daring, can make emotional connection difficult. Characters drift in and out with little grounding, and the pacing falters under the weight of its own ambition.

There’s potential here, especially for readers who enjoy avant-garde or nonlinear storytelling, but it may leave others feeling more frustrated than moved.

Bottom line: The Violence of Sound is an intriguing idea wrapped in challenging execution. More noise than resonance.

I was able to read an advance copy of this book, and it did not disappoint! The magic system in this series is pretty unique and while major plot issues have not yet been revealed this book furthers the story to a frantic cliff hanging ending.
Robinson and McKenna are very enjoyable, but both can be a little stiff. I think the plot in this book really allowed the characters to have some growth and become more well rounded, grounded and relatable.
We pick up where the previous book in the series left off. The book starts a little slowly and it took a few chapters to really dig into it, but around chapter 16 or 17 we start to uncover some substantial plot points. The array of "bad guys" in this series is sort of staggering- it is hard to tell if anyone other than our main characters are the good guys, with some being downright despicable. I also enjoyed more of the side characters and that they were fleshed out more as the story progressed as well.
As far as the audiobook goes, I adore Kate Rudd as a narrator and she continues to be a consistent, enthusiastic narrator. The perfect choice.
I am very excited to see where this series leads and to find out what happens in the next book.

Firstly I wanna thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advance.
I read the first book through Netgalley as well and I'm grateful you allowed me to read the second book before its release, once again.
Here goes my honest review... At the beggining I was struggling with it. I don't know why but I couldn't advance a chapter without falling asleep on the first day, it happened both at lunch break at work and then in the evening at home. Also I was struggling with the narrator's voice, maybe because when I read the 1st book I didn't hear it in audiobook, so I imagined the voices in my head and now hearing the narrator was weird because it wasn't the voices I had in my mind for Robinson and McKenna specifically, if you know what I mean. I was listening to it and I was like this is not how I pictured Robinson/McKenna for the entire 1st book so I struggled a bit to get used to the narrator's voice, which did a great job. It was just me that had to get used to it.
The day after, I continued at work but I was struggling with it, I wasn't feeling the story and the characters but I kept through cause, on the first book, the beggining was slow for me but then it paid off to continue. And yes, it happened the same here.
About 20% into the book, the story started to connect for me, Robinson and McKenna (who I love dearly) started to connect to me as well and I devoured it in 2 days after that. Gotta say that I absolutely adore his friend Wickins. I love their friendship and how loyal they are to each other, I was afraid for him at one part of the book cause I want him with Robinson until the end: he's a loyal chap, as he says😊
I'm a person who's loved by character but in this series, I'm moved by the plot. It has such a unique plot with a unique enemy and specially a wondrous and spectacular magic system. The communication they have and how Robinson is so damn smart that he can replicate it astounds me every time. The plot regarding McKenna and the new developments we had about her left me shook but I wasn't surprised cause it had to be something important.
I was in shock with the ending, more specifically with the very last 2 chapters. The one with Coronel Colsterworth (which I despise) and the McKenna part 😯 I wanna know what happens next 😱

4.5 this book had a slow start then after about 10% I was fully locked in! I was fully immersed in the story and the magic system! I couldn’t put it down for the last 20%. I loved the academics aspects and the glimpses of romance. Thank you NetGalley for the ALC

Absolutely loved. This was so good and I couldn’t stop. I love the characters and the storyline. I can’t wait to read the next one.