
Samantha Garner’s debut novel The Quiet is Loud was shortlisted for the 2022 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. A Canadian of Filipino-Finnish background, Samantha’s character-driven fantasy and science-fiction novels explore themes of identity and belonging. She loves writing nuanced relationship dynamics, strategy over swordfights, and outsider characters who end up unravelling the fabric of their whole world.
The Quiet is Loud
Adult literary speculative fiction by Samantha Garner, for readers of Kazuo Ishiguro and NK Jemisin
Shortlisted for the 2022 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize
When her prophetic dreams take a dangerous turn, Freya Tanangco finds herself increasingly forced to sacrifice her own anonymity—and the fragile safety that comes with it—to protect those around her.
Interwoven with themes of Filipino-Canadian and mixed-race identity, fantastical elements from Norse and Filipino mythology, and tarot card symbolism, The Quiet Is Loud by is an intergenerational tale about the consequences of secrets and what happens when we refuse to let others tell our stories for us.
“It’s a fearlessly unique book, and I look forward to whatever this exciting new author chooses to write next.”
—Broken Pencil
“In The Quiet Is Loud, Garner announces herself not only as a writer with a clear, fresh vision for what speculative fiction could be but also as a writer who will make it happen.”
—Prairie Fire

What I'm Up To
Check out the latest from my journal:
- About my novel Twist the Branch
- Patreon giveaway w/author Katie Li
- Introducing: the Undone Rituals Mixtape project on Patreon
- Historical inspiration for my fantasy novel: foreign rule in Finland & the Philippines
- Honoured to be the inaugural Captured Phantoms “Pay It Forward” Scholarship Award recipient
Read some recent articles I’ve written:
- My monthly column at Open Book
- Character Development Lessons From Video Games at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) Blog
- We Need More Older Protagonists in Speculative Fiction – and Beyond at All Lit Up
- June Writer-in-Residence at Open Book
