In the city of Jacksonville, Florida, three men come to grips with what impact the service industry has on each of them as a year of their lives unfold. Caught in the spell of forces beyond the control of any of them, each man must find his own way in his aspect of the business and fight to stay sane with the cards he's been dealt. It's a horror story of hope, loss, and redemption in the uniquely perverse world of the hospitality industry. Richard Crossman only wants to work and get out of the poverty he finds himself in at the start, living in the largest homeless shelter in the city. William Anderson must cope with the rigors of a promotion in his restaurant, while he moonlights as a hero, battling the thugs in the dark alleys and parks, trying to find some sense of confidence in the vastness of his duties. Then there is the character of Jefferey Skaarsgard, a man trapped within the body of another, a zombie created by and working for a corporation. Paid in brain matter, Jefferey must feed on the leftovers given to him by the doctors that created his condition. Able to summon a melodic tone into his voice that makes others his willing slaves, Jefferey must find a way to escape the lab where he works, and attempt some semblance of a normal life, in an industry that is all but "normal". As each man goes through the year, they find love, loss, salvation, and freedom both in and out of work. As a horror novel, Silvertongue focuses lightly on the restaurant industry, using it as a backdrop for the characters and their loved ones. Ultimately, each man must decide for himself how he'll let the business and his personal life define him.
