The Voices of Suspense and Their Translation in Thrillers

Book excerpt: The volume aims to be a reference work for all researchers interested in the study of fictional dialogue and its translation in suspense novels and films as well as in related genres. The volume also aims to determine the interplay between the creation of suspense and fictional dialogue. The particular interest in dialogue comes from the host of roles it plays in fiction. It helps create suspense and arouses a whole range of feelings in the reader or the audience related to the development of the plot. Fictional dialogue is the discursive method of evoking orality, conferring authenticity and credibility on a plot and giving fictional characters a voice. As a narrative strategy, dialogue is an important resource that enables the writer to shape the character’s subjectivity. In thrillers the characters’ voice is part of the process of creating suspense, an element of uncertainty, anxiety and excitement, which is not exclusive to this genre. To clearly differentiate suspense from the tension created by other types of fiction, this volume aims to study the relationship between the characters’ voices and the building of suspense and to describe the translation difficulties arising from this particular interdependence.