The Dark Dreamweaver (Remin Chronicles) [Paperback]

Nick Ruth (Author), Sue Concannon (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2007 | Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Remin Chronicles (Book 1)

Eleven-year-old David is suffering from nightmares. Over and over again, he dreams about a strange, bear-like man with black eyes. He's not the only one; an epidemic of nightmares seems to have infected the Earth. David takes matters into his own hands and embarks on an adventure to Remin, a land powered by dreams. Aided by a caterpillar wizard, a jellyfish-man, two wise-cracking water serpents, and several other unusual characters, he sets out to find and confront the evil wizard who is causing the nightmares. The challenges that he encounters will require all of his intelligence, his courage, and most of all, his imagination.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The unique and imaginative cast of characters will capture your child's attention from the very beginning. -- RaisingOurKids.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

"I can feel your fear. It fills me. Soon, I will be the true master of dreams and all will tremble before me."

Who is the strange, frightening creature that keeps appearing in David's nightmares? And why is he hearing voices even when he is awake? The answers to these questions will plunge David into an out-of-this-world adventure.

David has always dreamed of being a wizard. But he knows that magic isn't real, so he never imagines that he will meet a real wizard in a most unlikely place. Soon David finds himself traveling to Remin, the land of dreams. There, he learns that an evil dreamweaver, known as Thane, has been usurping the power of dreams and corrupting them for his own purposes. If he isn't stopped, his actions threaten all of Remin and other worlds.

Accompanied by several colorful inhabitants of Remin, David begins a journey to confront Thane. The challenges that he encounters will require all of his intelligence, his courage, and most of all, his imagination. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Imaginator Press (June 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974560359
• ISBN-13: 978-0974560359
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #552,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wizards and Butterflies; Friendship and Teamwork, August 10, 2004

By 

James Barnes (Traverse City, MI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Dark Dreamweaver (Remin Chronicles) (Hardcover)

For parents and children looking for the next BIG young adult epic fantasy, here's one with magic, suspense, and adventure -- with an entomological twist. What in the natural world could be more magical to children than the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly? Granted, it also includes dragons, a multi-headed frog and even a talking jellyfish, but the message is upbeat and stresses the importance of friendships and teamwork throughout.

The story unfolds when a young boy named David discovers a wizard held captive in a monarch butterfly's body. David soon learns from the wizard, Houdin, that help is needed to stop the evil Thane, in the Dream World of Remin, from turning everyone's dreams into nightmares. As David is guided on an adventure of a lifetime he meets an odd assortment of characters and learns to use his inherent magical powers and courage, intelligence, and imagination to defeat the villain and -- even more importantly -- to confront and overcome his own fears. The scientific twist and creative wordplay make The Dark Dreamweaver much more than a story about a boy fighting an evil wizard. Also includes a glossary of resources and information about monarch butterflies.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lesson in flexing the imagination muscle, August 23, 2004

By 

Barbara Elmore "Teller of Tales" (Waco, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Dark Dreamweaver (Remin Chronicles) (Hardcover)

If you crave a visit to a magical place populated by pleasant but unearthly creatures, a locale filled with clever riddles, nonstop adventure, and intrepid pals, The Dark Dreamweaver is your kind of reading.

Written by Baltimore resident Nick Ruth, the tale begins with young David pleading with his mother for more reading time before lights-out. At first we think that David must be an insatiable bookworm, but then we learn the real reason for his desire to stay awake and read. He's plagued of late by horrible nightmares that feature a big guy with white hair and gray skin wearing a long robe. "I can feel your fear," this frightful figure growls at David. "It fills me."

Who'd want to snooze with that to look forward to?

Despite David's efforts, the nightmare returns again and again. Worse yet, it's happening everywhere, according to a story in the newspaper.

The tale that Ruth skillfully weaves transports David on a journey to a world called Remin. The trip should last weeks and probably does. But in our world, it's a one-night jaunt lest David's parents notice his absence. In this short amount of time, the boy must help Houdin the wizard return to his homeland and, we hope, to his real form. Early on, we learn that Houdin carries a reincarnation curse that imprisons him in a cycle. He repeatedly turns into a butterfly. When David meets him, Houdin is in his caterpillar stage, which makes for some interesting methods of conversation between boy and larva. In fact, Houdin points out, David is the only person who has ever been able to converse with him.

Off this seemingly mismatched duo flies through the vortex, to a charmed place and one near fiasco after another. When they set off on their final quest -- to stop the evil dreamweaver who is causing nightmares worldwide and to rescue Remin in the process -- David's companions form a delightfully hodgepodge team. Illustrator Sue Concannon's drawings give enlightening shape to each creature.

This tale encourages liberal flexing of the imagination muscle. Watch for more stories featuring the dauntless David as Ruth works on the next tale in The Remin Chronicles.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars David Defeats the Wizard who's Causing Nightmares, October 8, 2004

By 

Marion Gropen "publishing consultant" (Gropen Associates, NY, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Dark Dreamweaver (Remin Chronicles) (Hardcover)

I like fantasy, and this is a good one. As the book opens, the world has been afflicted with an epidemic of nightmares and insomnia. David is one of the sufferers, but he still has enthusiasm for the Monarch butterflies he is raising. One of them turns out to be a wizard from another world, cursed to cycle endlessly from egg to caterpillar to butterfly. He desperately needs help to return to his world and stop the villain who is wrecking his world and causing the outbreak of nightmares in ours. Young David steps into the breach and saves both worlds with his creativity, intelligence, and attention to the world around us.

David takes control of the cause of nightmares, and he banishes them. This could be quite helpful reading for young people suffering from too much imagination at night. It should entertain and inspire its audience.