Dreamrider [Paperback]

Barry Jonsberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 2009

An intense, frightening portrait of a boy driven to the edge . . . and over.

Michael Terny is at his seventh school in four years and he knows that whatever he does, he will be ridiculed and pushed around. Michael is the fat kid. But Michael is also a lucid dreamer—he can recognize when he is dreaming and make the dream unfold exactly as he wants. Here he is safe and completely in control. Safe that is, until he finds the dream world and real world colliding . . . and a passage between the two promises more power than he has ever imagined.

With the help of an unexpected friend at his new school, Michael plans how to use his power—to reward the good and wreak vengeance on the wicked. . . . But is Michael really in control?

Nothing is quite as it seems in this book, and the shocking ending will have readers furiously flipping back to begin reading again with opened eyes.



“Readers will be intrigued by the many paranormal ideas presented in a story that gradually and effectively reveals its many layers.”—Booklist

“Jonsberg’s prose is spare, his pacing excellent, his plotting memorable.”—Publishers Weekly

“Readers who love the shocking twists of Fight Club or The Sixth Sense will revel in the movie-ready bizarre turns this novel takes, and they will likely find themselves flipping back to reread key passages.”—The Bulletin

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up—Starting at a new school is always hard, but Michael Terny's size makes him a larger and easier target for bullies. His dad constantly pressures him to fight back, but the teen quails at the thought of physical confrontation. In dreams, however, he finds that he is the one in control, and begins to take revenge on his tormentors. Embracing his role as a self-proclaimed dispenser of justice, Michael tempers his vengeance by healing those in need. Ultimately, is he truly in control, or is he trapped between dreaming and waking? His older voice is at odds with the high school setting, and teens will feel as though the narrator is talking down to them. Though the fact that Michael's mother is dead creates some sympathy, the tenuous emotional connection deteriorates, as he stills seems too bland, even when breaking another student's fingers. An underdeveloped Australian setting nags at readers, gradually unraveling the cohesiveness of the plot. The Sixth Sense ending, asking readers to determine what was "all in your head" and what might be real, will leave readers frustrated, especially as the author is not generous with clues. Shooting for an introspective and suspenseful tale, Jonsberg instead creates a muddled Shyamalan imitation.—Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“Dreamrider is an eerie, absorbing novel which will have readers squirming. Astonishing.”—AussieReviews.com

“Readers will be intrigued by the many paranormal ideas presented in a story that gradually and effectively reveals its many layers.”—Booklist

“Jonsberg’s prose is spare, his pacing excellent, his plotting memorable.”—Publishers Weekly

“Readers who love the shocking twists of Fight Club or The Sixth Sense will revel in the movie-ready bizarre turns this novel takes, and they will likely find themselves flipping back to reread key passages.”—The Bulletin

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (July 14, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375844589
• ISBN-13: 978-0375844584
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,825,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, March 27, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamrider (Hardcover)

As a lucid dreamer, Michael Terny can control the direction of his dreams, and, over the difficult years since his mother's death, he's used that ability to escape the harsh realities of his life. While tucked away in his dreams, it only takes that one little difference, that blip on the screen for him to recognize, to bring him into control. Then, he's no longer the hopeless fat kid who suffers the same fate at each new school, that same tiring choreography of the first day--the seventh in four years. Here, he is the master, and can heal the sickness of those in need and bring pain to his tormentors.

Michael had hoped that Millways High School would be different, and it started promisingly enough, with his finding a friend in a girl named Leah on that very first day. However, he finds the same types of kids following him, promising the same problems he's tried to escape. What's more is that parts of his dreams seem to be leaving their mark on the real world. Is it possible that he might be able to influence the things that happen in real life through the power of his dreams? If that's the case, then it might be time for Michael to start fighting back, and not just in the ways his dad keeps telling him.

But one must wonder if Michael's perceptions are accurate. Even his allies may not be what they seem. How much of the dreamworld has crossed over?

This masterfully written book challenges the reader's preconceptions of reality--their own as well as that of those around them. Interesting and thought-provoking, it appeals to those who love seeking details, and finding where the puzzle pieces fit together. Some harsh language and violence, fitting for more mature readers.

Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Creepy, March 2, 2008

By 

ZeeSays "zeesays.blogspot.com" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamrider (Hardcover)

Michael Terny is a fat kid. He's pushed around at every school he's ever attended. At his newest school, he finds himself once again being the victim of two different bullies: Jamie and Martin. But maybe this school will be different. He's met Leah, a girl who actually listens to him, and Mr. Atkins, a teacher who Michael feels comfortable with.

There's more one more difference: Michael has discovered he can make things happen in real life with his dreams. He is powerful. He stands up for himself. And he can make anyone cower.

This was an easy read with the power of a car wreck. Once you see it, it is hard not to stop and gawk for awhile. Michael's tormentors are relentless. Teen that enjoy horror or the macabre will find something to enjoy here.