In Dreams (Jove Horror) [Paperback]

Shane Christopher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 2006 | Series: Jove Horror

When five strangers are found tortured to death in the cellar of a seedy New York apartment, reporter Mari Kinsella makes a startling connection: the strange dreams that bound the victims in life-and in death. Dreams that Mari herself is beginning to have.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Jove (August 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515141283
• ISBN-13: 978-0515141283
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,480,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Makings Of A Decent Novel Are Here, October 5, 2006

By 

Poppy Z. Brite (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Dreams (Jove Horror) (Paperback)

IN DREAMS could have been a far better book had Shane Christopher decided early on whether he wanted it to be a suspense thriller or a horror story. As things stand, it has the makings of a good thriller with a few silly horror trappings thrown in, most notably a very brief piece of nonsense about "gamma rays" that's apparently meant to explain everything but in fact explains nothing; it has the feel of an editorial note telling the author he needs some sort of explanation for the characters' actions. Other than the mysterious Evil Ray -- which really only affects one character, and possibly causes the others to have interconnected dreams -- we never get any idea of why the villain committed his crimes or even precisely who he was.

Aside from this cipher-villain, the characters are vividly drawn and believable, if a bit sketchy (the novel clocks in at a short-feeling 281 pages). Christopher has talent, and I'd buy another of his books -- but not a third, unless the next is considerably better than this one.

One last quibble: While I'm neither a sado-voyeur nor the type to tell an author how he should have written his story, it does seem a bit of a cheat to go on and on about how the victims were hideously, unspeakably tortured ... and then give virtually no hint as to what was actually done to them. If you're going to shy away from the gory details, why provide the setup in the first place?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dissappointed..., May 1, 2007

By 

Michelle - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Dreams (Jove Horror) (Paperback)

As the title of my review state, this book was a huge dissappointment. As an avid reader of horror, I am frequently let down, but this was the worst kind of let down.

The characters of this novel were very well thought out and developed despite the fact that this book is rather short. The story line, however, is severely lacking.

I could not put this book down and was intrigued by the story line of grisley murders and how dreams connected them, but the auther NEVER mentioned the actual deaths, or how they were even connected. The ending felt rushed and thrown together as if the author tired of it and decided to just end it.

If you are looking for a fulfilling, haunting novel, then skip this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars AN IRRITATING READ!!!, July 1, 2008

By 

hjtras (Horseheads, N.Y.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: In Dreams (Jove Horror) (Paperback)

Way too many characters for a 281 paged book! The chapters should have been better placed. It was almost like someone randomly flipped the pages and said "Okay, this page will be the start of chapter 21.". Even within the chapters, the author did some major character jumping. Everything just seemed so sporadic!

CHAPTER 29?!? The author actually gets to chapter 29 and writes directly to his readers! That's like taking a jog and getting squashed by a freight train! You do not stop mid-way through a book to give a quick history lesson to your readers! I was very irked by that!

The only enjoyable part of the book was the end. I'm not being sarcastic by saying that. The ending did pick-up.