Customer Reviews

The Gods of Dream: An Epic Fantasy

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Daniel Arenson's The Gods of Dream is a marvelous tale of two war-torn orphans whose lives are turned upside down when a hawk named Windwhisper comes to them for help. Windwhisper tells them that the land of Dream is in dire trouble, and only the orphans can save it. Dream is the land where humans' dreams come from. Sitting alongside of Dream is Nightmare. If Nightmare, ruled by Phobetor, takes control of Dream, those of Earth will die from their nightmares.

This book is masterfully crafted and sits in the vein of Tolkien and Lewis. Arenson's descriptions pull you into the book and allow you to follow the adventures of Cade and Tasha -- as well as Harmony, Starlight, Moonmist and Yor.

It is a tale of heroism personified. You won't regret reading this book.

Haven't we always wished that our dreams could come true? What if you could enter your dreams, walk around and be consciously aware of everything that's happening? In Gods of Dream, this is a reality for siblings Tasha and Cade. However, their dreams soon turn into a horror as the God of Nightmare threatens to destroy what they hold dear.

I've read Arenson's novels before, and I think in his latest offering, he captures you with his vivid imagery, his strong, passionate characters, and his effortless storytelling. I especially love this concept since he takes something that you think exists only in our subconscious and makes you BELIEVE that it's something tangible, something you can actually visit.. our Dreams.


This is definitely something you should check out. Great concept, perfectly created characters, and even more amazing storyline!

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

All my life I've held the opinion that fairy tales come to us from the darkest depths of imagination. They are stories of suffering and grief wrapped up in a bundle of cutesy imagery, mythical beasts, and social disorder. They come as warnings: Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel against the allure and dangers of child predators, Jack and the Bean Stock against the perils of experimentation and exploration without first understanding the consequences...and these are only a few examples. They are at their core disturbing, grim tales, meant to pass along a necessary social message.

This is what The Gods of Dream, written by Daniel Arenson, accomplishes. In spades.

The Gods of Dream is the tale of Cade and Tasha, twins from a never-disclosed, war-torn country, whose parents were killed during a bombing at a local market. They are forced to leave their home and travel to a new country, where they are alone, afraid, and despondent. Tasha hates life and has tried multiple times to end it. Cade does his best to support and coddle her, his own war-ravaged hands constant reminders of the past they left behind. He does everything he can to give his beloved twin a reason to live.

Well, they have one. For reasons never fully explained (and thankfully so), Cade and Tasha have been granted access to Eloria, the true land of Dream. In this reality they are Talon and Sunflower, children of the illusory wilderness, unscarred (both physically and emotionally) by their guilt, sorrow, and the horrors of their past. When in Dream they cavort like the free youths they should have been, before the real world cruelly tore all that away from them.

This carefree existence is not to last long, however, for it seems that Phobetor, the ruler of Nightmare, obviously the counterpoint to Dream, has set his sights on conquering the sleeping paradise. Cade is recruited into the fight, told he must defeat the evil prince, and heads out on a long, long quest. Tasha, for some reason left out of the original plan (actually there is a reason, though it's never spoken, and that reason is sublime and necessary), sneaks in and joins her beloved brother on his journey, disguised as a mouse.

Along the way Cade and Tasha meet all sorts of strange and wonderful creatures. They are the gods of Dream, and they're fantastic creations with roots firmly planted in Native American (or any other naturalistic culture's) lore. Each resides in (and is master of) a certain location and aspect of Dream. These gods have lived for thousands of years, and they take it upon themselves to assist Cade and Tasha in whatever way they can.

The twins journey for weeks (possibly months) through the landscape of Dream and enter Nightmare. I could go on and on describing every step of their journey, but I won't. This review would be ten pages long if I did that. Just believe that there are a great many plot points in the book that are worth mentioning, but what interests me more than anything are themes, and that's what I'm here to discuss right now.

One of the first things I noticed when the chapters started shifting between events happening in Dream and Nightmare, respectively, was the paradigm of these realms. Just as Dream's gods are constructs of the "real world" - elks, cats, lions, hippos, pandas, etc - so is the landscape. It is filled with earthly trees, grass, rivers, and gardens of flowers. There is a day and night. There are oceans and beluga whales. There is also a natural order to the land, represented in pockets that depict the seasons of Earth. The lands of Nightmare, on the other hand, are cracked and burnt in some places; in others, the ground is covered with what could be skin. The trees there are likewise fleshy, covered with eyeballs. The creatures that inhabit it are gruesome, beasts of fangs, spikes, hooks, fur, and bodies that don't seem to follow a natural order (aka shark head on a wolf's body, etc). These unsavory citizens carry themselves with utter hatred and intend to harm, and every emotion is taken to the extreme. To break it down, Dream is the land of balance and healthy imagination; Nightmare of radicalism and brooding darkness. Sure, at first glance one might say, "But doesn't the existence of Nightmare balance out Dream?" And the answer to that would be no. Some of Nightmare's inhabitants were born in Dream, and they were born the way they are - wicked, cursed, unsavory - and at least one was told he did not have to leave despite this. That, in and of itself, demonstrates that the world of Dream is evenhanded. Because of this, Nightmare is actually a weight that tips the scales toward darkness.

(Not to mention that Dream exists seemingly of its own accord, while Nightmare needs a motor. It's powered by a subway system that runs beneath its soil. I won't explain what this subway system is or how it operates, because I wouldn't want to give that away, but trust me when I say it's one of the most inspired and original ideas I've ever set my eyes upon.)

The creative inventions of the world aside, the emotional threads are spectacularly done as well, in fact more so. Cade and Tasha really feel like damaged souls. They're full of doubt and guilt. Tasha is nearly pathetic in her unhappiness, and you pity Cade for how hard he tries, even while he's doubting his every action. In every way it makes sense that these two were the ones chosen to save Dream, because they needed to be saved just as much. They needed to rediscover beauty even in the face of ugliness and evil. And I think that might be the main point: that there is splendor all around you, that if only you'd take the time to actually deal with the hardships that come upon you, you'd bust out on the other side realizing all you've had and all you could have. Tasha, herself, embodies this. She is small in soul and scope at the start of the novel. In this way, it's no wonder that she chooses to be a mouse when she crosses into Dream. For she is afraid of everything, her fear and sorrow have made her as insignificant as a creature that makes its home in shredded bits of discarded paper. In this case, that discarded paper is her life, both former and present.

All of this is sad yet beautiful to read, and I have to admit that on more than one occasion I found myself getting teary - especially at the beginning and end of the book. The middle is where the action is, and it is wonderful, but let me tell you...the emotions that run through these opening and closing segments are just about perfect. We see Tasha staring at her bandaged, scarred wrists, and we sob for her, when it would be very easy, if the work wasn't crafted as well as it is, to say, "Just get it over with, already." The writing helps in this regard, with flowing sentences and vivid description. Really, I can't say enough good things about it.

So why, one might ask, did it not receive a perfect score? (Yeah, I have to be a little bit critical.) Two reasons. First of all, author Arenson has a habit of repeating things, important points that need to be remembered (such as the reminders that Cade and Tasha have to save Dream...or else.) Now, I get that, but I thought it was done just a tad too much. I understand that this is the author's style, however, and it really doesn't distract from the story. The second is the character of Phobetor, the ruler of Nightmare. His repartee his demon wife is eerily similar to the interplay between a pair of characters in another one of Arenson's books. Now, I almost didn't mention this, but I felt the need to, if only to assure readers who've read the author's other works that these sections are short and few. In fact, there are only two scenes that actually have both characters in them. However, they're both towards the beginning of the book, and I want to assure any who might notice that the characters are, in fact, quite different, as the meat of the tale bears out and their interactions cease. I wouldn't want anyone to put the book down because of something minor such as this.

On a whole, The Gods of Dream is a very impressive, nearly impeccable work of art. It's The Neverending Story meets The Dark Crystal meets The Odyssey. It surges in parts, lingers in others, and always leaves the reader with the impression that they're taking in something important. It teaches a lesson about pain and what it takes to withstand it. It shows how important life is, how important love is, how important family is, be them blood or otherwise. It takes you on its journey of imagination and leaves you both panting and sighing at the fantastically bittersweet, yet hopeful, ending.

In other words, it's magnificent. And I have a sneaking suspicion The Gods of Dream is going to end up being one of the best books I read in 2011. It gets the highest recommendation from me that a single book could possibly ever get.

Plot - 10
Characters - 9
Voice - 10
Execution - 9
Personal Enjoyment - 10

Overall - 48/50 (4.8/5)

A book to make you smile, cry, laugh, despair, sigh, and dream. Beautifully flowing quest of a brother and his twin sister.

Written by Daniel Arenson, "The Gods of Dream" is an epic fantasy with an exquisite and surreal feel. The author has a talent for description, and it's easy to picture the worlds of Dream and Nightmare. They're everything you thought they may be, and maybe even more. The storyline has a bit of a Biblical feel, a feeling which is heightened as the two sides draw closer to the battle that will determine the future of both realms, as well as the future of all humans. Each realm has a variety of different regions, and those in Nightmare almost felt like Dante's circles of hell. Each of the areas in Nightmare presents a different type of horror to be experienced, just as each area in Dream provides a special type of pleasure. The author has crafted his characters nicely, and the gods of each realm are distinct and fascinating. The hierarchy of the gods in Dream mirrors those found in Nightmare. The relationship between the various gods is somewhat reminiscent of the relationship between the Devil and his minions, and God and his angels. While I loved those two worlds and the characterization of each world, I wanted to understand a bit more the relationship between these realms and Earth.

The story started out somewhat slow for me. It took me some time to really get a feel for what was going on and where we were going. As I read on, my interest grew and I became much more entranced by, and committed to, the story. Taking such ethereal creations as dreams and nightmares and transforming them into actual physical places to be experienced and explored puts a new and exciting spin on something we only experience while we sleep. Although the story did drag for me at times, as we battled with all the lesser gods of Nightmare and walked for days and weeks and months, it was worth the read. The story itself didn't totally "wow" me, but the creativity of concepts and the beautifully flowing writing left me thinking about the ideas long after I'd finished reading. I wasn't completely captivated by the plot, but I was entranced by the worlds the author created. The gorgeous cover of the book really captures the feel of the story. I suspect I'll be thinking about the imagery and concepts woven into this story long after I've forgotten about Cade and Tasha and the details of their quest.

4.5 /5 stars @ MotherLode blog

One of my favorite things to find in a fantasy or sci-fi novel is a well-crafted world. The world of Dream in Arenson's book is filled with beautiful imagery. Even Nightmare, while not a place one would want to visit, felt like a real place. These worlds help me to get into a book, when I can imagine myself walking the same paths as the characters. The characters were also great.

This was my first time reading Arenson's work, and now I would definitely read more.

A very moving tale that perfectly captures the essence of dreams and nightmares. A beautiful surreal and epic fantasy in the vein of Lewis and Tolkien, with a light-hearted touch.

After reading The Gods of Dream, I can't wait to read the rest of Daniel Arenson's novels!

The cadence is right so it flows like a fairy tale even when it delves into some very harsh subjects. It's dark, it's entertaining and very well constructed. I enjoyed it for the same reasons I like Orson Scott Card's Hart's Hope and Neil Gaiman's Stardust....

When the world of Dreams come under attack by Nightmare, twins Cade and Tasha are the world's last hope. With help and gifts from many of the strange inhabitants and gods of Dream, they slowly work their way into the evil that's threatening to take over. They must fight off hordes of demons, outwit monsters, and work their way out of hopeless traps.

When I call this an epic tale, I truly mean it. There are so many places to visit in dream, so many gods and strange beings, and so many challenges to overcome. Cade and Tasha travel for over a year, growing in incredible ways, and changing the lives of everyone living in that land as they overcome many obstacles to reach their destination.

One of the best things about this book is the richness of even the most minor characters. Everyone has a back story, a reason for being the way they are, and they grow throughout the story. Even very brief scenes stayed with me and made me think and imagine what other strange things might be found in Dream. The descriptions are a huge strong point of this book.

For me, the book really picked up about halfway through, once the characters reach Nightmare. That's when the fun really starts and they meet their biggest challenges. Before that, it's a fascinating read to learn about all the different gods and lands of Dream, but much of the story is simply traveling and learning about what is to come. There are the occasional monsters as well, but not nearly of the danger and scale as in Nightmare. In the beginning, I had no idea how the entire book could simply be a tale of their journey through Dream and into Nightmare, but it's true: It's not the destination, but the journey.

This book has a really great concept: A war between Dream and Nightmare. I don't feel this should have been the final draft,though. The beginning chapters were great, and the characters were interesting. A chunk right before the middle was dreadfully bland! The company journeys the same type of landscapes over and over. Tons of forests,then some plains, then some more forests, oh here's a beach thrown in, then some more plains...a good 30% of the book was just too drawn out and uninteresting.

I do admit the descriptions of monsters were quite revolting, as they were intended. A lot of creatures sounded very unique,such as the Elorians. Some creatures were kind of silly sounding, namely the pegacats. That was a bit too childish for a book that is supposed to be more dark and adult. I loved the main characters, but some of the side characters didn't draw me in. I didn't become saddened when they died or were injured, because I didn't feel any sort of emotional connection to them.

I'm no author, but I think this story just isn't there yet. It feels like an unfinished piece of art. I've been reading his newer book, Blood of Requiem, and it doesn't even seem like the same author. He is certainly capable of greater pieces of work, so don't let this book dissuade you from his other novels.