The Nightmare Tree [Paperback]

Richard Rene (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: 5 and up

Jonah Comfait has many magical adventures as he searches for his missing father, only to discover that he is alive but held captive - and only Jonah can set him free.

In this tale set in the gorgeous Seychelles Islands, Jonah refuses to believe his father has drowned at sea and sets out in a sailboat to search for him. His search carries him out of his everyday life to wondrous places with magical beings - like the angeli, who help him in his quest, and the djinn, who enslave people and feast on their dreams.

Jonah learns about the land of Mysterion, a place of peace that people have forgotten because of their dreams of greed and war. He comes to understand that he must play a part in restoring Mysterion to itself.

And he has to find a way to free his father.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

The reasons for writing The Nightmare Tree have emerged for me over the process of the six years it has taken to write it. The kernel of the novel lay in the premise of a boy who idealized his parents, only to discover some aspect of their human weakness. The narrative would follow the boy's discovery and, I believed, his reconciliation with the new knowledge about his parent. It was not until Coteau Books accepted the work, and I was involved in some revisions, that the meaning of that basic premise emerged: the story was about me and my relationship with my parents. I was Jonah who reconciled himself to his father's human weakness. I was also Francis, Jonah's father, confronting the reality that my own children will painfully discover my frailty as a father and a human being. Thus I ultimately wrote the book, it seems, to understand the generational relationships in my life, with my parents and my own children. The Nightmare Tree has taught me that the only meaningful way through human brokenness is sacrificial love-- giving life to others though they do not deserve it. Jonah's father does not deserve his sons efforts to rescue him. But what is the alternative but a continuing cycle of dysfunction? By taking his father's place in the Nightmare Tree, Jonah offers the only answer possible. He breaks the cycle of selfishness that lies at the heart of all human relationships. He recognizes that we must love in spite of everything. Although the ones we love may or may not be redeemed by our love, but we still need to love them in order to maintain our own humanity.

About the Author

Richard René is a teacher in Calgary where he's hard at work on the second book of "A Tale of Mysterion." As a boy growing up in the Seychelles, he experienced the rich mixture of peoples, myths and cultures there, which now find a place in his fiction. He also remembers reading Michael Ende's The Neverending Story, a work of marvellous invention which still inspires him as a writer. Richard and his wife have three children. The Nightmare Tree is his first publication.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Coteau Books; 1 edition (May 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550503634
• ISBN-13: 978-1550503630
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,787,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As a boy growing up in the Seychelles, Richard experienced the rich mixture of peoples, myths and cultures there, which now find a place in his fiction. He also remembers reading Michael Ende's The Neverending Story, a work of marvellous invention which still inspires him as a writer. Richard and his wife have three children.

The Nightmare Tree is Richard's first novel. His second novel, a sequel, is currently being edited for publication in 2011.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meaningful fantasy for all ages, February 8, 2008

By 

Brent Applegate (Calgary Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Nightmare Tree (Paperback)

Great read in the spirit of Narnia, Tolkien, Harry... Supposed to be for the 12 to 18 crowd but the kids will have a hard time getting the book back from Mom and Dad!
Full of Eastern Orthodox allegory (it is written by a young Orthodox Priest after all) but you have to pay attention to get all the parallels -as the story clips along at such a rapid pace you just get wrapped up in the action. Our world "Letheis" turns out to be a dream illusion in a "Matrix" like twist, and "Mysterion" is an enchanting but unfathonomable "Ariel" type place, with the Angeli, Butterfly children, Cyclops, Pirates, the dark Djinn... Jonah's nobel quest to free his captive Father and discover his destiny tells the eternal story from a fresh and captivating viewpoint. When's the sequel coming out???

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Nightmare Tree: A Compelling Saga, February 4, 2008

By 

Albert Rossi - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Nightmare Tree (Paperback)

Every so often a book takes me from my shoes into a new world where my shoes haven't yet walked. The Nightmare Tree does just that. The author wrote a book for persons of every age and of every mind set. As a 70 year old man who, by some standards might be considered over the horizon, I found the book to be fascinating from beginning to end. And, I would say that teens would find the same experience. So would all those who age is between teen and 70. Without hesitation I heartily recommend this book to readers looking for a rewarding adventure.
Albert Rossi

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy as a Spiritual Odyssey, February 1, 2008

By 

N. Bushelli (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Nightmare Tree (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed the world, the characters, and the plot of The Nightmare Tree. I shared it with my wife who devoured it and in turn shared it with my elementary age son who grew as a reader, a thinker, and a liver because of the book. This reflects how this allegorical tale, like all great allegory, can be understood and enjoyed at vastly different levels.

I especially appreciate his crisp descriptions of the sea and boating, the deep reflection on sacrifice, love, deception, and very terrifying and inviting scenario, that is not so unlike our own lives. Throughout the book, I identified with Jonah and have been reminded that love compels us to risk everything for truth and family.

My one regret is that there are not more "Tales from Mysterion" for myself and my family to enjoy. May Richard Rene's pen continue to pour forth fantasy that is so grounding in reality!