SEVEN-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW DISAPPEARS one day on a walk into Horshoe, a dust bowl farm town in Depression-era Saskatchewan. Other children go missing j...
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Oct 30, 2011
Martin
rated it: 
I only read this as I am currently borrowing my little sisters kindle to test it out as I am thinking of buying one.
She reads books like Tracy beaker etc so I decided to have a quick look though the free books on offer and came across this one.
First off it is a nice quick read, I read it in about an hour or so while relaxing at home. I know the book is aimed more at young teens but it still interested me from start to end.
The pacing of the story is great, from one cha More...
She reads books like Tracy beaker etc so I decided to have a quick look though the free books on offer and came across this one.
First off it is a nice quick read, I read it in about an hour or so while relaxing at home. I know the book is aimed more at young teens but it still interested me from start to end.
The pacing of the story is great, from one cha More...
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Feb 02, 2011
Kayna
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In the first chapter of this book Robert's younger brother Matthew is kidnapped by an odd sounding man who claims he never had a childhood. The reader and Matthew are the only ones who know what happened. A short while later Abram Harsich shows up and wows the town with his "Mirror of all things" that shows people just want they want most. This story is placed in Saskatchewan, Canada during the dust bowl. After this spectacle the people start to go somewhat loopy and behave as though e
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Jun 20, 2009
Tony
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Arthur Slade- Dust (HarperCanada 2001) 3 Stars
Dust takes place in Horshoe, Saskatchewan and mentions many towns and areas that I know all about having been to the places. It even mentions Swift Current, my city. The reason for this is that Arthur Slade is a fellow Saskatchewan author. Dust tells the story of Robert, an eleven-year-old boy whose younger brother disappears one day and strange events start taking place. As more children disappear Robert begins to suspect the truth behin More...
Dust takes place in Horshoe, Saskatchewan and mentions many towns and areas that I know all about having been to the places. It even mentions Swift Current, my city. The reason for this is that Arthur Slade is a fellow Saskatchewan author. Dust tells the story of Robert, an eleven-year-old boy whose younger brother disappears one day and strange events start taking place. As more children disappear Robert begins to suspect the truth behin More...
Mar 04, 2009
Julie
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 22, 2011
Rachel
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I got this as a free book on Kindle and, therefore, didn't have very high expectations for it. It was a well-written intriguing story with excellent characterization. I couldn't figure out if it wanted to be a historical fiction or a sci-fi/fantasty novel...but that's not a bad thing. I spent the majority of my time reading this being absurdly confused, but the concept and execution was good enough that I'll revisit it in a few months to see if I enjoy it more the second time around. I did think
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Sep 11, 2011
Tanya
rated it: 
I thought it was an interesting book. It didn't grab me like other books have for this age group but young boys might like it. One word of warning for parents there is mild pg language in the book and if you are trying to keep your children away from it for awhile you should read it first to find if it bothers you or not. I'm not sure I would want my 10 or 11 year old to read it, but a 13/14 year old could probably deal with it. I'm not used to finding mild language in books geared to young/
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Dec 04, 2011
Cheryl
rated it:
Excellent MG story. Eleven-year-old Robert is the only one who suspects the stranger in town is...not what he seems.
The story takes place in the Canada, during their Dust Bowl of the 1930s. I could almost taste the dust from the author's descriptive writing. Robert's younger brother Matthew sets off to walk to town with his parents to follow a few minutes later. Matthew never reaches town. He's gone.
That same day a stranger appears who promises he can make rain. Only Robert a More...
The story takes place in the Canada, during their Dust Bowl of the 1930s. I could almost taste the dust from the author's descriptive writing. Robert's younger brother Matthew sets off to walk to town with his parents to follow a few minutes later. Matthew never reaches town. He's gone.
That same day a stranger appears who promises he can make rain. Only Robert a More...
Jun 14, 2011
Monica!
rated it: 
This book was ridiculously awesome. It started out as kind of a historical fictiony mystery set against the backdrop of the Canadian Dust Bowl. Then the author threw in some potential-serial-killer action with a tinge of fantasy (in the form of butterflies that steal your soul). And then, out of nowhere, <spoiler>evil maybe-aliens existing outside the barrier of our universe</spoiler> show up, and it really gets crazy.
Plus, it delves into the mindset of a tween right o More...
Plus, it delves into the mindset of a tween right o More...
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Jan 31, 2012
Cindy
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Although published in 2004, I just became aware of this title, and I really don't know how I missed it when it was released.
Somewhat reminiscent of a Dean Koontz or Stephen King work, Dust begins with the disappearance of seven-year-old Matthew Steelgate from a small, farming town. There are no witnesses, no clues, no answers. Shortly thereafter, a stranger appears in the town, and the people in the town begin to change. Children are still disappearing and no one but Matthew's 11-year- More...
Somewhat reminiscent of a Dean Koontz or Stephen King work, Dust begins with the disappearance of seven-year-old Matthew Steelgate from a small, farming town. There are no witnesses, no clues, no answers. Shortly thereafter, a stranger appears in the town, and the people in the town begin to change. Children are still disappearing and no one but Matthew's 11-year- More...
Jul 26, 2011
2004- During the Great Depression, Robert's younger brother Matthew disappears from a small dusty prairie community in Saskatchewan, after Robert refuses to walk into town with him. Plagued with guilt, Robert finds himself at first drawn to the new stranger in town, Abram Harsich, who claims he can help the town's dry spell by building a ""rainmill."" However, as the rest of the townspeople fall under Abram's spell, Robert and his Uncle Alden seem to be the only ones who thin
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Jun 20, 2008
Krista the Krazy Kataloguer
rated it:
A science fiction story with a slow buildup of the bizarre, reminding me of some of William Sleator's books. It would make a great movie!
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Dec 12, 2010
Hannah
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This book was good. It wasn't fantastic or horrible but somewhere in between.
I loved the setting and main character of the book. I also think the original story had great potential. It, at first, greatly reminded me of Changeling and the Wineville Chicken Coop murders.
However, like most potential, it was mostly crushed by convenient events, unexplained details, and a quick, mediocre ending.
It wasn't the best book, but it wasn't a drag to read.
I would re More...
I loved the setting and main character of the book. I also think the original story had great potential. It, at first, greatly reminded me of Changeling and the Wineville Chicken Coop murders.
However, like most potential, it was mostly crushed by convenient events, unexplained details, and a quick, mediocre ending.
It wasn't the best book, but it wasn't a drag to read.
I would re More...
Dec 05, 2011
Gordon
rated it:
Dust is the story of children disappearing in Depression-era Canada. Robert's brother Matthew is one of the children, and he suspects the newcomer Abram is connected, who is promising rain to the people via his mystical "rainmaker". Robert finds out the truth is stranger, and scarier, than he could have ever imagined. This book was extremely well done. From the first few pages I was hooked, and the mystery of the missing children is intriguing to the very end. This is a must have
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Sep 14, 2011
Michelle
rated it:
Dust is a great story. It's not full of vampires, and witches, and warlocks. There are no bombs, guns, or mushy romances. It's full of people, and an evil that is beyond all of those things. It's an evil that none of them see for what it truly is. Except for one boy. The dust covers the town, and the minds of those that live in the town. Until one man appears, promising the promise to beat all; rain. In a dusty time like that which covered Kansas during the dust-bowl, Robert fights to stay awake
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Dec 16, 2011
Fred
rated it:
I'd actually rate this book as 4+ stars.
Dust follows a young boy as he watches his town fall under the spell of a mysterious stranger who rides in with promises of rain and good crops. As his neighbors succumb to the mesmerising words and tricks of the stranger, they begin to forget everything else.
Then the children start to disappear.
The novel is short, easily read in a couple of hours, and both well-written and well-edited. I'm looking forward to checking out more
Dust follows a young boy as he watches his town fall under the spell of a mysterious stranger who rides in with promises of rain and good crops. As his neighbors succumb to the mesmerising words and tricks of the stranger, they begin to forget everything else.
Then the children start to disappear.
The novel is short, easily read in a couple of hours, and both well-written and well-edited. I'm looking forward to checking out more
Jan 04, 2011
Mazohyst
rated it:
This book is one of the books that I've been pondering the title of for a long time. But then I went to Chapters and saw it on a shelf! How lucky of me. So I took the time and read it in the store. I was rushed (I don't really remember anything and I wasn't bothered to buy it) but I do remember enjoying it. I also remember that I enjoyed it when I was a couple of years younger. Arthur Slade is a great author, in my opinion.
May 30, 2011
Poorfish
rated it:
One of the better YA books I've read in a while. Slade's approach is concise and focused. He reveals just enough details to keep the story going and never spoils it by over explaining everything (even at the story's conclusion).
1920s dust bowl. A town just trying to survive. Missing children. A stranger promising to fix everything. Alternative dimensions. And a boy trying to make sense of it all.
1920s dust bowl. A town just trying to survive. Missing children. A stranger promising to fix everything. Alternative dimensions. And a boy trying to make sense of it all.
Jan 31, 2012
Lee
rated it:
Didn't expect much from this download -- it was free -- but I really enjoyed this book. The tone and the setting rang true. The story was intense -- hard to describe, but the writing is almost hypnotic in the way it drew me into the story. I don't know if that was deliberate by Slade (given the methods used in the book) or just that I was in the right frame of mind to get so drawn in.
Sep 21, 2011
Sharon
rated it:
Uhm, not what I expected at all. Despite being a short book, I found this hard going, but probably only because I tend to prefer subject matter that I can plausibly believe. I don't believe in magic or magical occurences, so probably switched off from enjoying this read. Don't let that put you off though as the book is very well written and easy to follow and the characters and events are very well described.
Jan 22, 2011
Jenny
rated it:
Robert stands on the cusp between childhood and manhood. He is the only one able to fight the evil influence of a mysterious stranger. His brother and the others are missing, but the dust bowl town only seems to care about the stranger's promise of rain. Rob must free the children of the town before the soul stealers come.
Feb 15, 2011
“11-year-old Robert is the only one who can help when a mysterious stranger arrives, performing tricks and promising to bring rain, at the same time children begin to disappear from a dust bowl farm town in Saskatchewan in the 1930s.” Started out eerie and spare but then got a little confusing and rushed. Decent.
Nov 23, 2011
Angelic
rated it:
It was not bad, but then it was not good either. It was that tedious middle where I was hooked but when it came to the end I felt empty. Also as well the author's notion of "dust" is strangely familiar to the "His Dark Materials" trilogy by Philip Pullman (which by the way I definately recommend!)
Dec 08, 2011
Betty
rated it:
Magical Realisim at its best. Robert's younger brother vanishes on the way to town. A rainmaker soon appears. Things aren't what they seem and people are forgetting what they ought to remember. All but Robert. Arthur Slade imbue's DUST with magic to spare. A wonderful read.
Jan 19, 2011
Sam
rated it:
A hypnotic and spellbinding read. Not very long (it is intended for upper-elementary/jr high kids). A coming of age story set in Dust Bowl era Canada, with a sinister villain and tantalizing mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and drama. Thoroughly enjoyable, just my kind of thing.
Sep 25, 2011
Arielle
rated it:
I liked this book pretty well. I loved the rain maker's character in all it's spookiness. I would have liked to have seen more interaction with the boy and Abram, 'cause that was the most riveting part to me. All in all, a very good book I wouldn't have come across had it not been for Pixel of Ink on FaceBook.
Jun 04, 2011
Mykl
rated it:
The cover of the book pulled me in. The version with the face of the youth with butterflies emerging. The cover is great; and the story so-so. Ancient man brings dark magic promosing to save a town and only a child can save them.
Jan 15, 2012
Aimee
rated it:
I know this won several awards, but it didn't really grab me. It was fairly short, but I couldn't get into a rhythm with it and it took me longer than normal to finish. I liked the characters well enough and the story was interesting, but still something was missing for me.
Jul 14, 2011
HKd
rated it:
Odd little book. Vague echoes of other sci-fi I've read and a weird take on the Pied Piper of Hamlyn as well. It had the potential to be really great but it all fell rather flat after a promising beginning.
Jan 02, 2012
Hayley
rated it:
Kept me interested enough to want to finish it but it could have been better. I felt like it needed more closure. I wanted to know more about abram and how or why he was the way he was.
Oct 30, 2011
Fiona
rated it:
What a little gem of a book...
Loved the quirkyness of it... and the era it was set in... Reminded me of Carnivale the TV series - which I still have to finish watching...
Loved the quirkyness of it... and the era it was set in... Reminded me of Carnivale the TV series - which I still have to finish watching...
