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Dreamwalker #2
Dreamseeker
When Jessica Drake learned that her DNA didn’t match that of her parents, she had no idea that the search for her heritage would put her family’s lives in danger, or force her to cross into another world. In an alternate Earth dominated by individuals with unnatural powers called Gifts, Jessica learned that there was a curse within her blood, one so feared that all who possessed it were destroyed on sight. For she was a Dreamwalker, and the same dark Gift that would allow her to enter the dreams of others would eventually destroy her mind and spread insanity to all those around her.
Now she is back with her family, but there is no peace to be found. Her childhood home has been destroyed, her mother’s mind is irreparably damaged, and the Gift of the Dreamwalkers is beginning to manifest in her in terrifying ways.
When a stranger invades her dreams and creatures from her nightmares threaten to cross into the waking universe, Jessica knows she must return to the alternate Earth where she was born and seek allies… even if doing so means she must bargain with those she fears the most.
Dreamseeker is the gripping sequel to C.S. Friedman's Dreamwalker.
Now she is back with her family, but there is no peace to be found. Her childhood home has been destroyed, her mother’s mind is irreparably damaged, and the Gift of the Dreamwalkers is beginning to manifest in her in terrifying ways.
When a stranger invades her dreams and creatures from her nightmares threaten to cross into the waking universe, Jessica knows she must return to the alternate Earth where she was born and seek allies… even if doing so means she must bargain with those she fears the most.
Dreamseeker is the gripping sequel to C.S. Friedman's Dreamwalker.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2015
15 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Friedman
49 books1,277 followersCelia S. Friedman is a science fiction and fantasy author. She has also been credited Celia S. Friedman and Celia Friedman.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 9, 2015
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/11/08/r...
Dreamseeker is the sequel to Dreamwalker and the second novel of C.S. Friedman’s Young Adult portal fantasy series–though it also has high crossover appeal for readers of adult spec fic. In addition, it features a uniquely fresh take on parallel worlds. With multiple genres colliding here to form an eclectic picture of magic and mysticism meeting advanced technology and scientific theory, you can expect to see an interesting blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements too.
The novel starts by immediately and mercilessly tossing us right back into the story, which picks up shortly after the end of the first book. As such, I probably wouldn’t recommend starting the series here because it cannot be read as a standalone, and the narrative does not provide much in the way of reminders when it comes to what happened in Dreamwalker. It’s been quite a while since I read that book myself, but after a while I was able to piece together all the details and remember again.
Our protagonist, Jesse Drake, has discovered that she is a Changeling. Not only is she not the person she thought she was, she is shocked to find out that she isn’t even from this universe! On the surface, Jesse realizes this explains a lot. Ever since she can remember, she has been dreaming of all these strange places. As an artist, she has been incorporating much of her dream aspects into her work…until one day, her paintings attract the attention of someone from an alternate world.
Jesse’s adventures following those events ended up resulting in the destruction of one of the dimensional gates into this world, allowing her to escape from her shadowy enemies. But just because she’s home now doesn’t mean she’s safe. And now she has starting dreaming some dark and disturbing things. Furthermore, there is the situation involving Jesse’s mother, who hasn’t been the same person since the injuries she sustained in an attack that was aimed at her daughter.
To save her mother and to protect herself and her family, Jesse is going to have to face her enemies and enter their world once more. Despite the direness of the situation, however, the plot of this book did not quite grab me as much as the first one.
I think this was due to several reasons. First, there was the confusion of trying to remember what happened in the first book. Story-wise, I could recall most of what happened, but it was the finer details I struggled with, like the magical mechanics behind the fetters. I also think I could have benefited from some brief reminders or explanations into the backgrounds of all the other characters, especially when it came to Jesse’s allies in the other world like Isaac and Sebastian since they both played pretty big roles in this book.
Second, the character I would actually have liked to see more of was mostly absent, which surprised me. Devon, whom I had hopes would be shaping up to be Jesse’s love interest in the first book, turned out to have very little to do with this story. It just seemed strange to me that the author would introduce romantic tension between Jesse and Devon, and then Jesse and Isaac, only to abandon this thread all together in this sequel. I can only guess Friedman decided to eschew with the romance completely and just focus on the intrigue, which in truth I wouldn’t have minded so much if Devon hadn’t been one of my favorite characters from Dreamwalker. Ah well, such is life.
Third, I know this sounds horrible, but I just couldn’t really understand Jesse’s motivations for going back into the other world. I understood that she wanted to help her mother, and perhaps she was wracked with the guilty knowledge that if it hadn’t been for Jesse, their house probably wouldn’t have burned down and her mom wouldn’t have been injured in the first place. But would it be enough to explain plunging headfirst into danger and possible death again? In the first book, Jesse’s brother Tommy was stolen away, so it made perfect sense to go through the gate to get him back. But in this book, Jesse’s mom is injured but at least her children are by her side. Wouldn’t the best thing to do (at least in the short term) have been to support her mother? By risking her own life, Jesse also risked the potential of piling even more grief and anguish onto her mom’s already fragile frame of mind.
These issues aside, however, I actually thought the book was pretty good. In my review of Dreamwalker, I said that the first book was a promising start to what has the potential to become a great new series. I still think I’m right, even if Dreamseeker wasn’t quite convincing, but the events in this sequel succeeds in setting up for more exciting things to come. Only time will tell if the next novel will get us back on track, but I’m looking forward to finding out.
Dreamseeker is the sequel to Dreamwalker and the second novel of C.S. Friedman’s Young Adult portal fantasy series–though it also has high crossover appeal for readers of adult spec fic. In addition, it features a uniquely fresh take on parallel worlds. With multiple genres colliding here to form an eclectic picture of magic and mysticism meeting advanced technology and scientific theory, you can expect to see an interesting blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements too.
The novel starts by immediately and mercilessly tossing us right back into the story, which picks up shortly after the end of the first book. As such, I probably wouldn’t recommend starting the series here because it cannot be read as a standalone, and the narrative does not provide much in the way of reminders when it comes to what happened in Dreamwalker. It’s been quite a while since I read that book myself, but after a while I was able to piece together all the details and remember again.
Our protagonist, Jesse Drake, has discovered that she is a Changeling. Not only is she not the person she thought she was, she is shocked to find out that she isn’t even from this universe! On the surface, Jesse realizes this explains a lot. Ever since she can remember, she has been dreaming of all these strange places. As an artist, she has been incorporating much of her dream aspects into her work…until one day, her paintings attract the attention of someone from an alternate world.
Jesse’s adventures following those events ended up resulting in the destruction of one of the dimensional gates into this world, allowing her to escape from her shadowy enemies. But just because she’s home now doesn’t mean she’s safe. And now she has starting dreaming some dark and disturbing things. Furthermore, there is the situation involving Jesse’s mother, who hasn’t been the same person since the injuries she sustained in an attack that was aimed at her daughter.
To save her mother and to protect herself and her family, Jesse is going to have to face her enemies and enter their world once more. Despite the direness of the situation, however, the plot of this book did not quite grab me as much as the first one.
I think this was due to several reasons. First, there was the confusion of trying to remember what happened in the first book. Story-wise, I could recall most of what happened, but it was the finer details I struggled with, like the magical mechanics behind the fetters. I also think I could have benefited from some brief reminders or explanations into the backgrounds of all the other characters, especially when it came to Jesse’s allies in the other world like Isaac and Sebastian since they both played pretty big roles in this book.
Second, the character I would actually have liked to see more of was mostly absent, which surprised me. Devon, whom I had hopes would be shaping up to be Jesse’s love interest in the first book, turned out to have very little to do with this story. It just seemed strange to me that the author would introduce romantic tension between Jesse and Devon, and then Jesse and Isaac, only to abandon this thread all together in this sequel. I can only guess Friedman decided to eschew with the romance completely and just focus on the intrigue, which in truth I wouldn’t have minded so much if Devon hadn’t been one of my favorite characters from Dreamwalker. Ah well, such is life.
Third, I know this sounds horrible, but I just couldn’t really understand Jesse’s motivations for going back into the other world. I understood that she wanted to help her mother, and perhaps she was wracked with the guilty knowledge that if it hadn’t been for Jesse, their house probably wouldn’t have burned down and her mom wouldn’t have been injured in the first place. But would it be enough to explain plunging headfirst into danger and possible death again? In the first book, Jesse’s brother Tommy was stolen away, so it made perfect sense to go through the gate to get him back. But in this book, Jesse’s mom is injured but at least her children are by her side. Wouldn’t the best thing to do (at least in the short term) have been to support her mother? By risking her own life, Jesse also risked the potential of piling even more grief and anguish onto her mom’s already fragile frame of mind.
These issues aside, however, I actually thought the book was pretty good. In my review of Dreamwalker, I said that the first book was a promising start to what has the potential to become a great new series. I still think I’m right, even if Dreamseeker wasn’t quite convincing, but the events in this sequel succeeds in setting up for more exciting things to come. Only time will tell if the next novel will get us back on track, but I’m looking forward to finding out.
December 8, 2015
In the summer of 2014, C. S. Friedman, one of my favorite SFF authors of all time, invited me to get an early read of her upcoming Dreamwalker. All that she and her editor, Betsy Wollheim, asked for was for me to refrain from revealing anything about it and to wait till around the book's pub date before posting a review. As always, I was happy to oblige. When asked to describe the book, Friedman explained that it was a crossover novel. It included elements targetted to a teen audience, but also hopefully enough content and complexity that would please an adult audience.
It turns out that writing the Magister trilogy had taken a lot out of the author and she needed a break from that sort of tale. Indeed, that series was by far her most densely written, aggressively dark, and adult-themed work, and it took six years of her life to write. As a result, Friedman wanted to write something shorter, something more linear, with a plot that wasn't as convoluted, with a much faster pace. Something that her younger fans could relate to a bit more. And yet, she also wanted to write something her adult fans would enjoy as well. Sounded like a good plan, or so I thought.
What I immediately realized when I started Dreamwalker was that in style and tone it was a world away from the dark science fiction and fantasy series/novels Friedman has become renowned for. And no matter from which angle you looked at the plot, it was YA through and through. When I mentioned this, they requested that I kindly refrain from using the terms YA or young adult in my review of the book. The rationale was, understandably, that such a label could potentially alienate a good chunk of Friedman's readership. The problem with this strategy is that, if the online customers/readers' reviews are any indication, a vast number of people believing that they would experience more of Friedman's awesomeness felt cheated to have forked out their hard-earned money for what turned out to be a YA novel. Unlike Joe Abercrombie's YA series, in which the author's wit, cynicism, and the dark humor that characterize his backlist were all present, if a little subdued, the same couldn't be said of Dreamwalker. The YA label demanded that the violence be not as graphic as usual, with less blood and gore, true. That trilogy was definitely an Abercrombie series, but it showed a more self-restrained Joe Abercrombie, one that pulled some of his punches and didn't go all out the way he did in his adult novels. On the other hand, C. S. Friedman's latest was a totally different creature, one that had very little in common with her previous books.
And in the end, Dreamwalker didn't perform as well as they had hoped for. Here was a YA title whose target audience was the extremely lucrative YA market. Yet there was no mention of it being a YA work, it was released by a non-YA publisher, and it wouldn't even appear in the YA section of bookstores around North America. Moreover, it received basically no coverage from YA resources. Hence, not only did some of Friedman's long-time fans felt short-changed by this strategy, but the book's target audience was more or less never reached.
Which brings us here, to this second volume. It must be quite frustrating for the author. Dreamseeker just came out and a percentage of her fans won't even touch this novel with a ten-foot pole. Even worse, the market it's aimed at is unaware of its existence. Or that if its predecessor, for that matter. C. S. Friedman has revised her plans and this series is now officially a trilogy. She will wrap up everything in the third installment. Her next work will be set in the same universe as the novel This Alien Shore.
Here's the blurb:
When Jessica Drake learned that her DNA didn’t match that of her parents, she had no idea that the search for her heritage would put her family’s lives in danger, or force her to cross into another world. In an alternate Earth dominated by individuals with unnatural powers called Gifts, Jessica learned that there was a curse within her blood, one so feared that all who possessed it were destroyed on sight. For she was a Dreamwalker, and the same dark Gift that would allow her to enter the dreams of others would eventually destroy her mind and spread insanity to all those around her.
Now she is back with her family, but there is no peace to be found. Her childhood home has been destroyed, her mother’s mind is irreparably damaged, and the Gift of the Dreamwalkers is beginning to manifest in her in terrifying ways.
When a stranger invades her dreams and creatures from her nightmares threaten to cross into the waking universe, Jessica knows she must return to the alternate Earth where she was born and seek allies… even if doing so means she must bargain with those she fears the most.
Dreamseeker is the gripping sequel to C.S. Friedman’s Dreamwalker.
Worldbuilding has always been a facet in which Friedman habitually shines. But by specifically trying to write something less dark and complex, I felt that there was a certain lack in that aspect of her writing when I read Dreamwalker. And yet, the novel was just a brief introduction to what will be a bigger, more intricate tale, and the potential for more complexity and more darkness was definitely there. Only time would tell if, as is the author's objective, said complexity and darkness would build over the course of the series. And in that regard, I'm pleased to report that the author has upped her game in this second volume. Lots of readers complained about things that felt like weird coincidences within the pages of Dreamwalker. There are quite a few revelations which make you realize that these were no coincidences at all. In addition, Dreamseeker is a darker sort of tale than its predecessor. Not as dark as Friedman's previous works, but much darker than the first installment. We discover a lot more about the inner workings of the Guild of Shadows through Isaac's storyline, which adds more depth to this story.
Although the bulk of Dreamwalker was made up of Jessica Drake's point of view, there were a number of POVs that created a good balance throughout the novel. She took center stage, but still Jesse was forced to share the spotlight with her brother Tommy, as well as her friends Rita, Devon, and Isaac. I believe that having such a well-balanced characterization helped moved the tale forward and made for a more enjoyable reading experience. The same cannot be said as far as this second volume is concerned, however. The plot has its own demands and this tale is mostly told from two perspectives, that of Jesse and Isaac, and therein lies the problem. Some could see this as a case Friedman falling short somehow in depicting the characters. Which is not the case. As a writer, I feel that Friedman did everything right. Both Jesse and Isaac are well-drawn, three-dimensional characters that remain true to themselves. It's just that on their own, they're not as interesting and fun to follow as they were when they were part of the group. It's not like the author somehow screwed up the characterization. They are who they are, with genuine personalities. But when Jesse and Isaac are forced to carry the entire tale on their shoulders, independently they're not as compelling protagonists as they were as a collective unit. Can't really explain it better than that. . .
In terms of pace, Dreamseeker is not as fast-moving as the first volume. Adding layers and infusing more darkness to the overall story arc while following two independent plotlines slow down the rhythm a bit, but the relatively short chapters, engaging protagonists, and surprising revelations keep you turning those pages. Based on Dreamwalker, it was evident that this was a series brimming with potential. Upping her game in this second installment, C. S. Friedman promises a kickass finale to come in the third volume!
Friendship and family appear to be two underlying themes explored in Dreamseeker. We discover more about the Dreamwalkers and that their disappearance might be linked to the Guild of Shadows. We also learn more about various alternate realities. Essentially, Friedman builds on all the groundwork she laid out in the first installment, fleshing out a lot of the concepts and characters she introduced in Dreamwalker. And though the perspectives of Jesse and Isaac were not as interesting as the multiple POVS from the previous book, Dreamseeker sets the stage for what should be a fun endgame.
It turns out that writing the Magister trilogy had taken a lot out of the author and she needed a break from that sort of tale. Indeed, that series was by far her most densely written, aggressively dark, and adult-themed work, and it took six years of her life to write. As a result, Friedman wanted to write something shorter, something more linear, with a plot that wasn't as convoluted, with a much faster pace. Something that her younger fans could relate to a bit more. And yet, she also wanted to write something her adult fans would enjoy as well. Sounded like a good plan, or so I thought.
What I immediately realized when I started Dreamwalker was that in style and tone it was a world away from the dark science fiction and fantasy series/novels Friedman has become renowned for. And no matter from which angle you looked at the plot, it was YA through and through. When I mentioned this, they requested that I kindly refrain from using the terms YA or young adult in my review of the book. The rationale was, understandably, that such a label could potentially alienate a good chunk of Friedman's readership. The problem with this strategy is that, if the online customers/readers' reviews are any indication, a vast number of people believing that they would experience more of Friedman's awesomeness felt cheated to have forked out their hard-earned money for what turned out to be a YA novel. Unlike Joe Abercrombie's YA series, in which the author's wit, cynicism, and the dark humor that characterize his backlist were all present, if a little subdued, the same couldn't be said of Dreamwalker. The YA label demanded that the violence be not as graphic as usual, with less blood and gore, true. That trilogy was definitely an Abercrombie series, but it showed a more self-restrained Joe Abercrombie, one that pulled some of his punches and didn't go all out the way he did in his adult novels. On the other hand, C. S. Friedman's latest was a totally different creature, one that had very little in common with her previous books.
And in the end, Dreamwalker didn't perform as well as they had hoped for. Here was a YA title whose target audience was the extremely lucrative YA market. Yet there was no mention of it being a YA work, it was released by a non-YA publisher, and it wouldn't even appear in the YA section of bookstores around North America. Moreover, it received basically no coverage from YA resources. Hence, not only did some of Friedman's long-time fans felt short-changed by this strategy, but the book's target audience was more or less never reached.
Which brings us here, to this second volume. It must be quite frustrating for the author. Dreamseeker just came out and a percentage of her fans won't even touch this novel with a ten-foot pole. Even worse, the market it's aimed at is unaware of its existence. Or that if its predecessor, for that matter. C. S. Friedman has revised her plans and this series is now officially a trilogy. She will wrap up everything in the third installment. Her next work will be set in the same universe as the novel This Alien Shore.
Here's the blurb:
When Jessica Drake learned that her DNA didn’t match that of her parents, she had no idea that the search for her heritage would put her family’s lives in danger, or force her to cross into another world. In an alternate Earth dominated by individuals with unnatural powers called Gifts, Jessica learned that there was a curse within her blood, one so feared that all who possessed it were destroyed on sight. For she was a Dreamwalker, and the same dark Gift that would allow her to enter the dreams of others would eventually destroy her mind and spread insanity to all those around her.
Now she is back with her family, but there is no peace to be found. Her childhood home has been destroyed, her mother’s mind is irreparably damaged, and the Gift of the Dreamwalkers is beginning to manifest in her in terrifying ways.
When a stranger invades her dreams and creatures from her nightmares threaten to cross into the waking universe, Jessica knows she must return to the alternate Earth where she was born and seek allies… even if doing so means she must bargain with those she fears the most.
Dreamseeker is the gripping sequel to C.S. Friedman’s Dreamwalker.
Worldbuilding has always been a facet in which Friedman habitually shines. But by specifically trying to write something less dark and complex, I felt that there was a certain lack in that aspect of her writing when I read Dreamwalker. And yet, the novel was just a brief introduction to what will be a bigger, more intricate tale, and the potential for more complexity and more darkness was definitely there. Only time would tell if, as is the author's objective, said complexity and darkness would build over the course of the series. And in that regard, I'm pleased to report that the author has upped her game in this second volume. Lots of readers complained about things that felt like weird coincidences within the pages of Dreamwalker. There are quite a few revelations which make you realize that these were no coincidences at all. In addition, Dreamseeker is a darker sort of tale than its predecessor. Not as dark as Friedman's previous works, but much darker than the first installment. We discover a lot more about the inner workings of the Guild of Shadows through Isaac's storyline, which adds more depth to this story.
Although the bulk of Dreamwalker was made up of Jessica Drake's point of view, there were a number of POVs that created a good balance throughout the novel. She took center stage, but still Jesse was forced to share the spotlight with her brother Tommy, as well as her friends Rita, Devon, and Isaac. I believe that having such a well-balanced characterization helped moved the tale forward and made for a more enjoyable reading experience. The same cannot be said as far as this second volume is concerned, however. The plot has its own demands and this tale is mostly told from two perspectives, that of Jesse and Isaac, and therein lies the problem. Some could see this as a case Friedman falling short somehow in depicting the characters. Which is not the case. As a writer, I feel that Friedman did everything right. Both Jesse and Isaac are well-drawn, three-dimensional characters that remain true to themselves. It's just that on their own, they're not as interesting and fun to follow as they were when they were part of the group. It's not like the author somehow screwed up the characterization. They are who they are, with genuine personalities. But when Jesse and Isaac are forced to carry the entire tale on their shoulders, independently they're not as compelling protagonists as they were as a collective unit. Can't really explain it better than that. . .
In terms of pace, Dreamseeker is not as fast-moving as the first volume. Adding layers and infusing more darkness to the overall story arc while following two independent plotlines slow down the rhythm a bit, but the relatively short chapters, engaging protagonists, and surprising revelations keep you turning those pages. Based on Dreamwalker, it was evident that this was a series brimming with potential. Upping her game in this second installment, C. S. Friedman promises a kickass finale to come in the third volume!
Friendship and family appear to be two underlying themes explored in Dreamseeker. We discover more about the Dreamwalkers and that their disappearance might be linked to the Guild of Shadows. We also learn more about various alternate realities. Essentially, Friedman builds on all the groundwork she laid out in the first installment, fleshing out a lot of the concepts and characters she introduced in Dreamwalker. And though the perspectives of Jesse and Isaac were not as interesting as the multiple POVS from the previous book, Dreamseeker sets the stage for what should be a fun endgame.
December 24, 2024
I entered this series here, after doing a random "shelf-pull" run at my local library. I had read the author (In Conquest Born) a long, long time ago and loved that novel, so gave this a try. It wasn't hard to fall into the story and just let it unfold. I'll have to track down book 1, and book 3, of course, and put in ILLs for them, as my library doesn't have physical copies any longer & doesn't have these ebook titles. Enjoy!
July 22, 2017
Better than the first one. More action and more of the excellence I expect from Friedman. Nothing exceptional in the story but you can get more caught up in it and the stakes ate bigger. I'd give it a B-. I'll read book 3
May 10, 2023
This is an excellent sequel to a compelling start to this trilogy. It is, for me, a completely different take on the whole multiple worlds/multiverse idea and as always, Friedman’s characters are so interesting. Even the ones you like least. I look forward to reading the end of this trilogy.
January 10, 2021
Very much enjoying the story and I look forward to seeing how it all ends in Dreamweaver!
January 12, 2023
Fun! Easy to get into!
July 5, 2023
I definitely enjoyed this book. I am very happy with the Trilogy so far. Now on to Book 3
November 7, 2017
As much as I want to like this because I generally love Friedman's work, this series has left me with unfilled expectations. I can't help but feel if this hadn't been written down to fit into a YA marketing scheme, the book could have soared with an extended page count to really flesh out the world and plot. As it stands, there are intriguing ideas being presented, but just when you are getting fascinated by the Shadows and how one becomes one and what they do, you are yanked off to another character POV and you get a taste of what you want more of, and never get. To my mind, Friendman's strength has never been her characters. It's not that they are boring or not fleshed out, but that they seem to be written from a certain distance, as if Friedman is observing and reporting on their actions and motivations, rather than inhabiting them and bringing their inner lives to vivid detail for the reader. I am told how much Jessica loves her mother and how devastated she is by the previous books' events and I see that as a reader, but I don't feel Jessica's anguish or despair. Neither Rita or Devon has made much of an impression and I thought it was a shame that the only real POC character was essentially sidelined for the entire book.
All that being said, there were somethings I thought were well done and kept me reading, even if I had to really push myself to finish. For one, I wanted to spend more time with Sebastian and Isaac and the Shadows and to a certain extent we got some of that. My guess if that Friedman would rather write more about Isaac and Sebastian and Virilian because those are the characters with the conflicts and the complicated pasts and they are players in there way. If I were a writer, I'd want to spend more time with them and their stories, and less time with Jessica and Rita and Devon who are pawns. As a reader, this book was an improvement because Jessica is finally playing the game and not just being pushed by others manipulations or events so that was good to see. There were some plot twists I didn't see coming that I liked (or maybe I would have if I could remember the first book better or cared) but at least I felt like the story was going somewhere, but since this is book two, I feel like we've only scratched the surface of the story and I can't help thinking that the third book wrapping things up will feel like a let down, hence I wish this could have been sold as a full on adult fantasy. As it is I feel like there's been a lot trimmed and left on the table to make this conform to some marketing robot's idea of what a YA book should be. Newsflash, there's been a lot of bold, rich and lengthily YA fantasy and there was no reason to try and simplify the story. I won't go on but as an experiment for Friendman dipping her toes in the YA market, this was a failure.
Things that I liked, right. I enjoyed how female empowered this series has been. Our main character Jessica is a woman, her best friend and confident is also a woman. The shadowy player behind the curtains, Morgana is also a woman and she's playing a deep, dangerous game to win. Yes, there are male characters but really only Isaac and Sebastian approach any level of story on their own and it's very small in comparison to our main ladies. Sebastian hardly figures at all in this installment, and Isaac gets some nice chapters but he's very incidental to the main plot and provides supporting material for Jessica.
That and I like the idea of the Guilds and wish we had more time to spend learning about them, their gifts are interesting to read about and I'd like to see more about what sort of society they would create. The dream world part is hard for me. I'm not someone who thinks people wandering around in dreams (think dreamquests with crazy imagery, etc) makes for great reading, it just isn't my thing. Unless done very well, and used sparingly, I think they are boring. To Friedman's credit she's done a nice job of describing Jessica's dreams and making them meaningful to the plot so I give her kudos for that.
Would I recommend this? Not really, unless the plot floats your boat or you are a Frieman completist. It's not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, more frustrating for how much more it could have been.
All that being said, there were somethings I thought were well done and kept me reading, even if I had to really push myself to finish. For one, I wanted to spend more time with Sebastian and Isaac and the Shadows and to a certain extent we got some of that. My guess if that Friedman would rather write more about Isaac and Sebastian and Virilian because those are the characters with the conflicts and the complicated pasts and they are players in there way. If I were a writer, I'd want to spend more time with them and their stories, and less time with Jessica and Rita and Devon who are pawns. As a reader, this book was an improvement because Jessica is finally playing the game and not just being pushed by others manipulations or events so that was good to see. There were some plot twists I didn't see coming that I liked (or maybe I would have if I could remember the first book better or cared) but at least I felt like the story was going somewhere, but since this is book two, I feel like we've only scratched the surface of the story and I can't help thinking that the third book wrapping things up will feel like a let down, hence I wish this could have been sold as a full on adult fantasy. As it is I feel like there's been a lot trimmed and left on the table to make this conform to some marketing robot's idea of what a YA book should be. Newsflash, there's been a lot of bold, rich and lengthily YA fantasy and there was no reason to try and simplify the story. I won't go on but as an experiment for Friendman dipping her toes in the YA market, this was a failure.
Things that I liked, right. I enjoyed how female empowered this series has been. Our main character Jessica is a woman, her best friend and confident is also a woman. The shadowy player behind the curtains, Morgana is also a woman and she's playing a deep, dangerous game to win. Yes, there are male characters but really only Isaac and Sebastian approach any level of story on their own and it's very small in comparison to our main ladies. Sebastian hardly figures at all in this installment, and Isaac gets some nice chapters but he's very incidental to the main plot and provides supporting material for Jessica.
That and I like the idea of the Guilds and wish we had more time to spend learning about them, their gifts are interesting to read about and I'd like to see more about what sort of society they would create. The dream world part is hard for me. I'm not someone who thinks people wandering around in dreams (think dreamquests with crazy imagery, etc) makes for great reading, it just isn't my thing. Unless done very well, and used sparingly, I think they are boring. To Friedman's credit she's done a nice job of describing Jessica's dreams and making them meaningful to the plot so I give her kudos for that.
Would I recommend this? Not really, unless the plot floats your boat or you are a Frieman completist. It's not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, more frustrating for how much more it could have been.
November 4, 2015
It's been just two weeks since Jesse, Devon, and Tommy returned from Terra Prime. In that time, Jesse has tried to maintain a sense of normalcy in spite of everything that's occurred so far. Because their home was destroyed and their mother seriously injured, Jesse and her family are now living with distant relatives kind enough to take them in despite the fact that they've never met before. And that's the least of Jesse's problems. She, Tommy, and Devon are still (obviously) covering up the fact that they traveled to a parallel world through a gate maintained by alien-like beings to save her kidnapped brother from a Guild ruled by the undead. And after they destroyed the gate, undoubtedly pissing off the Greys and the Shadows, they lost Rita in the space between the worlds.
Rita's surprise return and Jesse's continued work at learning more about her Gift leads the teens to a conclusion: Jesse must return to Terra Prime. She needs to know more about her ability and the dreamworld she's been exploring and she's convinced that someone in one of the Guilds might be able to heal her mother. But her decision means relying on a very untrustworthy ally whose own motivations are still unknown. She'll also have to travel under the radar if she is to evade the Shadows and their hunters.
An author basically has two options when presenting a unique world and idea for a series: they can either opt for a dreaded info dump, which no one wants, or throw the reader into the deep end. The latter is the choice Friedman made with Dreamwalker but with one bit of an exception: Jesse knew nothing about the world either, so the reader was initiated into the world alongside her. And while it was confusing to start, I did note that the book picked up significantly once Jesse and her friends headed off on their quest. It made it a middle of the road read for me as a result, not really unusual or series starters sometimes, though. There's just so much to ease into and so many questions to answer. And, if an author is good, they've got a plan and an outline for dealing with those questions throughout their series.
Note that it is very necessary to start with Dreamwalker - you won't have a clue what's going on in Dreamseeker otherwise!
Fortunately, now that the world has been established, the Guilds, etc introduced, and the journey begun, it's a LOT easier to enjoy this story! In fact, I'm kind of dying to see what will come next in book three!
We learned a LOT in this second installment. We got to see more of the landscape of the dreamworld, we got to explore Jesse's Gift along with her, and we found out some key information about a few of Jesse's acquaintances as well. Yes there are still questions and there's still plenty of room for character development, but now the plan is at least starting to reveal itself.
Ooh!
Seriously, though, I am very much looking forward to book three. Where the first book and the promise of parallel worlds intrigued me, Dreamseeker cemented this trilogy as one that I'm truly invested in now.
Rita's surprise return and Jesse's continued work at learning more about her Gift leads the teens to a conclusion: Jesse must return to Terra Prime. She needs to know more about her ability and the dreamworld she's been exploring and she's convinced that someone in one of the Guilds might be able to heal her mother. But her decision means relying on a very untrustworthy ally whose own motivations are still unknown. She'll also have to travel under the radar if she is to evade the Shadows and their hunters.
An author basically has two options when presenting a unique world and idea for a series: they can either opt for a dreaded info dump, which no one wants, or throw the reader into the deep end. The latter is the choice Friedman made with Dreamwalker but with one bit of an exception: Jesse knew nothing about the world either, so the reader was initiated into the world alongside her. And while it was confusing to start, I did note that the book picked up significantly once Jesse and her friends headed off on their quest. It made it a middle of the road read for me as a result, not really unusual or series starters sometimes, though. There's just so much to ease into and so many questions to answer. And, if an author is good, they've got a plan and an outline for dealing with those questions throughout their series.
Note that it is very necessary to start with Dreamwalker - you won't have a clue what's going on in Dreamseeker otherwise!
Fortunately, now that the world has been established, the Guilds, etc introduced, and the journey begun, it's a LOT easier to enjoy this story! In fact, I'm kind of dying to see what will come next in book three!
We learned a LOT in this second installment. We got to see more of the landscape of the dreamworld, we got to explore Jesse's Gift along with her, and we found out some key information about a few of Jesse's acquaintances as well. Yes there are still questions and there's still plenty of room for character development, but now the plan is at least starting to reveal itself.
Ooh!
Seriously, though, I am very much looking forward to book three. Where the first book and the promise of parallel worlds intrigued me, Dreamseeker cemented this trilogy as one that I'm truly invested in now.
January 19, 2016
Here's the problem. I Love CS Friedman. One of my all time favorite science fiction and dark fantasy writers. Not dark fantasy as in sparkly vampires. Dark fantasy about demons that eat children, and magicians that use blood magic. And she does fantastic global politicking bad guys who deal in shades of grey.
This is the second in a series that has elements of "when Darkness Falls" and a bit of a new trend in alternate worlds and alternate reality. I liked book one a lot. It had action, and story progression. This story is well written, but the story treads water. I do not like the trend of dragging out a story to enhance book sales, but I guess as long as publishers are willing to sell books and we keep buying them it will be a tend that doesn't go away soon.
We start back on our Earth (Terra Colonna, one moon, iPod, kindle, tech obsessed) and our cast of characters gets a little trimming. Jessica needs to fix her Mom and the only ones who can are Flesh carvers (their gift is molding bodies). So back to Morgana and her web of Seers on Virginia Prime. But the only one she takes is a newly found Rita still sporting a fantastic collection of bruises from the Gate explosion.
The action hops and stutters from dream to reality and the only thread that connects them is Jessica's dreaming. I love that this is not a love triangle teen fiction. I love that the politics is trademark Friedman with betrayals, layers, and games...in other words smart and not basic. What I didn't like is that I felt the book felt more like a short novella, or several chapters rather than a complete novel. Will I read the next one? Yes. If you liked book one, definitely read this, but maybe wait until book three comes out so the set up of this story can pan out in the next.
Parental note:
For this age range, not much. There is graphic torture death of a secondary character. And some nasty descriptions of death of animals and other kids. However, this is a teen fiction and not as bad as many books out there. No sex, though a funny "glad I had long flowing robes on" moment.
This is the second in a series that has elements of "when Darkness Falls" and a bit of a new trend in alternate worlds and alternate reality. I liked book one a lot. It had action, and story progression. This story is well written, but the story treads water. I do not like the trend of dragging out a story to enhance book sales, but I guess as long as publishers are willing to sell books and we keep buying them it will be a tend that doesn't go away soon.
We start back on our Earth (Terra Colonna, one moon, iPod, kindle, tech obsessed) and our cast of characters gets a little trimming. Jessica needs to fix her Mom and the only ones who can are Flesh carvers (their gift is molding bodies). So back to Morgana and her web of Seers on Virginia Prime. But the only one she takes is a newly found Rita still sporting a fantastic collection of bruises from the Gate explosion.
The action hops and stutters from dream to reality and the only thread that connects them is Jessica's dreaming. I love that this is not a love triangle teen fiction. I love that the politics is trademark Friedman with betrayals, layers, and games...in other words smart and not basic. What I didn't like is that I felt the book felt more like a short novella, or several chapters rather than a complete novel. Will I read the next one? Yes. If you liked book one, definitely read this, but maybe wait until book three comes out so the set up of this story can pan out in the next.
Parental note:
For this age range, not much. There is graphic torture death of a secondary character. And some nasty descriptions of death of animals and other kids. However, this is a teen fiction and not as bad as many books out there. No sex, though a funny "glad I had long flowing robes on" moment.
January 17, 2016
This is the sequel to Dreamwalker and I enjoyed reading this one more than I did the first one, hence the four trees this time. What I liked most about this story is that it was a little more action packed and, although it still felt like it dragged in some moments, it was still more fast paced -which I liked. Blame it on my ADHD, but when books start to go on and on about the same thing, I easily get bored and lose complete interest in wanting to find out what else is coming next in the story. Yet, C.S. Friedman, despite sometimes going round and round on certain topics, always kept me wanting to find out more of what was happening.
In the second installment of the Dreamwalker series, Jesse starts to realize from early on that her powers -or, as is called in the world where she is from, her gift -are developing. It started with seeing that someone was invading her dreams, which showed to be dangerous because then there were creatures attacking her and, when she would wake up, she had the physical signs of said attacks. Eventually she is able to control her gift better and is able to go into other people's dreams, which proved to be useful, for she was able to find out information she needed to help succeed in her plan through this method.
The one thing that really shocked me as much as it did Jesse was to find out the horrible truth about someone she trusted. It was very shocking because we all thought this person to be faithful and on her side. Yet, the one you least expect to actually be on her side, was. This is one of the reasons I liked this installment better and made me want to find out even more of what's to happen to Jesse. Will she be returning to this alien world yet again? Will she be able to accomplish everything she wanted to accomplish in this book? Like that, I have many other questions, which is why I will be reading the next book when it comes out for sure. - Taimara
In the second installment of the Dreamwalker series, Jesse starts to realize from early on that her powers -or, as is called in the world where she is from, her gift -are developing. It started with seeing that someone was invading her dreams, which showed to be dangerous because then there were creatures attacking her and, when she would wake up, she had the physical signs of said attacks. Eventually she is able to control her gift better and is able to go into other people's dreams, which proved to be useful, for she was able to find out information she needed to help succeed in her plan through this method.
The one thing that really shocked me as much as it did Jesse was to find out the horrible truth about someone she trusted. It was very shocking because we all thought this person to be faithful and on her side. Yet, the one you least expect to actually be on her side, was. This is one of the reasons I liked this installment better and made me want to find out even more of what's to happen to Jesse. Will she be returning to this alien world yet again? Will she be able to accomplish everything she wanted to accomplish in this book? Like that, I have many other questions, which is why I will be reading the next book when it comes out for sure. - Taimara
August 12, 2016
We pick up the story shortly after Jessica, her brother, and the rest get back to this world. Jesse has closed that bridge but that doesn’t mean that there are no other paths back to this world. Jesse’s mother has never really recovered after the attack in Dreamwalker. It has been up to Jesse to take care of everyone. But then she starts having nightmares of strange creatures and she is afraid of going insane. Jesse decides that the best course of action is to go back stop those that are trying to kill her.
This story picks up right after Dreamwalker. Jesse’s mother has never really recovered and Jesse has picked up the slack. But when she starts having nightmare she figures that she better go back and stop those that are after her. The part I liked was the different abilities and about Shadows. I would have loved to learn more about the Shadows.
I admit that it has been a while since I read Dreamwalker and it took me a little bit to remember what happened. But even then it seems that things have gone in a different direction. Devon and Rita didn’t have that draw like in the first book. Then I was thinking that there was going to be more romance since it was hinted at pretty heavy but I didn’t really see that here.
Overall I did like Dreamseeker. It does seem weaker than Dreamwalker so I hope Dreamweaver will fill in some spots.
I received Dreamseeker for free in exchange for an honest review.
This story picks up right after Dreamwalker. Jesse’s mother has never really recovered and Jesse has picked up the slack. But when she starts having nightmare she figures that she better go back and stop those that are after her. The part I liked was the different abilities and about Shadows. I would have loved to learn more about the Shadows.
I admit that it has been a while since I read Dreamwalker and it took me a little bit to remember what happened. But even then it seems that things have gone in a different direction. Devon and Rita didn’t have that draw like in the first book. Then I was thinking that there was going to be more romance since it was hinted at pretty heavy but I didn’t really see that here.
Overall I did like Dreamseeker. It does seem weaker than Dreamwalker so I hope Dreamweaver will fill in some spots.
I received Dreamseeker for free in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2016
Last book, (not really a spoiler), Jess's house burns down and her Mom inhales a ton of smoke. This book: Quest to Heal Mom! Except that the healer lives in an alternate universe. Jess can travel, but she doesn't have alternate-cash. But she does have someone who wants a favor from her!
OK, contacting someone and arranging a meeting and figuring out who you can trust and who will trick you = lots of plot twists. And what's the deal with that cute boy from last book? He has his own chapters, but never meets Jess!!!!!eleventy!!!!! Are they allowed to publish YA novels without a romance element? But that boy has serious parent-issues of his own. Yikes. (that also means that boy-hands-girl-the-sun on the cover is not a Thing in the book)
A fun read.
OK, contacting someone and arranging a meeting and figuring out who you can trust and who will trick you = lots of plot twists. And what's the deal with that cute boy from last book? He has his own chapters, but never meets Jess!!!!!eleventy!!!!! Are they allowed to publish YA novels without a romance element? But that boy has serious parent-issues of his own. Yikes. (that also means that boy-hands-girl-the-sun on the cover is not a Thing in the book)
A fun read.
December 18, 2016
It was slow but when it picked it picked. This is the second book in the Dreamwalker trilogy, and we learned more about the world. I loved that the mystery of the Dreamwalkers was explored here, and we learned about the deadly side effects of their powers. Morgana's relationship with Jessica was obvious from the start, and there was something fishy about Rita. She was always at the right place at the right time in the previous book so it wasn't a big surprise she was working with Morgana. The story was slow but I love the world this series take place in and I will continue reading on to see what will happen next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2016
I enjoyed the this sequel to "Dreamwalker". I have not read anything by this author before this series, I found the characters realistic and I found that I was interested in their journey. The reader learns several key items regarding some of the characters that I can't wait to see how these will play out. I am looking forward to reading the final (from what I have read, this will only be a trilogy) instalment in this series.
February 13, 2017
Part two
If you liked the first book, you'll like the second book. The only fault I can see is that it seems aimed at a very young teenager which is only a fault if see my not being the target audience as a failing. I'll read book three.
If you liked the first book, you'll like the second book. The only fault I can see is that it seems aimed at a very young teenager which is only a fault if see my not being the target audience as a failing. I'll read book three.
December 7, 2015
Very slow pacing and exposition. Could not hold my attention. I made it to a quarter of the way through, but couldn't finish it.
June 7, 2021
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
December 29, 2016
December 3, 2015
Read
January 12, 2016epic, waiting for book 3
May 25, 2016
Parallel worlds
I love all of CS Friedman's work that I've read, but the Dreamseeker series is special. This is such a fantastic series! On to #3!
I love all of CS Friedman's work that I've read, but the Dreamseeker series is special. This is such a fantastic series! On to #3!
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