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A New Kind of Dreaming
A powerful mystery from award-winning author Anthony Eaton, this edition of A New Kind of Dreaming is a special reissue of a modern Australian classic
Jamie Riley has hit rock bottom. Busted for stealing cars, he’s been shipped off to serve time in Port Barren, a stinking hot town stuck between the desert and the sea. The minute Jamie arrives, he can feel something is not quite right about Port Barren—the town has a past it doesn’t want to share. After being warned that Port Barren is his last chance before jail, Jamie resolves to serve his time and get out. But when he discovers an old, wrecked boat on the beach and starts asking questions, it becomes obvious that local cop Elliot Butcher has it in for him. As he gets closer to the truth, things start going wrong around town. With no one else to blame, Jamie realizes surviving Port Barren is going to be way harder than he thought.
Jamie Riley has hit rock bottom. Busted for stealing cars, he’s been shipped off to serve time in Port Barren, a stinking hot town stuck between the desert and the sea. The minute Jamie arrives, he can feel something is not quite right about Port Barren—the town has a past it doesn’t want to share. After being warned that Port Barren is his last chance before jail, Jamie resolves to serve his time and get out. But when he discovers an old, wrecked boat on the beach and starts asking questions, it becomes obvious that local cop Elliot Butcher has it in for him. As he gets closer to the truth, things start going wrong around town. With no one else to blame, Jamie realizes surviving Port Barren is going to be way harder than he thought.
276 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2001
About the author
Anthony Eaton
15 books69 followersBorn in Papua New Guinea in 1972, ANTHONY EATON spent an idyllic childhood growing up in the Perth hills, and on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
He attended High School and University in Perth, and studied a plethora of subjects before settling on a career in Teaching. He worked at Trinity College in Perth as a Literature and Drama teacher for eight years, during which time his first novel, 'The Darkness' was published by the University of Queensland Press. The novel was awarded the 2001 Western Australian Premier’s award for Young Adult Literature, and encouraged Anthony to turn his hand to further writing. In 2005, his historic fiction novel Fireshadow also won the WA premier’s award for Young Adult Literature and was named an honour book in the CBCA Book Of the Year awards.
His most recent book is 'Into White Silence', an historic Gothic novel set in Antarctica at the turn of the century, and dealing with the disappearance of an expedition to reach the pole from the East Coast of the Antarctic Continent. As a part of this, he spent Christmas 2005 at Casey Station in Antarctica as part of the Australian Antarctic Division’s Arts Fellowship programme. In April 2009, 'Into White Silence' was selected as an Honour Book by the Children's Book Council of Australian in the 'Older Readers' category of their annual 'Book of the Year' Awards.
In 2010, Daywards the long-awaited final book of his Darklands Trilogy will be released. He's pleased to finaly have this story out of his head.
He lives in Canberra, with his wife Imogen, son Tobias, and a slightly deranged Kelpie named Chelsea. He is an assistant professor of creative writing and literature studies at the University of Canberra.
He attended High School and University in Perth, and studied a plethora of subjects before settling on a career in Teaching. He worked at Trinity College in Perth as a Literature and Drama teacher for eight years, during which time his first novel, 'The Darkness' was published by the University of Queensland Press. The novel was awarded the 2001 Western Australian Premier’s award for Young Adult Literature, and encouraged Anthony to turn his hand to further writing. In 2005, his historic fiction novel Fireshadow also won the WA premier’s award for Young Adult Literature and was named an honour book in the CBCA Book Of the Year awards.
His most recent book is 'Into White Silence', an historic Gothic novel set in Antarctica at the turn of the century, and dealing with the disappearance of an expedition to reach the pole from the East Coast of the Antarctic Continent. As a part of this, he spent Christmas 2005 at Casey Station in Antarctica as part of the Australian Antarctic Division’s Arts Fellowship programme. In April 2009, 'Into White Silence' was selected as an Honour Book by the Children's Book Council of Australian in the 'Older Readers' category of their annual 'Book of the Year' Awards.
In 2010, Daywards the long-awaited final book of his Darklands Trilogy will be released. He's pleased to finaly have this story out of his head.
He lives in Canberra, with his wife Imogen, son Tobias, and a slightly deranged Kelpie named Chelsea. He is an assistant professor of creative writing and literature studies at the University of Canberra.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 18, 2023
it got kinda juicy eventually ngl 😏 but the the most interesting thing about this book was the insanely strong sexual tension between jamie and cameron.. THOSE BITCHES ARE GAY 🗣️🗣️🗣️
January 2, 2018
4.5 stars
A New Kind of Dreaming is a very predictable Australian thriller that was amazing! Yes, I could tell things to come from the first page, but some of the things that happened were very different from what I thought. It was a great story that definitely reflects the issues Australia is going through today: refugees, child abuse and alcoholism.
Definitely a recommend!
A New Kind of Dreaming is a very predictable Australian thriller that was amazing! Yes, I could tell things to come from the first page, but some of the things that happened were very different from what I thought. It was a great story that definitely reflects the issues Australia is going through today: refugees, child abuse and alcoholism.
Definitely a recommend!
April 17, 2012
A New Kind of Dreaming was originally published in 2001, and recently re-released. Sometimes I find with YA novels that are ten or twenty years old, they can be appreciated for the time they were published, but they don't really measure up to modern expectations. This definitely wasn't the case with A New Kind of Dreaming - it was terrifying and original. Only one thing really dates the novel - the absence of mobile phones, which could really help out the protagonist at various points in the novel (about 90% of problems in novels can be solved with a phone call or a text, I've noticed. It makes writing books these days difficult, but real life a lot easier). The plotline involving asylum seekers especially was heartbreaking. Jamie's consistent poor decision-making was incredibly frustrating (why are you not going to the police, gosh! I frequently wondered. To be fair, one particular police officer was kind of untrustworthy.) - even though it's consistent with his characterisation. All of the characters were wonderfully drawn, the setting was desolate and creepy and all kinds of great. If you're looking for a read that's scary and suspenseful and very, very real, this is it.
June 23, 2020
I really enjoyed rereading this book. Although I have studied it at school a very long time ago, I did not remember very much of the book or how I felt when I first read it so it was nice to start again and be taken along for the ride. Jamie and Cameron's friendship was the highlight for me. It was lovely to see two boys who at first seemed so different, grow to be great friends. The scenery was described in great detail and I could imagine the heat and the struggles of the desert. I enjoyed the bit of mystery throughout the book and raced through the last chapters to see how it would all end.
April 2, 2016
Considering this is a book we have been asked to study in class, I thought it would disappoint. This book was quite the opposite. I loved every minute of it. The descriptive language was like none I've ever seen before. In the end I predicted the outcome but that didn't make it any less enjoyable. I also love this book because it is something I can relate to. It is set in the Australian outback where I have often gone on holiday in. Beautiful gorges and spiky spinifex plants is what I'm used to and love.
June 30, 2014
I had to read this book for my English class last year and at first really struggled with it, but as it went on I managed to start connecting with it and get interested with it all. It is a chilling, quite creepy or eerie type book, with a hooking mystery that makes you keep reading and a twist as am ending. It really holds you on the edge of your seat at times and might even keep you up at night (not that it did to me though)
August 16, 2019
good plot
easy read
wider-reading year 10 book
easy read
wider-reading year 10 book
July 2, 2021
Well-paced, suspenseful and true to the utter desolation of the North edge.
November 15, 2021
A good teenage fiction novel, strong story & interesting characters.
May 17, 2022
Read for school, actually wasn’t that bad but also pretty boring 🧍♀️
November 23, 2017
3.51
A little slow to start
An instant classic
Loved it!
A little slow to start
An instant classic
Loved it!
October 21, 2021
really couldn't get into the book because of the slow start
September 5, 2016
Why do we love a scary story? Is it because of the thrill of the suspence, the fear we feel for a character we've come to like, or the sense of relief at the resolution of the story? Or is it all of the above?
Whatever the case, this novel is a gripping tale set in the remote north western regions of Australia. In a hostile setting due to its harsh natural environment which is enhanced by several dark and sinister characters and a supernatural undertone which seems to only significantly affect children, Jamie is abandoned by the state in a last chance attempt for reform. As the reader watches Jamie's struggle to survive and embrace his last chance at building a life on the right path, it's hard not to empathise with how unfair life can be for some.
The key idea of Boat People haunts the characters of this story, and indeed the town of Port Barren. It asks the fundamental question: what happens to the lost and the wanderers of the world?
Whatever the case, this novel is a gripping tale set in the remote north western regions of Australia. In a hostile setting due to its harsh natural environment which is enhanced by several dark and sinister characters and a supernatural undertone which seems to only significantly affect children, Jamie is abandoned by the state in a last chance attempt for reform. As the reader watches Jamie's struggle to survive and embrace his last chance at building a life on the right path, it's hard not to empathise with how unfair life can be for some.
The key idea of Boat People haunts the characters of this story, and indeed the town of Port Barren. It asks the fundamental question: what happens to the lost and the wanderers of the world?
September 24, 2020
I read this for school. It was okay but not the best book i have read. This book even though it deals with darker topics i fell that i would of injoyed this if it was shown to me in year 7 (12 years old) the in year 10 (15 years old)
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February 28, 2012Shocker. Try teaching it. Kids love it though.
July 5, 2015
Surprisingly good for school
Book! A simple, easy, enjoyable read with just enough mystery and suspense to keep you interested
Book! A simple, easy, enjoyable read with just enough mystery and suspense to keep you interested
March 29, 2016
Not at all my type of book, but I really liked this
April 10, 2016
There is an immediate sense of Australia that you feel in the opening pages.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews