Dangerous Dreams: A Story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke

by Mike Rhynard

In 1587, 117 English colonists landed on Roanoke Island in the New World. A month later, disintegrating conditions forced the governor back to England for additional supplies and colonists. In 1590, he returned to find the colony vanished—America’s greatest unsolved mystery, the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

In year 2000, young Allie O’Shay experiences a series of unsettling, lifelike dreams. She deduces she’s witnessing the desperate saga of the Lost Colony through the heart, mind, and tribulations of a young colonist named Emily Colman. The colony battles dwindling supplies, dissension, conspiracy, sickness, and hostile natives; while suitors seek Emily’s favor, and a warrior from a distant tribe stirs her heart. Disastrous circumstances converge, Emily faces terrifying perils that compel an agonizing, life-or-death decision, and Allie O’Shay discovers a dangerous dark side to her dreams and far more to her bond with the Lost Colony than she could ever have imagined.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, 16th Century, Adult Fiction, Mystery, Historical

613 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2015

About the author

Mike Rhynard has been involved in cattle ranching since age seven; and from the time he could read, an ardent student of American history. In addition, he's a retired operational fighter pilot, combat veteran, developmental test pilot, and aerospace engineer and consultant; with extensive writing experience.

Mike lives on the family ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Montana with his long suffering, but still loving, wife and a bunch of hopelessly adoring animals.

If you read "Dangerous Dreams," thanks for writing a review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Follow Mike and "Dangerous Dreams" on his website (mikerhynard.com), and on Facebook (Facebook.com/mikerhynardauthor) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/mikerhynardauth).

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

well rounded characters and strong scene setting mark this historical thriller about one of America's key mysteries. rhynards writing is strong transporting the reader back to 16th century new world the tension is palpable. for actiony fans this book may not be for you but for readers that seek a different time and atmosphere in their thrillers and with an interest about what happened to the colony I highly recommend this novel

[KC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivid dreams about English colonists coming to America and then their disappearance plagued Alley O'Shay when she was a psychology grad student. She became so intrigued with each dream and its detail that she began her own research on what happened to these colonists after their arrival in Roanoke, VA in the 16th century. The book travels back and forth between past and present and the author has done a flawless job in doing so. Rhynard is a stickler for his historic attention to detail which makes the book a bit wordy but it all worked. I enjoyed the story, the strength of these women, and to the ending that was fitting.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Allie O’Shay was working towards a graduate degree in psychology, she began having vivid dreams about the English colonists who sailed to America in the late 1500’s to settle the area around Roanoke Island off the coast of what is now North Carolina.

With each dream, Allie became more and more intrigued with their situation. She knew that the colony and its inhabitants disappeared without a trace, but nothing about any of the details. As Allie discovered, even today historians can only speculate about what happened to the colony. The more Allie dreamed, the more she felt connected to the colonists —especially to one young lady named Emily Colman. Allie was determined to find out more about Emily and what happened to her—but at what cost?

Author Mike Rhynard’s absorbing story is hard to put down. His characters and the environment in which they lived are brought to life with realistic detail. This novel is not for the squeamish as some depictions of brutal events are graphic. At times, the detail included in the story seemed superfluous. Thoughts attributed to Emily at times also became repetitive. Despite these few drawbacks, the novel is definitely worth the read. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this fascinating novel.

Note: Mr. Rhynard’s notes at the end of the book regarding dream science/theory are also quite interesting.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Dreams is an amazingly written story that will enthrall readers of all types. The storyline is unique and intriguing. I don't think I have ever read anything quite like it.

I know it's size could possibly intimidate some readers since it is over 800 pages long. However it is a story where you need to know what will happen next to all of the characters.

I was so lucky to win a copy of this from a Goodreads giveaway. When I entered the drawing, I was intrigued with the story's premise. When I won, I must admit I was slightly intimidated by the size of the book. But once, I opened the book and started the journey through its pages, I did not want it to end. I enjoyed this book so much more than I imagined possible. I will be looking for more from Mike Rhynard in the future.

[Jeff Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is meaty. It has a complex plot, many parts of which are anchored in historical research and realities. As if that were not enough, there is a parallel and intersecting contemporary story with a serious scientific foundation. A woman graduate student is suddenly dreaming, very strong and near tactile dreams, of another young woman who seems to have been a member of the lost colony of Roanoke. This group of English settlers was sent to the New World by Sir Walter Raleigh to “plant the flag” for the Queen and, of course, for Raleigh. Multiple story lines with abundant conflict and mystery are woven with exceptional character development, especially the women. This author “gets” women in a way that I have not seen since Wally Lamb. A great read. I am looking for Rhynard’s next book.

[Wulfwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Dreams started slow for me but was worth it! This book contains a lot of history along with a lot of imagination. I loved the story of Emily and Ishna. I wasn’t so engrossed in Allie. The author did a lot of research to make the book as close to what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke as possible. I could imagine much of what he wrote as really happening. His descriptions and inclusion of the Lakota language helped bring the book to life. I appreciate him including the Sioux rites, cultures from multiple Native American tribes, the medicine wheel as well as the Viking and Spanish explorations. There is so much that went into this book! While it started slowly for me, once it picked up, it was impossible to put down.
This book does have mature themes and graphic violence. Please keep your feelings about that in mind when you are deciding to read this book. If you are uncertain about it, I suggest you request a sample or borrow it from the library. I believe the book would make a good book club read. The author has book club questions on his website. Reviews are opinions that may differ from yours. I recommend that if you are reading these reviews, which suggests you have an interest, you should read the book. I won this book from Goodreads. I appreciate the generosity of Goodreads and the author. All opinions expressed are from my feelings while reading the book.

[Jamie Moesser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve said before that I really wish that books came with “nutrition facts” labels that gave accurate, somewhat numerical indications of their contents in terms of incidences involving violence, sex, profanity, etc. This would be far easier than any kind of ranking system, and remove any possibility for bias or accusations thereof. It would enable consumers to be more informed about what they take into their minds, which I think is at least as important than what they take into their bodies. Such labels, I think, would also enable authors and publishers to more appropriately market their books.

I got a free copy of Dangerous Dreams: A Story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke through NetGalley, where I was provided with the book’s genre (adult historical fiction) and a description, but not much more. I’m not generally the best reviewer of historical fiction, although I do occasionally enjoy books in that genre, but this book’s description indicated that it involved really interesting dreams. That piqued my curiousity, in part because the book I recently wrote also involves similar kinds of dreams. But I should’ve known that it would have been a more difficult read than my usual fare because of its adult genre, but went into it somewhat blindly given its lack of my desired label. So I have to qualify my rating of this book with this caveat: for its genre, it’s a really good read. But I didn’t enjoy it.

Why Dangerous Dreams is a Good Read
What I mean by that is that, as an adult historical fiction, it’s a fascinating fictional “filling out” of the real mystery surrounding the second group of European settlers to try and establish a colony on American shores in the late 1500s. It follows 117 colonists who landed on Roanoke Island, off the coast of what would become North Carolina. For a variety of reasons, their circumstances, which were tenuous to begin with, rapidly deteriorated. Their governor sailed back to England for additional supplies and colonists, but his return was delayed until 1590, when he discovered the colony had vanished. The book’s plot development–slow, complex, and based on the turning emotions and actions of various characters–is spot on for the type of book that it is. I would say it’s an R-rated version of Dances With Wolves, with a significant added plot facet being that everything that happens to the colonists is seen in vivid dreams by a girl 400 years later who embarks on a quest to understand them.

The fact that that girl’s experience reflects a similar, real-life experience of the author’s is also pretty interesting. He says, in the preface:

On several occasions in my adult life, I have experienced dreams so real…that I awoke believing I had actually participated in a true American historical event: the battle of the Alamo. I spoke [with the other Alamo defenders], laughed with them, feared with them, and ultimately died with them.

Why I Didn’t Like It
So why didn’t I enjoy it, and what does that have to do with my desire to have seen a nutrition-facts label on the book before I read it? Because it has a fair amount of brutality and murder, references to rape, actual rape, and some profanity. While perhaps true to life, it was not true to my moral code or my usual reasons for reading. One of those reasons is to acquaint myself with the better realities and possibilities of the human race.

By my ten-star rating system, which measures books on their artistic and technical merit and doesn’t take into account my personal tastes, I’d have to give Dangerous Dreams a 7. Its premise was great (2 stars), its plot and pacing were genre-appropriate but a bit slow (3 stars), its characterization was solid (2 stars), but its style, which was generally elegant, was occasionally disturbed by stiff dialogue. If I were to factor in my personal tastes, though, I would rate it closer to a 3 or 4.

Would I recommend this book to others? Yes, if this kind of book is your cup of tea. No, if not.

[Vee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The excitement I approached this novel with quickly waned as I began to read this story. Perhaps it was the version that I was reading but I had a very difficult time following along with the story. Everything was very choppy and sometimes it was difficult to tell what exactly was going on and who exactly was talking. The conversations itself seemed very stilted and awkward, making the story and the characters seem even more one-dimensional than they already were. There were also a great deal of subplots, which made it very difficult to keep things straight. With every page, I was getting introduced to new characters and new events and new information, so much so that they all began to blend together and I became extremely confused and frustrated. Also, some of the elements really didn't work. For example, using Emily, a virgin who is from a well-respected family, as a wet nurse made no sense to me. And why was there so much interest in her choosing a suitor?! Shouldn't she - and all other people - be focusing on something more important, like their SURVIVAL?! When the third love interest was introduced, I literally rolled my eyes; I hate when characters suddenly see a person and know that "he is THE ONE". It is just so unbelievable and throws credibility for the whole story out the window. I enjoyed hearing about the survival aspects but sometimes the way it was described didn't make sense to me; if we are reading about the Roanoke survivors through these dreams that are from Emily's perspectives, then how can we be seeing and hearing conversations happening when she is not present? That was something that kept popping into my mind. There weren't too many mentions of Allie, who is the young woman from the 21st century, and whenever she was part of the story, all she seemed to do was say "wow, what a weird dream" and "oh no, not this!" and then fall back asleep and keep dreaming; she really didn't have much substance as a character. Because of all of these reasons, I couldn't push myself to finish this novel and stopped reading at 35%.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me longer to read this book than I expected, not due to the size, but to life happening. However, I really enjoyed it. The plot jumps from the 16th century to present day seamlessly. I did enjoy the 16th century story of Emily Coleman more than I did the present day story of Allie O'Shay and her dreams, but fortunately, most of the book is spent with Emily. This book is great for those interested in history and science, especially dream science. My one pet peeve was the author's claim that Lamarckian inheritance has credible validation and support. Maybe in the world of psychology, but in both undergrad and graduate school, biology and evolutionary biology classes teach that Larmarck tried, but got it wrong. With books of this size, sometimes authors feel the need to rush the ending. I did not experience that with Dangerous Dreams. The story wrapped up in a really pleasing way and there is plenty of suspense along the way, with characters to both love and loathe. I should note that I won this book as part of a GoodReads giveaway and I'm glad I did.

[Susan Csoke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Rhynard is quite the imaginative story teller!!!!! 785 Pages filled with EXCITEMENT, ROMANCE< INTRIGUE< SUSPENSE>and more. So sit back , relax and enjoy. It begins as the colonists disembark their ship unto new land. Tayler is a natural leader who guides them forward. The first cottage they see is shared by Emily Colman and her father, also George Howe and his son. Master Tayler is immediately smitten by Mistress Emily. Then there is Allie O'Shay, who dreams nightly of the early colonial settlers. HAPPY READING!!!!! THANK YOU GOODREADS FIRSTREADS FOR THIS FREE BOOK !!!!!

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this as a ARC from a site called Library Thing. I enjoyed reading it. It had a good story to it. It would make a good pay tv movie. I hope to read more books by this author.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Persistence pays off.
This book was difficult to read in the beginning. Too many characters, too many things going on, and too many details. I was not sure if this book was going to be Historical Fiction, Paranormal or Romance. I guess it ended up a little bit of all of those. It is the story of a group of English settlers, the group of settlers that landed on Roanoke Island in 1587.
Emily Coleman is the young woman who came with her father. In the beginning she appears a bit shallow and flighty, flirting with 2 of the men in the group. She can never quite decide which one should be the one. But Hugh Tayler, who has a dark and possibly criminal past, is the one who begins to win the battle. The settlers move because they find out that all the soldiers who had previously landed in the area were killed by a native tribe, and the same natives begin to attack them. They move closer to a settlement of Chesapeakes, who are friendly to the settlers.
It was at page 193 when the story grabbed me. Isna, a Lakota who came to trade with the Chesapeakes, makes his first appearance. Emily, meeting him for the first time finds herself attracted to him in way she has never felt before. She cannot look away. Fortunately, she has learned hand signs that allow her to communicate with natives. He also is attracted to her. “Emily lifts Isna’s heart like an eagle in the sky.” The love story began here.
The settlers eventually realize that no one is coming to help them. They keep being attacked. There is a confrontation with Isna and Hugh Tayler. The drama continues to build until Emily must make a fateful decision. Once this drama started to build, I could not put the book down.
To me, the story line regarding the woman, Ally, who is in the future and dreaming the events, was not really necessary. I would have liked the story of the settlers by itself. But, the idea of people being connected that way is interesting.
I think with a bit more editing this book would have been 5 stars, because there is a compelling story there. I did win a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Dreams: A Story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Mike Rhynard

I have always been fascinated by the historical facts of the lost colony of Roanoke. I thought this was going to entirely cover the facts. It is a mystery how all of colonists vanished. There is still differing opinions among scholars of what became of these early settlers. There are theories but no definitive answers. So I jumped at the chance to read what I thought was based on historical fact only to discover that this is historical fiction. It was still interesting and well written. It is unique and is clever. It was enjoyable, but my favorite parts were about Emily Coleman.

The following is based on historical fact: 117 people who sailed from England landed on Roanoke Island, North Carolina on July 23, 1587. Things deteriorated for the colonists rapidly. As early as a month's time of the colonist's living on the Island it was determined that Governor John White sailed back to England for replenishment's of food and other supplies and more colonist's. When Governor John White returned to Roanoke in 1590, he discovered the entire colony had vanished. The war between England and Spain had been the reason for his delay. It still remains a mystery to this day as to what all the reasons are for the entire colony to disappear.

The rest of the story has historical facts interwoven with historical fiction. This is interesting and intriguing reading which is really well written. It takes place during the present day with a character named Alice O'Shay and her dreams. The parts of this book that were really interesting to me is the historical research and all about Emily Coleman. This was an enjoyable read and a clever story.

Thank you to Net Galley, Mike Rhynard and CreateSpace Publishing for providing me with this delightful digital copy for a fair and honest review.

[Jeanne Moran]

I am a big fan of historical fiction, and I often enjoy a contemporary story line interwoven with the historical one. So when I won an e-book copy of this one in a Goodreads giveaway, I was excited to dig in.
The book starts with Acknowledgements, then a Preface, then a Foreword, then a Historical Prologue, all before Chapter One. That excess set the tone (and lowered my expectation) for the novel. Literally every page introduced new characters, new settings, or a new time frame. Subplots were so numerous that I would have needed a chart to keep track. Characters were superficially drawn and did nothing to make me care about them, and I despise 'we saw one another and knew we were meant to be together' love stories. Sad to say, I gave up at the 30% mark and placed it on my could-not-finish shelf.
The writing or perhaps editing is sloppy - missing quotation marks, tense changes, odd formatting on the Kindle, no section breaks. Those details contributed to a difficult read.
I give the author credit for undertaking this huge project. I love the idea of the collective unconscious and our potential to tap into the lives of our ancestors via our dreams. I just wish the execution of that idea had been clear.

[Karen M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, first what I liked. I had recently watched a documentary on the lost colony of Roanoke and obviously the author was very through in his research. He created a few interesting fictional characters and the premise of the story was an interesting one.

Now we get to what I didn’t like. Too long and too repetitious in parts. At the half way point I considered abandoning the book all together but I forced myself to finish it since the book had been supplied to me. How many times was Emily going to talk to her Mother’s letter and grope for the locket? Too many times not to become sadly predictable. And I got it early on that Taylor was a bad guy, just didn’t need to be shown this over and over and over. And even the scenes with Emily and Isna were just way too many. I got it that they were falling in love.

I don’t know if the author hired a professional editor or not but I think a good editing could turn this into a much better and much shorter book.

I won this book in a First Reads Giveaway.

[Chaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an ambitious, well-written, and even more well-researched historical novel focusing on the lost colony of Roanoake. The imaginative novel interweaves a modern-day story alongside it, wherein a contemporary woman has increasingly vivid and detailed dreams about who she believes is one of the original pilgrims of Roanoake.

There is a lot of historical detail here, betraying the author's deep delving into historical fact, such as the methodology of making palisades. There's also a lot of semi-historical dialogue that uses some Elizabethan English words, mixed with some more modern usage (to use all Elizabethan language would be to lose some of the flow and meaning of what the characters are saying).

The book is very long, so if this kind of historical novel is up your alley, settle in for a good long visit. I found the length and details trying.

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was amazing, do not let the size of this book scare you off, because you will definitely miss out on a great book! I was pulled right in to this book, and had a hard time putting it down each time. There is no greater or more interesting mystery than the lost colony of Roanoke. They even teach you about it in school! I like historical novels, but typically not ones from as early as the 1500's. This book is the exception. I don't want to give anything away so I will stop writing and say, just go read it. :)

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lost colony of Roanoke is a mystery that I have pondered since I first heard of it in elementary school. Mike Rhynard did a very good job of taking what was known about the incident and weaving an interesting and believable story. Interesting concept using dreams to tell this story. I recommend this book.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Dreams: A Story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke

by Mike Rhynard

CreateSpace



Historical Fiction, General Fiction (Adult)

Pub Date 09 Aug 2016

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy of Dangerous Dreams through the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest reviews which is as follows:

They traveled to the New World to Establish England's first permanent Colony when a ship came back three years later they had all disappeared.

In the 21st century a young woman Dreams a series of lifelike events, dreams of the Missing settlers. The 117 just vanishing with no clues as to what happened.

I give Dangerous Dreams five out of five stars.

Happy Reading.

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

A graduate student - Allie is having very realistic dreams of Emily. Emily was one of the colonist of the lost colony of Roanoke which was a group of English settlers who landed in what is believed to be present day North Carolina in 1587. Taylor is the natural leader. The first cottage is shared by Emily and her father also George and his son. Emily is interested in two men and must choose. George who is kind and gentle and Hugh who is older and more sophisticated who Emily feels a connection with. Emily hears stories about Hugh and pulls away from him. Emily then falls for Isna who is an Indian of this new world.
I couldn’t get into this story. First off Emily is suppose to be a virgin why was she breast feeding a baby. . I had difficulty reading this as it was hard to know what was going on. Ways too many subplots and I became confused. Too much going on about Emily romances and didn’t seem as worried about survival maybe why became a lost colony. I just lost interest before I got halfway through the story.I just didn’t finish this. I didn’t like going back and forth in time either. I very seldom do. I did find the survival aspect interesting when it was brought up but that is really about all. Also was way too long.

[Tiffany S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read. Interesting concept of dreaming about past true events. The Lost Colony of Roanoke is something that is almost mythical now in all the wonderings of what really happened. It was neat to read an imagined tale of some of the true people who were there. I really connected with the character of Emily (the woman in Roanoke). Allie and her mother (the 21st century woman who was dreaming of Emily) were a bit harder to connect with. There are a couple graphic scenes including sexual assaults. I cannot imagine being a woman coming to this country in the earlier days of when we were still stealing it piece by piece from the Native Americans. I read the revised version that removed approximately 200 pages of detailed dream science and theory from the parallel, contemporary plot of the original story. I am interesting in seeing it on Mike Rhynard's website. I think all of it in the book would have been a bit cumbersome but the introduction to the idea of it was fascinating. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review. I would have purchased this book and would recommend to others!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was sent book from Rhynard - Netgalley. High praise for Mike Rhynard. I was unable to stop reading. This story of what might have happened back in the lost colony was full of danger, love, fear, happiness, history and even more. I cannot remember a book giving me so many feelings at once. The story was full of history of how life was back then and the strength and courage the settlers to the new world had. The heartache of what it was like to come to a land not knowing what dangers and wonders awaited them. As I read this story I was immersed into the lives of the settlers and the natives. The author definitely did his research of the native Americans at that time in history as the story was full of information on their way of life. The information on the dreams that certain people have about their ancestors was also researched and proved yet another interesting aspect if this story. Well researched and well written. Kudos to Mr. Rhynard for such a great read. Highly recommended for a book club as there us so much to talk about in this story.

[Joyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

3 Stars

I had a hard time rating this book. The writing quality is very good, but the storyline is a little sophomoric. Emily is how old? Young women of that age and status are generally more aware of the world, but Emily is portrayed as an ingénue.

Emily is torn between two men: George a kind and gentle young man, two years younger than her, and Hugh an older world-wise man with whom Emily feels a special connection. She begins to hear stories about Hugh and distances herself from him with terrible consequences.

She instead falls completely for a Lakota warrior, Isna, who is visiting from the plains. She falls for him at a glance. Really? And, of course, he falls for her as well. Their great romance was too soppy to believe.

At seeing this interaction, Hugh shows his true colors. The settlers are restless, getting angry about food, work details and so on. Things turn ugly.

As for Allie, doesn’t she have anything to do but sleep and dream? Her relationship with her mother was just too, too.

I don’t doubt the existence of a collective unconscious, or that we can dream of our ancestors. But the way it was presented in this book was trite and just plain silly.

The survival part of the book is interesting and moving; the “romance” part – mmm, not so much. If you are into adventure and romance, then this book is for you. If you are looking for more history and less bodice ripping, then this book is not for you.

I want to thank Netgalley and Create Space for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

[Laura Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Synopsis

As the story unfolds of what really happened to the lost colony, the book alternates between present time and 1587. The story follows Allie O'Shay who dreams of the “Lost Colony of Roanoke”.Each night takes her further and further into the mystery surrounding the lost colony and what really happened. As Allie dreams of different colonists such as Emily, currently sought by two suitors, and the Powhatan chiefdom, as they plan the colonies demise, the mystery unfolds a little at a time.

The Review

WOW! What a read! Even though this book is nearly 800 pages, I found myself unable to put it down! The author truly did his research in the history to try to keep everything as accurate as possible. The story moves so fast paced that you are on the edge of your seat along for the ride.I completely loved the intersecting story lines between past and present and found it easy to keep track of who everyone was and the time periods the different parts took places. There are so many plot twists! This historical novel is one that I will forever love. I was so interested right away to read this as the Roanoke legend had always held my attention. And bravo to Mike for making my love even deeper for this legend. I loved the epilogue as it sets up enough foundation to where he can write more but it still ties up all the loose ends. With a sheer brilliance and wonder pen, this book is a 5 star read. Thank you library thing for sending me this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Jamie Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reviewing this book after reading the ARC I received from NetGalley.

This book was very timely, coming up as one to request. I've been very interested in the Lost Colony of Roanoke recently, and reading this fictionalized account was a lot of fun.

Its definitely a hefty read, but its well worth the time it takes to make it through the story.

The plot jumps back and forth from the 16th century, where we meet Emily Coleman and some of the other settlers who lived in the original colony, to the present day with Allie O'Shay. Allie is having dreams every night about what she figures out is the Lost Colony of Roanoke and the people who experienced it. Every night, through her dreams, we see more and more of what happened to the colonists.

Historical fiction is not always my favorite genre, but Mike Rhynard might have just changed my mind! I absolutely loved this book. Despite its length, it took me less than a week to read. The story kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what was going to happen next. And I appreciated the author's clear efforts to research the events and keep the book as historically accurate as possible.

Please read this novel! If you have any interest in the Lost Colony of Roanoke, historical fiction, or just plain good books, this is definitely worth a read!!

[Care · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had difficulty finishing this book and stopped reading around halfway through the novel. The plot is so packed full of plots and subplots that it is overwhelming. The conversations do not flow particularly well and seem one-dimensional, along with the characters themselves. There seemed to me to be many logical difficulties with the plot, such as the use of a virgin daughter of a well-respected man being used as a wet-nurse to an excessive focus on a romantic plot line during a time of hardship and difficulty. The main character (characters really) did not seem to develop in character and went back and forth between moods very quickly, never seeming able to decide between being a lovesick daisy and an angry, rebellious daughter. The plot line of the other main character, Allie, was barely mentioned and seemed too unbelievable. Perhaps the book gets better in the second half, but I found the first half too difficult to get through and didn't feel the need to finish it out.

Thanks to the publishers for a digital copy.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredible book; the story is fast-paced and gripping. The main character is believable as is the entire dream/early American history premise. Excellent bibliography to "Read more about it!" [as they said in 'Reading Rainbow']. Be warned, it is difficult to put his book down! [ it is 779 pages long, so don't expect to devour it in one sitting unless you are a mega-speed-reader!] The epilogue leaves the possibility of further volumes open [fingers crossed!!]
Small negative comment: my copy was slightly defective [pages 541, 613 & 672] are missing several paragraphs of text due to misplaced/misaligned chart figures. My book was not labeled as an advance copy, so I assume it is a printer's error. I won this book thru LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this historical novel on the Lost Colony of Roanoke, with a beauty of an intertwined tale of a lucid dreamer and perhaps ancestor who is currently reliving the adventure every time she sleeps. I’d get so caught up in the adventure that I’d be as frustrated as Allie when she awakens to her disjointed nighttime reveries. I’m also a lucid dreamer and the combination of pseudo-science and mayhap reliving the past was just an absolute joy to read. Rynard has created some pretty interesting characters and plausible explanations and as big as the book was… I was sorry to have it end. Hopefully, there will be more to come because there are plenty of possibilities still left to be uncovered!

An advanced copy of this book was provided for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a free copy for an honest option. The words used and descriptions helped me feel like I was living the book but there was so much of it that it was also hard not to loose intrest in reading it. Add to that, I don't like to read books with the f word and I'm not sure how a virgin could breast feed a child.... Maybe is was just a name mix up... But it happened more then once in the story, I wouldn't read this book again and would only recommend it to some one who really likes history and mysteries.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received Dangerous Dreams by Mike Rhynard from NetGalley in December, 2016.

I have spent my summer vacations with my children on the beaches and inlets of Outter Banks in Dare County enjoying the sun and sand.

The more I read this fictionalized account of the Lost Colony, the deeper I fell into the author’s spell. You could feel the colony grow, the homes, crops and the palisades. I enjoyed this book, the mystery, the intense drama, and the dream science that ties the book together pushing the reader to end, then want more dreams of the white tail fawn.

Sandra