LUCID WORLD

by Denise Lammi

When 15 year-old Morgan is contacted by the advanced civilization of Lucid World, she has no idea what is to come. She is one of a select group of teens chosen to travel via avatar into a remote, and hidden technologically-advanced society housed inside a vast mountain cavern. Here she learns about an emotional disease called khaos, that has infected all of humanity. Her new friends in Lucid World live under a dome beneath an ice cap, with cats, culture, and a harmonious way of life uninfected by the khaos of the world above. Those living on earth now are in what they call Nosos World.
Shifting from Morgan’s family and school life to the education she receives in Lucid World, the story shows Morgan applying the understandings of khaos to problems in her life, and in the town. While Morgan’s everyday life in Coyote Flats continues to unfold, her family and friends have no inkling of her Lucid World contact. But when communication breaks down, Morgan’s secret is exposed.
***A book with a sweet message of good will, compassion and understanding, LUCID WORLD was written for young adults but can be enjoyed by all ages.***

284 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2017

Reviews

[ErinTurnsPages]

I believe the premise of this book, if not the whole thing, is something everyone should read or at least hear of. The reversal of Khaos reminds me of the Rachel project (read Rachel’s story about the Columbine High school shooting) and the pay it forward movement, both of which I love and try to promote.
Thank you to the author for clearly defining when there was a change in characters point of view, it’s simple and so effective and key to understanding the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Voracious Readers Only.

[Kate Smith]

I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. It is definitely not a genre I would normally read but I thought I would give it a go and I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the different stories/events that played out throughout the book and they all linked into the overall story.
I was hooked from the first couple for chapters and it really got my attention. I wanted to see what was going to happen in each story/event that happened.
I feel the author really brought the story and characters to life. I got a feel for each character and could hear their voice and see them (in my mind) clearly and I like when that comes through in a book.
Although the book goes from daytime to nighttime it was always clear when that happened so I wasn't left confused which can sometime happen when a book goes from one place to another.
I loved, what I feel was, the really important underlying message. It made me think...although I do feel we need certain emotions and feelings, I understand why they are pointless and are not necessary and what causes them. It's weird to say but lessons could actually be learnt from this book, even though it is a fictional book.
I would definitely read a follow on book if there was one and would read other books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.

[Brittni Kitten]

Good story for teens and adults. Not the most exciting, but definitely not boring. Very educational, reminded me I actually have a vocabulary. Loved how everything came together at the end. A lot of useful tips to live your life better without being "in your face." Little things can make a big impact. Don't be afraid to speak up to help others.

[Lauren]

I got a complimentary version of this through Voracious Readers Only and just fell in love with it, I'd struggled to reignite a passion for reading for years and then I came across this and finished it over two days. Every spare moment I had I was reading and I had to email the author to thank her, the concepts are brilliant and the whole thing just flowed perfectly. If you want something nice to read and make you think I suggest reading this book.

[Grace Samis]

I think the ranking of a ‘good’ book comes from how much one thinks about it AFTER it has been read… how you can apply what you’ve read to where you are in the ‘now’. If that is indeed the case – then the YA story ‘Lucid World’ written by Denise Lammi is definitely a good read! I felt that it was a great mix of future technology (that may actually be closer than we think) and current real-life situations that need to be addressed. It blends mythology with a hoped-for utopian society that draws conflict from current-day ‘chaotic’ situations. All that translates to mean – it’s just a fun read with lots of lessons that can be applied to our lives in the here and now. (And it has great characters, fun ‘teen’ dialogues and exotic locations!)

[Charlie]

*I received a free copy of this book from the author via voracious readers only in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed this book even though it wasn’t really what I was expecting. I got attached to the characters in a way that I didn’t even realise I had until the end and I had to say goodbye. This book is jam packed with beautiful friendships and heartwarming family moments, as well as some instances that left me close to tears.
My only criticism with this book was that it was a bit slow in places and the ending felt a bit rushed. But other than that I thought it was a great read and would highly recommend.

[Paige Smith]

This is a very spiritual book for me. The issues that get mentioned in the book are very real and probably always will be. For example self-loathing and feeling sorry for ourselves. The message I'm taking from this book is that we should all be more self-aware and kinder to others, as we don't know the impact we can have on someone else's life until we try. This book has been brilliantly written and the concept is very clever. I believe we do need to change human nature and how we deal with certain situations as I think it would make the world a better place.

[A Mac (on hiatus)]

Lucid World explores a fascinating concept: negative emotions and reactions can be traced back to a sort of virus-like thing called khaos. This book was written for pre-teens and could potentially be quite meaningful to young readers as it clearly goes through ways to handle emotions and react thoughtfully; the fact that the author was able to do this without writing a boring book is quite impressive!
I enjoyed the incorporation of history and unexplained phenomena throughout as well as an exploration of the nature vs. nurture debate. However, the way it was laid out was a little hectic, as well as dialogue sometimes being written as standard dialogue and sometimes as unquoted paragraphs. I did like that the author incorporated a more extensive vocabulary while defining the words as part of her work - great way to learn new words for younger people. Overall, a solid read and I would recommend to young adults!
I received a complentary copy of this work through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Nicole Bannister]

I enjoyed everything about this book there was nothing I didn't like about the book. The writing style,the setting,the plot and plot twists. The characters were amazing. I would gladly reread it again.

[Lianna]

I received a free copy from Voracious Readers only.
A great concept, well written. Kept my interest throughout. For young adults this book combines a lot of elements of growing up with some ideal views that encourage deep thinking.
Added to my list of recommended reading for my kids.

[crazipotmom]

I'm finding more and more interesting books I wouldn't usually even consider reading Lucid World was a good read about another world made up by people that seen how the world was being changed by the craziness of some people's thoughts and actions they were able to keep their new world secret until......... nope that's all you get from me 😁

[Maria Sorgie]

I am such an avid Avatar Fan and I loved this book. The story and characters are wonderful and hold you from start to finish. Definitely a book for all age groups. I was lucky enough to receive a free copy from the author through Voracious Readers Only.

[Roo]

I received a complementary copy of this book from voracious readers, I really enjoyed reading it. The characters have been well thought out by the author and I felt I related to them. I feel we should all try and read this book and learn from it. A wonderful read.

[Grace]

A thrilling young adult fiction novel about learning to think for yourself and better society.

Lucid World is an engaging read about a teenage girl named Morgan who is contacted by a secret civilization during her dreams. She learns about why the civilization hides itself and ways for her to better herself and her society.

I don't typically read young adult fiction but found this novel enjoyable and believable in the vocabulary used between Morgan and Lucid World. The problems she faces are also very much teen girl problems. The only aspect of this story I struggled with is the fact that there is a fantasy aspect but the location Morgan is based in very much real. I live in Lethbridge and the references to the sugar beet plant and "Taberville" aka Taber, Alberta made it a bit hard for me to fully engage with the fantasy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via the author from Voracious Readers Only.

[Vanessa Dodd]

First of all, I'd like to thank the author and voracious readers only for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was NOT what I expected at all. If you're looking for a suspenseful, fast paced book, this isn't it. It was quite spiritual and got me thinking a lot. I found myself analysing some of my thoughts and actions and identify them as Khaos. This isn't a genre I would usually read but I'm glad I did ❤️

[Alicia Huxtable]

I really enjoyed this book, the way the author wrote it made me want to go there. The only thing that bugged me even a little is the amount of time the characters names and even Lucid World were said throughout the book. In a paragraph the names of the characters in that part could be said up to 6 times and Lucid World just as many. Other than that though, this is a great escape read

[Alison Harding]

More thought provoking than the usual si fi book. Very engaging with likeable characters and a great feel good vibe running through.The book dealt with morals and ethics which left me thinking about it long after I had finished .

[Gabrielle]

I enjoyed the reading this book. It's not my usual go to read so it took me longer to get into it, but it was really well written. It also made me think about a lot things that I didn't even consider before which is something I liked.

I received this book from Voracious Readers Only.

[Mary-jayne]

I received a complimentary copy of the book through vivacious reads from the author

This is an amazing book. The characters bring you in to the story, and it's hard to put down when you start.

[DESISLAVA DIMITROVA]

I received a copy of this book from Voracious Readers in exchange for an honest review.
Very interesting subject for story, it's making you think what you're doing with your life.

[Fiona Noonan]

I read this expecting a typical teen story. Instead I got a book that I believe should be set reading in schools. A number of life lessons in a page turning story with believable and relatable characters.
I am now giving this to my kids to read.

[Shell]

Morgan's world is infected with 'Khaos' an emotional disorder, at night she travels to Lucid world to learn how to combat this. In lucid world she appears to them as a controllable avatar.
"In your mind you see lucid world. This 3D image is a conduit for your voice, facial expressions and body language. It simulates how your body would move if you were awake."
Lucid world is on Earth but entirely hidden and separate from the known world. 1000s of years before the present day, the Lucid world ancestors fled from the Khaos pandemic. They have since lived in isolation from the rest of the world, known to them as "Nosos", to avoid infection.

Khaos "causes destructive feelings such as hate, jealousy, insecurity and greed."
Iris, Khyan and Amais are working on a project to reverse khaos in the Nosos world and they select Morgan to help them. Each night in her dreams she will visit Lucid world to learn more about Khaos; how to recognise it and how to stop it. Khyan has a plan to reach the Nosos world youth and teach them to recognise and change the patterns of Khaos.
"Unwarranted or misdirected fear is the underlying case for most khaos emotions. These emotions induce irrational behaviour which produces unfavourable circumstances." In short fear itself isn't khaos just illogical fear.

This story has such an interesting concept. The idea of two world separate from each other, and that, you could travel from one to the other in your dreams as an avatar was really cool. The Khaos Idea was really interesting as well.

Characters:
Morgan - Eh I didn't really care one way or the other for Morgan herself. Morgan is a really slow learner - she constantly thinks things like "I know I should do this but I'm not going to because, repercussions" She spends all this time in Lucid world to learn things but refuses to apply them..? I get she's teenage girl - but she's kind of selfish.
Sally - I really liked Sally, she was the most developed minor character - although her purpose was for Morgan to apply her knowledge about Khaos to. She stood on her own as a character. I liked learning about her family and watching that story line develop.
Kyan and Amais Honestly I couldn't really tell them apart from each other apart from the fact that Amais was the one Morgan kept mooning over. Their romance didn't add to the story, and I really didn't like that the book ended abruptly with them saying "I love you". How would their relationship even work? Amais would get infected with Khaos..?
Iris - I liked her, she was distinguishable from the two boys, intelligent and capable I found her interesting.

I found the cause and origin of Khaos to be not very well defined. As well as Khaos there is this force..? " also you may come across a powerful sabotaging force. This force cannot thwart you but it can create obstacles and diversions that keep you from your goal." The idea of Khaos as inherent to humans, kind of like the original sin idea, was a little confusing because how did the people of Lucid world just not have it?

This book was well written and had an interesting concept. I enjoyed reading it, I felt some of the background/world could be a little more expanded. It wrapped up quite abruptly at the end. On the whole a good read. I would recommend for ages 12-15.

I received a complimentary copy of this from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for my review.

[RosyFingeredEos]

I received a copy from Voracious Readers Only.

I love the concept of the book, and if I knew any preteens who were going through a difficult time in whatever way, it's a book I would buy for them. It's almost a self-help/philosophy fiction book, and it's great that it simply but elegantly examines people who are having a hard time/acting out and relates what people are them can do to assist without being codependently involved.

However the writing itself fell a bit flat for me. It seems to be written at a 2nd/3rd grade reading level, which is probably perfect for the audience it should be aimed at, but reading it as an adult left me a bit underwhelmed. A lot of the writing felt clunky - a lot of the stories about Lucid World and its history started off as a conversation and then was just written as a paragraph of explanation rather than as a conversational piece. The story was a little overeager to explain the science behind Lucid World and it didn't seem to have a natural flow within the story itself. Finally I felt that the characters of Lucid World didn't really have a coherent teaching plan in place, although this might be because the main character seems to zone out quite a bit while she's in Lucid World. The times where Morgan is in Lucid World seem to be filled either with explaining the technology of the world or acting as therapists while Morgan relays the issues she's faced in real life. While I enjoyed the latter, and it's an excellent way to tell the story the book is getting at, I personally would have liked to see the project more driven by the characters in Lucid World instead of seemingly passively waiting for Morgan to bring teachable moments to them.

However, I don't think that I am necessarily the primary audience for this book, so my review is probably immaterial. This book would be very valuable to an elementary school/pre-teen audience, and I think it would be very cool to get a focus group going to see what they think of the book. The author found a very unique, non-preachy way to discuss morality and interpersonal relationships with young people, and that is an amazing gift.

[Billy Buttons]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Lucid World
Author: Denise Lammi
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 6/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 16 readers:
11 would read another book by this author.
12 thought the cover was good or excellent.
9 felt it was easy to follow.
11 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
11 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
9 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
11 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
‘This book is very good in many ways. I liked Morgan. She’s a typical teenager, not overly talented and easy to relate to. There is a strong, uplifting message to the story, but it is the characters that work the best.’ Girl, aged 14
‘I loved the hidden world she discovered. It’s very cleverly plotted, with a healthy message for teenagers. It is a little bit too much in parts; a bit too preachy possibly. The writing style is excellent. The author seems to like short paragraphs and a short sentence structure, so it did feel a bit ‘jerky’ here and there.’ Girl, aged 15
‘Good speech and interesting characters, but the plot was a bit boring. Not enough danger or excitement for me. Bit if a girls’ book.’ Boy, aged 14
‘Clearly written with strong characters. I got into it from page 1 all the way until the end. I think Morgan lacks charisma. She’s a bit too passive in the story. Although this story is not exactly nail-biting, there is an interesting plot, and I think the author is well-meaning.’ Girl, aged 15

To Sum It Up:
‘A superbly-written, character-led fantasy. A Red Ribbon winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Ashleigh Stevens]

In the middle of a dream one night, fifteen-year-old Morgan is contacted by an advanced civilization seeking her help to rid the world of an emotional disease known as khaos. Each night, her avatar visits this mysterious land to learn more about the disease and how to combat it.

Unfortunately, I was only able to make it through fourteen chapters (a little more than 1/3 of the book) before deciding I could not finish.

While the story is targeting towards young adults, the voice is anything but. The main character is supposed to be fifteen, but she comes across as much younger. There are too many adult voices in the story and a lot of extraneous information, reading more like a textbook than a narrative.

In addition to the numerous grammatical errors, the story felt over-explained. Instead of allowing the main character to learn more about this new world, she is immediately told what is happening to her. Most of what I read was Morgan sitting around listening to history and morality lessons. Morgan had very little interaction with Lucid World and there was very little narrative.

Overall, while I agreed with the messages that the author was trying to convey, I was not thrilled with the execution.

[Maria]

First off, I should mention that the author - Denise Lammi - gave me a copy of Lucid World for review, so thank you for the opportunity!

I have to admit, I had somewhat mixed feelings about this book at the beginning. It was something of a slow start in my opinion, and to be honest, not really my kind of book. There was some stylistic things that I did not like; I won't get into this in depth, but some things annoyed me, such as writing about what was said too often instead of showing the characters say it, inserting "hahaha"s instead of writing "he laughed," and referring to the parents in the same way as to the children. That being said, once I got into the book, I actually became quite interested in the story line. The plot was intriguing and very unique, the characters enticing, and there was a pleasant mix of day-to-day life, fantasy/science, emotions, and reality. There was also a uniqueness to the book, both in its frankness and in little elements (such as putting quotes at the beginning of each chapter - while I would have liked to them to be more often about other things than wind or cats, I really liked that idea!) All in all, if I ignored the first bit of the book and put all stylistic flaws and such aside, I think I would give the book more than the three stars, and perhaps other teens who enjoy this type of fiction (combining fantasy and teenager life) more than I would give the book a higher rating!

Would I read this again? To be honest, probably not. However, it was an interesting read and once I got into the book, I did enjoy it. Thanks again to the author!

[Lisa]

The story focuses on a teenager called Morgan who experiences the kinds of feelings that might be typical of her age (and perhaps beyond) - peer pressure, insecurity, frustration, moroseness and so on. Her life and way of thinking is changed when she is contacted via her dreams by people from a 'lost' civilization called Lucid World - one which is not held back by illogical fear, hatred and other negativity. These kinds of emotions and their consequences are described as 'khaos' - something which has swept across the world we know. With Lucid World's insight, Morgan begins to consider how her own feelings and reactions might be 'khaos' and in turn starts trying to help others in her community.
The book is a kind of fictional vehicle for philosophy and a new and/or mindful way of thinking; one that would probably be suitable for teenagers but would appeal to adults just as well.

[Claire Self]

received this book in exchange for an honest review. I have given Lucid World by Denise Lammi three out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I thought this book was interesting and I liked the concept of there being an alternate dream world called Lucid World, there's something about dream world which really fascinates me, however the actual story itself I found it difficult to enjoy. I would've loved to have seen Morgan (our main character) to embark on so many different adventures.
Some of the characters in this book were unique and enticing, the author definitely knows how to develop her characters well. Morgan, our main character, I thought was a very brave young typical teenager, who I thought was quite easy to relate to. I enjoyed reading about her bravery throughout these pages. When the people from Lucid World teach Morgan about "khaos" which is used a lot in the normal earth "Nosos" world by people, Morgan really outshines and begins to help friends from her school.
I did find myself becoming a little lost at times with this book, I would say only because of the writing style it didn't really work for me. There were parts of the book where it felt quite unnatural in parts and I seemed to get lost after reading a passage and had to go back and re-read over the page to try and delve back into the story. This book definitely has potential and I really did enjoy the concept, but overall it wasn't really for me.

[EssexReader92]

I received a free review copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers only. It's not a genre that I would usually read, but it was enjoyable in a different way. It has a very interesting premise and definitely made me think about how we, as humans, live our day to day lives, but I didn't feel drawn into the book. There was a bit of jumping in terms of the storyline from the present event to past events leading up to it, but it didn't always feel relevant to the outcome of the story. I would definitely say it was worth a read, if anything just to use the ideas to live a different, and maybe better, life.

[Chrystalin]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. To be honest, I didn't realize what it was when I signed up. I thought it was more of fantasy/sci-fi book. So I came into the book with a different expectation of what it would be. In reality, it was more of a novel length parable for how we can change the world around starting with ourselves. Which is a concept that I totally believe in. It jumped around a bit more than I was comfortable with between characters, worlds, and situations. Overall, a very good lesson that we all could benefit from learning. The writing, or rather the story, just didn't grab me well.