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The Astonishing
BASED ON THE HIT ALBUM BY PROGRESSIVE METAL GIANTS DREAM THEATER In a not so distant future, our world has returned to the ugliness of feudalism. Only this time, those in power control the servant class with the very thing that once inspired men to rise up and take back their lives—music. But it is not the music of old. That music is forgotten. No, this new music is engineered entirely by machines. This music suppresses that part of humanity which might be inspired. This music suppresses hope.
But what is old will be made new again.
In the village of Ravenskill lives a young man, Gabriel, who comes with a gift of power. A gift of music. As a human expression.
Gabriel’s brother, Arhys, leads a rebel militia that is trying to liberate the people. And he believes Gabriel’s gift is the key; a key he hopes will help him keep a promise he made his wife on her deathbed.
But the emperor and his son have different plans—to maintain control. Those plans may find an unlikely challenger in their own family. And the resulting conflict may yield lasting consequences. For them all.
With music as a moving force, the choices each player must make will bring them to a shared moment of pain. And perhaps redemption.
But what is old will be made new again.
In the village of Ravenskill lives a young man, Gabriel, who comes with a gift of power. A gift of music. As a human expression.
Gabriel’s brother, Arhys, leads a rebel militia that is trying to liberate the people. And he believes Gabriel’s gift is the key; a key he hopes will help him keep a promise he made his wife on her deathbed.
But the emperor and his son have different plans—to maintain control. Those plans may find an unlikely challenger in their own family. And the resulting conflict may yield lasting consequences. For them all.
With music as a moving force, the choices each player must make will bring them to a shared moment of pain. And perhaps redemption.
- GenresScience Fiction
460 pages, Hardcover
Published March 4, 2019
31 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Peter Orullian
50 books313 followersPeter Orullian has worked in marketing at Xbox for nearly a decade, most recently leading the Music and Entertainment marketing strategy for Xbox LIVE, and has toured as a featured vocalist internationally at major music festivals. He has published several short stories. The Unremembered is his first novel. He lives in Seattle. "
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 28, 2022
A must read for any Dream Theater fan!
April 16, 2018
The novelization of John Petrucci's/Dream Theater's concept album 'The Astonishing' was much better than I thought it would be as I dived in reading. DT's parent album was good-but-not-great; to my ears their reach exceeded their grasp in throwing down a 2+ hour concept album.
For me I see the story as a mash-up of Rush's "2112" , Terry Brooks' 'The Wishsong of Shannara' and Triumph's "Magic Power". Rush covers the future where music is all but outlawed/forgotten, Brooks' tale covers the performance of a song as having tangible magical & physical properties, and Triumph's classic tune covers the non-magical aspect of music in being able to comfort & uplift the soul.
For such a nice edition, there were some noticeable errors - various misspellings, and at least two or three instances where either a character was completely misidentified as another or a character's last name was used as they were introduced but then (presumably) referred to by their as-yet-not-mentioned first name.
The story itself is a fairly quick read as roughly 60% of the book is the actual novel; the rest is interviews & various behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the album & novelization process.
For me I see the story as a mash-up of Rush's "2112" , Terry Brooks' 'The Wishsong of Shannara' and Triumph's "Magic Power". Rush covers the future where music is all but outlawed/forgotten, Brooks' tale covers the performance of a song as having tangible magical & physical properties, and Triumph's classic tune covers the non-magical aspect of music in being able to comfort & uplift the soul.
For such a nice edition, there were some noticeable errors - various misspellings, and at least two or three instances where either a character was completely misidentified as another or a character's last name was used as they were introduced but then (presumably) referred to by their as-yet-not-mentioned first name.
The story itself is a fairly quick read as roughly 60% of the book is the actual novel; the rest is interviews & various behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the album & novelization process.
April 7, 2018
It’s a novelization of Dream Theater’s concept album from 2016. The album, while ambitious, was not great, and neither is the book. The writing is capable and far better than I had hoped it would be, but the story is still paper-thin and filled with heavy handed, cheesy and sometimes cringeworthy elements (the evil emperor is named Lord Nafaryus...get it?). I’m still an ever-faithful Dream Theater fan, but man, I’m ready for a new, much heavier album.
July 31, 2024
I did not particularly like the album The Astonishing by Dream Theater when it came out. I'm a big DT fan, but for me, this album just missed the mark. I think I understand now why that is. It's because I had not yet read this.
First, let me talk about the book in isolation. The book tells primarily of Gabriel, a singer and songwriter in a dystopian future where music is no longer a human creation. Rather, it is a tool of oppression produced by the noise machines, or NOMACS. Gabriel's brother, Arhys (pronounced Ares), is the leader of a mid-sized rebellion camp. The emperor, Nafaryus, is a cold, harsh, yet nuanced dictator who has a very skewed vision of his empire, almost oblivious to the plight of his subjects, kind of seeing it as a necessary evil. And then Nafaryus's daughter, Faythe, is more of a peace-minded diplomat who sees the good in everyone. There are other characters, like Crown Prince Daryus, Empress Arabelle, Arhys's son Xander, Jack, Himney, and some soldiers, but delving into them too much would lead to spoilers.
The story itself is fairly short, taking up maybe just over half of the full book. The rest is interviews, lyrics, synopses, notes, art, etc. (The Astonishing was a very hyped ordeal, maybe that's another reason it fell flat for me at first?) I got through it in maybe about 5 days or so in free time here and there, and then I spent the rest of the time revisiting the album and consuming the rest of the content. The story in the book does quite a few things better in my opinion than the story just in the music. For one, the threat of the NOMACS is elaborated on so much more in the book -- they really are a complete package of a menace. Also, the depth and development of the main characters is great. The other big difference that sticks out to me is the big battle (I'll leave it at that to avoid spoiling).
On a small downside, there are a few things in the book story that I wasn't crazy about. Peter Orullian seems to use a lot of sentence fragments. Like this. For effect mostly. But honestly, I think it would all flow better with the normal conventions. There are also some characters that were fabricated for the book that just don't hit well enough for me, namely Himney and Jack. Like, it feels there should be more there and it's stated that there's history, but I wanted more of that.
Overall, if you like Dream Theater, you should read this. If you already like The Astonishing album, then you'll only like it more. If you, like me, didn't click with the album at first, then after this, you almost certainly will. I know I did.
PS, I forgot to add about the album: it would have been so much more enjoyable for me AND I would have liked it more on first listen if there were an entire cast of vocalists for the characters like an Ayreon album. Still holding out hope that this will happen someday!
First, let me talk about the book in isolation. The book tells primarily of Gabriel, a singer and songwriter in a dystopian future where music is no longer a human creation. Rather, it is a tool of oppression produced by the noise machines, or NOMACS. Gabriel's brother, Arhys (pronounced Ares), is the leader of a mid-sized rebellion camp. The emperor, Nafaryus, is a cold, harsh, yet nuanced dictator who has a very skewed vision of his empire, almost oblivious to the plight of his subjects, kind of seeing it as a necessary evil. And then Nafaryus's daughter, Faythe, is more of a peace-minded diplomat who sees the good in everyone. There are other characters, like Crown Prince Daryus, Empress Arabelle, Arhys's son Xander, Jack, Himney, and some soldiers, but delving into them too much would lead to spoilers.
The story itself is fairly short, taking up maybe just over half of the full book. The rest is interviews, lyrics, synopses, notes, art, etc. (The Astonishing was a very hyped ordeal, maybe that's another reason it fell flat for me at first?) I got through it in maybe about 5 days or so in free time here and there, and then I spent the rest of the time revisiting the album and consuming the rest of the content. The story in the book does quite a few things better in my opinion than the story just in the music. For one, the threat of the NOMACS is elaborated on so much more in the book -- they really are a complete package of a menace. Also, the depth and development of the main characters is great. The other big difference that sticks out to me is the big battle (I'll leave it at that to avoid spoiling).
On a small downside, there are a few things in the book story that I wasn't crazy about. Peter Orullian seems to use a lot of sentence fragments. Like this. For effect mostly. But honestly, I think it would all flow better with the normal conventions. There are also some characters that were fabricated for the book that just don't hit well enough for me, namely Himney and Jack. Like, it feels there should be more there and it's stated that there's history, but I wanted more of that.
Overall, if you like Dream Theater, you should read this. If you already like The Astonishing album, then you'll only like it more. If you, like me, didn't click with the album at first, then after this, you almost certainly will. I know I did.
PS, I forgot to add about the album: it would have been so much more enjoyable for me AND I would have liked it more on first listen if there were an entire cast of vocalists for the characters like an Ayreon album. Still holding out hope that this will happen someday!
June 25, 2021
2.50 out of 5.00
I genuinely liked the concept of the book, even if it could’ve been taken as silly. The world was really cool as a whole and inspired some of my writing, but I felt like this could have been so much better.
I think a lot of that falls on the actual writing. The editing was terrible, the pacing was not spectacular, and the characters, equipped with corny names, weren’t anything to write home about. The characters were too predictable to be enjoyed and any crossing or twists had no impact, even though they should have. Despite liking it, the world seemed thin, even with attempts to expand it (most of those attempts felt like a waste and there were too many chapters I could have done without).
It seemed a crime that there were basically no songs actually written in prose. I could recall maybe one, but most of them were just untold.
Song Two-Thirty-Seven was a really great short story that I’m shocked wasn’t included in the actual story. That gave more depth to a character than the entire story did to most of the characters.
Despite its flaws, I still love that an album got a novelization; I wish it would happen more. But, in regards to album novelizations, this ranks low for me. Books like “Clockwork Angels” and “A Dying Machine” far exceeded The Astonishing.
Overall, it was neat to see the story of my favorite Dream Theater album come to life, but it let me down after reading it.
I genuinely liked the concept of the book, even if it could’ve been taken as silly. The world was really cool as a whole and inspired some of my writing, but I felt like this could have been so much better.
I think a lot of that falls on the actual writing. The editing was terrible, the pacing was not spectacular, and the characters, equipped with corny names, weren’t anything to write home about. The characters were too predictable to be enjoyed and any crossing or twists had no impact, even though they should have. Despite liking it, the world seemed thin, even with attempts to expand it (most of those attempts felt like a waste and there were too many chapters I could have done without).
It seemed a crime that there were basically no songs actually written in prose. I could recall maybe one, but most of them were just untold.
Song Two-Thirty-Seven was a really great short story that I’m shocked wasn’t included in the actual story. That gave more depth to a character than the entire story did to most of the characters.
Despite its flaws, I still love that an album got a novelization; I wish it would happen more. But, in regards to album novelizations, this ranks low for me. Books like “Clockwork Angels” and “A Dying Machine” far exceeded The Astonishing.
Overall, it was neat to see the story of my favorite Dream Theater album come to life, but it let me down after reading it.
April 3, 2024
Like probably everyone else that's read this, I read read it because I love Dream Theater, and while polarizing, The Astonishing is an absolute masterpiece of music.
The beginning of the book was pretty engaging, and I was excited to start hearing more backstory and plot than the lyrics of the record could convey. The author did a great job at filling in the character development and it made me excited to read the rest.
As it went on, however, it started to feel VERY rushed. Not just the plot, either. There were an increasing number of typos and errors (switching and confusing the names of Daryus and Arhys every other sentence, missing words, misspellings, dialog not in quotes, etc.). The last couple chapters were actually a little bit cringey in how the dialogs went and the plot was just completely rushed.
Overall, as I said, I enjoyed reading it because of how much more substance it gave to The Astonishing...and I won't fault the author for some of the cheesiness in the plot (as that was from the source material). But if I look at it from a standalone piece of work, I would probably only give it 2 stars, but I gave an extra because it makes me appreciate The Astonishing more.
The beginning of the book was pretty engaging, and I was excited to start hearing more backstory and plot than the lyrics of the record could convey. The author did a great job at filling in the character development and it made me excited to read the rest.
As it went on, however, it started to feel VERY rushed. Not just the plot, either. There were an increasing number of typos and errors (switching and confusing the names of Daryus and Arhys every other sentence, missing words, misspellings, dialog not in quotes, etc.). The last couple chapters were actually a little bit cringey in how the dialogs went and the plot was just completely rushed.
Overall, as I said, I enjoyed reading it because of how much more substance it gave to The Astonishing...and I won't fault the author for some of the cheesiness in the plot (as that was from the source material). But if I look at it from a standalone piece of work, I would probably only give it 2 stars, but I gave an extra because it makes me appreciate The Astonishing more.
November 19, 2021
A must for all DT fans and music lovers
I think The Astonishing album by Dream Theater is their most underrated one, it might be because many expected more focus on the heavy parts of their music and this is more about story telling and bringing out the emotions in the caracters involved as the drama unfolds, the music is beautiful and very rewarding just as this novel meant to bring more lifte to the story behind the consept of the album is, i would highly recommend it to any fans of the record and DT, Peter O'rullian is a skilled writer and the novel will get you more emotional involed in the caracters and storyline but you will get so much more than that, the book have interviews with each band members, drawings, add-on to the story, a final synopsis by John Petrucci and you will get all the lyrics for the album as a bonus. And yes, im biased as a big fan of DT and the album, take it or leave it, your loss if you chose the last😝
I think The Astonishing album by Dream Theater is their most underrated one, it might be because many expected more focus on the heavy parts of their music and this is more about story telling and bringing out the emotions in the caracters involved as the drama unfolds, the music is beautiful and very rewarding just as this novel meant to bring more lifte to the story behind the consept of the album is, i would highly recommend it to any fans of the record and DT, Peter O'rullian is a skilled writer and the novel will get you more emotional involed in the caracters and storyline but you will get so much more than that, the book have interviews with each band members, drawings, add-on to the story, a final synopsis by John Petrucci and you will get all the lyrics for the album as a bonus. And yes, im biased as a big fan of DT and the album, take it or leave it, your loss if you chose the last😝
January 7, 2022
This would probably receive a 3/5 for me if it didn't have an incredible progressive metal concept album to go with it. I love it though because it expands the story line of the Dream Theater album and helping me to appreciate the music even more. The plot isnt anything insnae as John Petrucci mastery lies in the guitar and not writing stories however, it is still enjoyable. I also adore the idea of music being magic. The extra interviews with the band and the full lyrics for the album are a great addition as extras.
February 15, 2021
My first printing edition has an abundance of typos. Beyond that, the reading experience is not as exciting as one would hope, given the scope of the project. It is a fair assumption that the production process of this novel is less than ideal, and the author was likely put on an unusual deadline. The book feels rushed, not as expansive as it had the space to be given the format. Still, the ideas are fun and it does have many scenes absent in the source material that are very well written.
September 25, 2020
As a music and fantasy lover, I find the weaving of the two in this story very interesting and compelling. It may be fiction, but the dynamics of war and relationships that are explored here are reflective of the things we often fail to see or acknowledge in real life.
If nothing else, the Astonishing will remind you of the power and importance of music in our lives.
If nothing else, the Astonishing will remind you of the power and importance of music in our lives.
May 29, 2025
I’m trying to ignore the countless grammatical and spelling errors. I really wish an editor had looked this over before publication.
Otherwise, it’s a lovely expansion on what I previously considered my least favorite DT album. With the story and characters fleshed out in the form of a novel, the music has really been elevated a couple levels.
Next I suppose I’ll need to play the game.
Otherwise, it’s a lovely expansion on what I previously considered my least favorite DT album. With the story and characters fleshed out in the form of a novel, the music has really been elevated a couple levels.
Next I suppose I’ll need to play the game.
April 8, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book along with listening to the album!
May 14, 2022
This is without a doubt the worst book I have ever read.
January 8, 2021
I love Dream Theater, and this album is my absolute favorite by them so I went in with super high hopes for this book and it well surpassed them all! My only critique is I wish it was a longer read!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews