SOLVED Boy climbs (crystal?) tower in dream, dream merges with real-life and he starts climbing when awak [s]

[Sarah]

Hi all,
I read this book when I was in school in the early 2000s, but I have no idea about its publication date.

From memory it's set in an alternate universe where a boy keeps having dreams about climbing a crystal or glass tower with a number of other climbers. In the alternative, waking world, there are people who climb the cliffs above the shore, and the main character wants to be one of them but his father won't let him (I think).

However, his dreams of climbing the tower starts to get more urgent and he starts needing to climb the cliffs when he's awake as well, and soon he can't tell if he's awake or asleep, but he's constantly climbing.

I feel like the main character's antagonist is a climber of the cliffs in the waking world, and is also
male, but not 100% sure.

In the boy's dream, when the other climbers are introduced they're in a separate section of a cave to him and all dressed in furs. I believe that a number of the climbers in his dream (view spoiler)[ fall or freeze to death (hide spoiler)]

Thanks,
Any help would be appreciated :)

[Tab]

Sarah, do you remember anything about the cover?

Were there any other fantasy elements, besides the alternate universe?

[Sarah]

Sorry, my memory of it was pretty vague.

The city the boy was living in was very gritty/dark, and I have a feeling that most of the people were struggling in poverty.

As for the cover, it may have the silhouette of a figure climbing a tower, or a picture of the tower itself, but I'm not 100% sure, sorry.

[Shanna_redwind]

Your description reminded me of this book, but I'm not sure that all the elements are there. Goodreads description unfortunately is sadly lacking. The Wind Singer.

[Sarah]

Hi, thanks for the reply.
That doesn't seem to be the book (but it looks very interesting, anyway!!).
The key thing I remember about this book was the climbing and the merging of climbing in a dream and climbing in real life.

Thanks!

[Tab]

Maybe,The Fall from the Seventh Tower series?

[Shanna_redwind]

There is a scene in it that involves climbing, which is why I mentioned it, but it was an off chance, and it's probably not it, just reminded me of it for some reason.

[Sarah]

Hi Tab,
That book seems to be pretty similar, but I'm very sure about the merging of dreaming/reality in the book I'm looking for, and that doesn't seem to be a part of The Fall? Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

Hi Shanna,
That's okay, I appreciate the suggestion :)

Sarah

[Sarah]

I *may* have remembered more about this book... it's quite possible that the main character wasn't just climbing the tower; he may have been carrying a baby/young infant to the top on his back. I suddenly remembered this but I am not too certain if it was an aspect of this particular book, but it does feel about right.

[Kris]

Banner in the Sky by James Ramsey Ullman?

[Sarah]

Thanks for the suggestion Kris, but that's not it.

[Sarah]

*bump*

[Claire]

The characters don't worship the tower, right? So it's not Pete Haufman's "Godless"?

[Tab]

To the Dark Tower fits

[Sarah]

Tab, that's it!!! Thank you soo much! I've been searching for this book for years.

Thanks for the suggestion as well, Claire :)

Sarah