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Dream Thief
Every morning Dr. Spencer Reston, dream-research scientist on space station Gotham, wakes up exhausted with the nagging feeling that something terrible is about to happen. Spence soon discovers that he has become a vital link in a cosmic coup masterminded by a mysterious creature known as the Dream Thief . . . and all civilization hangs in the balance. Here is science fiction on the grand scale of Dune and Asimov's Foundation series. Dream Thief has it fast-paced adventure, alien settings, wonderful character development, cliff-hanging suspense, epic plot, and compelling spiritual underpinnings.
480 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1983
24 people are currently reading
1196 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. Lawhead
102 books2,744 followersStephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium, Patrick, and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion.
Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/stephenlawhead...
Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned a university degree in Fine Arts and attended theological college for two years. His first professional writing was done at Campus Life magazine in Chicago, where he was an editor and staff writer. During his five years at Campus Life he wrote hundreds of articles and several non-fiction books.
After a brief foray into the music business—as president of his own record company—he began full-time freelance writing in 1981. He moved to England in order to research Celtic legend and history. His first novel, In the Hall of the Dragon King, became the first in a series of three books (The Dragon King Trilogy) and was followed by the two-volume Empyrion saga, Dream Thief and then the Pendragon Cycle, now in five volumes: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail. This was followed by the award-winning Song of Albion series which consists of The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot.
He has written nine children's books, many of them originally offered to his two sons, Drake and Ross. He is married to Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, also a writer, with whom he has collaborated on some books and articles. They make their home in Oxford, England.
Stephen's non-fiction, fiction and children's titles have been published in twenty-one foreign languages. All of his novels have remained continuously in print in the United States and Britain since they were first published. He has won numereous industry awards for his novels and children's books, and in 2003 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Nebraska.
also write under the name Steve Lawhead
Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/stephenlawhead...
Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned a university degree in Fine Arts and attended theological college for two years. His first professional writing was done at Campus Life magazine in Chicago, where he was an editor and staff writer. During his five years at Campus Life he wrote hundreds of articles and several non-fiction books.
After a brief foray into the music business—as president of his own record company—he began full-time freelance writing in 1981. He moved to England in order to research Celtic legend and history. His first novel, In the Hall of the Dragon King, became the first in a series of three books (The Dragon King Trilogy) and was followed by the two-volume Empyrion saga, Dream Thief and then the Pendragon Cycle, now in five volumes: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail. This was followed by the award-winning Song of Albion series which consists of The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot.
He has written nine children's books, many of them originally offered to his two sons, Drake and Ross. He is married to Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, also a writer, with whom he has collaborated on some books and articles. They make their home in Oxford, England.
Stephen's non-fiction, fiction and children's titles have been published in twenty-one foreign languages. All of his novels have remained continuously in print in the United States and Britain since they were first published. He has won numereous industry awards for his novels and children's books, and in 2003 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Nebraska.
also write under the name Steve Lawhead
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 15, 2011
"Fast-paced adventure?" Maybe for religious fiction in 1983.
"Cliff-hanging suspense?" With all due respect, the story was dragged out to almost 500 pages. That's hardly suspenseful.
I can't help but wonder if Lawhead were writing this novel today if it wouldn't be a much faster read. If this were adapted as a screenplay, the story would have to be much faster paced to keep a 21st century audience's attention.
I ended up skipping ahead from chapter 19 to chapter 30 or so.
The plot for C.S. Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet was pulse-pounding in contrast to this tome. (heavy sigh of resignation) I'm sorry, Mr. Lawhead. (sad look)
Oct. 7, 2011.
"Cliff-hanging suspense?" With all due respect, the story was dragged out to almost 500 pages. That's hardly suspenseful.
I can't help but wonder if Lawhead were writing this novel today if it wouldn't be a much faster read. If this were adapted as a screenplay, the story would have to be much faster paced to keep a 21st century audience's attention.
I ended up skipping ahead from chapter 19 to chapter 30 or so.
The plot for C.S. Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet was pulse-pounding in contrast to this tome. (heavy sigh of resignation) I'm sorry, Mr. Lawhead. (sad look)
Oct. 7, 2011.
May 29, 2021
6/10
There were many aspects of this book that I loved—the space station, the Martian city and Guardian Kyr, the adventures on Earth and the resistance on Gotham, and certain characters like Adjani and Gita—but the spiritual message was too often a heavy-handed bludgeoning rather than a deftly woven part of the story. And the sexism of the early 1980s was blatant—no women scientists, administrators, or main characters at all, with the predictable exceptions of the love interest of the protagonist and her mentally ill mother.
There were many aspects of this book that I loved—the space station, the Martian city and Guardian Kyr, the adventures on Earth and the resistance on Gotham, and certain characters like Adjani and Gita—but the spiritual message was too often a heavy-handed bludgeoning rather than a deftly woven part of the story. And the sexism of the early 1980s was blatant—no women scientists, administrators, or main characters at all, with the predictable exceptions of the love interest of the protagonist and her mentally ill mother.
August 7, 2019
This story was suspenseful, imaginative, and awesome! I really liked Lawhead's world-building and how he included aliens in the narrative. A complex and dastardly villain only added to what I consider a great Sci-Fi story! I recommend it.
May 12, 2024
Spence is on space station Gotham. He's applied for a study post on sleep and dreaming in an extra-terrestrial environment. But he's having second thoughts about the project, even though terminating it might be the end of his ascent to a promising career. But something is wrong - and in some mysterious way, it seems to have nothing to do with space but with a god-being feared in Nagaland in northern India for its mind-snapping ability: Supno Kaa Chor, the dream thief.
December 21, 2012
This religious sci-fi tells of Spencer Reston, a sleep scientist haunted by strange dreams while on the space station Gotham.
There are some good ideas in this story (especially striking is the introduction of Martians, where we discover they share the same belief in God as us). But much of this feels clichéd, without really the narrative drive to sustain it.
There are some good ideas in this story (especially striking is the introduction of Martians, where we discover they share the same belief in God as us). But much of this feels clichéd, without really the narrative drive to sustain it.
May 27, 2013
I gave this one star because you can't leave zero stars. I know Lawhead has written some good books; this is not one of them. The characters are one-dimensional and underdeveloped. And his portrayal of an evil scientist in a wheelchair comes awfully close to slandering Stephen Hawking. I disliked this book immensely--read C.S. Lewis's science fiction trilogy instead.
August 2, 2018
A chilling yet utterly fascinating sci-fi novel that is one of my most frequent re-reads (I used to try to read it every two months). Normally books with aliens are somewhat clichéd and predictable, but somehow Lawhead just makes it work. This is and always will be one of my favorite books.
September 3, 2009
All I can remember about this book is that it put me off reading any more Lawhead.
June 13, 2022
Dr. Spencer, a dream research scientist living on a permanent space station, find himself sucked into a cosmic plot stretching from Earth to Mars.
I really enjoyed Lawhead's portrayal of the Martian guardian, and I found both the space colonization and the overall plot line intriguing. However, the ending was less than satisfying. It felt rather abrupt and unrealistic--even within the context of the book:
Strong, intelligent bad guys unexpectedly become weak, distracted bad guys.
Weak, scared good guys unexpectedly become strong, brave good guys.
Good guys beat bad guys.
Go us.
The end.
🙄
I really enjoyed Lawhead's portrayal of the Martian guardian, and I found both the space colonization and the overall plot line intriguing. However, the ending was less than satisfying. It felt rather abrupt and unrealistic--even within the context of the book:
Strong, intelligent bad guys unexpectedly become weak, distracted bad guys.
Weak, scared good guys unexpectedly become strong, brave good guys.
Good guys beat bad guys.
Go us.
The end.
🙄
September 8, 2016
I've read from several sources that one way to cut down on stress is to avoid reading books that you don't like. The idea goes that if after a few chapters (or pages, depending on the attention span of the advice giver) you don't like the story, ditch the book and move on to another. I don't necessarily disagree with this idea as a whole; I just find it very hard to put into personal practice. Once I make a committment to read a particular story or watch a specific program, I usually try to give it all possible opportunity to engage me before panning it. Perhaps that is why, after several false starts over the past three years, I finally finished Dream Thief by Stephen Lawhead.
This predilection also explains why I became torn upon its conclusion as to whether or not to give it two or three stars. However, I finally had to admit the inevitable: the book just wasn't good enough for more than two. That being said, it was good enough (especially toward the end) to finally complete the journey.
First, a short, spoiler-free summary: Dr. Spencer Reston (or Spence, to his few friends) is a workaholic researcher working at the best postdoc imaginable, the space station Gotham. He's supposed to be studying how living in this enviornment affects sleep. Instead, he's drawn into a web of conspiracy that involves his own rapidly devolving dreams, strange findings on Mars, and occultic traditions in the heart of one of Earth's most ancient cultures. Along the way he garners enemies and allies, learns what it means to love, and becomes enthralled by a great cosmic mystery that will change his world forever.
Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, this excellent idea for a novel is mired by a slow, plodding start, an anemic protagonist and even flakier antagonists, and overall a lack of focus in its storytelling. Once Spence eventually leaves the station, everything picks up: he becomes a more fleshed-out character, the villains become truly menacing, and the actual plot really gets going. No surprise for this author of lore, Lawhead is at his best when dealing with elements of mysticism and cultural history. The part set on Earth is quite intriguing as Lawhead weaves the clues of past and present together. At the risk of sounding cheeky, I feel like Lawhead really wanted to write the last half of the book and the first half was simply the means of getting there.
The real problem with the novel's conclusion comes from the weak setup. Spence gets the chance to mature and grow, and while I quickly gave up on his supposed "married to the work" scientist persona (he shows precious little interest in his work at the beginning, and abandons it for adventure and romance at the first opportunity), he becomes a likeable enough plucky hero by the end of the novel that I could root for his success. In actuality, this novel would have been far more interesting if the main conflict had been internal, with the dreams actually being an organic exploration of his own psyche wrestling with what he has always believed to be true and the truth he must come to accept. As it is, the two henchmen we meet to begin with are traditionally flat villians who only desire power (I could almost see them fingering their black mustaches), and the eventual true mastermind of the plot is made impetent by the time of his ultimate reveal (which failed to surprise, considering the obvious hints dropped), leading to a dissapointing and anticlimatic endgame for the narrative. In my opinion, this is one story that would have worked better without outside villains.
The book has its moments of interest and engagement, but ultimately fails to rise above its inherent structural weaknesses. If you're just starting with Lawhead, read his fantasy. This example of his foray into science fiction leaves much to be desired.
This predilection also explains why I became torn upon its conclusion as to whether or not to give it two or three stars. However, I finally had to admit the inevitable: the book just wasn't good enough for more than two. That being said, it was good enough (especially toward the end) to finally complete the journey.
First, a short, spoiler-free summary: Dr. Spencer Reston (or Spence, to his few friends) is a workaholic researcher working at the best postdoc imaginable, the space station Gotham. He's supposed to be studying how living in this enviornment affects sleep. Instead, he's drawn into a web of conspiracy that involves his own rapidly devolving dreams, strange findings on Mars, and occultic traditions in the heart of one of Earth's most ancient cultures. Along the way he garners enemies and allies, learns what it means to love, and becomes enthralled by a great cosmic mystery that will change his world forever.
Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, this excellent idea for a novel is mired by a slow, plodding start, an anemic protagonist and even flakier antagonists, and overall a lack of focus in its storytelling. Once Spence eventually leaves the station, everything picks up: he becomes a more fleshed-out character, the villains become truly menacing, and the actual plot really gets going. No surprise for this author of lore, Lawhead is at his best when dealing with elements of mysticism and cultural history. The part set on Earth is quite intriguing as Lawhead weaves the clues of past and present together. At the risk of sounding cheeky, I feel like Lawhead really wanted to write the last half of the book and the first half was simply the means of getting there.
The real problem with the novel's conclusion comes from the weak setup. Spence gets the chance to mature and grow, and while I quickly gave up on his supposed "married to the work" scientist persona (he shows precious little interest in his work at the beginning, and abandons it for adventure and romance at the first opportunity), he becomes a likeable enough plucky hero by the end of the novel that I could root for his success. In actuality, this novel would have been far more interesting if the main conflict had been internal, with the dreams actually being an organic exploration of his own psyche wrestling with what he has always believed to be true and the truth he must come to accept. As it is, the two henchmen we meet to begin with are traditionally flat villians who only desire power (I could almost see them fingering their black mustaches), and the eventual true mastermind of the plot is made impetent by the time of his ultimate reveal (which failed to surprise, considering the obvious hints dropped), leading to a dissapointing and anticlimatic endgame for the narrative. In my opinion, this is one story that would have worked better without outside villains.
The book has its moments of interest and engagement, but ultimately fails to rise above its inherent structural weaknesses. If you're just starting with Lawhead, read his fantasy. This example of his foray into science fiction leaves much to be desired.
June 8, 2009
Stephen Lawhead writes very good historical/fantasy books with Celtic settings. He’s a sure thing; all of his books are quite enjoyable. So when I borrowed another of his books from a friend that wasn’t a Celtic fantasy book, but rather an outer-space sci-fi book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would Lawhead prove as adept at writing in a very different genre? Would I enjoy the book as much?
In The Dream Thief, humanity has built a working space station called Gotham. Gotham is a city in space, where scientists perform different kinds of experiments, where a telescope is based for deep space observation, and where missions to Mars (which is in the very early process of terraforming) are launched.
Dr. Spencer Reston is a sleep scientist who is performing experiments on his own sleeping and dreaming patterns when he begins to have blackouts and to do dangerous things to himself (although he never actually hurts himself really badly, he does come close on several occasions). Reston realizes that he is being controlled in his sleep by a malevolent outside force, so he attempts to escape by joining the next mission to Mars. Of course, there’s a lot more that happens, but I don’t want to give anything away!
The Dream Thief was a good book, but I didn’t like it as much as I’ve liked Lawhead’s other fantasy books. It had a Stargate SG-1 feel to it, in that it was set in the present/very near future and in its mixing of science fiction and mythology. I liked the characters well enough, but the villains were cheesy, and not the good kind. Overall, I thought the book was good, but I did get bogged down in the middle, and the climax was not as exciting as I had hoped. Kudos to Mr. Lawhead for branching out and trying something new, but I think I’ll stick with his fantasy works; I’m much more confident that I’ll like them.
In The Dream Thief, humanity has built a working space station called Gotham. Gotham is a city in space, where scientists perform different kinds of experiments, where a telescope is based for deep space observation, and where missions to Mars (which is in the very early process of terraforming) are launched.
Dr. Spencer Reston is a sleep scientist who is performing experiments on his own sleeping and dreaming patterns when he begins to have blackouts and to do dangerous things to himself (although he never actually hurts himself really badly, he does come close on several occasions). Reston realizes that he is being controlled in his sleep by a malevolent outside force, so he attempts to escape by joining the next mission to Mars. Of course, there’s a lot more that happens, but I don’t want to give anything away!
The Dream Thief was a good book, but I didn’t like it as much as I’ve liked Lawhead’s other fantasy books. It had a Stargate SG-1 feel to it, in that it was set in the present/very near future and in its mixing of science fiction and mythology. I liked the characters well enough, but the villains were cheesy, and not the good kind. Overall, I thought the book was good, but I did get bogged down in the middle, and the climax was not as exciting as I had hoped. Kudos to Mr. Lawhead for branching out and trying something new, but I think I’ll stick with his fantasy works; I’m much more confident that I’ll like them.
August 23, 2014
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I don't read a lot of Christian fiction, mainly because I find the Christian elements are usually clumsy and heavy-handed. This book didn't have that problem. I thought the Christian elements blended well with the rest of the story. I also don't read a whole lot of sci-fi, mostly because I find the concept overshadows the characters and I end up not caring about any of it. This book didn't have that problem either. I liked the main character well enough, and the others were enjoyable. My favorite was the friend, Adjani. The plot was interesting and the ending satisfying.
There were some things I thought could have been handled better. The only two female characters of any note are the love interest and the love interest's mother, and for a large chunk of the book, the love interest is only there to play the damsel in need of saving. It would have been nice to have at least one important (or even notable) female character who was interesting on her own account. The villain was pretty generically evil, so it would also have been nice to see him be a bit more complex. This book took me much longer to read than average, partly because it's just much longer than average, and partly because it's pretty slow moving. Which is a bit annoying, but at the same time, I can't point to any parts that could be cut or significantly shortened. I guess that's just a warning that if you're an impatient reader who has to have something exciting happening all the time, you might get tired of this book quickly. Also, even though my copy was the ninth printing, there were still at least a dozen or so typos, and those are always jarring when I come across them.
So, not a perfect book, but a solid, entertaining story, and in my opinion a very successful blend of the Christian and sci-fi genres.
There were some things I thought could have been handled better. The only two female characters of any note are the love interest and the love interest's mother, and for a large chunk of the book, the love interest is only there to play the damsel in need of saving. It would have been nice to have at least one important (or even notable) female character who was interesting on her own account. The villain was pretty generically evil, so it would also have been nice to see him be a bit more complex. This book took me much longer to read than average, partly because it's just much longer than average, and partly because it's pretty slow moving. Which is a bit annoying, but at the same time, I can't point to any parts that could be cut or significantly shortened. I guess that's just a warning that if you're an impatient reader who has to have something exciting happening all the time, you might get tired of this book quickly. Also, even though my copy was the ninth printing, there were still at least a dozen or so typos, and those are always jarring when I come across them.
So, not a perfect book, but a solid, entertaining story, and in my opinion a very successful blend of the Christian and sci-fi genres.
December 15, 2014
This was a very good book, although it suffers somewhat from a very poor supporting character. The story is suspenseful and the settings are very cool. The main character, Spencer Reston, is very likeable at the beginning of the book at least, although he becomes less likeable after his return from Mars. The real strong point of the book is its setting. Most of the supporting characters (Dr. Packer, Kalnikov, and Kyr) are likeable as well. However, the only thing serious gripe I have would be the supporting character of Ariadne, the space settlement director’s daughter and Reston’s girlfriend. She is sickeningly sweet the entire time, and, although Lawhead tries to portray her as good-natured and pleasant, she comes across as immature and a trifle dimwitted. The worst part of the book is when she succumbs to the influence of the evil Hocking, and starts loafing around all day with absent expressions of her face. You do not fear for or even pity her when she is captured and dreamed into unconsciousness. Spencer Reston would have been a better character without her. The secondary characters, especially Kyr, come across as the real heroes, while Reston’s only motive is to get Ariadne free, which gives him a bit of a maddening attitude after he returns from Mars and discovers she’s gone. One of the best things the book does is make the Martian, Kyr, surprisingly believable and likeable Also, the resolution, barely ten pages, should have had more resolution in it. What happens to the Martians is never clearly articulated, and this takes away from the book, especially since Kyr is so likeable. Overall, this was a good book, and Lawhead did what he set out to do, write a successful, sci-fi space thriller with a Christian context.
December 19, 2011
This is the first Lawhead book I've ever read, and I've got to say I was totally blown away. I have not been this captivated and in love with a book since the Harry Potter series. I opted out of my usual TV time to get in more reading, and had to force myself to close the book when it was time for bed. The author crafted a complex, highly-believable futuristic setting (he avoided the common sci-fi error of giving the date of the future time period). His vocabulary was exstensive, and his descriptions vivid. The plot was original and interesting, and the main character (Spencer) really grew.
I did not even realize Lawhead was a Christian until a little less than halfway through the book. That shows how good he is. Most Christian authors give stilted dialogue, predictable outcomes, and far-too-perfect characters (people outside of seminary do not pray some of the complex and holy prayers I have seen "everyday characters" give in books). The authors set out with a specific message to give, and often stumble in the story itself. Lawhead puts plot first, then faith; it works brilliantly. He makes his point without ever giving a monologue sermon. Spencer coming to the realization of the futility of his life is delivered in a chilling and effective way. Yet this is not an overtly Christian book- I am sure non-Christians can enjoy it just as much from the story point of view.
If you love intense, imaginative storytelling, you should read this. You don't even have to be a lover of sci-fi. I'm not, as a general rule, and look how I reacted to this book!
I did not even realize Lawhead was a Christian until a little less than halfway through the book. That shows how good he is. Most Christian authors give stilted dialogue, predictable outcomes, and far-too-perfect characters (people outside of seminary do not pray some of the complex and holy prayers I have seen "everyday characters" give in books). The authors set out with a specific message to give, and often stumble in the story itself. Lawhead puts plot first, then faith; it works brilliantly. He makes his point without ever giving a monologue sermon. Spencer coming to the realization of the futility of his life is delivered in a chilling and effective way. Yet this is not an overtly Christian book- I am sure non-Christians can enjoy it just as much from the story point of view.
If you love intense, imaginative storytelling, you should read this. You don't even have to be a lover of sci-fi. I'm not, as a general rule, and look how I reacted to this book!
August 4, 2014
This book had been sitting on my mom's bookshelf for a couple months before I finally picked it up and by that time, I was pretty psyched to read it. And the first half of the book really intrigued me. But the second half really let me down. All of the characters, who I thought got pretty good characterization in the first half, were suddenly downgraded to stereotypes. The best friend stayed his wise, all-knowing self and the chick stayed the innocent, helpless chick. Ugh. It really disappointed me, especially because they could've been great characters! But the author just bit off way more than he could chew. The world, characters, plot, and spiritual theme thingy were all painfully underdeveloped. I got the feel that the author wrote the first half in a jubilant burst of inspiration, but got burnt out during the second half and just gave up. *SPOILERS* I mean Martians? Really? It was kind of a cool concept, but the way it was executed made me cringe. *END SPOILERS*
Whatever, the book disappointed me, and I wouldn't recommended it to anyone.
Whatever, the book disappointed me, and I wouldn't recommended it to anyone.
March 10, 2012
Okay science fiction from Stephen Lawhead's early career. A steal as an ebook for 2.99, but okay at best.
Spence Reston is researching the effects of long-term sleep in zero-g, or something or other. He gets bad dreams, and soon finds that he has enemies. He escapes to Mars, but discovers something that just might help him fight back.
The writing is okay, at best. He makes the female characters a bit too cutesy, and the plot ambles on and on. It could be contracted to half it's length and work much better. Side plots and side characters feel more like padding than meaningful additions, and the characters are shallow.
The price, and the nostalgia value convinced me to give it a third star. This was one of the earliest 80s Christian SF books to hit the mass market, and shows it. Take one star off if you can't remember it from then.
Spence Reston is researching the effects of long-term sleep in zero-g, or something or other. He gets bad dreams, and soon finds that he has enemies. He escapes to Mars, but discovers something that just might help him fight back.
The writing is okay, at best. He makes the female characters a bit too cutesy, and the plot ambles on and on. It could be contracted to half it's length and work much better. Side plots and side characters feel more like padding than meaningful additions, and the characters are shallow.
The price, and the nostalgia value convinced me to give it a third star. This was one of the earliest 80s Christian SF books to hit the mass market, and shows it. Take one star off if you can't remember it from then.
December 22, 2008
A interesting book by Stephen R. Lawhead, though I prefer his later style, the Dream Thief was still a interesting read of science fiction, which I quite enjoyed. The plot had some weaknesses, and the narrative was a bit hard to follow in parts, but the interesting characters, neat dreams, exotic settings, and interesting bits of made up history and scientific fact made up for the book’s flaws. I enjoyed Lawhead’s science fiction series, the Empyrion Saga more, but Dream Thief is still a good read of Christian Speculative fiction. I also enjoyed studying how Lawhead’s styles (and audiences have changed over time as he develops and changes his style.
January 19, 2018
Dreams - a portal to more than your thoughts.
Belief is the sense organ of faith, as your eyes are the sense organ of sight. With sight you see the world, with faith you see God. Belief has the power to shape reality.
The story starts as a sci-if mystery and evolves into mysticism- that said, it’s a darn fine read which you could almost believe in. The book shows its age, but 20 or more years later, buy it, devour it and then make up your own mind. I think it will be a classic.
Belief is the sense organ of faith, as your eyes are the sense organ of sight. With sight you see the world, with faith you see God. Belief has the power to shape reality.
The story starts as a sci-if mystery and evolves into mysticism- that said, it’s a darn fine read which you could almost believe in. The book shows its age, but 20 or more years later, buy it, devour it and then make up your own mind. I think it will be a classic.
January 13, 2012
You can snap and shout at your girlfriend all you like if you're the hero. She'll forgive you, especially after the brain damage.
There are Aliens posing as Hindu gods, indifferent Buddhist monks, evil cripples, evil Indians, poor Indians, and a rich but dim girl who sees something in our hero that really isn't there. The religious element adds a certain something, if not for the reasons the author intends.
There are Aliens posing as Hindu gods, indifferent Buddhist monks, evil cripples, evil Indians, poor Indians, and a rich but dim girl who sees something in our hero that really isn't there. The religious element adds a certain something, if not for the reasons the author intends.
September 26, 2016
Pretty good overall. Seems like a few of the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, but that didn't detract too much.
This is Christian fiction, but, you know, good. Written well. Not just a Roman Road sermon costumed in bad prose. Reminded me a good bit of C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy, as I see several other reviewers have mentioned. If you're only going to chose one to read, go for the Space Trilogy, hands down. But if you have the time, Dream Thief is worth a read.
This is Christian fiction, but, you know, good. Written well. Not just a Roman Road sermon costumed in bad prose. Reminded me a good bit of C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy, as I see several other reviewers have mentioned. If you're only going to chose one to read, go for the Space Trilogy, hands down. But if you have the time, Dream Thief is worth a read.
June 28, 2021
Dream Thief is a nightmare
I enjoyed Lawhead's Robin Hood so I was looking forward to this. It's awful. Rambling and almost ridiculous. Stereotypes galore and outright racism. And the Kindle edition is rife with errors. I've already downloaded the Bright Empires but am afraid I'll be wasting my time. Disappointed.
I enjoyed Lawhead's Robin Hood so I was looking forward to this. It's awful. Rambling and almost ridiculous. Stereotypes galore and outright racism. And the Kindle edition is rife with errors. I've already downloaded the Bright Empires but am afraid I'll be wasting my time. Disappointed.
May 27, 2017
My favorite book by my favorite author, Stephen R. Lawhead. I've read it 5 or 6 times now, and have to come back to it every few years. It's a sci-fi story about God, friendship, and Hindu beliefs colliding over alien control of mankind. I love a sci-fi book that takes you somewhere unique.
July 19, 2010
I...didn't finish it. It started out okay, but I grew bored.
February 8, 2012
The first 100 or so pages drew me in, but the ending was highly disappointing.
September 26, 2014
I loved that Steven R. Lawhead brought Christianity into the book from beginning to end. I always pictured him as a fantasy writer but now I know he can do fiction as well.
March 29, 2024
Sweet dreams with early Lawhead sci-fi (4 stars)
Stephen Lawhead’s best works are the historical fantasy of his Pendragon Cycle and his Song of Albion trilogy. “Dream Thief” is one of his earlier works, with shadows of the brilliance that would emerge in those later writings. And unlike his later fantasies, “Dream Thief” is a science fiction story.
While researching dreams on the space station Gotham, the protagonist Spencer Reston discovers that someone is trying to control his mind through his dreams. A fairly exciting plot develops, as the villain Ortu (an alien) and the sinister side-kick Hocking (in his pneumatic wheelchair) begin carrying out their plans for control of the world. The main threat comes from a “tanti”, a consciousness-altering device capable of broadcasting to the whole world and inducing dreams and manipulating minds. Along with his lovely lady friend Ari, and his two fellow scientists Adjani and Gita, it is up to Spencer to prevent their evil plans from succeeding. In the process of resisting the “Dream Thief” who is masterminding the plot, Spencer travels to Mars where he discovers remnants of Martian civilization and meets the Martian guardian Kyr.
In many respects this ticks a lot of the boxes you’d expect from stereotypical science fiction, with lots of rocket ships, alien spacecraft, Martians and an extended visit to Mars. Amidst the action and excitement, Lawhead even integrates an interesting premise by suggesting that the revered gods of Indian folklore and Hindu legends were in fact such Martians (p451-2).
The plot is not always as convincing and suspenseful as readers of later Lawhead might expect. But there are certainly flashes of Lawhead’s later brilliance, emotion and creativity. Typical for Lawhead, there are also Christian overtones throughout, such the presence and involvement of a Divine Being, and a sacramental meal called the Essila much like the Lord’s Supper (p408-414).
Judging by the high standards of his later work, “Dream Thief” is an inferior work. But for readers looking for an interesting and thought-provoking science fiction story with lots of adventure and some subtle theology, this is still a good read. Sweet dreams!
Stephen Lawhead’s best works are the historical fantasy of his Pendragon Cycle and his Song of Albion trilogy. “Dream Thief” is one of his earlier works, with shadows of the brilliance that would emerge in those later writings. And unlike his later fantasies, “Dream Thief” is a science fiction story.
While researching dreams on the space station Gotham, the protagonist Spencer Reston discovers that someone is trying to control his mind through his dreams. A fairly exciting plot develops, as the villain Ortu (an alien) and the sinister side-kick Hocking (in his pneumatic wheelchair) begin carrying out their plans for control of the world. The main threat comes from a “tanti”, a consciousness-altering device capable of broadcasting to the whole world and inducing dreams and manipulating minds. Along with his lovely lady friend Ari, and his two fellow scientists Adjani and Gita, it is up to Spencer to prevent their evil plans from succeeding. In the process of resisting the “Dream Thief” who is masterminding the plot, Spencer travels to Mars where he discovers remnants of Martian civilization and meets the Martian guardian Kyr.
In many respects this ticks a lot of the boxes you’d expect from stereotypical science fiction, with lots of rocket ships, alien spacecraft, Martians and an extended visit to Mars. Amidst the action and excitement, Lawhead even integrates an interesting premise by suggesting that the revered gods of Indian folklore and Hindu legends were in fact such Martians (p451-2).
The plot is not always as convincing and suspenseful as readers of later Lawhead might expect. But there are certainly flashes of Lawhead’s later brilliance, emotion and creativity. Typical for Lawhead, there are also Christian overtones throughout, such the presence and involvement of a Divine Being, and a sacramental meal called the Essila much like the Lord’s Supper (p408-414).
Judging by the high standards of his later work, “Dream Thief” is an inferior work. But for readers looking for an interesting and thought-provoking science fiction story with lots of adventure and some subtle theology, this is still a good read. Sweet dreams!
July 22, 2021
Uau. Acabei de ler 100 paginas em 20 minutos pq so queria q isto acabasse. Isto foi horrível. Romance tipo menina de 10 anos a escrever fanfic de algo que não sabe. Nao faz sentido nenhum. Hiper constrangedor e cliché e eww eww eww. Dialogo como as minhas fanfics de 10 anos. Acontecimentos igualmente vindos do nada e super convenientes e escritos de forma muito infantil. As primeiras 200 paginas são uma grande repetição e seca. Só quando conhecemos o nosso GRANDE amigo fica interessante. Este livro tem uma boa historia em geral e só continuei pela curiosidade mas se nao tivessemos o amigo dele eu tinha desistido. Tinha grande crush nele, ele é super inteligente, racional, bom líder, confiante, amigo, fiel, atrente, estou apaixonada por uma personagem.
Como ja disse, tiramos isso e não temos nada. As ideias estao lá mas a historia é tão má feita que nao sei como tem tanta gente a dizer que é o seu livro favorito. Parece que foi escrito por uma criança.
Como ja disse, tiramos isso e não temos nada. As ideias estao lá mas a historia é tão má feita que nao sei como tem tanta gente a dizer que é o seu livro favorito. Parece que foi escrito por uma criança.
May 10, 2022
Stephen R. Lawhead’s Dream Thief, Enhanced Edition, was an interesting read that presented a few fascinating ideas. Unfortunately, the pacing felt off and the tensions did not really resonate. Parts of the world building were masterfully done and presented some interesting ideas, especially his introduction to alien life. However, there were some character motivations that did not really make sense and the antagonist came across as a heckling James Bond villain. I found the book a bit of a slough to get through and would recommend almost all of Lawhead’s other works before reading this one.
September 7, 2017
Written in 1983, this story is not outdated in the least. A good sci-fi book with plenty of technology and philosophy, brimming with adventures and suspense. I loved the hero's development as the story moved along. It carries a message of hope that we can trust God in the midst of dreadful circumstances and that He has a plan bigger than anything we can imagine.
August 26, 2017
Good story but certainly not fast paced or suspenseful. Still I enjoyed it overall. Lawhead seems to enjoy adding a lot of details that don't add much to the overall plot. It just makes the book feel drawn out. The up side is it gives him plenty of time to work out a character arc.
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