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The Dream War Series #1
The Dream Crystal
All of the world's dreams are about to die. The Shadow People have come. Always near, they linger in the darkness, ready to devour dreams, hopes, aspirations and desires. . .
Aisling, having lost her dream of becoming a fashion designer, learns that she's a Faerie changeling. Disquieted by the fact that her faerie parents are kidnappers, she has decided to rescue the human child she was exchanged for, but her "sister" is no longer among the faeries, having been taken by the Shadow People. Ith, the Lord of Shadows, is trying to control the dreams of mankind, which are under the protection of the faeries, so they're at war.
Aisling, who doesn't believe in dreams any longer, is falling in love with a handsome, mysterious stranger - one of the Shadow People.
Aisling, having lost her dream of becoming a fashion designer, learns that she's a Faerie changeling. Disquieted by the fact that her faerie parents are kidnappers, she has decided to rescue the human child she was exchanged for, but her "sister" is no longer among the faeries, having been taken by the Shadow People. Ith, the Lord of Shadows, is trying to control the dreams of mankind, which are under the protection of the faeries, so they're at war.
Aisling, who doesn't believe in dreams any longer, is falling in love with a handsome, mysterious stranger - one of the Shadow People.
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First published May 11, 2011
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About the author
Mark O'Bannon
7 books1 followerMark O’Bannon is the Cosmic Architect of Mythic Worlds, a visionary author of science fiction and fantasy whose stories draw on real astronomy, ancient civilizations, and metaphysical inquiry. His work spans vast interconnected universes designed to unfold over decades, blending cinematic storytelling with rigorous world-building.
Exploring unseen realms — whispers of a greater reality.
Exploring unseen realms — whispers of a greater reality.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 11, 2011
*Firstly, I must thank the author, Mark O'Bannon, for providing me with this ebook for review*
This was a very long book. Sometimes it seemed like nothing was really happening and other times it seemed like there were everything going on at once. There were times the story seemed to drag on and times when it was perfect. It took a while to really get into the storyline at times and sometimes I did wonder what the point of certain things were, but for the most part I enjoyed the tale.
The story itself is well written and filled with detail and I could tell that the author has put a lot of thought into creating his world. I admit that sometimes it felt like he put too much effort into describing the never ending different array of clothing all the characters wore, but I guess considering this was a world of beauty and fine things it made sense. However at times it was too much. It seemed like the characters constantly changed clothing and everyone seemed to be wearing this and that, this colour dress, those coloured tights, these kind of styled accessories and it seemed to detract from the story on occasion.
I liked all the different characters and I did like Aisling, although again at times I had my issues with her. I would have liked more from her at times, but for the majority of the story she was an alright heroine to follow. She made too many mistakes and she seemed to take things for granted as well as accepting this too easily.
I liked a lot of the other characters though. Genevieve and Eileen were probably my favourite characters and I really enjoyed the banter the two of them shared. I found it entertaining and endearing how they bickered and acted and yet they still cared about each other at the very end.
I found myself to be a little bit disappointed at the lack of romance in this book. from the description, I was expected a lot more, but Keir (the Shadow Man) really wasn’t in it all too much, and he and Aisling, didn’t really spend much time together, let alone actually fall in love.
Still all in all this is a good fantasy read. It’s detailed and filled with action and adventure and fans of faerie tales will love it.
This was a very long book. Sometimes it seemed like nothing was really happening and other times it seemed like there were everything going on at once. There were times the story seemed to drag on and times when it was perfect. It took a while to really get into the storyline at times and sometimes I did wonder what the point of certain things were, but for the most part I enjoyed the tale.
The story itself is well written and filled with detail and I could tell that the author has put a lot of thought into creating his world. I admit that sometimes it felt like he put too much effort into describing the never ending different array of clothing all the characters wore, but I guess considering this was a world of beauty and fine things it made sense. However at times it was too much. It seemed like the characters constantly changed clothing and everyone seemed to be wearing this and that, this colour dress, those coloured tights, these kind of styled accessories and it seemed to detract from the story on occasion.
I liked all the different characters and I did like Aisling, although again at times I had my issues with her. I would have liked more from her at times, but for the majority of the story she was an alright heroine to follow. She made too many mistakes and she seemed to take things for granted as well as accepting this too easily.
I liked a lot of the other characters though. Genevieve and Eileen were probably my favourite characters and I really enjoyed the banter the two of them shared. I found it entertaining and endearing how they bickered and acted and yet they still cared about each other at the very end.
I found myself to be a little bit disappointed at the lack of romance in this book. from the description, I was expected a lot more, but Keir (the Shadow Man) really wasn’t in it all too much, and he and Aisling, didn’t really spend much time together, let alone actually fall in love.
Still all in all this is a good fantasy read. It’s detailed and filled with action and adventure and fans of faerie tales will love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2011
Come into a world of fairies and dreams.
This is a mystical story of how Aisling goes from an unknown fashion design student to the daughter of a former Queen in a fairy world. Follow her journey into this unknown realm as she learns to expand her fantastical abilities and attempts to free her sister in the Land of Shadows. Along with some newfound friends,she is able to eventually set things right, in spite of alot of mystical obstacles along the way.
This storyline has the basis to be a wonderful book for lovers of this genre, but I have to admit that it wasn't my cup of tea. The overabundance of descriptions made the story move very slowly for me, but they were very vivid and explicitly detailed. The author definitely has a talent for conveying very graphic scenes and fashion details.
If you enjoy long, fantasy novels, this might just fit the bill for you.
This book was provided to me by it's wonderful author for my honest review.
This is a mystical story of how Aisling goes from an unknown fashion design student to the daughter of a former Queen in a fairy world. Follow her journey into this unknown realm as she learns to expand her fantastical abilities and attempts to free her sister in the Land of Shadows. Along with some newfound friends,she is able to eventually set things right, in spite of alot of mystical obstacles along the way.
This storyline has the basis to be a wonderful book for lovers of this genre, but I have to admit that it wasn't my cup of tea. The overabundance of descriptions made the story move very slowly for me, but they were very vivid and explicitly detailed. The author definitely has a talent for conveying very graphic scenes and fashion details.
If you enjoy long, fantasy novels, this might just fit the bill for you.
This book was provided to me by it's wonderful author for my honest review.
June 16, 2011
This is a very well written, descriptive novel. O’Bannon is a very talented writer, and it’s the first novel I’ve read depicting faeries in their own realm, complete with wings. Yet, while the story has a very interesting premise, I must admit that it just wasn’t for me. The pacing in the novel was sporadic, with huge fight scenes materializing almost instantly, and then long slower scenes depicting fashion or dialogue that didn’t seem central to the plotline. While I liked the story idea and the characters, I did struggle with the quick succession of events...
One and a half stars.
To read my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
One and a half stars.
To read my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
August 25, 2024
A journey of self-discovery -- NOT JUST FOR FANTASY LOVERS
Aisling, while trying to save her sister, stumbles upon a war against the dreams of humanity. It's been too long since I’ve relished a book this way.
*I received a copy of the book in exchange for reviewing it.
Aisling, while trying to save her sister, stumbles upon a war against the dreams of humanity. It's been too long since I’ve relished a book this way.
*I received a copy of the book in exchange for reviewing it.
September 1, 2011
The Dream Crystal is the first in the new series, The Dream Wars, by Mark O'Bannon. The book opens with Aisling at a pivotal point in her life, having just lost her dream of becoming a fashion designer. She has just days to move out of her family's home after a lifetime of feeling as if she were an outsider. After an incident that even she herself doesn't understand, she is asked to leave her beloved Kung Fu temple. And she is suddenly having visions of people in the shadows, watching her. Things seem to be on a downward spiral when her best friend is whisked from her side and disappears. Soon, Aisling and Genevieve are transported to a world that they never dreamed existed, the Land of Dreams. When Aisling learns that she is a faery changeling, as many questions arise as are answered.
I really loved the premise of this book. Changelings are generally dismissed by the "true" faeries of the land, as they tend to survive a very short time in the Land of Dreams. Having lived mortal lives, many have lost their ability to truly dream and to believe in magic and they quickly fall into the shadows. But is soon obvious that there is something different about Aisling as she is cast in the role of heroine. The Land of Dreams is at war with the Land of Shadows, and Aisling is dropped in the middle of it. Those living in the Land of Dreams believe that dreams fuel the magic but that too much pride will cause your downfall and send you into the shadows. More and more faeries are falling to the shadows of Lord Ith and Queen Annan is trying to find a way to make that stop. On the surface, it seems to be a classic "good vs. evil" tale. But I loved that it wasn't that simple. There were times when it was just impossible to really know which side to root for!! The story was also as much a reflection of Aisling's journey to redefine herself and find her purpose in life as it is an epic fantasy tale. She is a fabulous character and really draws you into the story. Constantly cast into impossible situations, it was very easy to be right there next to her in the story. She was made all the more believable because she didn't always make the perfect choices in those situations.
The writing truly brought you into the story, a beautiful mix of reality and fantasy. I loved the blend of Irish and Asian cultures as well. My only complaint would be that there was almost too much fashion commentary. While I understand that it tied in Aisling's fashion design dreams, there were times that it stalled the flow of the book for me. Every outfit was described in detail in every scene. While those descriptions themselves were well-written and definately gave me a perfect image, it could get distracting. After a bit, I tended to skim those parts before getting back to the meat of the story. Otherwise, I loved the flow of the story. It was action-packed and the gray areas between good and evil kept me turning the pages, wanting to know what would happen next.
The characters in this story were fantastic, both main and otherwise. Genevieve, as a mortal, added a lot of humor to the story and I loved the interaction between her and Eileen, Aisling's guardian. Queen Annan was also an interesting character, one I never quite figured out. I liked that the author created the characters to be entirely relatable as people, despite the fact that they were faeries. Very often, fantasy characters may be perfectly likeable, but not relatable to mere mortals. These characters were generally everyday people who just happened to be faeries. That was very refreshing.
The cover is a pretty one, but it led me to think that this would be a somewhat steamy novel at times. It truly was not. In fact, the romance level was quite low, the focus being more on Aisling and her quests throughout the story. It was a fun read and I will definately be picking up the next book, The Dark Mirrors of Heaven, when it comes out. If you love Irish mythology and fae stories, I recommend picking this up and reading it! I gave it a 3.5 mugs, but that was solely due to the fashion commentary note I mentioned above. The story itself is a very good one!
I really loved the premise of this book. Changelings are generally dismissed by the "true" faeries of the land, as they tend to survive a very short time in the Land of Dreams. Having lived mortal lives, many have lost their ability to truly dream and to believe in magic and they quickly fall into the shadows. But is soon obvious that there is something different about Aisling as she is cast in the role of heroine. The Land of Dreams is at war with the Land of Shadows, and Aisling is dropped in the middle of it. Those living in the Land of Dreams believe that dreams fuel the magic but that too much pride will cause your downfall and send you into the shadows. More and more faeries are falling to the shadows of Lord Ith and Queen Annan is trying to find a way to make that stop. On the surface, it seems to be a classic "good vs. evil" tale. But I loved that it wasn't that simple. There were times when it was just impossible to really know which side to root for!! The story was also as much a reflection of Aisling's journey to redefine herself and find her purpose in life as it is an epic fantasy tale. She is a fabulous character and really draws you into the story. Constantly cast into impossible situations, it was very easy to be right there next to her in the story. She was made all the more believable because she didn't always make the perfect choices in those situations.
The writing truly brought you into the story, a beautiful mix of reality and fantasy. I loved the blend of Irish and Asian cultures as well. My only complaint would be that there was almost too much fashion commentary. While I understand that it tied in Aisling's fashion design dreams, there were times that it stalled the flow of the book for me. Every outfit was described in detail in every scene. While those descriptions themselves were well-written and definately gave me a perfect image, it could get distracting. After a bit, I tended to skim those parts before getting back to the meat of the story. Otherwise, I loved the flow of the story. It was action-packed and the gray areas between good and evil kept me turning the pages, wanting to know what would happen next.
The characters in this story were fantastic, both main and otherwise. Genevieve, as a mortal, added a lot of humor to the story and I loved the interaction between her and Eileen, Aisling's guardian. Queen Annan was also an interesting character, one I never quite figured out. I liked that the author created the characters to be entirely relatable as people, despite the fact that they were faeries. Very often, fantasy characters may be perfectly likeable, but not relatable to mere mortals. These characters were generally everyday people who just happened to be faeries. That was very refreshing.
The cover is a pretty one, but it led me to think that this would be a somewhat steamy novel at times. It truly was not. In fact, the romance level was quite low, the focus being more on Aisling and her quests throughout the story. It was a fun read and I will definately be picking up the next book, The Dark Mirrors of Heaven, when it comes out. If you love Irish mythology and fae stories, I recommend picking this up and reading it! I gave it a 3.5 mugs, but that was solely due to the fashion commentary note I mentioned above. The story itself is a very good one!
August 11, 2011
Recommended To- Anyone who loves a fast paced fantasy story with some serious action scenes, a beautiful world, and some romance.
Have you read a serious fantasy book lately? And I'm not talking a paranormal book, I mean fantasy. This book is the epitome of fantasy. O'Bannon creates a beautiful world full of fairies, unicorns, elves, and the dangerous shadow people. Oh, and there's a ton of fashion. Plus a neat Irish spin on the characters and story in general, which was a cool addition to the story. Everything that everyone loves right? But we all know that without a good plot and some great characters that all of these fantasy creatures and characters will be easily forgettable. Mark O'Bannon does a fabulous job to make sure that this story is unforgettable!
We start the story following Aisling, an aspiring fashion designer through her struggle to fulfill her dream. Unfortunately there's been some kinks in her plans, there mostly little until she gets kicked out of fashion school and her best friend is almost killed by something only she can hear and see. Then things get a little more complicated, and send Aisling to a whole new world and life. Something she could have only dreamed of. As I said before, the world that O'Bannon creates a beautiful world that I want to go live in! Aisling quickly discovers this beautiful world and all the magic that this world holds. There is a lot of amazing magic that I would also love to have. But don't be fooled by the beautiful fairy world and cool magic, these fairies know how to kick some butt. The action starts almost immediately and continues to almost the last page. And I'm talking some serious fighting here, with good old fashion swords and a battle of wills. It's really awesome, and refreshing, to have a character, Aisling, that really can hold her own and doesn't need anyone to do anything for her. She's completely independent. She's a character that we need to see a lot more in books. In fact, O'Bannon really writes great characters! All of Aisling friends were completely loyal and always there for her, which I really admired. They knew when Aisling needed to do something on her own and when they needed to be there for her. Did I mention the loyalty thing yet? They're completely loyal, even when Aisling is kind of shunned by her own people. And they know how to kick some butt too!
I mentioned that this story is fast paced, it really is! Even though it's almost 400 pages it's an easy and fast read. All the action and suspense keeps you reading until the end to know what's happening. Oh, the end, well, let me just say that I thought O'Bannon was brilliant with the ending he gave us. The saying "It only gets worse until it gets better" comes to mind, but I'm not going to elaborate much more. It just wasn't your typical ending which I really liked. And it leaves a whole lot more that's going to happen in the second Dream War book. I can't wait for the next book! Until then, this book was definitely a good read!
Have you read a serious fantasy book lately? And I'm not talking a paranormal book, I mean fantasy. This book is the epitome of fantasy. O'Bannon creates a beautiful world full of fairies, unicorns, elves, and the dangerous shadow people. Oh, and there's a ton of fashion. Plus a neat Irish spin on the characters and story in general, which was a cool addition to the story. Everything that everyone loves right? But we all know that without a good plot and some great characters that all of these fantasy creatures and characters will be easily forgettable. Mark O'Bannon does a fabulous job to make sure that this story is unforgettable!
We start the story following Aisling, an aspiring fashion designer through her struggle to fulfill her dream. Unfortunately there's been some kinks in her plans, there mostly little until she gets kicked out of fashion school and her best friend is almost killed by something only she can hear and see. Then things get a little more complicated, and send Aisling to a whole new world and life. Something she could have only dreamed of. As I said before, the world that O'Bannon creates a beautiful world that I want to go live in! Aisling quickly discovers this beautiful world and all the magic that this world holds. There is a lot of amazing magic that I would also love to have. But don't be fooled by the beautiful fairy world and cool magic, these fairies know how to kick some butt. The action starts almost immediately and continues to almost the last page. And I'm talking some serious fighting here, with good old fashion swords and a battle of wills. It's really awesome, and refreshing, to have a character, Aisling, that really can hold her own and doesn't need anyone to do anything for her. She's completely independent. She's a character that we need to see a lot more in books. In fact, O'Bannon really writes great characters! All of Aisling friends were completely loyal and always there for her, which I really admired. They knew when Aisling needed to do something on her own and when they needed to be there for her. Did I mention the loyalty thing yet? They're completely loyal, even when Aisling is kind of shunned by her own people. And they know how to kick some butt too!
I mentioned that this story is fast paced, it really is! Even though it's almost 400 pages it's an easy and fast read. All the action and suspense keeps you reading until the end to know what's happening. Oh, the end, well, let me just say that I thought O'Bannon was brilliant with the ending he gave us. The saying "It only gets worse until it gets better" comes to mind, but I'm not going to elaborate much more. It just wasn't your typical ending which I really liked. And it leaves a whole lot more that's going to happen in the second Dream War book. I can't wait for the next book! Until then, this book was definitely a good read!
August 24, 2018
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed reading The Dream Crystal. I like fantasy, and its not something that I have read a whole lot of, but I did enjoy reading this. Mark does a fantastic job of transporting you into the world of the fairies. There are 3 actual worlds, the dream world, the shadow world, and the human world and they mirror each other geographically, since they're more like alternate dimensions.
There were a lot of characters, and sometimes they got a little bit confusing, and some of the names are a little hard to pronounce, but luckily, there is a handy dandy appendix in the back with the cast of characters and how to pronounce the troubling names. I also struggled with whether I liked some of the characters, my biggest struggle being Aisling. She's very proud and passionate, and she seems very into herself and her looks at certain points, which made me unsure of whether I really liked her. But as the story went on, she grew on me. Also, because Aisling wants to become a fashion designer, there is a lot of attention to detail about what the characters are wearing. In most of the scenes there was a description of the characters and everything that they were wearing.
I also liked the emphasis put on the Celtic history and the occurrence of Gaelic phrases throughout the book. My family being Irish, I could really appreciate this and I thought that it really added to the novel.
However, I did feel at times that the story dragged because of all of the detail that was put in and it just didn't feel like it was important to the story line at times. At times there was also an overwhelming amount of things happening in each chapter, so sometimes I had to backtrack to make sure that I understood what was going on. Also, as previously stated, the vast cast of characters also created some confusion.
Overall, it was a good story, with a good plot, good characters. The writing was solid, but a little less attention to detail might do well in the future. I recommend this book to lovers of fantasy, especially if you like faeries. I give this novel a solid 3 out of 5.
I enjoyed reading The Dream Crystal. I like fantasy, and its not something that I have read a whole lot of, but I did enjoy reading this. Mark does a fantastic job of transporting you into the world of the fairies. There are 3 actual worlds, the dream world, the shadow world, and the human world and they mirror each other geographically, since they're more like alternate dimensions.
There were a lot of characters, and sometimes they got a little bit confusing, and some of the names are a little hard to pronounce, but luckily, there is a handy dandy appendix in the back with the cast of characters and how to pronounce the troubling names. I also struggled with whether I liked some of the characters, my biggest struggle being Aisling. She's very proud and passionate, and she seems very into herself and her looks at certain points, which made me unsure of whether I really liked her. But as the story went on, she grew on me. Also, because Aisling wants to become a fashion designer, there is a lot of attention to detail about what the characters are wearing. In most of the scenes there was a description of the characters and everything that they were wearing.
I also liked the emphasis put on the Celtic history and the occurrence of Gaelic phrases throughout the book. My family being Irish, I could really appreciate this and I thought that it really added to the novel.
However, I did feel at times that the story dragged because of all of the detail that was put in and it just didn't feel like it was important to the story line at times. At times there was also an overwhelming amount of things happening in each chapter, so sometimes I had to backtrack to make sure that I understood what was going on. Also, as previously stated, the vast cast of characters also created some confusion.
Overall, it was a good story, with a good plot, good characters. The writing was solid, but a little less attention to detail might do well in the future. I recommend this book to lovers of fantasy, especially if you like faeries. I give this novel a solid 3 out of 5.
June 26, 2011
~May have slight spoilers.~
In this novel we meet Aisling, who finds out, after a series of events that she is a faerie changeling.
Along with this comes the knowledge that she has a 'sister', well the girl she was exchanged with, and she decided to find her but soon learns that she has been taken by the Shadow People.
I think that is secondary plot, though I am still not positive. As the name we also have the plot about the actual Dream Crystal about which the book is named. We get three worlds in this novel-- the human world I guess, the shadow world and the land of dreams, which is where all the fairies live.
We meet a lot of interesting people from all three among them are, Genevieve a human and Aisling's best friend. Eileen, a faerie. Ith, the shadow king.
One of the reasons this novel only gets three stars was because of several little things that bothered me. It was nothing that affected the story as a whole but did cause a slow pace at times.
Example: There were many character in the book and while some such as Aisling, Erin and Elaine was easy to remember we get a lot of other characters, mostly male now that I think back on it, that I couldn't really keep straight.
Above is a very vague premiss of what this book is about I would try to give a more in-depth one but just do not think it is possible without giving everything away.
When it came down to it I find I could not love Aisling, like her yes, but not love her. She just seemed slightly artificial to me and kind of a tease if you will. Also, I never felt a very strong connection with her, which is strange as the novel is only her POV.
Altogether I really did like the novel and think it is a good first book and look forward to see more in the series.
I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in a novel about fairies or a slightly long fantasy.
*I received an Ebook copy of this book for free to review from the author.
In this novel we meet Aisling, who finds out, after a series of events that she is a faerie changeling.
Along with this comes the knowledge that she has a 'sister', well the girl she was exchanged with, and she decided to find her but soon learns that she has been taken by the Shadow People.
I think that is secondary plot, though I am still not positive. As the name we also have the plot about the actual Dream Crystal about which the book is named. We get three worlds in this novel-- the human world I guess, the shadow world and the land of dreams, which is where all the fairies live.
We meet a lot of interesting people from all three among them are, Genevieve a human and Aisling's best friend. Eileen, a faerie. Ith, the shadow king.
One of the reasons this novel only gets three stars was because of several little things that bothered me. It was nothing that affected the story as a whole but did cause a slow pace at times.
Example: There were many character in the book and while some such as Aisling, Erin and Elaine was easy to remember we get a lot of other characters, mostly male now that I think back on it, that I couldn't really keep straight.
Above is a very vague premiss of what this book is about I would try to give a more in-depth one but just do not think it is possible without giving everything away.
When it came down to it I find I could not love Aisling, like her yes, but not love her. She just seemed slightly artificial to me and kind of a tease if you will. Also, I never felt a very strong connection with her, which is strange as the novel is only her POV.
Altogether I really did like the novel and think it is a good first book and look forward to see more in the series.
I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in a novel about fairies or a slightly long fantasy.
*I received an Ebook copy of this book for free to review from the author.
June 6, 2011
Can you imagine a world without dreams? And I don't just mean the dreams we have when we're in bed, I mean dreams of our futures, our goals, and all the possibilities of a wonderful life filled with love and happiness! What a sad world this would be!! This is the world Aisling is facing!
In the Dream Crystal fairies come alive to the young Erin/Aisling when she enters the Land of Dreams with her friend Genevieve, after Aisling dreams of becoming a fashion designer start to drizzle. Not only are there fairies in this new land she is in but there is a war brewing between the fairies and The Shadow People.
The Dream Crystal will take you in a to a fantasy life like no other book. I have read a few books on fairies before but nothing quite this unique. The Shadow People add a whole new aspect to fairies and if I was completely honest, I'd have to admit that I was attracted to the Shadow People. There was something mysterious and alluring about them even though there was sadness in their eyes!
There are many battles going on in The Dream Crystal and Mark O'Bannon creates a vivid account and you really feel like you are right there watching the battle before you! The characters are all very interesting and I was rooting for Aisling to succeed and to see her dreams come true right from chapter one.
If you are a fan of Fantasy fiction and fairies you will enjoy The Dream Crystal, it is action packed and full of a unique story line that you won't be disappointed. The only reason I gave The Dream Crystal 4 stars instead of 5 is because I am not a huge fan of all the action and intense battles but that is only my preference and I don't think it'll bother most readers. If you are a fan of fantasy fiction and fairies you will enjoy The Dream Crystal, it is action packed and full of a unique story line that you won't be disappointed.
I received this book free from the author in exchange for my honest and personal opinion of the book.
In the Dream Crystal fairies come alive to the young Erin/Aisling when she enters the Land of Dreams with her friend Genevieve, after Aisling dreams of becoming a fashion designer start to drizzle. Not only are there fairies in this new land she is in but there is a war brewing between the fairies and The Shadow People.
The Dream Crystal will take you in a to a fantasy life like no other book. I have read a few books on fairies before but nothing quite this unique. The Shadow People add a whole new aspect to fairies and if I was completely honest, I'd have to admit that I was attracted to the Shadow People. There was something mysterious and alluring about them even though there was sadness in their eyes!
There are many battles going on in The Dream Crystal and Mark O'Bannon creates a vivid account and you really feel like you are right there watching the battle before you! The characters are all very interesting and I was rooting for Aisling to succeed and to see her dreams come true right from chapter one.
If you are a fan of Fantasy fiction and fairies you will enjoy The Dream Crystal, it is action packed and full of a unique story line that you won't be disappointed. The only reason I gave The Dream Crystal 4 stars instead of 5 is because I am not a huge fan of all the action and intense battles but that is only my preference and I don't think it'll bother most readers. If you are a fan of fantasy fiction and fairies you will enjoy The Dream Crystal, it is action packed and full of a unique story line that you won't be disappointed.
I received this book free from the author in exchange for my honest and personal opinion of the book.
July 5, 2011
The author contacted me about reviewing his book The Dream Crystal. I fell in love with the cover and said yes. See how easy I am? I do have to admit that this is a genre that I have stayed away from so I wasn't sure what I had gotten myself into. But I forged ahead. And I was pleasantly surprised, I love the book, and the genre! I think The Dream Crystal may have opened up a whole world of reading possibilities that I can explore.
I loved Aisling and rooted for her to find her 'sister', the human that she was switched with at birth. Aisling and her best friend Genevieve are transported to the fairy world and we learn about Aisling's powers right along with her as she learns what she can do. Since I had not read the fairy genre before, I was learning about the possibilities right along with her.
I also enjoyed the conflict/bickering between Genevieve, a human, and some of the fairies. It provided some comic relief to the story and it was fun to read how they tried to sabotage each other.
There was one aspect of the book that I found distracting and that was the fashion commentary that was inserted into the story any time a character entered a scene. I understand the reason why, a little bit, maybe, because Aisling wants to be a fashion designer but the flow of the story hiccuped for me when the characters complete ensembles were described.
But overall this was a very good story which I enjoyed very much. And I learned a lot about the fairy world, enough for me to want to explore it further. It will be interesting to read more of this author's work and I look forward to the next book in The Dream War Series.
I loved Aisling and rooted for her to find her 'sister', the human that she was switched with at birth. Aisling and her best friend Genevieve are transported to the fairy world and we learn about Aisling's powers right along with her as she learns what she can do. Since I had not read the fairy genre before, I was learning about the possibilities right along with her.
I also enjoyed the conflict/bickering between Genevieve, a human, and some of the fairies. It provided some comic relief to the story and it was fun to read how they tried to sabotage each other.
There was one aspect of the book that I found distracting and that was the fashion commentary that was inserted into the story any time a character entered a scene. I understand the reason why, a little bit, maybe, because Aisling wants to be a fashion designer but the flow of the story hiccuped for me when the characters complete ensembles were described.
But overall this was a very good story which I enjoyed very much. And I learned a lot about the fairy world, enough for me to want to explore it further. It will be interesting to read more of this author's work and I look forward to the next book in The Dream War Series.
January 5, 2013
The Dream Crystal By Mark O'Bannon
Erin O'Neil is a fashion design student, she gets kicked out of college then shortly after, out of her home. She starts hearing whispers and sees shimmers of lights, bright and beautiful. One night she finds an old carved box and once she opens it she finds herself in another world. With her best friend Genevieve by her side they set out on a journey that seems surreal. Soon Erin finds out that she is Aisling, a faerie. When she and Gen enter this magical world they encounter a group of people known as The Shadow People, they are set on taking away everyone's dreams, hopes and aspirations. Aisling feels it is her duty to try to stop this from happening.
Aisling also finds out more about herself, she finds that Erin is her sister in human form and was taken by the shadow people. She is determined to find her real parents. Along the way they meet many friends and enemies as well. Will she be able to stop the war, unite her human self with her real parents, and get (herself and best friend) back to a happy and peaceful world?
Filled with a lot of adventure, vivid details , a large cast of characters, secrets, danger, humor and love. fantasy lovers will delight in this whimsical read. I liked that the book had an appendix with Irish words and phrases as well as an appendix with the cast of characters with a brief description of each. I have to confess I love fairies! The cover art is fantastic and a real eye catcher. I feel Fantasy lovers will enjoy:The Dream Crystal
Erin O'Neil is a fashion design student, she gets kicked out of college then shortly after, out of her home. She starts hearing whispers and sees shimmers of lights, bright and beautiful. One night she finds an old carved box and once she opens it she finds herself in another world. With her best friend Genevieve by her side they set out on a journey that seems surreal. Soon Erin finds out that she is Aisling, a faerie. When she and Gen enter this magical world they encounter a group of people known as The Shadow People, they are set on taking away everyone's dreams, hopes and aspirations. Aisling feels it is her duty to try to stop this from happening.
Aisling also finds out more about herself, she finds that Erin is her sister in human form and was taken by the shadow people. She is determined to find her real parents. Along the way they meet many friends and enemies as well. Will she be able to stop the war, unite her human self with her real parents, and get (herself and best friend) back to a happy and peaceful world?
Filled with a lot of adventure, vivid details , a large cast of characters, secrets, danger, humor and love. fantasy lovers will delight in this whimsical read. I liked that the book had an appendix with Irish words and phrases as well as an appendix with the cast of characters with a brief description of each. I have to confess I love fairies! The cover art is fantastic and a real eye catcher. I feel Fantasy lovers will enjoy:The Dream Crystal
June 27, 2011
My Thoughts
A world with dreams? Who would have thought? I sure would not have, growing up I was always challenged you try to live out my dreams. That's just what Erin O'Neil is trying to do in the Dream Crystal even though it seems that every which way she turns her dreams are getting snuffed one by one. Next thing she knows her and her best friend Genevieve, and now she's known as Aisling, a fairy and now she has to defend the Land of Dreams against the shadow people as well as save her sister.
It's a classic good vs evil story plot, but it does have a twist.The story doesn't only deal with humans beings (misleans) but also with fairies both good and bad. O'Bannon does a superb job in being descriptive about the worlds, characters and about the customs of these world's the reader isn't wondering about anything. He also is very knowledgeable when it comes to fashion trends.
One of the criticisms that I have about the Dream Crystal is that it dealt a lot with the Irish customs and traditions. That in itself is not the criticism, but that sometimes the fight scenes were very lengthy and descriptive and then when you throw in all these Irish customs I for one got lost many times and found myself having to read a page over and over. To be honest that was one reason that it took me so long to get this review up and running. If you love fantasy and you have no problem with all the information that is given to you on one page then the Dream Crystal is for you.
A world with dreams? Who would have thought? I sure would not have, growing up I was always challenged you try to live out my dreams. That's just what Erin O'Neil is trying to do in the Dream Crystal even though it seems that every which way she turns her dreams are getting snuffed one by one. Next thing she knows her and her best friend Genevieve, and now she's known as Aisling, a fairy and now she has to defend the Land of Dreams against the shadow people as well as save her sister.
It's a classic good vs evil story plot, but it does have a twist.The story doesn't only deal with humans beings (misleans) but also with fairies both good and bad. O'Bannon does a superb job in being descriptive about the worlds, characters and about the customs of these world's the reader isn't wondering about anything. He also is very knowledgeable when it comes to fashion trends.
One of the criticisms that I have about the Dream Crystal is that it dealt a lot with the Irish customs and traditions. That in itself is not the criticism, but that sometimes the fight scenes were very lengthy and descriptive and then when you throw in all these Irish customs I for one got lost many times and found myself having to read a page over and over. To be honest that was one reason that it took me so long to get this review up and running. If you love fantasy and you have no problem with all the information that is given to you on one page then the Dream Crystal is for you.
July 28, 2011
3.5 stars
The author of The Dream Crystal, Mark O’Bannon kindly provided an ebook so that I can review his work. It took me a very long time to get around to reading it, but I have to say, I was not disappointed and wish I read it sooner.
The story is about a girl named Erin who finds out she is actually a faerie changeling. Now with the name, Aisling, she enters The Land of Dreams to find the human girl who she took the place of. This new land is full of fairies and these fairies are in the middle of a war with The Shadow People. We meet so many kinds of fairies, both good and evil. We also learn a lot about different Irish customs and traditions.
O’Bannon is very descriptive with everything and I felt like I was right there in the middle of everything. I think sometimes being too descriptive can be a problem though. Of course I love when authors explain things and include descriptions. But at the same time I felt that the majority of The Dream Crystal were descriptions which did turn me off a bit.
That isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy the story. There was a lot of action and plot twists, and besides complaining about there being too many descriptions, nothing else in the story bothered me. I thought it was original and intriguing and I really enjoyed the world that was created.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story. O’Bannon’s fairy world is not to be missed if you are a lover of fantasy novels.
The author of The Dream Crystal, Mark O’Bannon kindly provided an ebook so that I can review his work. It took me a very long time to get around to reading it, but I have to say, I was not disappointed and wish I read it sooner.
The story is about a girl named Erin who finds out she is actually a faerie changeling. Now with the name, Aisling, she enters The Land of Dreams to find the human girl who she took the place of. This new land is full of fairies and these fairies are in the middle of a war with The Shadow People. We meet so many kinds of fairies, both good and evil. We also learn a lot about different Irish customs and traditions.
O’Bannon is very descriptive with everything and I felt like I was right there in the middle of everything. I think sometimes being too descriptive can be a problem though. Of course I love when authors explain things and include descriptions. But at the same time I felt that the majority of The Dream Crystal were descriptions which did turn me off a bit.
That isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy the story. There was a lot of action and plot twists, and besides complaining about there being too many descriptions, nothing else in the story bothered me. I thought it was original and intriguing and I really enjoyed the world that was created.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story. O’Bannon’s fairy world is not to be missed if you are a lover of fantasy novels.
June 27, 2011
Erin, dress-designer extraordinaire, lover of music and color, and quiet misfit, finds herself thrown out of home and college both in one day. Meanwhile strange whispers, light and dark, seem to reach from shadows and clouds, and an oddly unsettled world seems to veer sideways to magical. An ancient mirror in Erin’s room, and a carved stone box she’s never been able to open, lead Erin and her practical friend Gen on a scary chase to a wholly different place.
Mark O’Bannon’s Dream Crystal calls on all the senses to enjoy the beauty of the faerie, their clothing, music and food. In a land “saturated with inspiration and creativity” Erin, newly recreated as Aisling, sets herself to learning the wonders and history of magic. But there’s a war going on, and sometimes it’s hard to know which side is calling her—human, faerie or shadow.
Magical swords, fierce duels, fashion shows, love, faith and fear combine in this teen novel where the heroines learn the values of passion and patience combined, the power of freedom, and the enduring need to dream. Scenes shift quickly and time passes like magic. Fairytale, faith and myth weave a fascinating spell. The result is pleasingly complex and complete in itself, but leaves the door happily open to a continuing Dream War series.
Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Mark O’Bannon’s Dream Crystal calls on all the senses to enjoy the beauty of the faerie, their clothing, music and food. In a land “saturated with inspiration and creativity” Erin, newly recreated as Aisling, sets herself to learning the wonders and history of magic. But there’s a war going on, and sometimes it’s hard to know which side is calling her—human, faerie or shadow.
Magical swords, fierce duels, fashion shows, love, faith and fear combine in this teen novel where the heroines learn the values of passion and patience combined, the power of freedom, and the enduring need to dream. Scenes shift quickly and time passes like magic. Fairytale, faith and myth weave a fascinating spell. The result is pleasingly complex and complete in itself, but leaves the door happily open to a continuing Dream War series.
Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2011
It took me longer than I thought it would to finish this book. this is no fault of the authors, just due to life in general. So I apologize for this review coming so late!
This was a good read. Well written and very descriptive and intriguing. One problem I did have was, from the very beginning it grabbed my attention. However, about halfway through it seemed to drag a bit, thankfully a little while later the plot picked up speed again.
Also, I realize this is a YA and I think maybe that's why I didn't relate to the characters very well, I can see my daughter (15) relating to these people though , they were very giggly and a bit materialistic at times, but then again aren't most teens?
The fantasy story itself was what saved it for me. The world the author created was full of imagery and twists and it was very very captivating. I love stories like this but based on more mature charecters.
This does not mean the book was bad cause it was NOT it was just not what I would call age appropriate for ME.
I recommend this for young teen boys and girls who like sci-fi , fantasy and magic!
This was a good read. Well written and very descriptive and intriguing. One problem I did have was, from the very beginning it grabbed my attention. However, about halfway through it seemed to drag a bit, thankfully a little while later the plot picked up speed again.
Also, I realize this is a YA and I think maybe that's why I didn't relate to the characters very well, I can see my daughter (15) relating to these people though , they were very giggly and a bit materialistic at times, but then again aren't most teens?
The fantasy story itself was what saved it for me. The world the author created was full of imagery and twists and it was very very captivating. I love stories like this but based on more mature charecters.
This does not mean the book was bad cause it was NOT it was just not what I would call age appropriate for ME.
I recommend this for young teen boys and girls who like sci-fi , fantasy and magic!
October 10, 2011
This is definitely a book for fairy lovers.Erin/Aisling discovers she is a changeling and after living a pretty lonely life with parents that never really cared for her she ends up in the fairy world. Even there she is an outcast because fairies don't really respect changelings and to top it off her best friend is getting all the attention from the males.
She also finds her real parents dead and her "sister" is a prisoner. The shadow people seem to be the bad guys but they do make some interesting points. Being a newbie its hard to know what to think or who to trust. She does know that she has to rescue the real Erin.
Some of the things that bothered me, the story seemed a bit too long. It dragged in some spots. And the over detailed of what each and everyone was wearing and all their accessories. You could be reading about clothing for that day for a over a page.
This book takes you on a magical ride. Its a neat read for anyone who enjoys a fairytale.
She also finds her real parents dead and her "sister" is a prisoner. The shadow people seem to be the bad guys but they do make some interesting points. Being a newbie its hard to know what to think or who to trust. She does know that she has to rescue the real Erin.
Some of the things that bothered me, the story seemed a bit too long. It dragged in some spots. And the over detailed of what each and everyone was wearing and all their accessories. You could be reading about clothing for that day for a over a page.
This book takes you on a magical ride. Its a neat read for anyone who enjoys a fairytale.
August 19, 2011
If you love fairies then this book is for you. I myself love fairies and I thought this was a cute, fun read. Aisling is a girl that's been swapped out for another baby in the human world to protect her so that she could fulfill a prophecy. She has known for a long time that she is different than everybody else. She is kicked out of fashion school because she makes cloths that are too beautiful. This makes for a bad day until she makes it to the land of dreams and finds out she's a fairy changeling and can make any outfit she wants and everybody loves them including the queen. Fashion plays a big role in this book and can at times be a little much but still cute and worth the your time to read. I read it fairly quickly and enjoyed it. The only thing that really bothered me was that their was no romance not even a kiss to speak of and everyone knows I'm all about the romance. :) So, if your a fan of dreams, fairies, fashion and fantasy this is the book for you.
August 15, 2011
Erin O'Neil wants to save the world from being drab and grey with "pretty clothes of her own designs". But then she gets kicked out of fashion school because her designs are too beautiful and enchanting. She discovers that she's not really Erin but a faery changeling named Aisling. The faeries take her and her friend Genevieve to their magical home, The Land of Dreams, where Aisling learns to conjure up pretty clothes just by thinking about them, and you get a description of every outfit.
Aisling decides to try and rescue the real Erin from the evil Shadow People holding her prisoner, but it won't be easy because the faeries and the Shadow People are at war.
Read the full review on my blog, Violin in a Void
Aisling decides to try and rescue the real Erin from the evil Shadow People holding her prisoner, but it won't be easy because the faeries and the Shadow People are at war.
Read the full review on my blog, Violin in a Void
Read
November 9, 2011I loved the premise of the story, but I was never able to get into it, and so never finished it. I think my biggest issue was how quickly everything moved. The first 80 pages covered a period of over a month. As a consequence of the quick and constant action, I felt like I didn't get a chance to know any of the characters.
One thing that left me very confused was the obsession with fashion and clothes. I know Aisling wanted to be a fashion designer, but was it necessary to describe everyone's outfits down to the last detail? It felt like a distraction to me.
I admit I was disappointed in the story, but I'm sure that it appeals to some readers. If you enjoy fashion (which I don't really do), and you enjoy whimiscal and classical fairies, I'd suggest you check this book out.
One thing that left me very confused was the obsession with fashion and clothes. I know Aisling wanted to be a fashion designer, but was it necessary to describe everyone's outfits down to the last detail? It felt like a distraction to me.
I admit I was disappointed in the story, but I'm sure that it appeals to some readers. If you enjoy fashion (which I don't really do), and you enjoy whimiscal and classical fairies, I'd suggest you check this book out.
July 25, 2011
Hmmm...it seems fairies are the new thing and for that, this book if right on. This is the story of a girl who is going to fashion designer school and finds out that she was switched at birth and is actually a fairy. The story is pretty good, except that the descriptions of what every character is wearing in each scene was a little distracting. It also seemed to go round and round in circles a bit in places. There were good guys and bad guys but sometimes the good guys seemed bad and the bad guys seemed good. A little confusing. Anyway, I was honored to be asked to review it, but I probably won't read the sequel. Sorry, Mark.
June 29, 2011
The Dream crystal was a rollercoaster ride Some times it was great and action
packed othertimes it was bland. I often found my self reading sections over
and over, i dont know if that was me of the novel.
A typical good v evil story where we face the posibility of no dreams not just dreams
when we sleep but all dreams.
I thought about that for a moment and i would hate that my dreams are what makes real life
better. haha.
Mark's writing was awesome it was really easy to get lost in the story it was just hard to
consentrate on.
This is a good world but i wouldnt call it my favorite.
packed othertimes it was bland. I often found my self reading sections over
and over, i dont know if that was me of the novel.
A typical good v evil story where we face the posibility of no dreams not just dreams
when we sleep but all dreams.
I thought about that for a moment and i would hate that my dreams are what makes real life
better. haha.
Mark's writing was awesome it was really easy to get lost in the story it was just hard to
consentrate on.
This is a good world but i wouldnt call it my favorite.
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