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Sleepwalkers
Ben is your average married man: wife, two kids, steady job. Toby is your average schoolboy: fifteen years old, sweet-natured and shy. Two people, two separate, unremarkable lives. Except for their dreams. Dreams of violence. Dreams of rage. Dreams of torture. Dreams that are always followed – the next morning – by scratches, scars, pain. When their dreams and doubts become too powerful to ignore, one fact will become clearer than any other: that the truth they are running towards is the very thing that they should be running away from.
377 pages, Unknown Binding
First published July 24, 2012
7 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
Tom Grieves
2 books9 followersTom Grieves has worked in television as a script editor and producer and executive producer, as well as a writer. Tom’s television credits include the likes of Being Human, The Palace, The Ghost Squad , The Runaway & more.
Sleepwalkers is his first novel. It has been optioned for film and television. Tom lives in Sussex with his wife and three sons.
Sleepwalkers is his first novel. It has been optioned for film and television. Tom lives in Sussex with his wife and three sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 12, 2020
Science fiction has done to death the idea that we are not really living our own lives and that somehow, somewhere, someone is pulling our strings to get us to do what they want and thus making it that we are not really in charge of our lives. I kind of steer clear of science fiction due to the implausibility of it all. There was a point in my life I loved science fiction. I took a course on it at the University level. Loved it but did not do to well. Will never forget one of my favourite short stories - Dolphins Way by Gordon Dickson.
So why the rant on science fiction? Well this book is more scifi than anything else. It's two main character's experience what they believe to be dreams but these dreams are so vivid they seem real. When I read the back cover of this book I thought it would be a horror relating to night terrors which I personally experience - they are terrifying. This was not the case. The older character - Ben is his thirties has dreams where he is hurting people. The other main character Toby who is fifteen has dreams where he is being physically hurt. They both have physical proof though that what is happening to them is more than dreams, that what is happening is real.
Both start to ask to many questions and soon both are on the run from their unknown controllers who manipulate them during their dreams. Toby is befriended by his teacher Anna whose former student Terry is a tech wiz. Anna and Terry move in to help Toby while Ben escapes on his own only to do some digging and meet up with the other three.
When the four are together they set out to find the truth. They have an idea where the lab of the controlling forces is, where Toby and Ben are experimented on. They seek out to find it. Yet all four become suspicious of each other and their surroundings. Are they all part of this crazy experiment? It is here where I thought the book would really go south. I thought it may become consumed with this aspect - like a tv series that can't get at the truth or the series is spoiled yet spends way too much time dancing around the million dollar question - what is the truth - and in the end you get so bored and tired of it that you stop watching. Well I give kudos to Grieves for not doing that here. In my mind he stays this side of the line and pushes the story forward.
With regard to the author (Grieves) I will say that at the beginning the first chapter was boring and really drawn out. Yet every time I thought of putting it down he would come up with something interesting and hold me in. Be aware of the first chapter but if you stick through it the book is pretty good. I even checked the pages while reading the first chapter making sure the book in fact did have chapters - lol.
What transpires as the four seek out the truth is kind of plausible. I really can't get into it without spoiling it but the idea is intriguing but at this stage of our technological advancement I really can't buy into it. Ben learns of a past life where he was a different person than the person he believes himself to be. The group learns of shared memories - how can this be? But hey this book is more scifi than anything else so why not roll with it.
I liked the endings. There are kind of four endings wrapping up the story line for each of the main characters as well as their significant others. This book wasn't really what I expected but I'm glad I read it. Though a struggle at the start I'm glad I stuck with my rule of not giving up on a book. The reason I do this, admittedly, is because I'm a frickn cheapskate who is going to get his moneys worth once I spend it on a book - lol. I find that this method usually works out for me as it did in this case.
I rate this four stars or about 7/10.
So why the rant on science fiction? Well this book is more scifi than anything else. It's two main character's experience what they believe to be dreams but these dreams are so vivid they seem real. When I read the back cover of this book I thought it would be a horror relating to night terrors which I personally experience - they are terrifying. This was not the case. The older character - Ben is his thirties has dreams where he is hurting people. The other main character Toby who is fifteen has dreams where he is being physically hurt. They both have physical proof though that what is happening to them is more than dreams, that what is happening is real.
Both start to ask to many questions and soon both are on the run from their unknown controllers who manipulate them during their dreams. Toby is befriended by his teacher Anna whose former student Terry is a tech wiz. Anna and Terry move in to help Toby while Ben escapes on his own only to do some digging and meet up with the other three.
When the four are together they set out to find the truth. They have an idea where the lab of the controlling forces is, where Toby and Ben are experimented on. They seek out to find it. Yet all four become suspicious of each other and their surroundings. Are they all part of this crazy experiment? It is here where I thought the book would really go south. I thought it may become consumed with this aspect - like a tv series that can't get at the truth or the series is spoiled yet spends way too much time dancing around the million dollar question - what is the truth - and in the end you get so bored and tired of it that you stop watching. Well I give kudos to Grieves for not doing that here. In my mind he stays this side of the line and pushes the story forward.
With regard to the author (Grieves) I will say that at the beginning the first chapter was boring and really drawn out. Yet every time I thought of putting it down he would come up with something interesting and hold me in. Be aware of the first chapter but if you stick through it the book is pretty good. I even checked the pages while reading the first chapter making sure the book in fact did have chapters - lol.
What transpires as the four seek out the truth is kind of plausible. I really can't get into it without spoiling it but the idea is intriguing but at this stage of our technological advancement I really can't buy into it. Ben learns of a past life where he was a different person than the person he believes himself to be. The group learns of shared memories - how can this be? But hey this book is more scifi than anything else so why not roll with it.
I liked the endings. There are kind of four endings wrapping up the story line for each of the main characters as well as their significant others. This book wasn't really what I expected but I'm glad I read it. Though a struggle at the start I'm glad I stuck with my rule of not giving up on a book. The reason I do this, admittedly, is because I'm a frickn cheapskate who is going to get his moneys worth once I spend it on a book - lol. I find that this method usually works out for me as it did in this case.
I rate this four stars or about 7/10.
June 26, 2012
I picked this book up at 8.30 last night, hoping to get a couple of chapters in. Finally put it down at 12.30, finished, and mind-blown. This is a fantastic psychological thriller, with elements of The Manchurian Candidate, and filled with so many twists that I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
April 15, 2023
Two and a half, rounded down because of being left with an increasing annoyance and sense of it being a bit crap, the longer I read. Perhaps it's subjective, I expected something more crime or psychological thriller, and what I got was more sci-fi and conspiracy in nature, which I didn't particularly enjoy. The story follows a family man and a teenage boy, both of whom experience odd nightmares, and then takes in the story of the boy's schoolteacher as they seek answers to the mystery.
There were too many moments where the characters behaved unconvincingly - flitting between being the most cardboard cut-out stereotypes and the most unbelievable superhumans. The fifteen year old boy particularly seemed either to be twelve or eighteen in behaviour throughout, rarely his own age. The prose, though a few nice lines, was mostly a little simple for my tastes, sacrificing description for pace. This made me wonder if it was intended as YA - I might've enjoyed it more had I read it as a teenager, there was a distinct scent of Dean Koontz about parts of it.
There were too many moments where the characters behaved unconvincingly - flitting between being the most cardboard cut-out stereotypes and the most unbelievable superhumans. The fifteen year old boy particularly seemed either to be twelve or eighteen in behaviour throughout, rarely his own age. The prose, though a few nice lines, was mostly a little simple for my tastes, sacrificing description for pace. This made me wonder if it was intended as YA - I might've enjoyed it more had I read it as a teenager, there was a distinct scent of Dean Koontz about parts of it.
August 5, 2020
This tale is a sort of weird thriller/sci-fi hybrid with a potential leaning towards horror (but not making it!) Whatever, it doesn't matter to me as it had me well & truly sucked in whatever label you care to give it.
I really don't want to much to say about it, as I think maybe it's one of those books that you're best going into knowing as little...if anything!...about the storyline as possible. Things moves at a fast pace & are, of course, suitably twisted - I even found it a bit heart breaking at one point.
Overall, I found it an original & gripping read which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I really don't want to much to say about it, as I think maybe it's one of those books that you're best going into knowing as little...if anything!...about the storyline as possible. Things moves at a fast pace & are, of course, suitably twisted - I even found it a bit heart breaking at one point.
Overall, I found it an original & gripping read which I thoroughly enjoyed.
June 3, 2015
Tom Grieves wrote a few episodes of Being Human which I liked so I downloaded to my Kindle his first novel. It originally started life as a TV project and I can see how this story would fit in just great on the BBC 3 of a few years ago schedules (it's all reality shows and youth programmes now).
It was well written with great characters. The book starts with numerous characters but the focus is on one man's journey of discovery about himself.
The main characters experience dreams, memories and injuries which they can not explain. What is happening to them? What is real? Who is in control? Why is this happening?
The characters seek answers to these questions. The book starts off at a great pace and then slows before picking up again. The ending of the book reveals that everything and everyone has a role, even those characters who may have appeared not central to the story. The twists and turns slowly reveal what is going on.
The ending of the book may be too vague for some readers but not for me. I prefer a sense of mystery and the book explains enough for me.
A great thriller/mystery read.
It was well written with great characters. The book starts with numerous characters but the focus is on one man's journey of discovery about himself.
The main characters experience dreams, memories and injuries which they can not explain. What is happening to them? What is real? Who is in control? Why is this happening?
The characters seek answers to these questions. The book starts off at a great pace and then slows before picking up again. The ending of the book reveals that everything and everyone has a role, even those characters who may have appeared not central to the story. The twists and turns slowly reveal what is going on.
The ending of the book may be too vague for some readers but not for me. I prefer a sense of mystery and the book explains enough for me.
A great thriller/mystery read.
August 14, 2021
Interesting story...the revalation wasn't what I thought it would be and neither was the ending. Sleepwalkers is set in the UK and surprisingly before that was confirmed I thought the dialogue sounded very British! I live in Australia but grew up watching British comedy and mystery tv shows, which is why the dialogue stood out to me.
June 8, 2012
Our lives our sometimes inexplicably linked, though most of us would never find out how or why. This is a story of epic proportions where we meet seemingly ordinary people who share dreams. Not unheard of, I suppose, but these dreams are generally violent and more often than not will leave scars, both mentally and physically. Set in a very american stylised Britain we are drawn into a world of corporate, Orwellian body-snatching.
Sleepwalkers is a fantastic read and one that kept me in bed hungrily wanting to know how the intricate mind-bending storyline will end. A completely unique thriller with filmic qualities. I LOVED IT!
Sleepwalkers is a fantastic read and one that kept me in bed hungrily wanting to know how the intricate mind-bending storyline will end. A completely unique thriller with filmic qualities. I LOVED IT!
August 6, 2020
Big brother is watching you! The novel deals with the topic of manipulating the mind of traumatized people. The idea is intriguing, but frightening too. The auther creates a lot of suspense through his stunning characters and open ends. Some parts of the novel are a bit boring, but after a slow start the story gains momentum. The endig was a little disappointing because I had the feeling that the happy ending did not fit into the story. Nevertheless, the book is well-written and really entertaining.
December 19, 2024
Interesting opening, followed by much vagueness that couldn't be excused by it being mysterious. As it unfolded, you learned that the premise is highly unoriginal and awkwardly conveyed. When you hit the end, you're sort of none the wiser, and not in a fun way. So much of it seemed convenient or forced. The ending was very unsatisfactory. And I disliked every character. The moment (right at the start of the book) when Ben described his small son as 'just a streak of piss' almost made me shut the book right away.
July 7, 2020
Hmmmm. Not at all what I expected. I thought I was reading a horror, but it's really a sci-fi thriller or something like that. I suck at genres.
The story is good, but the writing isn't great. There are too many typos, and another round of edits and proofreads wouldn't go amiss. It's rare to have to say that about a traditionally published book.
On a positive note, this would work as a movie, which makes sense, considering the author's background.
The story is good, but the writing isn't great. There are too many typos, and another round of edits and proofreads wouldn't go amiss. It's rare to have to say that about a traditionally published book.
On a positive note, this would work as a movie, which makes sense, considering the author's background.
November 4, 2022
I liked the story, and I liked the writing, but I found this book kind of cliché and predictable. The innocent and frightened English teacher is really the leader of the operation? I feel like I've read that a hundred times. Young boy realizes his insignificance and commits suicide? Read that before, too. I just feel like I've read this story before in other books from other authors and I got bored quickly. I do enjoy these kinds of stories, but I just found this one too melancholy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2020
I thought this was a thriller but it turned out to be an indescribable genre. Somewhere between dystopia and sci-fi. I liked it well enough until 1/3 of the way through. Where the dreams turn into reality. Then I just really wanted to see how it ended and whether mum gets to keep her kids.
March 12, 2018
Was ok.
Easy to read.
Could’ve been made much better as to the reason behind it all.
Easy to read.
Could’ve been made much better as to the reason behind it all.
April 24, 2019
Good read with a twist
April 13, 2020
Amazing book. Couldn't put it down.
Would 100% recommend it.
Would 100% recommend it.
August 11, 2020
I didn't get too far into it. Didn't like the way it was written. Big thumbs down.
March 23, 2021
Definitely a worth reading book. Plot twist in every chapters . You thought you got the clue and it will turns out be nothing.
April 20, 2022
So confused
December 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this one!
Ben suffers from horrible nightmares. So does Toby. They see each other in their dreams but they don't know each other.
A fast paced thriller with great characters.
Ben suffers from horrible nightmares. So does Toby. They see each other in their dreams but they don't know each other.
A fast paced thriller with great characters.
October 16, 2012
Ben is an ordinary family man who keep experiencing violent dreams and has unexplained gaps in his childhood and more recent memories. His wife, Carrie, is supportive and reassuring but he is plagued by the conviction that something is wrong in his psyche. As his paranoia increases he is forced to confront the veracity of his own identity. Toby is a schoolboy also experiencing violent dreams and missing pieces of his memory. His parents repeatedly change his school rather than confront his problems. However in his latest school, his teacher, Anna, decides to take an interest in his case and the complicated lives of Ben and Toby suddenly converge.
The book starts out in traditional thriller mode, with a strong sense of the sinister and the dream and memory elements of Ben and Toby possibly having a supernatural cause. Happily (without giving too much of the plot away) this doesn’t turn out to be the case and the book explores instead the idea of a society within a society where a mixture of Orwellian forces and medical advances make it possible for a smoke and mirrors deception on a grand scale. It’s a very difficult book to review in detail without giving essentials of the plot away. However, I can say that although I’m not up on scientific processes I thought the whole concept fascinating and compelling.
The book is predicated on the idea that no-one is really who they seem. The writing and narrative style reminded me of the books of Michael Marshall (Smith) and I think this novel would appeal to his fans. Grieves, according to his biography, has worked in television as a script editor and producer and this novel started out as a script for TV that he couldn’t sell. A quick scan through Goodreads and Amazon reviews reveal that many people, as I did, picked up the book and couldn’t put it down which gives an idea of the compelling nature of the story. I hope that this will be the start of a successful novel writing career for Grieves.
The book starts out in traditional thriller mode, with a strong sense of the sinister and the dream and memory elements of Ben and Toby possibly having a supernatural cause. Happily (without giving too much of the plot away) this doesn’t turn out to be the case and the book explores instead the idea of a society within a society where a mixture of Orwellian forces and medical advances make it possible for a smoke and mirrors deception on a grand scale. It’s a very difficult book to review in detail without giving essentials of the plot away. However, I can say that although I’m not up on scientific processes I thought the whole concept fascinating and compelling.
The book is predicated on the idea that no-one is really who they seem. The writing and narrative style reminded me of the books of Michael Marshall (Smith) and I think this novel would appeal to his fans. Grieves, according to his biography, has worked in television as a script editor and producer and this novel started out as a script for TV that he couldn’t sell. A quick scan through Goodreads and Amazon reviews reveal that many people, as I did, picked up the book and couldn’t put it down which gives an idea of the compelling nature of the story. I hope that this will be the start of a successful novel writing career for Grieves.
July 27, 2013
Takes a while to get going but this story is compelling. The characters are drawn together like pawns, suffer dubious nightmares and have shared memories. The main character, Ben, is the most interesting and much of the book is about him trying to piece his life together. Other characters come into the story but their conclusions are not dealt with and as a reader I felt I was left in the dark about them.
Regarding the writing - great flow, at times it was effortless to read. However the writer kept switching from first to third person and this was annoying and made it seem as thought he couldn't decide which viewpoint to go with. Although well written I think another review and rewrite would have sealed this novel.
Regarding the writing - great flow, at times it was effortless to read. However the writer kept switching from first to third person and this was annoying and made it seem as thought he couldn't decide which viewpoint to go with. Although well written I think another review and rewrite would have sealed this novel.
July 1, 2013
I'd just started an Ed McBain book when I was given this to read. Sorry Ed you were relegated to second place. I read the story in two days, quick for me. The book drew me in immediately. I found the story.
The plot moves on a pace and characters were well developed along the way. It twists back and forth and like the characters in the story, You never know who can be trusted. I found it a most entertaining read.
The plot moves on a pace and characters were well developed along the way. It twists back and forth and like the characters in the story, You never know who can be trusted. I found it a most entertaining read.
November 17, 2012
Brian King's 'Cypher' meets Joss Whedon's 'Dollhouse'. I don't burn the midnight oil for many books, but I just had to know how this ended! I wasn't disappointed. It was thrilling right to the finish.
August 9, 2016
A very good, enjoyable book. I would have given it 4 stars but it lost a star due to the characters (intelligent characters) using the word 'cos' and on one page 'drawer' was misspelled as draw. Petty I know but these things annoy me.
December 11, 2012
Good Conspiracy thriller with some sci-fi elements. A entertaining read despite a few slow bits. More a 3.5/5 than 4/5
April 19, 2013
I skipped a few pages throughout the book because it seemed a bit long winded but I did want to find out what happened at the end so persevered.
January 26, 2014
Just couldn't get into this at all so read the first few pages and then the end.
May 19, 2014
I won a copy of the author's second book on Goodreads, and enjoyed it so much, I went out and bought the first. This didn't disappoint either, gripping, fast paced - I could not put this down.
July 24, 2014
Started off quite interesting and then just lost momentum and I had no idea what the hell was going on. Skim read the last 100 pages. Disappointing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews