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The Dream World #1
Dream London
Captain Jim Wedderburn has looks, style and courage by the bucketful. He's adored by women, respected by men and feared by his enemies. He's the man to find out who has twisted London into this strange new world, and he knows it. But in Dream London the city changes a little every night and the people change a little every day. The towers are growing taller, the parks have hidden themselves away and the streets form themselves into strange new patterns. There are people sailing in from new lands down the river, new criminals emerging in the East End and a path spiralling down to another world. Everyone is changing, no one is who they seem to be.
404 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
70 people are currently reading
945 people want to read
About the author
Tony Ballantyne
76 books73 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Anthony Ballantyne, is a British science-fiction author who is most famous for writing his debut trilogy of novels, Recursion, Capacity and Divergence. He is also Head of Information Technology and an Information Technology teacher at The Blue Coat School, Oldham and has been nominated for the BSFA Award for short fiction.
He grew up in County Durham in the North East of England, and studied Math at Manchester University before moving to London for ten years where taught first Math and then later IT.
He now lives in Oldham with his wife and two children. His hobbies include playing boogie piano, walking and cycling.
Anthony Ballantyne, is a British science-fiction author who is most famous for writing his debut trilogy of novels, Recursion, Capacity and Divergence. He is also Head of Information Technology and an Information Technology teacher at The Blue Coat School, Oldham and has been nominated for the BSFA Award for short fiction.
He grew up in County Durham in the North East of England, and studied Math at Manchester University before moving to London for ten years where taught first Math and then later IT.
He now lives in Oldham with his wife and two children. His hobbies include playing boogie piano, walking and cycling.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
August 4, 2016
I've been sitting on this review for awhile because I'm not really sure what to say about it...
This is a Weird London book which puts much emphasis on the 'weird' part, and a bit less on character development and coherent storytelling. I suppose some of this fits with the whole "dream" aspect of the story - but I've read stories which read like dreams, and this didn't really fit the bill. The writing itself is pretty standard fare, to be honest - it's the events themselves which create the weirdness, and some of them are sort of so outre it's like "da fuq?". I mean Really?
But this story also tries to be a kind character growth story, and James Wedderburn does go through some changes throughout the story. (The ending vaguely made me think of 'Fight Club' (the movie, as I've never read the book), and I did think the fact that he wasn't
The sad thing is that the character was actually much more interesting to read about before he grew a conscience. Go fig.
That said, I was a bit annoyed, in the beginning, with the very sexist tones of the book. Dream London, you see - for reasons I'm not sure where ever entirely explained - reverts to a Victorian sort of system where women could only ever seem to be mothers or whores. Luckily this is commented on and somewhat dismissed as the story progresses, which I was thankful for.
But, then, aside from being a morality play, it also dabbles into social commentary and, frankly, gets strangely preachy by the end. I mean, it's not that I particularly disagreed with any of the points being raised, but it's always annoying to not glean a moral lesson from the story, but to have a character pretty much give a sermon is just off-putting - even if one agree with what's being said.
All in all, I think it tried to be too many things, a story of parts more than a whole, and none of them ever really came together into something better than "ok".
This is a Weird London book which puts much emphasis on the 'weird' part, and a bit less on character development and coherent storytelling. I suppose some of this fits with the whole "dream" aspect of the story - but I've read stories which read like dreams, and this didn't really fit the bill. The writing itself is pretty standard fare, to be honest - it's the events themselves which create the weirdness, and some of them are sort of so outre it's like "da fuq?". I mean Really?
But this story also tries to be a kind character growth story, and James Wedderburn does go through some changes throughout the story. (The ending vaguely made me think of 'Fight Club' (the movie, as I've never read the book), and I did think the fact that he wasn't
The sad thing is that the character was actually much more interesting to read about before he grew a conscience. Go fig.
That said, I was a bit annoyed, in the beginning, with the very sexist tones of the book. Dream London, you see - for reasons I'm not sure where ever entirely explained - reverts to a Victorian sort of system where women could only ever seem to be mothers or whores. Luckily this is commented on and somewhat dismissed as the story progresses, which I was thankful for.
But, then, aside from being a morality play, it also dabbles into social commentary and, frankly, gets strangely preachy by the end. I mean, it's not that I particularly disagreed with any of the points being raised, but it's always annoying to not glean a moral lesson from the story, but to have a character pretty much give a sermon is just off-putting - even if one agree with what's being said.
All in all, I think it tried to be too many things, a story of parts more than a whole, and none of them ever really came together into something better than "ok".
pass
July 15, 2020Weird novel of living in a dreamlike version of London with plots and strangeness. Concept reminds me a lot of early Michael Marshall Smith, which good, but the premise is basically that Dream London is this horribly retro place where all women are grossly treated as sex objects including by the narrator (the word 'whore' is used relentlessly), being gay is vilified, Indian people are forced into offensive stereotypes, etc. I get the author is telling us this is a Bad Thing via the very unlikeable narrator, but whatever the intent, it's still page after page of objectification and abuse to read and I didn't have the strength so DNF.
November 30, 2016
What a pleasant surprise this was. I only read ‘Dream London’ because I came across Dream Paris and found it was the second in a series. I was less enthusiastic about the potential of ‘Dream London’ as I much prefer to Paris to London, moreover it has an unpromising male narrator. Still, it seemed fairly intriguing and necessary to read for the sake of the sequel. As I began, my spirits fell as I realised the narrative was in the first person and the person in question was an irritating macho caricature. However, to my delight, I soon realised that the book constantly mocks and undermines this caricature. It’s unusual to find a first person narrator whose narrative has so little respect for them and their role, so this was both entertaining and refreshing. Moreover, this absurd pseudo-heroic personality that Captain Jim Wedderburn is sporting plays into the world-building neatly. ‘Dream London’ depicts a city that is mutating into some muddled pastiche of its past, mixed with alien elements. When I saw this in the blurb I thought, “That could make an interesting political analogy, but I bet it won’t be addressed.” How wrong I was! The political subtext is in fact text and the whole plot is based on the fact that London has been doomed to displacement from reality as a result of foolish property market speculation. How could I resist that?
As a novel it certainly isn’t perfect; sometimes good ideas are executed a little clumsily. There are some memorably excellent moments, though, and it was vastly less heteronormative and sexist than I’d feared. The weird and wonderful world-building details were very appealing, such as accordions, quantum train travel, and blue monkeys. And the use of brass bands was inspired. Don’t expect the plot to make a great deal of sense, but that seems to be largely intentional meta. Our narrator initially thinks he’s a hero and gradually realises he’s a pawn. The people around him generally have a much better idea of what’s happening than he does, and are happy to call him on his many flaws. Notably, the fact that he's a pimp is not treated as acceptable. Wrapped up in all the strangeness of this dreamworld are some rather sharp critiques of London’s economic dependence on finance and property. I wish more fantastical novels addressed such topics and look forward to reading the sequel, if the library indulges my request to acquire it.
As a novel it certainly isn’t perfect; sometimes good ideas are executed a little clumsily. There are some memorably excellent moments, though, and it was vastly less heteronormative and sexist than I’d feared. The weird and wonderful world-building details were very appealing, such as accordions, quantum train travel, and blue monkeys. And the use of brass bands was inspired. Don’t expect the plot to make a great deal of sense, but that seems to be largely intentional meta. Our narrator initially thinks he’s a hero and gradually realises he’s a pawn. The people around him generally have a much better idea of what’s happening than he does, and are happy to call him on his many flaws. Notably, the fact that he's a pimp is not treated as acceptable. Wrapped up in all the strangeness of this dreamworld are some rather sharp critiques of London’s economic dependence on finance and property. I wish more fantastical novels addressed such topics and look forward to reading the sequel, if the library indulges my request to acquire it.
January 24, 2014
London has been infected, or infested, by...something. Buildings grow like living things, rivers and streets literally wander, the parks are congregating, and the #1 tourist attraction is not Big Ben or the palace but a massive spiral path that has opened up in the middle of the city. Even the people are changing. Welcome to Dream London.
The other governments of the world want to stop it before it spreads any further, and they are willing to go nuclear on London if they have to. They enlist former soldier Jim Widderburn to infiltrate what they believe to be the source of the anomalies. But there are other interests. A mysterious crime boss known as the Daddio likes the way things are going just fine, and he sends his minions (including a sadistic and hilariously foulmouthed little girl) to make sure Jim doesn't interfere. What to do, what to do?
This is a very strange book. I wondered at many points what kind of mind would come up with this kind of stuff, and kept turning pages to see what would be next. It's almost like a "bizarro" novel, but with a real story. A quick, fun read.
The other governments of the world want to stop it before it spreads any further, and they are willing to go nuclear on London if they have to. They enlist former soldier Jim Widderburn to infiltrate what they believe to be the source of the anomalies. But there are other interests. A mysterious crime boss known as the Daddio likes the way things are going just fine, and he sends his minions (including a sadistic and hilariously foulmouthed little girl) to make sure Jim doesn't interfere. What to do, what to do?
This is a very strange book. I wondered at many points what kind of mind would come up with this kind of stuff, and kept turning pages to see what would be next. It's almost like a "bizarro" novel, but with a real story. A quick, fun read.
September 17, 2014
Firstly, I noticed there are no gif reviews for this one, and it definitely deserves a gif, or three...
This book opens as it means to go on, with weird sh*t happening, a death threat, and a gritty stuck-in-your-teeth kinda atmosphere.
Want something a tad different? Something crazy, but fun, with an MC that talks about himself in the third person?
Dark, twisted, with a fairytale feel (I mean a Grimm fairytale, not a fluffy one), Dream London is a book you'll either love, or hate. I dare you to try it on for size.
Welcome to the crazy that is Dream London.
This book opens as it means to go on, with weird sh*t happening, a death threat, and a gritty stuck-in-your-teeth kinda atmosphere.
Want something a tad different? Something crazy, but fun, with an MC that talks about himself in the third person?
Dark, twisted, with a fairytale feel (I mean a Grimm fairytale, not a fluffy one), Dream London is a book you'll either love, or hate. I dare you to try it on for size.
Welcome to the crazy that is Dream London.
December 7, 2013
Honey Peppers was a fantastic character. This book had little spurts of brilliance like her - some great metaphors, some great characters (Honey Peppers and Mister Monagan, really), some great lines of dialogue, some great weird ideas - but mostly it just wasn't for me. Too often, it felt disjointed, frustrating, obnoxious, and confused, which maybe was the point, but it wasn't what I happen to like in a novel, haha. The main character didn't feel likeable. I think this is a book for people who really enjoy symbolism and hunting for meaning and for what the novel might be trying to say, not for people who like a more straightforward story. Hard to explain why this one didn't thrill me, but yeah. It didn't.
October 4, 2013
Originally published at Walker of Worlds.
Until fairly recently I hadn't realised that Tony Ballantyne was releasing a new novel. I'd read Twisted Metal a few years back on its release and very much enjoyed his depiction of a robot only society and its workings. I never did get around to the sequel, Blood and Iron, instead deciding to patiently await the completion of the Penrose trilogy before diving in further. However, due to a variety of personal factors the final novel was delayed, and news on his next novel - whatever it was - dried up. And then I saw the cover for Dream London, done by the unmistakable hand of Joey Hi-Fi - that in itself was enough to draw me in. And then I read the synopsis...
First off let me say that Dream London is one of those books that just gets hold of you and drags you into its world. There isn't any other way to describe it, and even that barely communicates just how involved you become once you start turning the pages and walking the streets of this - quite frankly - unique and wondrous city. Above all else, that's the one thing that has stuck with me after coming away from Dream London. Yes, the story, characters, and general weirdness of this novel all add up to make it one hell of a read, but it's the setting that is its greatest achievement.
Ballantyne makes many references to London's landmarks throughout the novel, but whether you know them or not hardly matters as they're far from normal in the streets of Dream London. Things are all over the show - and that's very much part of the charm. While initially this seems to be complete fantasy, there is a hint underneath it all to suggest that isn't quite the case. In fact, one of the characters says as much during the course of events, and it's these odd comments here and there that gives Dream London its depth, taking it from being a straight urban fantasy to something more.
Much like the geography employed in Dream London, the characters too are weird and wonderful. Jim 'James' Wedderburn is our main protagonist, and the person who we follow throughout. He's not so much a hero - or anti-hero - he just is who he is. While it's clear he's fleshed out when we first meet him, the nature of Dream London means that we just don't know quite whether he'll do what's expected - after all, Dream London changes people.The secondary characters are all well portrayed, fitting their roles nicely, with some - like the dandy, Alan - more memorable than others. Either way, the cast Ballantyne has on show really do work well together to bring the novel to life.
I thoroughly enjoyed Dream London, with the plot taking twists and turns in unexpected and strange ways. I often found my head hurting with all the changes and general weirdness that is abound within the pages, but by allowing myself to be carried along on the ride it all just worked. Dream London is a most refreshing and different novel, and one I heartily recommend.
Until fairly recently I hadn't realised that Tony Ballantyne was releasing a new novel. I'd read Twisted Metal a few years back on its release and very much enjoyed his depiction of a robot only society and its workings. I never did get around to the sequel, Blood and Iron, instead deciding to patiently await the completion of the Penrose trilogy before diving in further. However, due to a variety of personal factors the final novel was delayed, and news on his next novel - whatever it was - dried up. And then I saw the cover for Dream London, done by the unmistakable hand of Joey Hi-Fi - that in itself was enough to draw me in. And then I read the synopsis...
First off let me say that Dream London is one of those books that just gets hold of you and drags you into its world. There isn't any other way to describe it, and even that barely communicates just how involved you become once you start turning the pages and walking the streets of this - quite frankly - unique and wondrous city. Above all else, that's the one thing that has stuck with me after coming away from Dream London. Yes, the story, characters, and general weirdness of this novel all add up to make it one hell of a read, but it's the setting that is its greatest achievement.
Ballantyne makes many references to London's landmarks throughout the novel, but whether you know them or not hardly matters as they're far from normal in the streets of Dream London. Things are all over the show - and that's very much part of the charm. While initially this seems to be complete fantasy, there is a hint underneath it all to suggest that isn't quite the case. In fact, one of the characters says as much during the course of events, and it's these odd comments here and there that gives Dream London its depth, taking it from being a straight urban fantasy to something more.
Much like the geography employed in Dream London, the characters too are weird and wonderful. Jim 'James' Wedderburn is our main protagonist, and the person who we follow throughout. He's not so much a hero - or anti-hero - he just is who he is. While it's clear he's fleshed out when we first meet him, the nature of Dream London means that we just don't know quite whether he'll do what's expected - after all, Dream London changes people.The secondary characters are all well portrayed, fitting their roles nicely, with some - like the dandy, Alan - more memorable than others. Either way, the cast Ballantyne has on show really do work well together to bring the novel to life.
I thoroughly enjoyed Dream London, with the plot taking twists and turns in unexpected and strange ways. I often found my head hurting with all the changes and general weirdness that is abound within the pages, but by allowing myself to be carried along on the ride it all just worked. Dream London is a most refreshing and different novel, and one I heartily recommend.
April 15, 2017
While the initial premise was engaging and the world was incredibly interesting, eventually I just finished the book incredibly confused. The characters were witty and interesting, but ultimately I didn't care about Captain Jim Wedderburn - most of the parts I enjoyed were just him bantering with whoever was in range - but the plot? What? Ants? I feel like this was more a book that was trying to say something underneath what it actually said, some great metaphor about life, but I think I would have preferred something with an actual ending. It didn't feel resolved in any way - oh, and the episode with the monkeys made me put it down for a week, even though it was only 'suggested' - though I got from the final explosion that it was probably resolved, I wanted that confirming, as well of a load of other concrete, far too logical answers that the book was probably never going to give me. My overall reaction = what have I just read?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2013
Another weird-London entry. Not a hidden kind of weird; weird crawls out of the financial district and starts infecting the city, mutating everything and everybody. Our protagonist-not-hero is Captain Jim Wedderburn, charming rogue, or so he insists. It stops being believable around the third repetition.
The scenery is good, but this sort of thing can't survive on scenery alone. In fact the author has a whole mess of notions he's trying to stuff in: protest and poverty and stereotypes and sex work and social inequality (financial district, remember?) With a giant heaping dose of cynicism to wash it down. (Jim Wedderburn is a pimp.) It rapidly goes overdone, both too metaphorical and too blatant. Not successful.
The scenery is good, but this sort of thing can't survive on scenery alone. In fact the author has a whole mess of notions he's trying to stuff in: protest and poverty and stereotypes and sex work and social inequality (financial district, remember?) With a giant heaping dose of cynicism to wash it down. (Jim Wedderburn is a pimp.) It rapidly goes overdone, both too metaphorical and too blatant. Not successful.
Read
January 22, 2016I tried and tried I could not do it.
October 9, 2013
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Tony Ballantyne's Dream London is a delightfully gritty new weirdish urban fantasy book. It's one of the freshest and most exciting takes on urban fantasy I've had a pleasure to read, because it's a thrilling combination of science fiction, fantasy and new weird elements. It's a refreshingly original book that differs quite a lot from several other urban fantasy books.
I'm a bit difficult to please when it comes to urban fantasy. Urban fantasy can be fun to read, but normally too many urban fantasy books are boring and tend to recycle the same stories etc, so they're not my kind of books. Fortunately there are books like Dream London out there that feel like a breath of fresh air, because they differ from the normal urban fantasy books.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
Captain Jim Wedderburn is asked by the Cartel to find out what's going on in Dream London and why the places change every night. Soon things become even more interesting, because he is asked to work for the Daddio... This is the beginning of a weird story that will keep you turning pages until you've reached the last page.
Before I write anything else, it's good to say that if you thought that you knew everything about London, you can forget all the things you know, because this book offers you a totally new kind of vision of London. Things are different in Dream London, because it's a twisted and skewed version of the real London.
Tony Ballantyne draws the reader into the world of Dream London from the first chapter and keeps on delivering surprises and plot twists along the way. The journey towards the end is filled with memorable characters and unique visions of a different kind of London that is gradually changing shape.
The protagonist of Dream London is James "Jim" Wedderburn and the story is told from his point of view. He's a former soldier, an anti-hero and a pimp, and he also seems to be a good guy, so he's a complex character. He's handsome and women like him. He's clearly himself and doesn't try to be anything else. He has his own view of the world.
The other characters are wonderfully weird and memorable, which is nice, because they spice up the story. For example, Alphonse/Alan is an unforgettable character that will stick to the reader's mind. I'm sure that such things as the flowerboys, giant salamanders and other similar things will also be difficult to forget.
I have to mention separately that the foulmouthed child, Honey Peppers, was an unforgettable character. It isn't often that you have a chance to read about a six year old child who is as foulmouthed as Honey Peppers and isn't afraid of shouting obscenities to other people. I'm sure that everybody who reads this book won't be able to forget her.
I also liked reading about Mr. Monagan, because he was a frog man. He's one of the most interesting characters I've read about in urban fantasy books. I have to congratulate the author for being able to create such a diverse cast of characters.
I loved the weird and a bit unsettling atmosphere in this book (it hooked me fast). I also liked the grittiness very much, because it added a touch of realism to the otherwise surreal story. In my opinion the author easily creates the right kind of atmosphere and steadily builds the tension and weirdness as the climax approaches. I'm not going to write anything about the climax, but I can say that it's worth waiting for.
One of the best things about Dream London is that Tony Ballantyne manages to keep the story intriguing and knows how to move the story forward by revealing new things to the reader. His descriptions of the happenings are fluent and he even has a nice sarcastic edge to his prose.
What makes Dream London an especially interesting book is that Tony Ballantyne refers to real places and has changed them in an intriguing way. The buildings have suddenly grown taller and small and the park areas have also changed. The author has lots of imagination, because he has created a twisted version of London where places change at regular intervals (every night). Dream London changes people too, but not as fast as the buildings. The trees and flowers also change. The changing landscapes add fantastic strangeness to the storyline, because some areas prosper while others seem to fade away and decay.
Dream London reminded me slightly of the novels by China Miéville and Neil Gaiman. There were a few moments when Felix Gilman's Ararat books also came to my mind, but I have to mention that this book is totally different from them.
Dream London was the first book I read from Tony Ballantyne, but it won't be the last one. I intend to read his science fiction books, because I liked Dream London very much (it was refreshing and fun to read something totally different for a change). Based on this book I can say that Tony Ballantyne is a talented author who has plenty of imagination.
I have to mention that the cover art image by Joey Hi-Fi looks great. It's a perfect cover image for this book.
If you're looking for something different and are interested in urban fantasy and new weirdish books, Dream London will be of interest to you. It's a fast paced book that offers lots of entertainment. It can be recommended to both newcomers and experienced readers.
I can recommend Tony Ballantyne's Dream London to all readers who are interested in good urban fantasy and new weirdish fantasy, because it's an imaginative journey through new weirdish landscapes. This wildly imaginative urban fantasy book will captivate you with its weirdness.
Fascinating new weirdish urban fantasy!
Tony Ballantyne's Dream London is a delightfully gritty new weirdish urban fantasy book. It's one of the freshest and most exciting takes on urban fantasy I've had a pleasure to read, because it's a thrilling combination of science fiction, fantasy and new weird elements. It's a refreshingly original book that differs quite a lot from several other urban fantasy books.
I'm a bit difficult to please when it comes to urban fantasy. Urban fantasy can be fun to read, but normally too many urban fantasy books are boring and tend to recycle the same stories etc, so they're not my kind of books. Fortunately there are books like Dream London out there that feel like a breath of fresh air, because they differ from the normal urban fantasy books.
Here's a bit of information about the story:
Captain Jim Wedderburn is asked by the Cartel to find out what's going on in Dream London and why the places change every night. Soon things become even more interesting, because he is asked to work for the Daddio... This is the beginning of a weird story that will keep you turning pages until you've reached the last page.
Before I write anything else, it's good to say that if you thought that you knew everything about London, you can forget all the things you know, because this book offers you a totally new kind of vision of London. Things are different in Dream London, because it's a twisted and skewed version of the real London.
Tony Ballantyne draws the reader into the world of Dream London from the first chapter and keeps on delivering surprises and plot twists along the way. The journey towards the end is filled with memorable characters and unique visions of a different kind of London that is gradually changing shape.
The protagonist of Dream London is James "Jim" Wedderburn and the story is told from his point of view. He's a former soldier, an anti-hero and a pimp, and he also seems to be a good guy, so he's a complex character. He's handsome and women like him. He's clearly himself and doesn't try to be anything else. He has his own view of the world.
The other characters are wonderfully weird and memorable, which is nice, because they spice up the story. For example, Alphonse/Alan is an unforgettable character that will stick to the reader's mind. I'm sure that such things as the flowerboys, giant salamanders and other similar things will also be difficult to forget.
I have to mention separately that the foulmouthed child, Honey Peppers, was an unforgettable character. It isn't often that you have a chance to read about a six year old child who is as foulmouthed as Honey Peppers and isn't afraid of shouting obscenities to other people. I'm sure that everybody who reads this book won't be able to forget her.
I also liked reading about Mr. Monagan, because he was a frog man. He's one of the most interesting characters I've read about in urban fantasy books. I have to congratulate the author for being able to create such a diverse cast of characters.
I loved the weird and a bit unsettling atmosphere in this book (it hooked me fast). I also liked the grittiness very much, because it added a touch of realism to the otherwise surreal story. In my opinion the author easily creates the right kind of atmosphere and steadily builds the tension and weirdness as the climax approaches. I'm not going to write anything about the climax, but I can say that it's worth waiting for.
One of the best things about Dream London is that Tony Ballantyne manages to keep the story intriguing and knows how to move the story forward by revealing new things to the reader. His descriptions of the happenings are fluent and he even has a nice sarcastic edge to his prose.
What makes Dream London an especially interesting book is that Tony Ballantyne refers to real places and has changed them in an intriguing way. The buildings have suddenly grown taller and small and the park areas have also changed. The author has lots of imagination, because he has created a twisted version of London where places change at regular intervals (every night). Dream London changes people too, but not as fast as the buildings. The trees and flowers also change. The changing landscapes add fantastic strangeness to the storyline, because some areas prosper while others seem to fade away and decay.
Dream London reminded me slightly of the novels by China Miéville and Neil Gaiman. There were a few moments when Felix Gilman's Ararat books also came to my mind, but I have to mention that this book is totally different from them.
Dream London was the first book I read from Tony Ballantyne, but it won't be the last one. I intend to read his science fiction books, because I liked Dream London very much (it was refreshing and fun to read something totally different for a change). Based on this book I can say that Tony Ballantyne is a talented author who has plenty of imagination.
I have to mention that the cover art image by Joey Hi-Fi looks great. It's a perfect cover image for this book.
If you're looking for something different and are interested in urban fantasy and new weirdish books, Dream London will be of interest to you. It's a fast paced book that offers lots of entertainment. It can be recommended to both newcomers and experienced readers.
I can recommend Tony Ballantyne's Dream London to all readers who are interested in good urban fantasy and new weirdish fantasy, because it's an imaginative journey through new weirdish landscapes. This wildly imaginative urban fantasy book will captivate you with its weirdness.
Fascinating new weirdish urban fantasy!
June 3, 2018
A 'meh' read. I liked the idea the blurb sold but didn't like the execution.
January 13, 2015
The tone of this urban fantasy is set when Captain James Wedderburn wakes in a bedroom that is a slightly different shape than it was when he went to sleep (but you have to expect that in what London has become) to the sound of munching and sees two glowing salamanders eating a green beetle the size of a dinner plate on his bedroom floor. The fact that his first thought is that they would be worth quite a lot if he can move quickly enough to catch them tells you a lot about the kind of London this has become.
Captain Wedderburn is a a pimp, who swaggers his way through Dream London, trying to avoid various villains, including the mysterious Daddio and his strange emissary the foul mouthed six (and three quarters) Honey Peppers, and the fate they have in store for him, involving the manatees (or, more likely mandrills) in London Zoo, the machinations of the mysterious Cartel and Miss Elizabeth Baines who rescues cats and has been told he is her one true love. Further complications involve Mr Monagan, a man-sized orange frog, ants, various prophecies and the important of brass bands. And the problem of how to stop London changing beyond all possible recognition.
I loved it.
Captain Wedderburn is a a pimp, who swaggers his way through Dream London, trying to avoid various villains, including the mysterious Daddio and his strange emissary the foul mouthed six (and three quarters) Honey Peppers, and the fate they have in store for him, involving the manatees (or, more likely mandrills) in London Zoo, the machinations of the mysterious Cartel and Miss Elizabeth Baines who rescues cats and has been told he is her one true love. Further complications involve Mr Monagan, a man-sized orange frog, ants, various prophecies and the important of brass bands. And the problem of how to stop London changing beyond all possible recognition.
I loved it.
December 30, 2013
This is either a brilliant political commentary on how the politics of Reagan and Thatcher have dangerously disrupted the social fabric of the West or just a damn good story. Either way, I could not put down this tale of a slightly self-deluded hero attempting to prevent a near-future London from slipping out of our reality and into some other world that has unleashed all the baser instincts of mankind. And I do mean “man” kind as there is a heavy dose of heaving breasts, tight skirts and whoring aplenty. However, this is no misogynistic fantasy as it quickly becomes apparent that there are plenty of powerful women, homosexuals and androgynous types playing more important roles than the main protagonist.
Anyway, if you don’t mind the highly erotic and disgustingly violent backdrop, which is cleverly mitigated by distinctly British comic relief, this is a very original work that somehow never manages to be too silly. Only a slightly corny ending mars this otherwise thoroughly entertaining journey down the rabbit hole. Recommended.
Anyway, if you don’t mind the highly erotic and disgustingly violent backdrop, which is cleverly mitigated by distinctly British comic relief, this is a very original work that somehow never manages to be too silly. Only a slightly corny ending mars this otherwise thoroughly entertaining journey down the rabbit hole. Recommended.
February 22, 2016
Cool concept. I rounded down half a star instead of up because the relentlessly misogynistic world it's set in irked me. This is not to say the _author_ comes across that way - there were several strong and interesting women characters in the book - but the magic of the Faerie (or whatever) seems to have bent everything such that all men were forced to become bastards and all women whores. And while this is adequately explained by the story, which as I say I quite enjoyed, it still got tiring to read.
December 10, 2015
Trippy! You never know where it's going - I've never read anything like it that's for sure
March 17, 2024
An urban fantasy set in a version of London that has been warped by fey powers, with heavy political subtexts. As an adventure in its own right, it is comparable to Gaiman's Neverwhere -- entertaining enough but nothing you'll remember for long. The central protagonist is a drug-dealing pimp who likes to think of himself as a heroic type (and so becomes). Leading into some of the book's themes, his enemies are (with the exception of one foulmouthed little girl) all abstract and untouchable -- they cannot be found and punched in the face because they are more like market forces than antagonists.
The dressing on the book is of progressives fighting reactionary forces. However, once you get past the surface there is, amusingly, a clearly reactionary story here. Is there a strange collective intelligence at work in certain rich areas of London, which seems to be working against the interest of Londoners? Are they affecting the ethnic makeup of the city, and the relations between the sexes? Are they making it hard for ordinary people to get jobs? To buy houses to raise their families in? Do they have a vested interest in keeping everyone locked into thinking of themselves as individuals, disrupting any sense of a collective national or local identity? Do they try to undermine the foundations of mathematics? Are they constantly trying to change the language used in everyday life?
In the end, the major action that causes the downfall of Dream London is a marching band. Men and women and children, in uniform, marching along in unison to the sound of brass. They are supported for the most part by football hooligans. And this is no march for peace:
No, this is a paramilitary operation, a militia trained in secret, targeted at the major zones of control, the areas of London where strange inhuman intelligences are sitting on wealth and trying to dictate how normal people are allowed to talk and think, while they gradually open up the city to more and more dangerous foreign influences.
I'm not sure how much of this was conscious. The moral that we need to stop selling property to foreign investors was too prominently placed to be accidental, but some of the other reactionary elements may have been accidental, either caught up in a left-wing anti-establishment revolutionary sweep that wasn't taking care to exclude sympathy of the right, or various implications overlooked entirely by the author.
Highlights of the book, other than exoteric readings, include the foul-mouthed little girl who had the main character brutally raped in front of a jeering crowd, a somewhat amusing construct whereby people can't leave Dream London because the trains never work out, and the general concept that the London property market was exploited by an entirely non-sentient hive mind.
The dressing on the book is of progressives fighting reactionary forces. However, once you get past the surface there is, amusingly, a clearly reactionary story here. Is there a strange collective intelligence at work in certain rich areas of London, which seems to be working against the interest of Londoners? Are they affecting the ethnic makeup of the city, and the relations between the sexes? Are they making it hard for ordinary people to get jobs? To buy houses to raise their families in? Do they have a vested interest in keeping everyone locked into thinking of themselves as individuals, disrupting any sense of a collective national or local identity? Do they try to undermine the foundations of mathematics? Are they constantly trying to change the language used in everyday life?
In the end, the major action that causes the downfall of Dream London is a marching band. Men and women and children, in uniform, marching along in unison to the sound of brass. They are supported for the most part by football hooligans. And this is no march for peace:
"Look at them. They're happy to sing a song or hold a peaceful demonstration. That sort of thing never changes anything. That's just playing the game the way the people in charge want it played. They'll give you a pat on the head, tell you that you're a good little soldier for protesting peacefully, and then they'll just continue doing the same thing."
No, this is a paramilitary operation, a militia trained in secret, targeted at the major zones of control, the areas of London where strange inhuman intelligences are sitting on wealth and trying to dictate how normal people are allowed to talk and think, while they gradually open up the city to more and more dangerous foreign influences.
"But the thing is you see, if we don't march, then those things, those things that are worse than death will soon be in here with us. Those things will be living here, in Dream London."
I'm not sure how much of this was conscious. The moral that we need to stop selling property to foreign investors was too prominently placed to be accidental, but some of the other reactionary elements may have been accidental, either caught up in a left-wing anti-establishment revolutionary sweep that wasn't taking care to exclude sympathy of the right, or various implications overlooked entirely by the author.
Highlights of the book, other than exoteric readings, include the foul-mouthed little girl who had the main character brutally raped in front of a jeering crowd, a somewhat amusing construct whereby people can't leave Dream London because the trains never work out, and the general concept that the London property market was exploited by an entirely non-sentient hive mind.
August 14, 2019
The writing was fine, but there author made a lot of boring choices when it came to choosing how to change London into Dream London. In a book where Dream London literally warps reality so that buildings move and grow daily and an orange frog the size of a person comes to Dream London to learn how to be human, nearly every woman is a whore, a housewife, or a mother. He could have made literally any other decision (women transforming into trees, into statisticians, into anything really), and he chose that. Non-white characters are explicitly being reduced to stereotypes of their cultures. Further, the main character is a pimp who claims he isn't really, who naturally avoided dishonorable discharge for being involved with his commander's daughter, and who might be involved with underage girls. And he's presented as a hero/anti-hero of Dream London. Really?
May 6, 2018
Honestly, I'm not sure what I thought of this one. Extremely weird, with an unlikeable main character who turns out less unlikeable. I had this constant feeling of not liking where something seemed to be going, but then turning out to be wrong. So does that mean I liked it? At any rate, this was definitely one of the most original stories I have read.
January 18, 2020
I picked this book up from the library because it seemed like a really good premise, and for the most part, the world bulding was great. Where it fell flat was with the protagonist. Jim Wedderburn just isn't likeable at all, and I couldn't bring myself to root for him in any way. He's a dick, honestly and I hated the whole Elizabeth Baines subplot because it didn't add anything to the story and them getting together & his feelings for her came out of nowhere and felt like an undeserved reward for barely doing anything.
It seems like I'm really shitting on this book lol but it just felt like a bunch of plot points very precariously strung together with nothing really happening and no resolution. The world building was fantastic, as I said before, but you couldn't feel the stakes, or the rising urgency and need for Dream London to be destroyed. IMHO, it would have been much more interesting if the story was from Bill's perspective because of the effect Dream London was having on her-the prostitution, her having only three weeks until the changes became permanent and she became another prostitute in another brothel. Or even Anna-the teenager who is determined to change things back because she sees the effect the changes are having. The way women are written in this book was horribly degrading and I think that might have taken me out of it too, like Jim refusing to believe he's a pimp even when Bill confronts him about it and the whole 'I give my girls candy though!' and this whole exchange made my skin crawl.
Plus the whole thing where maids were dressed as porno fantasies and the waitresses in Angel tower were dressed entirely for the visual gratification of the men who worked there was disgusting.
It just seemed that the story could have been much more engaging if it was told from the perspective of ANYONE other than Jim, especially because I felt like he didn't try to change himself, to become a better person even though he's fully aware of how horrible he is and admits it several times. He doesn't redeem himself at all and the only reason I finished the book was because I wanted to know how they'd bring back modern London, and not because I particularly cared about the characters.
Honey Pepper's was fantastic though.
It seems like I'm really shitting on this book lol but it just felt like a bunch of plot points very precariously strung together with nothing really happening and no resolution. The world building was fantastic, as I said before, but you couldn't feel the stakes, or the rising urgency and need for Dream London to be destroyed. IMHO, it would have been much more interesting if the story was from Bill's perspective because of the effect Dream London was having on her-the prostitution, her having only three weeks until the changes became permanent and she became another prostitute in another brothel. Or even Anna-the teenager who is determined to change things back because she sees the effect the changes are having. The way women are written in this book was horribly degrading and I think that might have taken me out of it too, like Jim refusing to believe he's a pimp even when Bill confronts him about it and the whole 'I give my girls candy though!' and this whole exchange made my skin crawl.
Plus the whole thing where maids were dressed as porno fantasies and the waitresses in Angel tower were dressed entirely for the visual gratification of the men who worked there was disgusting.
It just seemed that the story could have been much more engaging if it was told from the perspective of ANYONE other than Jim, especially because I felt like he didn't try to change himself, to become a better person even though he's fully aware of how horrible he is and admits it several times. He doesn't redeem himself at all and the only reason I finished the book was because I wanted to know how they'd bring back modern London, and not because I particularly cared about the characters.
Honey Pepper's was fantastic though.
October 3, 2014
There seems to be a new emerging sub-genre - “saving modern London from magic attack” - which has mushroomed recently. In just the past year I’ve read several of Kate Griffin’s light-hearted Matthew Swift and Magicals Anonymous series, the first two of Paul Cornell’s blood and grit James Quill books, most of Ben Aaranovich’s increasingly dark Rivers of London series, and China Mieville’s excellent and unique Kraken.
Tony Ballantyne (whom I count as one of the most innovative and imaginative science fiction writers working today) has given us his own take on the genre: Dream London. The twist here is that instead of battling to stop London being overcome by magic, the book is set inside a London that has already succumbed.
The somewhat unloveable Captain James Wedderburn, nominal hero of the book, is an army captain who returned from Afghanistan at just about the time London started to change in mysterious ways. Working as a pimp and generally nasty character, Captain Jim is slowly and reluctantly drawn into the resistance against whatever forces are corrupting the city to their own ends.
Ballantyne’s depiction of how the changes affect not just the architecture and fabric of the city, but the minds and behaviour of the residents, is both clever and chilling, although I do find the descriptions and tone somewhat reminiscent of the 1998 film Dark City. Residents past or present of the real London will get the most out of ‘the changes’, but even those who don’t know the city well will pick up on the horror and weirdness.
There are some clever characters (the psychotic child Honey Peppers, proxy of the mysterious Daddio) and amusing descriptions (Ballantyne - who himself plays the accordion - likens them to evil insects with glistening carapaces and mysterious innards), and quite possibly some important comments about modern life and society as well.
I struggled to like any of the characters (which I think may be the point) - for the most part they were unsuccessfully battling their character flaws, resigned to their own fate, or simply revelling in being nasty. For me therefore Dream London does suffer a little from not being able to draw on the readers’ sympathy. Nevertheless, the pace was good and the intriguing story kept me happy until the end.
In terms of sheer imagination and weirdness, Dream London stands above the other books in my loose category of “magic in London”, with the possible exception of the brilliant and inimitible Kraken by Mieville. Therefore, well worth a read if you enjoy a bit of fantasy on familiar territory.
Tony Ballantyne (whom I count as one of the most innovative and imaginative science fiction writers working today) has given us his own take on the genre: Dream London. The twist here is that instead of battling to stop London being overcome by magic, the book is set inside a London that has already succumbed.
The somewhat unloveable Captain James Wedderburn, nominal hero of the book, is an army captain who returned from Afghanistan at just about the time London started to change in mysterious ways. Working as a pimp and generally nasty character, Captain Jim is slowly and reluctantly drawn into the resistance against whatever forces are corrupting the city to their own ends.
Ballantyne’s depiction of how the changes affect not just the architecture and fabric of the city, but the minds and behaviour of the residents, is both clever and chilling, although I do find the descriptions and tone somewhat reminiscent of the 1998 film Dark City. Residents past or present of the real London will get the most out of ‘the changes’, but even those who don’t know the city well will pick up on the horror and weirdness.
There are some clever characters (the psychotic child Honey Peppers, proxy of the mysterious Daddio) and amusing descriptions (Ballantyne - who himself plays the accordion - likens them to evil insects with glistening carapaces and mysterious innards), and quite possibly some important comments about modern life and society as well.
I struggled to like any of the characters (which I think may be the point) - for the most part they were unsuccessfully battling their character flaws, resigned to their own fate, or simply revelling in being nasty. For me therefore Dream London does suffer a little from not being able to draw on the readers’ sympathy. Nevertheless, the pace was good and the intriguing story kept me happy until the end.
In terms of sheer imagination and weirdness, Dream London stands above the other books in my loose category of “magic in London”, with the possible exception of the brilliant and inimitible Kraken by Mieville. Therefore, well worth a read if you enjoy a bit of fantasy on familiar territory.
November 25, 2013
Thanks to author/editor Tim Marquitz, I have recently become a huge fan of Urban Fantasy. In case you don’t recall, Tim was the editor of Angelic Knight Press’s book MANIFESTO UF. I had read UF before, but I didn’t really fall in love with it until the publication of Tim’s book. This is partly what drew me to DREAM LONDON, the latest release of author Tony Ballantyne. And I’m sure glad it did; this book is chocked full of quirky characters and amazing landscapes, a true cult classic in the making.
I didn’t really know what to expect before I started reading this one. I had a vague synopsis, but it did nothing to prepare me for what was to come. This book took me by surprise, and that is certainly not a bad thing.
DREAM LONDON is written well, with smooth prose and flowing dialogue. I particularly enjoy how it is written in a first-person perspective. It is this, as well as Ballantyne’s frequent use of dialogue to move the story along that I like most about his writing. He does not overdo descriptive narratives but instead lets his characters convey the pertinent information the reader needs.
But the other true winner of DREAM LONDON is the story itself. Vast in scope and perfect in its execution, this book will mesmerize readers from the first page. I was sad to see the book end, however I could certainly see myself revisiting its pages in the future.
The world that Ballantyne creates is fantastic but very believable. And the concept behind his world creation is nothing short of brilliant. I can honestly say that I’ve never read a book quite like this one.
DREAM LONDON is a major win from a major talent. I have not read any of Ballantyne’s other works, but I will certainly do so now. This book is available now in a variety of formats so give it a look.
I didn’t really know what to expect before I started reading this one. I had a vague synopsis, but it did nothing to prepare me for what was to come. This book took me by surprise, and that is certainly not a bad thing.
DREAM LONDON is written well, with smooth prose and flowing dialogue. I particularly enjoy how it is written in a first-person perspective. It is this, as well as Ballantyne’s frequent use of dialogue to move the story along that I like most about his writing. He does not overdo descriptive narratives but instead lets his characters convey the pertinent information the reader needs.
But the other true winner of DREAM LONDON is the story itself. Vast in scope and perfect in its execution, this book will mesmerize readers from the first page. I was sad to see the book end, however I could certainly see myself revisiting its pages in the future.
The world that Ballantyne creates is fantastic but very believable. And the concept behind his world creation is nothing short of brilliant. I can honestly say that I’ve never read a book quite like this one.
DREAM LONDON is a major win from a major talent. I have not read any of Ballantyne’s other works, but I will certainly do so now. This book is available now in a variety of formats so give it a look.
October 20, 2015
Tony Ballantyne brings us a rather unusual tale in his urban oddity, Dream London. Here, we enter a world where the famed city is no longer recognizable, as every night, the city changes, houses and buildings growing and twisting, the streets moving into new formations, and every day people wake up a little different. Here, ex-soldier Captain Jim Wedderburn, the young strapping rogue of Belltower End, fights to keep hold of his own little empire, overseeing a ring of prostitutes and drug trafficking. However, this strange new world seems to have a plan of its own for our silver-tongued gentleman, as multiple factions approach him, either urging him to join their ranks, or avoid the resistance at all costs. Not one to be threatened, Jim Wedderburn will soon have his hands full as not only the people, but the very city, seek to thwart his attempts to find out who is responsible for the warping of everything he's ever known. Leading up to a final battle of otherworldly proportions, he will soon learn that circumstances are what you make of them, and that destiny is unavoidable.
I have to say, I was on the fence for this book the entire time. While it starts out straightforward enough, you soon start getting into more and more oddities that make the book one big convoluted mass of sci-fi fantasy weirdness. While the core of the book was solid, there was quite a bit of randomness going on which doesn't get explained at all. There was also a lot of build-up for what turned out to be a rather lack-luster ending. While I stick by my 3 stars, I will probably pass on the second book.
I have to say, I was on the fence for this book the entire time. While it starts out straightforward enough, you soon start getting into more and more oddities that make the book one big convoluted mass of sci-fi fantasy weirdness. While the core of the book was solid, there was quite a bit of randomness going on which doesn't get explained at all. There was also a lot of build-up for what turned out to be a rather lack-luster ending. While I stick by my 3 stars, I will probably pass on the second book.
April 25, 2016
Honestly, part of me wonders why I gave this four instead of three stars. I hadn't considered the rating I was going to give the book whilst I was reading it, and when it came down to it, four stars is what developed. I think if there was an option, I would put it at three and a half. I have mixed feelings on this book, but overall a favorable impression,
At first, the book mildly intrigued me with its bizarre atmosphere and later annoyed me with its overabundance of repetition. I almost felt like it was becoming a drinking game. When I stuck in there, I realized that the repetition wasn't accidental and actually made sense in the scope of things, even if it still felt a bit annoying. I also started to like how utterly awful a person the protagonist was. I mean, not just surface awful, but really, thoroughly horrendous. I appreciated how difficult for the author it must have been to write that and still make the reader somewhat care about what was happening.
I almost wish I had been warned about the squick, though. I was kind of in shock for about ten minutes afterward. I couldn't even put the book down because I was too traumatized to move. So, somehow it's just funny to me now, but at the time, not so much. I suppose the way that it's dealt with sort of softens the squick factor, but still.
This was an odd piece of fiction, but mostly concise and a bit refreshingly different.
At first, the book mildly intrigued me with its bizarre atmosphere and later annoyed me with its overabundance of repetition. I almost felt like it was becoming a drinking game. When I stuck in there, I realized that the repetition wasn't accidental and actually made sense in the scope of things, even if it still felt a bit annoying. I also started to like how utterly awful a person the protagonist was. I mean, not just surface awful, but really, thoroughly horrendous. I appreciated how difficult for the author it must have been to write that and still make the reader somewhat care about what was happening.
I almost wish I had been warned about the squick, though. I was kind of in shock for about ten minutes afterward. I couldn't even put the book down because I was too traumatized to move. So, somehow it's just funny to me now, but at the time, not so much. I suppose the way that it's dealt with sort of softens the squick factor, but still.
This was an odd piece of fiction, but mostly concise and a bit refreshingly different.
December 3, 2013
Antihero (n): Protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, such as nobility of mind or spirit.
Tony Ballantyne’s Dream London opens with a stunner of a first chapter. Captain Jim Wedderburn awakens in his room to find two fiery salamanders munching on a green beetle the size of a dinner plate. It only gets stranger from there, as he confronts a business rival (Wedderburn is a pimp); bumps into his old girlfriend who hands him a scroll with his fortune on it; and meets a stranger who offers him a job. The first line on the fortune scroll reads, “You will meet a stranger…”
Captain Jim, who also goes by “James,” lives in Dream London. Original, mundane London has changed. Different dimensions now intrude into the city’s reality. Buildings disappear, train tracks and rivers shift, entire neighborhoods change. Whatever is causing the strange... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Tony Ballantyne’s Dream London opens with a stunner of a first chapter. Captain Jim Wedderburn awakens in his room to find two fiery salamanders munching on a green beetle the size of a dinner plate. It only gets stranger from there, as he confronts a business rival (Wedderburn is a pimp); bumps into his old girlfriend who hands him a scroll with his fortune on it; and meets a stranger who offers him a job. The first line on the fortune scroll reads, “You will meet a stranger…”
Captain Jim, who also goes by “James,” lives in Dream London. Original, mundane London has changed. Different dimensions now intrude into the city’s reality. Buildings disappear, train tracks and rivers shift, entire neighborhoods change. Whatever is causing the strange... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
July 22, 2015
3.5 stars
So, this is a bizarre book, with a lot of different elements influencing it. The lead character is being led around by his, um, nose and doesn't generally know what is really going on. The action sort of meanders and changes like a dream sequence can, so if you need things to make concrete sense, steer clear. But this is different than most UF/Sci Fi, so if you are looking to change things up, try it out. I enjoyed it. There were times when I got a bit frustrated with the unknown and sometimes silly nonsense, and there is a lot of T&A (how else do you confuse the masses, but by throwing sex and drugs at them) so go in knowing women are thrown back into the oldest profession.
Whether all this is commentary or allegory? I don't know but it was entertaining, my lead character grew up a bit and even though we follow a male lead, I would have to argue a couple of the side lady characters were either the most interesting characters or true heroes in this story. :)
So, this is a bizarre book, with a lot of different elements influencing it. The lead character is being led around by his, um, nose and doesn't generally know what is really going on. The action sort of meanders and changes like a dream sequence can, so if you need things to make concrete sense, steer clear. But this is different than most UF/Sci Fi, so if you are looking to change things up, try it out. I enjoyed it. There were times when I got a bit frustrated with the unknown and sometimes silly nonsense, and there is a lot of T&A (how else do you confuse the masses, but by throwing sex and drugs at them) so go in knowing women are thrown back into the oldest profession.
Whether all this is commentary or allegory? I don't know but it was entertaining, my lead character grew up a bit and even though we follow a male lead, I would have to argue a couple of the side lady characters were either the most interesting characters or true heroes in this story. :)
September 19, 2016
Has a great premise, a lot of very interesting characters (Honey Peppers and Mr Monagan), and is definitely completed with elements that are absent in the mainstream line of pop cultures. It'd be very bold if a movie director decided to make a movie based on this novel, because those elements that I meant was the non-vague vulnerability of the main character (Captain James Wedderburn), because of him being exposed blatantly in a very opposing manner to his 'natural' role of a protagonist. Hence a definite trigger in expanding my imagination, it reminded me a lot of Alice in Wonderland with more Sci-Fi than abstract fantasy, definitely a book worth reading. Although I was a bit skeptical at first because I only read this book in order to read its sequel (Dream Paris), but I was definitely surprised that I found it very entertaining along the way and it has a very, very interesting ending.
P.S. Definitely not a book for a feminist hahaha.
P.S. Definitely not a book for a feminist hahaha.
September 28, 2013
Dream London is about as perfect a mix of gritty, far fetched sci-fi fantasy and sleaze as I’ve found to date, Ballantyne has penned what, by every right, should go down as a classic, from the lead character through to the smallest part being played every one is memorable and has a part to play in the intrigue at hand. The very liberal use of the background and nods to old fashioned stereotypes hit their mark to a tee. It took a few chapters to really pick up speed and get through to what was promised in the initial set up but once there, absolutely brilliant, as far as I’m concerned a flawless piece of fiction if ever I’ve seen one. Spot on.
March 17, 2016
Honestly, I was very meh about the whole thing, which is sad because it sounded like a cool concept. I guess I should have known from the "charming ladies' man blah blah blah" on the back of the book. The world was strange, but the strangeness seemed to be all over the place instead of following one, even weirdly logical vein.
But what really lost it for me was the "whatever is going on here forces every one of their gender into a stereotype," and then that freaking scene in the lunchroom with the oysters. If it was meant to be satire, I couldn't get a hold of it. Not even wanting to know about the people with eyes on their tongues could keep me around after that.
But what really lost it for me was the "whatever is going on here forces every one of their gender into a stereotype," and then that freaking scene in the lunchroom with the oysters. If it was meant to be satire, I couldn't get a hold of it. Not even wanting to know about the people with eyes on their tongues could keep me around after that.
February 16, 2016
Original and dark enough to satisfy. Plus, i'm a sucker for anything set in London. I know everyone knows the feeling you get when you're reading a book and it just feels like it has everything you want from a book at that time. This book was that for me this past month. I've already begun the next book in this series, Dream Paris
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