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The Song of Immaru: Earth's Door
“But in some way, my goal is the same as your goal. Noble—and eternal. What you must understand is that without the darkness”—he began to lift his phial, and a fiery tumult swirled inside—“there . . . is . . . no . . . light.”
The vast plains of South Dakota offer Tarin solace from both his dreams of an unknown past and the rumblings of a new global war. Yet a haunting melody plays over the stillness of the grasslands, a melody he cannot escape—one that seems hungry to force him to . . . remember.
When a stranger dressed like a medieval traveler enters town, the already nervous community responds with alarm. Is this man there to cause trouble like the other newcomers—those who claim to be part of a government organization observing a new illness in the area? And how does this man know Tarin when Tarin has no recollection of him?
As the threat of war draws closer and strange sightings appear in the sky, Tarin begins to discover that all on the planet is not what it seems. What have his dreams been telling him? Is there more to the universe—to reality—than he could have ever imagined?
The vast plains of South Dakota offer Tarin solace from both his dreams of an unknown past and the rumblings of a new global war. Yet a haunting melody plays over the stillness of the grasslands, a melody he cannot escape—one that seems hungry to force him to . . . remember.
When a stranger dressed like a medieval traveler enters town, the already nervous community responds with alarm. Is this man there to cause trouble like the other newcomers—those who claim to be part of a government organization observing a new illness in the area? And how does this man know Tarin when Tarin has no recollection of him?
As the threat of war draws closer and strange sightings appear in the sky, Tarin begins to discover that all on the planet is not what it seems. What have his dreams been telling him? Is there more to the universe—to reality—than he could have ever imagined?
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
522 pages, Hardcover
Published October 29, 2024
About the author
PJ Dudek
1 book89 followersPJ Dudek has lived in Northeast Ohio his whole life. Despite being a major fan of the state, he is also inspired by the beauty of the larger world beyond the Ohio River and Great Lakes. Writing provides him a way to share his appreciation for these settings within his favorite literary genres–sci-fi and fantasy. He currently lives with his wife and three children surrounded by woods and farmland not far from where he grew up.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 9, 2024
Got a copy in advance from NetGalley, so thank you!
In the theatre you have suspend your disbelief. A good actor will make you forget about this. A bad one will remind you at every turn. This book unfortunately felt like the latter. The characters weren't having a dynamic conversation between them, but it was the author having a conversation with themselves. All I could think while reading this was: This is not how people talk. It made the characters feel like cardboard, with Tarin being the most egregious example.
The writing is fine for the most part (other than conversations). Descriptions were enough to get a general sense of the scene. I will say there's a couple of odd descriptions of characters, particularly women. Abigail seems to be the worst example of this. She is described as 'very pretty, even if a tad plain, but somehow that made her seem more approachable'. The writing in the book is the strongest part.
I don't have much to say about the story. It's been told before and it's been told better. The issue with telling a story that's already been told is that the only way to stand out is excellence. Something about your book needs to be phenomenal to not get lost in the sea of mediocre facsimiles. This book, in my opinion, does not have that.
In conclusion, I don't think you will leave this book thinking it's the greatest thing you've ever read, but you can definitely do a lot worse than this one. I really wish I saw in this what everyone else seems to see. That said, I do think the author should keep writing, as I do see the potential. I just don't think this is the one.
In the theatre you have suspend your disbelief. A good actor will make you forget about this. A bad one will remind you at every turn. This book unfortunately felt like the latter. The characters weren't having a dynamic conversation between them, but it was the author having a conversation with themselves. All I could think while reading this was: This is not how people talk. It made the characters feel like cardboard, with Tarin being the most egregious example.
The writing is fine for the most part (other than conversations). Descriptions were enough to get a general sense of the scene. I will say there's a couple of odd descriptions of characters, particularly women. Abigail seems to be the worst example of this. She is described as 'very pretty, even if a tad plain, but somehow that made her seem more approachable'. The writing in the book is the strongest part.
I don't have much to say about the story. It's been told before and it's been told better. The issue with telling a story that's already been told is that the only way to stand out is excellence. Something about your book needs to be phenomenal to not get lost in the sea of mediocre facsimiles. This book, in my opinion, does not have that.
In conclusion, I don't think you will leave this book thinking it's the greatest thing you've ever read, but you can definitely do a lot worse than this one. I really wish I saw in this what everyone else seems to see. That said, I do think the author should keep writing, as I do see the potential. I just don't think this is the one.
April 22, 2025
I was asked to read this book by the author for a review. I enjoyed it! It’s an original and fun story, spanning multiple worlds and full of dynamic characters. It’s a story that reveals itself over time, making the world bigger and bigger as you go along.
A stranger dressed in a medieval outfit shows up at Tarin’s neighborhood bar asking for him. The stranger, Gil, reveals he’s already been to Tarin’s house and met with his friends. As the night goes on, Gil tells Tarin he’s from his home planet and traveled to Earth through the same portal Tarin came through years ago. It’s now up to Tarin to save Earth and his home planet, Immaru, from the impending world war and malevolent forces who’ve come to Earth to gain power.
Like I said above, the book reveals itself as you get farther into it. A lot of it is confusing, but it’s that way on purpose. The characters are also confused, but by the end, everything is clear. I really enjoyed the journey Tarin, his friends, and the emissaries from Immaru go on. Every time they think they’ve figured something out, more is revealed. Writing the book this way kept me guessing and interested. It’s a fun, quick science fiction/fantasy read.
A stranger dressed in a medieval outfit shows up at Tarin’s neighborhood bar asking for him. The stranger, Gil, reveals he’s already been to Tarin’s house and met with his friends. As the night goes on, Gil tells Tarin he’s from his home planet and traveled to Earth through the same portal Tarin came through years ago. It’s now up to Tarin to save Earth and his home planet, Immaru, from the impending world war and malevolent forces who’ve come to Earth to gain power.
Like I said above, the book reveals itself as you get farther into it. A lot of it is confusing, but it’s that way on purpose. The characters are also confused, but by the end, everything is clear. I really enjoyed the journey Tarin, his friends, and the emissaries from Immaru go on. Every time they think they’ve figured something out, more is revealed. Writing the book this way kept me guessing and interested. It’s a fun, quick science fiction/fantasy read.
October 29, 2024
I can’t say enough great things about “Earth’s Door: The Song of Immaru” by PJ Dudek! It definitely made my top 3 list for 2024, and I can totally see it becoming a best seller!
Set 100 years in the future, in a sort of dystopian setting, it follows the story of Tarin, and his troubled past. Much of his past he can’t even remember, which has caused further problems for him. One night at Old Cotton’s Bar, he meets a stranger named Gil, who knows Tarin, but Tarin has no recollection of. Could Gil really have answers to Tarin’s past?
For Tarin, life on earth is not all it seems anymore. Strange sightings in the sky, much of the world on the brink of war- Is there more out there than he can see? Tarin will have to face the ultimate battle between good and evil, but is he strong enough to withstand the memories he’s shut out?
If you’re a fan of Dune, Star Wars, Brandon Sanderson novels, or The circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker you will LOVE this book! The world building was magnificent, the characters were so relatable and lovable, and it had the perfect balance of action and real life friendships.
I especially loved that this is a book I could easily share with my teenagers! There was no swearing, and no spicy content. You get to read about Tarin growing as a person and facing very uncomfortable challenges from his past. There’s a very obvious good versus evil theme going throughout much of the book, which I thought was very well done! I cant wait to read book 2!
I rate this book as 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a free copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion.
Set 100 years in the future, in a sort of dystopian setting, it follows the story of Tarin, and his troubled past. Much of his past he can’t even remember, which has caused further problems for him. One night at Old Cotton’s Bar, he meets a stranger named Gil, who knows Tarin, but Tarin has no recollection of. Could Gil really have answers to Tarin’s past?
For Tarin, life on earth is not all it seems anymore. Strange sightings in the sky, much of the world on the brink of war- Is there more out there than he can see? Tarin will have to face the ultimate battle between good and evil, but is he strong enough to withstand the memories he’s shut out?
If you’re a fan of Dune, Star Wars, Brandon Sanderson novels, or The circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker you will LOVE this book! The world building was magnificent, the characters were so relatable and lovable, and it had the perfect balance of action and real life friendships.
I especially loved that this is a book I could easily share with my teenagers! There was no swearing, and no spicy content. You get to read about Tarin growing as a person and facing very uncomfortable challenges from his past. There’s a very obvious good versus evil theme going throughout much of the book, which I thought was very well done! I cant wait to read book 2!
I rate this book as 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a free copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion.
April 9, 2025
Well written
As I was getting closer to the end of this book, I thought it could be a stand-alone novel, since those novels don’t necessarily need to address everything. Yet, there was also the possibility that it could be a series, which is what it turned out to be. I don’t know if I will read later books in the series, but I would rate it 3 1/2 stars. I connected somewhat with the characters, but not enough that I would definitely read more. Interestingly, I would not have chosen to read it based on the cover illustration, but the story description caught my interest.
I thought it was well-written, but there were a few descriptions that made me pause, such as describing a woman as pretty but plain - and that making her more attractive. It isn’t good when the writing does something to throw you out of the story too much, but that only happened a couple other times, so it seemed fine.
The story takes place in the future where they have flying cars, universal basic income, an alcohol allowance, holographic television, an AI controlling much of the world, etc. Tarin, the main character, begins with three friends who are very important to him and help him, and he gains some additional friends as the story continues. They play a game that seems similar to Magic the Gathering, which amused me. The characters have depth and their own problems. The story includes UFOs of various shapes and different types of aliens, as if it was covering most of the different types of sightings that have been reported in our time.
I received this book for free.
As I was getting closer to the end of this book, I thought it could be a stand-alone novel, since those novels don’t necessarily need to address everything. Yet, there was also the possibility that it could be a series, which is what it turned out to be. I don’t know if I will read later books in the series, but I would rate it 3 1/2 stars. I connected somewhat with the characters, but not enough that I would definitely read more. Interestingly, I would not have chosen to read it based on the cover illustration, but the story description caught my interest.
I thought it was well-written, but there were a few descriptions that made me pause, such as describing a woman as pretty but plain - and that making her more attractive. It isn’t good when the writing does something to throw you out of the story too much, but that only happened a couple other times, so it seemed fine.
The story takes place in the future where they have flying cars, universal basic income, an alcohol allowance, holographic television, an AI controlling much of the world, etc. Tarin, the main character, begins with three friends who are very important to him and help him, and he gains some additional friends as the story continues. They play a game that seems similar to Magic the Gathering, which amused me. The characters have depth and their own problems. The story includes UFOs of various shapes and different types of aliens, as if it was covering most of the different types of sightings that have been reported in our time.
I received this book for free.
July 13, 2024
Thanks to the author for providing me an early beta read copy of the book.
Earth’s Door is a must read! One of my favorite things about this book was the value and importance placed on friendship. To see the characters come together when they needed each other most reminded me of the strong bonds I cherish with my own friends. I also appreciated the growth of the characters, from regular people who rose to the occasion not to be “somebody” but to protect and save those they loved. The characters are real, raw, and relatable. They feel like broken people in a world just trying to find hope and healing…just like the rest of us. It’s a true underdog story to overcome fears or doubts to be there for loved ones - something I think we can all relate to at least in some point of our lives. PJ Dudek does a great job of making you feel like you’re with the characters right there along in the crazy fun adventure. A true POV for those who love that sort of thing.
The author is able to beautifully intertwine points of realistic science fiction with the infinite imagination of fantasy to create both a thrilling and compelling story. They say every good story has a little bit of the truth a healthy dose of exaggeration. He certainly got this formula right in Earth’s Door. The book reminds us that no matter how dark the world can get, there will always be hope to keep us going. It’s a rollercoaster ride of suspense and emotion - once you start reading you won’t want to stop!
Earth’s Door is a must read! One of my favorite things about this book was the value and importance placed on friendship. To see the characters come together when they needed each other most reminded me of the strong bonds I cherish with my own friends. I also appreciated the growth of the characters, from regular people who rose to the occasion not to be “somebody” but to protect and save those they loved. The characters are real, raw, and relatable. They feel like broken people in a world just trying to find hope and healing…just like the rest of us. It’s a true underdog story to overcome fears or doubts to be there for loved ones - something I think we can all relate to at least in some point of our lives. PJ Dudek does a great job of making you feel like you’re with the characters right there along in the crazy fun adventure. A true POV for those who love that sort of thing.
The author is able to beautifully intertwine points of realistic science fiction with the infinite imagination of fantasy to create both a thrilling and compelling story. They say every good story has a little bit of the truth a healthy dose of exaggeration. He certainly got this formula right in Earth’s Door. The book reminds us that no matter how dark the world can get, there will always be hope to keep us going. It’s a rollercoaster ride of suspense and emotion - once you start reading you won’t want to stop!
August 19, 2024
Get ready to have your mind blown, bookworms! 🤯📚
"The Song of Immaru" by P.J. Dudek is serving major dream-hopping, world-jumping realness! It's like "Inception" had a baby with "Game of Thrones" and raised it on a South Dakota ranch. Talk about a genre-bending glow-up! 💫
Meet Tarin, our boy who's living that ranch life while his brain's out here playing medieval battle royale in dreamland. Just when you think he's peaked on the weird-o-meter, in rolls Gil, dropping truth bombs about alternate worlds. Cue the identity crisis! 🤠➡️🗡️
Dudek's writing? Chef's kiss, honey! 🤌 This author paints pictures with words so vivid, you'll be checking your closet for portals to Arvalast. The dialogue? Spicier than your abuela's salsa. And the atmosphere? Thicker than a bowl of oatmeal, whether we're chillin' on the ranch or ducking dark forces.
Fair warning: this book will have you questioning reality faster than a TikTok conspiracy theory. It's a whole mood board of psychological thrills, fantasy vibes, and "who am I really?" energy.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
"The Song of Immaru" by P.J. Dudek is serving major dream-hopping, world-jumping realness! It's like "Inception" had a baby with "Game of Thrones" and raised it on a South Dakota ranch. Talk about a genre-bending glow-up! 💫
Meet Tarin, our boy who's living that ranch life while his brain's out here playing medieval battle royale in dreamland. Just when you think he's peaked on the weird-o-meter, in rolls Gil, dropping truth bombs about alternate worlds. Cue the identity crisis! 🤠➡️🗡️
Dudek's writing? Chef's kiss, honey! 🤌 This author paints pictures with words so vivid, you'll be checking your closet for portals to Arvalast. The dialogue? Spicier than your abuela's salsa. And the atmosphere? Thicker than a bowl of oatmeal, whether we're chillin' on the ranch or ducking dark forces.
Fair warning: this book will have you questioning reality faster than a TikTok conspiracy theory. It's a whole mood board of psychological thrills, fantasy vibes, and "who am I really?" energy.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 15, 2025
Thank you to Ballast Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book is intended to be the start of a new series, however it can also be read as a standalone!
Overall I really enjoyed this book! At no point did I know what was coming next and I couldn’t put it down! While Tarin was the main focus of this book, and his POV was the main one used, there were a few others included as well. These helped to add depth and further layers to the story along with keeping the reader intrigued to see how everything will come together.
I would definitely recommend this book for sci-fi lovers AND potentially fantasy lovers who want to dip their toes into a more sci-fi story. It includes some typical facets of “in the near future” sci-fi, including fly cars and holograms. However, this is not the main focus of the story, which is more centered around aliens and other worlds, making the story more unique.
The physical size of this book is incredibly deceptive: it’s the size of most of my 300 page books, however it is over 500! This isn’t really a critique, I just found it interesting.
Overall I really enjoyed this book! At no point did I know what was coming next and I couldn’t put it down! While Tarin was the main focus of this book, and his POV was the main one used, there were a few others included as well. These helped to add depth and further layers to the story along with keeping the reader intrigued to see how everything will come together.
I would definitely recommend this book for sci-fi lovers AND potentially fantasy lovers who want to dip their toes into a more sci-fi story. It includes some typical facets of “in the near future” sci-fi, including fly cars and holograms. However, this is not the main focus of the story, which is more centered around aliens and other worlds, making the story more unique.
The physical size of this book is incredibly deceptive: it’s the size of most of my 300 page books, however it is over 500! This isn’t really a critique, I just found it interesting.
July 11, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced copy!
Set against the backdrop of both a fantastical past and a tumultuous present, "The Song of Immaru" follows Tarin, a young man haunted by vivid dreams and a troubled past, who discovers that his nightmares might be more than mere figments of his imagination. As he navigates a life filled with ordinary challenges—like his job at a ranch and his battle with alcoholism—the line between reality and dreams blurs, unveiling secrets that could change the course of his life.
I really enjoyed Dudek's writing and the way he bridged the gap between the fantastical and the everyday. As I was reading, I was eager to keep turning pages because of the way the story gradually unfolds. The length of the book felt daunting at the start, but actually reading through was a fun experience. I appreciated that the main character, Tarin, wasn't the picture-perfect hero but had really relatable struggles. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it to other fans of this genre.
Set against the backdrop of both a fantastical past and a tumultuous present, "The Song of Immaru" follows Tarin, a young man haunted by vivid dreams and a troubled past, who discovers that his nightmares might be more than mere figments of his imagination. As he navigates a life filled with ordinary challenges—like his job at a ranch and his battle with alcoholism—the line between reality and dreams blurs, unveiling secrets that could change the course of his life.
I really enjoyed Dudek's writing and the way he bridged the gap between the fantastical and the everyday. As I was reading, I was eager to keep turning pages because of the way the story gradually unfolds. The length of the book felt daunting at the start, but actually reading through was a fun experience. I appreciated that the main character, Tarin, wasn't the picture-perfect hero but had really relatable struggles. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it to other fans of this genre.
September 6, 2024
The Song of Immaru: Earth’s Door is a sci-fantasy treat from start to finish. I was able to beta read this book prior to its release and enjoyed it immensely.
As a lover of science fiction, fantasy and psychological thrillers, this story appealed to me greatly on many levels. First, the characters were well-developed, relatable and differentiated throughout. Second, the themes of the story seemed influenced by a number of different genres and sources, both retro and modern, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. For example, I felt heavy X-Files and Lord of the Rings vibes, along with the darkness and mystery of Stranger Things while reading. Third, and most importantly, was the focus on growth and recovery from trauma throughout the story. This was especially true of the main character, Tarin, who bounced back from an unhealthy lifestyle to overcome the ghosts of his past — largely due to his perseverance and help from his friends.
I cannot wait for the next book in The Song of Immaru series to see where Tarin and his friends go next!
As a lover of science fiction, fantasy and psychological thrillers, this story appealed to me greatly on many levels. First, the characters were well-developed, relatable and differentiated throughout. Second, the themes of the story seemed influenced by a number of different genres and sources, both retro and modern, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. For example, I felt heavy X-Files and Lord of the Rings vibes, along with the darkness and mystery of Stranger Things while reading. Third, and most importantly, was the focus on growth and recovery from trauma throughout the story. This was especially true of the main character, Tarin, who bounced back from an unhealthy lifestyle to overcome the ghosts of his past — largely due to his perseverance and help from his friends.
I cannot wait for the next book in The Song of Immaru series to see where Tarin and his friends go next!
August 9, 2024
I would like to thank the author and the publisher for the chance to read this book and for the e-copy provided in order to provide an independent review. This book had some good things going for it. Without giving away too much, it has elements of a portal fantasy, apocalyptic fantasy and a whiff of sci-fi. I felt like the novel wanted to do a few things too many, though it was interesting and definitely had a novel feel to it. I always ask for something new, and then the new either ends up being really great or ends up not quite clicking. For me I eagerly started and it took me a bit too long to really get pulled into the story. I felt like the story could end up starting much closer to the end-or even, much closer to the middle. The non earth world was much more compelling to me than a Dakota rest stop, though that would also be alien to me, ironically. The elements for something great are here, and I feel bad that I couldn't love this book the way it deserves to be. I think fans of Terry Brooks or Steven Donaldson may like to give this a try.
August 26, 2025
This was a really fun read. The whole friend group was my favorite. If you grew up in a small town or with the same 5 friends you will know exactly. A grandpa from the Lakota tribe, a man that shows up dressed like he’s from a different time or place, a group of friends who like getting together to play a card game much like Magic The Gathering, but way cooler because it’s so many years into the future. This was a perfect time to read it to as their country’s issues were coming to a head. The stakes aren’t too much if your psyche can’t handle a lot of bad. There was so much in it that was so human, so relatable. I will definitely be getting the 2nd book which I think should be relatively soon!
August 10, 2024
Thanks to the author for allowing me to Beta read this book. I absolutely loved reading this book! Not only did it have all the fantasy/science fiction elements that I throughly enjoy but it had its own special story and characters that made it something new that I have never experienced before. This book allowed me to experience so many emotions from suspense, excitement, sorrow, joy, hope, and so much more. I could not put it down! I also loved the characters and how deep but also personal they were with the right touch of humor. If you love fantasy, science fiction, action, character developing, meaning in a story, and simply a book you enjoy and cannot put down you need to read this book!
November 12, 2024
4/5 STARS! What a cool story that sucks you in from the first page. The characters are all relatable and easy to connect with, the plot is intense & action packed, & I LOVED how easily the "real world" could transition into a futuristic society that felt like anything could happen at any moment. The aliens were super unique and the idea of the different dimensions was super creative and we'll done. Really enjoyed this a ton! I really had a fun time with this and highly recommend! Cant wait for book 2.
July 11, 2024
Excellent book. I was lucky enough to beta read this book before its release and it was a real treat. The story is awesome and the characters feel real and unique. It appealed to my inner geek and is for sure one not to miss.
July 31, 2024
Ok but this is a preorder y’all need on your radar! I just finished my ARC of EARTH’S DOOR 🚪 and you will not want to miss this spectacular upcoming release!
April 5, 2025
Interesting premise - a bit too long. I liked the characters.
February 15, 2026
enjoyable read
This was a fun and compelling story. J I’m enjoyed reading about the characters and finding out more about them as the story unfolded.
This was a fun and compelling story. J I’m enjoyed reading about the characters and finding out more about them as the story unfolded.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews