The Dreaming Dead

by Jay Wayward

Keno Sif is a marauder who has made her name killing, drinking, and breaking hearts across the vast continent of Atlas. Together with her mentor Buri the Giant, and the master thief Ivon, their combined bounties have an army of mercenaries dogging their every waking moment.

After a reckless escape lands them among the ruins of a lost kingdom, Sif begins to suffer from nightmares calling her to the sunken city of Agartha, said to be the resting place of both horrific tragedy and priceless treasure. Maybe enough treasure to escape arrest for good.

Decades later, Sif has retreated into the snowy mountains of her homeland, wanting only to be left in peace. But when she is forced to defend a cursed girl named Najah from a common enemy, Sif realizes that the only way to protect her solitary life is by accompanying the girl back into a world she’d hoped to forget. The closer they get to unraveling Najah’s curse, the more Sif’s memories of Agartha call to her.

It seems all roads lead back to that city at the end of the world, and the horrors Sif left there decades ago.

The Dreaming Dead is a queer dark fantasy about finding your place with the family you choose, and finding your purpose even after the world has cast you aside.

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2025

Reviews

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jay Wayward’s The Dreaming Dead is a masterfully crafted tale that introduces readers to Keno Sif and her found family, Ivon and Buri. The diversity of the characters is refreshing, bringing unique perspectives and dynamics to the story. And finally—finally—a fantasy protagonist who isn’t a teenager! This fresh approach makes the narrative all the more compelling and relatable.

The book’s timeline is beautifully constructed, seamlessly weaving together Sif’s past and present adventures with Najah. These shifts not only provide rich backstory but also enhance the emotional depth of the journey, allowing readers to connect deeply with the characters and their struggles.

Adventure abounds in this novel, with thrilling, action-packed sequences balanced by soft, tender moments that give the story heart. The emotional depth of The Dreaming Dead is truly striking—it made me laugh, it made me cry, and at times, it did both at once. Wayward has crafted an immersive world filled with deities, blood, tears, and an intricate lore that adds layers of complexity to the narrative. The world-building is rich and captivating, drawing readers into a setting that feels both expansive and deeply personal.

This is the kind of book I wanted to devour in one sitting but found myself savoring in slow increments just to keep the story going. Every page pulled me in deeper, making it hard to let go when I finally reached the end.

The Dreaming Dead is a must-read for fantasy fans craving a story filled with adventure, rich character dynamics, and a protagonist who breaks away from the genre’s usual conventions. Jay Wayward has created a world you won’t want to leave and characters who will stay with you long after the final page.

[Kester Finley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dreaming Dead by Jay Wayward offers up a hack n’ slash with heart in an immersive world of dark fantasy. At face value, Wayward’s creation can be considered one of a simple adventure tale set within an imaginary world but after a few pages, readers are made aware this journey will eclipse that mindset in spades. Deftly serving up a richly detailed world bursting with compelling characters and enough action to fully satisfy readers of the genre, Wayward’s novel begins with the excitement already in progress and doesn’t let up until the final page is turned.

Told between two time periods in the main protagonist’s life, Wayward displays a knack for keeping each time period and its respective characters in their rightful place while expertly ensuring each section reads separately but remains cohesive to the whole book even if the story bounces back and forth with each new chapter. Seeing the present unfold while also seeing the future story unfold can leave some readers confused until all the missing pieces start to fall into place. It may have a greater impact on those who prefer a more linear clear-cut offering, but in this instance, it does work though requires us readers to adjust in what we know, don’t know, and believe when it comes to pacing, plot, and the flow of his characters’ lives until our minds can catch up.

Characters are well liked and fully detailed and, while the plot may be a little looser than some reads, the fun, heart, thievery, murder, and mayhem is well worth the time as Wayward blends action and fantasy into a world brimming with love, loss, the family we have and the ones we choose, humor, sharp swords, and the importance of an adventurous life best lived.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-told story. I was skeptical at first when I realized the story jumped back and forth between two time periods that it would be able to pull them together in a satisfying way or justify the narrative device. I am pleased to say I was wrong to doubt. Without the chapters of Keno Sif in her youth the story would certainly be lacking something critical.

The Dreaming Dead follows "barbarian" Keno Sif across scattered moments of her relative youth, planning a regicide with a bonus heist, and in her old age, protecting and guiding a young girl to a specific village for reasons unclear for much of the plot. Family is a running theme throughout, whether based in blood of camaraderie.

The broad-strokes plot, truth be told, doesn't matter much compared to the character writing that makes the book worth reading.

[Corinne Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not a huge fantasy reader, and books like this can sometimes be hard for me to get into and follow. The Dreaming Dead is action/adventure while still feeling character-driven which makes it easy to understand and care about the world and the characters. I really enjoyed these characters and wanted to know what was going to happen to them next and how they’d handle it, and the “then” vs “now” timeline kept things even more interesting.

[Parker’s Dad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed fast paced fantasy with very needed lgbtq+ representation. A fun and engaging read!