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Slumberscythe
After a series of dreams where he relives a female espionage agent’s 1972 missions, slightly overweight, slightly narcoleptic, slightly middle-aged, chronically single and gay James is shocked to learn the shadowy events really occurred. When operatives with dream-related powers show up in his life looking for him, he needs to find someone who can teach him to use his bloodline’s supernatural abilities.
His strange dreams lead him to unlikely help – a young reaper who fancies herself a Valkyrie. Halldora’s a closeted gamer-chick who grew up in the half-hidden world of the Outré. She’ll show him how to survive if she can get over her own baggage.
With a little luck, and a lot of help, James might just figure everything out.
Right after he gets these Sandman agents off his tail.
His strange dreams lead him to unlikely help – a young reaper who fancies herself a Valkyrie. Halldora’s a closeted gamer-chick who grew up in the half-hidden world of the Outré. She’ll show him how to survive if she can get over her own baggage.
With a little luck, and a lot of help, James might just figure everything out.
Right after he gets these Sandman agents off his tail.
- GenresParanormal
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Jere M. Foley II
4 books10 followersLooking critically at Jere's past, you might think they coined the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" specifically to describe him.
After all, he has modeled for fitness and fashion. He loved doing voices for radio. He's acted in opera and on community stages, for television commercials, and in several independent film projects. He once investigated a murderous werewolf. He was extremely honored when asked to portray mythological figures like Hercules, and Oberon, and Orion. His illustrious list of co-stars includes a cranky horse, a poison-toting Bond Girl, Titania Queen of the Fairies, and the best dance partner in the county. He even tried his hand at directing a short film.
Then at the end of 2012 he quietly took a job as a production editor with Wisconsin's oldest publishing company - The Wisconsin Historical Society Press. He learned to manage every aspect of creating a book and sending it out into the world.
After all, he has modeled for fitness and fashion. He loved doing voices for radio. He's acted in opera and on community stages, for television commercials, and in several independent film projects. He once investigated a murderous werewolf. He was extremely honored when asked to portray mythological figures like Hercules, and Oberon, and Orion. His illustrious list of co-stars includes a cranky horse, a poison-toting Bond Girl, Titania Queen of the Fairies, and the best dance partner in the county. He even tried his hand at directing a short film.
Then at the end of 2012 he quietly took a job as a production editor with Wisconsin's oldest publishing company - The Wisconsin Historical Society Press. He learned to manage every aspect of creating a book and sending it out into the world.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 29, 2018
I love being able to give 5-stars to books. Especially when I wish I could them 6-stars. Slumberscythe is an amazing story with a MC that we can all relate to. The story is impressive and the writing is top notch. James the MC is your basic average guy who happens to learn he is anything but average or basic. The idea of people able to come into your dreams or see when you’re about to die is terrifying and fascinating. I enjoyed following James on his journey and learning just as he was, what is a state and where he came from.
The mix of characters as nice and I never felt like anything was being fake or being pushed on us. I enjoyed bouncing from past to present and the way the author handled this was spot on.
I hope the next book comes out soon because I really want to see what happens to James and the rest of the Outré who he has met.
The mix of characters as nice and I never felt like anything was being fake or being pushed on us. I enjoyed bouncing from past to present and the way the author handled this was spot on.
I hope the next book comes out soon because I really want to see what happens to James and the rest of the Outré who he has met.
September 3, 2015
First, a heads up. In the present day, James, an otherwise normal young man begins to relive the life of a female espionage agent, circa 1972. She extracts information and power from the dreams of others and through his dreams, teaches him that he has supernatural abilities of his own.
Whilst awake, he begins to experiment and as a result attracts the unhealthy attention of a shadowy organisation who have been trying to find him since he was born, in order to experiment on him.
As he is pursued by sinister men in black suits, he is joined by an aggressive gamer-chick whose motives seem suspect, and his Aunt Margaret, easily the most engaging character in the book after James, who is rather sweet and wide-eyed and hapless as he figures out what the hell is going on.
I loved Vance Bastian’s writing style. From the jaw-dropping first line to the glorious, gory description of what happens one when evil bastard’s dreams are infiltrated, I loved the sense of humour. The observations he makes about American life are, especially to an outsider who has experienced some of it, are hilarious, especially the Wal-Mart chapter. “No-one leaves Wal-Mart unscathed” is comic genius.
The story is pretty complex, and for a first in a series, there was a lot to set up and explain. For the most part, this was something I could follow but not all the time. I found myself thinking, “right, I get it” when actually I SO didn’t. There is an enormous cast of characters, all of whom had a relevant role to play, but that made it quite a lot to take in. You couldn’t read this book with TV on in the background. There’s too much to concentrate on.
But in the end, that was why I loved it. It was an immersive experience, a book to lose yourself in. I rarely say that about a story. Because of the complexity of the plot, it was not a book to be easily put down and left for a couple of days.
If I had one criticism, it would be that James seemed to bumble through these extraordinary events, kind of taking it in his stride a little too easily. I would be, like, “aaahhhhh!!!” and trying to read peoples’ auras all over the place, dipping in and out of dreams and being insufferable about it but he’s just, “it’s so cool,” and that is it. When things get difficult, all he has to do is dream and his mom would give him the answer. Also, I didn’t feel the chemistry between them as mother and son, but conversely, I loved the way she “edited out” parts of her life that he really wouldn’t want to know about (the night she and Jame’s father created him, being one example.)
The book was very well-written, with an evenly-paced plot, sharp dialogue and observations. I loved the cover and the title (which is explained in the book). All in all, it was a pretty damned classy affair. I can't wait for the next one.
Whilst awake, he begins to experiment and as a result attracts the unhealthy attention of a shadowy organisation who have been trying to find him since he was born, in order to experiment on him.
As he is pursued by sinister men in black suits, he is joined by an aggressive gamer-chick whose motives seem suspect, and his Aunt Margaret, easily the most engaging character in the book after James, who is rather sweet and wide-eyed and hapless as he figures out what the hell is going on.
I loved Vance Bastian’s writing style. From the jaw-dropping first line to the glorious, gory description of what happens one when evil bastard’s dreams are infiltrated, I loved the sense of humour. The observations he makes about American life are, especially to an outsider who has experienced some of it, are hilarious, especially the Wal-Mart chapter. “No-one leaves Wal-Mart unscathed” is comic genius.
The story is pretty complex, and for a first in a series, there was a lot to set up and explain. For the most part, this was something I could follow but not all the time. I found myself thinking, “right, I get it” when actually I SO didn’t. There is an enormous cast of characters, all of whom had a relevant role to play, but that made it quite a lot to take in. You couldn’t read this book with TV on in the background. There’s too much to concentrate on.
But in the end, that was why I loved it. It was an immersive experience, a book to lose yourself in. I rarely say that about a story. Because of the complexity of the plot, it was not a book to be easily put down and left for a couple of days.
If I had one criticism, it would be that James seemed to bumble through these extraordinary events, kind of taking it in his stride a little too easily. I would be, like, “aaahhhhh!!!” and trying to read peoples’ auras all over the place, dipping in and out of dreams and being insufferable about it but he’s just, “it’s so cool,” and that is it. When things get difficult, all he has to do is dream and his mom would give him the answer. Also, I didn’t feel the chemistry between them as mother and son, but conversely, I loved the way she “edited out” parts of her life that he really wouldn’t want to know about (the night she and Jame’s father created him, being one example.)
The book was very well-written, with an evenly-paced plot, sharp dialogue and observations. I loved the cover and the title (which is explained in the book). All in all, it was a pretty damned classy affair. I can't wait for the next one.
March 18, 2015
Heroes can be found throughout all walks of life, but none quite like James Gardener. Author Jere Foley turns the spotlight on this lovable underdog as he jumps headlong into the nether realms of a world just outside of our own. In his universe, Foley sharply illustrates its parameters as a sort of 3-D version of ours; the sensations more visceral, the threats and stakes, all heightened in the world of the Outre. Just as Gardener is thrown into the fray of this new life, the reader quickly follows suit; Foley places us at the heart our protagonist’s first journey, already within striking distance of this otherworldly chaos.
The first in his series, Slumberscythe delivers a fast and cutthroat introduction to the world of the Outre and the nature of those things that go bump in the night. Foley has shown us that he can break through the boundaries established by traditional heroic origins stories, and showcases his knack for pulling the reader into his world of supernatural intrigue, leaving us wanting more.
The first in his series, Slumberscythe delivers a fast and cutthroat introduction to the world of the Outre and the nature of those things that go bump in the night. Foley has shown us that he can break through the boundaries established by traditional heroic origins stories, and showcases his knack for pulling the reader into his world of supernatural intrigue, leaving us wanting more.
December 27, 2014
An amazing read. Two interesting stories told from two different times and perspectives to create a truly original 'origins' story. Part spy-thriller, part adventure, part chase - and all these parts and more wonderfully mashed together to create a unique reading experience. I enjoyed the altered real world Jere created and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
November 23, 2015
This was an outstanding book. This was , God where do I even begin, it was a madhouse of so many different elements. all of them great. all of them a gentle assault on the senses. Bastian's book is sci-fi, and horror, and Mad Max with a pinch of angst of a man looking looking for his family and coming into his own.
I usually fly through novels, but I had to sip this one like a fine wine to taste the bouquet of everything offered here. If you're in the market for something fresh, with wild ideas, and a great imagination, Bastian delivers with Rowling-like finess.
BTW- I'm totes and Elven Wizard.
:-)
I usually fly through novels, but I had to sip this one like a fine wine to taste the bouquet of everything offered here. If you're in the market for something fresh, with wild ideas, and a great imagination, Bastian delivers with Rowling-like finess.
BTW- I'm totes and Elven Wizard.
:-)
October 29, 2015
When I saw the title, I knew I'd be interested. Bastian has woven an intriguing, labyrinthine story that captured me from page one. Right away, I found myself wanting to know more about James and his life, and as the novel progresses, the curves and twists become even more compelling. Any book about Sandmen and Reapers has my eye, and Bastian doesn't disappoint at all. I can honestly say I have never read a book told in the same way that he tells his. Agent Sopora leads a life that I didn't expect, and the sequence of events she relays just builds in its intricacy. I look forward to a sequel!
September 21, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The blurb was intriguing and the cover is fantastic, but honestly, the book itself far surpassed what I thought I might find.
Great plot, fantastic action scenes, and lots of mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I love the main character and am looking forward to seeing more of his story.
I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book. The blurb was intriguing and the cover is fantastic, but honestly, the book itself far surpassed what I thought I might find.
Great plot, fantastic action scenes, and lots of mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I love the main character and am looking forward to seeing more of his story.
December 3, 2023
Slumberscythe was a fast-paced, modern fantasy, set in both the present and the past.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews