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The Dream Traveller: Rising Storm
Book two of The Dream Traveller series.
The Dreamer has returned – but the world is unraveling.
After the failed assault on Crane’s stronghold, the alliance lies in ruins. Only Nadine and Derrilyn survive the mountain massacre. One returns to the Waking haunted and broken. The other is pulled toward something darker. The Book of Iraazka remains untouched – its secrets sealed, its power untapped.
As sovereigns fall and Crane’s dominion spreads, his enforcer, the ruthless Baron Kerrick, establishes camps across the north to feed the demons.
A splintered alliance struggles to hold together. In the shadows, the Druids stir. Old ghosts awaken. And in the depths of the great city, spies whisper of darker forces yet to come.
Love is tested. Loyalties strain. Friends begin to change.
And Girvyn – reckless, gifted, untested – unlocks abilities even he does not understand.
To survive, they must outwit enemies born of two worlds.
To prevail, Girvyn must face the voices that rage within him.
A dark, immersive epic fantasy sequel for readers who want to lose themselves in a vast and dangerous world.
Book Two in the award-winning The Dream Traveller series, following the multi-award-winning Dark Rising.
The Dreamer has returned – but the world is unraveling.
After the failed assault on Crane’s stronghold, the alliance lies in ruins. Only Nadine and Derrilyn survive the mountain massacre. One returns to the Waking haunted and broken. The other is pulled toward something darker. The Book of Iraazka remains untouched – its secrets sealed, its power untapped.
As sovereigns fall and Crane’s dominion spreads, his enforcer, the ruthless Baron Kerrick, establishes camps across the north to feed the demons.
A splintered alliance struggles to hold together. In the shadows, the Druids stir. Old ghosts awaken. And in the depths of the great city, spies whisper of darker forces yet to come.
Love is tested. Loyalties strain. Friends begin to change.
And Girvyn – reckless, gifted, untested – unlocks abilities even he does not understand.
To survive, they must outwit enemies born of two worlds.
To prevail, Girvyn must face the voices that rage within him.
A dark, immersive epic fantasy sequel for readers who want to lose themselves in a vast and dangerous world.
Book Two in the award-winning The Dream Traveller series, following the multi-award-winning Dark Rising.
828 pages, Paperback
Published January 19, 2026
About the author
John Nassari
2 books22 followersBy day, John Nassari is a London-based photographer; by night, he is a passionate fantasy writer.
John’s love for fantasy literature began in his teenage years, inspiring a lifelong dedication to storytelling. His debut novel, The Dream Traveller: Dark Rising, was released on May 7, 2024, and quickly gained recognition.
Literary awards:
2025 Finalist in the 19th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards.
2025 Ozma Long List For Fantasy Fiction
2025 Finalist YA Fantasy - General, Readers' Favourite.
2024 Book Award Finalist, Page Turner Awards.
2024 Silver Medal, General Fiction, eLit Awards.
The Audible version of the novel, narrated by the talented voice artist Peter Kenny, received critical acclaim in November 2024, earning Silver in the prestigious eLit Awards.
John has plans to publish 5 more books in the Dream Traveller series.
John’s love for fantasy literature began in his teenage years, inspiring a lifelong dedication to storytelling. His debut novel, The Dream Traveller: Dark Rising, was released on May 7, 2024, and quickly gained recognition.
Literary awards:
2025 Finalist in the 19th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards.
2025 Ozma Long List For Fantasy Fiction
2025 Finalist YA Fantasy - General, Readers' Favourite.
2024 Book Award Finalist, Page Turner Awards.
2024 Silver Medal, General Fiction, eLit Awards.
The Audible version of the novel, narrated by the talented voice artist Peter Kenny, received critical acclaim in November 2024, earning Silver in the prestigious eLit Awards.
John has plans to publish 5 more books in the Dream Traveller series.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 21, 2026
The Dream Traveller: Rising Storm was a great continuation of the series. The story is excellent and the premise. The cover is excellent. The use is colour and imagery definitely make it eye-catching. It made me feel like I was being pulled into a dream vortex! The writing is excellent and the story flows nicely. The continued world-building is flawless. John does an excellent job with it. The dream setting is wonderful as always. I love that this is all based in a dream world. It's great to have returning characters such as Girvyn, Nadine and Derrilyn. It's even better having Crane as every good fantasy story needs an excellent villain! The characters are well developed and are a pleasure to read about. I've really enjoyed the series so far and I definitely recommend it!!
April 26, 2026
The Dream Traveller: Rising Storm is the follow up to The Dream Traveller: Dark Rising, which I read in April 2025 and gave 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's, so I couldn't wait to get stuck into this.
Before we get onto the review, I wanted to say a big thanks to John for using a quote from my review for Dark Rising on the back inside cover: "A real epic fantasy in the truest sense of the phrase". That was my very first mention in a printed work so it was most appreciated.
First off, I absolutely loved this, which kind of sets the tone for the review to come and compared to book one ( at just over 470 pages ), book two is certainly quite the hefty tome at nearly double the pages ( just over 800 ). But don't let that put you off, we all know some of the very finest fantasy novels ever written are weighty and substantial and for me it really didn't feel like an 800+ pager and I read this over about a week, 100 or so pages per day, making it the longest book I've read in quite some time.
As many may know, I try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, so I don't tend to mention much about stories, plots etc in what I write. So I'll do the same here as I'd hate to spoil this for other readers.
I find that sometimes, second novels in a series can fall a little short, but for me, that's undoubtedly not the case here.
So come with me, dear reader, on a journey into a fantastical world of dreams, space, time, political disquiet, rebellio, heroes and villains, culminating in monumental battles between good and evil.
There's a much larger cast this time, with a plethora of brilliant characters, good and bad, for your reading pleasure and I found each and every one felt real and were very believable, which is a must for me. In works of fiction, I have to gain a sense of the characters, places, actions etc being real in my head as I read along, and this accomplishes that wonderfully. I really could see the sights, smell the smells and see the sights.
It's a novel that stands on the shoulders of giants such as Tolkien, Rothfuss, RR Martin, Gene Wolfe, Brian Sanderson and Frank Herbert but for me, holds it's own against the best of them and now takes it place on my shelves amongst some real titans of the genre.
It reads like a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, my top two favourite genres, with a touch of Inception and a helping or two of The Wheel of Time or The Lord of The Rings and maybe even a little reminiscent of The Matrix too. But it absolutely doesn't feel like a replication or copy of any of the aforementioned. It is unquestionably it's own story.
Epic fantasy? Tick. Expansive, sweeping world building? Tick? Imaginative characters? Tick. Descroptive storyline to keep you turning the pages long after you should have gone to sleep? Tick. What more could you ask for?
A genuinely outstanding follow up and a true saga for the ages.
I very much look for two book 3 ( The Dream Traveller: Storm Born ) and book 4 ( The Dream Traveller: Born Shadows )
A huge 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Before we get onto the review, I wanted to say a big thanks to John for using a quote from my review for Dark Rising on the back inside cover: "A real epic fantasy in the truest sense of the phrase". That was my very first mention in a printed work so it was most appreciated.
First off, I absolutely loved this, which kind of sets the tone for the review to come and compared to book one ( at just over 470 pages ), book two is certainly quite the hefty tome at nearly double the pages ( just over 800 ). But don't let that put you off, we all know some of the very finest fantasy novels ever written are weighty and substantial and for me it really didn't feel like an 800+ pager and I read this over about a week, 100 or so pages per day, making it the longest book I've read in quite some time.
As many may know, I try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, so I don't tend to mention much about stories, plots etc in what I write. So I'll do the same here as I'd hate to spoil this for other readers.
I find that sometimes, second novels in a series can fall a little short, but for me, that's undoubtedly not the case here.
So come with me, dear reader, on a journey into a fantastical world of dreams, space, time, political disquiet, rebellio, heroes and villains, culminating in monumental battles between good and evil.
There's a much larger cast this time, with a plethora of brilliant characters, good and bad, for your reading pleasure and I found each and every one felt real and were very believable, which is a must for me. In works of fiction, I have to gain a sense of the characters, places, actions etc being real in my head as I read along, and this accomplishes that wonderfully. I really could see the sights, smell the smells and see the sights.
It's a novel that stands on the shoulders of giants such as Tolkien, Rothfuss, RR Martin, Gene Wolfe, Brian Sanderson and Frank Herbert but for me, holds it's own against the best of them and now takes it place on my shelves amongst some real titans of the genre.
It reads like a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, my top two favourite genres, with a touch of Inception and a helping or two of The Wheel of Time or The Lord of The Rings and maybe even a little reminiscent of The Matrix too. But it absolutely doesn't feel like a replication or copy of any of the aforementioned. It is unquestionably it's own story.
Epic fantasy? Tick. Expansive, sweeping world building? Tick? Imaginative characters? Tick. Descroptive storyline to keep you turning the pages long after you should have gone to sleep? Tick. What more could you ask for?
A genuinely outstanding follow up and a true saga for the ages.
I very much look for two book 3 ( The Dream Traveller: Storm Born ) and book 4 ( The Dream Traveller: Born Shadows )
A huge 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
September 29, 2026
Here is my review for The Dream Traveller : Storm Rising by John Nassari
I found this dark, epic fantasy drew me right in from the very start of the book and I got so engrossed in the story. Crane was back and he seemed stronger and darker than ever with an unimaginable army of thousands who didn't care who they slaughtered. Baron Kerrick has the brains to strategise and use the army more effectively. The demons are their effective weapons and that's why they need to steal the young babies wherever they raid. Girvyn is being tutored but everyone is unsure of his abilities. Even Girvyn himself. But he keeps practicing and proving he has the power when he tries. They are fighting more than they think and they must pull together to beat them.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this terrific and gripping story which saw entire villages being wiped out. The detail in the story-telling was absolutely brilliant and I felt like I was a fly hovering above the scene of devastation and watching everything that happened. There were many characters, some were villagers, spiders, demons, monsters, druids and dream travellers. Then there was Crane and Baron Kerrick. The author has such a fantastic imagination and he has managed to write and create this different world to lose yourself in, with some terrific characters. Also, I absolutely love the front cover of the book. I can’t wait to read more books by this author in the future.
Synopsis :
Book two of The Dream Traveller series.
The Dreamer has returned – but the world is unraveling.
After the failed assault on Crane’s stronghold, the alliance lies in ruins. Only Nadine and Derrilyn survive the mountain massacre. One returns to the Waking haunted and broken. The other is pulled toward something darker. The Book of Iraazka remains untouched – its secrets sealed, its power untapped.
As sovereigns fall and Crane’s dominion spreads, his enforcer, the ruthless Baron Kerrick, establishes camps across the north to feed the demons.
A splintered alliance struggles to hold together. In the shadows, the Druids stir. Old ghosts awaken. And in the depths of the great city, spies whisper of darker forces yet to come.
Love is tested. Loyalties strain. Friends begin to change.
And Girvyn – reckless, gifted, untested – unlocks abilities even he does not understand.
To survive, they must outwit enemies born of two worlds.
To prevail, Girvyn must face the voices that rage within him.
A dark, immersive epic fantasy sequel for readers who want to lose themselves in a vast and dangerous world.
Book Two in the award-winning The Dream Traveller series, following the multi-award-winning Dark Rising.
I found this dark, epic fantasy drew me right in from the very start of the book and I got so engrossed in the story. Crane was back and he seemed stronger and darker than ever with an unimaginable army of thousands who didn't care who they slaughtered. Baron Kerrick has the brains to strategise and use the army more effectively. The demons are their effective weapons and that's why they need to steal the young babies wherever they raid. Girvyn is being tutored but everyone is unsure of his abilities. Even Girvyn himself. But he keeps practicing and proving he has the power when he tries. They are fighting more than they think and they must pull together to beat them.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this terrific and gripping story which saw entire villages being wiped out. The detail in the story-telling was absolutely brilliant and I felt like I was a fly hovering above the scene of devastation and watching everything that happened. There were many characters, some were villagers, spiders, demons, monsters, druids and dream travellers. Then there was Crane and Baron Kerrick. The author has such a fantastic imagination and he has managed to write and create this different world to lose yourself in, with some terrific characters. Also, I absolutely love the front cover of the book. I can’t wait to read more books by this author in the future.
Synopsis :
Book two of The Dream Traveller series.
The Dreamer has returned – but the world is unraveling.
After the failed assault on Crane’s stronghold, the alliance lies in ruins. Only Nadine and Derrilyn survive the mountain massacre. One returns to the Waking haunted and broken. The other is pulled toward something darker. The Book of Iraazka remains untouched – its secrets sealed, its power untapped.
As sovereigns fall and Crane’s dominion spreads, his enforcer, the ruthless Baron Kerrick, establishes camps across the north to feed the demons.
A splintered alliance struggles to hold together. In the shadows, the Druids stir. Old ghosts awaken. And in the depths of the great city, spies whisper of darker forces yet to come.
Love is tested. Loyalties strain. Friends begin to change.
And Girvyn – reckless, gifted, untested – unlocks abilities even he does not understand.
To survive, they must outwit enemies born of two worlds.
To prevail, Girvyn must face the voices that rage within him.
A dark, immersive epic fantasy sequel for readers who want to lose themselves in a vast and dangerous world.
Book Two in the award-winning The Dream Traveller series, following the multi-award-winning Dark Rising.
September 25, 2026
The Dream Traveller: Rising Storm by John Nassari is book 2 in The Dream Traveller's book series and this is the biggest book so far at over 800 pages! I loved the first book by the author so much so that I knew I HAD to read the second one. Don't let the size of the book scare you off the series, this book is so engaging that you won't be able to tell how much time is passing as you read. In the second book we get more characters, which were interesting. I loved seeing where the last book ended for Girwyn, and this book picking up from that point. Much more is mentioned with the waking and it's up to the dreamer to lead the way, to save the kingdom as it were. The story has some twists and turns which points to more darker things heading our way in the 3rd book coming soon. I do not want to spoil anyone's views on this book so I won't mention anything huge for the plot, but I loved that ending for Girwyn in this book. He is such a great MC and I am so excited to read the next book in the series!
December 31, 2025
The world of the Dream Travellers is expanded upon in this excellent second book.
Reading like a heady mix of “Inception” “The Matrix” and more classical fantasy fiction like “The Wheel of Time”, we are taken on an incredible ride through time, space, and dreams, culminating in (of course) a battle between good and evil for the fate of the world.
I really enjoyed it. A great set of hero’s journeys, some excellent action set pieces, and some profound meditations on the meaning of life (if you are a gamer and enjoyed this year’s “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33”, you might find some very interesting parallels)
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
Reading like a heady mix of “Inception” “The Matrix” and more classical fantasy fiction like “The Wheel of Time”, we are taken on an incredible ride through time, space, and dreams, culminating in (of course) a battle between good and evil for the fate of the world.
I really enjoyed it. A great set of hero’s journeys, some excellent action set pieces, and some profound meditations on the meaning of life (if you are a gamer and enjoyed this year’s “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33”, you might find some very interesting parallels)
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
January 10, 2026
In Rising Storm, the pace picks up dramatically from the very first chapter. You’re thrown straight into the action, with multiple storylines unfolding at once from political unrest, personal battles, dream travellers converging, and Crane’s dark influence spreading.
There’s a much larger cast this time, with shifting alliances, rising tensions, and the ever-present sense that something bigger is looming.
Just as you think you’ve grasped where it’s going, the story pivots again! I really enjoyed how this book is full of intrigue and builds on the first book with more complexity and depth.
There’s a much larger cast this time, with shifting alliances, rising tensions, and the ever-present sense that something bigger is looming.
Just as you think you’ve grasped where it’s going, the story pivots again! I really enjoyed how this book is full of intrigue and builds on the first book with more complexity and depth.
September 24, 2026
I'm reviewing this as part of a tour with Zooloo's Book Tours.
This is the second book in the Dream Traveller series, and it's even longer and more epic than the first. In the first book, Girvyn was still learning about his ability and understanding it, but in this second instalment, we learn even more about what it really means. This felt darker and even more gripping. The story itself felt dreamlike, and I could feel myself falling deeper with each chapter. Just one little thing, I would recommend reading this when you have plenty of time, because you'll be reading for quite a while. It's not a quick, light read, it's one to be savoured.
Thank you to Zooloo's Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review.
This is the second book in the Dream Traveller series, and it's even longer and more epic than the first. In the first book, Girvyn was still learning about his ability and understanding it, but in this second instalment, we learn even more about what it really means. This felt darker and even more gripping. The story itself felt dreamlike, and I could feel myself falling deeper with each chapter. Just one little thing, I would recommend reading this when you have plenty of time, because you'll be reading for quite a while. It's not a quick, light read, it's one to be savoured.
Thank you to Zooloo's Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review.
September 22, 2026
I really loved the first Dream Traveller book but I have to say that the second book is probably even better! I love the writing of this series and how Nassari continues to build the world and characters organically within the story. I also adore the description and parts set in the ‘dreams’. It’s really such a fantastic series that I cannot get enough of. There is a nice balance between the story progression and speed that everything is happening. The characters are, once again, fantastic and I love how Nassari brings them to life. I have to say this is one of my favourite fantasy series in a long time. It’s got the perfect balance of danger and intrigue, gripping story and memorable characters.
As always thank you to ZooLoo’s Book Tours, publishers and author for the copy to review for free.
As always thank you to ZooLoo’s Book Tours, publishers and author for the copy to review for free.
September 7, 2026
This is the second book in The Dream Traveller series and after reading book 1 - Dark Rising - back in March, I was really looking forward to continuing the journey.
Now, bearing in mind that fantasy is still my least read genre and the fact that I read book one on audio, I really wasn't expecting to receive this absolute chonk of a book through the post.
Honestly, I was scared! I almost couldn't hold it up to read!
At just over 800 pages, this is definitely one of my longest physical reads!
As such, I made sure to dive straight into this one to make sure I had time to get through it in time ...and let me tell you, it was touch and go for a moment - but I did it and I'm so proud!
I always find with this genre, that I fear it, but then become so immersed within this world that I end up devouring chunks without even realising it and that definitely happened with this series.
I was so invested in Girvyn's plight within the first book that I couldn't wait to see how things would play out through this next episode.
This storyline does continue from where we left off and obviously, being a second in the series, I can't really say too much about the plot for fear of spoilers.
But things definitely progress much further and we delve into the different threads within the story in much more detail and depth.
I think I mentioned the sheer number of characters within book one and here we do see lots returning but there are even more for us to get to grips with and if I'm honest, this didn't really bother me this time.
I found it much easier to follow everything and being so immersed from the start, I just went with the flow.
This was full of adventure and intrigue and I loved the way the story twists and turns becoming ever more tense.
There are definitely more things coming....
This was a brilliant read, even better than the first and I can't wait for the next installment.
Now, bearing in mind that fantasy is still my least read genre and the fact that I read book one on audio, I really wasn't expecting to receive this absolute chonk of a book through the post.
Honestly, I was scared! I almost couldn't hold it up to read!
At just over 800 pages, this is definitely one of my longest physical reads!
As such, I made sure to dive straight into this one to make sure I had time to get through it in time ...and let me tell you, it was touch and go for a moment - but I did it and I'm so proud!
I always find with this genre, that I fear it, but then become so immersed within this world that I end up devouring chunks without even realising it and that definitely happened with this series.
I was so invested in Girvyn's plight within the first book that I couldn't wait to see how things would play out through this next episode.
This storyline does continue from where we left off and obviously, being a second in the series, I can't really say too much about the plot for fear of spoilers.
But things definitely progress much further and we delve into the different threads within the story in much more detail and depth.
I think I mentioned the sheer number of characters within book one and here we do see lots returning but there are even more for us to get to grips with and if I'm honest, this didn't really bother me this time.
I found it much easier to follow everything and being so immersed from the start, I just went with the flow.
This was full of adventure and intrigue and I loved the way the story twists and turns becoming ever more tense.
There are definitely more things coming....
This was a brilliant read, even better than the first and I can't wait for the next installment.
May 16, 2026
The book fought me the whole way.
I wanted Rising Storm to feel like the moment the world truly opens up, where the consequences become heavier, the history darker, and the line between dreams and reality begins to fracture.
Rising Storm became a far bigger and more ambitious book than I originally intended. Three years of rewrites, entire storylines changed, characters evolved beyond their original roles, and the world itself deepened in ways I never expected. It was an exhausting book to write at times, but also the one I’m most proud of.
I wanted Rising Storm to feel like the moment the world truly opens up, where the consequences become heavier, the history darker, and the line between dreams and reality begins to fracture.
Rising Storm became a far bigger and more ambitious book than I originally intended. Three years of rewrites, entire storylines changed, characters evolved beyond their original roles, and the world itself deepened in ways I never expected. It was an exhausting book to write at times, but also the one I’m most proud of.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews