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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 books21 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.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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.
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.
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 - 4 of 4 reviews