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Dreamwalker
Two realities. One hope. What if you lived in two worlds, and could die in either? Pete Holm can. He is a dreamwalker, able to travel to the realm of dreams, including the devastated world of Twin Moon City, where an evil voodoo spirit holds living souls in terror with his army of the walking dead. In the waking world, drug lord Jean St. Croix knows only the power of the dreamwalker can stop him, so St. Croix vows Pete must die. Pete is the only hope to rescue the lost souls in Twin Moon City...unless St. Croix kills him first. Can anyone survive when two realities collide?
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2015
5 people are currently reading
402 people want to read
About the author
Russell James
49 books217 followersRussell R. James was raised on Long Island, New York and spent too much time watching Chiller, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and Dark Shadows, despite his parents’ warnings. Bookshelves full of Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe didn’t make things better. He graduated from Cornell University and the University of Central Florida.
After a tour flying helicopters with the U.S. Army, he now spins twisted tales best read in daylight.
His wife reads what he writes, rolls her eyes, and says “There is something seriously wrong with you.”
He has published the novels DARK INSPIRATION, SACRIFICE, BLACK MAGIC and DARK VENGEANCE, the compilations OUT OF TIME and TALES FROM BEYOND, as well as numerous short stories. He founded the Minnows Literary Group.
He and his wife share their home in sunny Florida with two cats.
Drop by the website to kill some time with some short stories.
After a tour flying helicopters with the U.S. Army, he now spins twisted tales best read in daylight.
His wife reads what he writes, rolls her eyes, and says “There is something seriously wrong with you.”
He has published the novels DARK INSPIRATION, SACRIFICE, BLACK MAGIC and DARK VENGEANCE, the compilations OUT OF TIME and TALES FROM BEYOND, as well as numerous short stories. He founded the Minnows Literary Group.
He and his wife share their home in sunny Florida with two cats.
Drop by the website to kill some time with some short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 2, 2017
4.5*
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Pete has the ability to live both in the real world and also his dreamworld, Twin Moon City. At the latter he has amazing adventures with a mystery blonde but doesn't realise the powers he possesses as a dreamwalker in this realm. Fate draws him to Atlantic City where St Croix, a voodoo demon possessed drug lord, is looking to destroy him both in the real world and in Twin Moon City.
This one was a really enjoyable read, the premise and world building were unique and I was pretty hooked from the first few chapters. Pete is a very likeable main character and is well supported by an array of nicely fleshed out minor characters who all add something to the story. St Croix is a nasty piece of work and his actions are chilling in how vicious he will be to get what he wants.
The pacing is fairly fast and the writing engaging enough that it was hard to put down at times. The only small niggles I had with this was the fact that some things were tied up too neatly at the end. Whilst I thought some elements of the story were taken care of too easily towards the end I do give the author major props for not copping out to a happily ever after ending.
I would recommend this and will look at some other work by the author.
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Pete has the ability to live both in the real world and also his dreamworld, Twin Moon City. At the latter he has amazing adventures with a mystery blonde but doesn't realise the powers he possesses as a dreamwalker in this realm. Fate draws him to Atlantic City where St Croix, a voodoo demon possessed drug lord, is looking to destroy him both in the real world and in Twin Moon City.
This one was a really enjoyable read, the premise and world building were unique and I was pretty hooked from the first few chapters. Pete is a very likeable main character and is well supported by an array of nicely fleshed out minor characters who all add something to the story. St Croix is a nasty piece of work and his actions are chilling in how vicious he will be to get what he wants.
The pacing is fairly fast and the writing engaging enough that it was hard to put down at times. The only small niggles I had with this was the fact that some things were tied up too neatly at the end. Whilst I thought some elements of the story were taken care of too easily towards the end I do give the author major props for not copping out to a happily ever after ending.
I would recommend this and will look at some other work by the author.
February 7, 2017
Only a dreamwalker can save a dreamwalker...
Thoroughly enjoyed this story. The central character - Pete Holm - has an unusual gift; some might call it a curse. When he sleeps he enters other worlds. Nothing too unusual in that you might think. We all dream of strange places, people, events. But in Pete's case, he is a dreamwalker and the other world of Twin Moon City is all too real. People can - and do - get killed there, and when he falls foul of drug lord, Jean St. Croix, in the waking world, he soon learns that the evil man's wrath carries forward into the nightmare world of Twin Moon City.
Tormented souls are trapped there by an evil voodoo spirit, whose zombie henchmen will stop at nothing to do their master's bidding.
Russell James is a born storyteller. He delivers this horror story of war against evil, with skill and detail that had me riveted and chilled. I had no clue how he would draw all the strands together to create a memorable and satisfying conclusion, but when it came, it was perfect. 5 stars - and more.
Thoroughly enjoyed this story. The central character - Pete Holm - has an unusual gift; some might call it a curse. When he sleeps he enters other worlds. Nothing too unusual in that you might think. We all dream of strange places, people, events. But in Pete's case, he is a dreamwalker and the other world of Twin Moon City is all too real. People can - and do - get killed there, and when he falls foul of drug lord, Jean St. Croix, in the waking world, he soon learns that the evil man's wrath carries forward into the nightmare world of Twin Moon City.
Tormented souls are trapped there by an evil voodoo spirit, whose zombie henchmen will stop at nothing to do their master's bidding.
Russell James is a born storyteller. He delivers this horror story of war against evil, with skill and detail that had me riveted and chilled. I had no clue how he would draw all the strands together to create a memorable and satisfying conclusion, but when it came, it was perfect. 5 stars - and more.
January 8, 2015
From the Description:
Two realities. One hope.
What if you lived in two worlds, and could die in either? Pete Holm can. He is a dreamwalker, able to travel to the realm of dreams, including the devastated world of Twin Moon City, where an evil voodoo spirit holds living souls in terror with his army of the walking dead.
In the waking world, drug lord Jean St. Croix knows only the power of the dreamwalker can stop him, so St. Croix vows Pete must die.
Pete is the only hope to rescue the lost souls in Twin Moon City…unless St. Croix kills him first. Can anyone survive when two realities collide?
Dreamwalker was my first book by Russell James but it wont be my last. This is a fast paced engrossing story filled with believable characters. I enjoyed getting to know Pete and Rayna, both really easy to root for. The Voodoo aspects of this book were genuinely creepy, making St. Croix an easy to dislike villain. A well written, fun thrill ride, 4 stars.
Two realities. One hope.
What if you lived in two worlds, and could die in either? Pete Holm can. He is a dreamwalker, able to travel to the realm of dreams, including the devastated world of Twin Moon City, where an evil voodoo spirit holds living souls in terror with his army of the walking dead.
In the waking world, drug lord Jean St. Croix knows only the power of the dreamwalker can stop him, so St. Croix vows Pete must die.
Pete is the only hope to rescue the lost souls in Twin Moon City…unless St. Croix kills him first. Can anyone survive when two realities collide?
Dreamwalker was my first book by Russell James but it wont be my last. This is a fast paced engrossing story filled with believable characters. I enjoyed getting to know Pete and Rayna, both really easy to root for. The Voodoo aspects of this book were genuinely creepy, making St. Croix an easy to dislike villain. A well written, fun thrill ride, 4 stars.
January 5, 2015
Review: DREAMWALKER by Russell James
College freshmen Pete has suffered from VPD--Visual Processing Disorder--for years. That means that he sees reality, but between eyesight and brain, somehow perceptions are altered. Teachers and acquaintances think it's a curse; but Pete actually has much in his favor. Not only does he see with new perspectives, he's in control of his full-on, Technicolor dreams, and he can even dream serially: carrying his dreams to consecutive sleep sessions. But in his dreams, Pete is not immortal, and soon two very powerful and angry men will try to reach out to him: one in the Dream world, one in "real life."
College freshmen Pete has suffered from VPD--Visual Processing Disorder--for years. That means that he sees reality, but between eyesight and brain, somehow perceptions are altered. Teachers and acquaintances think it's a curse; but Pete actually has much in his favor. Not only does he see with new perspectives, he's in control of his full-on, Technicolor dreams, and he can even dream serially: carrying his dreams to consecutive sleep sessions. But in his dreams, Pete is not immortal, and soon two very powerful and angry men will try to reach out to him: one in the Dream world, one in "real life."
March 21, 2015
Review to come.
Merged review:
Pete, a dreamwalker, is torn between Atlantic City and Twin Moon City. He’s struggling to stay alive after he’s caught the attention of two ruthless beings, one drug lord in the real world and another being in the dreamworld. Both have set out to destroy the one person who can ruin all their carefully laid out plans.
I found the story to be more fantasy/paranormal than horror, which knocked my enthusiasm down a bit. Everyone knows I like my horror dark so take my opinion of this read with a grain of salt. This is the softer side of horror, with moments of creepiness. I wish that the magic elements, such as the voodoo, would have been embellished a little bit. As the author said, there is definitely something supernatural and scary about it. I wasn't able to lose myself in the read as much as I wanted to. I haven’t pinned down the reasoning for that. However, the story was unique and it did keep my attention. It just may be that the concept of dreaming doesn't really appeal to me.
Russell James’ character-driven novel is imaginative. It’s sure to please those in search of magic and mayhem in this world and outside it.
Merged review:
Pete, a dreamwalker, is torn between Atlantic City and Twin Moon City. He’s struggling to stay alive after he’s caught the attention of two ruthless beings, one drug lord in the real world and another being in the dreamworld. Both have set out to destroy the one person who can ruin all their carefully laid out plans.
I found the story to be more fantasy/paranormal than horror, which knocked my enthusiasm down a bit. Everyone knows I like my horror dark so take my opinion of this read with a grain of salt. This is the softer side of horror, with moments of creepiness. I wish that the magic elements, such as the voodoo, would have been embellished a little bit. As the author said, there is definitely something supernatural and scary about it. I wasn't able to lose myself in the read as much as I wanted to. I haven’t pinned down the reasoning for that. However, the story was unique and it did keep my attention. It just may be that the concept of dreaming doesn't really appeal to me.
Russell James’ character-driven novel is imaginative. It’s sure to please those in search of magic and mayhem in this world and outside it.
February 21, 2015
Review copy provided as part of blog tour in exchange for an honest review
Dreamwalker follows college student Pete Holm as he struggles with a unique set of powers. Pete has very vivid dreams that seem to be almost real and unlike most people who experience multiple dreams and storylines, Pete often times has dreams that continue right where they left off the previous night. He is also always aware of what is happening in his dreams. The one constant of his dreams is a mysterious girl who appears in every single dream of his. Pete dubs her Dream Girl and never can figure out why she is the only constant in his dreams. He has a connection with her that eludes him when it comes to the other people that he encounters in his dreams. Although there is normally danger, Pete always escapes unharmed and they only occur in certain types of dreams. However, one night when Pete is in his mansion, he encounters a terrifying snakelike creature that almost swallows him alive.
Pete also has Visual Processing Disorder, which scrambles what he sees on his way to his brain and creates anxiety. Though Pete was able to get a handle on his disorder through tutoring and therapy, the concepts he encounters in his business classes at Ithaca overwhelm him and send him into a tailspin. Lately, Pete’s VPD has been getting worse. Instead of just causing confusion, he begins seeing words that jump out to him often focusing on a singular theme such as the sea and cards. Pete finally reaches his breaking point and decides to leave everything he has ever known deciding he needs a break from the stress. Pete finally discovers that the recent patterns in his VPD are telling him something and sets off for Atlantic City.
When Pete arrives, he realizes that he is stranded and an outsider. The glitz of the casinos and the boardwalk clash with the gritty side of the of the city and Pete realizes that he needs a plan in order to survive. Pete picks up a part-time job and apartment through a chance meeting with the owner of DiStephano’s restaurant. Pete’s dreams continue while in Atlantic City, although now they seem to come with more purpose. These are not seemingly random dreams, but ones that seem to be telling him something.
The other story thread focuses on Prosperidad, a fortune-teller who picks up on Pete’s presence. Her client, Jean St. Croix, is infuriated when she tells him a dreamwalker has arrived in the city and may place his plans in jeopardy. Jean St. Croix is a vicious crime lord who plans to control the city through the drug trade and utilizes extreme brutality to set his domination underway. Prosperidad asked the Antelope Spirit to send someone who could stop St. Croix and it seems Pete may just be the key to achieving that goal.
As Pete begins to realize the frightening truth behind his dreams, he finds himself in a fight for his life. In the real world, Pete is on the run from St. Croix and his crew of henchmen while in the dream world he is hunted by the evil petra loa spirit Cauquemere and his legion of blood-thirsty undead soldiers. Armed with his new-found abilities and some help from Dream Girl aka Rayna and Prosperidad, Pete attempts to end the terror in both worlds.
One of the most impressive things about James’ novel is the world building that takes place, particularly his creation of Twin Moon City. The city seems normal at first complete brownstone buildings and a street lined with streetlights, but quickly takes on a darker appearance. Everything is in ruins with smashed out windows, holes littering the walls of the building, debris littering the streets and the stench of death hanging heavy in the air. James’s descriptive prose helps breathe life into this apocalyptic city. I also liked how even though there are elements of interacting with dreams, parallel worlds and evil spirits, the story still feels realistic because of the dangers Pete faces in the real world.
Dreamwalker is the first Russell James novel that I have had the pleasure to read and it was an absolute blast! I am definitely looking forward to exploring his previous and upcoming works. There is something for everyone in this novel – action, horror, fantasy and a hint of romance. Highly recommended!
Dreamwalker follows college student Pete Holm as he struggles with a unique set of powers. Pete has very vivid dreams that seem to be almost real and unlike most people who experience multiple dreams and storylines, Pete often times has dreams that continue right where they left off the previous night. He is also always aware of what is happening in his dreams. The one constant of his dreams is a mysterious girl who appears in every single dream of his. Pete dubs her Dream Girl and never can figure out why she is the only constant in his dreams. He has a connection with her that eludes him when it comes to the other people that he encounters in his dreams. Although there is normally danger, Pete always escapes unharmed and they only occur in certain types of dreams. However, one night when Pete is in his mansion, he encounters a terrifying snakelike creature that almost swallows him alive.
Pete also has Visual Processing Disorder, which scrambles what he sees on his way to his brain and creates anxiety. Though Pete was able to get a handle on his disorder through tutoring and therapy, the concepts he encounters in his business classes at Ithaca overwhelm him and send him into a tailspin. Lately, Pete’s VPD has been getting worse. Instead of just causing confusion, he begins seeing words that jump out to him often focusing on a singular theme such as the sea and cards. Pete finally reaches his breaking point and decides to leave everything he has ever known deciding he needs a break from the stress. Pete finally discovers that the recent patterns in his VPD are telling him something and sets off for Atlantic City.
When Pete arrives, he realizes that he is stranded and an outsider. The glitz of the casinos and the boardwalk clash with the gritty side of the of the city and Pete realizes that he needs a plan in order to survive. Pete picks up a part-time job and apartment through a chance meeting with the owner of DiStephano’s restaurant. Pete’s dreams continue while in Atlantic City, although now they seem to come with more purpose. These are not seemingly random dreams, but ones that seem to be telling him something.
The other story thread focuses on Prosperidad, a fortune-teller who picks up on Pete’s presence. Her client, Jean St. Croix, is infuriated when she tells him a dreamwalker has arrived in the city and may place his plans in jeopardy. Jean St. Croix is a vicious crime lord who plans to control the city through the drug trade and utilizes extreme brutality to set his domination underway. Prosperidad asked the Antelope Spirit to send someone who could stop St. Croix and it seems Pete may just be the key to achieving that goal.
As Pete begins to realize the frightening truth behind his dreams, he finds himself in a fight for his life. In the real world, Pete is on the run from St. Croix and his crew of henchmen while in the dream world he is hunted by the evil petra loa spirit Cauquemere and his legion of blood-thirsty undead soldiers. Armed with his new-found abilities and some help from Dream Girl aka Rayna and Prosperidad, Pete attempts to end the terror in both worlds.
One of the most impressive things about James’ novel is the world building that takes place, particularly his creation of Twin Moon City. The city seems normal at first complete brownstone buildings and a street lined with streetlights, but quickly takes on a darker appearance. Everything is in ruins with smashed out windows, holes littering the walls of the building, debris littering the streets and the stench of death hanging heavy in the air. James’s descriptive prose helps breathe life into this apocalyptic city. I also liked how even though there are elements of interacting with dreams, parallel worlds and evil spirits, the story still feels realistic because of the dangers Pete faces in the real world.
Dreamwalker is the first Russell James novel that I have had the pleasure to read and it was an absolute blast! I am definitely looking forward to exploring his previous and upcoming works. There is something for everyone in this novel – action, horror, fantasy and a hint of romance. Highly recommended!
March 28, 2015
Dreamwalker is my first Russell James read and it won't be my last! James is a master storyteller! The story is fast-paced and sucks you in from the first page. The characters are well-rounded and you fall into an easy relationship with them; rooting them on and wishing that you could somehow control the story yourself to make their lives easier. And the villains, it's easy to dislike them just as easily.
Pete Holm is a college student with a unique set of powers. His dreams are so vivid that they are almost real. Have you ever had a dream that was so great that when you wake up you want nothing more than go back to sleep and pick up that very same dream? Pete has this ability. Often times his dreams pick up right where they left off the previous night. He can't control the outcome of his dreams and usually people don't carry over from one dream sequence to the next, but then there is Dream Girl (we later find out her name is Rayna). She appears in every one of his dreams. He's connected to her somehow and he can't figure that part of his dreams out. He also has Visual Processing Disorder (VPD). This affects the way his brain processes what he sees (there really is a more scientific answer to what it is, feel free to look it up... but for the sake of space we shall leave it at that). He begins to see a pattern in the way he is seeing things and decides to take off for Atlantic City.
He thought running away would relieve the stress he was feeling, but such is not the case. He finds a part-time job and an apartment. His dreams continue of course, but now they don't seem so random. Are his dreams trying to tell him something?
Prosperidad is a fortune-teller who immediately picks up on Pete's gifts. Jean St. Croix is a villain you will love to hate. He's a vicious crime lord who controls the city through drugs and will stop at nothing to rule supreme. Prosperidad asked the spirits to send someone who could stop St. Croix and it seems that Pete might just be that salvation. Needless to say St. Crois isn't happy about someone getting in the way of his plans.
Pete finds himself in a fight for his life. Not only in the real world, but in his dreams as well. Can he end the terror in both worlds?
Not only is the character building excellent, but the creation of Pete's dream world will bring you right into the story. It's hard to make a real place anything much more than it is, but even a description of the sights and sounds of Atlantic City will make you feel like you are right there with Pete. But Twin Moon City has to be one of my favorite parts of this story. It might seem like an everyday normal place, but it soon takes on an apocalyptic feel. The transition from dream world to real world is smooth and easy. I was turning the pages so fast I'm surprised I didn't short out my Kindle.
Can Pete save himself in two parallel worlds?
If you are a lover of action, horror, or fantasy (with a smidge of romance thrown in for good measure), then you will love this book!
Pete Holm is a college student with a unique set of powers. His dreams are so vivid that they are almost real. Have you ever had a dream that was so great that when you wake up you want nothing more than go back to sleep and pick up that very same dream? Pete has this ability. Often times his dreams pick up right where they left off the previous night. He can't control the outcome of his dreams and usually people don't carry over from one dream sequence to the next, but then there is Dream Girl (we later find out her name is Rayna). She appears in every one of his dreams. He's connected to her somehow and he can't figure that part of his dreams out. He also has Visual Processing Disorder (VPD). This affects the way his brain processes what he sees (there really is a more scientific answer to what it is, feel free to look it up... but for the sake of space we shall leave it at that). He begins to see a pattern in the way he is seeing things and decides to take off for Atlantic City.
He thought running away would relieve the stress he was feeling, but such is not the case. He finds a part-time job and an apartment. His dreams continue of course, but now they don't seem so random. Are his dreams trying to tell him something?
Prosperidad is a fortune-teller who immediately picks up on Pete's gifts. Jean St. Croix is a villain you will love to hate. He's a vicious crime lord who controls the city through drugs and will stop at nothing to rule supreme. Prosperidad asked the spirits to send someone who could stop St. Croix and it seems that Pete might just be that salvation. Needless to say St. Crois isn't happy about someone getting in the way of his plans.
Pete finds himself in a fight for his life. Not only in the real world, but in his dreams as well. Can he end the terror in both worlds?
Not only is the character building excellent, but the creation of Pete's dream world will bring you right into the story. It's hard to make a real place anything much more than it is, but even a description of the sights and sounds of Atlantic City will make you feel like you are right there with Pete. But Twin Moon City has to be one of my favorite parts of this story. It might seem like an everyday normal place, but it soon takes on an apocalyptic feel. The transition from dream world to real world is smooth and easy. I was turning the pages so fast I'm surprised I didn't short out my Kindle.
Can Pete save himself in two parallel worlds?
If you are a lover of action, horror, or fantasy (with a smidge of romance thrown in for good measure), then you will love this book!
January 31, 2017
"Dreamwalker" marks my first read from Russell James and it's a hell of a good time. In this youthful adventure. Now, I'm not saying that this is novel aimed at a younger audience, what I am saying is that I felt a nearly constant sense of youthful energy and wonder while gallivanting around with Pete. The world is in his hands, and vicariously in my hands. And we're carried by a lofty dreamlike sense that anything can and may happen in an adventure with boundless opportunities. Which makes the story's turns to darkness a bit unexpected and more striking in contrast.
Mr. James conjures a fun and intriguing protagonist in Pete Holm, a bright soul, a young man unaware, at first, of the power he can wield in his controlled dreamscapes. He is the perfect yin to the pitch black antagonist's yang, Jean St. Croix. St. Croix is also a Dreamwalker with roots in Haitian voodoo, his true persona and absolute power in control as the shell of Jean sleeps. These two lead a solid cast of memorable characters, many of whom I found myself emotionally invested in, and I'm really hoping that this isn't the last time we run into some of them.
There is great imagery throughout, and more so as Pete begins to loose his grasp on his dreams and St. Croix's power of influence starts to take hold, poisoning Pete's sanctuaries. The run-down, nearly apocalyptic dreamscape of Twin Moon City is a nice more-metaphor-than-mirror-image companion to the "real world" of Atlantic City, and is inhabited with its own fair share of lost souls. These lost souls are under the thumb of St. Croix and can be/ are used to achieve his endgame as henchmen or as collateral damage. This holds true in Twin Moon City as well as in the real world.
Although my favorite moment in "Dreamwalker" is that of a young, as yet uncorrupted Jean St. Croix sneakily learning voodoo practices and his mishandling of the applications, there are numerous scenes to savor and enjoy.
Thank you for the ride, Mr. James.
*I received a review copy, these are my honest thoughts.
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Mr. James conjures a fun and intriguing protagonist in Pete Holm, a bright soul, a young man unaware, at first, of the power he can wield in his controlled dreamscapes. He is the perfect yin to the pitch black antagonist's yang, Jean St. Croix. St. Croix is also a Dreamwalker with roots in Haitian voodoo, his true persona and absolute power in control as the shell of Jean sleeps. These two lead a solid cast of memorable characters, many of whom I found myself emotionally invested in, and I'm really hoping that this isn't the last time we run into some of them.
There is great imagery throughout, and more so as Pete begins to loose his grasp on his dreams and St. Croix's power of influence starts to take hold, poisoning Pete's sanctuaries. The run-down, nearly apocalyptic dreamscape of Twin Moon City is a nice more-metaphor-than-mirror-image companion to the "real world" of Atlantic City, and is inhabited with its own fair share of lost souls. These lost souls are under the thumb of St. Croix and can be/ are used to achieve his endgame as henchmen or as collateral damage. This holds true in Twin Moon City as well as in the real world.
Although my favorite moment in "Dreamwalker" is that of a young, as yet uncorrupted Jean St. Croix sneakily learning voodoo practices and his mishandling of the applications, there are numerous scenes to savor and enjoy.
Thank you for the ride, Mr. James.
*I received a review copy, these are my honest thoughts.
The Mouths of Madness Podcastshow
www.facebook.com/themouthsofmadness
February 23, 2015
It would be pretty freaky to dream like Pete does in this book. Especially considering that he can die in either world because he's a Dreamwalker. I kept thinking about all the dreams I've had where I've come close to dying, or being chased by someone/something. In Pete's world, dreams like that would be life or death.
There were two things I found really interesting about this book, and I learned about two real world phenomenons I did not previously know, or knew little about. One was Pete's disorder, Visual Processing Disorder. VPD happens when a person has trouble processing things he/she sees in the world...information gets scrambled. Pete's VPD starts manifesting in a strange way when he starts to receive messages from words in incorrectly processed street signs, like only seeing the word King in a No Parking sign. He soon realizes that these are indeed messages that are pointing him in a certain direction. Very interesting. The second was the practice of Voodoo. We find out in the book through the character of the villain, St. Croix, that the practice of Voodoo was actually against the law in Haiti up until the 1950s, the power of the practice was so believed and feared. As the author so aptly put it in his afterword, "You don't see anyone pushing to make tarot cards illegal." This kind of gave me the creeps. A supernatural practice so feared that's it's outlawed? Yikes!
This book is creepy in all the right ways. I mean, please stop with the snakes already. *shudder* And then you have an evil spirit that can come and manipulate your dreams. No thanks. The story was definitely "edge of the seat" throughout and Pete was such a great, and likable, character. It's so much easier to get really scared when you care about the characters.
This was my first Russell James novel and I will definitely be checking out his other books in the future.
There were two things I found really interesting about this book, and I learned about two real world phenomenons I did not previously know, or knew little about. One was Pete's disorder, Visual Processing Disorder. VPD happens when a person has trouble processing things he/she sees in the world...information gets scrambled. Pete's VPD starts manifesting in a strange way when he starts to receive messages from words in incorrectly processed street signs, like only seeing the word King in a No Parking sign. He soon realizes that these are indeed messages that are pointing him in a certain direction. Very interesting. The second was the practice of Voodoo. We find out in the book through the character of the villain, St. Croix, that the practice of Voodoo was actually against the law in Haiti up until the 1950s, the power of the practice was so believed and feared. As the author so aptly put it in his afterword, "You don't see anyone pushing to make tarot cards illegal." This kind of gave me the creeps. A supernatural practice so feared that's it's outlawed? Yikes!
This book is creepy in all the right ways. I mean, please stop with the snakes already. *shudder* And then you have an evil spirit that can come and manipulate your dreams. No thanks. The story was definitely "edge of the seat" throughout and Pete was such a great, and likable, character. It's so much easier to get really scared when you care about the characters.
This was my first Russell James novel and I will definitely be checking out his other books in the future.
December 8, 2016
I won a copy of this book in a '31 Days of Halloween' horror writer's showcase. And even though I had read several of Russell James' other books (and loved them all), I had been hesitant to buy this one. And I hope I do a good job of explaining this: Reason being that I generally don't like "fantasy" type novels over horror because it's been my experience a lot of authors can't write a believable fantasy world. But Russell James gets it right! The main character is a Dreamwalker - he inhabits other worlds and interacts with other Dreamwalkers while asleep. The entire mythos of the Dreamwalkers, the alternate worlds, the good and bad characters that inhabit them - every detail is unique, themse I've never read about in any other books, but extremely well written, with details that are believable. And without spoilers, all I can say is a LOVED the ending.
February 18, 2015
This novel hooked me from the get go. You can't get better than Russell James for setting up an action packed story that will have you up way past your bed time. What would you do if every time you fell asleep you traveled into the realm of dreams with the very real threat of dying in either one. Very scary and intense and I couldn't stop reading. This voice of the book, characters and plot all were stunning. Top notch read!
5/5
5/5
January 20, 2025
Loved this one from James. Maybe my favorite of his.
August 25, 2015
From the dark rundown back world of Atlantic City to the devastation of the nightmare world of Twin Moon City, Russell James has brought his world to an incredibly vivid reality. The settings are so well described you can practically hear the echoing silence and smell the abandoned musty locations. But the life of the story definitely does not stop there…the characters, especially those of Pete and his dream girl, Rayna, will draw you in and immerse you in their worlds. This is a fast paced book, full of tension, intrigue and psychological horror that will have you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails anxious to see what happens next.
With an intriguing and unique tale, Russell James has produced horror gold. Every book seems to top the last and he’s easily become one of my favorite horror authors. Not only do I recommend Dreamwalker but everything by Russell James is a must read!
With an intriguing and unique tale, Russell James has produced horror gold. Every book seems to top the last and he’s easily become one of my favorite horror authors. Not only do I recommend Dreamwalker but everything by Russell James is a must read!
February 8, 2015
An entertaining fantasy/horror novel
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/dreamw... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/dreamw... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
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