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The Soul Sleep Cycle #1
If Souls Can Sleep
First he lost his daughter. His mind may be next.
After years of being haunted by the day his little girl drowned, Vincent faces a new nightmare — one that reaches into the real world and beyond the grave.
If Souls Can Sleep introduces a hidden world where gifted individuals possess the power to invade the dreams of others. Two rival factions have transformed the dreamscape into a war zone where all reality is relative and even the dead can’t rest in peace.
After years of being haunted by the day his little girl drowned, Vincent faces a new nightmare — one that reaches into the real world and beyond the grave.
If Souls Can Sleep introduces a hidden world where gifted individuals possess the power to invade the dreams of others. Two rival factions have transformed the dreamscape into a war zone where all reality is relative and even the dead can’t rest in peace.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2017
15 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
David Michael Williams
16 books36 followersDavid Michael Williams has suffered from a storytelling addiction for as long as he can remember. With a background in journalism, public relations, and marketing, he also flaunts his love affair with the written word as an author of speculative fiction. His most recent books include the sword-and-sorcery trilogy The Renegade Chronicles and The Soul Sleep Cycle, a genre-bending series that explores life, death, and the dreamscape.
He lives in Wisconsin with the best wife on this or any other planet and their two amazing children.
He lives in Wisconsin with the best wife on this or any other planet and their two amazing children.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 29, 2022
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A guy loses his daughter and becomes lost in a spiral of despair.
A guy loses his daughter and becomes lost in a spiral of despair.
February 23, 2018
I won a digital copy of this book in a GoodReads giveaway, and here is my honest review:
This is a book about dreams and sanity, grief and redemption. It's also a book about a man who's an ass.
Plot-wise this book was a wild ride that kept me guessing from beginning to end! The author did a good job of telling a story shrouded in mystery, yet making me want to stay until things became clear in the end, instead of pushing me away with obscurity and confusion.
The writing was brilliant, and the characters felt very real. Our protagonist is no hero, just a guy who lost himself when his daughter died, and is trying desperately to get hold of sanity again. And although his selfishness is off-putting, I can't help but sympathize and root for him. And hope that he'll stop being an a-hole.
I love stories about siblings and family, so the fact that this story centered so much on the MC's loss of his daughter and relationship with his brother strongly appealed to me.
I also appreciated the fact that this book didn't paint all religious people as complete nutcases or terrible people, thank you very much Mr. Author.
That being said, I could have done without the sexual stuff and Vincent's having relationships with other women despite not being technically divorced yet. I get that that was part of Vincent's arc and meant to show that he just kept falling, but the way the book painted his feelings for Leah felt a little too...not-negative for my liking. But that's my scruples and has nothing to do with the quality of the writing.
The quality of this book is top-notch! It managed to both subvert and exceed my expectations in multiple ways. I'm very grateful for this free copy, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequel!
This is a book about dreams and sanity, grief and redemption. It's also a book about a man who's an ass.
Plot-wise this book was a wild ride that kept me guessing from beginning to end! The author did a good job of telling a story shrouded in mystery, yet making me want to stay until things became clear in the end, instead of pushing me away with obscurity and confusion.
The writing was brilliant, and the characters felt very real. Our protagonist is no hero, just a guy who lost himself when his daughter died, and is trying desperately to get hold of sanity again. And although his selfishness is off-putting, I can't help but sympathize and root for him. And hope that he'll stop being an a-hole.
I love stories about siblings and family, so the fact that this story centered so much on the MC's loss of his daughter and relationship with his brother strongly appealed to me.
I also appreciated the fact that this book didn't paint all religious people as complete nutcases or terrible people, thank you very much Mr. Author.
That being said, I could have done without the sexual stuff and Vincent's having relationships with other women despite not being technically divorced yet. I get that that was part of Vincent's arc and meant to show that he just kept falling, but the way the book painted his feelings for Leah felt a little too...not-negative for my liking. But that's my scruples and has nothing to do with the quality of the writing.
The quality of this book is top-notch! It managed to both subvert and exceed my expectations in multiple ways. I'm very grateful for this free copy, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequel!
April 17, 2018
Background: David Michael Williams lives in Wisconsin with his wife and children, and holds a background in journalism, marketing and public relations. He has published multiple speculative fiction titles, including the swords-and-sorcery trilogy, The Renegade Chronicles.
If Souls Can Sleep is a genre-bent title, the first book in The Soul Sleep Cycle, and was published by One Million Words LLC. The story follows Vincent, and man who is currently struggling in life. His young daughter is dead, and he blames himself for the tragedy. His life has been slowly falling ever since and is now about to hit a new low. Vincent is intermittently falling into a nightmare in which he is a fantasy-novel styled hero. As his visits to the dream world grow in frequency, he has to ask one question: is there more to this, or is he simply losing his mind?
The Good: The first thing I want to mention is the thing that drew me to the book long before I obtained a copy: the cover. Mary Christopherson did a fantastic job here and has created a really beautiful piece that should really do a great job of drawing readers in.
Of course, the visual aesthetics are not the only part of a book. Character wise, there are plenty of people to get to grips with here. The most important though is our hero Vincent. What I loved about him is that he isn’t a typical hero by any means. The tragic backstory doesn’t leave him aiming himself squarely at redemption but has rather left him wallowing in a downward spiral. He lashes out and acts like an ass, and he truly struggles to move on from the moment that essentially wrecked his normal life. The thing is, even when he’s acting in a less than likable way, it’s still easy to get behind him. The amount that he’s suffered, and the way that suffering changes as the story progresses causes you to view him as a regular guy that’s down on his luck and deserves a chance to move forward.
The supporting cast are also full of some well-envisioned characters too. From Vincent’s long-suffering flatmate Jerry to his potential love interest Leah, those stood clearly on Vincent’s side do their best to help him, and really help not only flesh him out as a protagonist but get their own runs of focus in too. Then there’s Vincent’s brother Daniel, who is in a coma. He, like his brother, was no saint, but he is another interesting addition to the story.
The story itself blends a little fantasy, some Norse mythology, and some science fiction. This is balanced quite nicely throughout, with different elements becoming focal at the necessary times. What this all leads to is an interesting little tale about secret wars and redemption. Honestly, it really impressed me with how easily it hooked me. It’s well thought out, clearly meticulously planned, and one of the more original ideas that I’ve read in recent times.
It’s also worth noting that, while the series is set to be a trilogy, you get plenty of closure here. You won’t be left with a sense that there was too much left unsaid, as the book feels like it can be read as a standalone, while still setting up concepts for the second book.
The Bad: In terms of any content warnings, the death of Vincent’s daughter is something that comes up a lot. It’s not dealt with in a way that’s unnecessarily violent, but if you struggle with this particular topic, it may be a deal breaker.
Moving on though, my only real issue with the book was that the jumping between the real world and the dream world had a mixed effect on me. You see, at times, it felt a little jarring. In a way, that fits with how it must have felt for Vincent, which is fine, but for me, the issue was the timing. Each jump seemed to take place at times that left me thinking ‘but I wanted to stay in that world a little longer and see what happens …’. Now, that’s not entirely a bad thing as it did leave me eager to get back to the other part of the story, and the events playing out in each section were such that they keep you interested regardless, but the slight jarring was there, at least for me.
Final View: If Souls Can Sleep does not disappoint; it takes an interesting concept and executes it well, blending genres and a strong cast of characters to draw you in and keep you wanting more.
Final Score: 4 / 5
If Souls Can Sleep is a genre-bent title, the first book in The Soul Sleep Cycle, and was published by One Million Words LLC. The story follows Vincent, and man who is currently struggling in life. His young daughter is dead, and he blames himself for the tragedy. His life has been slowly falling ever since and is now about to hit a new low. Vincent is intermittently falling into a nightmare in which he is a fantasy-novel styled hero. As his visits to the dream world grow in frequency, he has to ask one question: is there more to this, or is he simply losing his mind?
The Good: The first thing I want to mention is the thing that drew me to the book long before I obtained a copy: the cover. Mary Christopherson did a fantastic job here and has created a really beautiful piece that should really do a great job of drawing readers in.
Of course, the visual aesthetics are not the only part of a book. Character wise, there are plenty of people to get to grips with here. The most important though is our hero Vincent. What I loved about him is that he isn’t a typical hero by any means. The tragic backstory doesn’t leave him aiming himself squarely at redemption but has rather left him wallowing in a downward spiral. He lashes out and acts like an ass, and he truly struggles to move on from the moment that essentially wrecked his normal life. The thing is, even when he’s acting in a less than likable way, it’s still easy to get behind him. The amount that he’s suffered, and the way that suffering changes as the story progresses causes you to view him as a regular guy that’s down on his luck and deserves a chance to move forward.
The supporting cast are also full of some well-envisioned characters too. From Vincent’s long-suffering flatmate Jerry to his potential love interest Leah, those stood clearly on Vincent’s side do their best to help him, and really help not only flesh him out as a protagonist but get their own runs of focus in too. Then there’s Vincent’s brother Daniel, who is in a coma. He, like his brother, was no saint, but he is another interesting addition to the story.
The story itself blends a little fantasy, some Norse mythology, and some science fiction. This is balanced quite nicely throughout, with different elements becoming focal at the necessary times. What this all leads to is an interesting little tale about secret wars and redemption. Honestly, it really impressed me with how easily it hooked me. It’s well thought out, clearly meticulously planned, and one of the more original ideas that I’ve read in recent times.
It’s also worth noting that, while the series is set to be a trilogy, you get plenty of closure here. You won’t be left with a sense that there was too much left unsaid, as the book feels like it can be read as a standalone, while still setting up concepts for the second book.
The Bad: In terms of any content warnings, the death of Vincent’s daughter is something that comes up a lot. It’s not dealt with in a way that’s unnecessarily violent, but if you struggle with this particular topic, it may be a deal breaker.
Moving on though, my only real issue with the book was that the jumping between the real world and the dream world had a mixed effect on me. You see, at times, it felt a little jarring. In a way, that fits with how it must have felt for Vincent, which is fine, but for me, the issue was the timing. Each jump seemed to take place at times that left me thinking ‘but I wanted to stay in that world a little longer and see what happens …’. Now, that’s not entirely a bad thing as it did leave me eager to get back to the other part of the story, and the events playing out in each section were such that they keep you interested regardless, but the slight jarring was there, at least for me.
Final View: If Souls Can Sleep does not disappoint; it takes an interesting concept and executes it well, blending genres and a strong cast of characters to draw you in and keep you wanting more.
Final Score: 4 / 5
January 15, 2018
I read an advanced copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley.
First, he lost his daughter. His mind may be next.
This was such a gripping line in the description that I was immediately drawn to this book. The book centres around a main character, Vincent, who is struggling to come to terms with the death of his daughter.
I loved Vincent's character and really felt for him throughout the book. His grief was palpable and very well described. The writing was flawless and there was nothing I could fault. The book centres around a couple of characters and we get different points of view which all work wonderfully well. This book kept me guessing right the way to the end with new information added and lots of twists and turns. Emotions were high and I wanted to read more and more. It also opened up a lot of questions as to the possibilities of this really happening to someone and that in itself makes this an excellent sci-fi/fantasy book. I found myself absorbed in Vincent's world and the past that tormented him. All the secondary characters were excellent as well.
Daniel/DJ was well thought out and I loved that he got to redeem himself in the end. Boden was one of those characters that I wasn't sure whether to like or hate especially when he's first introduced. The author does a great job of creating a persona that we are meant to distrust and when we get the real story, it's like, oh yeah, I see that now.
I really enjoyed the end of the book and the resolution that Vincent gets. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I will say, it's perfectly done.
There is to be a second book which I look forward to reading. I found this whole world intriguing and can't wait to read more.
First, he lost his daughter. His mind may be next.
This was such a gripping line in the description that I was immediately drawn to this book. The book centres around a main character, Vincent, who is struggling to come to terms with the death of his daughter.
I loved Vincent's character and really felt for him throughout the book. His grief was palpable and very well described. The writing was flawless and there was nothing I could fault. The book centres around a couple of characters and we get different points of view which all work wonderfully well. This book kept me guessing right the way to the end with new information added and lots of twists and turns. Emotions were high and I wanted to read more and more. It also opened up a lot of questions as to the possibilities of this really happening to someone and that in itself makes this an excellent sci-fi/fantasy book. I found myself absorbed in Vincent's world and the past that tormented him. All the secondary characters were excellent as well.
Daniel/DJ was well thought out and I loved that he got to redeem himself in the end. Boden was one of those characters that I wasn't sure whether to like or hate especially when he's first introduced. The author does a great job of creating a persona that we are meant to distrust and when we get the real story, it's like, oh yeah, I see that now.
I really enjoyed the end of the book and the resolution that Vincent gets. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I will say, it's perfectly done.
There is to be a second book which I look forward to reading. I found this whole world intriguing and can't wait to read more.
July 4, 2018
Great book with lots of surprising twists! It initially took me a bit to get into the book, especially since the dream-world part feels a bit flat at first. It turns out there's a solid reason for that, which is revealed later in the book. Once I got a ways in, I found the story gripping. I loved the unique take on dreaming, and the characters were rich and well-rounded; their flaws made me empathize with their struggles. All in all, a fantastic read, and I'm looking forward to the sequel so I can learn more about these characters!
March 25, 2018
If Souls Can Sleep is a page-turner. Multiple storylines build until they are ultimately woven together. The characters are well-crafted and the dialogue is believable. You will find yourself staying up too late to discover the truth behind the underlying mystery. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
January 19, 2018
"First he lost his daughter. His mind may be next."
It sounded like a tragically intriguing story so I simply had to read it.
Vincent a seemingly decent guy who has self-destructed since the death of his daughter and all but cut contact with his mother over their different opinions on whether to turn off his criminal half-brother's life support. A reoccurring dream of the day his daughter died has been haunting Vincent for years but those dreams stop just as a new dream begins and this dream is very different to most. The dream is in an unfamiliar fantasy setting, everyone in the dream world calls him Valenthor of the Three Rivers and this dream has the ability to draw Vincent in even when he is awake. After the new dream leads to him losing his job, Vincent looks for help only to discover there is much more to the dream than he could have possibly imagined.
Jerry is Vincent's housemate and the first person to try helping Vincent figure out what the crazy dream by instant messaging the "Master of All Fantasy". The next person Vincent turns to Leah, a sleep therapist with her own interesting sleep disorder. She does her own tests and investigations which leads to some very surprising discoveries. The other character worth mentioning is a rather peculiar man by the name of Milton. He is on the run, but cannot remember who is running from or why and the fact that he cannot remember scares him. They are all interesting characters and the main characters well formed.
The way the book is set up was confusing at first - flicking between dreams and awake without clear indication but also between different points of view. I believe that was the intention as if it had been explained earlier on it would have taken away from the overall story. Once I got halfway through the book I began to pick up on the differences and it is also when the story began to explain itself only heightening my interest in the story. With the exception of that temporary confusion, it was an interesting concept worked into a well thought out story that flowed rather well.
At the end, there was an excerpt from book two. It seems just as intriguing and I look forward to reading more about these dream worlds in Williams next book.
It sounded like a tragically intriguing story so I simply had to read it.
Vincent a seemingly decent guy who has self-destructed since the death of his daughter and all but cut contact with his mother over their different opinions on whether to turn off his criminal half-brother's life support. A reoccurring dream of the day his daughter died has been haunting Vincent for years but those dreams stop just as a new dream begins and this dream is very different to most. The dream is in an unfamiliar fantasy setting, everyone in the dream world calls him Valenthor of the Three Rivers and this dream has the ability to draw Vincent in even when he is awake. After the new dream leads to him losing his job, Vincent looks for help only to discover there is much more to the dream than he could have possibly imagined.
Jerry is Vincent's housemate and the first person to try helping Vincent figure out what the crazy dream by instant messaging the "Master of All Fantasy". The next person Vincent turns to Leah, a sleep therapist with her own interesting sleep disorder. She does her own tests and investigations which leads to some very surprising discoveries. The other character worth mentioning is a rather peculiar man by the name of Milton. He is on the run, but cannot remember who is running from or why and the fact that he cannot remember scares him. They are all interesting characters and the main characters well formed.
The way the book is set up was confusing at first - flicking between dreams and awake without clear indication but also between different points of view. I believe that was the intention as if it had been explained earlier on it would have taken away from the overall story. Once I got halfway through the book I began to pick up on the differences and it is also when the story began to explain itself only heightening my interest in the story. With the exception of that temporary confusion, it was an interesting concept worked into a well thought out story that flowed rather well.
At the end, there was an excerpt from book two. It seems just as intriguing and I look forward to reading more about these dream worlds in Williams next book.
June 17, 2018
Vincent Cruz has already lost his daughter and it looks like he may lose his mind next. He’s spent the past few years haunted by the memories of the day his daughter, Clementine, drowned but now he’s suddenly facing a new nightmare. And this one has the power to reach not only into the real world but beyond the grave. If Souls Can Sleep introduces a hidden world who gifted individuals possess the power to invade the dreams of others. Rival factions have transformed the dream world into a war zone where all reality is relative and even the dead can’t rest in peace.
Honestly, I wanted to like this book a lot more than I ultimately did. It sounded like such an interesting concept and I looked forward to reading it. But, for some reason, I just couldn’t fully connect with the plot line or the characters. The story does have a good bit going for it. For instance, the characters are well written and I did like Vincent, Jerry, and Leigh. Alternating between the dream world and reality was an interesting idea, and it reminded me, vaguely, of Ted Dekker’s Circle Series, only this time it was a bit confusing and disjointed. Maybe because it also alternated between not only Vincent’s and Valenthor’s points of view, but also Milton’s. Instead of adding to the story as much as it could have, it ended up detracting from it. The storyline was interesting and had real potential and that’s what, ultimately, kept me reading. I was interested enough that I had to find out what happened in the end and what was going on with Vincent that was causing his crazy dreams. Honestly, this author has a great deal of potential.
I’d like to thank David Michael Williams, One Million Words LLC, and Netgalley for providing me with an electronic copy of this book. I understand that this in no way obligates me to leave a positive review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Honestly, I wanted to like this book a lot more than I ultimately did. It sounded like such an interesting concept and I looked forward to reading it. But, for some reason, I just couldn’t fully connect with the plot line or the characters. The story does have a good bit going for it. For instance, the characters are well written and I did like Vincent, Jerry, and Leigh. Alternating between the dream world and reality was an interesting idea, and it reminded me, vaguely, of Ted Dekker’s Circle Series, only this time it was a bit confusing and disjointed. Maybe because it also alternated between not only Vincent’s and Valenthor’s points of view, but also Milton’s. Instead of adding to the story as much as it could have, it ended up detracting from it. The storyline was interesting and had real potential and that’s what, ultimately, kept me reading. I was interested enough that I had to find out what happened in the end and what was going on with Vincent that was causing his crazy dreams. Honestly, this author has a great deal of potential.
I’d like to thank David Michael Williams, One Million Words LLC, and Netgalley for providing me with an electronic copy of this book. I understand that this in no way obligates me to leave a positive review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 31, 2018
Is it real? Or merely a dream? Depending upon one’s point of view--yes!
An engaging combination of sci-fi and fantasy, greater than the sum of its parts, featuring a cast of relatable and memorable characters coming to terms with the oppressive and horrific circumstances life has bestowed upon them. Plotlines converge and intertwine into an epic, heart-pounding conclusion, sure to set a record for the sheer number of tropes subverted. So delightfully so.
Time and again hero and fiend alike face unsettling questions: what is real? And what is a dream? Because telling one from the other frequently depends only upon one’s point of view. Even an invalid in our world can be dangerous—and deadly—in one populated by dreamers. Warriors. Betrayers. Monsters. And the occasional wandering soul.
Welcome back, Vincent Cruz. “Dream on, dream until your dream come true…”
An engaging combination of sci-fi and fantasy, greater than the sum of its parts, featuring a cast of relatable and memorable characters coming to terms with the oppressive and horrific circumstances life has bestowed upon them. Plotlines converge and intertwine into an epic, heart-pounding conclusion, sure to set a record for the sheer number of tropes subverted. So delightfully so.
Time and again hero and fiend alike face unsettling questions: what is real? And what is a dream? Because telling one from the other frequently depends only upon one’s point of view. Even an invalid in our world can be dangerous—and deadly—in one populated by dreamers. Warriors. Betrayers. Monsters. And the occasional wandering soul.
Welcome back, Vincent Cruz. “Dream on, dream until your dream come true…”
February 1, 2018
If Souls Can Sleep is a genre bending bit of science fiction with a dash of norse mythology, an interesting exploration of what dreams are and how they might be manipulated, and a fun twisting of the fantasy genre into something that appealed to me even though I don't typically read fantasy. Compelling characters and a steady pace seal the deal and make this a book I'm happy to recommend if any of that sounds at all interesting to you.
(You'll notice it's the first book in a series, but I found the book to have a satisfying amount of closure for this particular story, while giving tantalizing hints for how the series might expand in future installments.)
(You'll notice it's the first book in a series, but I found the book to have a satisfying amount of closure for this particular story, while giving tantalizing hints for how the series might expand in future installments.)
September 24, 2018
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. This was an interesting book that blended a bit of fantasy with suspense and present day. The characters were interesting, but I did feel like there were a lot of them and a lot to keep up with. The story was very interesting and I liked how it came together.
January 24, 2018
Really surprised how the story played out and was quite impressed with both plotting and some of the characterisation
Full review can be found at https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review can be found at https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
May 8, 2018
Very interesting concept with dream control and Norse mythology. I liked this original story and characters.
August 20, 2022
This is a book with a very involved storyline that keeps you guessing till the end. I loved the ending. The characters are well developed. As the story progresses the shifts to the dream get better. The only thing that was a bit annoying was the editorial errors. I’m sure a second edition will probably fix most of these.
Looking forward to reading the next book.
Looking forward to reading the next book.
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April 21, 2021I loved this, it kept me intrigued right up to the end. I couldn’t read it before bed because it was hard to put down! I know David so I may be a bit biased, but I’d def read more of his works. His website is pretty entertaining too.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews