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To Dream the Blackbane
A cosmic event in 2015 fused Earth with the faerie realm. Scientists referred to the event as The Anomaly. A byproduct of The Anomaly was the advent of hybrid beings—people who became mixed with whatever animal or object was closest to them the moment the event occurred. Humans, or pedigrees, soon relegated fairy refugees and hybrids into ghetto zones in large cities.
Seventy years later, Wolfgang Rex, a second-generation hybrid—part human, part Rhodesian Ridgeback—is a retired police detective who runs a private investigation business in Chicago’s Southside. It’s a one-hybrid show; though Rex couldn’t survive without his assistant, the faerie Sally Sandweb.
One night, two vampires visit Rex and offer him a substantial reward for the recovery of a stolen scroll. Later that same evening, Charlotte Sweeney-Jarhadill, a pedigree woman from Louisiana, visits Rex and hires him to exorcize the headless ghost of a Confederate soldier from her home.
To complicate matters, the private detective ends up falling for Charlotte. Meanwhile, the vampires demand results in the search for the missing scroll. When Rex’s assistant Sally goes missing, he must stay alive long enough to find her. Charlotte and the vampires, however, have other plans for Rex.
Seventy years later, Wolfgang Rex, a second-generation hybrid—part human, part Rhodesian Ridgeback—is a retired police detective who runs a private investigation business in Chicago’s Southside. It’s a one-hybrid show; though Rex couldn’t survive without his assistant, the faerie Sally Sandweb.
One night, two vampires visit Rex and offer him a substantial reward for the recovery of a stolen scroll. Later that same evening, Charlotte Sweeney-Jarhadill, a pedigree woman from Louisiana, visits Rex and hires him to exorcize the headless ghost of a Confederate soldier from her home.
To complicate matters, the private detective ends up falling for Charlotte. Meanwhile, the vampires demand results in the search for the missing scroll. When Rex’s assistant Sally goes missing, he must stay alive long enough to find her. Charlotte and the vampires, however, have other plans for Rex.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 13, 2023
I was part of a blog tour for this book and in return for the book, I wrote a review.
There's something about reading detective fantasy that never quite gets old. The main character of this novel, Wolfgang Rex, is a hybird between a human and a dog. I imagined McGruff the crime fighting dog, personally. In fact, it amused me very much so to think of it that way. Wolfgang is a private eye and the tone of the narrative is much the same. It reads like a noir detective novel except there are fairies, orcs, and a lot of hybirds between humans and various animals. It's an odd visual and certainly, if you're like me and enjoy reading things that are just odd in their very nature, you'll find yourself liking this world of magic.
This book is told in first person narration. I wasn't the biggest fan of the main character and perhaps it's because his attitude embodies those old timey detectives of yonder days. So, if you're a fan of those types of attitudes for a main detective character, then it will be up your alley. I was more of a fan of side characters and that's because they are a very colorful bunch.
Characterizations were doing pretty well. Though, the motivations of the main character were sometimes unclear to me. But I liked Sally and how her character was portrayed. Charlotte was a really weird character for me but it came together in the end of the book and previous actions began to make sense. Also, I think it important to know, since I'm mentioning Charlotte, that there is a lot of scenes involving sex (though, it doesn't get into the type of explicit where you would see things like "His Man Rod of Power") and it can be a little jarring given that there are quite a few animal hybird characters. COUGHthemaincharacterCOUGH
The plot is fairly linear until the last quarter of the book. Given the setting does take place in a magical world, a lot of fantastical elements came into play that last quarter of the book. It does make me think this book is first in a series. Which, if that is the case, it'll be interesting to see where the book goes. As a standalone though, it wouldn't make much sense.
Overall, I thought this was a creative approach to a fantasy detective series and I enjoyed the majority of the book. I would recommend it to those who like weird detective series and especially if they liked McGruff.
There's something about reading detective fantasy that never quite gets old. The main character of this novel, Wolfgang Rex, is a hybird between a human and a dog. I imagined McGruff the crime fighting dog, personally. In fact, it amused me very much so to think of it that way. Wolfgang is a private eye and the tone of the narrative is much the same. It reads like a noir detective novel except there are fairies, orcs, and a lot of hybirds between humans and various animals. It's an odd visual and certainly, if you're like me and enjoy reading things that are just odd in their very nature, you'll find yourself liking this world of magic.
This book is told in first person narration. I wasn't the biggest fan of the main character and perhaps it's because his attitude embodies those old timey detectives of yonder days. So, if you're a fan of those types of attitudes for a main detective character, then it will be up your alley. I was more of a fan of side characters and that's because they are a very colorful bunch.
Characterizations were doing pretty well. Though, the motivations of the main character were sometimes unclear to me. But I liked Sally and how her character was portrayed. Charlotte was a really weird character for me but it came together in the end of the book and previous actions began to make sense. Also, I think it important to know, since I'm mentioning Charlotte, that there is a lot of scenes involving sex (though, it doesn't get into the type of explicit where you would see things like "His Man Rod of Power") and it can be a little jarring given that there are quite a few animal hybird characters. COUGHthemaincharacterCOUGH
The plot is fairly linear until the last quarter of the book. Given the setting does take place in a magical world, a lot of fantastical elements came into play that last quarter of the book. It does make me think this book is first in a series. Which, if that is the case, it'll be interesting to see where the book goes. As a standalone though, it wouldn't make much sense.
Overall, I thought this was a creative approach to a fantasy detective series and I enjoyed the majority of the book. I would recommend it to those who like weird detective series and especially if they liked McGruff.
February 19, 2019
You've heard me say it before but I'm going to say it again: I love the private investigator genre, especially when it's combined with the paranormal side of things. Often called urban noir fantasy, it's probably my favorite urban fantasy subgenre. Something about the way it establishes fantasy elements in the backdrop of the city streets and turns ordinary crime into something remarkable appeals to me.
When I saw the cover of To Dream The Blackbane, I knew I had to read it. The cover looks like a typical private investigator fare until you realize that what's hanging out of that trench coat has ears and a tail: Wolfgang Rex, Rhodian Ridgeback hybrid, PI extraordinaire.
Read more at Cats Luv Coffee
When I saw the cover of To Dream The Blackbane, I knew I had to read it. The cover looks like a typical private investigator fare until you realize that what's hanging out of that trench coat has ears and a tail: Wolfgang Rex, Rhodian Ridgeback hybrid, PI extraordinaire.
Read more at Cats Luv Coffee
January 9, 2019
‘In America there are many zones that humans and hybrids have learned to avoid.’
New Jersey author Richard J. O'Brien earned his MFA in Creative Writing form Fairleigh Dickinson University and teaches writing and literature at Stockton University and Rowan College at Gloucester County and has published nine books as well as stories in such magazines as 13 Horror, Sinister Grin Press's Vicious Circle Season One, Disturbed Digest, The Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Review, Duende, Pulp Literature, and Weirdbook. His genre of choice is dark fantasy and paranormal themes and he is a polished pro in this category.
No matter how strange the paranormal world can become it is mandatory that authors open the gates of their warped place with language that encourages the reader to hold on for the tale ahead. Richard is particularly gifted at creating the strange yet keeping it in proximity to reality to make it work. His Prologue attests to this: ‘One night, the stars went out. When they came back twenty-four hours later, the world witnessed new constellations. The year was 2015. Scientists called the event The Anomaly back then, and the name stuck. Before long, they found out that the new constellations weren't the only product of The Anomaly. Seventy years later, the debate continues between scholars about whether Earth herself, along with the solar system, remains in the same universe. In addition to the new constellations, one-third of Earth was shaved off—from Mongolia down over Greece and points south—and replaced with new lands. The satellites that once orbited Earth all vanished. Efforts were made in vain to launch new satellites into orbit, but none survived. In the early days there was no way of knowing whether that chunk of the world had been obliterated, or if the land and its people—and a good chunk of the ocean—had been transported to a non-local plane. That’s what the scientists called it. A non-local plane. It was accepted as fact that the walls between realities had weakened. What no one could prove was how all of this had happened. As for everyone on the missing side, no one ever heard from them again. In some places around what was left of the world there were holes, gateways leading into different dimensions. Between these new dimensions and the old world lay the borderlands, boundaries separating humanity and post-Anomaly hybrids from the faerie realm. Many humans—pedigrees, as they came to be known, unaffected by The Anomaly—took refuge in these new realms. They believed in a kind of manifest destiny, that those parallel places hospitable to them offered a new way of life—an improvement over the world they had known, given to them through divine providence. Likewise, a great number of inhabitants from the faerie realm came through the borderlands and migrated to the cities as well as the countryside. In Germany, trolls took back the Black Forest. Throughout the American Southwest, as well as in the Outback of Australia, portals into the Dreamtime remained permanently open. I once read about a guy who had driven to work the day after The Anomaly only to vanish for thirty-five years. The man, having not aged a day, walked out of the woods in Nova Scotia one early morning with an Elf family in tow; he and his family, an elvish wife and three little halflings, settled in Pugwash Junction and bought a farm with gold. Closer to home, there’s a guy in Southside Chicago, a stone mason, who became part of the cathedral he and his crew had been working on. They say if you go down there at night you can still hear the guy singing. All you have to do is look up at the northwest corner of the roof. There’s a gargoyle there. Only it’s not a gargoyle. It’s the stone mason who became fused with the cathedral that sings. But that’s not the worst The Anomaly had to offer…’
The story is complex and beautifully condensed in the synopsis – ‘A cosmic event in 2015 fused earth with the faerie realm. Scientists refer to the event as the Anomaly. A byproduct of the Anomaly was the advent of hybrid beings - people who became mixed with whatever animal or object was nearest them the moment the Anomaly occurred. Humans, or Pedigrees, soon relegated fairy refugees and hybrids into ghetto zones in large cities. Seventy years later, Wolfgang Rex, a second-generation hybrid - part human, part Rhodesian Ridgeback - is a retired police detective who runs a private investigation business in Chicago's Southside. It's a one-hybrid show: though Rex couldn't survive without his assistant, the faerie Sally Sandweb. One evening, two vampires visit Rex and offer him a substantial reward for the recovery of a stolen scroll. Later that evening, Charlotte Sweeney-Jarhadill, a Pedigree woman from Louisiana, visits Rex and hires him to exorcise the headless ghost of a confederate soldier from her home. To complicate matters, the private detective ends up falling for Charlotte. Meanwhile the vampires demand results in the search for the missing scroll. When Rex's assistant Sally goes missing, he must stay alive long enough to find her. Charlotte and the vampires, however, have other plans for Rex.
Delectably wild and intentionally jolting, Richard J. O’Brien proves he is a master of this creatively difficult medium. Highly recommended!
New Jersey author Richard J. O'Brien earned his MFA in Creative Writing form Fairleigh Dickinson University and teaches writing and literature at Stockton University and Rowan College at Gloucester County and has published nine books as well as stories in such magazines as 13 Horror, Sinister Grin Press's Vicious Circle Season One, Disturbed Digest, The Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Review, Duende, Pulp Literature, and Weirdbook. His genre of choice is dark fantasy and paranormal themes and he is a polished pro in this category.
No matter how strange the paranormal world can become it is mandatory that authors open the gates of their warped place with language that encourages the reader to hold on for the tale ahead. Richard is particularly gifted at creating the strange yet keeping it in proximity to reality to make it work. His Prologue attests to this: ‘One night, the stars went out. When they came back twenty-four hours later, the world witnessed new constellations. The year was 2015. Scientists called the event The Anomaly back then, and the name stuck. Before long, they found out that the new constellations weren't the only product of The Anomaly. Seventy years later, the debate continues between scholars about whether Earth herself, along with the solar system, remains in the same universe. In addition to the new constellations, one-third of Earth was shaved off—from Mongolia down over Greece and points south—and replaced with new lands. The satellites that once orbited Earth all vanished. Efforts were made in vain to launch new satellites into orbit, but none survived. In the early days there was no way of knowing whether that chunk of the world had been obliterated, or if the land and its people—and a good chunk of the ocean—had been transported to a non-local plane. That’s what the scientists called it. A non-local plane. It was accepted as fact that the walls between realities had weakened. What no one could prove was how all of this had happened. As for everyone on the missing side, no one ever heard from them again. In some places around what was left of the world there were holes, gateways leading into different dimensions. Between these new dimensions and the old world lay the borderlands, boundaries separating humanity and post-Anomaly hybrids from the faerie realm. Many humans—pedigrees, as they came to be known, unaffected by The Anomaly—took refuge in these new realms. They believed in a kind of manifest destiny, that those parallel places hospitable to them offered a new way of life—an improvement over the world they had known, given to them through divine providence. Likewise, a great number of inhabitants from the faerie realm came through the borderlands and migrated to the cities as well as the countryside. In Germany, trolls took back the Black Forest. Throughout the American Southwest, as well as in the Outback of Australia, portals into the Dreamtime remained permanently open. I once read about a guy who had driven to work the day after The Anomaly only to vanish for thirty-five years. The man, having not aged a day, walked out of the woods in Nova Scotia one early morning with an Elf family in tow; he and his family, an elvish wife and three little halflings, settled in Pugwash Junction and bought a farm with gold. Closer to home, there’s a guy in Southside Chicago, a stone mason, who became part of the cathedral he and his crew had been working on. They say if you go down there at night you can still hear the guy singing. All you have to do is look up at the northwest corner of the roof. There’s a gargoyle there. Only it’s not a gargoyle. It’s the stone mason who became fused with the cathedral that sings. But that’s not the worst The Anomaly had to offer…’
The story is complex and beautifully condensed in the synopsis – ‘A cosmic event in 2015 fused earth with the faerie realm. Scientists refer to the event as the Anomaly. A byproduct of the Anomaly was the advent of hybrid beings - people who became mixed with whatever animal or object was nearest them the moment the Anomaly occurred. Humans, or Pedigrees, soon relegated fairy refugees and hybrids into ghetto zones in large cities. Seventy years later, Wolfgang Rex, a second-generation hybrid - part human, part Rhodesian Ridgeback - is a retired police detective who runs a private investigation business in Chicago's Southside. It's a one-hybrid show: though Rex couldn't survive without his assistant, the faerie Sally Sandweb. One evening, two vampires visit Rex and offer him a substantial reward for the recovery of a stolen scroll. Later that evening, Charlotte Sweeney-Jarhadill, a Pedigree woman from Louisiana, visits Rex and hires him to exorcise the headless ghost of a confederate soldier from her home. To complicate matters, the private detective ends up falling for Charlotte. Meanwhile the vampires demand results in the search for the missing scroll. When Rex's assistant Sally goes missing, he must stay alive long enough to find her. Charlotte and the vampires, however, have other plans for Rex.
Delectably wild and intentionally jolting, Richard J. O’Brien proves he is a master of this creatively difficult medium. Highly recommended!
February 22, 2019
Wolfgang Rex is a diligent private investigator who happens to be a hybrid: half man, half dog individual that came about when the anomaly happened in the futuristic world this novel is set in. The anomaly is some sort of event that occurred where the earth and its humans got to co-exist with the creatures of the netherworlds and the magical realms that were once the stuff of fiction and imagination. In this new world post-anomaly, there are hybrids, faeries, vampires, humans (now considered as pedigrees), and such creatures like the Valkyries and others with terms that resemble those of sci-fi novels’ characters. I became quite interested in this book once I found out that these creatures are in it because I have always been fascinated with mermaids, fairies, giants, and of course the vampire itself.
The plot of the story involves Rex and his being hired by two very powerful vampires to go out and find an ancient scroll that contains their kind’s history just in time for their all-powerful queen’s visit. Rex’s investigation takes him to the South where he notices the huge influence of the anomaly on its inhabitants and environment. There he meets other hybrids like himself and other creatures of magical essence that come to his aid in finding out what happened to the vampires’ scroll. I will stop revealing this book’s storyline and diverse cast here and just describe how I was enthralled as well as horrified by the various creatures in this book. There is sex, violence, and suspense all-in-one in here and those kept me up reading it, curious as to what will happen to Rex and eager to get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds the vampire scroll. When I think of the vampires’ all-powerful queen’s visit, it resembles horror writer Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles’ Queen Akasha, who was Rice’s supposed supreme ruler of all vampires.
I think anyone who appreciates the aforementioned creatures of folklore will enjoy this book and its elements. It’s original and I’ve never read a similar book prior to it. Just some observations are that this book may be unsettling to some and to some the underlying notions will remain hidden. I think a fan of sci-fi/ fantasy/ action will adore this book from cover to cover. So my final words to you are: “do yourself a huge favor if you are who I am talking about and go ahead and make the purchase. I read it in only two days because it was that good! You can trust me on that one!
The plot of the story involves Rex and his being hired by two very powerful vampires to go out and find an ancient scroll that contains their kind’s history just in time for their all-powerful queen’s visit. Rex’s investigation takes him to the South where he notices the huge influence of the anomaly on its inhabitants and environment. There he meets other hybrids like himself and other creatures of magical essence that come to his aid in finding out what happened to the vampires’ scroll. I will stop revealing this book’s storyline and diverse cast here and just describe how I was enthralled as well as horrified by the various creatures in this book. There is sex, violence, and suspense all-in-one in here and those kept me up reading it, curious as to what will happen to Rex and eager to get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds the vampire scroll. When I think of the vampires’ all-powerful queen’s visit, it resembles horror writer Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles’ Queen Akasha, who was Rice’s supposed supreme ruler of all vampires.
I think anyone who appreciates the aforementioned creatures of folklore will enjoy this book and its elements. It’s original and I’ve never read a similar book prior to it. Just some observations are that this book may be unsettling to some and to some the underlying notions will remain hidden. I think a fan of sci-fi/ fantasy/ action will adore this book from cover to cover. So my final words to you are: “do yourself a huge favor if you are who I am talking about and go ahead and make the purchase. I read it in only two days because it was that good! You can trust me on that one!
January 9, 2019
Seventy years ago The Anomaly happened. It blended our world with the mythical creatures from stories and blended people with objects that they were near. Wolfgang Rex, a second generation hybrid is part Rhodesian ridgeback from his father who was walking the dog when The Anomaly occurred. He used to be a police officer but now works as a private investigator.
Rex is just finished up with a case when he is approached by two vampires. It seems the scroll with the vampire history has been stolen and they want Rex to find it. As soon as they leave his office a woman comes in and asks him to help her with an exorcism of a headless Civil War soldier.
Rex jumps on the woman’s case and travels from Chicago to Louisiana to help her. But when he gets there strange things happen that has him questioning the validity of the case. Of course the vampires are on him determined to get their scroll back ASAP. Even going so far as to kill a client of Rex’s. Rex better solve both cases before they end up doing him in.
This is a great mesh of fantasy and noir detective story. Wolfgang Rex is your classic detective but in a dog’s body. He has two vampires waiting for him wanting him to look for their history scroll and don’t really give him much wiggle room and time to find it. They don’t even let him get through the first night without approaching and threatening him. They are very persistent about this case.
Then there is Miss Charlotte. She travels from Louisiana to Chicago looking for an exorcist? Strange. Then when Rex gets to her house she would rather jump his bones than talk about the case. Stranger? And the local kids hint that there is a lot more happening than what Rex has been told. Strangest!!
This is a great classic detective story. There are a couple clues that seemed to slip by Rex but I had an idea where the story might go. That didn’t stop me from enjoying the mystery or Rex’s hound dog ways. I really liked this world and would love to read more about it. I definitely want to read more from Richard O’Brien.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Rex is just finished up with a case when he is approached by two vampires. It seems the scroll with the vampire history has been stolen and they want Rex to find it. As soon as they leave his office a woman comes in and asks him to help her with an exorcism of a headless Civil War soldier.
Rex jumps on the woman’s case and travels from Chicago to Louisiana to help her. But when he gets there strange things happen that has him questioning the validity of the case. Of course the vampires are on him determined to get their scroll back ASAP. Even going so far as to kill a client of Rex’s. Rex better solve both cases before they end up doing him in.
This is a great mesh of fantasy and noir detective story. Wolfgang Rex is your classic detective but in a dog’s body. He has two vampires waiting for him wanting him to look for their history scroll and don’t really give him much wiggle room and time to find it. They don’t even let him get through the first night without approaching and threatening him. They are very persistent about this case.
Then there is Miss Charlotte. She travels from Louisiana to Chicago looking for an exorcist? Strange. Then when Rex gets to her house she would rather jump his bones than talk about the case. Stranger? And the local kids hint that there is a lot more happening than what Rex has been told. Strangest!!
This is a great classic detective story. There are a couple clues that seemed to slip by Rex but I had an idea where the story might go. That didn’t stop me from enjoying the mystery or Rex’s hound dog ways. I really liked this world and would love to read more about it. I definitely want to read more from Richard O’Brien.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
January 11, 2019
I think this book is good but not great.
It's a fantasy detective noir, and this is an idea that has been done many times, but O'Brien does it entertainingly. It's set in a future world where following an event called The Anomaly the supernatural has become mixed up with reality. For example the protagonist Wolfgang Rex is a human/dog hybrid born after the Anomaly caused his human father to become fused with his Rhodesian Ridgeback dog (his mother appears not to have been to fussed about this!).
The book has a slightly comic feel and tends to dwell on the more ridiculous side effects of the Anomaly, but it isn't a comic book. In fact it is exceedingly violent in a graphic way. Deaths are frequent and usually described in a lovingly gory way. I wasn't too keen on this because it gave the impression that life (all life: human, faery and hybrid like Wolfgang) was treated cheaply.
The plot is a bit disorganised. Wolfgang is the private detective whose adventures form the core of the book, but he doesn't do a lot of detecting. Mainly he stumbles around narrowly avoiding getting killed and the case solves itself around him. But then this isn't a whodunnit. It's about Wolfgang not his case.
The worldbuilding is good. We get hints towards the end what might have caused the Anomaly but it's left tantalisingly unclear. The ending is a blatant lead in to the sequel.
The book attempts but mostly fails to draw parallels with racism in real life. I don't know if O'Brien intended it to have some deeper meaning, but if he did I don't think he succeeded. The book is fun, and I will read the inevitable sequel just to see if the Blackbane did it, but it is basically just a fun fantasy.
It's a fantasy detective noir, and this is an idea that has been done many times, but O'Brien does it entertainingly. It's set in a future world where following an event called The Anomaly the supernatural has become mixed up with reality. For example the protagonist Wolfgang Rex is a human/dog hybrid born after the Anomaly caused his human father to become fused with his Rhodesian Ridgeback dog (his mother appears not to have been to fussed about this!).
The book has a slightly comic feel and tends to dwell on the more ridiculous side effects of the Anomaly, but it isn't a comic book. In fact it is exceedingly violent in a graphic way. Deaths are frequent and usually described in a lovingly gory way. I wasn't too keen on this because it gave the impression that life (all life: human, faery and hybrid like Wolfgang) was treated cheaply.
The plot is a bit disorganised. Wolfgang is the private detective whose adventures form the core of the book, but he doesn't do a lot of detecting. Mainly he stumbles around narrowly avoiding getting killed and the case solves itself around him. But then this isn't a whodunnit. It's about Wolfgang not his case.
The worldbuilding is good. We get hints towards the end what might have caused the Anomaly but it's left tantalisingly unclear. The ending is a blatant lead in to the sequel.
The book attempts but mostly fails to draw parallels with racism in real life. I don't know if O'Brien intended it to have some deeper meaning, but if he did I don't think he succeeded. The book is fun, and I will read the inevitable sequel just to see if the Blackbane did it, but it is basically just a fun fantasy.
March 24, 2019
This novel takes place on an altered present-day Earth. The Anomaly has opened portals between Earth and the faerie/paranormal realm. It also caused people to be fused with whatever animal or thing was closest to them at that moment. Pure humans, called pedigrees, have relegated fairy refugees and hybrids into ghettos.
Wolfgang Rex is a retired Chicago police detective who is part dog. He is now a private investigator who has been hired by a couple of vampires to retrieve an ancient scroll. At the same time, Charlotte. a pedigree woman, wants him to travel to very rural Louisiana to exorcise a headless demon from her house.
Of course, it is not that easy. Wolfgang falls for Charlotte, and the vampires demand results. They make it clear that failure to find the scroll is not an option. Can Wolfgang stay alive long enbough to find the scroll, while his friends are killed by the vampires? Do Charlotte and Wolfgang live happily ever after?
This one is a first-rate piece of writing. The author explains The Anomaly in the first few pages to instantly get the reader interested. The story is full of strange creatures, good world-building and some really good writing. Detective story fans will love this book.
Wolfgang Rex is a retired Chicago police detective who is part dog. He is now a private investigator who has been hired by a couple of vampires to retrieve an ancient scroll. At the same time, Charlotte. a pedigree woman, wants him to travel to very rural Louisiana to exorcise a headless demon from her house.
Of course, it is not that easy. Wolfgang falls for Charlotte, and the vampires demand results. They make it clear that failure to find the scroll is not an option. Can Wolfgang stay alive long enbough to find the scroll, while his friends are killed by the vampires? Do Charlotte and Wolfgang live happily ever after?
This one is a first-rate piece of writing. The author explains The Anomaly in the first few pages to instantly get the reader interested. The story is full of strange creatures, good world-building and some really good writing. Detective story fans will love this book.
January 15, 2019
Richard J. O'Brien kindly includes a prologue in his book, To Dream the Blackbane: A Novel of the Anomaly. This prologue gives an extensive overview of the Anomaly itself, how it happened, how the world was partially cut off, and the resulting bizarre hybrid creatures that came to be. This sets the stage for a unique story, one that features a hard boiled private detective who is a former cop. Wolfgang Rex is a second generation hybrid, a mix of dog and man, and if you can get past that permutation, you can delve into this book. The strange creatures, from gargoyles to fairies become downright believable and still retain human qualities. What transpires though is a great story full of mystery, vampires, stolen scrolls and much more. To say this book is unique is an understatement, but the author pulls off the impossible, imbuing the plot with nuance and subtlety in a crazy package. If you are looking for something a little different when it comes to characters, this is the book for you. Great urban fantasy, this tale is highly recommended.
January 29, 2019
In 2015 the world changed forever – the world we all know blended with a mythical realm I what became known as 'The Anomaly'. Half human and half animal creatures began to emerge as the Anomaly had a profound effect on the living creatures on Earth. Not all humans were affected, who began to refer to themselves as Pedigrees, forcing hybrids and mythical creatures to live in ghetto like cities second class citizens. Many years later retired police detective (and human/dog hybrid) is working as a private detective when a new case crossed his path. The case will seriously complicate his life, as well as put himself and those he loves in great danger.
With his novel 'To Dream the Blackbane' Richard J. Brian has created a fantastical and futuristic world, that is so immersive you get sucked in right from the very first few chapters. His characters are brilliant – who else could envision a private detective that is half human half Rhodesian Ridgeback? One of the most imaginative novels I have read in the past few years.
With his novel 'To Dream the Blackbane' Richard J. Brian has created a fantastical and futuristic world, that is so immersive you get sucked in right from the very first few chapters. His characters are brilliant – who else could envision a private detective that is half human half Rhodesian Ridgeback? One of the most imaginative novels I have read in the past few years.
January 8, 2019
I saw the cover for To Dream the Blackbane, and was very compelled to read it. I love the noir-inspired, private dective feel, and honestly, the story didn’t disappoint me. It gave me exactly what I was hoping for when I read the synopsis. There’s tongue-in-cheek humor and crime, with an interesting twist of fantasy/urban fantasy elements.
I absolutely loved the world building of this novel. There is a ton of backstory and worldbuilding, that gives us a really vivid look into the types of characters. We have everything from animal-human hybrids to gargoyles and vampires, along with a whole lot of other types of creatures. To sum it up, To Dream the Blackbaneis a blend of well known creatures into an urban fantasy setting and it was done really well.
I’m really impressed. Richard J. O’Brien has crafted a really unique novel, and I think it’s worth a try! Highly recommended.
*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour. All opinions are my own.*
I absolutely loved the world building of this novel. There is a ton of backstory and worldbuilding, that gives us a really vivid look into the types of characters. We have everything from animal-human hybrids to gargoyles and vampires, along with a whole lot of other types of creatures. To sum it up, To Dream the Blackbaneis a blend of well known creatures into an urban fantasy setting and it was done really well.
I’m really impressed. Richard J. O’Brien has crafted a really unique novel, and I think it’s worth a try! Highly recommended.
*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour. All opinions are my own.*
January 28, 2019
Dream the Blackbone is a strange and fascinating story that is unique from start to finish. The story opens with an explanation the Anomaly, an event that changed earth and its inhabitants forever. The faerie realm collided with earth and people across the globe combined with objects and animals around them. The strange and creative beginning takes the reader on an exciting and intriguing journey. The ghetto zones are now filled with fairy refugees and hybrids, struggling to live. The world of Richard J. O’Brien is fantastical and strange and comes to life before you as you read. The imaginative aspect of the book was one of my favorite elements and pulled me into the story immediately. The noir feel of the fantasy detective novel is both exciting and full of fun humor. Wolfgang Rex, a dog Hybrid, and his assistant Sally Sandweb, a fairy, make for a fun duo and their adventures are thrilling to read.
February 2, 2019
I’ve read plenty of fiction books over the last decade or so, and I have to admit that few of them managed to impress me as much as “To Dream the Blackbane.” The book is set in a fictional world that came to life when a massive cosmic event caused the Earth to collide and eventually become one with the faerie realm. As a result, many people were “merged” with other beings or objects they were close to during the Anomaly. So, for instance, the main character of “To Dream the Blackbane” is part-human, part-dog, and I found it fascinating (and not only because I love dogs).
However, if you can’t wrap your brain around such transformation, you’re probably not ready for this book because it has a lot more crazy things in store for you. What I enjoyed a lot about this fictional world is how relatable and almost real it feels despite the sheer absurdity of some events and notions, which is not something commonly found in fiction books.
However, if you can’t wrap your brain around such transformation, you’re probably not ready for this book because it has a lot more crazy things in store for you. What I enjoyed a lot about this fictional world is how relatable and almost real it feels despite the sheer absurdity of some events and notions, which is not something commonly found in fiction books.
Want to read
November 8, 2022The main character is very weel written.
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