Even the grittiest blue collar city has a spark of magic under the surface; but in Baltimore, graffiti holds secret messages and artists are the spellcasters. Abandoned buildings hide ancient beings, and at the local club, you might find yourself rubbing shoulders with menacing and otherworldly creatures. If you know how to look, of course.
Merrick Moore is just a regular guy with dreams of making it big with his garage band, but not much else - until he crashes a party thrown by reclusive eccentrics. He gets more than he bargained new powers, a girlfriend who can visit him in his dreams, and a seven year bond with the local Fae court. When the mortal enemies of his new friends show up to his band's first gig, Merrick finds himself trying to prevent the start of a war that will have consequences for everyone, Fae and human alike.
Christiane Knight is an artist, poet, writer, and author of the Stories of the Eleriannan series.
A former club and FM radio DJ, Christiane’s love of dark subculture and music infuses her stories and characters. Her latest novel is set in the Fae infused version of her already quirky hometown, Baltimore MD.
She is a lifelong enthusiast of faerie, folktales, forests and fauna, especially combined in copious amounts with all-black clothing and some Joy Division or Bauhaus playing in the headphones.
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Christiane Knight. Bringing fae into the modern world is not new, but adding elements from the punk music scene is! The main character, Merrick, is the type of calm, caring, and considerate person who prefers to listen rather than argue. And these characteristics are pivotal to his dealings with those around him. Although there are many characters and view points from Which the book unfolds, it is not difficult to follow. I enjoyed the many personalities and individuals. This was one book I found myself thinking about during the day when I was not able to read.
I highly recommend this tale for anyone who enjoys fantasy, the fae, and even the underground punk scene.
In Sleep You Know was one of the books in my SPFBO 9 batch that I cut at the 20% mark.
In Sleep You Know was the book I was the most interested in when we got our books. Yes, I know, I’m super predictable. Give me the word “music” or “band” or “singer” in a blurb, and you got my attention, no questions asked. This one had “graffiti” to boot, so I definitely got curious.
I’d say that In Sleep You Know is a contemporary UF, which is also up my alley. It tells the story of Merrick, who decides to sneak into a party at an old mansion, surrounded by rumors. He wants to see for himself what that great deal is about and meets people who will turn his world upside down. Being a short book, it’s pretty fast-paced. Maybe too much so. We are dropped right into the middle of the events, and I kept having the feeling that I should have had previous knowledge somehow. Maybe because there is barely any worldbuilding, to begin with.
There are some fun ideas in this one, but the execution fell a bit flat for me. Dialogues were awkward, and it was hard to understand why Merrick decided to trust a bunch of strangers who managed to bond him to them without much explanation. He also falls in love in like 2 minutes. Look, I have nothing against romance in books, but insta love is where I’m drawing the line.
I’m not sure if I was more disappointed by In Sleep You Know because I wanted to love it based on the blurb, or because it had potential but needed some more polishing. Probably both. A shame, really.
This book didn’t quite work for me, but I still encourage you to take a look and make your own decision.
Christiane creates a world full of the magic of the "fae" set in her version of Baltimore near where I grew up. Her words led me to places, new and old, with her characters as my guide. At times the suspense was killing me! And I did not want to put it down even when my eyes were burning with fatigue. All I can say is READ THIS BOOK! And preorder the next one ASAP!
A fantasy book about Fae and mortals working together to bridge a gap in a symbiotic relationships. The book unfolds with a very determined Merrick, hell bent on going to an epic party he's heard fantastic stories about. Merrick soon discovers this isn't an ordinary party with ordinary people and well you'll have to read the book for the rest. There were parts of the story that seemed.. rushed or forced, but for the most part it was cohesive. Not my favorite fantasy novel but still good, about to dig into book 2.