What do you think?
Rate this book
Lucid
Thirty-one, funeral director, London.
That’s pretty much all Julian Desmond remembers from his waking life.
He wakes in a dimension that can only be accessed via dreams (REM World). A rock monster tells him dreams are real and they can kill him.
The Resistance promises to protect him, but when he receives his Gift of premonition, he learns it’s at a price.
Laughing Man seems clueless, harmless, even doltish. But he’s evidently destined to join forces with an immortal tyrant.
Julian chooses to save his life.
He intends to use him as leverage, but as the nights wear on and he grows more powerful, will he come to regret it?
※※※
⫷ A harrowing journey of self-destruction, addiction, grief, trauma, and healing. ⫸
That’s pretty much all Julian Desmond remembers from his waking life.
He wakes in a dimension that can only be accessed via dreams (REM World). A rock monster tells him dreams are real and they can kill him.
The Resistance promises to protect him, but when he receives his Gift of premonition, he learns it’s at a price.
Laughing Man seems clueless, harmless, even doltish. But he’s evidently destined to join forces with an immortal tyrant.
Julian chooses to save his life.
He intends to use him as leverage, but as the nights wear on and he grows more powerful, will he come to regret it?
※※※
⫷ A harrowing journey of self-destruction, addiction, grief, trauma, and healing. ⫸
422 pages, ebook
Published August 31, 2021
6 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
L.R. Evans
2 books13 followersL. R. Evans is a neurodivergent adult fantasy author who likes to ask “What if?” way too much. Most of their stories explore the world they live in through a new and different lens. A strong supporter of human rights, they take every opportunity to include people from all walks of life in their stories. All humans are powerful, for good or ill, and this is reflected in their work. They believe this world is our classroom and we are all teachers and students simultaneously. They hope their stories will help them grow and evolve as they write them, while also helping readers do the same as they enjoy them. They love their two cats more than most humans and thinks they have the right idea about frequent naps.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 4, 2021
Lucid by L.R. Evans is a highly imaginative adventure set in REM World, a place that exists only in dreams. Filled with a cast of fantastical characters who have real world problems in a not-so-real existence. I loved that the lines of reality were so blurred I was always guessing, right along with the main character, Julian, about what was real and what wasn’t. This type of surrealism is hard to come by and L.R. does it well.
From the first moment to the last, L.R. will keep you on the edge of your seat. And in the midst of trying to choose sides in an ongoing conflict between those who seek to free REM World’s inhabitants, and those who would enslave them, the characters face some brutal real-life issues. L.R. doesn’t shy away from showing the reader the effects of trauma. This aspect of the story added a layer of depth not often seen in this genre and developed Julian’s character in a way that felt raw and honest. Even the way the character copes with his traumas is true to life, which is refreshing in a fantasy setting such as this one.
The supporting cast of characters play their roles with such precision that you feel as if every one of them is essential to the story, and to Julian. L.R. did a masterful job in her creation of each character, making them perfectly flawed, and keeping the reader on their toes as we navigate REM World and try to decide who is on which side.
All in all, an intense read with unforgettable characters and emotionally charged obstacles. A fantastic debut novel by up and coming author, L.R. Evans.
From the first moment to the last, L.R. will keep you on the edge of your seat. And in the midst of trying to choose sides in an ongoing conflict between those who seek to free REM World’s inhabitants, and those who would enslave them, the characters face some brutal real-life issues. L.R. doesn’t shy away from showing the reader the effects of trauma. This aspect of the story added a layer of depth not often seen in this genre and developed Julian’s character in a way that felt raw and honest. Even the way the character copes with his traumas is true to life, which is refreshing in a fantasy setting such as this one.
The supporting cast of characters play their roles with such precision that you feel as if every one of them is essential to the story, and to Julian. L.R. did a masterful job in her creation of each character, making them perfectly flawed, and keeping the reader on their toes as we navigate REM World and try to decide who is on which side.
All in all, an intense read with unforgettable characters and emotionally charged obstacles. A fantastic debut novel by up and coming author, L.R. Evans.
September 1, 2021
REM sleep is the phase of sleep wherein you dream vividly. Reading this book is almost like dreaming vividly for hours upon hours. It's not that you can't wake up, or put the book down – it's possible, of course, but when people are asleep, in a dream that they are enjoying, waking up is the last thing they want to do.
Julian Desmond wakes up in a strange room, unable to remember where he was or how he got there. When a statue in the room starts to move, starts to speak to him, Julian freaks out. He tries to run, but to no avail. It seems there is no escape from this strange place.
The statue, who calls himself Jax, and Julian are joined by Rylann, an older woman with a head of rainbow hair. Julian slowly starts to understand the situation as it is explained – he is asleep, dreaming, and has woken up in REM.
The world that Julian finds himself in, is a world of seeming chaos, with a war raging outside of the Resistance bunker, and different worlds converging into one. Julian finds himself face to face with a hippodamus, dryads, and a vision of a laughing man, a premonition that showed the man leading a reign of terror alongside Lord Titus, REM's great tyrant.
Yet, when he comes face to face with the laughing man, he is not at all as expected.
This book is a whirlwind, to say the least! When we join Julian, he is as clueless as the reader, having lost his memory. As he gets flashbacks, and slowly regains snapshots of his life in the waking world, both he and the reader start to piece together the puzzle that is Julian Desmond.
One thing I liked about this book in particular was that many different things are represented, and that the characters react accordingly to certain situations. For Julian, knowing that he comes from 1720, trying to come to terms with the fact that he is attracted to, and feels a bond with, several of the male characters in this novel was interesting, and written exceptionally well. He doesn't want to accept who he is, because it is a crime, blasphemous. Yet, no one around him thinks so, the rest of the characters from the modern day. This book should not be viewed with discrimination, for it is all about acceptance, about learning who you really are and coming to terms with the fact that nothing's going to change who you are, so the sooner you find your friends in the world, the better.
There are several characters that I really enjoyed reading about. One of these is Julian, for obvious reasons! He is not only the main character, but a compelling protagonist, and I thoroughly enjoyed following him on the journey of trying to figure out who his friends are, and indeed, who he is. Despite everything stacked against him, I also really liked Miles. He is a fun, carefree type of person, and he was, for the most part, a very fun character to read about.
The world that has been created between the covers of this book is astounding, the kind that you can imagine vividly. It is one that you want to go to and never ever visit, both at the same time. There were a few moments when I found myself slightly lost in the story, mainly in action scenes, where things moved a little too quickly and I grew confused as to the events that were transpiring. However, this seems to generally be answered by the fact that Julian also does not know what is happening.
This book ends as a television series might end, on the brink of everything. Everything has built up to this one moment, and then the screen fades to black, the last page is turned. There's even a dramatic closing line. It is the kind of thing that makes fans so incredibly hyped for the next series (or book!) that they start theorising, guessing what will happen next, desperate for more. I looked up when this book came out and I was DISTRAUGHT to learn that it has only been out for two and a half months, which means I will likely have to wait for AGES for book 2!
Julian Desmond wakes up in a strange room, unable to remember where he was or how he got there. When a statue in the room starts to move, starts to speak to him, Julian freaks out. He tries to run, but to no avail. It seems there is no escape from this strange place.
The statue, who calls himself Jax, and Julian are joined by Rylann, an older woman with a head of rainbow hair. Julian slowly starts to understand the situation as it is explained – he is asleep, dreaming, and has woken up in REM.
The world that Julian finds himself in, is a world of seeming chaos, with a war raging outside of the Resistance bunker, and different worlds converging into one. Julian finds himself face to face with a hippodamus, dryads, and a vision of a laughing man, a premonition that showed the man leading a reign of terror alongside Lord Titus, REM's great tyrant.
Yet, when he comes face to face with the laughing man, he is not at all as expected.
This book is a whirlwind, to say the least! When we join Julian, he is as clueless as the reader, having lost his memory. As he gets flashbacks, and slowly regains snapshots of his life in the waking world, both he and the reader start to piece together the puzzle that is Julian Desmond.
One thing I liked about this book in particular was that many different things are represented, and that the characters react accordingly to certain situations. For Julian, knowing that he comes from 1720, trying to come to terms with the fact that he is attracted to, and feels a bond with, several of the male characters in this novel was interesting, and written exceptionally well. He doesn't want to accept who he is, because it is a crime, blasphemous. Yet, no one around him thinks so, the rest of the characters from the modern day. This book should not be viewed with discrimination, for it is all about acceptance, about learning who you really are and coming to terms with the fact that nothing's going to change who you are, so the sooner you find your friends in the world, the better.
There are several characters that I really enjoyed reading about. One of these is Julian, for obvious reasons! He is not only the main character, but a compelling protagonist, and I thoroughly enjoyed following him on the journey of trying to figure out who his friends are, and indeed, who he is. Despite everything stacked against him, I also really liked Miles. He is a fun, carefree type of person, and he was, for the most part, a very fun character to read about.
The world that has been created between the covers of this book is astounding, the kind that you can imagine vividly. It is one that you want to go to and never ever visit, both at the same time. There were a few moments when I found myself slightly lost in the story, mainly in action scenes, where things moved a little too quickly and I grew confused as to the events that were transpiring. However, this seems to generally be answered by the fact that Julian also does not know what is happening.
This book ends as a television series might end, on the brink of everything. Everything has built up to this one moment, and then the screen fades to black, the last page is turned. There's even a dramatic closing line. It is the kind of thing that makes fans so incredibly hyped for the next series (or book!) that they start theorising, guessing what will happen next, desperate for more. I looked up when this book came out and I was DISTRAUGHT to learn that it has only been out for two and a half months, which means I will likely have to wait for AGES for book 2!
November 2, 2021
I'm the author of this book and I just want to let everyone know that I consider this the READER'S space. I might like your review, but I will never confront you about a review you've left. This is a space where you can leave your honest opinions about the first book in my REM World Trilogy. It's also a space I can visit to consider new ways to hone my craft. ♥ Thank you to each and everyone of you, past and future, who has left or will leave a review. I deeply appreciate any and all feedback on my debut novel (because I refuse to believe Death Vows ever happened, lol).
June 24, 2021
I was given this book as an ARC and was able to read it before publication. This is my honest opinion. I enjoyed reading Lucid, the first installation of the REM World Trilogy, and will keep this vague enough not to include spoilers.
Evans creates a unique landscape that sticks with you even after you finish, which is something that not every author can do. The characters have their own voices and don't bleed together, which is usually my biggest complaint with debut novels. We follow the sometimes confusing but always interesting journey of Julian through the real world and REM world, through different time periods, and with other characters that come in various forms. There are a lot of love angles that keep you interested, but I won't spoil anything with specifics. There is a good balance of excitement and sadness, along with some technological aspects that certainly fit into the sci fi genre. The story was obviously professionally edited because I did not find a single grammatical error (much appreciated and pretty rare for self-published books!). The pacing is satisfying and while it's an easy read, it wasn't overly simple or shallow. All in all, I would recommend this book to other readers.
Evans creates a unique landscape that sticks with you even after you finish, which is something that not every author can do. The characters have their own voices and don't bleed together, which is usually my biggest complaint with debut novels. We follow the sometimes confusing but always interesting journey of Julian through the real world and REM world, through different time periods, and with other characters that come in various forms. There are a lot of love angles that keep you interested, but I won't spoil anything with specifics. There is a good balance of excitement and sadness, along with some technological aspects that certainly fit into the sci fi genre. The story was obviously professionally edited because I did not find a single grammatical error (much appreciated and pretty rare for self-published books!). The pacing is satisfying and while it's an easy read, it wasn't overly simple or shallow. All in all, I would recommend this book to other readers.
June 5, 2021
I received a ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is very well written. Evans is a talented writer and extremely creative. This story is like nothing I’ve read. She created an immersive world, in which the possibilities are endless. She effortlessly moves her characters through endless twists and turns. She beautifully and tactfully navigates trauma and healing while not shying away from the devastation that comes with it.
I’m extremely excited to read the next novel and see where this story takes us.
All of that being said, I believe Evans is still finding her voice as a writer. While she is extremely talented, I am excited to see how her talent grows over this series.
This book is very well written. Evans is a talented writer and extremely creative. This story is like nothing I’ve read. She created an immersive world, in which the possibilities are endless. She effortlessly moves her characters through endless twists and turns. She beautifully and tactfully navigates trauma and healing while not shying away from the devastation that comes with it.
I’m extremely excited to read the next novel and see where this story takes us.
All of that being said, I believe Evans is still finding her voice as a writer. While she is extremely talented, I am excited to see how her talent grows over this series.
June 9, 2021
This is L.R.Evans first novel, but she has complete control of her story and style. The cast of characters is excellent. Julien is a throwback to another time when loving another man is taboo and entering a REM world when the dreams can be dangerous and deadly. From large cats that can make you high when petting them , rock monsters with glowing hair and healers. Her detail paints a clear picture of her characters. Great read looking forward to book two of this Trilogy
June 10, 2021
Honestly, I already recommended this book to a lot of my friends. I really love the overall plot of it, as not many other authors can make their characters flow as nicely. This book was extremely hard to put down, and I enjoyed that thoroughly, as I've been having some difficulty getting back into reading. So, thank you very much for the content, Lynn, I really hope I get to see more from you in the near future :)
November 8, 2021
This book was a RIDE! It opens with a character - Julian - who has no idea where he is or, for that matter, who he is. Readers soon learn he's in a dream world and the sense of confusion and foreboding is palpable. Evans's excellent prose kept me turning the page, though I will admit that first person present is a hard tense for me personally to get into. This book was spooky at times and I definitely felt as though I was in the dream world myself. Recommend if you're looking for a truly unique perspective and story!
May 31, 2021
Normally not my genre of choice, but this one was a page turner. I was so invested and cried during some really emotional spots. You must read this book even if it’s not your normal “Go To” genre. It has everything you could want. Action, romance, thriller,....you will be pleasantly surprised.
June 12, 2021
L.R. Evans is an up and coming author that you don’t want to pass over!
Lucid is written is such a way that you feel like you are in REM along side the characters. L.R. Evans is a very descriptive author and her words had me hooked from the very first page.
Lucid is written is such a way that you feel like you are in REM along side the characters. L.R. Evans is a very descriptive author and her words had me hooked from the very first page.
June 29, 2021
Lucid was written by my good friend. I enjoyed reading Lucid. The characters in this book are great. You want to find out what happens to them. You don't want to put the book down when reading Lucid. It's going in my top favorite book. I will say you need to read Lucid you will like this book.
Read
June 9, 2021Very interesting and unique read. Most books you can figure out or have the same plot. If you want to read an awesome book, this is it 😀
November 3, 2021
I was given this book by the author for an honest review
Lucid is a mind bending adventure set in REM World,
This book will stay with you long after you have turned the final page and the book is filled with
a place that exists only in dreams. Filled with memorable characters who's interactions with each other at times were laugh out loud funny and I loved the writing style which I thought firstly had been written by an English person
In this book the lines of reality were blurred which kept me guessing throughout the book
From the first page this book gripped me and kept me on the edge of the seat
Julian’s character is shown in an open and honest way and even shows how he deals with true life issues
The supporting cast of characters interact perfectly with each other and are an integral part of the story
Overall this is an amazing read and if you decide to read it you will remember it for a long time
Lucid is a mind bending adventure set in REM World,
This book will stay with you long after you have turned the final page and the book is filled with
a place that exists only in dreams. Filled with memorable characters who's interactions with each other at times were laugh out loud funny and I loved the writing style which I thought firstly had been written by an English person
In this book the lines of reality were blurred which kept me guessing throughout the book
From the first page this book gripped me and kept me on the edge of the seat
Julian’s character is shown in an open and honest way and even shows how he deals with true life issues
The supporting cast of characters interact perfectly with each other and are an integral part of the story
Overall this is an amazing read and if you decide to read it you will remember it for a long time
June 21, 2023
Made it almost 100 pages in and still wasn't hooked. Seems a bit choppy in writing. May come back to it later.
September 8, 2021
When I read the author's logline for this book on Twitter, 'An angsty gay funeral director must stop a bubbly male escort from joining an immortal tyrant', I expected something completely different than what I got. I am thoroughly NOT disappointed, and what I read matches well with the tagline on the cover of the book, 'Dreams are real and they can kill you'. With the logline, I had expected a more humorous tale than the story that delivered more in line with the tagline. I tried my best to not go into this book with too many expectations when the author approached me for a review. My only hesitation at the time is one that might cause hesitation for others: it's a big book.
And, of course, if you follow me on Twitter, you already know that I am a very busy person.
Lucid gives you an intriguing and often action-packed first half. It flows smoothly and strongly, slowly revealing the mysteries and intrigue of this new world we find ourselves in called REM World. It's a fascinating place and Evans does an incredible job of laying the groundwork of the world-building without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details. It flows beautifully.
The character development is wonderful, bolstered by glimpses into our contemporary world which often adds to the intrigue of the story that is being delivered to us in REM World. It's a beautiful jigsaw puzzle that, in certain instances, gives us wonderful insight in retrospect.
One thing about this story that gave me a small issue is that about the midpoint of the story, I found myself expecting that we were wrapping up already for the next book. It felt like a setup for what should have been book two. However, what came in the second half of the book would have been lacking if separated from the first half. So, I understand why this was one larger book instead of two slightly smaller books. To be honest, I wouldn't have minded the chance to spend MORE time in this world. It really is a good story.
In my opinion, the mid-point lull in action which serves the purpose of building up to the second half of Lucid dragged on a bit too long. It was a necessary setup, but a part of me wishes it could have been a bit shorter. I also wonder if Evans had treated the book a bit like two books combined as I have sometimes seen. Lucid Part 1 and Lucid Part 2 (subtitles optional) to make the transition in the story easier for readers to adjust to. Other than one or two clichéd phrases, this is probably one of my two biggest critiques.
In the second half of Lucid, the mysteries have become less about the world and more focused on the relationships between the characters. While the first part of the book was significantly more plot-driven—this is what I mean about a shift between the first and second halves of the book. It provided plenty of tense moments and the revelations provided really gave a new perspective to the first half. In this second half of the book, we are also given the chance to see more of the contemporary—well historical to us—waking world of our main character.
This second part really dragged me into love the our MC, Julian. It was also so incredibly heartbreaking and hard. Evans didn't shy away from dealing with some major LGBTQ+ issues and, not to give anything away, also presents an honest trans and poly positive narrative in this second bit. It made my heart sing. There is nothing I love more than to see representation.
As the story culminates toward the final battle, we still have a few surprises left to discover. I won't spoil the ending for you. I hate spoilers in reviews. I try to never do them, however, the end of the book did leave me with a few mixed feelings. Do not get me wrong, I really liked Lucid and I am excited to find out what happens in the next book, but I am also a bit worried. How it ended left me wondering about a few major plot issues--including a certain critical plot point that isn't generally something that bothers me, but that one is too big of a plot point to even mention here.
As per usual, I read the back-cover blurb after the fact and I will say that Evans summed a huge part of the second half in one sentence "A harrowing journey of self-destruction, addiction, grief, trauma, and healing." This is what made it a hard, but worthy read because everything was handled so well.
If you love honest LGBTQ stories that give you a new way of looking at things and if you aren't tied rigidly to the expected story structures and genre conventions, you will like this story. You might even love it because there is so much to love. This was such a close call to being a five-star review for me and I really wish I could so with integrity, however, the two major issues I had did bring it down to a four-star which means this is still a good novel and worthy of your time and attention.
I cannot wait to see what Evans does in the next book.
And, of course, if you follow me on Twitter, you already know that I am a very busy person.
Lucid gives you an intriguing and often action-packed first half. It flows smoothly and strongly, slowly revealing the mysteries and intrigue of this new world we find ourselves in called REM World. It's a fascinating place and Evans does an incredible job of laying the groundwork of the world-building without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details. It flows beautifully.
The character development is wonderful, bolstered by glimpses into our contemporary world which often adds to the intrigue of the story that is being delivered to us in REM World. It's a beautiful jigsaw puzzle that, in certain instances, gives us wonderful insight in retrospect.
One thing about this story that gave me a small issue is that about the midpoint of the story, I found myself expecting that we were wrapping up already for the next book. It felt like a setup for what should have been book two. However, what came in the second half of the book would have been lacking if separated from the first half. So, I understand why this was one larger book instead of two slightly smaller books. To be honest, I wouldn't have minded the chance to spend MORE time in this world. It really is a good story.
In my opinion, the mid-point lull in action which serves the purpose of building up to the second half of Lucid dragged on a bit too long. It was a necessary setup, but a part of me wishes it could have been a bit shorter. I also wonder if Evans had treated the book a bit like two books combined as I have sometimes seen. Lucid Part 1 and Lucid Part 2 (subtitles optional) to make the transition in the story easier for readers to adjust to. Other than one or two clichéd phrases, this is probably one of my two biggest critiques.
In the second half of Lucid, the mysteries have become less about the world and more focused on the relationships between the characters. While the first part of the book was significantly more plot-driven—this is what I mean about a shift between the first and second halves of the book. It provided plenty of tense moments and the revelations provided really gave a new perspective to the first half. In this second half of the book, we are also given the chance to see more of the contemporary—well historical to us—waking world of our main character.
This second part really dragged me into love the our MC, Julian. It was also so incredibly heartbreaking and hard. Evans didn't shy away from dealing with some major LGBTQ+ issues and, not to give anything away, also presents an honest trans and poly positive narrative in this second bit. It made my heart sing. There is nothing I love more than to see representation.
As the story culminates toward the final battle, we still have a few surprises left to discover. I won't spoil the ending for you. I hate spoilers in reviews. I try to never do them, however, the end of the book did leave me with a few mixed feelings. Do not get me wrong, I really liked Lucid and I am excited to find out what happens in the next book, but I am also a bit worried. How it ended left me wondering about a few major plot issues--including a certain critical plot point that isn't generally something that bothers me, but that one is too big of a plot point to even mention here.
As per usual, I read the back-cover blurb after the fact and I will say that Evans summed a huge part of the second half in one sentence "A harrowing journey of self-destruction, addiction, grief, trauma, and healing." This is what made it a hard, but worthy read because everything was handled so well.
If you love honest LGBTQ stories that give you a new way of looking at things and if you aren't tied rigidly to the expected story structures and genre conventions, you will like this story. You might even love it because there is so much to love. This was such a close call to being a five-star review for me and I really wish I could so with integrity, however, the two major issues I had did bring it down to a four-star which means this is still a good novel and worthy of your time and attention.
I cannot wait to see what Evans does in the next book.
November 15, 2021
This book is one of a kind.
It took me a few chapters to get my bearings, as I was utterly confused at the beginning, but that is what dreams are about, right? It takes a special kind of mastery to make the reader such an integral part of the story. When reading the book, the impression was to be in dreams, with their glorious confusion, intricate characters and mesmerizing worlds.
"Lucid" is a kaleidoscope where you wonder at each turn where the patterns will take you, all clicking into place to form a breath-taking finale.
An utterly compelling read. I am awaiting the sequel!
It took me a few chapters to get my bearings, as I was utterly confused at the beginning, but that is what dreams are about, right? It takes a special kind of mastery to make the reader such an integral part of the story. When reading the book, the impression was to be in dreams, with their glorious confusion, intricate characters and mesmerizing worlds.
"Lucid" is a kaleidoscope where you wonder at each turn where the patterns will take you, all clicking into place to form a breath-taking finale.
An utterly compelling read. I am awaiting the sequel!
June 28, 2021
L. R. Evans is a brilliant writer and definitely someone to keep an eye on. Imaginative, engaging novel that will keep you hooked from cover to cover.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews