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Journals of Zaxony Delatree #2
Prison of Sleep
After escaping the ruthless Lector, Zax Delatree has a new enemy to fight in the sequel to Doors of Sleep.Every time Zaxony Delatree falls asleep he wakes up on a new world. His life has turned into an endless series of brief encounters. But at least he and Minna, the one companion who has found a way of travelling with him, are no longer pursued by the psychotic and vengeful Lector.But now Zax has been joined once again by Ana, a companion he thought left behind long ago. Ana is one of the Sleepers, a group of fellow travellers between worlds. Ana tells Zax that he is unknowingly host to a parasitic alien that exists partly in his blood and partly between dimensions. The chemical that the alien secretes is what allows Zax to travel. Every time he does, however, the parasite grows, damaging the fabric of the Universes. Anas is desperate to recruit Zax to her cause and stop the alien.But there are others who are using the parasite, such as the cult who serve the Prisoner – an entity trapped in the dimension between universes. Every world is like a bar in its prison. The cult want to collapse all the bars of the worlds and free their god. Can Zax, Minna, Ana and the other Sleepers band together and stop them?File Science Fiction [ Countless Worlds | Memory Mosaicers | Unfathomable Evil | Falling Awake ]
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
April 15, 2022
3.5 Stars
If you love multiverse fiction, then you'll likely want to check out this series. This is the second book in an entertaining science fiction series where the protagonist wakes up in a new world every time he falls asleep.
Instead of a fast paced thriller, this is more a character driven series with relationships at the centre of the story. Knowing what to expect, I enjoyed this sequel. The stakes felt higher and the plot had a stronger narrative drive.
If you are interested in this series, you will want to start back at the beginning with the first book, Doors of Sleep.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
If you love multiverse fiction, then you'll likely want to check out this series. This is the second book in an entertaining science fiction series where the protagonist wakes up in a new world every time he falls asleep.
Instead of a fast paced thriller, this is more a character driven series with relationships at the centre of the story. Knowing what to expect, I enjoyed this sequel. The stakes felt higher and the plot had a stronger narrative drive.
If you are interested in this series, you will want to start back at the beginning with the first book, Doors of Sleep.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
April 29, 2022
The nitty-gritty: A unique multiverse tale with high stakes and engaging characters, Prison of Sleep is a satisfying series wrap-up.
Tim Pratt concludes his high energy sci-fi multiverse duology with Prison of Sleep, and just like Doors of Sleep, it was a ton of fun! This is a series that needs to be read in order, though, so do be aware that this review contains minor spoilers for the first book in the series.
In Doors of Sleep, we followed Zaxony Dyad Euphony Delatree—or Zax for short—on his adventures through the multiverse. Zax discovers one day that whenever he falls asleep, he wakes up in another world. He doesn’t know why this is happening, only that he wants to figure out a way to stop it and find his way back to his home world, the Realm of Spheres and Harmonies. When the story ends, Zax is finally reunited with a woman named Ana who he lost for quite a long time, and Ana has important information about the multiverse.
In Prison of Sleep, we get to hear Ana’s story and what happened to her after she and Zax were separated. In alternating chapters, Ana recounts her own adventures of meeting a Sleeper named Toros who agrees to help her find Zax. Ana is welcomed to Sleeperhold, where other sleepers and their companions have set up base and are able to safely travel to other worlds—both forwards and backwards—in a conveyance called a sleepercar.
However, trouble is brewing in the multiverse. A group of cultists called the Cult of the Worm, the individuals responsible for Zax’s condition, are trying to destroy all the worlds, including everyone who isn’t a cultist. A horrifying creature who calls himself the Prisoner lives in the spaces between the worlds, and he desperately wants to find Minna, who is the key to his diabolical plan. Now Zax must find Minna first and warn her, and try to keep the multiverse from imploding. If only he could figure out how to do that...
Prison of Sleep was a bit different from the first book in terms of construction, because instead of following one character, the chapters alternate between Zax and Ana. What confused me at first was that Ana’s timeline actually follows (more or less) Zax’s timeline from the first book, while Zax is always several steps ahead of Ana in this book. But once I figured out what was going on, the story took on a frenetic urgency, with the clock ticking down to the cultists’ terrible plans, Ana frantically searching for Zax, and Zax finding out about the Prisoner and trying to stop the cultists. The tension kept me flying through the pages, because I was so worried about the characters. It didn’t help that they kept getting separated from each other— jumping to a new world without the other by accident—and because of the way the multiverse works, it’s almost impossible to find each other again. Pratt set the stakes extremely high for this story, and I loved it!
We meet a few new characters in this book. Zax meets a warrior named Zaveta who ends up sticking with him. In fact, it’s Zaveta who first learns about the Prisoner and is able to warn Zax. Ana was technically a new character, even though she appears briefly in Doors of Sleep. I absolutely loved her chapters, and the love story between her and Zax was very well done. They had a few romantic and steamy days together, but tragically lost each other. There is an urgency to Ana’s quest to find Zax again, not only because of the impending end of the multiverse, but because she loves him and she’s desperate to be with him again.
I was a little disappointed that my two favorite characters from the first book, Minna and Vicki, didn’t make an appearance until the very end. Both were such delights in Doors of Sleep, and even though they are mentioned throughout this book, it just wasn’t the same. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Minna, she comes from a world where the people are part plant. She can regrow parts of her body among other things, and she’s smart and kind and an all around fantastic character. But I will say that Ana and Zaveta helped make up for her absence!
The author resolves everything by the end of the book, which is a good thing when you’re writing a duology, but not so good when the ending leaves the reader wanting more. I’ve grown to love these characters so much, that I certainly wouldn’t say no to more adventures with Zax and his friends.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Tim Pratt concludes his high energy sci-fi multiverse duology with Prison of Sleep, and just like Doors of Sleep, it was a ton of fun! This is a series that needs to be read in order, though, so do be aware that this review contains minor spoilers for the first book in the series.
In Doors of Sleep, we followed Zaxony Dyad Euphony Delatree—or Zax for short—on his adventures through the multiverse. Zax discovers one day that whenever he falls asleep, he wakes up in another world. He doesn’t know why this is happening, only that he wants to figure out a way to stop it and find his way back to his home world, the Realm of Spheres and Harmonies. When the story ends, Zax is finally reunited with a woman named Ana who he lost for quite a long time, and Ana has important information about the multiverse.
In Prison of Sleep, we get to hear Ana’s story and what happened to her after she and Zax were separated. In alternating chapters, Ana recounts her own adventures of meeting a Sleeper named Toros who agrees to help her find Zax. Ana is welcomed to Sleeperhold, where other sleepers and their companions have set up base and are able to safely travel to other worlds—both forwards and backwards—in a conveyance called a sleepercar.
However, trouble is brewing in the multiverse. A group of cultists called the Cult of the Worm, the individuals responsible for Zax’s condition, are trying to destroy all the worlds, including everyone who isn’t a cultist. A horrifying creature who calls himself the Prisoner lives in the spaces between the worlds, and he desperately wants to find Minna, who is the key to his diabolical plan. Now Zax must find Minna first and warn her, and try to keep the multiverse from imploding. If only he could figure out how to do that...
Prison of Sleep was a bit different from the first book in terms of construction, because instead of following one character, the chapters alternate between Zax and Ana. What confused me at first was that Ana’s timeline actually follows (more or less) Zax’s timeline from the first book, while Zax is always several steps ahead of Ana in this book. But once I figured out what was going on, the story took on a frenetic urgency, with the clock ticking down to the cultists’ terrible plans, Ana frantically searching for Zax, and Zax finding out about the Prisoner and trying to stop the cultists. The tension kept me flying through the pages, because I was so worried about the characters. It didn’t help that they kept getting separated from each other— jumping to a new world without the other by accident—and because of the way the multiverse works, it’s almost impossible to find each other again. Pratt set the stakes extremely high for this story, and I loved it!
We meet a few new characters in this book. Zax meets a warrior named Zaveta who ends up sticking with him. In fact, it’s Zaveta who first learns about the Prisoner and is able to warn Zax. Ana was technically a new character, even though she appears briefly in Doors of Sleep. I absolutely loved her chapters, and the love story between her and Zax was very well done. They had a few romantic and steamy days together, but tragically lost each other. There is an urgency to Ana’s quest to find Zax again, not only because of the impending end of the multiverse, but because she loves him and she’s desperate to be with him again.
I was a little disappointed that my two favorite characters from the first book, Minna and Vicki, didn’t make an appearance until the very end. Both were such delights in Doors of Sleep, and even though they are mentioned throughout this book, it just wasn’t the same. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Minna, she comes from a world where the people are part plant. She can regrow parts of her body among other things, and she’s smart and kind and an all around fantastic character. But I will say that Ana and Zaveta helped make up for her absence!
The author resolves everything by the end of the book, which is a good thing when you’re writing a duology, but not so good when the ending leaves the reader wanting more. I’ve grown to love these characters so much, that I certainly wouldn’t say no to more adventures with Zax and his friends.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
May 28, 2022
Book two begins with a catastrophe, with the Sleeperhold destroyed, several Sleeper agents murdered, and Zax again travelling the multiverse. Except this time, he's on the trail of Cult of the Worm agents, whose wormtrails he follows, with the intent of following one back to the Worm base. Zax fortuitously makes a friend along the way, a fierce woman, Zaveta, whose clan was harmed by Worm agents. Author Tim Pratt also gives us Ana's perspective, as she and a Sleeper agent are also on the trail of the Worm base. Along the way, we get to hear about how Ana met Zax, and her many hard weeks to reunite with him prior to the end of book one.
Zax's appeal lies in his compassion and kindness, which is again what helps him connect with Zaveta. Those traits, along with the few untainted gifts he received from the Lector, like his linguistic virus, demonstrate why Zax has been one of the few successful Sleepers, travelling to more worlds than any other Sleeper, and surviving as long as he has.
Though we don't get as much Minna as I would have liked in this book, she's still awesome when she appears. Pratt also gives us some measure of conflict within the Sleepers, as they wrestle with their goals of tracking the Worm agents, and figuring out what to do about them if they ever catch up with them. I liked the balance of exploration, ethics, and occasional humour in this book, which all kept me reading to the satisfying end.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Zax's appeal lies in his compassion and kindness, which is again what helps him connect with Zaveta. Those traits, along with the few untainted gifts he received from the Lector, like his linguistic virus, demonstrate why Zax has been one of the few successful Sleepers, travelling to more worlds than any other Sleeper, and surviving as long as he has.
Though we don't get as much Minna as I would have liked in this book, she's still awesome when she appears. Pratt also gives us some measure of conflict within the Sleepers, as they wrestle with their goals of tracking the Worm agents, and figuring out what to do about them if they ever catch up with them. I liked the balance of exploration, ethics, and occasional humour in this book, which all kept me reading to the satisfying end.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Angry Robot for this ARC in exchange for my review.
April 28, 2022
Once again thank you so much to Angry Robot for introducing me to another great author and allowing me to participate in their online book tours!!
Prison of Sleep is Tim Pratt’s followup to Doors of Sleep. While I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book, I think it’s a solid duology and would definitely recommend reading them for fans of the genre!
...
I believe it is hard to talk about sequels without hinting at spoilers, so I will keep this review very broad and not spoil anything!
The Plot & Story: I definitely think that idea wise, Prison of Sleep was the more interesting of the two books. We get the history of both the Cult of the Worm and of The Sleepers. While Zax’s storyline was equally interesting and engaging, Ana’s ended up being more of an info dump that unfortunately slowed the story down and also confused me relentlessly regarding the timelines. (I mentally confused Zax’s battle with the attack on Sleeperhold at first and contextually it was hard to s
I won’t spend a ton of time on world building, but as far as history goes and my understanding of the book’s multiverse – A+ by the end. This is one of the more interesting creation stories I have read – I just can’t discuss it for spoilers.
The Characters: Ana is the most prominent new character. Her point of view is introduced and used to fill in our knowledge gaps as she tells of her travels, training, and experiences with the Sleepers. That said, I just wasn’t as interested in her and her voice sounded a lot like Zax’s at times.
Zaveta was Zax’s new travelling partner and I liked her! She was funny without meaning to be, and occasionally when she meant to be. Her warrior attributes were a good counterbalance to Zax’s unaggressive approach.
One thing was that Zax didn’t really get to be the hero in this one – I think I expected him to be the hero. Don’t we always expect the MC’s to be the hero? ((Food for thought)). It didn’t affect my rating but struck me that he was more of the passive observer this time while dear, dear Minna and Vicki came back in a big way this time.
I also continued to like the chapter headlines as a summary of coming events!
Overall: This duology is good for fans of the multiverse, sci-fi adventures, and unconventional heroes. There is plenty of recap incase anyone forgot important parts of book one, but this is not going to read as a standalone. My main issue came with Ana’s POV and how she inadvertently confused my timelines – 100% on me. The book is out now for everyone interested!
Prison of Sleep is Tim Pratt’s followup to Doors of Sleep. While I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book, I think it’s a solid duology and would definitely recommend reading them for fans of the genre!
...
I believe it is hard to talk about sequels without hinting at spoilers, so I will keep this review very broad and not spoil anything!
The Plot & Story: I definitely think that idea wise, Prison of Sleep was the more interesting of the two books. We get the history of both the Cult of the Worm and of The Sleepers. While Zax’s storyline was equally interesting and engaging, Ana’s ended up being more of an info dump that unfortunately slowed the story down and also confused me relentlessly regarding the timelines. (I mentally confused Zax’s battle with the attack on Sleeperhold at first and contextually it was hard to s
I won’t spend a ton of time on world building, but as far as history goes and my understanding of the book’s multiverse – A+ by the end. This is one of the more interesting creation stories I have read – I just can’t discuss it for spoilers.
The Characters: Ana is the most prominent new character. Her point of view is introduced and used to fill in our knowledge gaps as she tells of her travels, training, and experiences with the Sleepers. That said, I just wasn’t as interested in her and her voice sounded a lot like Zax’s at times.
Zaveta was Zax’s new travelling partner and I liked her! She was funny without meaning to be, and occasionally when she meant to be. Her warrior attributes were a good counterbalance to Zax’s unaggressive approach.
One thing was that Zax didn’t really get to be the hero in this one – I think I expected him to be the hero. Don’t we always expect the MC’s to be the hero? ((Food for thought)). It didn’t affect my rating but struck me that he was more of the passive observer this time while dear, dear Minna and Vicki came back in a big way this time.
I also continued to like the chapter headlines as a summary of coming events!
Overall: This duology is good for fans of the multiverse, sci-fi adventures, and unconventional heroes. There is plenty of recap incase anyone forgot important parts of book one, but this is not going to read as a standalone. My main issue came with Ana’s POV and how she inadvertently confused my timelines – 100% on me. The book is out now for everyone interested!
December 5, 2023
3,75 / 5
Una conclusión que cierra satisfactoriamente la bilogía de Zaxony Delatree. Pratt da respuestas a todas las incógnitas planteadas en el primer volumen, con el punto presente de Zax como motor y el de Ana como complementario (que va desde el pasado al presente más actual), llegando hasta una conclusión agradable y eficaz. Pronto, reseña en el blog :)
Una conclusión que cierra satisfactoriamente la bilogía de Zaxony Delatree. Pratt da respuestas a todas las incógnitas planteadas en el primer volumen, con el punto presente de Zax como motor y el de Ana como complementario (que va desde el pasado al presente más actual), llegando hasta una conclusión agradable y eficaz. Pronto, reseña en el blog :)
October 28, 2024
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Inventive (and adventurous) take on the multiverse genre. Interesting, resourceful side characters.
Cons: Partly due to the very nature of the book, there's more telling (or recounting) than showing.
Will appeal to: Partly due to the very nature of the book, there's more telling (or recounting) than showing.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Angry Robot for providing an ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
SEEING DOUBLE
The second and last book in the Journals of Zaxony Delatree is richer in adventures and characters than its predecessor, and provides a satisfactory (if wild) explanation for Zax's ability to travel the multiverse every time he falls asleep/unconscious. Told in diary form from two alternating points of view - Zax's and his long-lost girlfriend Ana's, with whom he got reunited at the end of Book 1, only to lose her again - it's an ambitious tour de force weaving together events past and recent (since for a good part of the book Ana recounts her adventures who took place in the same timeline as the first installment's, while Zax records what happened next) that not always succeeds in keeping the confusion at bay, but most certainly entertains. [...]
Whole review here.
Pros: Inventive (and adventurous) take on the multiverse genre. Interesting, resourceful side characters.
Cons: Partly due to the very nature of the book, there's more telling (or recounting) than showing.
Will appeal to: Partly due to the very nature of the book, there's more telling (or recounting) than showing.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Angry Robot for providing an ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
SEEING DOUBLE
The second and last book in the Journals of Zaxony Delatree is richer in adventures and characters than its predecessor, and provides a satisfactory (if wild) explanation for Zax's ability to travel the multiverse every time he falls asleep/unconscious. Told in diary form from two alternating points of view - Zax's and his long-lost girlfriend Ana's, with whom he got reunited at the end of Book 1, only to lose her again - it's an ambitious tour de force weaving together events past and recent (since for a good part of the book Ana recounts her adventures who took place in the same timeline as the first installment's, while Zax records what happened next) that not always succeeds in keeping the confusion at bay, but most certainly entertains. [...]
Whole review here.
June 13, 2022
Reseña completa en http://www.callesdetinta.com/2022/06/...
Apenas un año después de la aparición del primer libro de la bilogía, esta llega a su fin con la publicación de Prison of Sleep. Un libro que continua la historia en el mismo momento donde termino su predecesora (de la cual podéis leer mi reseña aquí) lo que hace una lectura completamente dependiente de la anterior para poder entenderla por completo.
La gran particularidad de estos viajes entre universos tiene lugar mediante el sueño. En el primero libro ya vimos que cada vez que Zax se quedaba dormido, este despertaba en un nuevo universo. En ocasiones bastante hostil. Todo aquello que este en contacto con Zax, y esto incluye a personas, también viaja entre universos.
Prison of Sleep va en línea con lo que leímos en Doors of Sleep. Nuevamente tenemos una introducción bastante larga con la que los lectores nos podemos poner al día en lo que había sucedido en el anterior libro y, además, con el nuevo punto de vista que aparece en esta segunda parte. A partir de cierto punto empiezan una serie de persecuciones entre universos que recuerdan a las que vimos en la primera parte hasta llegar a un final que, siendo bastante cerrado, podría haberlo sido aun más. En cualquier caso, un cierre satisfactorio.
Esta segunda entrega profundiza mucho más en las particularidades del viaje entre universos. Ahonda también en las causas que hacen que Zax tenga la capacidad de viajar entre ellos, cerrando muchas de las explicaciones que el primer libro apenas se mencionaba o sucedían porque sí. Aparece un ente nuevo que resulta clave en la historia dándole un toque más “espiritual” por ciertos momentos.
En definitiva, una novela hermana de la primera en cuanto a estructura, llena de multiversos y situaciones rocambolescas. Un perfecto entretenimiento veraniego al que acercarse si la primera entrega te resultó atractivo.
Apenas un año después de la aparición del primer libro de la bilogía, esta llega a su fin con la publicación de Prison of Sleep. Un libro que continua la historia en el mismo momento donde termino su predecesora (de la cual podéis leer mi reseña aquí) lo que hace una lectura completamente dependiente de la anterior para poder entenderla por completo.
La gran particularidad de estos viajes entre universos tiene lugar mediante el sueño. En el primero libro ya vimos que cada vez que Zax se quedaba dormido, este despertaba en un nuevo universo. En ocasiones bastante hostil. Todo aquello que este en contacto con Zax, y esto incluye a personas, también viaja entre universos.
Prison of Sleep va en línea con lo que leímos en Doors of Sleep. Nuevamente tenemos una introducción bastante larga con la que los lectores nos podemos poner al día en lo que había sucedido en el anterior libro y, además, con el nuevo punto de vista que aparece en esta segunda parte. A partir de cierto punto empiezan una serie de persecuciones entre universos que recuerdan a las que vimos en la primera parte hasta llegar a un final que, siendo bastante cerrado, podría haberlo sido aun más. En cualquier caso, un cierre satisfactorio.
Esta segunda entrega profundiza mucho más en las particularidades del viaje entre universos. Ahonda también en las causas que hacen que Zax tenga la capacidad de viajar entre ellos, cerrando muchas de las explicaciones que el primer libro apenas se mencionaba o sucedían porque sí. Aparece un ente nuevo que resulta clave en la historia dándole un toque más “espiritual” por ciertos momentos.
En definitiva, una novela hermana de la primera en cuanto a estructura, llena de multiversos y situaciones rocambolescas. Un perfecto entretenimiento veraniego al que acercarse si la primera entrega te resultó atractivo.
May 3, 2022
This is the sequel to last year’s Doors of Sleep, a super-original science fiction book about a man named Zax who inadvertently travels to a different universe every time he falls asleep. This book picks up a bit after that one ends, and this time is told from both Zax and Ana’s perspectives in two separate times. Both encounter more interesting characters from there, and we learn more about the causes of the multi-verse hopping, with everything wrapping up nicely at the end since this is a duology - though I can’t say I’d be adverse to revisiting these characters in the future! My only complaint was not enough Minna and Vicky, two of my favorites from the first book, though I did love new character Zaveta.
Tim Pratt is becoming one of my new favorite science fiction writers - loved his Axiom trilogy in addition to this totally separate duology. He is great at world building and creating unique and memorable characters, and infusing his books with both adventure and fun. Can’t wait to see what he writes next!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review; this just came out last week.
Tim Pratt is becoming one of my new favorite science fiction writers - loved his Axiom trilogy in addition to this totally separate duology. He is great at world building and creating unique and memorable characters, and infusing his books with both adventure and fun. Can’t wait to see what he writes next!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review; this just came out last week.
April 29, 2022
8.0 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
I was kindly granted an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Angry Robot (#AngryRobot #AngryRobotBooks) for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
—
“They invented multidimensional travel but they haven’t figured out how to make guns?”
—
At one time, Zaxony Delatree worked as a harmonizer in the Realm of Spheres and Harmonies. Then, following the death of a patient—who died in his arms, covering him in her blood—Zax fell asleep, only to awaken on another world.
About one month later, on his twentieth world, Zax met Ana. Less than a day later, he knew he never wanted to leave. Something that… could never be. So he fell asleep with Ana in his arms. And she travelled with him, through the place between, awake. Her mind couldn’t handle whatever she saw, and fled Zax immediately upon his waking. Though he searched for her, eventually Zax grew tired, and fell asleep—never to see her again.
On his 20th world Zax found love, only to lose it on the 21st.
Thirteen hundred worlds later, Zax found something impossible. He’d reunited with Vicki and Minna following the events of Doors of Sleep. The closest thing he’d ever had to a family was back together, even though he feared he’d never see them again. Shortly after, Zax found Ana.
Prison of Sleep skips forward a time from this meeting, so you’ll have to wait a bit to see how it went down. There are a pair of POVs within: Zax, who looks forward; and Ana, who looks back. We find Zax alone once more, traveling into the unknown. Only this time, while he may not have any idea where he’s going, Zax is following a specific path—a trail left by the Cult of the Worm.
The Cult worships the Prisoner: a god imprisoned in the place between worlds that can only whisper to its subjects as they traverse the place between. These followers it has gifted with the ability to Travel—done via a parasite injected into their bloodstream. It wants only two things from them: to Travel to new worlds and recruit further devotees who will do the same. The more Travelers, the more Wormholes in the ether. The more Wormholes, the weaker the stability of the Multiverse. Only when the Multiverse destabilizes completely can the Prisoner ever hope to escape.
When Ana found Zax she recruited him into a secret war against the Cult, one that he was only too willing to join. But now that he has, Zax is having second thoughts. Once more he’s lost Ana, Minna, and Vicki. He’s lost his new friends, his new home. But he has a plan—and while it may not reunite him with his friends, it may well save them all.
—
Prison of Sleep explores one the biggest unanswered questions left by Doors of Sleep before it: what happened to Ana?
Ana, as it is known from the first few chapters of the first book, was Zax’s long lost love, first companion, and lost her mind after traversing the void while awake. When Zax and Ana are reunited at the end of Doors, we are promised the continuation of their story—but who would’ve guessed just how far the rabbit hole went?
While Doors was more of an adventure driven via exploration of its sole POV, Zax, Prison is more of a mystery, slow-paced thriller, and character driven title about the relationship between its two main protagonists: Zax and Ana. Now Doors does feature the same style of slow-paced thrill later on, so it shouldn’t be an entirely foreign concept. And… while I say it’s a “slow-paced” thriller, I guess it really isn’t. Both Doors and Prison are rather short books—running between two and three hundred pages—so once things start happening, they don’t have too long to lounge around before the story winds down. It’s more that these two stories feel more leisurely in their approach to telling. The stories were both good, immersive, interesting, highly entertaining, and no trouble to read whatsoever. It’s just that there… there aren’t a ton of heart-pounding thrills, pulse-racing action, or the like that you’d find in most good thrillers. Instead, it’s narrative driven; a tense, atmospheric adventure through the multiverse—on a mission to save the multiverse.
Prison of Sleep features a back-and-forth, alternating POV structure that I’ve seen before in books like the Boy With the Porcelain Blade, where the first perspective takes place in the present and the second takes place in the past—1, 2, 1, 2, in that order, until the end. Now, I have some qualms about this approach—as I’m not sure I’ve really read anything that deploys it very successfully. At a certain point what has happened in the past becomes clear in the present long before it’s time for the big reveal. Prison can’t escape this particular issue, as long before the end I had figured out what happened when Ana finally caught up to Zax, along with the aftermath. What I had NOT figured out, however, was that while I’d assumed this to be the big reveal, it um wasn’t. Instead, there’s a twist come Ana’s final chapter—one that caught me completely by surprise.
Otherwise, it’s more of the same exciting adventure from Doors of Sleep. Only Zax knows he’s not alone anymore. And instead of wandering aimlessly, he’s a man on a mission. While the mission itself feels a little forced, a little cliché—it’s still a great read. I really can’t object to anything too strongly or find much of a problem with any of this. If you enjoyed the first book, I’m fairly certain you’ll enjoy the second. If you were bothered by cliff-hangers, or empty threads in Book #1—well, #2 ties everything up quite nicely. No major issues, no problems getting through it, or getting immersed in the tale. I’d certainly recommend checking it out!
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I was kindly granted an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Angry Robot (#AngryRobot #AngryRobotBooks) for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
—
“They invented multidimensional travel but they haven’t figured out how to make guns?”
—
At one time, Zaxony Delatree worked as a harmonizer in the Realm of Spheres and Harmonies. Then, following the death of a patient—who died in his arms, covering him in her blood—Zax fell asleep, only to awaken on another world.
About one month later, on his twentieth world, Zax met Ana. Less than a day later, he knew he never wanted to leave. Something that… could never be. So he fell asleep with Ana in his arms. And she travelled with him, through the place between, awake. Her mind couldn’t handle whatever she saw, and fled Zax immediately upon his waking. Though he searched for her, eventually Zax grew tired, and fell asleep—never to see her again.
On his 20th world Zax found love, only to lose it on the 21st.
Thirteen hundred worlds later, Zax found something impossible. He’d reunited with Vicki and Minna following the events of Doors of Sleep. The closest thing he’d ever had to a family was back together, even though he feared he’d never see them again. Shortly after, Zax found Ana.
Prison of Sleep skips forward a time from this meeting, so you’ll have to wait a bit to see how it went down. There are a pair of POVs within: Zax, who looks forward; and Ana, who looks back. We find Zax alone once more, traveling into the unknown. Only this time, while he may not have any idea where he’s going, Zax is following a specific path—a trail left by the Cult of the Worm.
The Cult worships the Prisoner: a god imprisoned in the place between worlds that can only whisper to its subjects as they traverse the place between. These followers it has gifted with the ability to Travel—done via a parasite injected into their bloodstream. It wants only two things from them: to Travel to new worlds and recruit further devotees who will do the same. The more Travelers, the more Wormholes in the ether. The more Wormholes, the weaker the stability of the Multiverse. Only when the Multiverse destabilizes completely can the Prisoner ever hope to escape.
When Ana found Zax she recruited him into a secret war against the Cult, one that he was only too willing to join. But now that he has, Zax is having second thoughts. Once more he’s lost Ana, Minna, and Vicki. He’s lost his new friends, his new home. But he has a plan—and while it may not reunite him with his friends, it may well save them all.
—
Prison of Sleep explores one the biggest unanswered questions left by Doors of Sleep before it: what happened to Ana?
Ana, as it is known from the first few chapters of the first book, was Zax’s long lost love, first companion, and lost her mind after traversing the void while awake. When Zax and Ana are reunited at the end of Doors, we are promised the continuation of their story—but who would’ve guessed just how far the rabbit hole went?
While Doors was more of an adventure driven via exploration of its sole POV, Zax, Prison is more of a mystery, slow-paced thriller, and character driven title about the relationship between its two main protagonists: Zax and Ana. Now Doors does feature the same style of slow-paced thrill later on, so it shouldn’t be an entirely foreign concept. And… while I say it’s a “slow-paced” thriller, I guess it really isn’t. Both Doors and Prison are rather short books—running between two and three hundred pages—so once things start happening, they don’t have too long to lounge around before the story winds down. It’s more that these two stories feel more leisurely in their approach to telling. The stories were both good, immersive, interesting, highly entertaining, and no trouble to read whatsoever. It’s just that there… there aren’t a ton of heart-pounding thrills, pulse-racing action, or the like that you’d find in most good thrillers. Instead, it’s narrative driven; a tense, atmospheric adventure through the multiverse—on a mission to save the multiverse.
Prison of Sleep features a back-and-forth, alternating POV structure that I’ve seen before in books like the Boy With the Porcelain Blade, where the first perspective takes place in the present and the second takes place in the past—1, 2, 1, 2, in that order, until the end. Now, I have some qualms about this approach—as I’m not sure I’ve really read anything that deploys it very successfully. At a certain point what has happened in the past becomes clear in the present long before it’s time for the big reveal. Prison can’t escape this particular issue, as long before the end I had figured out what happened when Ana finally caught up to Zax, along with the aftermath. What I had NOT figured out, however, was that while I’d assumed this to be the big reveal, it um wasn’t. Instead, there’s a twist come Ana’s final chapter—one that caught me completely by surprise.
Otherwise, it’s more of the same exciting adventure from Doors of Sleep. Only Zax knows he’s not alone anymore. And instead of wandering aimlessly, he’s a man on a mission. While the mission itself feels a little forced, a little cliché—it’s still a great read. I really can’t object to anything too strongly or find much of a problem with any of this. If you enjoyed the first book, I’m fairly certain you’ll enjoy the second. If you were bothered by cliff-hangers, or empty threads in Book #1—well, #2 ties everything up quite nicely. No major issues, no problems getting through it, or getting immersed in the tale. I’d certainly recommend checking it out!
May 3, 2022
This book is the second in a duology set in a fast-paced multiverse adventure tale, so my firm recommendation is to head for Doors of Sleep, the first book in the series, before getting stuck into Prison of Sleep.
The first book features Zaxony’s adventures as he is catapulted into travelling to another world every time he falls asleep. Early in his journey, he meets and falls for Ana – and inadvertently yanks her along with him as they sleep together. The catch is that she hasn’t been infected with the parasite that allows him to hop from one world to another and she suffers a terrible mental breakdown travelling through the Void without that protection and runs off. Guilt-ridden and grieving, Zaxony has tried to find her. So I really appreciated that in this second book, I got to discover what has become of Ana and get to know her better. I loved this romantic thread that added to the emotional tenor of the story without in any way clogging up the pace or distracting from the main narrative.
This means that this book isn’t just from one viewpoint, which I enjoyed. Especially as I got to see what other characters think of Zaxony. As I’ve already mentioned, this story moves along at a brisk clip. Indeed, major events pile upon one another as we shuffle between the two main characters and I had to stay sharp to keep the narrative timelines straight. As with Doors of Sleep, the concept works really well. There is plenty of tension as Pratt isn’t afraid of killing off characters who have featured heavily in the storyline. So I was genuinely concerned for our plucky band of protagonists, throughout – and near the end of the story, I was more than a bit winded when one of the protagonists ended up being on the wrong side. I could appreciate all too well what powers his decision, even if it is a terrible one…
Pratt is very good at provided interesting, well-developed characters while mayhem continues to rain down upon them – which is technically far harder to achieve than he makes it look. But… I do have a frustration. A huge amount happens in this book and as I reached the end, I felt this series would have been improved if the events had unspooled over three books, instead of two. This particularly applies to the storyline featuring Lector, the primary antagonist in the first book. While the menace he poses is suitably sorted out – it did rather take back seat to the storyline featuring the Prisoner. And I would also have preferred seeing Pilgrim’s journey develop over a longer time, as it is another strand that feels a bit rushed. This is a wonderful bit of worldbuilding – and like other reviewers, I would appreciate reading other books in this series. Recommended for fans of multiverse adventures with strong protagonists and lots of action. While I obtained an arc of Prison of Sleep from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10
The first book features Zaxony’s adventures as he is catapulted into travelling to another world every time he falls asleep. Early in his journey, he meets and falls for Ana – and inadvertently yanks her along with him as they sleep together. The catch is that she hasn’t been infected with the parasite that allows him to hop from one world to another and she suffers a terrible mental breakdown travelling through the Void without that protection and runs off. Guilt-ridden and grieving, Zaxony has tried to find her. So I really appreciated that in this second book, I got to discover what has become of Ana and get to know her better. I loved this romantic thread that added to the emotional tenor of the story without in any way clogging up the pace or distracting from the main narrative.
This means that this book isn’t just from one viewpoint, which I enjoyed. Especially as I got to see what other characters think of Zaxony. As I’ve already mentioned, this story moves along at a brisk clip. Indeed, major events pile upon one another as we shuffle between the two main characters and I had to stay sharp to keep the narrative timelines straight. As with Doors of Sleep, the concept works really well. There is plenty of tension as Pratt isn’t afraid of killing off characters who have featured heavily in the storyline. So I was genuinely concerned for our plucky band of protagonists, throughout – and near the end of the story, I was more than a bit winded when one of the protagonists ended up being on the wrong side. I could appreciate all too well what powers his decision, even if it is a terrible one…
Pratt is very good at provided interesting, well-developed characters while mayhem continues to rain down upon them – which is technically far harder to achieve than he makes it look. But… I do have a frustration. A huge amount happens in this book and as I reached the end, I felt this series would have been improved if the events had unspooled over three books, instead of two. This particularly applies to the storyline featuring Lector, the primary antagonist in the first book. While the menace he poses is suitably sorted out – it did rather take back seat to the storyline featuring the Prisoner. And I would also have preferred seeing Pilgrim’s journey develop over a longer time, as it is another strand that feels a bit rushed. This is a wonderful bit of worldbuilding – and like other reviewers, I would appreciate reading other books in this series. Recommended for fans of multiverse adventures with strong protagonists and lots of action. While I obtained an arc of Prison of Sleep from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10
April 9, 2022
"Prison of Sleep" continues Zax's journey through multiple worlds as he tries to stop the Sleeper cult from propagating and destroying space-time. Told from the points-of-view of Zax, and his former traveling partner and lover, Ana, we get insights (and, admittedly, info-dumps) about the cult and the people from various worlds who are working to defeat it. But, can a god who can traverse anywhere be killed?
Tim Pratt is a writer who's work is always a joy for me. I became a fan with his Marla Mason series, and have liked everything since. I read "The Twilight Empire" at the same time I was reading "Prison of Sleep," and was intrigued by how effortlessly he builds worlds and characters.
Zax has traveled over 1000 worlds, and he has lost several companions along the way. The cult are looking for him, either to convert or to kill him, and it's becoming harder to stay ahead of them.
Ana has also become a traveler, after surviving near-madness due to exposure of the space between the worlds. She's a bit more pessimistic than Zax, but also less idealistic. They balance each other well, and readers will hope for their eventual reunion.
We also meet back up with some characters I thought might be lost for good after the first book. No spoilers, but they've joined the fight as well, and are working their way to Zax.
Despite the large blocks of info, the plot moves well and makes sense. I think possibly it could have been improved by having two parts Zax to one part Ana in the chapters, but then too, Ana's sections give us lots of the backstory of the cult and the group working against them.
This is a good, solid sci-fi series that will appeal to readers who like to imagine alternate times and places.
4 out of 5 stars
I received an advance copy from Angry Robot via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This, and other reviews, may also be found on my book blog, redhatcatreviews.com.
Tim Pratt is a writer who's work is always a joy for me. I became a fan with his Marla Mason series, and have liked everything since. I read "The Twilight Empire" at the same time I was reading "Prison of Sleep," and was intrigued by how effortlessly he builds worlds and characters.
Zax has traveled over 1000 worlds, and he has lost several companions along the way. The cult are looking for him, either to convert or to kill him, and it's becoming harder to stay ahead of them.
Ana has also become a traveler, after surviving near-madness due to exposure of the space between the worlds. She's a bit more pessimistic than Zax, but also less idealistic. They balance each other well, and readers will hope for their eventual reunion.
We also meet back up with some characters I thought might be lost for good after the first book. No spoilers, but they've joined the fight as well, and are working their way to Zax.
Despite the large blocks of info, the plot moves well and makes sense. I think possibly it could have been improved by having two parts Zax to one part Ana in the chapters, but then too, Ana's sections give us lots of the backstory of the cult and the group working against them.
This is a good, solid sci-fi series that will appeal to readers who like to imagine alternate times and places.
4 out of 5 stars
I received an advance copy from Angry Robot via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This, and other reviews, may also be found on my book blog, redhatcatreviews.com.
April 29, 2022
4.5/5 stars
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰.
Prison of Sleep is the sequel to Doors of Sleep and the concluding volume in Tim Pratt’s Journals of Zaxony Delatree duology. Contrasting with the more personal and introspective story in Doors of Sleep, this sequel is faster paced and more story driven.
Prison of Sleep again follows our favorite involuntary multiverse traveller Zax a few weeks after the events of Doors, and adds a new voice in Ana, his long lost first love. Told in alternating perspectives, Zax’s is moving ahead while Ana’s reaches back to the very beginning and races forward to intersect with his.
This new format allows for a more steady pacing and a more well-defined story. We finally get answers as to how Zax got his unfortunate talent and the larger meanings behind it. There are less philosophical and ethical debates in favor of more action and suspense. The nature of the story though meant that we get less Minna and Vicki, but I did like the addition of Zaveta.
Prison of Sleep delivers a satisfying conclusion the Zaxony Delatree’s story, but I would definitely read on if there were more.
*I was given a copy of this book by Angry Robot Books as part of its book tour.
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰.
Prison of Sleep is the sequel to Doors of Sleep and the concluding volume in Tim Pratt’s Journals of Zaxony Delatree duology. Contrasting with the more personal and introspective story in Doors of Sleep, this sequel is faster paced and more story driven.
Prison of Sleep again follows our favorite involuntary multiverse traveller Zax a few weeks after the events of Doors, and adds a new voice in Ana, his long lost first love. Told in alternating perspectives, Zax’s is moving ahead while Ana’s reaches back to the very beginning and races forward to intersect with his.
This new format allows for a more steady pacing and a more well-defined story. We finally get answers as to how Zax got his unfortunate talent and the larger meanings behind it. There are less philosophical and ethical debates in favor of more action and suspense. The nature of the story though meant that we get less Minna and Vicki, but I did like the addition of Zaveta.
Prison of Sleep delivers a satisfying conclusion the Zaxony Delatree’s story, but I would definitely read on if there were more.
*I was given a copy of this book by Angry Robot Books as part of its book tour.
May 6, 2022
What an intricate and beautiful blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements. I really enjoyed how the endless moral conundrums of being at war with a religious cult intersect with the characters' individual ethical beliefs and moral codes. The foreshadowing of the characters' actions was well written, so when a plot twist came up, it was entirely consistent with their thought process.
This book is action packed but not frantic. There are built-in slow moments that come naturally into the plot because of the way this world works, which is extremely clever. It reminds me of Kristine Kathryn Rusch's series Diving into the Wreck.
Alas, I missed Minna (recently added to my favourite characters list) fiercely when she wasn't there, which is most of the book. I would love to formally petition Pratt for a novella from Minna's POV, and this would be entirely possible if I could afford to join the highest tier of his Patreon, but unfortunately for me I can't grow useful things (like money) from my body like Minna can.
This book is action packed but not frantic. There are built-in slow moments that come naturally into the plot because of the way this world works, which is extremely clever. It reminds me of Kristine Kathryn Rusch's series Diving into the Wreck.
Alas, I missed Minna (recently added to my favourite characters list) fiercely when she wasn't there, which is most of the book. I would love to formally petition Pratt for a novella from Minna's POV, and this would be entirely possible if I could afford to join the highest tier of his Patreon, but unfortunately for me I can't grow useful things (like money) from my body like Minna can.
November 11, 2025
The sequel following up on the adventures from the first book, this time with higher stakes! Zax is a world traveler so that every time he falls asleep, he wakes up in a new world likely in a different universe. Throughout his travels, he's found companions who would accompany him if Zax sleeps touching them. When Zax met Ana, it was instant connection but he fell asleep touching her while she was awake! The void in between broke her mind and they ended up separating. Lucky for Ana, she was rescued and nursed back to health by a group who is opposing the cultists. These cultists are hellbent on jumping around worlds to weaken the boundaries, possibly destroying reality and in the process freeing their elder God. Throughout the book we follow Zax and Ana as they face the cultists and their God while still looking for each other in the multiverse. Do they stand a chance of finding one another and fighting a cosmic entity?
The concept continues to amaze me and I enjoyed the well flushed out details of how the multiverse travel works. The companions are a fun mix of being an alien but also relatable. With enough twists and turns and a formidable foe, this sequel totally delivers!
The concept continues to amaze me and I enjoyed the well flushed out details of how the multiverse travel works. The companions are a fun mix of being an alien but also relatable. With enough twists and turns and a formidable foe, this sequel totally delivers!
April 22, 2022
Tim Pratt's Prison of Sleep capped off his Zax duology with all the fantastic uniqueness and mind-bending world-building that made the first book a must read. The movement between different time-lines in the storytelling lends itself to Pratt's plot and protagonists; you're aware that the other players are making moves but being able to experience them from multiple viewpoints helps deepen this story. Pratt is a master of writing the "other" - his aliens and other lifeforms feel true to their settings and development rather than just being shoehorned into a specific narrative role. While not action heavy, the combat scenes and events feel heavy, as Pratt has shown he isn't afraid to put his characters into life-or-death situations that may not end in their favor. I highly recommend Prison of Sleep, but definitely read the first book - you won't be disappointed by the duology.
February 26, 2024
4.5/5
Loved the story, the pacing, the imagination, and the lovely characters. Wish the bad guys were more competent. I also loved how the story was nonlinear, even though it was being written chronologically in diaries.
Loved the story, the pacing, the imagination, and the lovely characters. Wish the bad guys were more competent. I also loved how the story was nonlinear, even though it was being written chronologically in diaries.
September 7, 2022
The first book was an interesting idea well narrated. This one gives depth and expands the multiverse of characters.
December 31, 2023
cult of the worm: wants to destroy every single universe
zax: idk i think we can reason with them 🤔
(also zax and ana had zero chemistry…yawn)
zax: idk i think we can reason with them 🤔
(also zax and ana had zero chemistry…yawn)
August 13, 2024
As I mentioned in my review of book 1(Doors of sleep), this book is inspired by Doctor Who. In book 1, we followed a traveler through worlds. In book 2, we get a few more viewpoints and a nice conclusion and explanation. This book has a little less wonder than the first book. It also feels slightly less golden age of SF and a bit more space opera. Like every Tim Pratt book I ever read, this is well worth reading
February 24, 2022
I was very excited to return to Zax and his adventures in the multiverse and this book definitely didn't disappoint.
We start with a handy little recap. I know not everyone likes this but I find this so helpful and thoughtful when authors do this as it has usually been a little while since I had read the previous book/s.
Prison of Sleep is written from two alternating points of view - Zax and Ana. Personally I enjoyed Zax's chapters much more as he's a much more developed and interesting character. Ana's chapters take place almost entirely along the timeline of the first book. It is basically the first book again but from her point of view. The problem with this approach is that we know how it ends. There's no real sense of peril as we already know how it turns out. This really takes away from the impact of events happening in these parts of the book. I almost feel like Ana's chapters would have been better if they were published as their own novella. A "#1.5" in the series while Prison of Sleep concentrated in the present story, especially as the end just felt a bit rushed and maybe deserved to be developed a little more.
Overall this was a fun story and a real pleasure to return to some great characters and brilliantly inventive worlds.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
We start with a handy little recap. I know not everyone likes this but I find this so helpful and thoughtful when authors do this as it has usually been a little while since I had read the previous book/s.
Prison of Sleep is written from two alternating points of view - Zax and Ana. Personally I enjoyed Zax's chapters much more as he's a much more developed and interesting character. Ana's chapters take place almost entirely along the timeline of the first book. It is basically the first book again but from her point of view. The problem with this approach is that we know how it ends. There's no real sense of peril as we already know how it turns out. This really takes away from the impact of events happening in these parts of the book. I almost feel like Ana's chapters would have been better if they were published as their own novella. A "#1.5" in the series while Prison of Sleep concentrated in the present story, especially as the end just felt a bit rushed and maybe deserved to be developed a little more.
Overall this was a fun story and a real pleasure to return to some great characters and brilliantly inventive worlds.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
June 4, 2023
I think I liked the first book so much because of Minna and Vicki, and we don't really see them in this one, so I was flailing. I really liked Zaveta, and the Trypophile was a pleasure to watch, but I don't feel I got much out of backtracking to 'before' with Ana's accounts. I wanted to know what happened to Zax post-Sleeperhold and it take the entire book to see what happened to him during the attack. I felt like Ana's backstory was a slog as she didn't have any companions I was interested in. Zax is at his best when he has people to bounce off, and Ana's relative isolation and lack of exploring really made her chapters drag.
May 23, 2022
Lacks a little of the wonder and novelty of the previous instalment, but the opportunity to revisit and explain everything made this overall a satisfying read.
December 29, 2022
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
Zaxony (Zax) Delatree lives an unusual life. Every time he falls asleep he wakes up in a new world. Every waking day a new adventure – sometimes pleasant, sometimes life-threatening. It had been a lonely existence until he had met Ana – a companion who was one of The Sleepers – a group of travelers also existing between the worlds. But Ana had gotten irretrievably left behind on a world long ago and Zax now has Minna, a new companion who has found a way to travel the worlds with Zax.
The good news for the duo is that they are no longer being pursued through the worlds by Lector, a psychotic man who wanted full control of the ability to world hop. The bad news is that there is a cult of travelers who know the method of world-hopping (a parasite in the bloodstream that lives between dimensions and releases a toxin that provides the strange travelling). The cult are servants to The Prisoner – a being trapped between dimensions – and they believe that they only way to free their leader is to collapse all the different worlds – meaning the complete destruction of thousands of worlds and trillions and trillions of lives.
Ana has found a way to catch up to Zax and now Zax, Ana, and Minna are on a new journey to save all the worlds.
I really love the concept of the series (duology?). As I believe I mentioned in my review of the first book, I think this is one of the most creative concepts I’ve come across in a long time. And of course there’s a tremendous challenge for Pratt – not only is he creating a world in which Zax and friends travel by way of sleeping, he’s creating multiple worlds inside this world. How fun is that?!
This book didn’t have quite the excitement level as the previous book. In part, because it wasn’t so new to us anymore (not much you can do about that), but rather than being chased, Zax becomes the chaser. Sort of. (Yeah, I know, it’s a little confusing to try and sum up something rather complicated.)
There’s a large focus on Ana and her story – what happened to her and how she works to reconnect with Zax (every other chapter is hers). This seems really important (and it is), but when they do finally reconnect, what feels like it should be pretty momentous, kind of fizzles for me. Although I respect that this re-encounter also feels pretty authentic.
For me, Tim Pratt is a name that I will continue to read and there aren’t a lot of authors whose books I will be guaranteed to read.
Looking for a good book? Prison of Sleep by Tim Pratt is the second book in the Journals of Zaxony Delatree series and is an incredibly original scifi concept, well worth reading.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Zaxony (Zax) Delatree lives an unusual life. Every time he falls asleep he wakes up in a new world. Every waking day a new adventure – sometimes pleasant, sometimes life-threatening. It had been a lonely existence until he had met Ana – a companion who was one of The Sleepers – a group of travelers also existing between the worlds. But Ana had gotten irretrievably left behind on a world long ago and Zax now has Minna, a new companion who has found a way to travel the worlds with Zax.
The good news for the duo is that they are no longer being pursued through the worlds by Lector, a psychotic man who wanted full control of the ability to world hop. The bad news is that there is a cult of travelers who know the method of world-hopping (a parasite in the bloodstream that lives between dimensions and releases a toxin that provides the strange travelling). The cult are servants to The Prisoner – a being trapped between dimensions – and they believe that they only way to free their leader is to collapse all the different worlds – meaning the complete destruction of thousands of worlds and trillions and trillions of lives.
Ana has found a way to catch up to Zax and now Zax, Ana, and Minna are on a new journey to save all the worlds.
I really love the concept of the series (duology?). As I believe I mentioned in my review of the first book, I think this is one of the most creative concepts I’ve come across in a long time. And of course there’s a tremendous challenge for Pratt – not only is he creating a world in which Zax and friends travel by way of sleeping, he’s creating multiple worlds inside this world. How fun is that?!
This book didn’t have quite the excitement level as the previous book. In part, because it wasn’t so new to us anymore (not much you can do about that), but rather than being chased, Zax becomes the chaser. Sort of. (Yeah, I know, it’s a little confusing to try and sum up something rather complicated.)
There’s a large focus on Ana and her story – what happened to her and how she works to reconnect with Zax (every other chapter is hers). This seems really important (and it is), but when they do finally reconnect, what feels like it should be pretty momentous, kind of fizzles for me. Although I respect that this re-encounter also feels pretty authentic.
For me, Tim Pratt is a name that I will continue to read and there aren’t a lot of authors whose books I will be guaranteed to read.
Looking for a good book? Prison of Sleep by Tim Pratt is the second book in the Journals of Zaxony Delatree series and is an incredibly original scifi concept, well worth reading.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2022
**Spoilers for book one Doors of Sleep included in this review**
Picking up after the events of book one, Zaxony Delatree finds himself alone, with a pen and paper diary tracking his travels through the wormholes of the multiverse trying to get back to his friends. This time the tale is told through two separate timelines and POV’s. Ana, Zax’s love interest who comes in right at the end of book one and Zax. We find out through their diary accounts that they found sanctuary for a time, but were unfortunately separated due to an attack on the “Sleeperhold” and must once again find their way to one another through the multiverse while also battling and finding the source of the “Cult of the Worm”. A cult hellbent on the destruction of the entire multiverse.
Once again we are thrown into the thick of the world or worlds without a whole lot of explanation, but through the diary entries we are told that each time people travel through the worlds they create small pin prick holes in the multiverse, threatening the world with collapse. It has been discovered that some sort of wormy parasite is ingested by those who travel and there is a cult of people infecting others with these little worms with the intention of destroying the world. Luckily there are those who wish to stop the bleeding (so to speak) and seek to repair the holes, take down the cult and restore peace.
Following a similar quirky tone, Pratt invites the reader to let their imagination run wild. The imagery and humour shine throughout the pages but there is a hint at a more serious undertone from the first instalment. Again, we have some serious conversations subtly introduced such as the importance of seeing another person’s point of view before casting judgement, friendship and once again to seize the day and live as happily as we can for however many days we have left. I will say I enjoyed book one more overall, but I really liked the structure of this book told between the two POV’s.
This one gets a 3.25 from me 😊
Picking up after the events of book one, Zaxony Delatree finds himself alone, with a pen and paper diary tracking his travels through the wormholes of the multiverse trying to get back to his friends. This time the tale is told through two separate timelines and POV’s. Ana, Zax’s love interest who comes in right at the end of book one and Zax. We find out through their diary accounts that they found sanctuary for a time, but were unfortunately separated due to an attack on the “Sleeperhold” and must once again find their way to one another through the multiverse while also battling and finding the source of the “Cult of the Worm”. A cult hellbent on the destruction of the entire multiverse.
Once again we are thrown into the thick of the world or worlds without a whole lot of explanation, but through the diary entries we are told that each time people travel through the worlds they create small pin prick holes in the multiverse, threatening the world with collapse. It has been discovered that some sort of wormy parasite is ingested by those who travel and there is a cult of people infecting others with these little worms with the intention of destroying the world. Luckily there are those who wish to stop the bleeding (so to speak) and seek to repair the holes, take down the cult and restore peace.
Following a similar quirky tone, Pratt invites the reader to let their imagination run wild. The imagery and humour shine throughout the pages but there is a hint at a more serious undertone from the first instalment. Again, we have some serious conversations subtly introduced such as the importance of seeing another person’s point of view before casting judgement, friendship and once again to seize the day and live as happily as we can for however many days we have left. I will say I enjoyed book one more overall, but I really liked the structure of this book told between the two POV’s.
This one gets a 3.25 from me 😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2022
“This time I’m holding on, through whatever worlds may come.”
Every time Zax Delatree falls asleep, he travels to a new reality. Zax has no control over his destination and never knows what he will see when he opens his eyes. Sometimes he wakes up in technological utopias, and other times in the bombed-out ruins of collapsed civilisations.
In Doors of Sleep, someone unwelcome is on Zax's tail, and they are after something that Zax cannot spare, his blood. This is what allows Zax to travel through worlds. In Prison of Sleep, everything is amped up. Zax comes to realise that he is in fact a host to a parasitic alien that exists partly in his blood and partly between dimensions. This means that every-time he travels it grows larger and more dangerous. With a crew of companions he meets between these worlds Zax has to figure out a way to maintain his power and to help those fallen victim to the darker worlds and its inhabitants.
Tim Pratt creates this endless world within worlds of possibilities for Zax to explore. The Doors of Sleep give you an introduction to Zax and what he is experiencing through his journal entires. As you read on you become familiar with the characters he meets and I found my favourites quite quickly.
In Prison of Sleep things take an even more dramatic turn. So many truths about why Zax travels the way he does and in the grand scheme of things where he actually fits in is revealed. A lot of unexpected strange encounters. In this book the reader is going through Zax’s journal however this time there are other characters giving their accounts too giving a wider persecutive to this insane scenario.
Overall these books were entertaining. The reader is on this journey through worlds with Zax and the various beings he meets. The author paints a new picture of each world Zax visits and there are more than 1000 of these! I would definitely recommend these books to every sci-fi and fantasy reader.
Many thanks to @angryrobots for copies of these books which are available now!
Every time Zax Delatree falls asleep, he travels to a new reality. Zax has no control over his destination and never knows what he will see when he opens his eyes. Sometimes he wakes up in technological utopias, and other times in the bombed-out ruins of collapsed civilisations.
In Doors of Sleep, someone unwelcome is on Zax's tail, and they are after something that Zax cannot spare, his blood. This is what allows Zax to travel through worlds. In Prison of Sleep, everything is amped up. Zax comes to realise that he is in fact a host to a parasitic alien that exists partly in his blood and partly between dimensions. This means that every-time he travels it grows larger and more dangerous. With a crew of companions he meets between these worlds Zax has to figure out a way to maintain his power and to help those fallen victim to the darker worlds and its inhabitants.
Tim Pratt creates this endless world within worlds of possibilities for Zax to explore. The Doors of Sleep give you an introduction to Zax and what he is experiencing through his journal entires. As you read on you become familiar with the characters he meets and I found my favourites quite quickly.
In Prison of Sleep things take an even more dramatic turn. So many truths about why Zax travels the way he does and in the grand scheme of things where he actually fits in is revealed. A lot of unexpected strange encounters. In this book the reader is going through Zax’s journal however this time there are other characters giving their accounts too giving a wider persecutive to this insane scenario.
Overall these books were entertaining. The reader is on this journey through worlds with Zax and the various beings he meets. The author paints a new picture of each world Zax visits and there are more than 1000 of these! I would definitely recommend these books to every sci-fi and fantasy reader.
Many thanks to @angryrobots for copies of these books which are available now!
April 28, 2024
Zax continues his adventures, except the interesting things are now boring and the boring is amplified.
I really wanted to like this but most things that I enjoyed about the first book just weren't there.
Every problem/crisis the characters encounter has a trivial and boring solution to it.
There is "no show, don't tell" - Everything is explicitly laid out and repeated over and over - It can make some sense for the journal style but for much of the romance subplot it ends up not working.
Other things can be sloppy - E.g. plot moving objects fall out of pockets instead of being found in dead bodies. Lots of past events are repeated (Ana side of the story). Much of the plot ends up just being filler.
We don't see much of main "character" from the first book - Not Zax, but the worlds themselves with their curious landscape, rules or species. Instead most of the focus of this book are on a few set of characters who are either caricatures of evil or good personified.
There's no real sense of danger or consequence because you know the good side will win.
Zaxs pacifism really gets annoying. This was also a problem in the first book but there it was easier to ignore.
The author repeats like 3+ times about the couple who has a thing and the characters around them not noticing. It's just so forced instead of having their relationship being organic.
And at the end -
Would not recommend.
I really wanted to like this but most things that I enjoyed about the first book just weren't there.
Every problem/crisis the characters encounter has a trivial and boring solution to it.
There is "no show, don't tell" - Everything is explicitly laid out and repeated over and over - It can make some sense for the journal style but for much of the romance subplot it ends up not working.
Other things can be sloppy - E.g. plot moving objects fall out of pockets instead of being found in dead bodies. Lots of past events are repeated (Ana side of the story). Much of the plot ends up just being filler.
We don't see much of main "character" from the first book - Not Zax, but the worlds themselves with their curious landscape, rules or species. Instead most of the focus of this book are on a few set of characters who are either caricatures of evil or good personified.
There's no real sense of danger or consequence because you know the good side will win.
Zaxs pacifism really gets annoying. This was also a problem in the first book but there it was easier to ignore.
The author repeats like 3+ times about the couple who has a thing and the characters around them not noticing. It's just so forced instead of having their relationship being organic.
And at the end -
Would not recommend.
November 14, 2025
*10+ stars*. What a perfect sequel…..still upbeat, non-violent, sci-fi horror….and so full of heart. The same amazing characters with a few new ones who are just as enthralling. Wonderful world building & an addictive fast-paced storyline that will make you think while it entertains you. A TOP book and favorite of the year!! I am sad to say goodbye to these characters & their world(s)….although if Mr. Pratt wants to write a third book in the series, I am there for it!!!!!
“After escaping the ruthless Lector, Zax Delatree has a new enemy to fight in the sequel to Doors of Sleep.
Every time Zaxony Delatree falls asleep he wakes up on a new world. His life has turned into an endless series of brief encounters. But at least he and Minna, the one companion who has found a way of travelling with him, are no longer pursued by the psychotic and vengeful Lector.
But now Zax has been joined once again by Ana, a companion he thought left behind long ago. Ana is one of the Sleepers, a group of fellow travellers between worlds. Ana tells Zax that he is unknowingly host to a parasitic alien that exists partly in his blood and partly between dimensions. The chemical that the alien secretes is what allows Zax to travel. Every time he does, however, the parasite grows, damaging the fabric of the Universes. Anas is desperate to recruit Zax to her cause and stop the alien.
But there are others who are using the parasite, such as the cult who serve the Prisoner - an entity trapped in the dimension between universes. Every world is like a bar in its prison. The cult want to collapse all the bars of the worlds and free their god. Can Zax, Minna, Ana and the other Sleepers band together and stop them?” (From the book blurb)
“After escaping the ruthless Lector, Zax Delatree has a new enemy to fight in the sequel to Doors of Sleep.
Every time Zaxony Delatree falls asleep he wakes up on a new world. His life has turned into an endless series of brief encounters. But at least he and Minna, the one companion who has found a way of travelling with him, are no longer pursued by the psychotic and vengeful Lector.
But now Zax has been joined once again by Ana, a companion he thought left behind long ago. Ana is one of the Sleepers, a group of fellow travellers between worlds. Ana tells Zax that he is unknowingly host to a parasitic alien that exists partly in his blood and partly between dimensions. The chemical that the alien secretes is what allows Zax to travel. Every time he does, however, the parasite grows, damaging the fabric of the Universes. Anas is desperate to recruit Zax to her cause and stop the alien.
But there are others who are using the parasite, such as the cult who serve the Prisoner - an entity trapped in the dimension between universes. Every world is like a bar in its prison. The cult want to collapse all the bars of the worlds and free their god. Can Zax, Minna, Ana and the other Sleepers band together and stop them?” (From the book blurb)
January 29, 2022
This book will absolutely appeal to YA and adult readers who like fantasy-flavored fiction involving quantum travel!
I’m not in that demographic, so I can’t recommend this book to readers like me who want straight up science fiction.
The world building here is imaginative, the writing flows easily, and characters are winsome. The main character is long-winded, self-deprecating, and unfailingly patient like some of my favorite British comedians.
We learn he’s chasing some worm creatures who want to destroy the space-time continuum. The worms reminded me of a favorite STNG episode where Barkley, a high strung hypochondriac, sees worm creatures in the transporter—except notably minus any freaking out. Which strikes me as odd.
No one is even close to freaking out or rushing around in this novel. In fact, during the parts I read, the ambiance is as slow and leisurely as a Hobbit four-course brunch. There’s even a character named Ephedra who does nothing to give this story the giddy up, which I thought was funny. I do like slow moving novels at times, but the pacing here felt like a misstep, even though I was charmed by the characters and dialogue—especially Zax.
The only thing I still wouldn’t have liked even if I had been a fantasy reader is the use of the word “cultists” as applied to the followers of the villain(s). There was no indication that they actually fit the definition of cult followers; plus it’s a lost opportunity to give them a colorful label like “worm-rider” or some such thing relevant to this world. DNF
Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my feedback.
I’m not in that demographic, so I can’t recommend this book to readers like me who want straight up science fiction.
The world building here is imaginative, the writing flows easily, and characters are winsome. The main character is long-winded, self-deprecating, and unfailingly patient like some of my favorite British comedians.
We learn he’s chasing some worm creatures who want to destroy the space-time continuum. The worms reminded me of a favorite STNG episode where Barkley, a high strung hypochondriac, sees worm creatures in the transporter—except notably minus any freaking out. Which strikes me as odd.
No one is even close to freaking out or rushing around in this novel. In fact, during the parts I read, the ambiance is as slow and leisurely as a Hobbit four-course brunch. There’s even a character named Ephedra who does nothing to give this story the giddy up, which I thought was funny. I do like slow moving novels at times, but the pacing here felt like a misstep, even though I was charmed by the characters and dialogue—especially Zax.
The only thing I still wouldn’t have liked even if I had been a fantasy reader is the use of the word “cultists” as applied to the followers of the villain(s). There was no indication that they actually fit the definition of cult followers; plus it’s a lost opportunity to give them a colorful label like “worm-rider” or some such thing relevant to this world. DNF
Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my feedback.
February 10, 2022
PRISON OF SLEEP – by Tim Pratt
(book two)
Thank heavens for Zaxony’s recap -- the details of the first book seem intricate but easy to understand (at least enough so to delve comfortably into book two). After reading this one, “Doors of Sleep” is on my TBR list.
The world-building (multi-world building!) in this story is outstanding; Pratt shuffles us through ruined post-apocalyptic landscapes and bright bustling futuristic cities, and meeting an array of beings, without it feeling overwhelming. We learn newly created terms as they are being introduced to the characters themselves, making it so very easy to follow along as the story becomes more elaborate.
Offering up two different points of view delivers a neat intersection of Zax’s continuing adventures and Ana’s recollection of her side of events from the prior book’s timeline. My only minor complaint would be that Ana regularly ends her entries with a gloomy comment about things she’s yet to record. While these hints of her foreknowledge add a bit of drama, it’s unnecessary – there’s already PLENTY of drama and adventure!
FAVORITE QUOTES:
-- “We”. Such a beautiful word. I hope I get to be a “we” again, instead of just an “I”.
-- …it’s also nice to know we were in the same places, months apart. We both ate fish in the world of pastel jellyfish-things floating in the wind. We both found the place with the flesh-and-bone lighthouse with the living eye at the top especially memorable…
For fans of sci-fi / apocalyptic / hits of cosmic horror
(I received a free copy of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
(book two)
Thank heavens for Zaxony’s recap -- the details of the first book seem intricate but easy to understand (at least enough so to delve comfortably into book two). After reading this one, “Doors of Sleep” is on my TBR list.
The world-building (multi-world building!) in this story is outstanding; Pratt shuffles us through ruined post-apocalyptic landscapes and bright bustling futuristic cities, and meeting an array of beings, without it feeling overwhelming. We learn newly created terms as they are being introduced to the characters themselves, making it so very easy to follow along as the story becomes more elaborate.
Offering up two different points of view delivers a neat intersection of Zax’s continuing adventures and Ana’s recollection of her side of events from the prior book’s timeline. My only minor complaint would be that Ana regularly ends her entries with a gloomy comment about things she’s yet to record. While these hints of her foreknowledge add a bit of drama, it’s unnecessary – there’s already PLENTY of drama and adventure!
FAVORITE QUOTES:
-- “We”. Such a beautiful word. I hope I get to be a “we” again, instead of just an “I”.
-- …it’s also nice to know we were in the same places, months apart. We both ate fish in the world of pastel jellyfish-things floating in the wind. We both found the place with the flesh-and-bone lighthouse with the living eye at the top especially memorable…
For fans of sci-fi / apocalyptic / hits of cosmic horror
(I received a free copy of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
March 28, 2022
PRISON OF SLEEP is a fun sequel to DOORS OF SLEEP. Here we get more of Zax’s inter-dimensional travel and adventures on other worlds.
WHAT I LIKED:
I enjoyed the back-and-forth narrative. The story is told from Zax’s perspective in the story’s present while Ana tells her perspective in the past. Each chapter alternates between these two narrators, and eventually their timelines catch up to one another. I also enjoyed the concept of the Prisoner and what's going on in the space in between the worlds.
WHAT I THINK COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
There’s a lot of setup at the beginning to bring the reader up to speed on the events of the first book, which tends to feel like things are starting off slow, but after a while the tale moves along at a nice pace. We get a few new characters (including my new favorite, Zaveta), but I wish there had been more of Minna and Vicki; here they just feel like plot devices to solve particular situations without providing much character depth. And like the first book, things tend to wrap up a bit too neatly and conveniently every time something goes wrong.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
It's good sci-fi and a unique take on the multiverse concept. I think this book could easily fit into the YA category. I enjoyed the story and had a lot of fun reading it. I hope a third book is in the works.
4/5 stars. This rating means: A very good book and I enjoyed it! Had some issues but saw moments of brilliance. Would absolutely re-read and and recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Angry Robot, and author Tim Pratt for an advance reader copy in exchange for this honest review.
WHAT I LIKED:
I enjoyed the back-and-forth narrative. The story is told from Zax’s perspective in the story’s present while Ana tells her perspective in the past. Each chapter alternates between these two narrators, and eventually their timelines catch up to one another. I also enjoyed the concept of the Prisoner and what's going on in the space in between the worlds.
WHAT I THINK COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
There’s a lot of setup at the beginning to bring the reader up to speed on the events of the first book, which tends to feel like things are starting off slow, but after a while the tale moves along at a nice pace. We get a few new characters (including my new favorite, Zaveta), but I wish there had been more of Minna and Vicki; here they just feel like plot devices to solve particular situations without providing much character depth. And like the first book, things tend to wrap up a bit too neatly and conveniently every time something goes wrong.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
It's good sci-fi and a unique take on the multiverse concept. I think this book could easily fit into the YA category. I enjoyed the story and had a lot of fun reading it. I hope a third book is in the works.
4/5 stars. This rating means: A very good book and I enjoyed it! Had some issues but saw moments of brilliance. Would absolutely re-read and and recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Angry Robot, and author Tim Pratt for an advance reader copy in exchange for this honest review.
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