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The Architect of Sleep
Jim Bentley's plans for the evening were simple: a movie and the graveyard shift at the 7-Eleven. That was before he stumbled into another world. Evolution has taken a very different direction on this parallel Earth, but some things are constant. Jim Bentley has fallen straight from his ordinary life into the most constant thing of all: war. Even as he struggles to learn the ways of a strange culture, to make a place for himself in what seems likely to be his home for the rest of his life, the tides of revolution are rising around him. Jim Bentley has a part to play in this war--for his coming has been foretold by True Dreamers. His feet are already set on a path that leads to the heart of the crisis. Like it or not, he is vital to the war efforts of the Architect of Sleep.
290 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1986
4 people are currently reading
402 people want to read
About the author
Steven R. Boyett
21 books111 followersSteven R. Boyett is the author of Ariel, Elegy Beach, Mortality Bridge, Fata Morgana (with Ken Mitchroney) and numerous stories, articles, comic books, and screenplays.
As a DJ he has played clubs, conventions, parties, Burning Man, and sporting events, and produces two of the world’s most popular music podcasts: Podrunner and Groovelectric.
Steve has also been a martial arts instructor, professional paper marbler, advertising copywriter, proofreader, typesetter, writing teacher, and Website designer and editor. He also plays the didgeridoo and composes electronic music.
As a DJ he has played clubs, conventions, parties, Burning Man, and sporting events, and produces two of the world’s most popular music podcasts: Podrunner and Groovelectric.
Steve has also been a martial arts instructor, professional paper marbler, advertising copywriter, proofreader, typesetter, writing teacher, and Website designer and editor. He also plays the didgeridoo and composes electronic music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
April 19, 2016
Here's the full wraparound cover art (by Jim Gurney) for the 1986 Ace mass-market.
Jim's just a regular Joe living in Florida who works the night shift at the local 7-11. But before he heads to work one day, he decides to go spelunking -- his favorite hobby -- at a nearby cave he likes to frequent. But this time he finds a new passageway in the cave, one that overwhelms him with an extremely odd and nausea-inducing feeling. When he finally finds his way out, he discovers that his surroundings are totally different. Everything is wilderness, and there's no one around to speak of, that is until he runs into a humanoid, sign-language talking raccoon who takes him under his wing in this strange new world.
Initially believing he's just extremely lost somehow and that this "talking" raccoon is some escaped experiment from a lab, he soon finds that raccoons are the dominant species here, with a civilization and technology on par with the American wild west era. And they all think he's just some African ape that they'd heard rumors of. But he's to play a fateful role, one that has been foretold, in the great war to come.
This was a unique and sometimes enjoyable fantasy adventure, and the world Boyett has created is both fascinating and fully realized. But his somewhat unengaging writing-style, though perfectly serviceable, was hard for me to fully connect with, which in turn made it difficult to connect with the characters, though they were all pretty well-drawn. There are also long stretches where nothing much is happening other than Jim moping and feeling sorry for himself, and the lack of Jim's knowledge of the raccoon sign-language means the reader is left in the dark for a good long while.
Just when I was finally starting to get into the groove of the story, it sort of just ends. No resolution at all. Yes, I knew going in that there was supposed to be a sequel that never came about, but I didn't realize that that second volume was actually part two of this story. It's more like one novel released in two parts, and we only get to read the first. That totally blows.
Still, this is worth checking out for those who are looking for something a little different in their fantasy, and it seems I'm in the minority with my 3-star rating. Just don't go in expecting any sort of satisfying ending.
3.0 Stars.
June 2, 2009
LOL...I've had this on my book shelf for many a year--since the mid'80s!-- and, after a few false starts, went ahead and read it. It had been so long couldn't for the life of me remember why I had bought it and not read it all the way. I don't know, but I think the whole school year experience this time around has particularly drained me of any rational independent or creative thought processes. Any way, of course just about 4/5ths of the way through an enjoyable read I realized why I hadn't read it--it's unfinished. For damn near two decades plus Boyett has not written the sequel. I checked out his site and a few others looking for a hint or two concerning the "next" part. I found rumours mostly: the second book is written but creative differences with the publisher has led to he manuscript being shelved, it's at the bottom of his closet or he's at war/disagreement/odds blah-blah with a group of plushtoy lovers called "furries"? and won't publish--bizarre. Shrug. Whatever the real reason--maybe the second book is written but he can't figure out how to end it in a third or he's just not interested in the story any more--it's a damn shame. Oddly, because I read it in "good-faith" of an ending, I feel a bit...hmmm...suckered? I mean the book doesn't even end with a conclusion that feels anywhere near a stand alone story. It's like a cancelled T.V. show that had an main overarching plot that powered it. Anyway: cool book; big disappointment.
August 23, 2008
A pleasantly surprising story. A hidden gem, very well written and very interesting. Jim Bentley goes about his business on a typical day: feeds his dog, makes plans to see a movie with his girlfriend, checks in with work at his nightjob at a 7-11, and then goes spelunking for the day. Then his life is turned upside down when he goes through some kind of weird portal in the cave. Everything looks different, species almost extinct on Earth are plentiful and he can't find a sign of his vehicle or anyone else. And then he meets a raccoon who is much larger than raccoons he knows, and who is much more intelligent - able to use sign language to communicate. Jim says "Need I say it? I was Charlton Heston. This was Planet of the Raccoons". I recommend this story because it was very well written - Jim's emotions are believeable and the pace in which he learns about the culture and assimilates the language and what has happened feels real. This is written from the first person objective of both Jim and Truck (the first raccoon he meets). A great deal of thought has gone into explaining the sign language of the raccoons and their verb/tenses, which I found to be fascinating. Their hierarchy and the tale of civil unrest and intrigue was fascinating as well. One warning - this book is the first part of a planned series and because of a disagreement with the publisher, there were no more books published. But Steven Boyett's website indicates that he is working on the sequel(s) and on publishing it/them. More on that here: http://www.steveboy.com/archetyp.html
My full review is on my book blog here - http://janicu.vox.com/library/post/th...
My full review is on my book blog here - http://janicu.vox.com/library/post/th...
January 28, 2014
This book is amazing. I bought it used after being a huge fan of Boyett ever since reading his contribution to the awesome zombie fest anthology,Book of the Dead from the late 80's. His short story, Like Pavlov's Dogs still holds up after more than 20 years so I finally decided to track more of this author's work. Enter, The Arquitect of Sleep, to me the title was a bit vague especially after seeing a raccoon humanoid on the cover but trust me, the story is fantastic, the characters and action all very entertaining and well written. I'm really not a hardcore sci-fi / fantasy fan and you don't need to be in order to enjoy the book. It's very eighties, a lot of fun and brings me back to my youth daydreaming of escaping class into some far away land.
If you can track a copy down I totally recommend. I'd love to get a hard bound version but for now I'll treasure my worn out paperback.
Also suggested from this author:
Ariel (Easy to get on Amazon and totally worth it. Again, more 80's sci-fi/fantasy nostalgia)
Elegy Beach (Ariel's sequel. The thinking behind this one is so awesome, makes me wonder how this hasn't become more mainstream)
Mortality Bridge (A mythical Rock and Roll descent into Hell for love and redemption. Get it now!)
If you can track a copy down I totally recommend. I'd love to get a hard bound version but for now I'll treasure my worn out paperback.
Also suggested from this author:
Ariel (Easy to get on Amazon and totally worth it. Again, more 80's sci-fi/fantasy nostalgia)
Elegy Beach (Ariel's sequel. The thinking behind this one is so awesome, makes me wonder how this hasn't become more mainstream)
Mortality Bridge (A mythical Rock and Roll descent into Hell for love and redemption. Get it now!)
July 15, 2016
After a near mishap while exploring a cave, Jim Bentley emerges to find a humanoid raccoon using a fishing pole. What strange world has he stumbled into? And will he ever find his way home?
Since we're both dorks, my lady friend and I have had multiple conversations about which animals would be likely to evolve once humanity is dust in the wind. Raccoons are said to be one of the most adaptable species so they get my vote. When this book, complete with humanoid raccoon cover, popped up on my Goodreads feed, it was a no brainer.
The Architect of Sleep is told in alternating chapters, ones from the point of view of Jim Bentley and ones from the point of view of the intelligent raccoon he has nicknamed Truck. Bentley is a fish out of water, learning the sign language of the raccoons while he explores the world in Truck's company. Truck has her own reasons for wandering...
The world Steven R. Boyett has created is well thought out. If primates stay in the trees and raccoons step up, lots of things change. The raccoons ride llamas, for instance. They have pre-Renaissance level technology and have carved up what would have been the United States into their own territories, each with a spiritual leader called The Architect of Dreams.
Lots of time was put into the crafting of the culture of this world, raising it above the sword and raygun adventure it easily could have been. The plot turned out to be pretty intricate.
The only complaints I have are that the writing was a little dry and, much more major, the book just ends and the second half was never published! What the hell happens to Jim, Zorba, and Fagin? And does Truck get her throne back? Son of a damn bitch!
3 stars. Just don't expect any sort of closure.
Since we're both dorks, my lady friend and I have had multiple conversations about which animals would be likely to evolve once humanity is dust in the wind. Raccoons are said to be one of the most adaptable species so they get my vote. When this book, complete with humanoid raccoon cover, popped up on my Goodreads feed, it was a no brainer.
The Architect of Sleep is told in alternating chapters, ones from the point of view of Jim Bentley and ones from the point of view of the intelligent raccoon he has nicknamed Truck. Bentley is a fish out of water, learning the sign language of the raccoons while he explores the world in Truck's company. Truck has her own reasons for wandering...
The world Steven R. Boyett has created is well thought out. If primates stay in the trees and raccoons step up, lots of things change. The raccoons ride llamas, for instance. They have pre-Renaissance level technology and have carved up what would have been the United States into their own territories, each with a spiritual leader called The Architect of Dreams.
Lots of time was put into the crafting of the culture of this world, raising it above the sword and raygun adventure it easily could have been. The plot turned out to be pretty intricate.
The only complaints I have are that the writing was a little dry and, much more major, the book just ends and the second half was never published! What the hell happens to Jim, Zorba, and Fagin? And does Truck get her throne back? Son of a damn bitch!
3 stars. Just don't expect any sort of closure.
August 4, 2014
Since I originally bought this book I've lived in four cities, two countries, had two husbands, and one son. It's stayed on my shelf because I remembered liking it -- a lot. So I thought (almost 30 years later) I would reread it and see if it stood up to my memories.
It did.
Think of this book as an updated version of John Carter of Mars, except starring a loser 20-something who ends up on a planet of evolved raccoons, and our hero is never going to get the girl -- she's a raccoon, not a hot green lizard-woman like Dejah Thoris.
It's by turns funny, sad, and always fascinating. I love what Boyett did with gender and language, and found the politics interesting. I continue to feel that the book's major defect the fact that Boyett is never going to write the damn sequel.
And that's why I've been carrying around, packing it and repacking it, living in hope that someday, someday, he'll return to raccoon world.
It did.
Think of this book as an updated version of John Carter of Mars, except starring a loser 20-something who ends up on a planet of evolved raccoons, and our hero is never going to get the girl -- she's a raccoon, not a hot green lizard-woman like Dejah Thoris.
It's by turns funny, sad, and always fascinating. I love what Boyett did with gender and language, and found the politics interesting. I continue to feel that the book's major defect the fact that Boyett is never going to write the damn sequel.
And that's why I've been carrying around, packing it and repacking it, living in hope that someday, someday, he'll return to raccoon world.
October 5, 2019
It begins like a sort of "first contact" story, although an atypical one. Bentley, a Floridian and literature major college graduate, goes spelunking by himself. Something goes wrong and emerging from the cave, everything's different. He can't find roads, buildings, etc. Eventually, he encounters Truck, an almost-human-size raccoon, sitting on a river bank holding a simple fishing pole with the fishing line dangling into the water. The book's chapters alternate between the viewpoints of Bentley and Truck. The two discover that each is an intelligent being of an unfamiliar species. They travel together and work at communicating. We see the raccoons have an iron-age society. Raccoons lack vocal cords, using hands in a kind of sign language. Bentley must learn this as Truck can't learn speech. Bentley isn't a scientist, astronaut, linguist or anthropologist, as other first contact protagonists may be.
It's an interesting look at another world and a meeting of "strange beings." It's also an adventure in which seizure of political power plays a role.
Bentley seems to be in an alternate timeline of Earth. The raccoons' maps show the eastern North America. But there are two moons in the sky. Truck has a dream foretellng a huge rock falling into the ocean, causing huge tsunamis affecting Florida, I thought of the "dinosaur-killer asteroid." That occurred 65 million years ago, before there were raccoons (or other large mammals in the story.) I wondered whether this was what Boyett had in mind.
The book doesn't follow Bentley and Truck's adventure to its end. By the last 2 chapters, Bentley and Truck are traveling separately. Bentley is captured (?) by troops saying they're from a neighboring nation's leader who wants to help Truck, but we don't see if that's true. Truck is still traveling, and has another dream with symbols she thinks she's interpreted. We neither see the political nor the asteroid issue resolved. The book was written in 1986 and I found no indication at fictiondb.com, goodreads.com or isfdb.com that this book is part of a series.
- - - - -
Hard SF readers: Prescient dreams are essential to the plot. They're not presented with mysticism nor lingered upon. Bentley does think over how such things aren't real for humans, and wonders if they could be valid here.
It's an interesting look at another world and a meeting of "strange beings." It's also an adventure in which seizure of political power plays a role.
Bentley seems to be in an alternate timeline of Earth. The raccoons' maps show the eastern North America. But there are two moons in the sky. Truck has a dream foretellng a huge rock falling into the ocean, causing huge tsunamis affecting Florida, I thought of the "dinosaur-killer asteroid." That occurred 65 million years ago, before there were raccoons (or other large mammals in the story.) I wondered whether this was what Boyett had in mind.
The book doesn't follow Bentley and Truck's adventure to its end. By the last 2 chapters, Bentley and Truck are traveling separately. Bentley is captured (?) by troops saying they're from a neighboring nation's leader who wants to help Truck, but we don't see if that's true. Truck is still traveling, and has another dream with symbols she thinks she's interpreted. We neither see the political nor the asteroid issue resolved. The book was written in 1986 and I found no indication at fictiondb.com, goodreads.com or isfdb.com that this book is part of a series.
- - - - -
Hard SF readers: Prescient dreams are essential to the plot. They're not presented with mysticism nor lingered upon. Bentley does think over how such things aren't real for humans, and wonders if they could be valid here.
July 1, 2016
I enjoyed the journey of this science fantasy. There are two narrators in the story who are different in every way. They become friends and allies in the conflict for the new world.
Like other reviewers, I wish the sequel were available. I found the world and struggle in the alternate world to be compelling and interesting.
The most interesting feature of the story to me was the beginning of learning the signing language of the raccoon people. The author was very clear and realistic in explaining the difficulty in learning communication between the human and raccoon.
This book is very erudite, educated and sophisticated. I had to look up a few words in this story, which is very unusual for me. This book is probably best for very educated readers. Readers who are looking for a simple action story would likely be disappointed. The most detail in the story is the psychological relations between the different characters. There is some fighting, armed and hand-to-hand raccoon fighting, but this is just incidental to the plot.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone looking for a deep look at alternate raccoon society.
Like other reviewers, I wish the sequel were available. I found the world and struggle in the alternate world to be compelling and interesting.
The most interesting feature of the story to me was the beginning of learning the signing language of the raccoon people. The author was very clear and realistic in explaining the difficulty in learning communication between the human and raccoon.
This book is very erudite, educated and sophisticated. I had to look up a few words in this story, which is very unusual for me. This book is probably best for very educated readers. Readers who are looking for a simple action story would likely be disappointed. The most detail in the story is the psychological relations between the different characters. There is some fighting, armed and hand-to-hand raccoon fighting, but this is just incidental to the plot.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone looking for a deep look at alternate raccoon society.
July 26, 2020
RRgggghhhh... I found this in the used book store in the 90's.. when I got to the end and realized a sequel had never been written, I assumed the author had DIED!
I have to say that this is a great read.. but frustrating as hell. It ends on a cliff hanger, was meant to be part of a five part series that will never be written .. not because of a life cut short.. but because the publisher is too stubborn to let go of it and the author feels that the original publisher will cramp his style too much to get the vision he wants.. so it is dead.
https://kayshapero.livejournal.com/10...
I have to say that this is a great read.. but frustrating as hell. It ends on a cliff hanger, was meant to be part of a five part series that will never be written .. not because of a life cut short.. but because the publisher is too stubborn to let go of it and the author feels that the original publisher will cramp his style too much to get the vision he wants.. so it is dead.
https://kayshapero.livejournal.com/10...
September 26, 2022
This "should-have-been" sci-fi classic gets 4 stars for readability--I really liked reading it--but (and it's a BIG 'but') it should have a star removed because its sequel is missing in action. The author admits it is in a box in his closet, but he will not publish it because of the types of e-mails he has received from "furries." "Furries are people who have an active interest in animal characters with human characteristics. These characters are often created by the community members themselves, who take them on as a “fursona” (an alternate persona) who interacts with other 'fursonas' in the community via roleplaying and art." One can only surmise that the e-mails referred to by the author are objectionable and in some cases, even sexual.
It is too bad for us sci-fi aficionados that we don't get to resolve the adventures of Truck and the "bald ape," who travel in an alternate world "peopled" by sentient raccoons. Fun reading volume one, though.
It is too bad for us sci-fi aficionados that we don't get to resolve the adventures of Truck and the "bald ape," who travel in an alternate world "peopled" by sentient raccoons. Fun reading volume one, though.
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March 4, 2013I'm not sure how to give this a star rating because it is the first (and only) book in an unfinished series. It is a good read full of good characters and wonderful world building and at times it explores some interesting philosophical questions. However near the end I found the philosophical detours detracted from the action. I also found the last 50 or so pages difficult to read because by then I had realized the story would not conclude so it's hard to say how much of my impatience with the philosophizing near the end was real or tied to my disappointment and frustration. Still, the writing has held up since it was first written almost 30 years ago. It would be nice to see it finished because it contains some interesting ideas but I'm not holding out much hope (just a little hope).
August 5, 2022
The Architect of Sleep is truly one of the most original books I have read in quite a while - though be warned that if you pick it up, it has a cliffhanger ending and the series will most likely never be continued. If you don't mind that, this story is really amazing.
I'm not going to sum things up, because it's better to find out along the way, but here are a few small glimpses:
* This is an anthropologically minded sci-fi in the best way - we follow an outside looking in and finding his place in a new society, trying to puzzle out how it's different than ours, why it's different, and how he could change it. It's deeply fascinating while moving along at a great place.
* It's a really funny narrative as well - the main character is a lit major who frequently puzzles things out to himself and laments his lack of knowledge, like "Could I make an intricate wooden bucket if I tried?" "Could I build shock absorbers for carriages?" His names for other characters are always great, and considering his situation he can find great humor in it.
* The political maneuvering of certain characters is believable and interesting. This whole other society is built in such a way to be foreign but still relatable, and is more thought out than any other "alien" race I have read about. The raccoons are so earthy and yet understandable, and I so wish there were 5 more books in this series to see how the politics play out.
* The frame narrative of the main character looking back on his story and writing it all down with small nods to things in the future adds a lot to the story. This is a story structure that can sometimes be annoying, but in this story it's used sparingly, so used well.
Anyway, if you're on the fence please just read it. The author has his own reasons for not finishing the series (from reading an old blog post from him it seems like he and his publisher had a falling out when they tried to dramatically shorten and change the series he had planned), so I'm willing to just love this for what it is - a brief introduction to a great parallel world that will continue to live in my head.
The possibilities are as endless as our dreams.
I'm not going to sum things up, because it's better to find out along the way, but here are a few small glimpses:
* This is an anthropologically minded sci-fi in the best way - we follow an outside looking in and finding his place in a new society, trying to puzzle out how it's different than ours, why it's different, and how he could change it. It's deeply fascinating while moving along at a great place.
* It's a really funny narrative as well - the main character is a lit major who frequently puzzles things out to himself and laments his lack of knowledge, like "Could I make an intricate wooden bucket if I tried?" "Could I build shock absorbers for carriages?" His names for other characters are always great, and considering his situation he can find great humor in it.
* The political maneuvering of certain characters is believable and interesting. This whole other society is built in such a way to be foreign but still relatable, and is more thought out than any other "alien" race I have read about. The raccoons are so earthy and yet understandable, and I so wish there were 5 more books in this series to see how the politics play out.
* The frame narrative of the main character looking back on his story and writing it all down with small nods to things in the future adds a lot to the story. This is a story structure that can sometimes be annoying, but in this story it's used sparingly, so used well.
Anyway, if you're on the fence please just read it. The author has his own reasons for not finishing the series (from reading an old blog post from him it seems like he and his publisher had a falling out when they tried to dramatically shorten and change the series he had planned), so I'm willing to just love this for what it is - a brief introduction to a great parallel world that will continue to live in my head.
The possibilities are as endless as our dreams.
December 7, 2022
I find myself deeply saddened that this series was never completed, as this is most definitely the first book in a larger story line. The focus here is almost entirely on world building, and what a world has been built! The basic conceit (a parallel universe where racoons have become the dominant intelligent animal) sounds a bit silly, but what Steven Boyett has managed to do is deliver an insightful 'what if?' to how such a society might evolve with the natural differences in physiology. The central concept here is around communication and language. Having the characters communicate almost entirely by a form of sign language gives a strange depth of nuance to things. The characters themselves are intriguing, and whilst there is some initial character development here there are glimpses towards something much larger which unfortunately is unlikely to be completed (the author explains the situation in the afterword of the edition I have and I can understand revisiting something you wrote early in your career could definitely be a challenge!).
The fascinating potential here is amazing. I do hope the author does feel able to revisit it at some point and complete the series, giving the resolution that it so desperately needs
The fascinating potential here is amazing. I do hope the author does feel able to revisit it at some point and complete the series, giving the resolution that it so desperately needs
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October 23, 2025Jim Bentley's plans for the evening were simple: a movie and the graveyard shift at the 7-Eleven. That was before he stumbled into another world. Evolution has taken a very different direction on this parallel Earth, but some things are constant. Jim Bentley has falled straight from his ordinary life inot the most constant thing of all: war. Even as he struggles to learn the ways of a strange culture, to make a place for himself in what seems likely to be his home for the rest of his life, the tides of revolution are rising around him. Jim Bentley has a part in play in this war- for his coming has been foretold by True Dreamers. His feet already set on a path that leads to the heart of the crisis. Like it or not, he is vital to the war efforts of the Architect of Sleep...
July 3, 2021
I bought this book when it showed up in the bookstore in 1986. I loved it. Boyett is a masterful writer. I have to say that I still love this book, and have re-read it several times over the years. I would love to see a continuation of the story, but understand his reasons for not doing so.
It's worth a read. There have been a few books that I have read over the years that seemed to be worth another read. I have yet to be disappointed with this upon rereading.
I found a less used copy of it a couple of years ago and added it to my collection.
It's worth a read. There have been a few books that I have read over the years that seemed to be worth another read. I have yet to be disappointed with this upon rereading.
I found a less used copy of it a couple of years ago and added it to my collection.
December 10, 2021
A real gem. Interesting world building, well developed and relatable characters, well paced storytelling, and an engaging narrative. I must say I was sceptical at first, but have found it to be a joy to read. Huge thanks to Centipede Press for helping me discover it.
My main (and only?) real issue with the book is the oft remarked upon cliffhanger at the end. It is written like a first part of a series, and no continuation has emerged. Just as things start getting interesting, it ends! It's incredibly frustrating!
My main (and only?) real issue with the book is the oft remarked upon cliffhanger at the end. It is written like a first part of a series, and no continuation has emerged. Just as things start getting interesting, it ends! It's incredibly frustrating!
May 30, 2022
While I enjoyed the writing style and the frequent witticisms, I abandoned this about a third of the way through. Not being a true sci-fi fan, I couldn't get into the premise, especially since the hero spends the first four days with his new companion and still thinks there's a possibly-rational explanation for what he's been seeing.
August 31, 2021
The book was a fun and interesting read with considerable elements of world building. However, this is the first of a trilogy ... started in 1986. So, if the reader likes completion, do not not read this.
July 22, 2018
The most and only disappointing part about this book was that there is no sequel!
April 22, 2019
A fascinatingly different alien culture. Looking forward to finding more.
March 4, 2020
Love the story! Sure wish he'd release the sequel and let us know how it turns out, but that's not looking likely after several decades, sadly.
June 24, 2020
I'd give this a much higher rating, except it ends in the middle of the story and the author hasn't written the sequel in over 34 years. Don't bother reading this; it will only frustrate you.
June 25, 2020
Still remember this from when I first read it, as a teen. A friend recommended a lot of science fiction (particularly humor / horror) and this one stayed with me the most.
November 29, 2021
Probably my favorite book about sentient raccoon folk from Florida who communicate via sign language.
July 30, 2023
It is so frustrating that the second part was never published!
May 1, 2025
Raccoons!
December 23, 2016
The Architect of Sleep
An interesting alternate world tale told through the eyes of main character James Bentley and the translated journal of his to-be friend, Truck.
He [Bentley] arrives in this alternate reality in the standard way—through an inter-dimensional portal (there are, after all, only so many ways to get to an alternate world) he stumbles through while exploring a previously undiscovered section of a popular cave.
The first 'person' Bentley meets is the other main character, a large (about 5'6”), bipedal, intelligent raccoon he dubs [Truck] after a pet raccoon his ex-roommate once had.
The book is divided more or less equally into chapters that are labeled as Narrative of James Bentley and Narrative of Truck, as translated by James Bentley, which is where his [Bentley's] first difficulty is revealed. The raccoons do not have highly developed vocal chords, therefore their language, so to sign, is almost entirely visual. Sign language, which Bentley has to learn before he can translate Truck's journal. This the author [Boyett] explains early on.
The majority of James Bentley's narrative is devoted to introspection on himself—some initial self-pity and other emotional concerns, worry about others (including his dog), whether he'll ever get back to his (our) world and/or see another human person (female)—and speculation about how a raccoon-based culture came about and a primate-based culture didn't. This also leads to more questions and self-doubts about himself and whether or not he has anything of value to offer his new friend [Truck]. After all, he's a lit major. He could tell them about advanced technology (cars, cell phones, etc.), but he can't tell them how these things work, or even adequately draw a diagram of one.
Truck's narrative is divided between her speculation on Bentley's nature and how he came to be there, and worry about her current situation and her plans to remedy it. For Truck is a leader of one of the provinces of her world, a True Dreamer that her people title an Architect of Sleep, and she's been deposed. One of Truck's true dreams showed her when and where Bentley was going to arrive and that he would be important to her and her struggle to regain he chair.
And she needs her chair back quickly because she also dreams of a near future cataclysm that is going to cause massive destruction across several provinces, tens or possibly hundreds of thousands of deaths from flooding, and disease and famine from loss of crops.
Between the two narratives, Boyett does an admirable job of setting up and building this world, and it's clear he's done some research of evolutionary theories/possibilities, or at least given a fair amount of thought to it. The characters and his world are fully fleshed out, interesting as hell, and believable, even if all but one of them are raccoons. There's plenty of action here too, for those who like a rousing adventure, not to mention a fair amount of humor. His [Boyett's] world is largely medieval, technology wise, but one gets the feeling that the raccoon culture is just on the verge of their equivalent of an industrial revolution.
This brings me to the major criticism all of Mr. Boyett's previous reviewers had. The story doesn't have an adequate ending, or an ending at all. For the author's explanation as to how and why this happened, see this link:
http://kayshapero.livejournal.com/107...
I don't know if Berkley/Ace publishing ever responded with their side of the story or not (I've not been able to find one) but as this all happened in the late 80's (1986), when publishers had all the power, it's highly unlikely the story will ever be finished. And that's a damn shame because this is a very enjoyable tale. Even though it leaves a lot of questions and situations unresolved, I highly recommend this book for it's thoughtful nature and entertainment value. It's still one of my favorites despite its drawback.
An interesting alternate world tale told through the eyes of main character James Bentley and the translated journal of his to-be friend, Truck.
He [Bentley] arrives in this alternate reality in the standard way—through an inter-dimensional portal (there are, after all, only so many ways to get to an alternate world) he stumbles through while exploring a previously undiscovered section of a popular cave.
The first 'person' Bentley meets is the other main character, a large (about 5'6”), bipedal, intelligent raccoon he dubs [Truck] after a pet raccoon his ex-roommate once had.
The book is divided more or less equally into chapters that are labeled as Narrative of James Bentley and Narrative of Truck, as translated by James Bentley, which is where his [Bentley's] first difficulty is revealed. The raccoons do not have highly developed vocal chords, therefore their language, so to sign, is almost entirely visual. Sign language, which Bentley has to learn before he can translate Truck's journal. This the author [Boyett] explains early on.
The majority of James Bentley's narrative is devoted to introspection on himself—some initial self-pity and other emotional concerns, worry about others (including his dog), whether he'll ever get back to his (our) world and/or see another human person (female)—and speculation about how a raccoon-based culture came about and a primate-based culture didn't. This also leads to more questions and self-doubts about himself and whether or not he has anything of value to offer his new friend [Truck]. After all, he's a lit major. He could tell them about advanced technology (cars, cell phones, etc.), but he can't tell them how these things work, or even adequately draw a diagram of one.
Truck's narrative is divided between her speculation on Bentley's nature and how he came to be there, and worry about her current situation and her plans to remedy it. For Truck is a leader of one of the provinces of her world, a True Dreamer that her people title an Architect of Sleep, and she's been deposed. One of Truck's true dreams showed her when and where Bentley was going to arrive and that he would be important to her and her struggle to regain he chair.
And she needs her chair back quickly because she also dreams of a near future cataclysm that is going to cause massive destruction across several provinces, tens or possibly hundreds of thousands of deaths from flooding, and disease and famine from loss of crops.
Between the two narratives, Boyett does an admirable job of setting up and building this world, and it's clear he's done some research of evolutionary theories/possibilities, or at least given a fair amount of thought to it. The characters and his world are fully fleshed out, interesting as hell, and believable, even if all but one of them are raccoons. There's plenty of action here too, for those who like a rousing adventure, not to mention a fair amount of humor. His [Boyett's] world is largely medieval, technology wise, but one gets the feeling that the raccoon culture is just on the verge of their equivalent of an industrial revolution.
This brings me to the major criticism all of Mr. Boyett's previous reviewers had. The story doesn't have an adequate ending, or an ending at all. For the author's explanation as to how and why this happened, see this link:
http://kayshapero.livejournal.com/107...
I don't know if Berkley/Ace publishing ever responded with their side of the story or not (I've not been able to find one) but as this all happened in the late 80's (1986), when publishers had all the power, it's highly unlikely the story will ever be finished. And that's a damn shame because this is a very enjoyable tale. Even though it leaves a lot of questions and situations unresolved, I highly recommend this book for it's thoughtful nature and entertainment value. It's still one of my favorites despite its drawback.
September 18, 2014
I enjoyed this book a lot. It's essentially a fantasy story — because of the seemingly magic portal that brings Bentley to the sentient-raccoon-inhabited version of Earth, and the prophetic nature of True dreams. But Bentley approaches the situation with an educated man's awareness of evolution, sociology and language, so I'm mentally classifying the story as science fantasy. While Bentley struggles to understand this new world he finds himself in, he makes some asides about the development of an intelligent being that I found really interesting. He sometimes describes objects in painstaking detail, but it's to understand their function for the physically different raccoons, not out of some fantasy genre compulsion to spend pages describing objects and outfits just to show off pretty prose.
The raccoons are treated with the level of respect I like to see in SF/F. They're wholly real beings with a fleshed-out society, presented in a warts-and-all style where we hear about it every time a character needs to urinate (because a culture's method of disposing of body waste says a lot about their level of development, you see). This book is the beginning of Truck the raccoon's mystery/political coup storyline, introduced slowly through Bentley's culture shock and his crash course in learning the raccoons' sign language. He's not a schlocky Saviour From Another World, though, because Truck and the other raccoons have skill sets and mental aptitudes that sometimes make humans look like useless idiots.
Unfortunately, this book was meant to be the first volume of a multi-book story. According to my research, Boyett's publishers pushed him to make the story more action-oriented and marketable, even rejecting this book's sequel unless he rewrote it, and Boyett refused to budge. This was in the 80's, when publishing was a much less accessible venue, so I enormously respect Boyett's decision to stand up for himself and his work's integrity. But it seems that Boyett has washed his hands of the project and we'll never see the story's completion. The Architect of Sleep ends on a clear To Be Continued note and it'll (probably) forever stay that way.
I think that's important to know going in — that there will never be closure to Bentley and Truck's story. But despite that, I think the book is very much worth reading. I'm still thinking about this raccoon-run world and its details. If I had found this book when I was younger — when I was wandering the library aisles in frustration, looking for non-human characters who weren't Redwall-style children's characters — I would have considered this book a treasure.
The raccoons are treated with the level of respect I like to see in SF/F. They're wholly real beings with a fleshed-out society, presented in a warts-and-all style where we hear about it every time a character needs to urinate (because a culture's method of disposing of body waste says a lot about their level of development, you see). This book is the beginning of Truck the raccoon's mystery/political coup storyline, introduced slowly through Bentley's culture shock and his crash course in learning the raccoons' sign language. He's not a schlocky Saviour From Another World, though, because Truck and the other raccoons have skill sets and mental aptitudes that sometimes make humans look like useless idiots.
Unfortunately, this book was meant to be the first volume of a multi-book story. According to my research, Boyett's publishers pushed him to make the story more action-oriented and marketable, even rejecting this book's sequel unless he rewrote it, and Boyett refused to budge. This was in the 80's, when publishing was a much less accessible venue, so I enormously respect Boyett's decision to stand up for himself and his work's integrity. But it seems that Boyett has washed his hands of the project and we'll never see the story's completion. The Architect of Sleep ends on a clear To Be Continued note and it'll (probably) forever stay that way.
I think that's important to know going in — that there will never be closure to Bentley and Truck's story. But despite that, I think the book is very much worth reading. I'm still thinking about this raccoon-run world and its details. If I had found this book when I was younger — when I was wandering the library aisles in frustration, looking for non-human characters who weren't Redwall-style children's characters — I would have considered this book a treasure.
May 11, 2012
A sort-of loser 20-something guy, working as a convenience store clerk, who has only done one thing well in his life (martial arts) is sucked into a parallel world where racoons, not humans, got the evolutionary nod towards sentience. Friendly sign-language speaking bipedal racoons adopt our hero, who becomes embroiled in the political strife of a world about to experience a terrible natural disaster. There are precognitive dreams here, exciting fight sequences, philosophy of an accessible sort, and a flawed but loveable hero taking you through the tale.
I can't tell you that this is a great science fiction novel like Dune or Engine Summer or Forever War or others I have rated as high. It's more of a lark, but it's a great lark, a real page-turner of a novel. The voice is not dissimilar to some in Stephen King's work, the regular Joe who uses foul language now and again, but the characterizations are deeper, more complex, more believable. Boyett handled rendering the sign language into text brilliantly (no small feat), and accurately portrayed what it is to learn a language through immersion and dire need. I re-read this about every five years and am delighted each time.
The only problem with this is that it is only half a novel. Boyett has said he'll write the second half one of these days, but the days keep passing, Boyett and I keep getting older, and I don't expect to ever see it. Even as half a novel, though, it stands far above other speculative fictions.
I can't tell you that this is a great science fiction novel like Dune or Engine Summer or Forever War or others I have rated as high. It's more of a lark, but it's a great lark, a real page-turner of a novel. The voice is not dissimilar to some in Stephen King's work, the regular Joe who uses foul language now and again, but the characterizations are deeper, more complex, more believable. Boyett handled rendering the sign language into text brilliantly (no small feat), and accurately portrayed what it is to learn a language through immersion and dire need. I re-read this about every five years and am delighted each time.
The only problem with this is that it is only half a novel. Boyett has said he'll write the second half one of these days, but the days keep passing, Boyett and I keep getting older, and I don't expect to ever see it. Even as half a novel, though, it stands far above other speculative fictions.
September 5, 2022
Despite the cheesy-dimestore-SciFi-fantasy cover that totally had me fooled for a long time, this is one of the most interesting novels I've read. It temporarily got me out of a reading funk when I was in university and didn't have the energy to read more than what was required of me unless it was particularly good. The style in which it's written is very interesting, almost like the main character is actually sitting down and talking to you, going off on tangents and mentioning things that will happen later, etc. A bit disappointing that we'll never get to see the rest of the series (why do people have to ruin a good thing?), but I've never minded open-ended stories, even ones as open-ended as this one. I'd definitely recommend it for anyone interested in language or world building, because that is where this book excels (and also, I mean, how can you go wrong with bipedal racoons who ride llamas?)
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