El Ultimo Guardian De Everness La Guerra De Los Sueños I

The War of the Dreaming #1

by John C. Wright

Hace miles de años, a los guardianes de Everness se les encomendo la mision de esperar el advenimiento del Enemigo inmortal de dioses y hombres y dar la voz de alarma llegado el momento. Pero con el paso de las generaciones, los mortales han olvidado este cometido, y ya solo el joven Galen Guardapasos, el ultimo de los guardianes, sigue creyendo en la magia y en sus peligros. Un dia, Galen tiene un sueño premonitorio donde ve la llegada de las fuerzas del gran Enemigo. Segun las antiguas instrucciones debe hacer sonar el cuerno de plata custodiado desde hace siglos para despertar a los paladines durmientes y para dar señal de inicio de la batalla definitiva, la que hara que la vieja Tierra sea destruida para que una nueva ocupe su lugar. Pero el plan no saldra como sus ancestros habian previsto...

Pero las paginas de esta apasionante y desenfrenada novela epica se pasean titanes, monstruos lunares, unicornios, semidioses, gigantes de escarcha, superheroes, sin olvidar apariciones estelares como las del arcangel Uriel, la reina hada Titania, Merlin el Mago o el Santo Grial. El ultimo guardian de Everness es una novela que sorprende por la maestria, el torrente de imaginacion y la originalidad con que John C. Wright intercala emocionantes historias de amor, traicion, odio y lealtad con las mas memorables escenas de accion.

El ultimo guardian de Everness es la primera novela de la aclamada serie de exito internacional «La Guerra de los Sueños». En ella el lector se vera inmerso, de la mano de Galen Guardapasos, Cuervo y Wendy, en un inquietante universo a caballo entre el mundo de los sueños y el de la realidad.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mythology, Science Fiction Fantasy, Young Adult

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

John C. Wright (John Charles Justin Wright, born 1961) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy novels. A Nebula award finalist (for the fantasy novel Orphans of Chaos), he was called "this fledgling century's most important new SF talent" by Publishers Weekly (after publication of his debut novel, The Golden Age).

Reviews

[Fonch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dedicated to Jagi L. Lamplighter with affection.
Ladies and gentlemen, as I promised, I'm ready to write my second review. Just as William Brown will lose my big mouth https://www.goodreads.com/series/4328... this book by writer John C. Wright turns out to be the last worded book I promised to read. It also of course has its story. I have long devoted myself to my great passion to collect and read the world's greatest Catholic writers, and I bysited them into all unimaginable books and websites. I suppose the catalyst was Joseph Pearce's book"Literary Converts: Spiritual Inspiration in an Age of Unbelief" https://www.goodreads.com/author/show.... I must admit that Wikipedia helped me a lot in my designs. Although he still floats when he has to look for Catholic writers in non-English speaking countries. I think it was on the list given by the Catholic Writers Guild, where I found John C. Wright. I was impressed by a lot of things about him. The first was his conversion, which was spectacular, almost a declaration of war. He was also greatly influenced by the events of the 11th Seed. He himself on his blog recorded it (man is not Paul Claudel https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who became after hearing the magnificat, or André Frossard son of a communist, raised atheist, who entered a Church and became https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who became as soon as he stepped on the floor of a Church). On the subject of conversions read Paul J. Ginés's wonderful book "God'sSeeker Converts" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... his foreword. Then I was fascinated by the arguments I used, such as when I assured that surely Spock and the Vulcans of having a religion would be Catholic, because it was rational, following the scholastic model of Saint Thomas Aquinas, and who has defended G.K. Chesterton in his works, specifically in the first case of Father Brown's "The Blue Cross" https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/series/5560... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... i observed with satisfaction, that John C. Wright had edited in my country in particular three books, and that two of them belonging to the Everness saga had been edited by a Cordoba publishing house called Berenice, which was publishing books. There I read Howl's trilogy, minus the third book, which would then all be reissued by the publishing Nocturna https://www.goodreads.com/series/8011... I bought the two books of Everness excited, and I started reading it, but I did not go from the first pages. What was going on? Something very simple I didn't feel comfortable with this book. He had a friend at the Language Center, who said, who liked orderly chaos. I really do, I keep the opposite criterion,. Not that I'm an orderly person, but I like books to move by logical criteria, and I couldn't find them. What John C. Wright told me (it was, and is) too strange for me, and he didn't empathize with the book. Moreover, when I started reading it twelve or ten years ago I lacked the training, and the maturity to understand the intelligent allusions of John C. Wright, and the meclilolanza of myths, which he employed, for he is a mythological writer not in the line of a J.R.R. Tolkien. Even today I would not know how to calibrate the influences that would serve John C. Wright to make this book. I apologize if I was wrong and screw up (I'm going to screw it up). By using the myths he reminded me of a writer, who wrote a book, who hated it, and who I didn't understand at all. A mandatory reading in my first year of college. It has nothing to do with John C. Wright, but I put it "Children of Midnight" by Salman Rushdie https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... but we are looking at something very different. I think this story of a family of wizards watching the dream world had something of George MacDonald from "Phantastes" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... something of Lord Dunsany I think, that I wouldn't be very wrong if I said, that I thought of "The Daughter of the King of Elves" influences, and the names were very similar to me, and I also felt uncomfortable, when I read it in its time (apart from how rare it was. Here I discussed this subject with Manuel Alfonseca i found a bit anti-Christian p, or at least I did not like the treatment given to the priest. So different from the one received by the priest of Oscar Wilde from the one who ends up taking pity on "The Fisherman and His Soul") https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... . That world also bore some resemblance to some Neil Gaiman novel in particular perhaps "Stardust" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... also for Oberon's theme (on this subject I'll come back later) had something of Diana Wynne Jones's "Haunted Glass" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... . The theme of dreams reminded me of Inception, and the white horses theme reminded me of the Ridley Scott of the 80s, especially that of a film that I love Legend. The concept of the nightmare can be chestertonian Though I dare not think, that there is some of the "The Man Who Was Thursday" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... . Now if I believe, that I'm going to be right by how little I've been able to be on Facebook with Jagi L. Lamplighter I think, you can guess the influence of William Shakespeare in particular William Shakespeare in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... by the influence of Oberon the Lord of the Elves. To which I got to know by Claude Lecoteux https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... That's where I heard from Alberich, and Oberon (who I met from the saga of "Huon de Bordeaux" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9... ) ,who is the antagonist to the villain of the play the evil Lucero (something must be of the magic of the "Tempest" and thus ended with William Shakespeare, it should be remembered that one of the books of Jagi L. Lamplighter if I remember not correctly were inspired by "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... &qid=IXPrVOYdl9&rank=1 and whose protagonist was Miranda https://www.goodreads.com/series/4665... also ahead of Pedro Calderón de la Barca and "To Life Is Dream" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9... there was talk of the dream, which is a haven of Lucifer, because in this book there are all kinds of mythologies the Celtic, the Nordic (in fact there is a lot of this in the theme of the giants, and of Mollner, Azrael the first guardian and Way-Lock reminds me a lot of the antichrist, but also has something of Loki)), there is also something of influence influence of Greek mythology, Slavic. A little bit because not some alternative history, because the Way-Lock stepguards with their surveillance, to slow Lucero down, and nightmares interfere with the events of our world, and they talk about it. There is a separation between the magical world understood our world, and horrible worlds like Tirion, or the evil city of Aqueronte, Nastrond. Contrary to "The Daughter of the King of the Elves", which is the opposite, where you have to bring the magical world into the real world. We have to avoid an invasion here. Also, but avoiding the dark and almost hellish air I think, it has some of the influence of Roger Zelazny https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/series/4085... Apart from the story of Galen and Lemuel Waylock (which unfortunately won't come out much) have much more presence Wendy's daughter of the king of the sagas. Var Varovitch (the crow, who in an understandable decision will have a fatuous pact), and there is also Father Peter Waylock, who has reneged on magic, and is wounded in the Iraq war. This is the glossary of characters that must contain the threat. As long as they must contain Lucero and the antichrist Azrael. Everness' house reminded me of the mansion of the protagonist of "Phantastes" or the "Enchanted Castle" of Edith Nesbit. The house will offer us a lot of surprises, and the endeation of mythological creatures both beneficial and evil. Of course Everness hasn't been written by someone foolish. It has been written by a person with a great culture, and who has been drenched in readings. It manages to inspire horror when we are in Tirion, or the Bloody Cry, and while its creatures are not as strange as those of Madeleine LEngle, or the ones created by my friend Marta Luján in her Argmenon trilogy. If I must admit, the Selkies, and Pilkies are original. Some are terrible killer seals. All in all, and it has happened to me sometimes I felt like I was lost, and overwhelmed by the fantastical universe created by John C. Wright and it's possible that that's why I didn't get the grades I deserved at Goodreads. Everything was too weird, I felt uncomfortable, and I was like Lost I didn't connect with him like other fantasy writers.. I felt as confused as in the fantasies of writers I appreciate, but I never understood as Gene Wolfe https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... or Tim Powers https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... or for example the C.S. Lewis of "That Strange Strength" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... or Charles Williams https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Maybe I've gotten too used to the simple, and I'm scared of too complex things. Yet I have the feeling, despite my fears as I read this work that I am facing someone very valuable and who should be followed by the trail. Another thing, which I could also reproach this novel, is that just like in "That horrible fortress" is that when the main characters aren't there I feel like a little orphaned. I think the absence of the Waylocks for the reasons the reader will find out if reading the book is deliberate. A success of the book is that it leaves an open ending, and the reader is looking forward to continuing the walks of the Waylocks, Wendy, Var Varovitch and Peter Waylock, because the ending remains open, and we don't know what's going to happen, but the book is over at the perfect time. It has another positive thing, which is that it is not a relativistic book, and it is clear where good and evil are. Although I would feel more comfortable in Narnia, Middle-earth, in the world of "The Neverending Story" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... or my favorite modern fantasy "Brave Story" by Miyuki Miyabe https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... &qid=fdbCtk5b36&rank=1 The book is surreal, but that's the way it has to be its tone, because it's between the real world and the dream world. As one critic of Dashiell Hammet's novels "It's made of the material of dreams" would say https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Although I had a lot of doubts at the moment I put 4 stars (the author's wife told me that the Spanish translation had not been very good) but the next time I'll be tougher. The author has genius, and talent, even if he has not empathized, nor understood his vision at all. Next year I'll read the second part and if I can "Golden Age" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... and hopefully this is the beginning of a great friendship. My next review will be Conan the raider.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following the Rule of Cool to its logical extreme, Wright includes every single character, concept, setting, and magical object that has ever qualified as awesome, and blends them all in a fantastic, gripping, fast-paced, the world-is-at-stake adventure. EPIC EPICNESS.

[Michael Battaglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

SF and fantasy require such differing genre muscles that there aren't many authors who can write both successfully and even rarer are those that can satisfy their fans of their primary genre enough to induce them to cross over and find the new work as equally interesting.

By this point in his career (that is, early), Wright had been primary known for his "Golden Age" SF series and his foray into fantasy was a bit of a curve-ball for fans who probably expected more space opera stuff. Wright himself seems to have a high opinion of his own series, resulting in something I don't think I've ever seen before where the first pull quote on the page of glowing reviews is the author basically saying how awesome the work is, promising a book for "readers weary of nostalgia pastoral setting and who object to the threadbare fantasy themes, that technology is wicked and democracy is folly . . ." later on in the quote stating that authors like Neil Gaiman and Roger Zelazny are popular "because their characters talk and act like contemporaries and express the values in which modern readers believe."

I only point this out for two reasons beyond how strange I find it for an author to be tooting his own horn before you even get to the story itself . . . one, it strikes me as somewhat pompous that he knows exactly what fantasy fans want and his book is about to give it to them hardcore and two, the book he describes really isn't the one you get.

The first in a two book series, it focuses on the Waylock family who for thousands of years have stood as guardians before the gate before the dream worlds where evils wait to come in and gobble up all the stuff that dream worlds presumably don't have, like Big Macs and selfie sticks. Galen is essentially the last of that line, a teenage boy trained by his grandfather to enter into dream states so that he can one day take up the mantle of dream guardian and hopefully not be the guy who sounds the warning. His dad has dismissed this stuff as mystical mumbo-jumbo and bailed, so its just Galen and grandpa living in an ancient house without electricity, training for the end times the way that people have done for centuries . . . by sleeping all the time.

Its a interesting backstory for an epic but for quite a while in the book it seems that all Wright has is backstory as we're constantly parceled out information in short chapters that hint at the bad times that could come someday without any nods toward a forward motion that would imply the plot is going to start at some point. Galen takes about portents, his grandfather explains something, we jump forward in the narrative and then somebody goes and explains to us what we've just missed in the gap the book itself created. Its a very herky-jerky way to tell a story and while it does read fast you start to wonder when he's going to get on with it already.

To slow things down further, we're introduced to a couple with an equally complicated backstory that doesn't always quite have any bearing on the plot . . . a Russian guy named Raven and his wife Wendy, who judging by how she talks is either descended from fairies or eight years old, with her golly gosh optimistic loving cheeriness something you're either going to find endearing or grating, perhaps depending on how much warmth for humanity you retain. I apparently have known, as I trended toward the latter feeling time and again.

The two of them get mixed up with the Waylock family as after what feels like a long time and really circuitously it feels like all hell finally breaks loose and suddenly dreams and myths and magic wands and people and guns are all vying for supremacy in a mix that can only kindly be called "everything at once" as Wright seems determined to smash every single mythical concept together while attempting to create some of his own in the process.

Under the right circumstances this can work, if the writing and depth are enough to sustain this sort of epic feel, or if you push for a more satirical approach and turn it into the waiting room for Olympus, with the madcap fun that erupts from all these concepts smashing together. He doesn't quite go with either route here, just keeps piling on chapter after chapter and introducing concept after concept and before too long the whole affair feels sort of weightless, like we're getting assaulted with anything and everything to see what sticks. Myths from all the globe are referenced, which you can take as evidence he's done his research but it seems like no attempt was made to determine how they fit in with each other or even subvert their original meanings to play off the readers' expectations. Matters are so hyperkinetic that when stewed into the mix it all feels part of a piece, giving a samey feel to a lot of diverse concepts without retaining much of their original richness.

This is probably where Wright trumpeting the worthiness of his own novel hurts him the most . . . calling attention to Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" only accentuates how much he isn't Gaiman or "Sandman" and in fact the whole book in its mish-mash of mythological concepts ramming into the modern world feels a little too sub-Gaiman at times for its own sake without adding anything new to the conversation. There's no attempt to even put all those myths into any kind of context "Mythago Wood" style and perhaps see how they still work in the modern world. Its just like an episode of "Jeopardy" where every category is the same and all you can do is identify demigods or shout out names.

It doesn't help that none of the characters seem to talk like real people despite what his quote up top seems to suggest you're going to be getting. Almost everyone's dialogue comes across as stilted or way too earnest (the few scenes Galen and Wendy have together are almost excruciating) and while there's some comedy with a character speaking all Olde High Fantasy while inhabiting a normal person's body, that moment is unfortunately too fleeting. It means there's very few moments where you care about what's happening to these people . . . heck, Galen literally vanishes about halfway through and I frankly didn't even miss him. Keeping the focus on Wendy and Raven and Galen's wheelchair bound Vietnam vet dad (who like every Vietnam vet everywhere is cynical and an amazing killing machine, although he's written with far more subtly than his ex-wife and her new husband, who contribute zero to the plot) adds some variety but with everything whipping by so fast its hard to even grasp the stakes beyond immediate survival. His striving for an emotional hook works exactly once, when a character is faced with the consequences of a decision he made early on and finally reaps what he never meant to sow. Its fleeting but there's almost a sense of loss so I'll take what I can get.

And just when you're maybe starting to feel like you're in a fantasy book populated by actual people the characters start to sneak in pedantic comments about the Constitution or America that starts to make you wonder if Wright is intending this toward all the Communist fantasy literature that apparently exists on the bestseller lists. It reaches its nadir in a scene where a soldier of questionable ethics is recruited to a shadow army of some kind and is given a quiz about sexual preferences in regard to gender and other races. Its a strange moment and perhaps meant to be strange but given Wright's online comments about homosexuality a little . . . disquieting? But the bits afterward with the paperwork were much more entertaining and I wish he had included more stuff like that (the selkies were sort of fun, although not super-distinctive after a while).

Which is the book in a nutshell . . . interesting moments surrounded by a constant barrage of things happening, so the effect is like someone giving you a fascinating history lecture while standing in the center of one of those gyms for little kids with trampolines and the ball pits. The work clearly wants to believe its doing something innovative and different but its still good versus evil, half the cast still talks like fantasy characters, guns aren't that effective, and the resolutions will eventually come down to people collecting magic items and shouting sleep spells at each other, which with the addition of pizza and tiny figurines could be mistaken for almost any Dungeons and Dragons session I've ever played in. Its not terrible but it doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the Neil Gaimans and the Tim Powers of the fantasy world, who trod the same "fantasy in the real world" territory while mixing in a stronger grasp of myths and characterizations that justify all the plotting.

Even worse, its not a complete story (which may be the publisher's decision, to be fair) with the book literally ending on a cliffhanger with absolutely nothing resolved. Having bought both book eleven years ago I can just dive into the next one but I can't imagine audiences of the time would been pleased. So for all my griping there's enough decent stuff to make me hope that he can pull it all together for the finale but right now its probably a cautionary tale about challenging your betters before you're quite ready to stand at the same level.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 1 of a two-book story. An epic-scaled contemporary fantasy.

It opens with young Galen waking from a dream and going to tell his grandfather Lemuel about it, and the warning it brings. His grandfather is quelling. And Galen, hearing himself be called "a frightened boy" resolves to act.

Meanwhile Raven talks in the hospital with his dying wife Wendy, telling the tale of how he got his name (and his father escaped the USSR). Later, Raven hears -- someone offering life to his wife, on the condition of the death of another. She refuses, indignantly. He accepts, secretly, on her behalf.

That starts off -- a lot. Involving a knight turned doctor, the belief that everyone is innocent when no evidence can be trusted; Galen's father and Lemuel's son, Peter, in a wheelchair and learning the truth; a man persuaded he can jump from heights without harm; an ancient wizard who frequently interprets various things of modern day as powerful magic (some rightly); treachery of shape-shifters; the need to recruit soldiers who would otherwise be discharged; much dreaming; a stepfather who thinks he hides his hatred of his stepson and so doesn't deserve the stepson's conduct, and more.

[Keso Shengelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wright's strong writing, story-telling, and world-building make "The Last Guardian of Everness" a book that's hard to put down. This book is an amazing, epic fantasy and as good as the Golden Age trilogy.

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the Last Guardian of Everness (years ago) I had two primary responses: "OH MY GOD! These dream sequences are Awesome!" and "huh?". Wright's imaginative descriptive scenes are incredibly well written and utilize a masterful mixture of mythological sources and stream of consciousness technique that captures the feel of a lucid dream like no other author I've ever read. The story, on the other hand, is a mess. Not because it's necessarily illogical but because it is really REALLY confusing due to a surfeit of plots and subplots and mythological references that are crammed into a relatively short 350ish page book. Moreover, a lot of the characters are more than they seem (similar to his characters in the Chronicles of Chaos series) and even with all the complexity things are never what you think they are. Even worse, this is not a complete book and the ending just marks where (I'm assuming) Wright's editor told him the book was long enough and to put the rest in the second book so they could double their profits. The fact of the matter is that I was blown away by the initial dream sequence and spent the rest of the book wanting to get back to the dream world to escape the spiraling complexity and confusion of the plot. Ultimately, if you want to read a book with some superb imagery and imagination then this is an excellent choice but you need to accept that you'll probably not understand what the hell is going on for much of the story (and if you do think you understand it then you're probably wrong; sorry).

[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 4 out of 5]

John C Wright's fantasy duet is, like his science fiction, pure Rule of Cool. It is possible that this is not a very good book. I don't appreciate the very profane character, and this time around I spotted some writerly slip-ups. You also need to read it quickly, in case the light early references to major plot points slip your mind by the time they become important.

So, as mentioned, it's possible that this is not a very good book. But it's a very FUN book, with larger-than-life characters, and what still wins as my favourite scene, possibly in any John C Wright book ever: the scene where two shapeshifters meet and talk over the intricacies of a life of inveterate schemers and betrayers who can never truly know who they are speaking to, where bluffs and double bluffs and triple bluffs constantly pile up and collide. Stunningly envisioned. Speculative fiction lives and breathes through just this kind of "what-if"ery.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually surprised myself by how much I enjoyed it. Steeped, almost drowning, in surrealism and references and symbolism, it took me a while to grok what was going on, to piece together the lore and the shape of the world that Wright was creating, but when things started to click it became really fascinating.

I have a few issues with some of the story elements as they were presented, including the brief implication that homosexuality was as "evil" as say, trampling on a cross, but I'm not altogether sure I interpreted that correctly or, even if I did, how much could be chalked up to the old-time-y religion laws being a thing.

The characters were, for the most part, interesting if not a little archetypical, but what really shines is the world-building and the writing. Definitely looking forward to reading the second half of the story, since this book ended quite suddenly and there seems to be a lot of the story yet to tell.

[Andreas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning is very slow and it takes some time to get into the book. However, after 80 pages or so one of the most fascinating and unusual fantasy saga starts taking off. I tremendously enjoyed the prose and how skillfully the author plays with all kind of mythology. He doesn't restrict himself to Greek or Roman, no, you will find all kind of references and it makes sense to have a reference guide sitting next on the table.

The story itself feels a little bit flat (it's the well-known battle against the evil) but it doesn't matter. The characters are interesting enough to keep you going and it's hard to see where the dream world ends and the real world begins. Well done, Mr. Wright!

[Kačaba · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 / 5*

[Evan Þ.]

Wright tells a wild urban fantasy story of an invasion of the waking world from the land of dreams and nightmares - which is also the land of evil legends. The young guardian of the portal from those realms has gone questing and become indisposed, leaving the defense in the hands of his relative who's only just come again to believe in these factors, and a young couple who Wright paints very skillfully.

Each of the powers and names and places Wright places in this story is very interesting. But the main flaw here is that there are so many of them it's hard to keep track, and I don't feel I really understand the world he's created. Plus, it took most of the way through the book for me to feel I was starting to understand the rules of his magic.

Still, this was fun. And unfortunately, it was much better than any of Wright's more recent tales.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I was asked to use a single word to describe this book, I would have to settle for surreal.

Apart from the opening pages, the remainder of the events take place over the course of a single night. The narrative is densely packed with loads of detail, much of which is set in a realm accessed via a dream state, and a fair bit of concentration is required to keep track of the story.

The writing is brilliant, and I found myself in a constant flux of horror, relief, amazement and shock at how easily we are deceived, especially when we are being told what we most want to hear.

The book ends with a great deal more to be expected in the sequel, but for once I won't grab the next book in line. I need a sanity break!

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as I really enjoyed the golden age series a few years back. The premise of this book was interesting but I find the writing style a bit simplistic and hard to get into at times. The characters and explanations were also a bit stereotypical, oversimplifying the characters to simple caricatures.

I would say, if you read the first few pages and find the writing style appealing you will likely enjoy this book. If you get a bit of hesitation going into it, as I did, you may find it gets a bit tedious. I had a tough time finishing, not because it was bad but because it just failed to captivate my attention.

[Markéta Effenbergerová · Rating 3 out of 5]

Na to, že jsem tuhle sérii náhodně čapla v Levných knihách a neměla žádné očekávání, ale na obálce byl snový pegas, tak to bylo dost příjemné překvapení.
Musím se hned pustit do pokračování, protože mám pocit, že to snad ani neměla být série, ale jedná kniha.
Bylt tady skvělé momenty, za které bych dala pět hvězdiček, ale potom je tady taky spousta chvil, kdy se autor snažil být fantasy skrz hromadění náhodných divností, just to sound cool, nebo buildoval k něčemu zdánlivě velkému, jenom aby to potom nechal vyšumět.
Also, why would you make me invested in a character just to never bring them back to the plot in the rest of the book??
Ale výsledek dost fajn, 3,5 ✨

[Thijs · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is mediocre at best.
The world building and setting of the book feels bland and too 2D. The information is rushed at you in a confusing manner and without any personality.
The same goes for the characters. They're as bland and 2D as the setting.

It aggrivated me too that references to all kinds of mythologies were thrown around without payi g respects to their origins and themes. They all seemed crude and misplaced.

What makes it even more frustrating is that the premise is a great one, and I'd have loves to see the novel succeed, but I just can't be arsed to give a damn.

[Brown Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wright is an intentionally divisive person, and I understand if you want to shun his work, but if you are going to make a single exception, just to understand how he keeps getting published, I recommend this book, and its sequel, a duology. Pure story, in a breathtaking variety of tropes and styles. The language sings in parts, and the images flow one into another no matter how incongruent they may seem at first blush. Not a perfect book, this first volume sets the stage for epic involvements.

[Omar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro de fantasía en el cual el autor plasma dos mundos.
El mundo en el cual vivimos nosotros y un mundo de sueños, en el cual no cualquiera puede entrar ni salir de ahí.
No todo en los sueños es bueno también tendrás que enfrentar duelos con el mal y salvar la ciudad de Everness como a los dos protagonistas que nos acompañan en esta novela.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping. Kept me up late a few nights in a row and finished it over a few days. References to myth and legend very satisfying. Some of the internal lore references were overshadowed by those inspired by the ancient tales but assuming they will be tied up in the sequel.

[Paula C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Mark Beardsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adolescent protagonist in every sense of the word. Tough read. I wanted to like this one and it never grabbed me.

[Owen Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

After taking a lilttle while to switch into mythic mode (from hard SF) this was a cracker!

and am now really enjoying the second book !

love his language and story telling

[Mike Stone · Rating 2 out of 5]

Save your time, skip it.

[Scotoma · Rating 4 out of 5]

First part of a fantasy duology about a family that guards the borders between our mundane reality and the fantastic realms that wait beyond, whose legacy is mostly forgotten in the waking world and who themselves are on the precipice of dying out. As so often with these type of stories, something evil is lurking to come back, but the first book isn’t about the primeval villain attacking, but rather this Saruman-type character (formerly one of the best of the good guys turned evil thinking his way is the only to save everyone and he knows best) trying to get control of the house the family guards, to open the gate between worlds.

I find Wright’s style highly enjoyable, he likes to drown the reader in world-building details that run the gamut of classical fantasy, old myths, various allusion and his own spin on all things fantasy, pulling monsters and gods and other creatures out of his hat like it was nothing, making all of them feel fresh and original and not derivative in any way.

The main bulk of the book is about two outsiders who get roped into the conflict which is all about the villain trying to get access to the house of Everness, attacking it with all his varied powers. As it is only half of a whole, it ends on a cliffhanger, and wow it’s a dozy one. Definitely recommended, can’t wait to read how it all plays out.

[Doris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will start out at the end, then go to the beginning. Actually, although the book ended, the story did not. I have noted that there is a sequel, which is a good thing, as this story definitely leaves the reader wondering what happened. There was quite a bit of action and suspense, building up to an abrupt stop, and I was unpleasantly surprised by that.

I thought the characters, with the exception of the “doctor” and one other (Galen), were quite well done. I imagined that there would be official interference from various governmental busybodies, and was pleased that there was not, but surprised, as in the real world there would have been a plethora of different agencies striving to butt in and take over, all for the good of the people, naturally!

This story started slow. Very slow. It took me several days and several starts to get into it, but when I did, I found that it was enjoyable, especially as I could related story events to different world mythologies. I enjoyed the interweaving of science and magic, and the building of the relationships between the characters. These were interwoven into an eons-long tale of a family of guardians, waiting for the signals that initiate the end of the world as we know it – or at least the guardianship status of the family.

A few of the major issues I had dealt with the family itself. They were not really involved with each other until the crisis hit, and seemed to have no idea how to deal with each other. I especially didn’t like the grandfather, who seemed to be one of those people who refuse to share knowledge, either because they perceive it as dangerous, or through some convoluted sense of power.

I also had an issue with “main” character. Galen is our hero, yet he is lacking in knowledge, and seems unable to gain it. He is shunted to the background for the majority of the story, and does not seem to try to learn what he needs to do, turning the reins over to his father and grandfather instead.

That leads me to the next quibble. Here we have a family designated as the eternal guardians, yet there is only one child per generation. I can see choosing the heir from each generation, but only have one child could quickly spell the end of the dynasty.

Overall, although I thought the story was interesting, the reasoning seemed simplistic and maybe even a bit ridiculous. With the abrupt ending, it was unsatisfying, and although it would be nice to know that the situation resolves itself, I think I will let it continue without me.

[Eric Tanafon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this one, but though it wasn't terrible, I felt it was too uneven. On one hand you have unicorns and 'dream colts' speaking in rhyme, and cute villains (selkies) who talk like every day is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. On the other there are very harsh adult-level violence and sexuality thrown in seemingly at random. I didn't get a sense that Wright really knew who his audience was.
I liked the premise of the story--the dream world impinging on what we call reality--and the references to other stories (Lovecraft's 'Silver Key', for example) that Wright threw in here and there. This could have been so much better. As it is, I'm not planning to continue with the series.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing: 3
Story: 4
Satisfaction: 3

This book is NOT a complete story. It's the first part in a duology and does not have its own storyline. The story continues and wraps up in Mists of Everness.

I enjoyed this book and I kept having the feeling that I'd read it years ago. The story is unique enough that I don't believe that it was a similar book but exactly this one. I don't come across that very often so it was an interesting feeling.

Galen Waylock is a teenage guardian who listens in his dreams for the sign that the end of the world is approaching. He hears it and the story begins. Eager to start his journey, he ignores his grandfather's advice (which is comically that no story ends well when the hero ignores their grandfather) and sets off, only to find their family betrayed.

Wright has incorporated many different mythologies in this story: Lancelot from the round table makes and appearance and there are flying dream horses. It certainly makes for an interesting story.

There are some points that are a little difficult to read, a lot of the backstory and dreamscape are told in the past-tense in a long and ramble-y manner by Galen. I would classify this novel as YA since the protagonist is a teenager and also because the characters have a "flatter" feel and are more black/white than characters tend to be in adult fantasy. However, this may be a product of the times; where fantasy wasn't quite as complicated when this book was published.

A good read though I skimmed through some of the more ramble-y sections. The story was interesting enough to compensate for the odd writing style. It's been awhile since I've read a book like that.

[Marina Fontaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's strange that after recently reading Wright's essay making light of "unicorn" fantasy stories, I would pick up one of his books and find a -you guessed it- unicorn on the cover. Be that as it may, this is Wright stepping away from complex, brain-hurting sci-fi that was The Golden Age trilogy and into the realm of complex, no-less-brain-hurting heroic fantasy. This story is such a weird mix of classic fairy tales, original world building and not-so-veiled commentary on the real world that it keeps you thinking it can't possibly work, the story won't hold together, and yet it does. It's one of those reads that's less about the plot, or even the characters (although both parts are well developed and memorable) and more about taking the journey and seeing where it will take you. My only beef is the massive cliff hanger. Try to have the sequel ready to go or you will be frustrated by the ending.

[Douglas Summers-Stay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty much what you would expect from the title: a story so full of magic you would almost expect the pages to glow. There is an interesting mix of Celtic, Christian, Arthurian, and revolutionary American systems, all told in a suitably epic voice.
For thousands of years, one family has passed down the secret ways and the tricks of moving through the dreamworld. Their mission was to guard the final trump and sound it at the proper time to bring down the angels to fight the final battle. But when the warning bells sound, something goes wrong, opening the way for the forces of evil to besiege their stronghold, Everness.

[CJ Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a fourth star, if I were able to follow it better. Anytime the dreamworld functions as a middle ground between our world and other fantasy worlds, things get a bit muddled. Add in selkie, who could be anybody, and anybody who could be a selkie, and mix in a bit of non-selkie body swapping, and it becomes tricky to keep a handle on who's who, when's when, and where's where.

For all that, it was quite fascinating, and the narrative pulled me along quickly. I'm definitely hoping that multiple characters will have opportunities to redeem themselves from their earlier sins in the future volumes.

[Richard · Rating 1 out of 5]

As seems to be his pattern, this author begins his books with relative lucidity, then rapidly descends into chaos and confusion. WAY too many characters and metaphors are introduced, along with meaningless description. This book end abruptly, with many loose ends.

This story is more nonsense than it is fantasy. Wright writes in a childish manner, especially when describing relationships with women. This isn't even a good child's fairy tale.