Dreamlander
BRAG Medallion winner and NIEA finalist.
What if it were possible to live two very different lives in two separate worlds? What if the dreams we awaken from are the fading memories of that second life? What if one day we woke up in the wrong world?
Every night, a woman on a black warhorse gallops through the mist in Chris Redston's dreams. Every night, she begs him not to come to her. Every night, she aims her rifle at his head and fires. The last thing Chris expects — or wants — is for this nightmare to be real. But when he wakes up in the world of his dreams, he has to choose between the likelihood that he’s gone spectacularly bonkers or the possibility that he’s just been let in on the secret of the ages.
Only one person in a generation may cross the worlds. These chosen few are the Gifted, called from Earth into Lael to shape the epochs of history — and Chris is one of them. But before he figures that out, he accidentally endangers both worlds by resurrecting a vengeful prince intent on claiming the powers of the Gifted for himself. Together with a suspicious princess and a guilt-ridden Cherazii warrior, Chris must hurl himself into a battle to save a country from war, two worlds from annihilation, and himself from a dream come way too true.
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K. M. Weiland
K. M. Weiland is the author of the portal fantasy Dreamlander, the medieval epic Behold the Dawn, and the western A Man Called Outlaw. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her website http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/, her books Outlining Your Novel and Structuring Your Novel, Jane Eyre: The Writer's Digest Annotated Classic, the Outlining Your Novel Workbook, the Structuring Your Novel Workbook, and Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration. She makes her home in western Nebraska.
Reviews and Comments
From the immediate appeal of the opening paragraph to the highly emotional ending, Ms. Weiland has crafted a wonderful story encompassing the "real" and the "dream" worlds. Her world-building is creative and interesting without bowling the reader over, and her descriptions conjure colorful, unique scenery. The Reivers are delightful, the fearless Cherazii are compelling, the Garowai peculiar and mysterious. The unique technology puts the tale within the borders of steampunk without it actually becoming an alternate history of our world. Indeed, "our world" is firmly in the present day. I wasn't certain I'd be sold on the "dreamworld" premise, but it is written in a fashion that makes it entirely believable, entirely plausible--and the tension is increased by the sheer stress of the situation. The dreaming of the protagonist, from one world to the other, is so filled with emotion and physical duress that it's a wonder he got any rest at all. I found the development of individual characters very well done, with flawed and yet appealing personalities. Some of the relationships with other people were outstanding--particularly the one between Chris and his father--while others were a little lackluster. For all of the emotional involvement between one person and the other, which lent a fine sense of depth and reality, the romantic interest left me wanting somewhat, at least in the middle. It wasn't bad, it was just not quite "there" for me. The end, on the other hand, was marvelous and heart-rending. The theme of choices and consequences resonates. More people should be aware and attentive of their actions, not just to each other, but in the way it affects themselves. Ms. Weiland skillfully handles the technical side of writing while presenting a nearly seamless tale that will have the reader avoiding chores and/or staying up late to reach a very startling, very satisfying ending.