A SUMPTUOUS FANTASY THRILLER
Book: The Dream Keepers Author: Z. Oko
Fantasy books, which come mostly in series, are one of the most favourite genres of readers, and this can be gauged by the success of series like The Lord of The Rings, The Song of Ice and Fire and The Harry Potter series. The author Z. Oko comes up with such a book “The Dream Keepers”, which is a fantasy thriller and will appeal to readers of all ages.
The storyline follows the protagonist Mona, who has the ability to lucid dream and astral travel. This remarkable gift gives way to a mission that she cannot complete on her own, leading her to discover just how powerful dreams can be. Mona dreams of The Dream Keepers Theme Park, which doesn’t seem to be of the waking world due to its mysticism and ethereality.
Mona sees many truths in her dreams that logic ceases to exist, leaving only signs and symbols for her conscious mind to try and comprehend in her waking life. Also, the line between the real and the astral realm becomes obscured, and with dreams blending with reality, a lot seems to happen in both the realms. There is also a darker influence at play which poses a potential threat to society, yet society remains oblivious. What will Mona do in such a situation? Will her choices make her stronger, or destroy her? Will she be able to save the world? The narrative then goes on to answer these questions.
The narrative is well-crafted, and the story has a tinge of adventure and thrill, due to some cliff-hangers and twists and turns. The fantasy setting, though detailed well, sometimes goes over the top; and the constant shifting between the real and the astral realms in the story steals some of its impact. The characters are a well-drawn ensemble, but they are not explored much in depth and more intricacies about them could’ve been brought in the narrative. However, the story has an entertaining and intriguing quotient and the reader will find this tale captivating.
This is a book that should be read for its excellent portrayal of an enigmatic otherworldly fantasy world; and its rollicking, yet courageous and determined heroine who faces the spooky threat to her society in an impressive manner. This is a compelling story that grounds thriller elements in a fantastical world, and the resulting blend is intriguing and entertaining. The prose is resplendent, the characters vibrant and complex; and with the second book in the series “The Dream Keepers Awake” also released, readers after reading this book can also hook up with the next in the instalment of this adult fantasy-thriller series, and relish the grandiose well-drawn fantasy world, with a story that deftly mixes thriller, esoteric dreams, reality and the supernatural.