The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters

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It's a hit!

The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters were my first introduction to the genre of "Steampunk Fantasy", or maybe it's the first book of that genre as i... (show more)

The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters were my first introduction to the genre of "Steampunk Fantasy", or maybe it's the first book of that genre as it is certainly unlike anything I've read before. Regardless of what other reviewers have written here, I myself could not put it down; talk about downright fun escapism! Written in the style of a gaslight era seriel novel it had everything: mystery and suspense, action, sex [with a healthy dose of fetishism], shockingly evil yet somehow strangely alluring villians with plans for world domination, the burgeoning of an unlikely romance, and plenty of cliff-hanger moments. I found I really cared about the three main protoganists who join together to save themselves and the world: Miss Temple, the quintessential no-nonsense, proper lady who discovers a darker, wilder, side of herself. Cardinal Chang, the mysterious, poetry loving, and quite deadly, assassin who finds himself drawn to Miss Temple. And of course the haunted and gallant Dr. Svenson. Admittedly, there were a few somewhat slow passages but not enough to put me off and most of the book was more like a gothic rollercoaster ride through a house of toungue-in-cheek horrors. I did not read the book until the two volume paperback editions were published and when I reached the end of Volume I, I immediately went to the bookstore for volume II. This novel and it's sequel, The Dark Volume, are singlehandedly responsible for my failure to do any spring-cleaning this year! Dahlquists unique style may not be for everyone but I am hoping for a third installment! (show less)

 

 

by Facebook-användare

No, it's a flop!

This 760-page book had only two redeeming points - the rather great title and the HILARIOUS author photo - of a man who looks twelve years old from... (show more)

This 760-page book had only two redeeming points - the rather great title and the HILARIOUS author photo - of a man who looks twelve years old from the nose up and sixty from the gray moustache down. I have NO idea how this book wasn't more heavily edited. It was WAY too long and the sentences were MUCH too long, and the whole thing was heavily bogged down with irrelevant detail. It would have been an intriguing story if it had stronger characters (like Miss Temple - a 25 year old who seemed like a spinsterish 60-year-old virgin) that weren't so utterly unbelievable. And the mix of real places with fictitious ones wouldn't have been so infuriating if it had only mentioned the name of the land they were supposed to be in (England seems most likely). Either way, it wasn't good. I've never fallen asleep during reading more. I'm just glad to have it done with. The only explanation for all the detail is showmanship and tone but all it did was drag out a plot that would have been much stronger had it been genuinely more suspenseful. (show less)

 

 

by Victoria

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  The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters is certainly an unusual book for the 21st century. A strange melodramatic mixture of Jules Verne, Philip Pullman and maybe a touch of Conan Doyle, it didn’t really work for me. The author seemed happy to use 100 words where 50 would do –I felt the book could have been half the size.
  You’ve by now heard the story - Celeste (Called “Miss Temple” through the book) travels from an unnamed island, presumably in the Caribbean, to a London-ish unnamed city in an... (show more)

  The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters is certainly an unusual book for the 21st century. A strange melodramatic mixture of Jules Verne, Philip Pullman and maybe a touch of Conan Doyle, it didn’t really work for me. The author seemed happy to use 100 words where 50 would do –I felt the book could have been half the size.
  You’ve by now heard the story - Celeste (Called “Miss Temple” through the book) travels from an unnamed island, presumably in the Caribbean, to a London-ish unnamed city in an un-named British-like country in an un-named Victorian-like era, meets and gets engaged to and then has her engagement broke by Roger.
  A surprisingly (to both herself and her ex-fiancé) enterprising young woman, she sets out to understand why she has been unceremoniously dumped. This leads her into discovering a plot to extract the minds of the richest and most influential people in the country, storing the memories in the titular glass books. Escaping (just), she is helped two unlikely protagonists. Through many long-winded and over-described adventures, she and her companions survive, eliminating all of the plotters one way or another. Or do they? After 800 pages, we get a cliff-hanger of an ending.
  Just one of the several annoying things about the book. I found the book alternately annoying and addicting. There were numerous chase and fight scenes, which were over-described and tedious. I also found the not-naming of the places very annoying. But the imaginative concept of the plot and the in-fighting of the plotters was original, as were the three heroes. And the mixture of Vernesque technology brought a mood to the book that was enjoyable. I did see some suggestion that it was like Dickens or Wilkie Collins, but I felt none of that realism they brought to their stories. This was much more Jules Verne or Philip Pullman. It was OK, but I can’t recommend it. (show less)

   

   

  by Stuart Mowat on Jul 31, 2009 at 05:36PM

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  The book starts out wonderfully, with fully realized and interesting characters, and a wonderful take on the victorian style of storytelling. Many reviewers complain about the overwriting, but this is really a masterful demonstration of a different style of writing than your usual pulp-fiction. The middle of the book is truly engrossing.

  The premise is so promising, and interesting, that Dahlquist could have gone in almost any direction. Unfortunately, he just couldn't sustain his own cre... (show more)

  The book starts out wonderfully, with fully realized and interesting characters, and a wonderful take on the victorian style of storytelling. Many reviewers complain about the overwriting, but this is really a masterful demonstration of a different style of writing than your usual pulp-fiction. The middle of the book is truly engrossing.

  The premise is so promising, and interesting, that Dahlquist could have gone in almost any direction. Unfortunately, he just couldn't sustain his own creation, and around the last quarter of the book, he simply seems to give up. Instead of treating his characters with the respect they deserve, he lets the whole thing devolve into a bloodbath, for no good reason.

  So very unsatisfying after such a promising beginning. And I can't believe he wrote a sequel, for god's sake! By the time I got to the last page I was absolutely relieved to be done, such a shame after I had enjoyed so much of it. Bleah. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook-användare on Jun 11, 2009 at 10:01PM

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