The Waking Dream
Jennifer Ford
ISBN # 9781432769901
Author’s Website: www.JenniferFordAuthor.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Lindsay

At first glance, The Waking Dream may appear to be just another story of good vs. evil. However, the author weaves a hero’s tale that will surprise you throughout the book. Dante is the Commander of the city of Illamar. He and his Captain, Kerran are sworn to protect Illamar and it’s people. Set in the remote Sohma desert, Illamar and it’s neighboring city of Rheamyre, depend on caravans from across the desert for supplies. After a few deadly encounters with the evil ‘monsters’ lurking in the desert, the yearly caravans stop. Five years later, Dante and Kerran embark on a path to war which they believe will be with their neighbors in Rheamyre. Little do they know, the war they are about to take on will require they fight with their enemies and put their trust in strangers to defeat the evil taking over the desert.

I will admit, I wasn’t too impressed with the beginning of the book but I wanted to give it a fair chance. I am glad I did because the story quickly deepened and I was hooked into this world. By halfway through the book, I couldn’t put it down. Ford does a remarkable job developing the characters. It may seem like a lot of filler but as the story pulls together, you realize the background information is necessary to understand how each character is connected. The author paints a vivid picture of all the locations in the book and provides the reader with a gentle peek into the minds of the main characters. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It is a well written story that will engage you through to the end. I am eagerly awaiting to see where the story goes in the next book.