Rambles of a SAHM

Search For The Shadow Key

The Dreamtreaders Series, Book 2

Wayne Batson

Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure

WHAT IF YOUR WORST

NIGHTMARES BECAME REAL?

When you close your eyes at night and fall asleep, your dreams can either take you into delightful adventures beyond your wildest imagination or into nightmares that you can't wait to wake up and leave behind.

But what happens when you can't leave them behind?

Archer Keaton may seem pretty normal, but he has a hidden secret: he can explore dreams. As a dreamtreader, Archer is one of three warriors selected from each generation to defend the Waking World from the evil forces in the Dream. But after the other two dreamtreaders were killed. Archer is left all alone to protect the Dream.

Dream Inc.'s wealthy patrons are lining up left and right to go on "safari" in the Dream to experience the fantastical realm. But as Dream Inc. continues to operate, strange things begin happening around Archer's hometown--which means something is tearing huge rifts in the Dream fabric, and the Dream and Waking World are in danger of fusing together in one, chaotic nightmare. And it seems the only way to stop the madness is to find the mysterious Shadow Key.

This second book in the Dreamtreaders trilogy from bestselling author Wayne Thomas Batson is not only an epic fantasy steeped in mystery, but also features important themes like resisting temptation, being a light in the darkness, and making wise choices, even when those choices are unpopular or difficult.

My Thoughts

Search for the Shadow Key is the follow up to last year's hit Dreamtreaders. Just like the first book it is a fast-paced fantasy that is sure to capture the attention of teens and tweens alike. While it is a fantasy type of book it has a very practical message that should strike a cord with the youth in the real world.

If your son or daughter has ever been in a situation where they faced temptation and had to make a decision that would perhaps have uncomfortable results then they will surely relate to the story of Archer Keaton. I liked how honestly the author portrayed the traps that teens can find themselves in. Another aspect of the story that I appreciated was the element of strong family ties. Archer's family isn't perfect but they love each other and support each other. That is a very needed message in this day and age.

I have to admit that fantasy books are not on the top of my desired reading, but this series is so well written that I couldn't help but enjoy it. If you have a child that loves action and adventure stories I think they will enjoy this one. This is book two in the series and in my opinion I think it is important that you read book one first to get the complete story.

Connect With The Author

Website I Goodreads I Facebook I Twitter

The Giveaway

We have partnered with Tommy Nelson to offer one of our readers a copy of the book Search For The Shadow Key

. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Thursday, February 5, 2015. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Rafflecopter form below. All entries are optional.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dreamtreaders

Dreamtreaders Trilogy, Book 1

Wayne Thomas Batson

Juvenile Fiction/Fantasy

Back of the book:

SAVING THE WORLD

ONE DREAM AT A TIME

Fourteen-year-old Archer Keaton is a dreamtreader, one of three people in the entire world destined to defeat evil forces lurking in the Dream. The dreamtreaders' mission is to stop the Nightmare Lord, who terrorizes the dreams of innocent people all over the world. However, Archer's fellow dreamtreaders have gone missing so he's all alone in his fight. And strange sightings in the Dream make Archer think that someone who is not supposed to be there has been trespassing and it's up to him to find and stop the interloper.

But as Archer's adventures in the Dream become more threatening, so too does his waking life. Rigby Thames, the new kid from England, has become popular overnight, and his new group of followers is acting secretive and suspicious. Even Archer's best friend Kara is spending alll of her time with Rigby. Archer can't put his finger on it, but there's more going on with Rigby than meets the eye.

As Archer faces two foes in two worlds, will he be able to quell the nightmares haunting his dreams and reality?

From Jacob's dream of the heavenly stairway in Genesis 28 to angels visiting Joseph's dreams in Matthew 1, dreams have been powerful ingredients of God's plan as revealed through Scripture. This fantasy adventure imagines a whole dream world where God's warriors literally battle evil every night.

My thoughts:

If you have enjoyed C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series or Tolkein's Lord of the Rings series, it is probably a fair guess that you are going to like Batson's newest book Dreamtreaders.

In Dreamtreaders we are allowed to explore three different worlds, the Temporal, the Ethereal, and the Dream. The Temporal realm is where all humans dwell during the waking hours. The Ethereal realm is where humanity came from and it is also their ultimate destiny. Finally the Dream realm is the realm between the two.

"Dream is the twilight world intended to remind those dwelling in the Temporal that there is a far better land, a spectacular far-off country, that waits for them in the someday . . . in the plane of the Ethereal."

With the opening scene we are thrust into the Dream with dreamtreader, Archer Keaton. Archer is there just to patch up some breaches but against all directions to the contrary he decides to take on the Nightmare Lord. After a very close call we follow Archer back into the Temporal realm and experience his life with his family, friends and schoolmates.

The story continues to split between the two worlds with action packed scenes filled with important lessons. The characters are fascinating and the switching between the worlds is very plausible in a fantasy type of way. I appreciated how Archer was portrayed. He made mistakes and he fell into temptations of self-will as any typical teenager would. What set this story apart from so many others in the genre, was that Archer corrected and learned from his mistakes. I also appreciated that even though it was a fantasy book it had good Biblical basis that should lead to some great discussions with your middle grade reader.

While science fiction and young adult fiction are not my typical cup of tea, this story kept my attention throughout the entire book. In fact I am looking forward to reading book two when it comes out. I do however, have two areas of caution. First this is a trilogy, so this is not a stand-alone book. You are going to be left hanging at the end so you will need to read the next two books to see this story draw to a conclusion. Secondly, this book is recommended for readers ages eight to twelve. I would have no problem handing this book to my twelve-year-old without pre-reading it. But I'm not so sure about the younger set. There is nothing out-of-bounds about this story (no sex, no cursing, no untoward innuendos) but it does have violent fighting scenes that might be best experienced while reading with an adult.

Connect with the author:

EnterTheDoorWithin.blogspot.com

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter ~ @WayneBatson

The Giveaway:

We have partnered with Tommy Nelson to offer one of our readers a copy of the book Dreamtreaders

. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will run through midnight on Tuesday, July 8, 2014. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. The winner will be contacted by email and will have forty-eight hours to claim the prize. If unclaimed, a new winner will be drawn. The winners’ entries will be verified. Please enter the contest using the Rafflecopter form below. All entries are optional.

a Rafflecopter giveaway