In Dreams Never End, Giels and his friends navigate the Underworld’s dangers and questions. They face life-threatening situations and learn about finding their purpose and its place in the wider intergenerational knowledge. This blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements will satisfy readers’ need for action while also eliciting deep ponderings.
Review
Follow Giels and his friends as they dive into the horrors of the Underworld, the truths and questions this new land raises, and the dangers that lurk in their quest.
In the third installment of The Feigned Moon of Entiria series, future lead storyteller Giels and his posse arrive in the Underworld, where they meet the Champions, people who have decided to embrace the Secret Knowledge in exchange for remaining in the Underworld. But one of their friends, Alana, is missing from their quest, and when their guide, Sansar, disappears, things start to go south. At the same time, the council of elders embarks on a quest guided by ancient drawings in the sand and a mysterious message to “fight the wind.” How do these two events connect? Will they get back home? At what cost?
Dreams Never End by E.A. Bagby is a fantasy story with some mythological and philosophical hints. There’s a small romance subplot and a couple of moments of humor to lighten the mood. E.A. Bagby constructed a unique tale that leans more towards a fantasy world with demons, faeries, and prophecies but with a hint of sci-fi.
I truly enjoyed that this story can be read as a philosophical text. The idea of deciding to remain in a dangerous place in exchange for knowledge is an interesting take on the Garden of Eden story. The Underworld faces Giels and the reader with several important questions, such as the power of stories and intergenerational knowledge, the necessity of suffering, the need for a purpose, and the role unpleasant feelings play in our lives. I found the episodes of the potions especially impactful, as they could be read as an allegory of the different forms of escapism and numbing that we resort to in our modern world.
The story in itself is full of other crucial messages that young adults, especially, will find useful. I will only name two so as not to spoil the fun. The first one is how Giels is confronting his family’s expectations for him against his own wishes, a common occurrence for all of us. The second one is the importance of community. Giels clearly plays the role of “the chosen one,” but he still needs his friends’ abilities and support. It’s remarkable how Giels and Erikal handle their rivalry without compromising their support for each other.
On a lighter note, older readers will have a blast with the bestid, reminiscent of “Knight Rider” but amped up to eleven.
Since this is the third installment of the book, it can be hard to jump in the middle of the story. This is especially true since the story in itself is not character-driven, so I had to go back a couple of times to distinguish the characters. I also believe that humor could have played a bigger role when you have a group of young people, even in such a dire situation.
The author’s generosity in providing a summary of the first two installments at the beginning of the book is a thoughtful gesture that guides the reader and avoids a common flaw of fantasy books: overwhelming the reader with an opening full of info-dumping. I recommend reading the books in order to get the maximum enjoyment out of the saga. Not everyone enjoys character-driven stories, and this is an ideal tale for readers who favor action-driven plots, stories about friendship and folklore, mythology, or philosophy.
About the Author
E. A. Bagby spent his early childhood among the peaceful foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, but in the early ’80s, his life took a sharp turn when his adventurous parents moved the family to a loft in Manhattan. Gone were the snow-capped peaks and towering trees, replaced by the urban landscape of fire escapes, pipes, and a maze of machinery seen from his bedroom window.
Tackling the NYC school system, he first attended a computer academy in Junior High, later moving on to a high school that introduced him to architectural design. These experiences laid the foundation for his professional career, where he merged his technological expertise with architectural design to create software systems for architectural and engineering firms.
Yet, through it all, the view from that Manhattan loft never left him. The tangled machinery and steam-filled skyline stayed with him, quietly calling out. When life finally allowed him some breathing room, he turned to writing to capture and explore the memories and images that had shaped him.
Book Details
- Title: Dreams Never End
- Author: E.A. Bagby
- Genre: Science Fantasy
- Theme: Adventure, Fantasy, Mythology, Philosophy, Romance, Friendship, Saga
- Publication Date: April 26, 2024
- ISBN or ASIN: B0CW1BQ7H6
- Number of Pages: 228
- Minimum Audience Age: 15
Book Themes
(Note: 0=none, 1=a few, 2=considerable, 3=pronounced, 4=excessive)
- Sexual themes: 0
- Religious themes: 0
- Violence, self-harm, etc.: 2
- Crude language, expletives, swearing, etc.: 1
- Other adult themes: 0
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