Dreams of the Dying

Yet another example of a superb indie novel. There is perfection in the cover, in the story, in the plot, characters, fantasy, series set up, bonus-bits included at the end...everything. I can think of no better book to've ended my November with, and given that this one is an indie, I'm all the happier to have found it, read it, and loved it!!

Well that was completely and utterly fucked. In the best way possible.

If you like any of: immersive world-building, solid characters, philosophical discussions about morality and/or determinism, dream-like alt realities, or depictions of various mental health issues then you will find something to enjoy here.

For a debut novel this is beyond incredible and I definitely will be reading anything else in this universe!

If you see this before getting the book, get the hardback. The extra ~100 or so pages of historical notes, lectures, drawings and sketches, bestiary, and entire in-world language are super duper worth it. It “elevates” the book from something that I would read, enjoy, and put on the shelf gathering dust to something that I want to display as art!

I picked up because it was described as dark fantasy with horror elements. Really, I just recommend checking out Philip Chase's non-spoiler review on YouTube. He made me appreciate what the author did so much more - he also talks about content warnings. I think the way the author managed bi-rep, (shout-out for having it from male perspective too, which I find even rarer) and the way it handles anxiety/depression/trauma are phenomenal. Overall, especially after reading the final 100 pages, I didn't love this book like the majority seems to. But, there are so many unique and special aspects to it (like what I mention above, but also the political and sociological philosophy) I do recommend picking it up.