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4.0 

The Hollow Boys

By Douglas Smith
The Hollow Boys by Douglas Smith digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

THE DREAM RIDER SAGA, BOOK 1

 

WINNER OF THE 2023 AURORA AWARD FOR BEST YA NOVEL

WINNER OF THE 2023 JURIED IAP AWARD FOR BEST YA NOVEL

 

Vanishing street kids. An ancient evil. The end of the world.

Our only hope? A hero who can't leave home.

 

At seventeen, Will Dreycott is a superhero…in his dreams. And in yours.

 

Eight years ago, Will's parents, shady dealers in ancient artifacts, disappeared on a jungle expedition. Will, the sole survivor, returned home with no memory of what happened, bringing a gift…and a curse.

 

The gift? Will can walk in our dreams. At night in Dream, Will hunts for criminals—and his parents. During the day, his Dream Rider comic, about a superhero no one knows is real, has made Will rich.

 

The curse? Severe agoraphobia. Will can't go outside. So he makes his home a skyscraper with everything he needs in life—everything but the freedom to walk the streets of his city.

 

Case, an orphan Will's age, survives on those streets with her younger brother, Fader. Survives because she too has a gift. She hears voices warning her of danger. And Fader? Well, he fades.

 

When street kids start vanishing, the Dream Rider joins the hunt. Will's search becomes personal when Case breaks into his tower to escape her own abduction. Fader isn't so lucky.

 

As Will and Case search for Fader and the missing kids, an unlikely romance grows between the boy with everything and the girl with nothing except the freedom Will longs for.

 

But as they push deeper into the mystery, they confront an ancient power feeding on these forgotten kids to restore itself. And once restored, no one in the world will be safe.

 

To defeat this creature, Will must do the impossible.

 

Go outside.

 

Indiana Jones meets Teen Titans in The Dream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from "one of Canada's most original writers of speculative fiction" (Library Journal).

 

"This arresting series kickoff grips from the start. … Vigorously imaginative. ... Takeaway: Thrilling YA fantasy." —BookLife (Editor's Pick)

 

"An assured, confident novel with strong world-building, sharp dialogue and the perfect balance between action and emotional growth for its main characters. ...  a must-read story for YA fantasy fans." —Blueink Review (★ Starred review)

 

"Inventive, engaging, and boundless fun." —The Ottawa Review of Books

 

"A fun supernatural tale with well-developed characters and a touch of romance." —Kirkus Reviews

 

"The man is Sturgeon good. Zelazny good. I don't give those up easy." —Spider Robinson, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner

 

"A great storyteller with a gifted and individual voice." —Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award winner

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3 Reviews

4.0
“I was selected to review this book in exchange for a free copy of this new book -- and WOW am I glad I requested a copy. I thought oh, joy another fantasy novel specifically geared to teens it's not. Yes, the main characters are both teenagers but "Is this your dog?" dragged me into the book and now I need book 2!”
“I received an advanced readers copy through Netgalley for an honest review. I did really enjoy this book and can't wait to read the second book. The whole reason as to why I wanted to read it in the first place was due to the fact that I work with the homeless youth population and for the most part I do think that the representation is good. The only thing is it took Case less than a few days to fully trust someone. That doesn't happen in real life, but that just might be me knit picky due to working in the field. Another thing that took away from the story was the relationship between Case and Will. It feels like it was added for filler and took away from the over arching plot (the final part was when it should have started). As someone who enjoys looking into dreams and dream studies, the way the author built upon what was already known about dreams was good. With all that said, I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Merged review: I received an advanced readers copy through Netgalley for an honest review. I did really enjoy this book and can't wait to read the second book. The whole reason as to why I wanted to read it in the first place was due to the fact that I work with the homeless youth population and for the most part I do think that the representation is good. The only thing is it took Case less than a few days to fully trust someone. That doesn't happen in real life, but that just might be me knit picky due to working in the field. Another thing that took away from the story was the relationship between Case and Will. It feels like it was added for filler and took away from the over arching plot (the final part was when it should have started). As someone who enjoys looking into dreams and dream studies, the way the author built upon what was already known about dreams was good. With all that said, I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.”

About Douglas Smith

Douglas Smith is an award-winning Canadian author described by Library Journal as "one of Canada's most original writers of speculative fiction." His fiction has been published in twenty-six languages and thirty-two countries. His work includes the urban fantasy novel, The Wolf at the End of the World, and the collections Chimerascope, Impossibilia, and La Danse des Esprits. His non-fiction guide for writers, Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction, is a must read for any short story writer.

Doug is a three-time winner of Canada's Aurora Award, and has been a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award, CBC's Bookies Award, Canada's juried Sunburst Award, and France's juried Prix Masterton and Prix Bob Morane. A short film based on Doug's story "By Her Hand, She Draws You Down" won several awards at film festivals around the world.

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