Dreamquake

By Elizabeth Knox

Rating: 4 3/4 stars

Reviewed by Noelle

This is the sequel to the excellent Dreamhunter (see review, October 2006). We last left our young dreamhunter, Laura, after she caused everyone at the Rainbow Opera to have the nightmare "Buried Alive" to fulfill her father's goal of making others realize how dreams can be used in negative ways. Laura escapes with her sandman--a golem-like creature she calls Nown, created with magic and song and a strong need. When she flees to her aunt, Marta brings her to the Grand Patriarch to hide and recover, and Laura finds out her father Tziga is really alive, although injured. Meanwhile, her cousin Rose stays with her friend Mamie and discovers rails are being brought secretly into the Place by Mamie's father who is quite important in the government. When the family is all together again, they compare notes and realize the Dream Regulatory Board seems to be up to something in the Place. They also begin to suspect there is more to the Place than was previously thought; that maybe someone or thing is trying to communicate to the outside world from within it. The Hame and Tiebold families hatch a dangerous plan to discover the evil intentions of the government and expose them to the world. There will be love and loss experienced along with adventure, and readers will be shocked when the origin of the Place is revealed. This is a deep, dark and fascinating end to a fantasy duet and fans of the first book will not be disappointed by its conclusion.