It took me 11 hours to read my late brother's novel straight through, all 423 pages of suspenseful fantasy. I was spellbound by the vivid descriptions, intricate plot, and the adventurous flow of the story. And I was awe-struck by the vocabulary of the author.
If you read my previous post, you may recall my suspicion that Jerry was dumbing-down his working vocabulary for the benefit of the rest of us, his listeners and readers. Now I'm sure of it. This book removes all doubt that he was a verbal genius. When you read it you may want to have a dictionary within reach (but it will fail you when you get to the words he conjured up). What a word extravaganza this book is! Don't get me wrong; it's not a difficult read, just a long one. And well worth the effort.
The book is a fantasy that features some dreamwalking apprentices who are called upon to explore the king's dreams when a threat to the kingdom is suspected. There are castles, monsters, sorcery, and dirty-double-crossers that will be appreciated by fans of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter epics.
I have never been one who reads fantasy. I am a bit too practical to be spending my time on made-up stories. But this one changed my mind.
I only wish that there was a chance for a sequel. Unfortunately, Jerry passed away 3 days after the release of his novel. He actually never got to hold a copy in his hand, a 20-year project that was realized too late for his satisfaction.
But it is not too late for the rest of us. I highly recommend this book to anybody who is a fan of mystery, magic, and adventure. And I also suggest that reluctant readers of fiction, like me, give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. In fact, you may want to have snacks within reach in case you get so engrossed in the story that you forget to stop for meals. It's that good!
