From National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor comes an epic fantasy about a mythic lost city and its dark past. The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around–and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was just five years old, he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he … someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the form of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.
What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? And who is the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams?
In this sweeping and breathtaking novel by National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor, author of the New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, the shadow of the past is as real as the ghosts who haunt the citadel of murdered gods. Fall into a mythical world of dread and wonder, moths and nightmares, love and carnage.
The answers await in Weep.
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Just a really neat plot and I love the characters. Listened to it as audio book, excellent narrator.
Well written, excellently plotted, likable MC(s) and pervaded with a wonderful sense of magic and wonder. Pleasantly visual and while some of the plot points are predictable (the author foreshadows them) their execution is mostly impeccable. The narrative conflicts are superb. Some scenes around a plot point can get repetitive, or feel overly belabored by the author, but it’s just that one.
Listened on audio book and the narrator was good.
This book blew me away. I’m a huge sucker for gorgeous prose and metaphorical language, not to mention amazing sensory detail, so all the poetic phrases were indeed welcome. In fact, I loved it so much that I immediately sought out the sequel, Muse of Nightmares.
With fantasy titles there comes an expectation of a complex storyline. While Strange the Dreamer has a complex story, the reading experience doesn’t feel complicated. The story alternates between Sarai and Lazlo’s experiences and as they draw closer together, the experiences draw closer as well. The main conflicts are always clear in the character’s mind so as readers we know not only what that character wants, but why it’s important.
What does feel complicated is how the prose is assembled. While most fantasy titles published today stick almost exclusively to third-person limited, where we witness the story through the eyes and experience of the main character in third-person, Strange the Dreamer swings in and out of omniscient. This is usually frowned upon, mostly because when done poorly it’s jarring and distracting – and it’s almost always done poorly. For Strange the Dreamer, it feels right. We flow from one character’s thoughts to the next and the technique in Taylor’s hands gives the prose a very appropriate dream-like feel.
The characters were expertly created to be not only unique and well constructed, but unusual enough in each of their motivations to give the story multiple layers of interest. There’s not an ordinary character in the entire book, and that’s impressive for an epic of this size. In addition, the settings were also crafted with the same amount of care making them not only unique, but supremely interesting as well.
So yeah. I’m kind of in love.
Laini Taylor’s strikingly original worldbuilding shows itself again in Strange the Dreamer, her masterful use of language and evocative, fantastical imagery makes for another book of iconic fantasy. From the prologue, ending with the line above, she immediately makes it known that a lot is happening, leaving us in media res with the sudden death of a strange blue girl, the aftermath of an explosion, and now, moving statues. When anyone ever mentions classic, imaginative fantasy, Taylor is always my go-to, and now I’m happy to add Strange the Dreamer into my repertoire of recommendations.
Lazlo Strange, burdened with the last name given to all unknown war orphans, spends his days toiling away in the library, working for the royal elite during the day and compiling his own personal notes on the lost city of Weep in his own time. When he was young and first heard of Weep, it was known by a different name, but suddenly everyone in the world forgot it all at once, both confirming Lazlo’s belief in magic and setting him on a path of near-obsession with the city. The rest of the world thinks him crazy until an entourage shows up from Weep itself, led by the Godslayer who searches for scientific experts across the continent to solve a mysterious problem of his. Lazlo, the only outsider who has knowledge of Weep, is invited along, and thus Lazlo begins his journey to his beloved mythic city to discover why the city has been hidden for so long and why its name suddenly vanished from history so many years ago.
Strange the Dreamer follows Taylor’s other works in the way of sheer inventiveness. In her last series we had mysterious doorways, beings that traded wishes for human teeth, and soul-snatching, and now Strange the Dreamer brings us gods and goddesses, dreamwalking, and powers that can alter reality and erase history. The lost city of Weep is beautiful, but so are the more mundane locations, Lazlo’s trek across the desert, his beloved library, and the simplicity of a house with a warm meal and a bed. Lazlo is an immediately likable character who hits probably a little too close to home for some of us: a librarian, more comfortable with his books than with others, who understands on some level that he’s never going to get the adventure of his dreams. He’s supported by a cast of colorful characters in a vivid and unforgettable world, but Lazlo and his quiet, nurturing character is what makes the book so lovable.
This novel, despite all the amazing fantastical inventions and history and the second world legends and myths, is all about the lasting effects of war and imperialism, how they affect generations of people and the trauma that resonates throughout their lives. Lazlo is an orphan, one of many that resulted from a war, a war that isn’t named or explained because it isn’t the point. Lazlo’s chronic loneliness, the abuse he suffers at the hands of the monks who adopt him, his fixation on this beautiful city untouched by human destruction, is all a result of the trauma of this war. Without spoiling it, the problem the Godslayer seeks to solve is as much psychological as it is scientific, a man with the title of Godslayer seems immovable and strong, and yet here he is, traveling from city to city to find a solution to a problem caused by war. Every character is touched by the effects of imperialism; Lazlo, the Godslayer, who are inarguably victims, but even other characters, the blue-skinned goddess mentioned above, monstrous to some, and Thyon Nero, a royal elite from Lazlo’s country who seems like he would benefit the most from war. Taylor does an excellent job of portraying the ripple effect and the true horrors of war and imperialism: no one is spared in Strange the Dreamer.
Themes of war are no stranger to Taylor’s work; her last series focused on the broader effects of a war between two populations, but Strange the Dreamer brings it to a more personal level. Daughter of Smoke and Bone did an excellent job of showing the mass effects of war, the desolation of cities and civilizations, but Strange the Dreamer is more about the effect on the individual and the relationships between each other. This is also a post-war novel; there is very little fighting actually shown on page, and none of it has to do with the war itself. This novel is more concerned with the aftereffects, how people are still scarred after many years, and how even though the fight has been won, there is still so much work to do that falls to the victims. All of this is handled greatly and with care, and I cannot recommend a better book for fantasy readers who are looking for more mature themes in their work, even though this is YA.
But as I mentioned, there is very little fighting in this book. Both physically and emotionally. About half of this novel is set-up, for the problems Weep is having to Lazlo’s backstory, and while I wasn’t too upset because Taylor gives us such a rich world to play in, if you’re looking for a fast-paced novel, look elsewhere. The second half is more engaging emotionally, Lazlo begins developing relationships with others so the book is not so much in his head, we learn more about the goddess showing up in his dreams, and her own problems. But it takes a while to get there. The last few chapters are an absolute rollercoaster, though, with more than enough action for the entire book. I did love this book, but evenly paced it was not.
This is another great book from Laini Taylor. I was absolutely blown away by her last series, and I have fond if blurry memories of her debut novels I read in middle school. This is the latest series in a long line of great work from her. I have Muse of Nightmares already, and while I hope it picks up the pace a little bit, I have no doubt it’ll be a stunning conclusion to the duology.
review blog
So it occurs to me that, while I listed this as one of my favorite books, I didn’t actually recommend it yet, lol. And boy do I recommend it! Laini Taylor is one of my idols. Her worldbuilding powers and creative mind are things I covet and hope to someday achieve in whatever percentage I am able. If you haven’t read one of her books do it now!
I reveled in the world and the characters that the author created. I also enjoyed the language (more in the first book than the second). I see Strange the Dreamer and its sequel as one story. I made the mistake of reading the description of the sequel about two thirds through this book and it took away a few surprises.
Laini Taylor is a goddess of fantasy fiction.
easily one of the best books i have ever read.
Also, gorgeous writing that also has wonderful dialogue that entertains a contemporary readership without being ‘contemporary.’ Strange the Dreamer refers to an orphan who was given the name Lazlo Strange. He ends up in a monastery with a fabulous and famous library, and having no money to become a scholar, is a Librarian raised by the monks. A librarian. What a wonderful job for a hero! A few quotes to give you a taste:
“The library knows its own mind,” old Master Hyrrokkin told him, leading him back up the secret stairs. “When it steals a boy, we let it keep him.”
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“The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around.”
~~
“He had loved the library, and had felt, as a boy, as though it had a kind of sentience, and perhaps loved him back. But even if it was just walls and a roof with papers inside, it had bewitched him, and drawn him in, and given him everything he needed to become himself.”
~~
“Don’t look at me like that,” said Ruza.
“Like what?”
“Like I’m a beautiful book you’re about to open and plunder with your greedy mad eyes.”
Lazlo laughed. “Greedy mad eyes? Plunder? Are you afraid of me, Ruza?”
Ruza looked suddenly steely. “Do you know, Strange, that to ask a Tizerkane if he fears you is to challenge him to single comabt?”
“Well then,” said Lazlo, who knew better than to believe anything Ruza said. “I’m glad I only said it to you and not one of the fearsome warriors like Azareen or Tzara.”
“Unkind,” said Ruza, wounded. His face crumpled. He pretended to weep. “I am fearsome,” he insisted “I am.”
“There, there,” consoled Lazlo. “You’re a very fierce warrior. Don’t cry. You’re terrifying.”
“Really?” asked Ruza in a pitiful little hopeful voice. “You’re not just saying that?”
“You two idiots,” said Azareen, and Lazlo felt a curious twinge of pride, to be called an idiot by her, with what might have been the tiniest edge of fondness.”
~~
“They fell into the stars in a rush of air and ether. They breathed each other’s breath. They had never been this close. It was all velocity and dream physics—no more need to stand or lean or fly, but only fall. They were both already fallen. They would never finish falling. The universe was endless, and love had its own logic. Their bodies curved together, pressed, and found their perfect fit.”
I wasn’t sure what I was going into when I started reading it, but it was so magical and wonderful and beautiful I wish I’d read it sooner. For some reason I thought it was an urban fantasy with an epic fantasy twist, but it’s ALL epic, in every way.
It has excited my sense of wonder, discovery, and knowledge, and I love it for that.
It now lives on my Forever Shelf and I can’t wait to read Muse of Nightmares, which is on my Next Bookhaul list.
You don’t want to miss out on this magical treat!
I loved this book so much. The prose is beautiful, the fantasy is fresh, and I love every single character, even the ones I hate.
This will forever be one of my favorite books.
Inventive, mysterious, heart-wrenching. Strange the Dreamer far surpassed my expectations (then again, everyone I know who had read it, said it was too descriptive and therefore boring, so the bar was set low). Still, I think I would’ve enjoyed this regardless.
I’ve never read a book quite like this one. Laini’s style of writing is vivid and enchanting. I wanted to live in her world forever, and when the book ended, I immediately tried pre-ordering book 2 (The Muse of Nightmares), but it wasn’t even available for pre-order yet… I continued to check every month until finally getting my hands on a copy! Gobbled that one up too. Laini Taylor is a genius.
I LOVED this book. Taylor’s imagination is magical. I adored the characters she created – they became friends.
Absolutely amazing, I loved this book. The world building, the characters, the legends past and present, and the incredible writing…I didn’t want to stop reading! Thank goodness I already have The Muse of Nightmares on Kindle, as I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Whether this is your genre or not, I highly recommend you read it.
A book to get lost in, vivid and unique!
Pretty wild book and unexpected.
I don’t know if I absolutely loved this book or if I absolutely hated it. Kidding, kidding! I didn’t hate it, but I’m pretty torn up about the ending. I’m not sure where it goes from here but I’m definitely intrigued and anxious to find out.
If you’re looking for the same flowery writing that Taylor exhibited in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone books – you’ll get a lesser version of it here. It’s still deep and thought provoking, but does not have quite the same style. Perhaps because it’s mainly narrated by a male character. Which, I must say, I really enjoyed. Especially when a little bit of romance was added to the story, I loved his perspective of things.
Strange the Dreamer delivers a wonderfully flawed new world of Gods, their children and the men that live under them. I really, really enjoyed it. Up until that last bit. 😉
This book called to me, not even sure why. I bought the paperback on Amazon on a whim and I’m glad I did.
Strange the Dreamer called to the dreamer and bibliophile in me and I was transported to a world where underdogs become beloved and even the strangest dreams are possible.
I devoured this book, reading late into the night and bought the follow up; Muse of Nightmares as a pre-order.
No, this is a literary masterpiece…but it is a bright, heartwarming story with beautiful and flawed characters. At time a bit overly descriptive, but as a Stephen King fan, I love the world building.
Recommend 100%
I’m half way through and I’ve stopped and wont fimish. Stranraer the Dreamer is boring and slow.
I loved Laini Taylor’s trilogy beginning with The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. The second trilogy, not so much. But in Strange the Dreamer the magic returned for me. I was glad to see a sequel is coming. What I like the most about her books is the completely original stories. This one is no exception, taking me out of predictability and into a world that I couldn’t have foreseen. If you like fantasy, well-drawn characters, and some mysticism, you will love it.