The Hollow Boys
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- £0.99
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- £0.99
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
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
After his ancient-artifact-dealer parents suddenly disappeared while the family was on a jungle expedition eight years ago, then-nine-year-old Will Dreycott, who is half Japanese and assumed half white, returned home alone with no memory of how they went missing. Now 17, an agoraphobic billionaire, and the creator of the Dream Rider graphic novel series, Will hides one big secret: the world from his novels is real, and when Will sleeps, he becomes the comics' eponymous superhero protagonist and spends his nights gathering clues to crimes that he then passes on to journalist Harry. When teen boys start vanishing around town, Harry recruits Dream Rider along with Case, a Black teenager with the ability to hear voices warning of danger, who's searching for her younger brother, Fader. Smith imbues this series opener with otherworldly intrigue, developing an elaborately layered plot via bouncy prose that capably shifts between the dream realm, with its monstrous inhabitants, and Will's insular life. Depictions of close-knit relationships shine brightest throughout the novel, especially the familial bonds between Will and his parents and between Case and Fader, as well as the protagonists' budding romance. Ages 12–up. (Self-published)
Customer Reviews
I Could Review This Book In One Sentence, ‘I Loved It!’
Douglas Smith has earned himself a reputation for interesting and imaginative storytelling and The Hollow Boys is a great example of the author at his best. Douglas Smith gives us a refreshing take on the superhero genre as he mixes in his own world of dreams and magic. We follow teenaged Will, a super rich comic book writing agoraphobe, who also happens to be a real superhero when he dreams. I would think the hardest thing to do with a story like this is making it feel grounded and real. The author not only achieves that but somehow manages to do so while giving his readers a tale full of the fantastical. Equally difficult, if not virtually impossible, to achieve must be making the story appealing to adults and younger readers alike but this too is accomplished masterfully. I won’t give away any plot points but I will say you’re never really sure where the story will go. Just grab yourself a copy and enjoy the ride.