Welcome to our stop on Poet Anderson... Of Nightmares tour for Tom Delonge and Suzanne Young. This tour is hosted by CBB Book Promotions.
Author: Tom Delonge & Suzanne Young
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Horror
Released: October 6th 2015
Review Source: To The Stars
From the critically acclaimed transmedia project Poet Anderson: The Dream Walker, comes one of the most anticipated collaborations in YA literature this year: a thrilling, edge of your seat story written by award-winning musician, producer and director Tom DeLonge and New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young.
Poet Anderson...Of Nightmares follows the epic journey of two orphan brothers, Jonas and Alan, who are Lucid Dreamers. After a tragic car accident lands Alan in a coma, Jonas sets out into the Dream World in an attempt to find his brother and wake him up. What he discovers instead is an entire shared consciousness where fear comes to life as a snarling beast called a Night Terror, and a creature named REM is bent on destruction and misery, devouring the souls of the strongest dreamers to get closer to the Waking World. With the help of a Dream Walker—a guardian of the dreamscape, Jonas must face his fears, save his brother, and become who he was always meant to be: Poet Anderson.
I feel like this book spoke to me on a different level, I mean... I don't have a monster trying to kill me and eat my soul in my sleep, but my dreams are INTENSE. I started this and was so intrigued with the idea of lucid dreamers and being able to be aware that you're dreaming that I was able put myself right in the book. I've always had vivid dreams and when I was growing up I had the same nightmare over and over again, thinking about it now still gives me shivers. I also have this issue that when I read before I fall asleep I dream about finishing the book, but I can never remember how it ends, unfortunately, that would be pretty convenient if I could read in my sleep.
Okay enough about me and my dreaming, Jonas Anderson aka Poet Anderson (Poet in the Dream World) has some real issues and life threatening problems to solve. While moving to Washington Alan and Jonas get into a car accident putting Alan in a coma. Jonas is convinced his brother is in Dream World and he has made it his mission to find his brother and wake him up. While on the mission to find his brother and bring him back to the Waking World, Poet runs into some obstacles, some terrifying obstacles.
I won't lie to you and say I wasn't a tad confused while we were in the Dream World, differentiating between Lucid Dreamers, Dream Walkers, Night Stalkers, and the other scary stuff, but I figured it out and just still dont trust anyone, not completely that is. Like I was saying earlier though anything dealing with dreams and dreamers is completely intriguing. Even the idea of dreams occurring is cool concept, let alone being aware that you're dreaming and being involved in the dream too. *Mind Blown*
This is definitely a book I suggest to the sci-fi world or someone looking for something new. I'm not sure if the dream world is a realm that is touched on often, but it's something that left me wanting more. Thankfully this is a series and I do get more.
Okay enough about me and my dreaming, Jonas Anderson aka Poet Anderson (Poet in the Dream World) has some real issues and life threatening problems to solve. While moving to Washington Alan and Jonas get into a car accident putting Alan in a coma. Jonas is convinced his brother is in Dream World and he has made it his mission to find his brother and wake him up. While on the mission to find his brother and bring him back to the Waking World, Poet runs into some obstacles, some terrifying obstacles.
I won't lie to you and say I wasn't a tad confused while we were in the Dream World, differentiating between Lucid Dreamers, Dream Walkers, Night Stalkers, and the other scary stuff, but I figured it out and just still dont trust anyone, not completely that is. Like I was saying earlier though anything dealing with dreams and dreamers is completely intriguing. Even the idea of dreams occurring is cool concept, let alone being aware that you're dreaming and being involved in the dream too. *Mind Blown*
This is definitely a book I suggest to the sci-fi world or someone looking for something new. I'm not sure if the dream world is a realm that is touched on often, but it's something that left me wanting more. Thankfully this is a series and I do get more.
Excerpt - Chapter 22
Flint took a step toward Poet, his boots echoing on the pavement. “Do you think REM cares how nice someone is?” he asked. “Are you really so stupid?”
“Flint,” Jarabec said in warning. Flint held up his hand to Jarabec, but kept his gaze trained on Poet.
“How did you get here tonight, kid?” Flint demanded. “How do we know you didn’t make a deal with that bastard? Wouldn’t be the first time someone turned on us.”
Jarabec jumped forward and pushed Flint, stepping between him and the boy. But Poet waved him off. He wasn’t scared of Flint.
“I can’t wake myself up,” Poet told him. “I can’t tunnel into the Waking World. REM injected me with a sedative and sent me here. Said my Night Terror wouldn’t be far behind.”
At the mention of the Night Terror, both Jarabec and Flint tensed. Jarabec grabbed Poet by the arm and pulled him toward the sidewalk where the cycles were parked.
“Christ,” Jarabec grumbled. “Find the proprietor,” he told Flint, who was already running for his bike. “Get the location and report back to me.”
Flint nodded, and after he climbed on his motorcycle, he looked over at Poet, his expression more thoughtful than he’d seen before. “Take care of yourself, kid,” he said. Poet was so taken aback by the sentiment that he didn’t respond. Flint revved his engine and spun his bike around before rocketing down the street.
Jarabec waited impatiently on his monocycle. Poet stashed his umbrella in the back, and as he rounded the cycle, he noticed new scratches that hadn’t been there before. Blackened scrapes and dented metal.
“I see you’ve been busy,” Poet said.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” Jarabec said.
Poet scoffed. “Uh, I didn’t choose to. Sedative, remember?” “I mean the other night. You shouldn’t have raced. Shouldn’t have gotten involved. The Dream Walkers don’t have your best interests at heart.”
“Are you saying they want to hurt me?”
“No. But they will use you.” Jarabec shot a cautious glance down the street, as if worried the Night Terror would show up at any moment. “They needed to know what REM had over you, and what he would use to break you. That was what they bargained for: information about you. Not information to help you.”
Poet looked down the street where Flint had just left. “I don’t understand,” he asked. “Why?”
“REM is going to offer you a deal. They may decide to not let you have the chance to take it. That’s why I didn’t want the Dream Walkers to know about your brother. But now they do.”
“I’m not going to make a trade,” Poet said. “I’m going to kill REM.”
“Yes,” Jarabec said, looking over at him like he was a delusional child. “Other Poets have thought the same. They’ve trusted the wrong people.” Poet knew he was talking about Alexander. “And now,” Jarabec continued, “you’ve involved the girl, too.”
Poet’s shoulders tensed. “What are you talking about?”
“You’ve fallen in love with her, yes?” he asked in an accusing tone. “Which, for all intents and purposes, is the surest way to get her killed.”
“No,” Poet said, shaking his head. “I won’t let anything happen to her. I told her not to come here.”
“You still don’t understand, do you?” Jarabec said. “REM will destroy everything you love. Try and coax you to give him your soul willingly. He will ask you to give your life for hers. But you cannot trust him. In the end, he will destroy her. He’ll destroy Alan. REM will take everything from you, just like he took your parents.”
“I would never willingly give him my soul, so he’s mistaken,” Poet said defiantly. “I can protect them.”
“Yes, Poet,” Jarabec said, turning away and kicking his cycle to life. “You are, indeed, just like your mother. But you’ll learn. One way or another, you’ll learn just how terrible REM can be.”
Poet watched the back of Jarabec’s head, sensing the emotions causing his warning. “And what did he take from you?” Poet asked.
Jarabec didn’t flinch. Instead he revved the engine. “My wife,” he said. Poet’s lips parted in an apology, but the Dream Walker didn’t turn. Although Poet had only known Jarabec for a short while, he admired him. Respected him.
“How did...” Poet trailed off, knowing it was rude to ask how she died. Jarabec stared down the empty street, as if lost in a thought.
“My wife wasn’t a Dream Walker,” Jarabec said. “She was unaccustomed to the type of pain REM could inflict. We were young and foolish. The Night Stalkers found Magdalena in a shop here, in the Dark End of Genesis. They dragged her out into the streets.” Jarabec turned back, his jaw tight as the color drained from his face. “They played her murder over and over on the telescreens.” He pointed up to the blank jumbo screen attached to the side of a building. “It was a warning for any who defied REM. But if he’d hoped it would bring me toward him, it only changed my mission.”
“I’m sorry,” Poet said, knowing it wasn’t enough.
“I was the strongest of the Dream Walkers then,” Jarabec continued. “But after Magdalena’s death, I decided that I wouldn’t just protect the dreamscape from the Night Stalkers, I would ultimately bring about REM’s destruction. I would devote my life to do it. I knew I had to find a Poet, with a soul brighter than any Dream Walker’s. A capacity for light that REM would not be able to defeat.”
“I don’t understand,” Poet said. “Why am I so important if there are other Poets?”
“Because you’re the only Poet here,” he said. “Perhaps it’s because you don’t understand the real danger you’re in. Perhaps you’re braver than they were. Now all the Poets are either dead or scattered, hidden in the wind. Out of our reach. Out of REM’s. One day, you’ll understand. You will have a choice whether or not to join them in that course, Poet Anderson. But today is not that day.”
Jarabec scanned the boy with his gray eyes. “Now,” he said. “We must go. If REM sent you into the dream, I imagine he’s already figured out your location.”
Above them, the colors of the skyline changed, casting dark shadows on the street. Poet looked up and found the telescreen streaming their image, fifty feet high. Jarabec cursed under his breath and Poet quickly climbed on the monocycle. They’d found him.
Jarabec twisted the throttle, lifting his black boots from the pavement as the monocycle shot forward, nearly knocking Poet off the back. People began to walk out of the closed shops, glancing up at the telescreens, murmuring their excitement. For a moment, Poet hated them. This was a sport to them, just like the Death Races.
“You’d better get ready, boy,” Jarabec called over the roar of his cycle. “Every one of the people in this part of town would pay good money to watch you get torn apart by your Night Terror.”
Flint took a step toward Poet, his boots echoing on the pavement. “Do you think REM cares how nice someone is?” he asked. “Are you really so stupid?”
“Flint,” Jarabec said in warning. Flint held up his hand to Jarabec, but kept his gaze trained on Poet.
“How did you get here tonight, kid?” Flint demanded. “How do we know you didn’t make a deal with that bastard? Wouldn’t be the first time someone turned on us.”
Jarabec jumped forward and pushed Flint, stepping between him and the boy. But Poet waved him off. He wasn’t scared of Flint.
“I can’t wake myself up,” Poet told him. “I can’t tunnel into the Waking World. REM injected me with a sedative and sent me here. Said my Night Terror wouldn’t be far behind.”
At the mention of the Night Terror, both Jarabec and Flint tensed. Jarabec grabbed Poet by the arm and pulled him toward the sidewalk where the cycles were parked.
“Christ,” Jarabec grumbled. “Find the proprietor,” he told Flint, who was already running for his bike. “Get the location and report back to me.”
Flint nodded, and after he climbed on his motorcycle, he looked over at Poet, his expression more thoughtful than he’d seen before. “Take care of yourself, kid,” he said. Poet was so taken aback by the sentiment that he didn’t respond. Flint revved his engine and spun his bike around before rocketing down the street.
Jarabec waited impatiently on his monocycle. Poet stashed his umbrella in the back, and as he rounded the cycle, he noticed new scratches that hadn’t been there before. Blackened scrapes and dented metal.
“I see you’ve been busy,” Poet said.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” Jarabec said.
Poet scoffed. “Uh, I didn’t choose to. Sedative, remember?” “I mean the other night. You shouldn’t have raced. Shouldn’t have gotten involved. The Dream Walkers don’t have your best interests at heart.”
“Are you saying they want to hurt me?”
“No. But they will use you.” Jarabec shot a cautious glance down the street, as if worried the Night Terror would show up at any moment. “They needed to know what REM had over you, and what he would use to break you. That was what they bargained for: information about you. Not information to help you.”
Poet looked down the street where Flint had just left. “I don’t understand,” he asked. “Why?”
“REM is going to offer you a deal. They may decide to not let you have the chance to take it. That’s why I didn’t want the Dream Walkers to know about your brother. But now they do.”
“I’m not going to make a trade,” Poet said. “I’m going to kill REM.”
“Yes,” Jarabec said, looking over at him like he was a delusional child. “Other Poets have thought the same. They’ve trusted the wrong people.” Poet knew he was talking about Alexander. “And now,” Jarabec continued, “you’ve involved the girl, too.”
Poet’s shoulders tensed. “What are you talking about?”
“You’ve fallen in love with her, yes?” he asked in an accusing tone. “Which, for all intents and purposes, is the surest way to get her killed.”
“No,” Poet said, shaking his head. “I won’t let anything happen to her. I told her not to come here.”
“You still don’t understand, do you?” Jarabec said. “REM will destroy everything you love. Try and coax you to give him your soul willingly. He will ask you to give your life for hers. But you cannot trust him. In the end, he will destroy her. He’ll destroy Alan. REM will take everything from you, just like he took your parents.”
“I would never willingly give him my soul, so he’s mistaken,” Poet said defiantly. “I can protect them.”
“Yes, Poet,” Jarabec said, turning away and kicking his cycle to life. “You are, indeed, just like your mother. But you’ll learn. One way or another, you’ll learn just how terrible REM can be.”
Poet watched the back of Jarabec’s head, sensing the emotions causing his warning. “And what did he take from you?” Poet asked.
Jarabec didn’t flinch. Instead he revved the engine. “My wife,” he said. Poet’s lips parted in an apology, but the Dream Walker didn’t turn. Although Poet had only known Jarabec for a short while, he admired him. Respected him.
“How did...” Poet trailed off, knowing it was rude to ask how she died. Jarabec stared down the empty street, as if lost in a thought.
“My wife wasn’t a Dream Walker,” Jarabec said. “She was unaccustomed to the type of pain REM could inflict. We were young and foolish. The Night Stalkers found Magdalena in a shop here, in the Dark End of Genesis. They dragged her out into the streets.” Jarabec turned back, his jaw tight as the color drained from his face. “They played her murder over and over on the telescreens.” He pointed up to the blank jumbo screen attached to the side of a building. “It was a warning for any who defied REM. But if he’d hoped it would bring me toward him, it only changed my mission.”
“I’m sorry,” Poet said, knowing it wasn’t enough.
“I was the strongest of the Dream Walkers then,” Jarabec continued. “But after Magdalena’s death, I decided that I wouldn’t just protect the dreamscape from the Night Stalkers, I would ultimately bring about REM’s destruction. I would devote my life to do it. I knew I had to find a Poet, with a soul brighter than any Dream Walker’s. A capacity for light that REM would not be able to defeat.”
“I don’t understand,” Poet said. “Why am I so important if there are other Poets?”
“Because you’re the only Poet here,” he said. “Perhaps it’s because you don’t understand the real danger you’re in. Perhaps you’re braver than they were. Now all the Poets are either dead or scattered, hidden in the wind. Out of our reach. Out of REM’s. One day, you’ll understand. You will have a choice whether or not to join them in that course, Poet Anderson. But today is not that day.”
Jarabec scanned the boy with his gray eyes. “Now,” he said. “We must go. If REM sent you into the dream, I imagine he’s already figured out your location.”
Above them, the colors of the skyline changed, casting dark shadows on the street. Poet looked up and found the telescreen streaming their image, fifty feet high. Jarabec cursed under his breath and Poet quickly climbed on the monocycle. They’d found him.
Jarabec twisted the throttle, lifting his black boots from the pavement as the monocycle shot forward, nearly knocking Poet off the back. People began to walk out of the closed shops, glancing up at the telescreens, murmuring their excitement. For a moment, Poet hated them. This was a sport to them, just like the Death Races.
“You’d better get ready, boy,” Jarabec called over the roar of his cycle. “Every one of the people in this part of town would pay good money to watch you get torn apart by your Night Terror.”
Tom DeLonge is the award-winning American musician, producer and director, best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the platinum-selling bands Blink-182 and Angels & Airwaves. Under his media production company To The Stars..., Tom has created transmedia entertainment properties that span music, film, comics and books. Poet Anderson ...Of Nightmares is precluded by the animated short film “Poet Anderson: The Dream Walker,” which took home Best Animated Film Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, the critically-acclaimed comic book series of the same name and the Billboard Hot 100 album by Angels & Airwaves The Dream Walker. Poet Anderson ...Of Nightmares will also coincide with an original soundtrack recorded by the band that you can listen to while you read. Limited edition collectible packages will be available on To The Stars that will bring together all media formats for one major compelling visual landscape of the Poet Anderson universe. An advanced book club community will also be live for fans that want to immerse themselves in the book prior to publication date and experience a directors cut of the book with rich media content.
Suzanne Young is the New York Times bestselling author of The Program series of novels for young adult readers. Young lives in Arizona where she also teaches high school English. Her novels include The Program, The Treatment, The Remedy, The Epidemic, and Hotel Ruby.
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