Review (Novel): The Dead Dream Wakes by Ezra Holiday

Introduction & Synopsis

 The first, and seemingly last, novel written by Ezra Holiday, The Dead Dream Wakes is a fantasy-horror novel that was originally intended to be the first instalment in the presumably abandoned Tales of Bridgeport series.

 The Dead Dream Wakes follows two young adults, Jonah and Clay, as they uncover the mysteries of an abandoned steelworks factory within the city. It isn't long before they realise that they have bitten off far more than they could chew, delving into a world of demonic forces and supernatural beings, as the mysteries of the city of Bridgeport begin to unravel before them.

Characters

 The two primary characters in this novel, as already mentioned, are Jonah and Claire ("Clay"). Both of them, despite a few minor personality traits that are simply told to the reader, instead of being shown through character moments. Not only is this poor literary form, but the few personality traits the characters are described as having can be summarised thusly; Jonah is messy and detached, Clay is organised and, too, detached. Neither of these characters are particularly interesting, but neither of them are particularly irritating or unlikable. They simply are, and evoke very little emotion.

 Out of the entire ensemble of characters, only one of them stands out as being even somewhat interesting; Lepha. Acting, more often than not, as a third-party observer, Lepha's mysterious nature is what made him the stand-out character of the book.

Plot

 While a majority of the characters fall flat, the plot, on the other hand, is far more expertly crafted. The first act revolves around the mystery of an abandoned Merkan Steelworks factory, which both of our protagonists find to be irresistibly inviting. After conducting an investigation into the history of the building, both Jonah and Clay eventually decide to explore the interior of the building, only to find that the structure serves as a gateway into an underground complex, filled with supernatural beings, clans of underground inhabitants, and even more monstrous phenomenon.

 The deeper Jonah and Clay delve into the depths, the more they encounter answers to many of their questions, and even answers to questions the two never had. A vast majority of the revelations and story beats are expertly written, however there is a short segment of the story in which both protagonists briefly encounter a clan of underground denizens, which is quickly forgotten, and serves little consequence to the rest of the plot.

 The ending to the novel is by far the greatest element of the story. The entire story is turned on its head, and the true nature of the city of Bridgeport is revealed. This revelation is thoroughly satisfying, and the ultimate fate of both Jonah and Clay. If the characters were more interesting and three-dimensional, this would have me wanting to read more. But, alas, the author has seemingly abandoned this series after Dream.

 Prose

 There is very little I can say about the prose of this novel. Despite any flaws I may have with the way the author writes characterisations and plot-lines, Ezra Holiday is undeniably a wordsmith. The Dead Dream Wakes is filled with an entire plethora of beautiful turns of phrase. Descriptions of locations and people are vivid. The dialogue is fantastic, with, again, their only failing being that they're being uttered by an un-interesting cast of characters. Even though Ezra Holiday has a tendency of telling the reader about his character, instead of simply showing, his writing is phenomenal. 

Conclusion

 Despite the rather two-dimensional characters, and the occasional irrelevancies in the story, The Dead Dream Wakes is an enjoyable novel. Perhaps diminished by my general apathy towards the horror genre, this novel serves the purpose as an entertaining quick read. It will never be on my favourites shelf, however i would recommend it to those who enjoy horror novels.

 3/5

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