Author: Ross Mackenzie
Publisher: Chicken House
Release Date: 6 Sep 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1906427160
Synopsis
Everybody dreams. That's the problem. Good dreams are sweet. Bad dreams are scary, but what happens if the worst sort of nightmares take over? Zac Wonder is about to find out. On the stroke of midnight, he is plunged into an extraordinary world on the other side of sleep. Is he still dreaming? Has he gone nuts? Or, is he really meant to save us all from vampires, werewolves and the dream pirates who threaten to keep us awake forever.
My Review
This is another one on the 'Book Day' list at the library that I had to read.
the world is being taken over by Nightmares, people are afraid to go to sleep, worried they will be haunted by their worst fears. Zac lives with his gran and realizes that she's starting to act strangely, one night he follows her and ends up in the Dream world, where he discovers 'Dream Pirates' - the ones responsible for the nightmares, he also discovers that his Gran is a 'Knight of Nod' a band trying to stop the Pirates.
I liked Zac's gran, she's feisty and funny and a proper ninja granny. I loved the spark she brought to the page. Zac is a good character, but I didn't really feel like I connected with him too much, I don't really know much about him, I have a feeling that there is more to come.
The whole land was very well thought up, I liked the names like 'Knights of Nod' and the pub is called the 'Forty Winks', lots of little humour slipped in that just made the world come to life.
I love the cover of the book, the skull is made up of lots of little pictures - things they experience in the dream world and the eyes glow in the dark. So cool.
The plot is good and the chapters are split between Zac and the Knights, the Pirates/Vampires and then 'Tinn and Noelle'. Tinn is the leader of the Knights but has been captured by the pirates and is trying to escape, whilst in prison he meets Noelle. I enjoyed these chapters and I was intrigued by Noelle.
There is a 'traitor' plot in the book, someone is leaking information to the pirates, as soon as this was introduced I knew who it was, despite the other accusations, I was sure of who it was and I was right so the big 'revelation' moment was ruined for me as I already knew and I think it's quite obvious really, but maybe the kids reading it will be shocked.
Overall I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would, but there were some bits that didn't quite work for me, and poor Tinn really gets put through the wars.
My Rating
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