Good people do all the things bad people do, Lazlo. It’s just that when they do them, they call it justice.
Strange the Dreamer
This week’s reading was a book that I kept seeing circulating on social media for years especially on Instagram. It is an all-time favorite to many and so I made the jump.
I also tried to read through the entire Strange the Dreamer series rather than wait like I usually do. Based on my experience, I think this is the new way I will read future series because it is so much more interesting and thrilling.
I tend to forget what happened in previous books if I wait too long and by the time I am back on track I am already deep in the book which is not that great because the fun doesn’t last as long as it should.
Now, Strange the Dreamer is not my typical read because I don’t necessarily like to read books that have too much hype, but I can say I do not regret it in the least.
Here is why.
Cover
So he hoped, so he dreamed: that, in the course of time, grain by grain, the gray would give way to the dream and the sands of his life would run bright.
Strange the Dreamer
Gorgeous covers! I love that they feature a key element of the story, but also the intricate symbols which hint at the rich lore of this series. I could gaze at those for hours.
Synopsis
This story is about Lazlo Strange, an orphan who grew up with monks in a very. Strange is a strange last name, right? Well, orphans don’t get to be named after their parents, so Strange is automatically given to them.
He liked to play and pretend to be a Tizerkane, one of those legendary warriors from a city lost in the desert. It was his only escape from the monastery, that and his imagination.
Fortunately for him, he ends up in one of the largest libraries of his world and becomes a librarian, revelling in stories of a mythical city that blinked out of existence suddenly. An introvert by nature, dusty books and forgotten legends are his true friends.
Lazlo grows a passion which then becomes an obsession about this city and intends to find out what happened to it.
I found this hook so good. It reminded my of the Mysterious Cities of Gold and I needed to know what happened next!
Characters
Lazlo Strange, an orphan who sets out on a quest to find out what happened to the mysterious city.
Thyon Nero, a very attractive nobleman and alchemist in service of the royal family who knows how to use his power, beauty and status to get what he wants.
There are many more characters but it would be a spoiler to tell you so I shall stop here and let you discover them.
Here was the radical notion that you might help someone simply because they needed it.
Strange the Dreamer
Worldbuilding
The strength of this series is that it delivers. The lore is so rich; it is dizzying at first, but don’t worry, Taylor does a good job at reminding the reader many times the names and the myths that taint the lands of Zeru.
Alchemy is a dominant feature in this book and I liked that the author added her own twist on it by introducing a legendary compound but also some unique rules which are not violated throughout the book even when the going gets tough and there are so many things happening at the same time. The author is consistent and makes this fantasy world even more believable.
Science and beliefs clash and, for those of you who know me, is one thing I find the most interesting in science-fiction and fantasy which I also write about. They do not negate one another, but coexist logically.
This series features different languages, and the author went as far as creating new words for some phenomena such as Thakrar, this feeling between beauty and terror which I find awesome. It makes you see the world differently all thanks to the languages she created (more on that in a future post).
What I think
A first kiss, especially—is the moment before your lips touch, and before your eyes close, when you’re filled with the sight of each other, and with the compulsion, the pull, and it’s like… it’s like… finding a book inside another book.
Strange the Dreamer
What a ride!
The feeling I had when reading this book is that, every time I thought I had understood the workings of this world, almost immediately, something came to shake things up and surprise me. It was amazing!
Even the sequel expands so much your on everything you thought you knew and I think it works so well because Taylor found a way to slowly build her world by constantly having the reader beg for more. it must have been such a challenge to break down the massive lore into but I’m glad she succeeded.
There were some times in the second book when I felt it was a bit slow and the focus moved away from Lazlo, but I think it was necessary to give a broad view of what was going on though I would have liked to see more of him and all the transformations he undergoes.
For those of you who want to feel the thrill until the very last page and enjoy an awe-inspiring story, pick up Strange the Dreamer now! If you do, please share your comments with me here, by email or on Goodreads!
David M. Snow
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