I was lucky enough to receive an Advance Listening Copy of Steggie Belle & the Dream Warriors from the author, and I was really honoured to be one of the first to listen.
We are told the story from the point of view of a man called Zoofall, who has shut himself into his room to tell us the tale. Steggie is the boss in the dreamworld and Zoofall is the new recruit. This book is full of fantasy, myth and magic and goes far, far beyond the world of even lucid dreaming.
I simply loved how Zoofall came to realise that he was different and that he could travel throughout the dreamworld on quests and adventures. Even when you’re dreaming, the world is full of bad people as well as good ones and yes, there is a fair share of enemies for the band of warriors to contend with whilst they’re asleep!
Elias Pell has such a fantastic imagination, writing the story as he does, it’s full of amazing imagery and to me, the sign of a great author is one who can make you believe that what you are reading is true, even in fantasy. When I closed my eyes at night, I went looking for Steggie Belle, Wolf and Zoofall, but alas, I didn’t find them!
If you enjoy fantasy, world-building and a brilliant story, then grab a copy of Steggie Belle & the Dream Warriors. The audiobook is awesome, and Jay Forrester’s voice will draw you into Steggie’s world as he talks in your ears! Kindle and paperback versions are also available.
Thank you to Elias Pell for the opportunity to listen to and review Steggie Belle & the Dream Warriors. I really hope he has more than one sequel up his sleeve.
Book Description
“What if our understanding of dreams is just a poor reflection of another place…
a real place?”
As a boy, after a freak accident results in him making a peculiar acquaintance, a lengthy initiation follows, and Zoofall finally finds himself welcomed into a group of other young dreamers—who call themselves the Freedivers. They teach him hidden truths and the long-forgotten, true history of humankind. Of how the dream and waking worlds, although now separated, were once united as one, until the “cross-overs” began. They show him that the stuff of ancient myths and fairy tales, of folklore and urban legends have never been imaginary at all. These beings had simply migrated for their own safety, away from the waking world, and that these “crossings” are by no means one-way.
Within this magical and terrifyingly real realm, Zoofall must figure out if his own unusual powers make him a possible saviour or a dangerous burden. As dark forces rise up, threatening to engulf their group, he must uncover the greatest mystery of all. Who their incredible leader—Steggie Belle—really is, how she became so powerful, and if by any chance she can be saved?
Elias Pell is a London-born, previously published poet and self-confessed dreamer. Disguised as an adult (children have somehow always been able to see through this facade) Elias left England in 2016, putting all his savings towards the dream of writing full-time. Since then, he has sat, scribbling away on a rooftop in Barcelona, spurred on by the raucous cries of seagulls circling overhead.
Steggie Belle & the Dream Warriors is Elias’s debut Fantasy novel: a story inspired by his own lifelong Lucid Dreaming experiences. In 2020, it was awarded as a Finalist in the Fantasy category of NIEA’s global annual competition (the only self-published novel to reach that shortlist).
Elias has also published a collection of short stories for adults, entitled Scapegoats & Crowbars, and is currently working on the sequel to Steggie Belle, alongside other new writing projects. He is currently seeking representation, and can be contacted directly at elias.pell75@gmail.com.
0 comments:
Post a Comment