Review: Amazingly Original
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 11, 2014
Platt and Truant have done it again and very differently. First, it is important to note that the authors tend toward more "R" rated work, but this book is very much "G" rated.The plot is standard: young person's life is disturbed by an amazing talent and is called upon to save the world. The story isn't standard. Eila's world is created by people like her plugging into a huge device (the Blunderbuss) to take dreams and manifest them into real world objects. She learns that there is a dark secret to wonderful magic. While that might not seem that original, the execution of the idea is fantastically original.One of the great things about The Dream Engine is the originality of the language. Normally in any sort of story taking place in a "different world" you get lots of made up names that are hard to keep up with and impossible to pronounce. Platt and Truant aren't playing that game with the reader here. For example: an element of the story is a system of air ships that carry goods from one city to another. They could have called these things "Airships" and that would be a fine, boring name. Instead they describe them as airships, but call them "Ferry Shaws." Ferry Shaws are piloted by fast-talking, tall-tale telling "Rudder Mouths." I loved that name. It evokes... something I can't quite put a finger on and is perfect.Don't expect a lot of that. They don't overload you with it.There are other surprises, too. And I'm not going to go into them, but they did make me curious where this world is headed. And don't even get me started on the dream Eila has where she goes into the crumbling and abandoned fortress of "The Dark King." They could do an entire series (and might) on that little gem.One of the great things about this book is the respect it has for the intended audience. Platt and Truant never, ever assume that young adult readers are stupid or lazy.The Dream Engine is completely entertaining and engaging. It is meant to be a series, yet it also has a satisfying ending and doesn't leave the reader hanging like a lot of series do.If you enjoy this book and the sequels aren't out yet, I suggest you tryUnicorn Westernnext.