Sleepwalker: The Last Sandman

If youre a kid at heart, youll like this book. Its one of those fun, engrossing reads, that anyone from 9 to 90 will like. Its fantasy, which isnt my usual choice, but not the kind of fantasy with dragons, fairies, and swashbuckling elves, its got its own dream characters, in this dreamland of Nod, that I found thoroughly enjoyable and different from the usual dragons and princess fantasy books. Im looking forward to another adventure from this author. I give it 5 stars for fun, great storytelling, and smooth writing.

Being a new Kindle owner has exposed me to new genres and authors I usually wouldnt take a second look at. Looking for something new for my 10 and 13 year old, what caught my eye in the product description was that this was a ...Modern Fantasy with no wizards, faeries, dragons, or vampires...which seems to be all the rage in current YA fiction. The story succeeds with well-thought and fleshed-out characters, fast-paced action, and a very unique story. Marlows descriptions of Nod, from fun and whimsical to eerie and heart pounding, were utterly believable. Kudos to the cow scene. Ill never look at a pasture the same way again. In short, I would have given the book 4 1/2 stars if Amazon had that option. I had difficulty with the beginning chapters following who was telling the story (father Cole versus grandfather Jake), and problems suspending my belief that one of the main characters, Sean, could still climb and run away from danger with a broken leg. That being said, this page turner is an excellent novel for the young and old; I read it straight through in two days. Two thumbs up and I look forward to more books from Brad Marlow.

Im going to keep this short and just say I really enjoyed this book. Im looking forward to the next one and will buy it the minute it comes out! Keep the stories coming and keep all your new fans happy! :)

This book was an absolute page turner! The authors writing blurs the line between fantasy and modern day reality in such an imaginative way and keeps the reader excited for the next chapter. Brad Marlowes storytelling is top notch and never ceases to captivate his audience. Every place, character, and motion is described so vividly, it feels as if you are there in the book. The characters are written in a very believable fashion. From the mannerisms of the children to the rationale of the adults, it is evident that Brad Marlowe is talented in fleshing out every character so well. I loved everything about Sleepwalker: The Last Sandman. It has the feel of a Harry Potter or Percy Jackson book while still being original and exciting. Definitely a great read and looking forward to more from Brad Marlowe.

Normally, I dont like first-person narrative novels. Normally, I dont like stories that switch between first-person and third-person narrative. I freely admit to now being abnormal, because I absolutely LOVED Sleepwalker: The Last Sandman. The story was imaginative, fresh, and extremely enjoyable to read. The characters were believable and well-developed. The authors words painted such vivid pictures in my mind (I was bouncing right along with Jake on the trampoline grass, could feel how tired the people were because they werent getting proper sleep, and could smell the soot in the air as I rode with Sean and Cole on their horrific roller-coaster experience). The story evoked sadness and joy, terror and triumph. When the villain was defeated, I cheered aloud (though quietly, as it was 1:30 a.m. and my husband was asleep!). Another thing I liked about the book is that is contained no profanity, gratuitous sex, or violence (thats not to say that bad things didnt happen, but the descriptions were not graphic or gory). That is hard to find in a day and age where bad language, violence, and sex are used in novels, TV shows, and movies (even those geared towards children and teenagers) just because they are more accepted today than they used to be and publishers seem to think that sex sells. Sleepwalker didnt need any of those things to be a compelling story. I noticed that all the other reviewers for this book gave five-stars. Mine is a four-star review only because of some minor grammatical errors about which the author has been told (at his request). If Amazon had a 4-1/2 star option, thats what I would assign to Sleepwalker: The Last Sandman, because the mistakes only slightly detracted from the story. When the corrected version is released, I know it will definitely be a five-star novel. I will be one of the first in line to buy Brad Marlowes next book.

I loved your book. It made me feel like a kid again discovering the wonder of books and the stories within. I cant wait to read this to my granddaughters when they are older. All I can say now is, wheres the sequel?

Perfect gift for a 9 year old boy. He loved it.

Plot/Storyline: 4 Stars This was an extremely imaginative tale that takes place mostly in the dream world of Nod. There is even a surprising explanation for why it is called `Nod. Although this is listed as a YA novel, it is just as enjoyable for adults, if not more so. Younger readers would possibly miss many of the subtle nuances of the work. At first, the switching of viewpoint from omniscient to first person was a little awkward. Cole, the father of twins, is reading a book to them that is written by his father, Jake. The book he is reading is told in first person, and relates a tale from Coles childhood. The portions featuring the `adult Cole become scarce after the first quarter, though, making for a smoother read. I felt that having Jake write his book from a first person perspective, but relate in detail events he was not personally privy to, gave the story an unrealistic feel. Yes, the tale is a fantasy and, therefore, not realistic at all. However, this aspect leant a fictional quality that is negated later in the work. Coles explanation for why he did not call Jake Dad, or something similar, was bothersome to me. The story did not really explain why or when Cole switched to calling his father by his name. I figured that he must have called him `Daddy when a baby as the adults would have ensured this. His brother, Sean, calls Jake, Dad. So, the explanation Cole gives his sons seemed like something contrived by an adult to earn points with his kids, rather than something based in reality, especially given the story he reads to them with his fathers part in it. Although the story takes place mostly in the `dream world, it is pointed out that Sean and Cole have physical bodies there and can be hurt or killed. However, when Sean breaks his leg, he still manages to run, jump, climb ladders, etc. I tried hard to overlook this and succeeded for the most part, thinking that perhaps his leg wasnt actually broken, just sprained or something. However, being told that Sean still limps as an adult reinforced the idea that the leg was broken. This was a fairly fast paced novel with many action sequences. I especially enjoyed the stories injected into the storyline. They were a good fit and very interesting. Oddly enough, my favorite characters were the cows from the trampoline scene. I dont know why, but that image just stuck with me. Character Development: 4 Stars Jake is a very well-developed character. The reader can really feel his emotions coming through. I have to admit that I found it difficult to feel much sympathy for a man who abandoned his children, but sympathy did come into play for him being a widower. Cole could have been developed more as the reader really doesnt get much explanation for what he is really feeling. As a child, we understand that he loves his brother, but we dont get a feel for how this boy feels about having his mother die and being abandoned by his father. This is not expressed well from the adult Coles viewpoint, either. Sean is very well developed from the childhood view. I did wish that he would have made an appearance as an adult, but, even though that never happened, I was still satisifed with the development of his character. Writing Style: 4 3/4 Stars The writing style of Mr. Marlowe had a wonderful flow to it that kept me enthralled throughout. The descriptions were vivid, bringing the dream world to life. Aside from a very few dangling participles and awkward sentences, the structure was outstanding. The dialogue was realistic and engaging. The action sequences were also very nicely done with no confusion for the reader. I could actually see the action unfolding in my mind as I read (especially those cows). Editing/Formatting: 4 3/4 Stars There were a few too many editing errors to refer to this as `professionally edited; however, it did not fall very short. The formatting was excellent. Rating: PG ------------------------------- For more information and reviews, including commentary by authors, be sure to check out my blog. You will find it listed in my profile!

Although I really think that tweens and teens will thoroughly enjoy Sleepwalker: The Last Sandman I think the book has a great story and meaning to offer to adults as well. The storytelling is tight and fast paced, but it was the sort of book that you almost didnt want to finish, because you knew youd miss the characters when the last page was done. The characters are realistic and even in the most fantastic of situations the author finds them in, you can hear the truth of the characters as you read. The fantasy elements are so neatly done, that you find yourself believing them just as much as you believe in the more mundane and recognizable reality that Jake, Cole & Sean are experiencing in the story. Many authors can make fantasy exciting and others can make reality realistic, but to be able to do both is something you dont often seen in YA novels. Also, unlike many YA books, this story had characters that both boys and girls would be interested in. This is definitely not a book that will be pegged as a book just for boys or just for girls. I could easily have seen our family reading this book as a read-aloud book when my daughter was younger. The chapters are of a manageable size for an evenings read. But more than that, this book touched on many subjects and emotions that I, as a mother of a teenager who is rapidly preparing to go out on her own, was deeply touched by. The love of children for their parents, the love of parents for their children, the strength of children, the weaknesses in even the best parent figures - all of these themes come into play in Sleepwalker:The Last Sandman in a way that made it more than worth my time to read. I usually archive books as soon as I finish them, but this one I have left on my Kindle. I find myself going back to peek in on the characters and I am anxiously awaiting what happens next!

I bought this book for my Kindle because I thought my 13 year old daughter might be interested in it. And, I like a little fantasy myself. I have to say that Ive never read a book quite like this. If youve seen The Never Ending Story or Alice in Wonderland, this book is similar to those tales. It was kind of weird, the day after I saw Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland, I came to the part of this book where Alice appears. I really enjoyed the book. Its very well written and has a great message without being too preachy. The characters are very interesting. There are times when the stories within the stories can get a little confusing as we have a father reading a bedtime story to his children about their grandfathers adventures which include him as a child. The book also felt a little long to me for a kind of light hearted story. And, while a shorter version might be appropriate for children, there were a couple of passages that got pretty intense and Im not sure Id want my younger daughter (10) to read. All in all, it was a fun read and I would definitely recommend the book.