Dreamwalker is the first novel in the Dreamwalker series by A.K. Adler, set in the same world as Fractured Dreamer.
Finished on: 17.12.2025
[I won this book in a LibraryThing Early Reviewer give-away.]

Content Note: cancer, (critical treatment of) queermisia, animal death

Plot:
Every night, Luke dreams about Aliya. Aliya is a dreamwalker – she can enter into other people’s dreams. But she does her damnedest to ignore that fact. Including ignoring her village shaman who tries to teach and apprentice her. But when people start dying, apparently from the things in their dreams, Aliya has to face her abilities. The longer the dreams about Aliya last, the more Luke is convinced that they are more than just dreams. Of everything else, he is not so sure, not even who he is. When his little sister Lily falls ill, Luke knows that Aliya is the one to help him.

Dreamwalker is a fine read that can stand well on its own (despite having a sequel) and tackles some interesting themes. I liked it.

As with Fractured Dreamer, the first book by Adler that I read, what I liked most about Dreamwalker was the way the world here works – with Luca dreaming about Aliya, but also vice versa. It gives Adler interesting possiblities to play with, and they do. (Unless I missed something, apart from this general idea and one part playing in more or less “our” world, not a fantasy place, Fractured Dreamer doesn’t share much with Dreamwalker.) It also lends itself particularly well to this kind of queer/trans narrative that Adler again explores here where the characters fight against who they actually are, until they dream.

Every once in a while, the book is a little clunky in making its points, but they are important points that I wouldn’t want to be misunderstood in any case – like the fact that Luca’s quest to “heal” Lily by giving her hope is not a substitute for (modern) medicine, but Lily needs both. Or the fact that you are allowed to leave friends behind when they turn against you, even if you did share sweet, intimate and important moments in the past.

If there is one squabble I have with the book, it is the way that the death of a pet is handled here. I’ll try to keep this a little vague, so as not to spoil things, but first, I was surprised that the pet had come along into the dangerous situation – either I had missed that or it really wasn’t mentioned, but it would have warranted a little more care giving its impending doom. And then the fact that the pet owner grieves is barely given space or understanding, the (other) characters just move on when at least some condolences would have been in order (and an apology for the way the news was delivered). Signed, a dog and cat and turtle owner.

But this is just a small moment in a book filled with vivid characters, good ideas and a wonderful dragon. It certainly made for a good read, especially for a younger audience. But I will keep my eyes peeled for the sequel to this one (although, as I said, the story here has enough closure that a sequel isn’t strictly necessary).

Summarizing: very nice.