Strange the Dreamer

Starred review from January 16, 2017
In the first book of a duology, Taylor (the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy) again creates a complex and layered world of battling gods and humans. The tale begins 200 years after humans wiped out the powerful Mesarthim in a war so devastating that the city where it took place was said to have vanished and became known only as Weep. Lazlo Strange, an orphaned young librarian raised by monks, is obsessed with Weep and dreams of traveling across a dangerous desert to find it. Almost miraculously, the opportunity comes his way, and Taylor’s story takes shape in Weep itself where, unbeknownst to humans, five “godspawn”—each with a special power—and the ghosts that serve them still endure, waiting to take revenge. While the pace is initially slow, momentum and tension build as love blossoms between two young people from warring factions, mysteries of identity develop, and critical events unfold in dreams, thanks to the gifts of a blue-skinned godspawn named Sarai. Gorgeously written in language simultaneously dark, lush, and enchanting, the book will leave readers eager for the next. Ages 15–up. Agent: Jane Putch, Eyebait Management.

Narrator Steve West's British accent and measured pacing lend a feeling of gravitas to this fantasy. West creates voices for each character, starting with the open, curious tones of the main character, Lazlo, a librarian who joins a journey to save Weep, a city long cut off from the rest of the world by hedonistic gods. West creates harsher voices for Weep's residents, still traumatized a couple decades after their oppressors were overthrown in a bloody revolt. To Sarai, the half-god teen who has been living in hiding and whom Laslo falls in love with, West brings a softer tone. Epic in scope but intimate in details, this production will leave listeners waiting for the next installment. A.F. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

June 5, 2017
It’s odd that the audio edition of this epic YA novel by Taylor—which unfolds from the alternating perspectives of Lazlo Strange, the unassuming librarian who is poised to have the adventure of a lifetime, and Sarai, the lonely blue goddess who visits him in dreams—does not use two actors for the lead characters, as is common practice. However, West’s performance is excellent: his rich voice and British accent make for easy listening throughout, and he can also stretch himself to memorably portray various bit parts. Particularly affecting are his renditions of an elderly librarian colleague of Lazlo’s and of Minya, a wicked sister of sorts to Sarai. West also captures both the strength and despair of the Godslayer, a warrior still trying to come to terms with the carnage he once wrought in order to save his people. At more than 18 hours, this audio book offers a sweeping escape to a distant realm, perfect to pass the hours of any long trip. Ages 15–up. A Little, Brown hardcover.