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Dreamquest
Eleven-year-old Julie Fray is living a nightmare. Her parents are fighting so much she can't even escape when she goes to sleep. Every night she has horrible dreams--and all she wants is for them to stop. Then one night she wakes up inside her dream, in the studio where her dreams are produced! There is even a star who looks just like Julie who plays her in her dreams. With some help from a production assistant named Roman, Julie learns that if she can somehow find the people responsible for producing her dreams, she might be able to make them less scary. But it won't be the tiny tear in the "fabric"of her consciousness that let her fall into the dream studio in the first place is closing fast...and she could be trapped inside her own head forever! Even worse, it turns out that when Julie fell into her dreams, Vivian, the actress who plays Julie in her dreams, escaped into the waking world--and the fake Julie will stop at nothing to take over Julie's life.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
119 people want to read
About the author
Brent Hartinger
27Ìýbooks797ÌýfollowersI am , a novelist and screenwriter. I’ve published fourteen novels, had nine screenplays optioned, and had two of my projects turned into feature films.
My first novel, Geography Club (2003), is the story of a gay teen named Russel Middlebrook. It was one of the first in a new wave of break-out LGBTQ young adult fiction, and it was adapted as a feature film in 2013. I subsequently wrote three more books about Russel, calling them The Russel Middlebrook Series. I tried to give these books a lot of humor and heart.
In 2013, I continued Russel’s story as he grew up, into his twenties, in a new, stand-alone series called Russel Middlebook: The Futon Years. These books are “new adult� (making Russel one of very few literary characters to “jump� genres in projects created by the same author).
In 2017, I released a new, stand-alone series starring Russel’s gay disabled friend Otto Digmore, called The Otto Digmore Series.
I love mysteries and thrillers. My 2016 gay teen puzzle box thriller Three Truths and a Lie was nominated for an Edgar Award (this, and my 2005 novel Grand & Humble, are real mind-benders, trust me). My 2007 YA mystery, Project Pay Day, is much lighter, and has also been adapted as feature film (which I wrote), to be released in 2020.
Here are all my books:
THE OTTO DIGMORE SERIES
* The Otto Digmore Difference (book 1)
* The Otto Digmore Decision (book 2)
RUSSEL MIDDLEBROOK: THE FUTON YEARS
* The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know (book #1)
* Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams (book #2)
* The Road to Amazing (book #3)
THE RUSSE MIDDLE BROOK SERIES
* Geography Club (book #1)
* The Order of the Poison Oak (book #2)
* Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (book #3)
* The Elephant of Surprise (book #4)
* Two Thousand Pounds Per Square Inch (a free short story)
MY OTHER BOOKS
* Project Pay Day
* Three Truths and a Lie
* Grand & Humble
* Shadow Walkers
I also love to travel. In fact, I no longer have a home. Instead, I travel the world indefinitely with my husband, writer Michael Jensen, moving to a new country every few months. You can follow our "digital nomad" journey at BrentandMichaelAreGoingPlaces.com
I try hard to write books that are page-turners, and movies that are fast-paced and accessible. If I had to describe my own writing projects, I would say, “Strong central concept, strong plot, strong character and voice.�
Basically, I see myself as a storyteller. But I think “story� is a lot more than “beautiful language� or complicated camera angles, which I often find self-indulgent and distracting. In most cases, I think the important thing for a writer or filmmaker is to get out of the way and just tell the damn story.
I answer all questions, so feel free to contact me on social media, or through my website:
Cheers!
Brent Hartinger
My first novel, Geography Club (2003), is the story of a gay teen named Russel Middlebrook. It was one of the first in a new wave of break-out LGBTQ young adult fiction, and it was adapted as a feature film in 2013. I subsequently wrote three more books about Russel, calling them The Russel Middlebrook Series. I tried to give these books a lot of humor and heart.
In 2013, I continued Russel’s story as he grew up, into his twenties, in a new, stand-alone series called Russel Middlebook: The Futon Years. These books are “new adult� (making Russel one of very few literary characters to “jump� genres in projects created by the same author).
In 2017, I released a new, stand-alone series starring Russel’s gay disabled friend Otto Digmore, called The Otto Digmore Series.
I love mysteries and thrillers. My 2016 gay teen puzzle box thriller Three Truths and a Lie was nominated for an Edgar Award (this, and my 2005 novel Grand & Humble, are real mind-benders, trust me). My 2007 YA mystery, Project Pay Day, is much lighter, and has also been adapted as feature film (which I wrote), to be released in 2020.
Here are all my books:
THE OTTO DIGMORE SERIES
* The Otto Digmore Difference (book 1)
* The Otto Digmore Decision (book 2)
RUSSEL MIDDLEBROOK: THE FUTON YEARS
* The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know (book #1)
* Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams (book #2)
* The Road to Amazing (book #3)
THE RUSSE MIDDLE BROOK SERIES
* Geography Club (book #1)
* The Order of the Poison Oak (book #2)
* Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (book #3)
* The Elephant of Surprise (book #4)
* Two Thousand Pounds Per Square Inch (a free short story)
MY OTHER BOOKS
* Project Pay Day
* Three Truths and a Lie
* Grand & Humble
* Shadow Walkers
I also love to travel. In fact, I no longer have a home. Instead, I travel the world indefinitely with my husband, writer Michael Jensen, moving to a new country every few months. You can follow our "digital nomad" journey at BrentandMichaelAreGoingPlaces.com
I try hard to write books that are page-turners, and movies that are fast-paced and accessible. If I had to describe my own writing projects, I would say, “Strong central concept, strong plot, strong character and voice.�
Basically, I see myself as a storyteller. But I think “story� is a lot more than “beautiful language� or complicated camera angles, which I often find self-indulgent and distracting. In most cases, I think the important thing for a writer or filmmaker is to get out of the way and just tell the damn story.
I answer all questions, so feel free to contact me on social media, or through my website:
Cheers!
Brent Hartinger
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 16, 2019
I read some of the reviews how it was cheesy or they didn't enjoy it. It's NOT meant for an adult or young adult audience 😂. I thought it was a cute little book. I picked it up during a library sale where you fill a paper bag for like 3 or 5 bucks. I don't have kids but if I did it would be appropriate for them to read and also might help them realize that nightmares are just made up in their self conscious mind. Little worries, stresses, social anxieties etc can bring on nightmares, everyone has them and it's okay but the most you can do is let it roll off your shoulder. Like Julie told her parents their problems were on them and she was going to bed.
February 15, 2008
Uugh. I love this author, but I really hate this book. Mainly just because it is cheesy and aimed at really young people.
It is about a girl who is suffering from nightmares and wakes up to find herself in Slumberia and embarks on a quest to stop her nightmares.
154 pages
It is about a girl who is suffering from nightmares and wakes up to find herself in Slumberia and embarks on a quest to stop her nightmares.
154 pages
July 23, 2008
eh. just ok. was expecting to like it more!
August 18, 2008
The premise was great: a girl wakes up in one of her dreams and has to find her way out. The story, however, was weird and ridiculous. I didn't enjoy it.
February 21, 2019
It's a really short book... It seemed... Like it was from another book for some reason, I can't put my finger on it... other wise it was OK.
December 3, 2007
Julie Fray is experiencing quite a bit of stress in her life. Because of this, her dreams are rather bizaare and frightening, causing her to lose sleep. Then, one day, she wakes up inside her dreams at the dream studio where the nightmares are filmed. The actress who plays her in her dreams escapes out the rift and takes over her daily life while she goes on a quest to ask the producers to stop creating nightmares for her.
Normally, I'm a real fan of Hartinger's work, especially , , , and . However, I was grossly disappointed with , and Dreamquest doesn't do it for me either. The story idea is creative; I liked that. And I'm willing to forgive the main character's passivity and timidity because I'm given enough to understand how these traits have shaped this character, and she does overcome them in the end to resolve her personal conflict.
But a book that is only 154 pages long should not feel like it's spinning its tires and going nowhere. . . . Can you stop my bad dreams? No, I only direct them. trek trek trek . . . Can you stop my bad dreams? No, I only write them. trek trek trek . . . Can you stop my bad dreams? No, that's what the people want. blah blah blah . . . So, in the end, it felt like this was just one wicked long book. And to think that they want this to be the first book in a series. Sigh.
My recommendation is to stick to Hartinger's good stuff, particularly Grand & Humble. Lowry does a much better job with the dream motif in .
Normally, I'm a real fan of Hartinger's work, especially , , , and . However, I was grossly disappointed with , and Dreamquest doesn't do it for me either. The story idea is creative; I liked that. And I'm willing to forgive the main character's passivity and timidity because I'm given enough to understand how these traits have shaped this character, and she does overcome them in the end to resolve her personal conflict.
But a book that is only 154 pages long should not feel like it's spinning its tires and going nowhere. . . . Can you stop my bad dreams? No, I only direct them. trek trek trek . . . Can you stop my bad dreams? No, I only write them. trek trek trek . . . Can you stop my bad dreams? No, that's what the people want. blah blah blah . . . So, in the end, it felt like this was just one wicked long book. And to think that they want this to be the first book in a series. Sigh.
My recommendation is to stick to Hartinger's good stuff, particularly Grand & Humble. Lowry does a much better job with the dream motif in .
November 12, 2012
Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
Eleven-year-old Julie is torn -- torn between her parents, who constantly bicker and try to force her to pick sides, and torn up by her nightmares, which get scarier and more vivid every night. So it's not surprising that one night a tear opens in Julie herself, causing her to slip through her unconscious into the world where her dreams are made: Slumberia. There, she must try to find a way to convince the dream makers to stop giving her nightmares, and return home before the Julie of the dream world takes over her life back in the waking world.
DREAMQUEST is an amazingly imaginative novel, with a fully realized world full of fascinating images and creatures. From the moon people, whose faces only show themselves to those who truly care, to the moustached butterflies that act as messengers and the shark-turned-lawyers, these are beings unlike those in any other book. The setting, in the always-night Slumberia, with its desert full of ghosts and towering city of nightmares, is vivid and unforgettable.
Julie is a likable protagonist, and readers will enjoy following her journey as she learns to stand up for herself and fight for her own well-being. Her story is reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, as she journeys through this strange world, picking up traveling companions along the way, finally confronting the source of her problems only to realize the solution lies within herself. Her friends and her parents are somewhat underdeveloped, but as this is the first book in a series, there's plenty of room to grow.
DREAMQUEST offers readers a vision of a frightening and intriguing world, with lots of adventure along the way and much promise for more to come. Readers will be eager for the next book in the series.
Eleven-year-old Julie is torn -- torn between her parents, who constantly bicker and try to force her to pick sides, and torn up by her nightmares, which get scarier and more vivid every night. So it's not surprising that one night a tear opens in Julie herself, causing her to slip through her unconscious into the world where her dreams are made: Slumberia. There, she must try to find a way to convince the dream makers to stop giving her nightmares, and return home before the Julie of the dream world takes over her life back in the waking world.
DREAMQUEST is an amazingly imaginative novel, with a fully realized world full of fascinating images and creatures. From the moon people, whose faces only show themselves to those who truly care, to the moustached butterflies that act as messengers and the shark-turned-lawyers, these are beings unlike those in any other book. The setting, in the always-night Slumberia, with its desert full of ghosts and towering city of nightmares, is vivid and unforgettable.
Julie is a likable protagonist, and readers will enjoy following her journey as she learns to stand up for herself and fight for her own well-being. Her story is reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, as she journeys through this strange world, picking up traveling companions along the way, finally confronting the source of her problems only to realize the solution lies within herself. Her friends and her parents are somewhat underdeveloped, but as this is the first book in a series, there's plenty of room to grow.
DREAMQUEST offers readers a vision of a frightening and intriguing world, with lots of adventure along the way and much promise for more to come. Readers will be eager for the next book in the series.
June 24, 2012
Dreamquest by Brent Hartinger is about Julie, a 12 year old girl who's a misfit at school and a wishbone pulled in opposite directions by her bickering parents. To make matters worse, she has terrible nightmares. One night she finds herself in the land of nightmares -- that's right, the dream factory that creates nightmares in much the same way that movies get made in Hollywood. The exception is that the execs and flunkies who produce Julie's nightmares range in species from human to shark to moon-faced silent beings. Julie has to find a way back to her real world, but first she has to get the studio to change its nightmarish venue before she goes crazy.
Dreamquest is a slim YA fantasy novel that is witty and engaging. I loved the dialogue! Dreamquest pays homage to the Wizard of Oz without borrowing from it. I like this book a lot. It was easy to read and fun to read.
Dreamquest is a slim YA fantasy novel that is witty and engaging. I loved the dialogue! Dreamquest pays homage to the Wizard of Oz without borrowing from it. I like this book a lot. It was easy to read and fun to read.
May 22, 2012
Dreamquest was a really good book. It is more for teens or younger kids but it was still good! It is a story about a girl named Julie who keeps having nightmares and one day gets stuck inside her own dreams! In a place called Slumberia she meets all kinds of characters who try to help her end her nightmares and escape from her dreams before time runs out and she gets stuck forever! But she must get past one; Vivian, who is determined to enter Julies world and take over her life. Will Julie return home in time to save her mother from death? Will Vivian live out Julie's life as intended? Will Julie help the people of Slumberia and bring those down who control our dreams and cause the nightmares? Read this book and find out!
February 8, 2009
Julie Fray’s parents fight constantly and use her against each other. It is no wonder that Julie’s dreams have become violent nightmares. Every night, the dreams seem to get more horrible, pitting her father against her mother with her being literally torn apart by the two of them...
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, for the review of in it's entirety. You won't be sorry.
For the entire review please go to the Best Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review site on the web, for the review of in it's entirety. You won't be sorry.
November 23, 2013
In Brent Hartinger's brilliant debut in the fantasy genre for tweens, he is able to put together an amazing, original tale into a story not just for younger readers, but for all ages. Julie is a completely believable, fierce, and even a bit sassy heroine. Peppered throughout with both Hartinger's trademark humor and Hollywood satire, this is one read that simply cannot be put down until you finish the last word. Why oh why will it take so long for the sequels to come out?!
Note: And unfortunately, no more books in this series due to low sales. Le sad!
Note: And unfortunately, no more books in this series due to low sales. Le sad!
November 11, 2010
This book was fun and exciting. It is the perfect book to hand a.middle grade reader, boy or girl. I love the idea that there is a world that creates our dreams that can run amuck. Can't wait to read the sequel.
October 18, 2007
An exciting fantasy-ish book for middle level readers. When do dreams become reality? When does reality feel like a dream? Dream production - what a business.
March 5, 2009
Julie tries to stop her nightmares before returning the waking world. I usually like the author's works but this book was a bit simplistic with flat characters.
December 4, 2010
Interesting story for sure! Don't need to rush out to go get this one though!
September 22, 2011
It was an exciting read, but just not my taste. I recommend this for middle schoolers.
June 2, 2012
Ah. The love story of capitalism. Boils down to corporate greed, of course. Well, politically, it's in. But not exactly my taste.
Read
October 30, 2013I never got to finish this book because I had too many books I was reading at the time, but it was really interesting when I was reading it.
January 26, 2014
I liked the book not because the story has captured my heart but because it's the first novel I've read with weirdest characters.
February 6, 2017
This book is for younger readers. I did like the sleeping mind world, the moon people and the different creatures. I enjoyed it overall.
February 2, 2016
I like it.it was alright :/
Read
September 3, 2017Starts out as "kid helpless while parents argue endlessly and then ship her off to live with relatives who are total strangers" cliche. But evey story has to start somewhere. Keep reading past the point where she enters another reality, meets interesting characters and strange new enemies. It's worth finishing this one.
For more, read review #13 on my blog:
For more, read review #13 on my blog:
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
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