Dream Dark (Caster Chronicles 2.5)
Published on August 2, 2011
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
~10,000 words
Description (From Goodreads):
When Link joined his best friend, Ethan Wate, on a quest through a mysterious network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, he knew the journey would be dangerous. But returning home to Gatlin, South Carolina was just the beginning…
Wounded during a climactic battle, Link discovers that tending his injuries won’t be as simple as visiting a doctor and that healing his arm should be the least of his worries. For being bitten by a Supernatural does more than break the skin — it changes a person, inside and out, turning Link into someone more and more like the dark creature who injured him.
In this never-before-seen short story by New York Times bestselling authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, readers witness Link’s heart-racing transformation. Dream Dark is set before the much-anticipated third Beautiful Creatures novel, Beautiful Chaos, and as a special bonus includes an exclusive sneak peek at the first five chapters.
*****Warning, Possible Spoilers If You Haven’t Read Beautiful Creatures or Beautiful Darkness******
My Thoughts:
From the first sentence of any of the Caster Chronicles books, you instantly feel like you’re amongst friends and you’re home. And in this short story taking place between last year’s Beautiful Darkness and the upcoming Beautiful Chaos, you step right back into the thick of things in Gatlin and get reacquainted with Ethan, Lena, ex-Siren Ridley, and new Incubus Link.
Ethan’s best friend, Link was bitten at the end of Beautiful Darkness by John Breed, and Dream Dark follows his transformation from regular, quirky guy to an irrestible , ladies man Incubus. With the help of back from the dead ex-Incubus Uncle Macon, Link must learn to cope with not only the physical changes that he goes through — the increase in height, the muscle gain — but also, the inability to eat normal food.
Authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl inject plenty of humor in this short story while projecting a vivid setting full of the sights, sounds, and smells of the South. While the story focuses on Link’s path to becoming the “Linkubus” (I love that nickname, btw), you get a glimpse of how Ridley is adjusting to life as a human, as well as how Lena’s claiming herself as both light and dark has brought the plagues on Gatlin.
I give this short story a solid 5 out of 5. It’s a quick, entertaining read that whets your appetite for more. I loved Link before, but I’m totally in love with the Linkubus now. And you get to read the first several chapters of Beautiful Chaos, which left me really wishing it was October already!
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I'm a PhD chemist who loves sarcasm, music, and books-paranormal, mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, and romance. Most of my free time is spent at the martial arts studio these days--whether practicing Combat Hapkido or reading books while watching my son's Taekwondo classes, or even working up a sweat with Kickboxing for fun.
Goodreads
oh my gosh! OH my gosh!! (Sorry just had to get that out.) I'm excited for Beautiful Chaos. But to be honest, I don't know if I'll even be able to get Dream Dark. I'm an extremely slow ebook reader but I can finish one in a few days or in one day if it's really good. Love your review! I'm looking forward to the humor.
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I finished this one in about an hour for the short story for Link. The Beautiful Chaos chapters took about another hour, so it's a quick read. If you're a big fan of this series, definitely check this out.
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I have yet to read book two. (I really need to create a permanent sentence that says that) but this one sounds like a great prelude to book three. And I think I might have to get it. I wasn't going to, but I thought Link was a great character in Bk 1 and I love the novellas that go between books. They give so much insight into the story and character! Great review!
Heather
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You haven't read book 2 yet? Wow, prepare yourself for the Lena angst fest. It's a really good book, hurry through and then read all about the fabulous Linkubus 🙂
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I read that Lena wasn't in book 2 much. That it was Ethan's book. I've just got to make time. I'm writing right now. Gotta stay on that while I have the idea going. Have you been on Writer Con website yet? I just watched some of last years vlogs and they helped me with some issues. I loved Tera Lyn Childs Character Collages. I'm definitely going to do that! And Lisa Schroeder's use of C-U-P-C-A-K-E to make the romance realistic was also helpful.
Chat with you later!
Heather
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