Tuesday, April 30, 2013

“Dark, comedic, and unsettling, 'Dreams and Shadows' is everything an urban fantasy sets out to be.” --Tor.com


A brilliantly crafted modern tale —part Neil Gaiman, part Guillermo Del Toro, part William S. Burroughs—that charts the lives of two boys from their star-crossed childhood in the realm of magic and mystery to their anguished adulthoods

Screenwriter and acclaimed film critic C. Robert Cargill makes his fiction debut with Dreams and Shadows, taking beloved fantasy tropes, giving them a twist, and turning out a wonderful, witty, and wry take on clash between the fairy world and our own.

There is another world than our own—one no closer than a kiss and one no further than our nightmares—where all the stuff of which dreams are made is real and magic is just a step away. But once you see that world, you will never be the same.

Dreams and Shadows takes us beyond this veil. Once bold explorers and youthful denizens of this magical realm, Ewan is now an Austin musician who just met his dream girl, and Colby, meanwhile, cannot escape the consequences of an innocent wish. But while Ewan and Colby left the Limestone Kingdom as children, it has never forgotten them. And in a world where angels relax on rooftops, whiskey-swilling genies argue metaphysics with foul-mouthed wizards, and monsters in the shadows feed on fear, you can never outrun your fate.

Dreams and Shadows is a stunning and evocative debut about the magic and monsters in our world and in our self.

Browse through the book HERE.

Heather says:
"A fantasy set in the Austin, Texas, of today, and in the world of fairy existing just alongside our own, Dreams and Shadows is a tale of two boys, and how their very different interactions with the magical folk shape their lives and the lives of everyone around them. As I've mentioned before in my reviews, I'm a bit squeamish about violence, so I shy away from horror. While I wouldn't characterize Dreams and Shadows as horror, it certainly has its horrific moments. This is not a light tale – it is both a cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for, and about trusting what you think you know, especially when the culture, and the motivations of those around you are very different from your own.

C. Robert Cargill is a screenwriter and film critic, and his debut novel reflects the skills he's honed in his other work. He has crafted a world that I was completely immersed in, its beauty and darkness both vividly depicted, and its characters multifaceted and very real. Cargill's publisher compares his work to that of Neil Gaiman, Lev Grossman, and Guillermo Del Toro, and I would agree wholeheartedly. If you're a fan of any of the above, I think you'll love this book."

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