The Dream Catcher by Annette MoriThe Dream Catcher by Annette Mori is a science fiction romance.

The Dream Catcher by Annette Mori is about a woman named Heaven who is bi-polar and has the frightening ability to make the images in her dreams or nightmares come to life. She is what’s referred to as a Dream Weaver. The government had been experimenting on bi-polar women for years, hoping to turn their abilities into the ultimate weapon. She gets out when one of the scientists from the experimental government facility rescues her and brings her home. Syl helps take care of Heaven, even providing the dreaded drug injections that temporarily level off her moods and wipe out her powers. While it’s inconvenient when strippers come to life from your dreams and run through the house, it’s deadly when the things rampaging through your house are from your nightmares.

The government knows where Heaven is but for whatever reason they don’t do anything other than constantly monitor her whereabouts. Eventually Syl admits that she can’t really help Heaven, and hooks her up with a Dream Catcher. Maya takes Heaven to a place out in the country where she and her sister, Leah, try to help the dream weavers and catchers they find. While their methods are the same, the two sisters have completely different end goals. It’s their own father that runs the torturous Dreamer facility. Loyalties are tested, and love is found between a Dream Weaver and a Dream Catcher, one that will make all the difference in the battle to come.

The Characters

I’m going to be honest and say that Heaven annoyed me. If she were a actual person I would be annoyed in real life too. But as I got to know her I could see the reasons behind her behavior, beyond simply being bi-polar. Poor family life, being a lab rat early on, traumatic loss, all things that could and would affect a person in their formative years. I think that’s what made it so much sweeter when she met Maya, a woman who was nearly Heaven’s opposite. Maya was a real sweetheart and much stronger than I initially assumed. They were a great pair.

The Writing Style

Mori’s has a fairly unique writing style, similar to the way you hear certain bands and you always recognize the lead singer. It’s written in first person which isn’t my normal favorite, but Annette Mori does a good job of bring the reader into Heaven’s head. The story itself was fairly fast-paced which is good for science fiction. She also injected a lot of humor into the tale and Heaven’s character in general to keep things interesting.

The Pros

The premise of The Dream Catcher was pretty fascinating. I really enjoy stories that explore mental parapsychic powers. It’s always been a fascination of mine. Also, while Mori crafts a solid framework for the tale, she doesn’t spend a lot of time doing in-depth world building and over-thinking the science. The science is more of a backdrop for the tale and the romance. I would call this type of book sci-fi light. It’s a great way to tell a sci-fi tale that can bring in people outside the usual genre.

The Cons

Now, keeping in mind the pro from above, I usually prefer my science fiction books heavy. I like things that make me look stuff up because I’m introduced to theories, applications, and knowledge that I’ve never heard of before. Like a Ted Talk book of sci-fi. People who are hard core sci-fi fans may feel the same way. Others may not like that the romance was a bit insta-done, however that doesn’t really bother me. You see it a lot in science fiction and fantasy.

The Conclusion

The Dream Catcher was an interesting tale about parapsychic powers and their potential abuses by the government. The book itself was a little trippy and humorous with some sci-fi and romance thrown in. It was like a mashup of the TV shows Fringe and That 70’s Show. Maybe that’s just my opinion. Anyway, if you’re looking for a light sci-fi read with some funny characters and a sweet little romance thrown in, pick up this book. I bet you even laugh in a few places.

Excerpt from The Dream Catcher by Annette Mori

I grabbed my iced tea, looking longingly at her glass of wine. I breathed in the almost sweet aroma from the creamy heap of lobster mac and cheese. It smelled heavenly, and I marveled at my ability to appreciate the offering. Sometimes the meds would blunt my olfactory glands, but that never stopped me from feeling rapacious.

“Dig in,” Maya directed, as she joined me at the table. I waited while she took a sip of her wine. The blush of the wine matched the color of her lips. I watched intently, suddenly ravenous for a completely different reason. I wondered about the wine choice. I always thought that white wine went best with seafood, but it seemed like Maya didn’t adhere to any strict rules on pairing.

She grinned at me, and I just knew she could decipher what I was thinking. When she grabbed her fork and scooped up her first bite, I followed and dug in with gusto.

“Oh, my God, this is delicious. You are a goddess. Will you marry me? Because I don’t think I’ve ever had a better pasta. Now, I know I’m definitely in love,” I joked.

She ignored my comments and launched into her own agenda. “Heaven, we’ll need to do some intensive work over the next several months. You’ll move in with me and share the household chores, except for cooking. I get the impression you don’t do much of that. I don’t require any compensation other than, after you’ve finished, I want you to help me with the others.”

“The others?” I felt my brow furrow. I wasn’t sure who she was talking about.

“Yes, the other women they’ve experimented on. The ones like us. Most of them aren’t as powerful as you or me, so they won’t be as difficult. We can’t let those dicknobs win. You know that, don’t you?”

“Do you mean the government?”

“Yes of course. The government can’t win; they won’t use the power wisely. They never have, and they never will. We’re expendable pawns in their little wars.” She caught my eyes and held them.

“They’ll never let me go. They’re just allowing me to take a minivacation. I’m smart enough to know that’s why they keep tabs on me. Syl tries to ignore the surveillance, but she knows it too. It only took them a week to find us.”

“Oh, Heaven, you have no idea how much power you have, but you’ll learn. You do know the difference between Catchers and Weavers, right?”

I shrugged. I had the basic concepts but not the nitty gritty details. That didn’t stop me from answering with confidence as I gave her the broad strokes. “Weavers bring to life the creations in their dreams, and Catchers somehow control them.”

“You have a big hole in your knowledge base.” She steered the conversation in another direction and made it clear the plans were settled.

I wasn’t sure whether I was exchanging one prison for another. Time would tell. At least this prison had a very sexy guard to look at.

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