*This book was reviewed for Lola’s Blog Tours
***Warning- graphic depictions of rape
Patricks’ Dreams of the Queen is an out of this world adventure quite unlike any other. First of The Brajj Trilogy, it has a very Dr Whovian and Stargate-esque nature. Cassiopeia Baros is a physicist at MIT working on a project designed to create and maintain a stable wormhole. Despite a few hiccoughs in the beginning, Baros and her team do indeed manage to generate an anchored and durable wormhole. When preliminary probe forays suggest the other side is safe for humans, Baros and a handful of scientists are sent to investigate. Despite grumblings from both sides, a military support team is sent along with them, which turns out to be lucky, as the other side is less friendly than first anticipated.
The exploration team is given aid by a contingent known as the Brajj, the leader of whom Cass recognises from her dreams. And Jeamon seems to recognise her too. In fact, he says he has come to meet her, and return her to the City, for her Ascension. Cass has no idea what he is talking about, but, cut off from the way home, she and her peers need shelter and safety so they elect to go with the Brajj. What they learn is something none expected.
Patricks’ does a great job of presenting certain characters one way, setting you up to like/dislike them, and then flips that later on. It certainly keeps a reader on their toes after the first time, wondering who you (the reader) can really trust. Things do jump perspective between characters, generally viewed as a ‘bad’ thing, but here they segue well. I had no trouble following along and keeping track of things. Whether intended or no, this actually flowed well with how Patricks set the reader up to view the characters, then flipped it, and with the full nature of the story. Some things I cannot discuss here without spoilers, but the fluid perspective shifting supports the notion in quantum physics of a mutable and interconnected reality, a notion important to the story.
???? Highly recommended, especially if you are a fan of Dr Who or Stargate, or enjoy sci-fi that involves physics experiments gone awry.
