Mister Smit is a sick and stuck in management as a news aggregator before the catch phrase “fake news” became a thing. He learns soon enough that he has an aggressive form of cancer, that will most likely end his story. However, relegated to ICU, he finds himself immersed in vivid dreams. As time goes by, he realizes that these same dreams might be keeping him alive.
I have come to anticipate the next release by Gregory Hickey. Whether it’s a mystery, or a choose-your-own adventure, his novels always demonstrate a mastery of prose, dialogue, and characterization. To Build a Dream does not buck this trend. The one difference with this from the others, was the predictability of the narrative. This did not affect my enjoyment.
What makes a tale, is the way it is flavored. Hickey starts, as always, with a solid foundation. His writing style flows, at times bordering on the eloquent. The setting is well established, and his descriptions are very vivid – though they can be overlong and erudite. His pacing mostly compliments with his prose; there is a captivating rhythm to it all.
But To Build a Dream is largely a character drama. Most of the plot takes place in one physical location, and so it is Timothy Smit’s and the secondary players personification – as well as his reactions in the dream state – that drive the story and make it impactful. I found myself unable to pull away, as Smit and Triggs, progress through their narratorly rabbit whole.
Aside from a minor subplot in the later half of the novel, I did enjoy the narrative, even if it was predictable. What drove me to read on was to see how the characters reacted. What kept me reading past any reasonable bedtime, was the way Greg Hickey manages to immerse the reader with his writing style. In short, if you buy this book it may be a while before you see the light again.
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