Cain Cross has 22 days until he falls asleep in a nightmare forever.
A serum meant for playful dream control mutates and becomes a deadly virus. Once infected, a person only has 22 days to live in the real world, while at night they spend more and more time in the nightmare.
Cain doesn’t want to die in the nightmare, but the antidote he is working on is taking too long. Once his brother is claimed by the nightmare, Cain has no choice but to find allies on the inside.
Between gladiators, night beasts, and a group of seemingly merciless vigilantes, Cain struggles to find a true alliance that will save him. He will meet a girl who will challenge his every notion of the nightmare and his faith.
Normally, I’m not a fan of dream worlds, but this is the exception! The direct correlation between this book and the early Christian church is extremely well done. Everything down to the Roman Colosseum fighting arena mirrors the ancient (but also modern) struggle of Christians. Cain Cross’s journey from a self-preserving man to a kingdom-winning hero is empowering. There are some mildly intense death scenes, but other than that, this book is a clean and safe read for teens of all ages.
Scoresheet:
Category: YA Dystopian Sci-Fi/ with a touch of Fantasy
Spice/Romance: Clean read. More friendship than romance.
Violence: No excessive gore. Death and wounds are prevalent.
Morals/Worldview: Christian worldview. Several direct mentions of scripture and salvation.
Recommended reading age: 15+
