HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF YOUR EXISTENCE?

HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SACRIFICE FOR LOVE?

When Matthew Willish wakes up on a cold steel floor unsure of how he got there, he begins desperately searching for answers. What Matthew doesn’t realize, however, is that this is only the beginning of a journey that will ultimately send him searching other worlds for the answer to numerous profound questions, the most pressing being: is he living in reality or in a dream? Or is he just an insane man who desperately needs help? A Dream of Waking Life is a philosophical and psychological thriller that tells the story of one man’s journey through space, time, and mind to not only discover his true identity but also the love of his life-a woman who keeps slipping through his fingers and into another reality. A thought-provoking meditation on the thin line between what is real and what is not, A Dream of Waking Life will leave readers questioning how far they would go to understand the nature of their own existence and how much they would sacrifice for love.
A mix between Lathe of Heaven, Inception, and The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. I simply could never have foreseen this story’s trajectory. What a heartrending yet satisfying and impressive journey! The plot kept me guessing at every turn; every time I thought I figured the grand mystery, the author threw me for a new, profound curve. The ending left me in tears, and I still can’t get it out of my head. A love story, mystery, grand philosophy, incredible suspense-A Dream of Waking Life stands in a category of its own. By far the most impressive work from E. S. Fein so far.

What is reality? What do we really know about what is REAL? Is this waking life? These are probably the questions you will be asking yourself as you read this wildly impressive story! Navigating through the maze of Matt’s mind felt all at once exhilarating and puzzling…how did it get to this? You will be questioning your own sanity as you continue down the rabbit hole. Dream of Waking Life delivers a fantastical ride filled with drama, action, and suspense! A psychological thriller that would make Philip K. Dick proud. Definitely cannot stop thinking about this one! Am I awake…?

A Dream of Waking Life that takes the seemingly straightforward question how do you know what is real? and turns it into mysterious and suspenseful story. At times, the tone of the story veered into surprisingly dark territory almost reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode. However, the story avoids feeling depressing or oppressive as these elements are well juxtaposed with other instances of intentional absurdity and humor throughout the book. As the name suggests, dreams are central to the plot and setting of the book…While obvious parallels to the movie Inception can be made, A Dream of Waking Life stands on its own and treads entirely different and more introspective ground. I loved how much this book kept me thinking and every chapter renewed my curiosity. I could not put it down!

This is a super interesting fast-paced read. After every chapter, I was left wondering where the story would go next. The characters are so flawlessly integrated into the story that it was more than halfway through before I realized how attached I really was to them and their outcomes. A true mystery until the end, this book is sure to keep you on your toes and make you think. I don’t say this often, but A Dream of Waking Life is also a great reread with so many easter eggs along the way!

Right from the start, I felt projected into the main character’s exciting and chaotic journey through dreams and waking life. This book had me questioning the realness of reality and driven to find answers in E.S. Fein’s cleverly-written novel. The characters felt so real that I found myself yelling and screaming at them throughout the story and even long after I finished reading.