The Dream Ring

Things one are supposed to do, and what one actually does, are worlds apart in The Dream Ring. Cecilie is supposed to be weaving silks for the Princess' wedding, but she’s distracted by her dreams. All too real dreams. Dreams that consume her, encompass her, keep her from her duties.

Achim has the same dreams. However, where Cecilie believes the dreams are a vivid lark, Achim believes someone is tampering with their minds. Promoted from acrobat to juggler, Achim carries the weighty secret that he was once Lord Pretender, the heir to the throne. His grandmother raised him to be a tyrant, so he left when he realized exactly what he was becoming. His grandmother wants him to come home, so she is using the dreams to tempt him, hoping to awaken in him an insatiable appetite for inflicting pain.

Ms. Regentin has created a unique and skillful universe, filled with full-bodied and well-developed characters. The Dream Ring is a new approach to fantasy. Darkly erotic, mesmerizing, and at times…unexpectedly touching. I was surprised at the contemporary tone of the tale. Not often an erotic reader, I was pulled in to the story. I enjoyed reading this book from the first page to the last, beginning with my initial introduction to Cecilie and Achim, and all the way through to the unexpected finale. There are surprises, different approaches, and a fresh outlook on the genre. If any of this intrigues you--The Dream Ring is definitely a book for you to check out!

Reviewed by: Izzy