KC. Webb

Pete is having dreams about an evil clown (are there any other kind?) and goes to John Marsh for help. John is that kid who never does anything mean but somehow makes everyone afraid of him. The two work together to find out who this clown is and how to defeat him.

This was a fun romp with just enough frights and gore to please an older tween without being too scary and even though I am way past the target age group, I enjoyed it quite a lot. My only problem with it and, really, it is a show more personal prejudice - I found the use of the present tense somewhat disconcerting. Still, once I got into the swing of the story , I stopped noticing it.

I really enjoyed the bonding between the boys - one a small nerdy type picked on by bullies, the other, confident and afraid of nothing but willing to intervene against the bullies. I also liked the relationship between the boys and their parents. Oh, and I have to give a nod to the illustrator - those were some fine illustrations!

So, if you're looking for a nice scary book for your tween (or yourself), for Halloween or ay other time, definitely give this one a try. show less

Decent horror novel for the young adult set. If you find clowns scary then certainly don't read this book. The evil Manjucus is coming into young Pete Wright dreams and Pete keeps waking knowing that the evil is coming for his soul. Johnny Marsh is new to Pete's school and had just that morning passed out his new business card as a supernatural investigators. John and Pete team up and head off into an adventure that is sure to scare.

It was an overall good book, but I wasn't totally captivated by it. The characters were alarmingly static; after going through such traumatic events they should have changed and matured, but they stayed the same. It was somewhat predictable but maybe it's just not my genre.

One of my favorite mystery series as a child was Alfred Hitchcock & the Three Investigators by Robert Arthur. In Dream Raider, KC Webb has created the beginning of a YA series a bit darker, but every bit as compelling. If the coming books are as well written, it is sure to be a success with both teens & adults.

Johnny Marsh is a teen with an insatiable curiosity about the things most kids run from. The day he decides to go public with his fascination for the supernatural by offering his show more services as an investigator, he meets Peter Wright, who just happens to be tormented in his dreams by an evil clown. It soon becomes apparent that Peter’s dreams are more than just the product of an overactive imagination. As Johnny & Peter delve deeper into the horrifying reality behind the dreams, they uncover a centuries old evil and a group who believes it is Johnny’s destiny to defeat that evil. This is one carnival ride you do not want to miss. show less