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Five-Star Review of 'The Devil of Dark Dreams'

Readers' Favorite provides free book reviews for authors and hosts a respected annual book award contest.

Review #1: Review by Jamie Michele

Reviewed by:

Jamie Michele

Review Rating:

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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite

In Joel Hopkinson’s The Devil of Dark Dreams, book one of The Otherworld Portals series, Afghan-Australian widower Yasir Nassim owns the Dead Palomino, a Brisbane steakhouse built around his love of country music. When employee Albert arrives bruised and exhausted, he claims a creature sits on his chest and drains his life through dreams. Yasir dismisses the explanation until Ethan, the restaurant’s bouncer, brings the same supernatural presence from Albert’s apartment. The entity travels through electrical devices, leaves its victims unable to move, and gains power after every feeding. At the same time, crime boss Mr. Fuseli forces Yasir to host an illegal poker game whose prize is The Nightmare, a stolen painting of a demon crouched on a sleeping woman. Yasir must discover what has entered Brisbane before it claims everyone connected to his restaurant. Joel Hopkinson’s The Devil of Dark Dreams follows Yasir into supernatural horror that moves from sleep paralysis into a threat beyond a Brisbane apartment. The mythology is extensive, and each manifestation has its own set of tics that make it full of twists. I loved how the entity’s relationship with electricity develops, because every attack adds to a reader's understanding of what each character faces. Teresa’s off-grid farm is a perfect example, as Yasir realizes how a creature that drains phones and power systems may be drawn into storage batteries. Hide the batteries! Yasir is a fantastic main character and, in a testament to Hopkinson’s skill as a writer, his practical mind is central to the arc instead of evaporating completely, which I have seen one too many times, even after he accepts that this is supernatural. It's not an anomaly; it is happening. Well written and imaginative, readers who enjoy horror with a fresh angle will adore this book.

#otherworld portals #devilofdarkdreams #joelhopkinson

The Devil of Dark Dreams

Yasir is a fan of Dark Country music, the owner of a Brisbane Steakhouse called the Dead Palomino, and the child of Afghan immigrants. When gangsters from Melbourne threaten his business, Yasir must take matters into his own hands. Problems arise when Albert, one of the staff, becomes ill and cannot attend work. Albert is eventually found unconscious in his apartment, leading to him being placed in a psychiatric institution. However, Yasir is not convinced, and he soon realizes that there is a supernatural explanation for what is happening. When another co-worker, Ethan, suspects the same creature is attacking him, Yasir confronts the demon. Yasir must move quickly before it kills again. With the help of Ethan’s friend, Teresa, a computer expert, Yasir strives to prevent the Nightmare from opening the portal for more of its kind to come to Earth. Meanwhile, Yasir is questioning his own faith after the death of his wife. Alone and bereaved, this is a challenge that will make Yasir ask himself exactly what he believes in and ultimately lead him to the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of his friends and possibly all of humankind.

Available from your local Amazon on Kindle and Paperback.

www.amazon.com/Devil-Dreams-Otherworld-Portals-English-ebook/dp/B01B0AY590

www.amazon.com/Devil-Dark-Dreams-Otherworld-Portals/dp/B0FVMH9C2L

#otherworld portals #devilofdarkdreams #joelhopkinson

The Devil of Dark Dreams (2nd Edition)

This book has a rich and extensive history. I began writing the original story 36 years ago, shortly after graduating from high school. I was still trying to find my author's voice, and over the years, I got a lot of feedback from writers' groups, friends, and paid professionals about this story.

The second edition is its final form, and I am very happy with it. You might notice significant changes, but the core story and the monster are still there.

Here are a list of changes that I hope you will enjoy:

1/ Character renames, fewer characters, and certain characters taking on the roles of those characters removed (especially, Lien).

2/ More information given at the ending. Initially, I wanted to leave some things up to the readers' imagination, but I needed to walk this back a bit.

3/ Contextualized into an Australian (specifically from Brisbane and the Scenic Rim). I hope this adds to the fun.

4/ Explore my own love of Country, Folk, Dark Country, and Southern Gothic Music through the main characters. I am very happy with this change to Yasir, the renamed main character. He is still the child of Afghan immigrants to Australia, but he also loves country music. I hope you enjoy this characters and his love of music.

5/ Change of setting. This story no longer happens in an office. Now, our main character is the owner of a fictional Steakhouse in Brisbane, called the Dead Palomino. The restaurant becomes almost like a character itself.

6/ The Fuseli Account has been totally rewritten. Initially, this was a reference to Fuseli's Nightmare, a painting on the same subject as my story. However, feedback indicated they wanted more information. This has been totally rewritten to include an organised crime element. I hope you enjoy this updated book.

Paperback

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1523672684

USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/1523672684

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1523672684

Kindle

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Devil-Dark-Dreams-Otherworld-Portals-ebook/dp/B01B0AY590

USA: https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Dark-Dreams-Otherworld-Portals-ebook/dp/B01B0AY590

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Devil-Dark-Dreams-Otherworld-Portals-ebook/dp/B01B0AY590

#The Devil of Dark Dreams #Joel Hopkinson #Otherworld Portals #Devil of Dark Dreams #The Dead Palomino #Nightmare #Joel Hopkinson (author)#Yasir #The Order of the Dragonfly #The Otherworld Portals Series

“The Devil of Dark Dreams” is a Supernatural Thriller set in Brisbane, Australia. Yasir is a lover of dark country music, the owner of the Dead Palomino, a Western-themed Steakhouse, and the child of Afghan refugees. Problems arise when Albert, one of the staff members, falls ill and eventually becomes so weak that he is unable to attend work. Albert is eventually found unconscious and placed in a psychiatric institution, with his boyfriend accused of attacking him. However, Yasir is not convinced and soon realizes there is a supernatural explanation for what is happening. When another co-worker suspects the same creature is attacking him, Yasir decides to take action. A string of catastrophes sees the demonic creature grow increasingly powerful, so Yasir must act quickly before it strikes again. With the help of Teresa, a computer expert, Yasir strives to prevent the Nightmare from opening the way for more of its kind to come to Earth.

The Devil of Dark Dreams (Otherworld Portals Book 1) eBook : Hopkinson, Joel: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

The Devil of Dark Dreams is a Supernatural Thriller that explores the themes of superstition, belief, and friendship. Yasir is a fan of Dark Country and Southern Gothic music, the owner of a Brisbane Steakhouse called the Dead Palomino, and the child of Afghan immigrants. When gangsters from Melbourne threaten his business, Yasir must take matters into his own hands. Problems arise when Albert, one of the staff members, becomes ill and eventually so weak that he is unable to attend work. Albert is eventually found unconscious in his apartment, leading to him being placed in a psychiatric institution, with his boyfriend accused of attacking him. However, Yasir is not convinced, and he soon realizes that there is a supernatural explanation for what is happening. When another co-worker, Ethan, suspects the same creature is attacking him, Yasir confronts the demon. Yasir must move quickly before it kills again. With the help of Ethan’s friend, Teresa, a computer expert and single mother, Yasir strives to prevent the Nightmare from opening the way for more of its kind to come to Earth. Meanwhile, Yasir is questioning his own faith after the death of his wife from ovarian cancer. Alone and bereaved, this is a challenge that will make Yasir ask himself exactly what he believes in, and ultimately lead him to the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of his friends and possibly all of humankind.

#The Devil of Dark Dreams #The Otherworld Portals #Joel Hopkinson #Devil of Dark Dreams #DoDD

It has been a long journey with this story. This was one of the first stories I wrote after high school. That was 36 years ago. In many ways, its revisions have reflected my journey as a writer and finding my own author's voice. I have seen movies being released using a similar monster and felt frustrated. I have received feedback from a multitude of people and had to reflect on how to make the story more engaging. For better or worse, it is finished now. Barring a surprise grammar mistake or something, I'm moving on to other projects. Finally, it is done. What a relief! 🤓😎✏️📘

Paperback

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1523672684

USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/1523672684

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1523672684

#TheDevilOFDarkDreams #The Devil of Dark Dreams #Joel Hopkinson #Otherworld Portals #The Otherworld Portals Series #Devil Of Dark Dreams #Yasir #Nightmare #Fuseli

Paperback

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1523672684

USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/1523672684

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1523672684

Kindle

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Devil-Dark-Dreams-Otherworld-Portals-ebook/dp/B01B0AY590

USA: https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Dark-Dreams-Otherworld-Portals-ebook/dp/B01B0AY590

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Devil-Dark-Dreams-Otherworld-Portals-ebook/dp/B01B0AY590

#devilofdarkdreams #DevilOfDarkDreams #TheDevilofDarkDream #Otherworld Portals Series #Joel Hopkinson #Norman Creek Press #Nightmare #Fuseli #The Dead Palomino

Hey 👋 I just created a page here. Thanks for helping create great content. I am a writer and teacher. I teach immigrants and refugees Englis

My ebook in PDF version is now available for $1.00 (or free for members) of my Buy Me a Coffee account. You can by pass Amazon this way if you object to this company. https://buymeacoffee.com/joelhopkinson/extras

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