The Mistress of Illusions is the second book in Mike Resnick's crossworlds Dreamscape trilogy. Released 14th April 2020 by Penguin on their DAW imprint, it's 304 pages and available in hardcover, mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

The author has been one of my favorites for many years. He's amassed an enviable collection of SF's highest honors. He's undeniably a talented and prolific author who has really proven his competence over decades. I was surprised, therefore, when this book failed to draw me in (to about the same degree as the first book in the trilogy which I also read and reviewed on my blog).

There is a crossworlds speculative fiction trope where the protagonist is thrust into the action without really having any idea of how they fit into the grand scheme of things, what the rules are, where they are, or what's going on. Heinlein's Number of the Beast, Willett's Worldshaper, and others spring to mind. Obviously each author brings their own experiences and plots to the writing.This book sees protagonist Eddie Raven thrust into a crossworld manhunt with him as quarry. He doesn't understand what's happening, how he's jumping from one world to another, and he spends the entire book saying "I don't understand. I'm nothing special. I'm just a guy"!

I found the passive nature of jumping from one encounter to the next jarring and bewildering. I'm familiar enough with the author's mastery over the written word to assume that he's perfectly well aware that's the effect he's creating and that it's intentional. The worlds Eddie Raven jumps into are odd pastiches of old movies like Casablanca and The Wizard of Oz. Even the narrative bits set in Raven's 'prime world' have an odd/nostalgic vibe and could well be set in the 1950's America or earlier.

It took me several weeks to finish reading The Master of Dreams because I found myself restless and unengaged with the narrative. It's competently written, with flowing (if odd) dialogue. The characters are well written. There was just something which failed to draw me in.

It honestly comes down to a matter of trust. The author's works have been entertaining and engaging me for decades at this point and I will stick around and see how the series develops. I'm saddened that Mr. Resnick passed away in early 2020 and I hope the third book in the trilogy ties up all the loose ends and gives some closure.

Three and a half stars. I've rounded up for the quality of the writing.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I really wish I could have enjoyed this one because I really liked the first book, The Master of Dreams but unfortunately this is a major miss for me.

It took me a looooong time to read this book, I actually came very close to quitting and to be honest it probably would have been better to do that than force myself to get to the end. I found it impossible to connect with any of the characters.

Anyways, here’s the deal: first and foremost, Resnick's story-telling style is infuriating, and not in a good way (for me). Every single review I’ve encountered mentions how “weird” this series is, and most reviewers seems to agree that nothing at all makes sense for the first 100 pages at least of the first book (which again I thoroughly enjoyed). Well, I LOVE weird books, the truly bizarre setup, quirky characters, and the like; I thrive in the throes of productive confusion. There’s nothing more I’d rather be when reading a book than completely blown away by the surreal, the absurdly creative, the shattering of the mundane.

The The Library does none of that. Confusion cannot be productive if you have absolutely no idea what is going on! And, it's not absurdity when everything can happen, because there are no rules, no internal validity, it doesn't really inspire new understanding.

'Mistress of Illusions' is the follow-up to 'Master of Dreams' and the second title in the 'Dreamscape Trilogy.' Author Michael D. Resnick is a former Nebula Award winner, a five time Hugo Award winner, the late executive editor of Jim Baen's Universe, and the late editor/creator of Galaxy's Edge magazine according to his bio.

Transparency first, I have not read the first book in this trilogy. Though, now that I've read this one.. I do intend to. I'll also be eagerly looking for the conclusion when it releases in the future. I can only hope that his passing earlier this year doesn't halt the series entirely.

I have only one complaint about the whole book and I'll get it out of the way here, as this one's strictly personal. I've said it before, cliffhangers should be used sparsely and well. In my opinion, a great writer doesn't need them to get you to read the next book in a series. Before I was a quarter of the way into this title, I was already going to read the next book, but a cliffhanger done the way it was is almost enough to make me reconsider.

By the time Eddie Raven, our main character, reached the end of the book, he'd been dragged through so many worlds and circumstances to prepare him for what was ahead, that when the story just stopped abruptly as he was about to take that next step.. I just stared at the page in disbelief and annoyance. I understand wanting to carry some momentum into the next book, but there are subtler ways. A looming threat can be dangled before the reader, without the old 'step forward/fade-to-black' of a tv series.

After what I'd followed Raven through, it felt like the entire book was just a journey. Literally, just the act of putting heel to toe from wherever book one left off, through some in-between space of little consequence, to the final book where the real conflict will take place. It actually made what he was experiencing feel less important and it clearly wasn't. In my opinion, if you're going to write a journey novel like that, taking that last step is the mistake. Let the story be what it is.. a focus on the growth the character makes, the alliances that are formed, and the things that are learned. Just leave it at that. Don't slap me with a step into the great beyond and a curtain fall. It's insulting.

You may think I didn't like the book after all that, but you'd be wrong. I loved it. Resnick is every bit the classic sci-fi writer one would expect from his fifty plus years in the industry.

He transitions with ease between all the worlds Eddie Raven slips in and out of, always reacclimatizing us around Raven's home and giving his character the stable point with which to center himself that he so desperately needs to keep going. I'll tell you, as a reader, we need that too.

The story keeps up a dizzying pace. Every time Raven is almost comfortable somewhere, he's moved elsewhere. He hops through time and space, reality and fiction. There are a couple of people who seem to be helpful, at the very least they have information they encourage him with even if they rarely share it. And at least one enemy that seems to dog him through more than one world.

At first glance, the cover had reminded me of the Salvador Dali art I loved so much. It's surrealism continued to draw my eye and I must say, nothing could be more well suited for the front of this book. The actual representation of course is obvious, but as with this type of artwork, the book keeps you off-balance as much as our protagonist. I spent much of the read both knowing I understood what was going on.. and somehow still feeling as if I had no idea.. because the landscape was ever shifting.
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It's rare for me to enjoy dialogue as much as I did, but Resnick's Eddie Raven is wonderfully witty. More than once he made me laugh aloud with some smooth snarky comment and I loved the way he'd dance around truth in these other worlds.

I'd highly recommend picking up this title, particularly if you're a fan of classics like Larry Niven's 'Ringworld,' Philip K. Dick's 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,' or even 'Heavy Metal' the movie.