the Dream Rider Saga

Since The Hollow Boys just won the Aurora Award and The Crystal Key has been out for a few months, this seems like perfect time to remind you that the third and final book in The Dream Rider Saga trilogy: The Lost Expedition, is available for pre-order ahead of its release on all retailers on January 15, 2024.

You can see that gorgeous cover in all its full-sized glory by clicking on the image to the right. Jeff Brown is the cover artist for all of The Dream Rider titles, and I've loved each one he's done. But if I had to pick a favorite, it would be The Lost Expedition.

I provided a code earlier to get the first two books in the trilogy at a discount in my online store. That code will expire soon, so don't delay.

If you want to get a deal on The Lost Expedition, then you're best to pre-order it below from your favorite retailer. Its price will go up shortly after it comes out.

Pre-order The Lost Expedition

Oooh! So exciting! (and if you can name the Wesley Snipes' movie that line came from, email me, and I'll enter your name in a draw for a free ebook of your choice).

Since The Hollow Boys just won the Aurora Award and The Crystal Key has been out for a few months, this seems like perfect time for a cover reveal of the third and final book in The Dream Rider Saga trilogy: The Lost Expedition.

Okay, technically, I've already revealed the cover, assuming any of you have checked out my online store or clicked through on the link in the back of The Crystal Key. I mean, The Lost Expedition has been available for pre-order for a while, with a release date of January 15, 2024.

But I've never done a formal cover reveal here, and this cover is so gorgeous, it deserves it. Deserves it so much that I'm not going to insult the cover by showing it in some little image scrunched up at the side of this post.

Nope, you get to see it in all its full-sized glory by clicking on the question mark image above or by going here. So, click way. I'll wait.

You back? Gorgeous, right? Jeff Brown is the cover artist for all of The Dream Rider titles, and I've loved each one he's done. But if I had to pick a favorite, it would be The Lost Expedition.

I provided a code earlier to get the first two books in the trilogy at a discount in my online store. If you also want to get a deal on The Lost Expedition, then you're best to pre-order it below from your favorite retailer. Its price will go up shortly after it comes out.

Pre-order The Lost Expedition

Another great review for The Hollow Boys: The Dream Rider Saga, Book 1, this one from Publishers Weekly:

"Smith imbues this series opener with otherworldly intrigue, developing an elaborately layered plot via bouncy prose that capably shifts between the dream realm, with its monstrous inhabitants, and Will’s insular life. Depictions of close-knit relationships shine brightest throughout the novel, especially the familial bonds between Will and his parents and between Case and Fader, as well as the protagonists' budding romance." —Publishers Weekly

The Hollow Boys is currently on sale at all major retailers (ebook edition) for just $0.99, but this sale ends on June 11.

The latest praise for The Crystal Key: The Dream Rider Saga, Book 2 comes via fellow speculative fiction writer, Robert Runté, in the Ottawa Review of Books. Here are the highlights of the review:

"If you've already read The Hollow Boys, you don't need me to tell you to buy the sequel. … Smith surprised me again with The Crystal Key, tapping into my deep nostalgia for Saturday matinee serials. … Smith manages to update the genre with an ethnically diverse cast and strong female characters. Smith's take on superheroes and serials is both modern and original, but it recreates the same energy, the same yearning for superpowers, the same subconscious fear of dark places and boogeymen as the best stories of our own remembered youth. High adventure leavened with romance and mystery. …

[Smith] keeps things moving at a fast clip. No spoilers, so all I can say about the plot is that it involves the multiverse, astral travel, ancient cults, hypnotic powers, criminal gangs, private mercenaries, romance, and betrayal. …

Overall, great fun. While it is common for the middle of a novel, or the middle book of a trilogy, to drag a bit, that is definitely not the case here. The Crystal Key has everything that made The Hollow Boys work and turns it up a few notches. I can't wait for the conclusion in The Lost Expedition. "

—Robert Runté, Ottawa Review of Books

The Crystal Key is available in ebook, trade paperback, and hardcover from all major retailers.

The Crystal Key, book 2 in my YA / adult crossover urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga, continues to garner critical praise. The latest is from Kirkus Reviews. Some highlights:

"The author’s sequel to the excellent The Hollow Boys (2022) ups the ante for adventure and suspense and continues to deftly fuse superhero and fantasy tropes. The trio of protagonists have relatable inner struggles and compelling story arcs that work well both independently and when woven into the overarching storyline of Will’s parents’ fateful expedition. Smith excels at strong action sequences, worldbuilding (introducing engaging new characters and the concept of the multiverse), and humorous dialogue. …There is plenty here to entice readers to return for the grand finale. A fun and engrossing superhero sequel."

—Kirkus Reviews

You can read the entire review here. The Crystal Key is available from all major retailers, and if you haven't yet read the first book in the series, The Hollow Boys, you can find it here.

The Crystal Key, book 2 in my new YA urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga, has just been selected by BookLife as an Editor's Pick.

BookLife also made The Hollow Boys, book 1 in the trilogy, an Editor's Pick. So they're loving the series so far. You can read the entire review on BookLife, but here are some highlights:

"The richly inventive Dream Rider adventure continues in this second appealing entry, pushing the young heroes of Smith’s epic YA series to face new realms, old villains, wild dangers, and, most terrifying of all, the truths of their pasts."

Epic! Very nice, but then we have this next bit (italics are mine):

"Smith deftly blends ongoing tensions between these characters…with an exciting plot… always enlivened by the Smith hallmarks of crack dialogue, fun sleuthing and puzzle-solving, a strong throughline of emotion, a swift pace…and a principled refusal to settle for the familiar."

Wait. I have "hallmarks" in my writing? Okay, now that is cool. Please, do go on…

"Be ready for memorable beasts, weird magic, and fantasy worlds that are truly fantastic… For all the wonders, though, the series is also compellingly engaged in Toronto street life and its characters’ very human hearts. New readers should start with book one. Takeaway: This thrilling superpowered urban fantasy series continues to grip." —BookLife (Editor's Pick)

"Editor Pick" reviews by BookLife appear in Publisher's Weekly, the main trade magazine for the publishing industry, and in BookList, the journal of the American Library Association.

You can buy The Crystal Key here, and if you haven't read it yet, the first book in the series, The Hollow Boys here.

The Hollow Boys just received an "Editor's Pick" from BookLife and a glowing review. You can read the whole review here (just scroll down a bit to where the reviews start under the book description), but here are the highlights:

"This arresting series kickoff from Smith (The Wolf at the End of the World) grips from the start as it introduces its inventive milieu, its flawed but fantastically powered hero, its playful worldbuilding, and a host of tantalizing mysteries [in] Smith’s vigorously imaginative scenario. Complicating matters is Will’s agoraphobia … a fascinating flaw, worthy of Marvel comics in the 1960s... Deliciously detestable villains...and other original dangers have a perfectly calibrated creepiness—they’re deadly, and scenes of action and suspense thrum with tension, but the novel’s still always fun.

"Pacing and prose are tight despite the novel’s generous length; the dialogue’s crisp and engaging, and the reversals and revelations are cleverly plotted. Smith takes every advantage of his original dreamworld’s possibilities, building to a satisfying ending with plenty of mystery left to explore. Takeaway: Thrilling YA fantasy." —BookLife (Editor's Pick)

You can find The Hollow Boys at all major retailers, in print, paperback, and hardcover.

Remember, book 2 in the trilogy, The Crystal Key, is available for preorder now for only $2.99 up to its release on March 15.

The Crystal Key, the second book in my new urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga, will come out March 15, but it's already getting early praise. It just received a starred review in BlueInk Review. Here's an excerpt:

"The engrossing second installment of Douglas Smith’s Dream Rider Saga trilogy… Smith continues to demonstrate an ability to expertly weave multiple complex fantasy elements into a cohesive whole. … With a measure of tension in the romance between Will and Case, the continued deepening mystery about events in the past, and the teens’ growing supernatural abilities, this fast-paced story delivers in a big way—and Smith has all his ducks lined up for an explosive conclusion that readers won’t want to miss."

—Blueink Review (★ Starred review)

You can preorder The Crystal Key now before it drops on March 15. If you want, you can also read the first three chapters before buying.

And if you haven't read The Hollow Boys, book 1 in the series that's been called "a must-read story for fans of YA fantasy," you can find it here.

Enjoy!

Well, you didn't have to wait long, did you? The Hollow Boys, book 1 in my young adult / adult crossover urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga, came out just this past October.

Now, book 2 in the series, The Crystal Key, will be released March 15, 2023 (the advantage of writing all three books before releasing any of them). Check out the very cool cover to the right (click on it to see it in its full-size glory).

But you don't have to wait even that long! You can preorder it now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, and Google Play, and many more retailers for just $2.99 USD.

And if you want to sample the book first before buying, you can read the first three chapters here.

That price will be increasing not long after the release date. To preorder at this low price, just click here and select your preferred retailer. You'll be taken to the store for your home country.

The book will also be available in trade paperback and hardcover editions, both online and in bricks and mortar bookstores, but not until the actual release date in March.

Book Description (warning: contains spoilers for book 1, The Hollow Boys):

Will Dreycott is the Dream Rider, the agoraphobic teenage superhero who can walk in our dreams but never in the streets of his city. Case is his girlfriend, a survivor of those streets who hears voices. Fader is her brother, who is very good at disappearing. Together, they defeated a body swapper and a witch to save the world (The Hollow Boys).

Now, Case battles guilt over living sheltered in Will's tower home while her street friends still struggle. Blaming his affliction for Case's sadness, Will searches for a way to live a normal life with the girl he loves—a way to go outside.

But his efforts draw the attention of dark forces. Sinister figures hunt Will in Dream. Intruders scour the vast warehouse of antiquities "acquired" by Will's missing parents. And a masked swordswoman attacks Will, demanding "the Crystal Key" before disappearing into thin air.

Are they all searching for the same thing? Something from Will's parents' shady past? For the swordswoman leaves behind a flowery scent, Will's only memory from the lost expedition eight years ago that gave him powers in Dream but cost him his parents and his freedom.

A trail of dark secrets leads Will, Case, and Fader to a mysterious world. Trapped between warring cults willing to kill for the Crystal Key, the three friends must master strange new powers that grow stronger and wilder the closer they draw to the truth.

This time it's not just the fate of the world at stake…but the multiverse.

Indiana Jones meets Teen Titans in The Dream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from "one of Canada's most original writers of speculative fiction" (Library Journal).

Praise for The Hollow Boys, Book 1 in The Dream Rider Saga

"An assured, confident novel... A must-read story for YA fantasy fans." —Blueink Review (★ Starred review)

"Inventive, engaging, and boundless fun." —The Ottawa Review of Books

"A fun supernatural tale with well-developed characters and a touch of romance." —Kirkus Reviews

Praise is starting to flow in for The Hollow Boys, my latest novel and book 1 in my YA urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga. Here's a selection of reviews:

"Smith has created a dramatic, vivid fantasy world … The Hollow Boys is an assured, confident novel with strong world-building, sharp dialogue and the perfect balance between action and emotional growth for its main characters. … In short, this is a must-read story for YA fantasy fans." —Blueink Review (★ Starred review)

"The Hollow Boys is inventive, engaging, and boundless fun. Teen zombies, Buddhist monks, SWAT teams, Raiders-of-the-Lost-Arc-style warehouses, corporate raiders, a (nonflying) magic carpet, and astral travel ...  Smith manages to throw all these disparate elements at the story to form a truly cohesive universe ... There are some nice character arcs and a charming YA romance subplot ... I enjoyed The Hollow Boys a great deal, turning pages long after I should have been abed. Smith has produced the best Canadian superhero adventure since James Alan Gardner’s Dark vs. Spark novels." —Robert Runté, The Ottawa Review of Books

"A fast-paced and entertaining introduction to a new series. I've always enjoyed Smith's books and the characters in The Hollow Boys are further proof of why. They're rendered in more than three-dimensions, with the 'good guys' having their faults and even the villains having the odd tender spot … I enjoyed The Hollow Boys immensely… [and] was so pleased to have my opinion of Douglas Smith's work confirmed. He's a talented writer, equipped with two of my favourite traits: imagination and pathos. I look forward to continuing The Dream Rider Saga with The Crystal Key." —Kelly Jensen, SFCrowsnest

"An exciting alternative to your superhero entertainment fare … [Smith] is one of those rare authors … who have something new to offer in a world where everything is saturated by commercialism, including our beloved superheroes. … Superhero fans in search of an alternative should check out The Hollow Boys." —Reader's Favorite Reviews (5-star review)

"A multilayered fantasy that pays homage to familiar superhero tropes … while adding a nice dose of magic and mystery to the mix. The story is character-driven and richly developed … A fun supernatural tale with well-developed characters and a touch of romance." —Kirkus Reviews

The book is available at all major retailers in ebook and trade paperback editions, as well as hardcover at Amazon. I hope you'll check it out.