Scapemaker

Scapemaker #1

by Steve V. Cypert

Matthew is the son of Mr. Nicholas Namely, a local high school teacher. But unbeknownst to Matthew, his father is a dreamscaper whose classroom is connected to the dream-world. From his classroom, his students enter the halls of Scapemaker, a dream-world high school for young dreamscapers.

Following a couple of heartfelt tragic events, Matthew is compelled to investigate the unbelievable mysteries surrounding those events and is propelled into a whole new world. Matthew and his mother, Mae, are soon coerced into moving across the country for his father's strange medical needs. While attending his new school, Matthew comes to know the secrets that Daedree, an annoying girl from his former high school, has locked away. Matthew also meets Amber, a beautiful enigmatic girl who leads him to Mr. Xoner's classroom. While there, he learns the art of dreamscaping (which has been in the Namely bloodline for thousands of years).

Matthew will come to know of Nox Celare, otherwise known as The Sandman, who is after a special element called Magineum. Neck deep in skinwalkers, sandsleepers, zombies, soul feeders, ghosts, dream-world criminals known as “night terrors” and more, Matthew learns he is in over his head. Matthew must not only solve the mysteries surrounding those tragic events, but he will also have to protect the Magineum with his life and find a way to be with the one girl of his dreams. Filled with secrecy, mystery and a forbidden tangle of young love, this new life will lead Matthew to unbelievable characters with the most extraordinary abilities he could never have imagined.

Scapemaker will keep you grounded in the real world while at the same time make the fantastical world around it that much more possible and enduring. This tale of young adult paranormal fantasy will keep you guessing and wanting more.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fiction, Paranormal

500 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2012

About the author

Steve is the second child of seven born in Los Angeles, California to a wonderful mother and father. Born into the LDS faith, Steve served a 2 year full-time LDS mission at the age of nineteen in the northern half of Ohio.

At twenty-four he moved from his parents’ home in Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, Utah to try out life on his own. 2 decades later he still lives in Utah, where he found and married his beautiful wife, Katie.

Today they live in South Jordan, Utah with their bald little 6 month old son, Ozzie and their very hairy son, Duke - a three year old Shih Tzu (see Steve’s blog for a photo).

Before fining his [mostly] sweet wife, Steve graduated from LDS Business College in 2000. He then moved on to the University of Utah where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications three years later.

For as long as he can remember, Steve has loved to come up with creative and far-fetched stories. Sometime in the early 2000's, he decided to put one of his story ideas on paper. He wrote a poem titled "Pirate and Captain". The poem was an adventurous tale. He then decided to write the story as a novel. He wrote "Port of Errors" in just three months. However, it took him nine years to research, edit and put the missing pieces together. Port of Errors will eventually be a trilogy under the name "Born of Tyranny”.

Steve will always love the stereotypical, romanticized version of piracy. But he has more cooking in that oven. Steve has now written a second novel, the first in a series of 4. But this one is a YA paranormal fantasy - out in 2012. The title, at first, was "The Son of Nicholas Namely". But Steve soon changed the name to "Scapemaker", which will be the name of the series. As of January 2013, the second book has a completed, detailed outline and he will begin writing it shortly.

Steve loved photography and is very good at it. He shot weddings for a while, but mainly loves wildlife and landscape. He also loves volleyball and hiking. He has a mountain bike, but never rides it. He loves to write. And finally, he is a sad self-indulgent, fanatic, addict, junkie, freak, and lover - of movies!


(Steve also wrote a children's book called "Biggle and Bee" while waiting for the completion of the first Scapemaker edit.)

Reviews

[Elicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can also find this review at http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...


*SPOILER ALERT*


Detailed Review: Before I was even halfway through the book, I knew that it was going to be awesome. No way could any other person have written like Steve Cypert. His ideas are ingenious and insane. But hey, I just loved it all the way.

By the way, I know the cover looks spooky, but it think it ties in well with the story.

This book made me realise that the dream-world can control the real-world, and how different you can be when you're dreaming.

I just wished I was a dreamscaper. That would be my birthday wish! It's just really cool and different to me. Everything is new. But too bad, I was born a non-scaper.

After Matthew Namely's father fell into a coma and the murder of his friend Dobian Brown, he is forced into the dream-world, where it is both dangerous and beautiful at the same time. He finds out about his own blood and his father's past in Scapemaker, a school that educates dream-scapers.

What he finds out is this:
-The dream-world is not as safe as you think
-His father used to be Scapemaker's principal
-His father is not actually in a coma, he is in a prison called Sandstorm, a prison for traitors and night terrors
-Which means that his father was seen as a traitor
-And this leads to the conclusion that he has to prove his father's innocence
-This includes saving his father's magineum from Nox, the sandman to gain full power

Dream-scapers are people who can cross into the dream-world consciously. They can do anything they want as they do in the real-world.

Non-scapers are just people like us, who dream but are unable to control the dream we are in.

Actually I thought the book was going to be quite lame because it started with a football game but then it managed to evolve into something meaningful. Steve is such a great writer.

This book was always leaving me short-breathed, as if I just ran a marathon because I accompanied Matt on every adventure he went. I feel like Daedree, Matthew's friend, who can dream-read and be near the person at the same time, being tugged into adventure after adventure. It simply was exhilarating. Also, I love the way the dream-scapers have their own abilities which are unique. Skye can fly. Elijah can rewind time. Matthew can control the movements of non-scapers in the dream world. Amber can shape-shift. It's just AMAZING.

So I'm wishing to reborn into a dream-scaper. So please, GOD, I really want to be a dream-scaper just let me be one next time ok?

Also, the romance in there is a bit underdeveloped but you can expect more in the next book since the 'forbidden love' and 'love triangle' elements are still there. Those of you who love books like this, go ahead. But if you ignore this book, you're gonna regret forever! (jokes, don't take it seriously. Do whatever you want)

Brief Review: I wish I can read another book as good as this. This book is full of twists that is sure to leave your mind confused but wanting for more as questions develop page by page. This book will keep you reading all the way to the end! I'm being honest here!

Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'



QUOTE:
To all non-scapers and dreamscapers in the the world,

You know, Willie Wonka said it best: we are the makers of dreams, the dreamers of dreams.--- Herb Brooks

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

***There are spoilers in this post***

I feel terrible leaving this book only one star. Absolutely terrible. I wanted to like this so badly. But it was not a good book. I don't know if I downloaded an un-proofed copy, or if everyone else was able to look past all the mistakes, but the whole thing was just a mess.

I was able to download this for free from Smashwords with a code - otherwise the book is $2.99. And if I had paid $2.99 for this book, I'd want a refund. I'd actually be mad if I paid money for this. Again, I feel terrible saying this, but it's true.

Mr. Cypert could have used a serious proofer before publishing this and charging money for it. Unfortunately, I think there's just too much wrong with it to be considered "good" even if I liked the concept (which I did). The concept is something I haven't read or heard of too much, and it is an interesting way of portraying the dream world. However, the copy I downloaded from Smashwords reads more like a first draft than a finished product. I sincerely urge Mr. Cypert, if he is dead set on making this into a profitable series, to hire and pay for a professional proof-reader before continuing with selling the second book (and if he did hire one before publishing this one, he should get a refund). I wish him the best, but at this point I wouldn't consider this anywhere close to finished.

In list format I will discuss my problems (and I really hope that the author takes this as constructive criticism because that's how it's meant - I am sorry if it comes off as harsh, but I really think this needs a lot of help):

1. The book is way too wordy. The minutiae of details involved in the simple setting down of a purse and noticing that household chores weren't done was overwhelming. And it was like this for just about every action in the book. The descriptions of actions actually hurt the actions themselves. It took forever for something to happen that should have happened in a couple of seconds. Dialogue was also uncomfortable and drawn out in many places. I could not hear any of these conversations in my head as an actual conversation.

2. There were spelling, punctuation, and word choice errors absolutely EVERYWHERE. It was like the book had never seen a proper proofer, or even a proofer at all (like best friend, mother, friend who was an English major, ANYONE outside of the original author). It was so distracting I found myself automatically looking for them and trying to replace them with the right one in my head.

3. There were some major gaping plot holes, and a lot of deus ex machina was happening just when things seemed at their worst. Matthew needs something to light his way? There's miraculously a lighter just laying on the floor.

4. Mae as a mother is completely unrealistic. She reminds me of someone who takes uppers because she hates her life and needs to fake her way through it. I'm not trying to be mean, but she was written as a barely-there character who showed way too much flightiness for her part.

5. The love triangle between Amber, Matthew and Daedree wasn't believable or necessary. Daedree has no interest in Matthew at first but without warning it's like a switch flipped inside her and suddenly she wants him to be her boyfriend or whatever. And Matthew and Amber barely interact before they're talking about liking each other. Matthew barely acknowledges Daedree's feelings for him and seems to have none for her, until suddenly he does. And it's very confusing and doesn't need to be part of the story. I think that, if there's going to be a romance at all, it should just be between Matthew and one person, presumably Amber, because she was there first, but I'd go for Daedree as well. If a reader sincerely doesn't care which girl the protagonist ends up with because they're both pretty similar and neither makes a difference, it's probably best to eliminate one arm of the triangle.

6. The battle scene between Hunter and Snowball - there's a big plot problem right there. I find it incredibly hard to believe that the noise inside the Grand Theatre was too loud for them to hear what was going on outside it. I also doubt they'd be so oblivious as to not feel the whole school shaking from the impact of Hunter and Snowball throwing each other all over the place. Also, if Daedree can talk to other people through their minds, why didn't she just go talk to the headmaster in the first place? She was free at one point, Hunter was paying no attention to her, why did Amber have to risk Elijah's life by making him flash them back in time instead of letting Daedree take a nappy-nap and go talk to the headmaster in the Theatre? Why didn't anyone just run into the Theatre when Hunter was fighting with Snowball? The twins weren't terribly imposing at that point, once everyone was freed from the ice. Too many convenience explanations (there were at least three points in the sequence where the author wrote a variation on "The noise inside the Theatre was too loud so no one heard the commotion outside." That wasn't a commotion, that was a freaking battle.). Lastly, if Amber and Matthew had gone to warn the headmaster before all of this happened, why wouldn't he be keeping watch for something like this? It was implied that he semi-believed them, so you would think that instead of just randomly running out of the Theatre at the end of the battle, he would have come out a lot sooner.

7. There is a lot of character confusion regarding who is present and who is speaking. I noticed a few instances of this. At one point Matthew asks Mr. Xoner if Alex can come to the dream school too, as if he wouldn't be able to anyway, and it wasn't even mentioned (that I could remember) that Alex was even in the room. And in another moment, Elijah says something in Scapemaker even though he's in the hospital in the real world. It's most likely leftovers from editing, where a character was originally there but was removed, but again, another job for a proofer.

8. Why would the three agents who had been paralyzed by fear slow down the others? They didn't seem to be injured other than emotionally, and once the shadows had pulled back from them it seems as if all of them could have escaped together. They didn't need to stay behind, and the author didn't need to imply their deaths. They could have just as easily captured Ambisha when they went back in to get Hunter after the whole shebang was over.

9. The reader would expect Matthew to have learned SOMETHING by the time he sees his "mom" being eaten by zombies. Duh, it wasn't her. I didn't need the agent to tell me that it wasn't her. He'd already told Matthew that once before, and Matthew was too thick-headed to listen. I can't stand a "hero" who acts a damn fool, without thinking, and constantly puts everyone around him in danger to achieve his own ends through his own idiocy. In this regard, Matthew is just not like-able. Oh, and Agent Rymcene blowing up the Mae look-a-like's head with a water gun was so disgusting and out of place. Nothing in the rest of the book read like that, the sudden and out-of-place gore didn't appeal to me.

10. Matthew's explanation of why Cody and Tyler were in the dream world is half-hearted at best. If they had followed him, he would have seen their car considering how long he and Daedree were outside.

11. There wasn't a single reaction from anyone when the other three agents left the house carrying Ambisha? I mean, it was made out that they were probably going to die in there, and no one even registered surprise when they came back out alive?

[Alysa H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

There were a lot of good ideas in this book - the general premise, the school for dreamscapers -- basically people who shape all dreams -- which can be visited either in either lucid dreams or in one's physical body, the Sandstorm prison, the "haunted house", just to name a few. Apart from a few things that were not fully explained, this book did at least do a good, largely well-paced job of fantasy-world-building (and for a book this long, it better have).

Unfortunately, for me, the good ideas did not trump the poor execution. There were problems with grammar, punctuation, various "isms", characterization, POV-jumping -- you name it and it was problematic. It feels like this book was never edited or proofed at all. In fact, all of this was so bad that I actually feel a bit used. It's as if the author is using his Read-2-Reviewers as editors, rather than sending a real finished book out into the world.

Aside from grammar, punctuation, and word-choice problems, this was just WORDY WORDY WORDY. I'm not sure how to best describe this... It was like, the author was watching his story as a movie in his head and trying to describe every action with as much detail as possible so that his readers would be able to mentally replicate his vision. I'm sure that this comes from a good place - that the author loves his created world so much that he wants to render it exactly - but it's really a snooze to read, and takes away readers' ability to imagine and perhaps love this world, too. Description is nice; too much description is not, and can even border on insulting. There is also a lot of e-ink wasted on unfunny jokes.

Related to the "wordy" problem is that many of the characters speak in really affected ways. They tend to speechify, for example, and those who do not speechify go the opposite direction, not speaking enough and being given to giggling and catchphrases. The two extremes also tend to be divided along gender lines, too. Another problem concerning character voices is the rather unfortunate coding of certain characters as black via some really offensive linguistic stereotyping. At one point during a battle towards the end, I half-expected one character to shout of "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies!" (And though it's not a linguistic issue, this book also has racially problematic tones in its portrayal of skinwalkers, due to a too-heavy reliance on the Magical Native American trope.)

I won't go into more detail regarding inconsistent and/or unrealistic characterizations, which abound, but I will say that this issue is not helped by the random POV-jumping. The book is basically from Matthew Namely's POV, but there are also very frequent injections of other characters' motivations and feelings, usually but not always when they are about to perform an action or speak to Matthew, that Matthew would not be able to know. These are seemingly accidental; I get the impression that the author just didn't realize he was doing it, or that he would have to make a conscious decision about whether to go with a straight-on Matthew POV or an omniscient narrator. Or, just completely rearrange the structure of the book so as to have different scenes shown from different POV's. Again, I think this stems from the author's "movie in his head". That is, when one is watching a movie that has a central POV, one can still get camera shots of other characters' faces, which can reveal their secret motivations and feelings to the audience, if not to the central character. Unless you're writing a screenplay, this is a lot harder to pull off on the page.

I have been waffling back and forth between giving this 1 or 2 stars, because even though I didn't like it and found it a struggle to keep reading, I did like some of the ideas and scenes. I wish I could give it 1.5. I am perplexed by the number of good reviews that other readers have given this book. The problems were just WAY too much for me.

[Lourie · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***

Many revisions have been made to this book since my original review to here is my update:

This is one of those books that I loved right from the moment I started reading.

There was never a dull moment and it held my attention to the very end. It was hard to put down because I felt like I would miss something if I did. The characters are lively, vivid, fun and at times translucent. And there is a wide variety of alternate characters to tickle your fancy as well, such as ghosts, skin walkers, goblins, zombies and killer rabbits just to name a few. Even the villain is written superbly and takes evil to a whole new level.

The author did an amazing job of introducing such a dynamic new world and did it with out the obligatory information dump that usually accompanies the big reveal. As the main character learns and is introduce so are you as a reader.

The book climaxes in the right spot and does leave you with some unanswered questions to pull you into the next part of the series. All in all I have to say watch out Hogwarts because there is a new school in town called Scapemaker High.

** *Please note a few of the negatives I originally mentioned have either been removed or revised and no longer apply.


ORIGINAL REVIEW:

I loved this book.

Dreamscapers – people who are able to enter the dream world and protect the non-scapers from night terrors. But watch out because you will encounter ghosts, zombies, skin walkers, magic chutes, soul feeders & a few more characters.

But don’t be fouled because all of these characters are not like what you have read before. They all have their different spin.

The story opens and the plot unfolds quickly. The heart racing adventure keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

I would liken this book to “Yoda” meeting “Neo” and going on a hike with the “Goonies.” If you believe you can do it, you can!

The only thing that really bothered me about the book was in the beginning. I thought the author didn’t know the difference between the words was & were. It was extremely annoying, however as the story gets going this comes up again and the author reveals his humor by making fun of his own character.

The writing is simple and not weighed down. It would have been nice to see a little more description but this is not meant to be a negative since the book stands up to scrutiny.

The story doesn’t end nice and clean, there are some questions that have not been answered, but you will not mind. This reader will look forward to the 2nd book Soul Feeders.

I hardly ever rate a YA book a 5 but his one deserves it.

[Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. Review can be found on my blog Dee's Reads

I love the concept of dreams. I am one who always has vivid dreams. When I read the blurb for Scapemaker, I was instantly intrigued. Unfortunately, I almost DNF this book. I got about 15% in and each page was like pulling teeth. Then, almost magically, things started to pick up. I mean really pick up. The plot finally started loving and we got to go into the dream world and explore the crazy things Matthew was experiencing.
Let me just say I'm glad I stuck with it. Matthew is a normal high school student whose father is a professor. After a strange incident at school (we don't know the details); Matthew's dad Mr. Namely appears in a catatonic state in which he cannot awaken. Months pass with no change and eventually Matthew moves to With his mom Mae and attends a school where things aren't as they seem.
He begins to learn of the dream world. It's an actual world where some other students learn to be Scapemakers, to walk in the dream world. Matthews father was a very skilled one, thus Matthew inherited some ability.
Once we learn about the Dreamscape world and alternate high school-- things move really fast. It's weird because the first part of the book moved super slow. I was a little overwhelmed by all the different elements of this new "world." For example: there are night terrors, spirits, vampires (totally different concept of them, btw), and an outside dream world called Imagī Nation. No, it's Not a Saturday morning Animè cartoon.
As Matthew learns more about his talents at Dreamscaper high, the mystery unravels about his father. He aims to free his father from the prison he's in (being in a coma and all, I'm not gonna explain more because I don't want to give it away). Matthew solicits the help of several classmates to hunt down who set his father up. On the way they encounter many crazy things, including the Sandman aka Nox, who is Matthews step-brothers evil dream half (confused? Yeah I was too). So the mystery unravels and the ending is pretty good.
Overall I'm giving this book 3 stars mostly based on creativity and subject matter. The ideas were there. The speed of the plot wasn't to my liking. There were also too many different elements, I think some should've been left out so the reader would be less confused. Such as the dream vampires I could've done without. There were cooler ideas that could've been more emphasized.

[Jonel · Rating 4 out of 5]

You absolutely have to feel for the main character in this novel. I can’t even imagining being in his shoes, yet the author has everything laid out so clearly and vividly that I can’t imagine it not happening. I can’t actually picture myself along on this journey with him. Cypert made this all the easier because he has the ability to make the weird seem standard and everyday.

Scapemaker is so fully and vividly laid out that you feel like you’ve visited it. You can picture every room and outdoor scene that the characters go into. Even all of the rules for the realm are clearly laid out so that you would know what to do and how to act when you arrive. This story is so absolutely unique and very out of this realm without seeming over the top crazy that you can’t help but want to journey there. Not only is the world vividly put together, but the story itself is well written and fast paced.

Cypert’s cast of characters is also very intriguing. All of the major characters were quite well developed. You actually got to know them as if they were your high school friends. They also acted and spoke like characters of their own age. There were differences in dialogues based on age, and the locale where the characters grew up. This attention to detail was greatly appreciated. It was also very interesting to see the differences between some of the characters in the real world and in Scapemaker. They were the same, yet somehow different.

As a whole, this was an awesome novel. Cypert makes everything seem so very real that it doesn’t seem like a fantastical notion. It leaves you wanting more, but in a very good way.

Please note that I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!! Keeper shelf material for sure!!! The beginning is informative and enlightens you to things you need to know for later in the book. After chapter 4 the book really takes off and makes grab on with both hands!! It gives you a Lord of the Rings, House of Night , Shark boy and Lava girl feel with the goblins, gremlins, fairies, scary bad guys, and so much more!! The description in this book is fantastic!! From back ground and to characters to actions!! You can almost feel the water, smell the food , and hear the bones crack. When its supposed to be beautiful its gorgeous. When its supposed to be scary its freaky!! I LOVED IT !! It has everything Normal, weird, scary .... it has EVERYTHING DREAMS ARE MADE OF!!!! So if you think your brave enough, open up your mind to the wonderful, thrilling, and scary things that can happen in Scapemaker.

[Slawka · Rating 4 out of 5]

/I received a free e-book from the author through Smashwords/

I have to say I loved everything about the general idea of the book and the fact that we finally have a male main character in YA just makes it sooo much more interesting! The only reason I gave it 4 and not 5 stars is the strange triangle Matt-Amber-Daedree - it didn't convince me, same goes for some of the dialogues and decisions that characters make. They seem a bit rushed for the sake of the story. But the last chapter made up for any of my doubts. I am definitely going to read about the Soul Feeders!

[Emily W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
video review coming soon!

[Hatsunekai Aribal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have generally mixed feelings for this book. I have no idea if I love this book or not. The structure was good, as well as the organization. It's interesting enough that I actually finished reading it. Although I am sad to say that I did not scream in agony over Doby's death or cried happy tears when Matt and Amer had kissed. Honestly, this had disappointed me because that's how I know if a book was fine, good, great, amazing or just too damn awesome to actually want to let go of. Also, I really don't belong to any of its fandoms. Now for the more intricate details. Let me start with the story. It's a good one. It really is. I love how the author, Steven, writes in such detail. But the thing is, after a while, I kinda get bored. Not that the narration is boring. No. It's more like it's too slow or lengthy at times. I find myself speed-reading so I could finally get to the dialogues or the action. The plot was very well thought of so it was okay. It really is an interesting book with an interesting story but I'm not sure if I have come to that point of being "in love" with the book. But when the action started happening, I was stuck to it. I imagine it would have been like being high on drugs but since I've never been high or on any kind of drug, I wouldn't know how that felt. I truly do want to read the next one. Next part is, the characters. I just couldn't connect with them. I know that they're all interesting in ways and they do interest me but I just could not be very passionate with them. In the initial part of the story, I was generally sad about what happened with Matt losing his dad to Sandstorm prison. Who wouldn't be when a boy as young as him lost his own dad? But it's wasn't an overwhelming kind of sad. The book didn't elate strong emotions from me I think that's a real problem for me. I know when a book is amazing when it can make me tear up or rage in frustration or blow up in anger when the characters do something real stupid. I was really missing that part about reading a book. I felt sort of distant with this one. I think that's because I couldn't get to know the characters that well. I was reading about them but they were strangers to me. I'm surprised at how good the physical aspects are described in this book when the emotional and personal aspects are not as clearly defined. I find it difficult to imagine many of the characters so vividly in my head. The book needed more personality to it. The difference was that I saw them as characters and not really as people. They weren't very real to me because there was a lack of information about them. I'm not asking for addresses or phone numbers or schools or something like that. It needed more of the little details like for example, Mr. Xoner hated cats because they always looked at Mr. Ferret funny like he was the most delicious thing in the world. Or something like, Matthew wears his lucky socks at every game, and hasn't washed them for 3 years since he'd won his first game. The little details that made the characters more like people you would actually know and say hi to in the halls or whenever you passed by. As I was reading the book, they seemed distant and unreachable to me, like I'd reach out for them and I'd just be ignored by them. I did not like that, to be honest. They seemed more like characters in a story following a plot than people who've ended up in a whole lot of trouble or looking for trouble to get to their goal. Books are worlds in and of itself. To simply put, I was more like a bystander while I read and did not quite belong in it. My favorite characters so far are the triplets, Stanford, Stanley and Nacia. I love the bit where they can't be like a few feet away from each other. That would be so amazing if that were actually real. It's awesome, and fun. Next on my list is the world of the book itself. It is magnificent and I really wish I were a scaper just to get into their school. I am so jealous of these kids! Ugh! I wish I was in there with them to make things a little more crazy with them. This last part is about the cover. Like any other reader, I would also consider judgement over the cover. It's a nice cover but I don't find it eye-catching or very intriguing. The cover kind of adds to that desire to read it. It's a nice cover but it could have been better. Or creepier. Or something just as eerily like the book. I find the cover too simple for a story of this magnitude and honestly think that it does not do the book justice. Just saying.

P.S. Mr. Cypert, please write the next book because I really want to know what happens next, and I'm curious about this Nox guy I've heard so much about. Thanks :)

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scapemaker is an intriguing first part in a series of YA novels. Matthew is an ordinary teenager—until his father is unexpectedly taken ill, and Matt discovers there is more to reality than he first thought. He learns that his father—and he himself—are dreamscapers. These are people who are able to consciously exist within a dream realm, which is full of fantastical creatures and a multitude of other dreamscapers. Schools in the 'real' world connect to Scapemaker, a dreamscape school for such special students. Matthew finds out that his father's illness is related to supposedly criminal actions within the dreamscape, and determines to investigate to prove his father's innocence. He's having to deal with a move to another state and a new school there as well as his new life as a scaper, and it puts a fair amount of strain on him.

Although he's the main character in the book, I couldn't really get along with Matthew. He screams, he sulks, he quips and smirks (two things in particular that make my toes curl, but that's my foible), he varies between incredible levels of arrogance and incredible levels of stupidity. His saving grace is his belief in his family and his willingness to go to any lengths to clear his father's name and protect his mother. It's not to say that Matthew is shallow or badly described—he, like the other characters in the book, are detailed and believable. I just found Matt to grate somewhat. I don't know, perhaps I'm just a bit too far from being a teenager myself and entirely the wrong gender to be able to relate to Matthew, but I really hope he improves in the next book in the series.

There were a few typos in this book, but not many. Curiously enough, I read a book by a different author a few months back which seemed to have the same thing going on, which is that most of the typos that show up are the right word, but the wrong spelling. It's almost like the book has gone through some kind of speech to text process—things like peak instead of peek, you're instead of your, and so on. It's the kind of thing some readers find distracting, while others will just skip over them. Also, I should mention here that there are some deliberate errors, particularly in the speech patterns of one of the characters in the book.

Steve Cypert has written a rich alternate reality, and moved away from some stereotypes common in so many works of fiction—for instance, vampires in this world are somewhat different than you might have run into before. The author has also created some new and nasty critters, and mixes those in with more traditional beasties to good effect. Scapemaker is presented in detail (although it would have been interesting to learn a bit more about the classes the students attend), with different areas of the building carefully described. The action sequences are full of adrenaline, and there are hints of things to come towards the end.

I am intrigued to see what happens next with this series, as this book did have a lot of originality and there's the potential for this series to head off in all sorts of different directions. All in all, enjoyable.

This book was kindly provided by the author as a free e-book—thankyou!—in return for a fair review. The author has had no input to or preview of this review. It's all my own work :-)

[Andrea Ika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review :Scapemaker

Steve V Cypert

Title: Scapemaker
Author: Steve Cypert
Published: November 19th, 2012
Word Count: 122,000
Genre: YA Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Rating: 3 stars
Content Warning: Minor fantasy/paranormal violence, some of which may be a little graphic for younger readers.

Synopsis
The limit between consciousness and subconsciousness is very thin. All we have to do is fall asleep to cross over. But a dreamscaper -- well, he doesn't have to do anything. He rules both worlds.
Matthew is the son of Mr. Nicholas Namely, a local high school teacher. But unbeknownst to Matthew, his father is a dreamscaper whose classroom is connected to the dream-world. From his classroom, his students enter the halls of Scapemaker, a dream-world high school for young dreamscapers.

Following a couple of heartfelt tragic events, Matthew is compelled to investigate the unbelievable mysteries surrounding those events and is propelled into a whole new world. Matthew and his mother, Mae, are soon coerced into moving across the country for his father's strange medical needs. While attending his new school, Matthew comes to know the secrets that Daedree, an annoying girl from his former high school, has locked away. Matthew also meets Amber, a beautiful enigmatic girl who leads him to Mr. Xoner's classroom. While there, he learns the art of dreamscaping (which has been in the Namely bloodline for thousands of years).

Matthew will come to know of Nox Celare, otherwise known as The Sandman, who is after a special element called Magineum. Neck deep in skinwalkers, sandsleepers, zombies, soul feeders, ghosts, dream-world criminals known as “night terrors” and more, Matthew learns he is in over his head. Matthew must not only solve the mysteries surrounding those tragic events, but he will also have to protect the Magineum with his life and find a way to be with the one girl of his dreams. Filled with secrecy, mystery and a forbidden tangle of young love, this new life will lead Matthew to unbelievable characters with the most extraordinary abilities he could never have imagined.

My thought
I was given a copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review. I wasn’t sure if I would actually be able to go through the entire book (initially). The first couple of chapters were a little slow paced for my liking.This is a book that, once you pick up, you wont want to put down.

Scapemaker is an enjoyable read. There are lots of twists and plenty of suspense and Scapemaker is a page-turner. I was willing to root for and follow Matthew through his adventure, however my attention faltered several times when the story focused on one of the secondary characters. And, for whatever reason, I just never felt a real connection to most of them.

I was overwhelmed with all the information that was given in the first few chapters. The strained relationship, the accident, another tragic event, the move, and then all the characteristics of what dreamscaping was about. A lot to take in. Things got better once Matthew settled and found a group of friends he could count on. I admire his determination to help his father, regardless of everything he kept from him.

Summary
I hope (for your sake) that you give it a try, if you haven’t already!

[Marium · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll start with the cover. It really think it's vague and gives one little idea about the content of the book itself. I know the black might be for night terrors, blue for the magineum that appears as blue sand in real world and the eyes on the cover are of a skin-walker, but I still stand by what I just mentioned. The book had a lot of potential and if only the cover would have been intriguing and captivating, it would have been better. I just feel it could be so much more and hope the second book would have a more interesting cover.

Initially, I wasn't captivated by this book. I didn't spend all my free time reading it and got easily distracted which is saying something since I do not get distracted once I put my mind to something. It was a lot to take in at first since the setting was pure fantasy. It reminded me of Insidious (movie) once I read the prologue. Things seemed very descriptive to me at times which clearly indicated the amount of effort, hard work and labour put into this book. It also highlighted that the author might have wanted the readers to picture exactly what he had in mind as to assure complete understanding of the dream world-but I might be wrong.

It was perhaps the fifth chapter that finally got my head into the book which appeared as a puzzle to me. But, as more pieces started appearing, things got interesting. Some parts were very thrilling and nice, like the graveyard scene. I'll admit I have a thing for graveyards so my opinion could be biased but I really liked it. It was fairly intriguing and well-written. However, it did not stop me from feeling that a good editor would have been extremely beneficial to this novel by shaping and polishing it; the format could've been improved, too, since it seemed improper and unclear-kind of mixed, I would say.

Now, the characters were interesting but I was king of looking forward to read more about Misery and Steve and was disappointed to find out they were not mentioned throughout the book. I kept thinking that they'd appear in the story but they didn't. And, then there's Matthew. His true potential and talents in the dream world are still partially unknown. There's seems to be a lot of potential for this particular character and I'm looking forward to see how the author develops it. Many dream world creatures, a.k.a. Imagi, were also created and they weren't bad. Nothing seemed particularly out of place, although, I would like to know more about each character and their abilities.

There were also parts when I would've liked answers and more elaboration. For example, when Eli and Amber take everyone in the past. Now, we know that Amber lent Eli her abilities but what exactly those abilities were, I'm still kind of in dark about that. And, then there's Hunter's escape unexplained and the purpose Doby's key has yet to fulfill and Amber's appearance in the climax. How she got there should have been explained since she appeared out of the blue.

There's still much to learn and discover about this new world that the author wishes to familiarize us with. So, I guess the journey just started and hopefully, all the answers would be in the second book. I also liked the way first book ended. It was was interesting and I hope the story would be better executed in the second book to enhance the plot further.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scapemaker by Steve V. Cypert
Dani's Rating: 3.5 stars
Overall Rating: 3.5 stars

This review can also be found at:
http://awalkonwords.blogspot.com/

Dani's Review:
Thanks so much to Steve Cypert for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my fair and honest review.

For me, Scapemaker was an okay read. It is a long fantasy book that I think would be better if the slow parts were condensed. The beginning was slow and it annoyed me that it took so long for the main character, Matthew Namely, to find out what was going on.

Matthew came home from school one day to find bad news awaiting him: the death of his best friend Dobian Brown and his father in a coma. He struggled with his grief and began to see paranormal events unfolding around him. A mysterious girl kept popping up in the strangest places. He saw a weird wolf-thing. He encountered a kid who seemed to have 2 people inside of him. Finally, when he is introduced to the "dream-world" he starts to understand what is going on with his world.

Scapemaker begins to become much more interesting and enjoyable at this point. I liked learning about Steve Cypert's various fantasy concepts such as mer-water, night- terrors, and skinwalkers. They were all very creative ideas, but at some parts of the novel it was confusing and overwhelming. There are many minor characters who provide comic relief and banter to fill the slow parts of Scapemaker. I felt that Steve's writing fluctuated from good to bad throughout this novel. Sometimes he used cliche expressions like "Matthew screamed like a girl", but sometimes he made great use of imagery and really transported the reader into the scene of the novel. The fight scenes were particularly good because it introduced suspense, which in my opinion wasn't a large component of Scapemaker.

The second half of Scapemaker when Matthew is trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Doby and his father was fun to read. He was in dangerous situations, faced formidable foes, and experienced a teensy bit of romance with a girl named Amber. But romance lovers, don't get your hopes up. There is barely any romance in this fantasy novel.

There are some typos in Scapemaker, but hey, it was independently published by Mr. Cypert! Indie authors have a harder time than authors affiliated with a large publishing company at editing their novels.

I think Scapemaker will only be enjoyed and loved by readers who can continue reading through slow parts. It is not a fast-paced novel so some impatient readers may stop reading in the beginning. But if you are a patient reader, you will love Scapemaker! The innovative creatures and concepts will fascinate you and you will be captivated by the plot.

[Amie's Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy SCAPEMAKER in return for an honest review of the book. I believe that when an author asks for an honest review, they actually do want honesty. The purpose of reviews are two-fold. One is for potential readers to read the review and to use it to help determine whether or not they might be interested in reading that particular book. The second reason for author's to want their book's reviewed is that they want constructive criticism. Any good author will always be looking to hone and improve his or her craft.

If your purpose for reading this review is to decide whether or not you want to read "Scapemaker" then let me say that you should most definitely read this book. It is entertaining and the author has imagined an entire world that is living alongside ours. His imagination has brought this world to life and will keep even the most jaded reader's attention right the very end.

I absolutely thought that the storyline of Scapemaker was brilliant. The characters are well developed and the author does a terrific job of making the reader care about the characters.
I am very much looking forward to reading the sequel.

That said, you are probably wondering why, if I thought the story was great, did I only give it 3 out of 5 stars? Well, the answer is simple. The author desperately needs an editor. If this book had been properly edited, I would have rated it as 5 out of 5 stars.

Any book you purchase at a regular book store has been edited by professionals before being printed and distributed for sale.
New authors often do not have the benefit of professional editors. This can be both a blessing and a curse.

To illustrate what I mean when I say that this book needs an editor, I have listed several examples below:
1. There are numerous times when the author meant to use the word "past" and instead it reads "passed." Such as: "...without thinking, he swallowed everything that had made it passed his lips at once."
2. The author wrote: "...squirming like a dead fish." Dead fish don't squirm, they are dead. It should have read "...squirming like a dying fish."
3. Another example of using an incorrect term was when he wrote: "The stream rose from the natural slits..." It was not a stream it should have read "steam."
4. "Half the noodles slipped onto the handle of his fork and slid sloppily into his fingertips."
Should be "onto" not "into. "
A few more examples are:
A) "...playfully smothering his hair..." Should read. "smoothing."
B) "He then clinched the doorknob..." Should be "clenched."
C) Mrs. Toone grabbed Duncan by the waste. Should be "waist."

I believe that with a good editor, this author could have a very bright future in the publishing world.

[Dave Higgins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is about a boy who discovers he has magical powers and is taken to a school for the gifted. It is a testament to Cypert's world-building that I did not think of the comparison to Harry Potter until I was over three-quarters of the way through the book.

This is the first volume of the Scapemaker series. The story opens with a series of unusual events which reveal that Matthew Namely has the power to enter the dream world. His powers can be dangerous, to both himself and others, so he is enrolled in Scapemaker, one of a several schools for those capable of interacting with dreams. While he is still attempting to come to terms with another world parallel to the mundane his best friend is killed and his father left in a coma. When his father is blamed for murder and the loss of a mystical artefact, Matthew sets out to prove him innocent.

The magical system in this book is interesting and internally consistent, and is placed within a believable adaptation of the modern world; while there are fantastical elements such as gremlins and dragons, they are only part of magical society, and there are sound reasons for them not to interact with the mundane world.

The plot is engaging with a good balance of serious magical threats and mundane teenage problems. It advances at a good pace without seeming rushed.

The characterisation is mixed. Most of the main characters have distinct believable personalities; the two potential love interests are particularly well realised, and make full use of the potential of a world in which a person's physical appearance can vary between the mundane and dream worlds. However, Cypert often tells the reader what a character is like instead of letting their dialogue and actions show their character. Combined with heavy use of adjectives and complex speech verbs, this counteracts the effect of otherwise solid work.

The point of view is often centred on Matthew but sometimes strays between several other characters within the same scene, or adopts an entirely external view. In some scenes the narrator is omniscient, and some early scenes use divine irony, whereas in others even a character's words are hidden from the narrator. Along with the didactic style of the writing this often makes Cypert's choice to share information or not very obvious to the detriment of immersion.

As an additional consideration for British English speakers, these stylistic issues made the use of American English more than usually noticeable.

Overall I enjoyed this novel, and will probably read the rest of the series. However, the ideas were let down by a lack of editing.

I received a free copy of this book from the author.

[Delaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoiler alert
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There were a couple times that I entertained the idea of just not finishing this book, and it pains me to admit that.

The concept of the book is a great one, one I haven't come across before. But there were some things I could just not bode with in terms of character development and the amount of detail used to describe things that only need a few words, not paragraphs. At one point I felt overwhelmed with the description of a scene that it all just escaped me, I could not describe it to anyone who asked me without referring back to that page.

I found the lead to be unrealistic and incredibly annoying/predictably stubborn. How many times must you be told not to do something before you actually listen? His reaction to a certain dead but not dead teacher (who trends to over share) was so blasé. I'd run through the halls if I ever encountered a ghost, not fidget. Totally disregarding three instructions he given from his Escher's and even an FBI agent, oh man this is one ballsy kid.

The love triangle that materialized out of nowhere that is totally not needed. First Matt meets Amber in this totally mysterious way amr thinks she's very pretty, then a girl he been going to school with for who knows how long turns out to be part of this new world and begins to look speaking to Matt even though she thinks he's self absorbed, but then she starts to like him after working with him on saving his father's name....... In the end, Amber and Matthew are talking about a way around the rules to be together but during the final battle all Matt could think about was saving Daedree (the other girl).... mind boggle? Yes.

There were some scenes in the book where it is described that something was so loud or obvious but the person there was not concentrated on that aspect even though it is so glaring obvious... what? Why? Why are they over looking such an obvious detail? How could no one else feel or great two monsters going at it? How could Matt not tell that the image he saw writing on the bed was not his actual mother, or the zombie mom coming at him? As a matter of fact, how could he totally ignore being told that he's in a night terror's twisted game and that it's not real? Bleh.

I didn't totally hate this book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I would've liked to. And that ending? Oh dear.
I'm sorry.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scapemaker is a beautifully compelling and wonderfully intricate story of discovering an unknown heritage and fighting to honor it with your whole heart. This is an adventure that will inspire and delight daydreamers and readers of fantasy alike. Come and escape down the rabbit hole as we enter a whole new world filled with surprises around every corner and untold dangers along the way. Do you have the courage and heart to forge this trail?

Matthew who is just like every other guy except for the fact that he isn’t. He doesn’t know that he is different until it’s too late and his world is turned upside down. He loses his father the same day that he learns who he really is. With such an immediate disadvantage, he must play catch up and seek help from unlikely people in order to achieve his goal of saving his father. He uncovers precious truths and finds true friendship and more along this harsh yet rewarding journey.

I was immediately taken in by Matthew’s honesty and passion in his fight to uncover the lies and mysteries surrounding the disappearance of his father. He knows he can’t do this on his own, so he seeks out help from a rag tag group of students that prove to be invaluable in helping him accomplish this insanely difficult task that he has taken upon himself. He pulls no punches with them, and doesn’t hold back with his true thoughts and intentions. Time and again his actions while good get him in trouble and his friends are always there to get him out if they can. The bonds of friendship that are forged prove true and lasting, and he becomes a better version of himself as a result.

The world that is Scapemaker is amazing and captivating. There is no end to its beauty and its dangers. While it houses breathless beauty and intrigue, it also hides countless untold dangers. One cannot take anything for granted when in Scapemaker. Always keep your eyes and your mind open for what you miss may come back to haunt you.

Steve Cypert has proven to be quite an intriguing creator of this highly entertaining tale. You won’t be sorry that you chose to read this story. In fact, you will devour it whole and then ask for more. It is sure to fuel and broaden your imagination as it entices your senses. You will get lost in this stunning new world as you get to know fun and passionate characters along the way.

[Skaistė Girtienė · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is enjoyable and interesting story with action, surprises, secrets and villains, with tense and fun moments. It hold my attention and kept me reading further. It tells about a boy being introduced to a whole new world of imagination. There‘s quite amazing world created in here with a lot of details, history, rules, scenery, various characters with various abilities. I can‘t remember reading any book with such a world. Well, it reminds me of „The Neverending Story“ by Michael Ende in some details and in being a story about a world of imagination. But that‘s just a little bit. There‘s a lot of unique details in here.

Main character, Matthew, is one I rarely find in books. He‘s not one of the characters full of good qualities. He stands out by being, well, I would say stubborn. In a sense he seems to be thinking more about himself than about others (egotistical, as says one of the characters in the book). He breaks the rules. He has his own opinion and seems to be holding it no matter what. He seems to be „I know it all and I know it better“ guy. But at the same time he is friendly, courageous, he cares about his own family, he sets the goal and goes for it no matter what the obstacles are. This stubbornness sometimes gets annoying for me, but that‘s a good combination for a story. If one dares to behave outside the rules, adventures happen. Sometimes bad things do. But that‘s part of an adventure too. And that makes interesting things happen in the story.

Well, there‘s one small weakness. Usually this story is easy to read, but sometimes it gets a little bit rough. It‘s mostly a feeling for me, but I‘ll try to explain what I have in mind. It‘s just a sense that some sentences seem to be put in too straighforward way. Like there‘s separate sentences saying who said what, did what, but together they don‘t make a story as a whole. That was mostly in the beginning, and not that much further in the story. That‘s a minor thing, and it doesn‘t make story less interesting. Just sometimes it makes reading not as fluid as it usually is. Nonetheless, I‘m interested to read what happens next. Whole story and the ending are promising a whole lot more adventures coming.

I was given this book in exchange for honest review (Lovers of Paranormal group and the author).

[Colleen Bratley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reality is nothing but our perception. Steve Cypert takes our perception through a new door, and we are only dreaming.
Well that's what the story tells you anyway. Dreaming is, for some, an ability to be in another dimension and as alive and active as what we believe is our normal reality. Actually more alive and more able to do things which are believed to not be possible otherwise. Confusing? I was confused at first even though I thought I knew what was going on, but then I had to question things and get all the lines blurred again.
Follow the path and you won't get lost. Really? No. This story is not that easy or it would be boring. This creation takes you on a journey that is anything but boring. The characters bring it to life and as you learn about them your emotions join theirs and you even want to shake them up a bit when they do or say something you know they shouldn't. That's what you'd do in real life so if the author can bring that through on the page, then he has done his job.
The great thing about fiction is you can create anything you want. The hard part for the author is to make it believable. If you can convince your reader that this could actually happen, get them to feel like they are really there in the moment, and make them want to read more, then your creation becomes real. The reader loves it, and imagines it as a possible real tangible event. This book brings the story and its characters to life. Yes there is some explanation of the new never before known elements replication, but the story as told is pretty darn good.
I have to say there are a few places where it seemed the characters would not get out unscathed or even alive for that matter. But the author, using his great creative mind manages to move them forward and leave you nothing but surprised and entertained.
It is a mystery fantasy journey that students and a few teachers take into another realm of reality. It's a story that happens mostly in the dream world with a little of the "normal" reality mixed in.
I have to say I was surprised and happy with the story. It wasn't what I expected, and the author's ability to weave a tale that has to have a sequel or two yet still has an ending was wonderful. It's entertaining, and I'm sure you will enjoy it.

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book for the most part. I loved that the entire premise was centered around dreams and imagination. Hunter's tattoos were an idea I have seen before, but the way it was done here was impressive. I also thoroughly enjoyed Nurse Addie's name and the transformations of the animals. I only wish I got to see the beta fish transform! And while this may seem stupid, I was relieved the names of the characters weren't ridiculous. Many authors have a tendency to use fancy names in nivels dealing with supernatural ideas, and for me it is just distracting. So I was pleasantly surprised that for the most part the names in this book reflected the timeframe they live in. A minute detail, but one I appreciate all the same. I wish more time had been spent explaining what other classes were at the school as well, I was fascinated with what would be considered relevant knowledge for a scapemaker. And the plot was well conceived.

Now to the things I disliked......

The typos. There were far too many of them, and they were distracting. I would get involved in the story only to be totally caught off-guard by the spelling mistakes that I would lose track of what I was reading. The two I remember distinctly were the misuse of breath instead of breathe, and the same for heals instead of heels. I found myself highlighting these typos on my Nook as I went along.

The other distracting thing was the random input of romance. I understand that it was an effort to create a love triangle, but the times it was done were so out of place. They're being chased by night terrors but they stop to share an intimate moment. Those small scenes just seem to be so randomly placed. It was inconsistent and I shrugged it off more often than I cared about the romance.

Overall though I enjoyed Scapemaker very much. I can't complain too much since I was lucky enough to get a free copy from the author. Regardless though, it is an awesome idea for a series and I am intrigued to see what happens next!

[Erleen Alvarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

For more of my review, visit Books For YA!

Scapemaker is an action-packed paranormal novel about an extraordinary boy and his mission to prove his father’s innocence. But in order for him to do that, he will have to explore the uncharted world of dreams, make friends with the other dreamscapers and defeat the evil creatures called night terrors.

Matthew Namely is just a normal 15 year-old boy who loves to play football. But some series of events changed it all. First, his father went comatose the same day that they found the dead body of his best friend, Doby Brown. Then because of his father’s condition, her mother decided to move to Utah where there is a facility that could take care of his father. And because of the move, Matthew doesn’t have a choice but to continue his studies at North Park High where he will meet Mr. Xoner. And that’s where the secrets about his father’s situation, Doby’s death and his true identity will unravel.

This book was actually pretty cool. I haven’t read anything that is about the dream world before so this was definitely new and original to me. The setting was really creative and imaginative with all the trapdoors that was actually a portal to other places but there were also a few times where I got confused when the characters suddenly cross over from real world to dream world especially at the last part. And speaking of the last part, I really don’t get why in all the possible places to ask someone to be their date, Matthew decided to asked Daedree when the situation was very crucial and serious. I mean, there were times when that kind of move felt romantic but in this case, it was really a bad timing and it was annoying. The characters were okay but I didn’t find a character that stood out from the rest. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of characters here have special abilities and they have their unique personalities but I don’t know why, no one grabbed my attention.

Anyway, this book was an okay read. I like it but I wasn’t in love with it.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scapemaker is a young adult fantasy novel that follows Matthew into an exciting new world – of dreams. This book puts me in mind of Harry Potter – a hidden school amongst the real world, mystery, adventure, and unusual characters and abilities. However, this is not a wizard-type book. This story takes place within the dream realm (and the real world.) Those who can cross over to the dream world consciously are known as dreamscapers, and Scapemaker is the school where Matthew ends up attending.

Matthew has had some bad events taken place in his life – starting with a bad injury from a high school football game to his father’s “coma.” After moving to a new home to accommodate for his father’s medical condition, he learns about Scapemaker. He also makes some new friends – some of which have unusual qualities. Matthew, a good person, tends to bend the rules to help his father and friends. This takes him on a bumpy ride against night terrors (the nasty bad guys in the story) and getting in trouble at school. The story is written in third person, and mainly follows Matthew. There are a few moments where the story focuses on other characters within the same event to give the reader the full gist of what is happening.

The plot moved along well for me. It was an easy read. At one point where Matthew was learning about Scapemaker and all that comes with the dream world, I thought it was a little too much information all at once. Perhaps it could have been spaced out a little more. But, it made room for the rest of the story to proceed. There is a lot of action during the second half of the book, and it ends to be continued in the following book. There are still some unanswered questions and new questions from the last question that should make the reader want to find out what happens in the next book. I also wondered what Mae (his mother) was thinking and doing during this time.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. If you like young adult fantasy novels, you should give this book a try.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scapemaker takes place in a world were some people, known as “Dreamscapers”, are born with the ability to enter a dream world in which monsters and myths are real. Although Matthew’s father teaches dreamscaping, Matthew is unaware of the existence of Dreamscapers until his father’s mysterious descent into a coma forces him to learn. He quickly finds that his father’s coma was caused by events in the dreamworld, events which have left a powerful talisman his father was guarding unprotected. Now Matthew must act as guardian and try to free his father before it’s too late.

I really liked the premise behind Scapemaker. The mythology built up in the story was fairly novel, but included enjoyably recognizable elements. The plot was a standard one, with a purely evil bad guy and a chosen hero who must stop him. I think there’s a reason that sort of story is the standard though. It’s just so enjoyable to watch an underdog hero grow into his powers and take out a bad guy you can love to hate!

The execution, unfortunately, was not as good as the ideas. The dialogue often felt stiff and unnatural to me, while the exposition was done by having the characters give unbelievably long back stories. There was also a lot of telling instead of showing. For example, Matthew’s mother is introduced as “Matthew’s loving mother” when she could instead be shown to act in a loving way. I also felt like the ending only worked because of a lack of internal consistency, with the bad guy only losing because he didn’t use all the tools at his disposal. However, I’m sure the writing for the next book will be more polished and there was a lot to like in this book. The world is creative and I can’t wait to learn more about it. The characters are believable and act realistically – plus, a male protagonist! I don’t feel like we get enough of that in middlegrade and YA books. Overall, I’m definitely excited to see where the next book goes.

This review first published on Doing Dewey.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Thoughts: When I first started this novel I was a little bit worried because the characters seemed off to me. This was partly because of what will from now on be known as writer warm up (the characters spoke funny but don't worry it stops). I was happy to find out that the real reason for this awkwardness was that they were hiding something. The author did an outstanding job of making sure that the reader understood the place the story took place in as well as all the strange...let's call it magic. I loved how original this was. It was different than anything I'd read; however, I felt like it was one of those things that could be real. It made me wonder if it couldn't. Harry Potter did the same thing for me. Why couldn't something like this be true? That thought, though incredible, is also terrifying after seeing the bad that can come from people who only want power.

This story was one of the best I'd read in a long time for explaining characters and their motivations. I'll even overlook the cheese 'I kinda like like you' moment that two of them had. Also, I thought it was great for two of the main characters to bicker. Dae was right though, Matthew was a bit conceded. I'm so glad he got over that in the end.

This novel ends with a lead into the next book in the series though so be prepared to be pulled into it before it starts and left with a lot of questions. I might need to get my hands on the next one to find out how it ends. I want a happy ending, really is it too much to ask?

Final Thoughts: Very few authors could pull off writing a whole new world where almost everything needs to be explained, this one can. This book has everything from ghosts to mermaids (sorta), zombies to love, action, mind reading, flying, and magic. If you like fantasy novels than this would be a good one for you. It has everything and more.

http://one-chapter-ahead.blogspot.ca/

[Nani · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book I became a little on the defensive as a reader. It took a couple chapters to get into the book because I felt like there were things that I just wasn’t being told to understand. Then again the main character didn’t know about or understand much yet either. Retrospectively it made the main character better to understand as he was pretty “out of touch” and confused too. Some of what seemed like parallels to the Harry Potter series were a little disturbing, mainly a group of kids learning their powers at a mystical school and some of the similarities in the characters who ended up not being as similar as the book progressed. But the magic is not simply magic; it’s the magic of the subconscious in some gifted people in a world that visits us all.

The first book in the Scapemaker series is the second book by Steve V. Cypert and you will see some of the rough edges of an independent publisher; some reviews noted typos that were there but not that abundant and there were a couple of places where I reread to clarify who a minor character was and couldn’t find that clarification, but the development of the main characters and the story were sound and well worth the reading.

A couple of days after putting the book down and absorbing what “stuck” from my reading, my opinion is that the book was a good book; the story and characters were memorable and the premise really does make you wonder for a moment in the back of your mind, if this could possibly be actually happening when we sleep and that’s all that good fiction needs to capture the reader.

So if you start the book and feel confused, keep reading. If you start the book and feel like you’ve read the story of kids and a “supernatural” school before, keep reading. It’s not what you think; then again, dreams never are.

[Tanya Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew hasn’t been sleeping well, he’s been having nightmares. Little does Matthew know he’s a dreamscaper, like his father, Mr. Namely (Matthew’s dad)’s classroom is a doorway to the halls of Scapemaker; a school for future dreamscapers to learn more about their gifts. After his father is found comatose, Matthew starts to investigate what happened and is thrown into this new world he never knew existed. Along with a few new friends, Matthew sets out to find out what happened to his father and to help change events that have been set in motion. Through their journey, Matthew encounters the Sandman, zombies, ghosts, sandsleepers and many more. The question is how much Matthew willing to do to protect the Magineum and to bring his father back from his coma.




This story was interesting to say the least. It took me awhile to get into the story and see what it was about. At first I thought it moved along rather slowly but I pushed along hoping that things will change and they did. I was drawn into the world of Scapemaker and all the evil that was hiding there (yes there is evil lurking amongst the dreamscapers. There were a few twists along the way that compelled me to continue reading to see who/what was behind all of this.

The characters each added their own personal element to the story thus turning the story into something I couldn’t wait to find out more about. Matthew is a young man that had to learn a lot about things he never knew existed and in such a short time but he never stopped believing that his father was innocent and with that he showed a strong will…I was very proud of Matthew as well as a friends who believed in him and what he was doing.

This isn’t my typical type of book to read lately however I was pleased in the end.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Impression: Who doesn’t want to escape inside a dream world? Let’s go…

Characters: Humans are not the only beings represented in author Steve Cypert’s creation. I appreciate nods to many different character and monster types throughout Dreamscape – my favorite were the lunchroom Imaji. Other notable descriptions of the Magineum keepers and Goblins stayed with me longer than the story itself.

World Building: Scapemaker has a decidedly Harry Potter feel to it – if Harry roamed the halls of dreams instead of wizardry. There’s also a Native American undertone with mare guardians, dream catchers, and lore galore. I enjoyed the tie-ins to history, as this always adds an element of realism to fictional works. The dreamscapers have extra abilities and powers, giving a feel of magic.

Writing Style: The author does an excellent job creating vivid characters, especially in the descriptions of Goblin distinctions and races. I enjoyed funny quips from the teachers and the general feel of the story.
What I Enjoyed: “Luck is an unknown skill under the guise of a blind talent.” Little gems of wisdom like these are hidden throughout the book.

Deal Benders: There were a few spelling and grammar errors for a finished copy, and one repeat sentence that I found strange. Also, I hate to say it, but the story just didn’t stimulate me enough – I feel this might be better for middle-grade readers, but then again the stakes are so high these days.

Overall Rating: Started out great, and then slowed to a crawl. I give 3 stars because I did like the idea.

For Fans Of: Rick Riordan and J.K. Rowling

[Jennifer Jimmerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of the book a lot. It is very imaginative story; it is unlike any book I've read. The characters are neat, though instead of high schoolers, to me, they were junior high. The antagonist, Hunter, is quite a character. I'm still curious to find out who the traitor is. This author shows a lot of promise, and obviously a great and over active imagination.
Matt is a high schooler who's best friend, Doby, is found murdered under unusual circumstances, and that same day his father, a teacher at his school is found in a coma-like state. After moving to a new school, Matt is introduced to a world he was previously unaware of, one in which his father is deeply involved. He finds that his father is charged with Doby's death, and the coma his father is experiencing in the real world is a prison of the mind in Imagi Nation, and a terrifying one at that. Matt, believing in his father's innocence, takes it upon himself to discover the real murderer and thereby prove that his father is innocent. Matt must face his worst fears, and fight for himself and his friend's lives all while navigating and learning the rules of this world as he goes.
I probably would have given it a higher rating, but there were a lot of errors in the kindle version. Most of them are simply fixed, just two words stuck together, some are cut sentences or words that were forgotten when changing the sentence. If one can make it through the "Matt" redundancy of the first chapter, then the rest is pretty good. All this story needs, for me to give it four stars, is an editor.

[Spirit of Wonderland Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dreams are things most of us deal with. We wake up grasping at wisps of images, and usually shake them out of our heads with our morning shower. Scapemaker poses a different kind of scenario: what if dreams aren't just in our heads? What if there's a dream world, and it's real?

The idea for this story is as fascinating as it is exciting. Matthew is thrown into a surreal world where dreams are real, even more real than the waking world, all while trying to save his innocent father from a lifetime in the dream-world prison. Battling night-terrors, extraordinary creatures, and his own past full of secrets, Matthew finds himself in a fantastic adventure against evil and darkness. While he tries to win the heart of his dream girl, he learns to use his new-found powers, and with the help of his new friends, he will help protect the future of dreams.

Mr. Cypert created an awesome story with this book. His attention to detail was wonderful, creating a well-rounded and complete alternate reality. I look forward to the sequel, and would certainly recommend this book to any fan of paranormal/supernatural adventure stories.

*I was given a complimentary eCopy of this book, from the author, to read in exchange for an honest review.