The Pale Dreamer

A Bone Season Novella

By: Samantha Shannon

Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins

A dreamer is born - the exhilarating prequel to the ground-breaking, extraordinary Bone Season series.

In the perilous heart of Scion London, a dangerous and valuable poltergeist is on the loose - and it must be caught before chaos erupts on the streets of the capital. Here, the clairvoyant underworld plays by its own rules, and rival gangs will stop at nothing to win such a magnificent prize.

Sixteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working for Jaxon Hall, the most notorious mime-lord in the city. He thinks she is hiding a powerful gift, but it refuses to surface. Maybe this is the opportunity she needs to secure her position in his gang, the Seven Seals....

©2016 Samantha Shannon (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"Truly extraordinary and thrilling." (Andy Serkis)

Fantastic narrator

I loved the narrator and this story. I’ll be continuing this series for sure. I love the setting, the characters and the world I was introduced to.

A great novella

This novella is meant to be read before The Bone Season even though it was published after The Bone Season. I would say reading it before or after is fine. If you read it before, you get a background to Jaxton, Nick, Eliza, and Paige before the events in The Bone Season occur. It helps with understanding more in The Bone Season. If you read it after, it fills in more details and adds to the story of The Bone Season while also redirecting your mind back to London and how everything works there before reading The Mime Order which I believe focuses more on London and the Mime lords and queens. Overall, I enjoyed it. It was good for a novella. A good story with just enough detail added. It doesn’t feel like a waste of time, and it contributes to the story.

Background novella

Short prequel novella to the Bone Season series is centered upon 16 year-old Paige's early days in the series. The novella can stand alone, doesn’t have to be read, and just provides an interesting backdrop to the world. “The Pale Dreamer” adds a layer of depth and understanding to Paige's character and her relationship with Jaxon Hall. Reading about initial power dynamics and her struggle to prove herself to the rest of the gang can be helpful for those continuing the series.
The premise of hunting a destructive poltergeist in the clairvoyant underworld of Scion London is actually a historical connection to the real-life Murder of Anne Naylor. The sketchy neighborhood of Scion London in 2056 establishes the unique rules and dangers of this society within the series. The reader learns that other rival gangs are also vying for this "magnificent prize" adds tension and intrigue, painting a vivid picture of the cutthroat nature of this hidden world.
https://theboneseason.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pale_Dreamer

longer!

the book and performance were great, but it went by too quickly. Wishing for a few more charters. 💔

Captivating Story

Beginning with the Bone Season this story will capture tour interest and leave you wanting the arrival of the next installment. . . . . .