Friday, August 2, 2024

About the Book

Book: The Nightmare Virus

Author: Nadine Brandes

Genre: YA Science Fantasy

Release date: July 16, 2024

Some viruses go after the body. But the Nightmare Virus goes after the mind.

When dream technology goes wrong, a virus spreads across the globe,trapping people in a universal dreamscape. They call it the Nightmare Virus.Cain Cross is determined to find a cure . . . if he can decipher his brother’s chicken-scratch formula notes. But when he gets infected, he has only 22 days until he’s trapped in the mental prison forever. Now, every time he falls asleep, he must fight in a Nightmare Arena until he earns his freedom to live in the “new world” that exists only in the mind.

Then he finds a way to manipulate the Nightmare—to change it by mere thought.

Forced to navigate a world of nightbeasts, mistblades, and half-truths, Cain turns his focus to survival. When the Emperor offers him a LifeSuPod—and access to a cure—in exchange for a dangerous favor, Cain thinks he’s found a way out. But Cain’s new power threatens to take him on paths that jeopardize his very soul.

Will he continue searching for a cure, or will he swear allegiance to the Nightmare? And the bigger question might be . . . will he even have a choice?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Nadine Brandes has been known to do wild things (like ride a sleeper train across Russia) in the name of book research. She’s the four-time Carol Award–winning author of seven young adult books and has been a professional fiction editor for over a decade. She is passionate about Jesus, motherhood, and creating with the Creator. When she’s not busy inventing worlds and magic systems, she’s adventuring through Middle Earth with her Auror husband and their four Halfling children.

More from Nadine

“Really, God? Now?” That was my reaction when He told me it was time to sign a contract for The Nightmare Virus less than two years after a global pandemic. “No one wants a book with the word “virus” in its title.”

That was the first of many moments that revealed this book was not my choice to write or publish or even title, but was instead the Lord’s. I’d had the idea for over a decade. And while it had nothing to do with the 2020 pandemic it arose from the concept that this world is not our home. This world is temporary and yet, during our time in it, we—as Believers—know the path to freedom out of darkness.

It was a story I was waiting and waiting to write and share with the world and yet when God said “Go” I argued with Him. I was convinced this was the worst time to try and publish this book. I told Him I’d have no time to write it (as a mama of 3 children in 3 years with another one on the way at the time.) Yet God said, “I’ll make the time.” And He did. He paved the way for this book—both in my imagination and in my practical life—and that’s the best road an author can walk, one where her King has gone before her.

This book is unlike anything I’ve ever written and I know that can be either a very good thing or a very bad thing, haha. But God has made it evident that He has a purpose for this story, not the least of which was to draw me closer to Him while writing it.

As I prepared this blog post I thought I could talk about the characters or themes or plot…but you’ll encounter all of those things when you read it. Instead I chose to share the heart journey behind it. Readers may pick it up because of the title or perhaps they’ll pick it up in spite of the title. No matter how the story finds its way into their hands, I know that it is the Lord who got it there. And I can’t wait to see what sort of sparks come from it.

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for a story that demands attention into a world we have perhaps seen a glimpse of, this book is for you. The title tells me that evil is trying to manipulate the world through the minds of the characters. The enemy loves to feed us lies and cause us to panic, fear or run from the One who can save us.

There are parts of the story that were graphic which I didn’t like. However to be fair I will say the author uses it to show how desperate people can be when death tries to overtake them in a way that is painful and violent. I did like how the author takes readers inside the mind and how it can be manipulated to survive.

We find Cain in a situation where he must fight to get out of the virus. The question he faces is how far is he willing to go to be free? Will he give up his beliefs in order to live? Can power feel his mind with thoughts that are a danger to his very existence? One thing Cain knows is that we have free will. We alone can choose our path. He is given a message by Crixus that says, “ if you want to survive here, you’ll do what I say.” The feel of Roman soldiers there to fight to survive awakens something in Cain.

The virus takes Cain into a Dreamscape where he has to fight within himself to escape. Have you ever had a dream that seemed real. Now imagine that this dream continues for hours or days in a place where Nightmare takes over. In his waking hours that become fewer as time passes, Cain must find a cure.

The imagination of the author is brilliantly illustrated in the story that kept me glued to the pages. I wanted to know more about this virus and how it holds people captive until death takes over. Weakness is not allowed in this place and Cain will have to battle in order to stay alive. Chaos is evident in this book as it causes nothing but bitterness, greed and power.

I hope that everyone will give this book a try. It is filled with subjects that are not easy to read, but in reality just what the enemy will try to use to cause division. I won’t give anything away in hopes that readers will grab a copy. There is hope, faith and redemption found throughout the pages which we all need to grasp.

I received a copy of this letter from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.