Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE:  Pool of Dreams

AUTHOR: Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 432 pages

RELEASE DATE:  July 28, 2022

BLURB: 

A fae who betrayed his prince for a doomed passion.

Syren sacrificed the man he loved to spare humanity from the wrath of the fae. For three hundred years, he’s been stuck on the mortal plane, floating alone in his pool while his powers slipped away. The last fae in the realm, his only companion is a mysterious bird until Audric, King of Aranthe, comes to claim his sword—the instrument that caused the rift between Faerie and the human realm.

A bastard who should never have inherited the throne.

After centuries of peace, Faerie destroys the royal family of Aranthe in a single brutal strike, leaving only one behind—Audric, the king’s bastard son, who’s always been more warrior than noble. As the magic holding the fae out of Aranthe cracks, Audric strikes out on a quest to retrieve a weapon that can save humanity from the fae.

A desperate fight to thwart the bloodthirsty fae prince who wants to break them both.

Forced together by the magic of the sword Audric needs but Syren cannot surrender, their bond is the only thing that can stop Faerie from breaking through into Aranthe and razing the kingdom to the ground.

Find within the pages of this high fantasy MM romance: one snarky fae who’s got a marshmallow-soft center hidden behind his prickly attitude and pretty face, an overgrown knight turned king with a heart of gold (and buns of steel), and the cleverest bird you ever did see! Enjoy snark for days as these tall-and-taller lads share only one bed, fight back against the forces of evil, and find the cure for three centuries of touch-starvation. And seriously, check the trigger warnings on the copyright page if you’re sensitive to violence and trauma (or the healing power of consensual, ah, cuddling). Beware the splash zone in the Pool of Dreams.

REVIEW: 

I generally enjoy the creative, colorful, complex stories crafted by the writing duo of Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes, but I had no idea what to expect from their latest high fantasy adventure romance, Pool of Dreams. Well, I’m happy to report that this story, which at the moment appears to be a standalone 😭, meets all of my expectations for a Burns/Fawkes penned work, and then some.

Pool of Dreams starts out slowly to accommodate detailed world-building, the establishment of background facts and events, and the introduction of crucial characters. But that pacing doesn’t last long, with things advancing on a non-linear, unexpected trajectory that will keep you guessing throughout. This is gorgeous high fantasy exceptionally executed. 

Syren and Audric are two unlikely heroes, and out of everyone, their champion status likely surprises them the most. Burns and Fawkes write isolated, rejected characters so well, and here you’ve got two prime examples. Syren is a lonely, bitter, heartbroken fae who fled from his former lover, the powerful Prince of the Fae realm, into the human world with the human he fell in love with.  In Arthurian fashion, they sought to save the human world by closing the veil between the Fae and human realms.  But in so doing, Syren’s human lover was killed, and Syren’s resulting heartbreak unwittingly soulbound him to the very object – a magical sword – that was responsible for his death. That sacrifice succeeded in closing the human realm off from the fae as intended, but Syren never thought he’d be trapped in the human realm, heartbroken and alone. Since then, Syren has cowered in the pool of dreams, bitter and terrified of allowing himself to be vulnerable again. Meanwhile, he’s started having dreams that the Fae prince will soon find him and seek retribution for Syren’s betrayal. 

Audric, the youngest, bastard son of the King of the human realm, is unexpectedly thrust into the role of King when the entire royal family is wiped out in one fell swoop. For Audric’s whole life, he’s been belittled and rejected by his father and, correspondingly, doesn’t have the confidence or respect of the people he now rules. But the crisis that brought him to power must be dealt with urgently, which puts him on a collision course with Syren, where they discover that despite being enemies, they have a common goal. The Fae prince has designs on reclaiming the human world, and Audric needs Syren’s magical sword to do it.

I adored the intricate, spellbinding, folk tale/mythological/Arthurian legend-esque plot, with two enemies forging an allegiance that morphs into friendship and then seamlessly into deep, abiding love and loyalty. The narrative sees them embark on a quest while threats and treachery surround them at every turn. The identity of the “bad guy” isn’t particularly surprising, but that has little impact on the overarchingly mesmerizing plot.

Burnes and Fawkes are also particularly adept at developing beautiful, authentic romantic relationships between unlikely couples featuring men who are complete opposites. Here, Syren and Audric fit that mold to a tee, but Burns and Fawkes don’t do anything banal with how they write their romance. The emotions are present, varied and impactful, and the dialogue is terrific, particularly Syren’s often humorous snarky comments.

Pool of Dreams is a dynamic, emotional, riveting high fantasy, action-adventure romance that you should scoop up and dive into. Its seemingly convoluted premise actually reduces to a relatable, cohesive storyline that will have you on the edge of your seats. You may even need a tissue or two.  Highly recommended. 

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon