Temple of Dreams
Modern and ancient lives cross in this tale of romance and self discovery, dreams and mythology.
Modern and ancient lives cross in this tale of romance and self discovery, dreams and mythology.
Modern and ancient lives cross in this tale of romance and self discovery, dreams and mythology.
Ancient world, Coming of age, Visionary & metaphysical
Homeless and jobless following the death of his adoptive parents, Sebastian enrols at a college of natural medicine which boasts a sanctuary modelled on an ancient Greek healing centre. After a night in the temple, he dreams of Apollos, a young Athenian defeated in a pankration contest, suffering memory loss. More dreams follow, decrypted by Sybil, the lecturer who insists he keeps a dream journal. Seb is kept busy in the 21st century by a budding relationship with Fliss, which stalls when she tries to persuade him to search for his birth parents.
Meanwhile, Apollos, in the fifth century BC, readies himself to attend the festival of the Greater Eleusinian Mysteries, to discover the secrets of how to avoid the perils of the underworld and make it to Elysium.
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5 out of 5 stars: An outstanding story line. I loved the book and it captured my attention from the first paragraph. I was fascinated how Carolyn Matthews could weave present day England into 5th Century Greek History and have me wanting to learn more. At first the plot appeared to be simple and straight forward however Carolyn managed to get me excited to turn page after page. I am now going to order the Pandora series as Carolyn is going to be a writer whose books must be in my library. I am going to suggest this as the next book for my Book Club. ~ Barbara S. Hammons, Amazon
4 out of 5 stars: Find time for this traveler! Just as I was writing a piece of my own about how time is an ever-present influence on our lives, our nature, our psyche, along comes this book about time travel. Carolyn Matthews puts together a strong narrative that sends a young man, fresh from the tragedy of his parents' deaths, on a journey of healing and discovery. The first part of the book reads with a sense of impending change—something is about to be revealed. In the second half, the journey takes off and the narrative gains momentum. If you are fascinated by ancestry, how the past is somehow always part of our future whether we know it or not, and the experience of traveling in time, this is your book. ~ David W Berner, Amazon
5 out of 5 stars: Carolyn Matthews has written an intriguing tale, set in both the current day and ancient Greece. Well fleshed out characters and a gripping enigmatic story line make you become immersed in the novel, and keep your interest until the end. Recommended to anyone looking for an imaginative escapist read. ~ , Amazon
Temple of Dreams is a real page-turner and an excellent read. Certainly great for people who are interested in reincarnation but everyone will get something out of it whether this is their belief or not. It is all very interesting and I like the parallels between past and present. I was pleased with the ending: it wasn't too twee and perfect. There was room for love to blossom and grow yet it was not set in stone. Very true to life! ~ June Chase, ARC reviewer
.......There are lots of positives for this narrative which was pacy and easy to read. The author has built likeable current day characters and a believable story line.... I did enjoy the book and i would look to read more from this author. ~ marie riley (Reviewer), NetGalley
A well written and entertaining book. I liked the cast of characters, the setting and the plot. I look forward to reading other books by this author. Recommended ~ Anna Maria Giacomasso, NetGalley
......Sebastian recently lost his adoptive parents in a motorway pile-up. His only clue to his true background is a brooch left behind by his mother. An ancient Greek brooch....................This can be enjoyed as a romantic novel with an element of the supernatural, if romantic novels appeal to the reader - or, for that matter, for anyone who is interested in the Greek Mysteries. The characters living in the past are well drawn, facing as gritty dilemmas in finding their ways in life as anyone in the present - perhaps more so, as the struggles just to survive were far greater then. There is an element of coming-of-age too........ ~ Lynda Stevens (Reviewer), NetGalley
I thought this was a beautifully woven story about a man trying to piece together his life after the death of his adopted parents and to find out who he is whilst he has dreams and memories of a man in Ancient Greece. It was a really interesting and engrossing read. ~ Lindsay Adams-Riley (Reviewer), NetGalley
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. The Temple of Dreams ticks all the boxes for an enthralling read; engaging characters, fast paced with moments of tension, and romance, but better still, underlying the story is a very thought provoking spiritual theme. The principle protagonist, Sebastian, is a likable young man, with whom I felt engaged from the very start. That said there were moments when I felt he was a bit sharp with some of his would-be supporters, something that was understandable due to his vulnerable state. It begins with Sebastian being orphaned when his adoptive parents are killed in a car crash. This unforeseen change in his life leaves him in a somewhat precarious situation. However he is a resourceful young man and possessed of interesting and unusual abilities, abilities that help him win a place as a scholarship student at a nearby college. The college, like Sebastian is also unusual, but as it turns out, is just the place for him. Here he shares a room with Nick, a cheerful ex-actor, a perfect foil for the reflective Sebastian. He also meets a young woman known as, Fliss, a sympathetic friend who is determined to help him. Once the principle characters are set, the story switches backwards and forwards between an ancient Greece steeped in ritual and mystery where the action centers on a young man by the name of Apollos, and the present day. It becomes ever more evident to the reader, if not to Sebastian, that his and Apollos's lives are somehow inexplicably entwined. Temple of Dreams is a deeply spiritual book, punctuated with ancient myths and philosophies, including thought provoking premises, such as reincarnation and profound gems of wisdom such as 'Man being the microcosm of the macrocosm'. This is a beautifully written book, which can be read and enjoyed equally at two levels. One, the plight of Sebastian and how he overcomes the difficulties life has thrown at him in the here and now, but for some this will be a story of great spiritual and philosophical depth, a rewarding glimpse of the workings of the spirit within the soul of man. I loved the book and can't recommend it highly enough. ~ Veryan Williams-Wynn (Reviewer) , NetGalley
A really well written book that transports you through time to Ancient Greece. The story flowed well in both time zones and was led by a cast of great characters. ~ Emma Gardner (Reviewer), NetGalley
The Temple of Dreams is a story full of warmth, interesting characters, moments of tension, romance, well researched historical details, and magical surprises. It is unusual in its ability to seamlessly weave the many ingredients and layers into a highly pleasurable and inspiring story of individuation and the healing power of the imagination. I loved it and was sad when it came to an end. ~ Anne Egseth, Amazon
Homeless and jobless, Sebastian enrolls at a college of natural medicine which a dream pointed him to. His dreams get more vivid and are starting to change when he goes to the college. He now keeps a dream journal and is on the search for his birth parents. I really enjoyed this book! It's fast-paced, has humour and adventure and involves dreams. What's not to like? I found the inclusion of dreams in this book quite interesting and it was exciting to learn more. Was it the future or the past? Was it giving you warnings or pointing you in the right direction? Carolyn certainly has a way with words that I just cannot describe. The book was written beautifully well, the characters were well thought of, the plot line was interesting and you were hooked from the beginning. Sebastian's character was well portrayed. At first, he seemed like a grumpy character, a character who's only feeling was being grumpy. But then I realised he had a soft side with Fliss and he was very honest, an open book who said what he thought (or at least most of the time he did). Getting an insight onto how he was feeling about his birth parents was quite captivating in a way. He didn't seem too angry nor upset, just mainly sentimental. He still had them close to his heart. I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in a book based on dreams and intuition! ~ @the.b00kreader, Instagram
This book is billed as ‘a novel of then and now’ and it certainly lives up to that claim. The ‘now’ features Sebastian, who has recently lost his adoptive parents. Studying at a natural health college, he is encouraged, despite a healthy dose of scepticism, to explore his dreams; dreams that plunge him back to Ancient Greece. And that’s where the ‘then’ comes in, as we follow the path of Apollos, a young Athenian about to be initiated into the Greater Eleusinian Mysteries. Carolyn Mathews has a deep interest in metaphysics, as anyone who has read her Pandora trilogy will know. But this is her first time slip novel. The device of using third person for Seb’s story and first person for Apollos works well, making a clear demarcation between the two time strands. The depth of research is obvious, but it doesn’t seem forced and we learn a lot about both ancient and modern views on natural healing as we go along. There are similarities between the two boys’ stories, such as the fact that both lost their birth mothers at an early age and each is recovering from an injury, but the parallels are hinted at, rather than laid on too heavily. This is a well-written, easy to read novel, which I very much enjoyed. Recommended for all fans of time slip stories; or anyone who enjoys a more spiritual approach to their fiction. ~ Elizabeth Ducie, http://elizabethducieauthor.co.uk/blog-tour-temple-of-dreams-by-carolyn-mathews/
A reincarnation from ancient Greece or a mad delusion? Pacy and readable, this imaginative, romantic story of spiritual seeker Sebastian Young carries us along right from the start. ~ Charles Gates, Archaeologist and Art Historian, author of Ancient Cities
A charming tale of intrigue, self discovery and friendship. The reader follows a short but eventful period in the life of Sebastian, a young man alone in the world, or so it first appears. Carolyn Mathews captures the very essence of two worlds, Now and Then, in her latest novel, Temple of Dreams. ~ Oonagh van Hemuss, Natural Healing Practitioner
Carolyn Mathews engages us from the start and we're with Seb all the way as he doggedly peels away the layers of intrigue that have shrouded his life to reveal the truth about himself. Temple of Dreams is fresh, honest and life-affirming, a feel-good read in the best sense of the term. ~ Joe Laredo, Writer, Translator of The Outsider and The Little Prince