by Brian Marggraf
Synopsis
Taken from Amazon
San Francisco, California. Fifty hills surrounded by the cold waters of the ocean and the bay. City of rebellion and revolution. Smothered by fog daily.
This is the place where Jacob Gavel grew up, the place he ran away from at twenty, and the place he never thought he’d come back to.
The city’s in the middle of its second financial renaissance. A century and a half earlier, gold nuggets. In the year 2000, silicon microchips. The dot-com boom created hundreds of new companies, swollen with capital and potential, profitable only in theory, run by young professionals with a lot of disposable income.
After Jacob, a fledgling sculptor, leaves a failed marriage and flees New York City, he returns home, welcomed by his mentally ill mother, subordinate father, and successful sister. As he settles in, he discovers a family secret. He had a twin brother who died in the womb right next to him. When the shock wears off, his reality becomes clear. He’s alone, broke, and unemployed. In an attempt to rebuild his life, he takes a low-paying job as a mental health case manager, but with all the tech money flooding the city, his childhood friend, Paul, has a better idea.
His fresh start spoils. Events trigger his dreams, and his dreams resurrect childhood memories, propelling him forward on a sleep-deprived, speed-fueled mission to find recognition, love, and revenge.
Review
I gave Dream Brother: A Novel 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon and Goodreads
I first caught wind of Dream Brother through Brian Marggraf's blog, Indie Hero. He mentioned it was on sale for the day, so I thought I'd give it a try. I had been fixated on zombie fiction for a quite a while and figured it was time to leave the world of the undead for a bit to try something different.
I didn't expect the story to interest me much, but I quickly found myself captivated by Marggraf's writing. This independent author writes very well! He has a way with words that is wonderfully descriptive, but not to the point where I felt the need to skim words just to get to the point of the paragraph. He seems to have the unique ability to describe settings and characters with just enough information, but not too much.
The author has great insight into human nature. Jacob, the story's main character, is so deliciously developed, that I found myself simultaneously disgusted with and sympathetic toward him. I rarely find myself liking a character as messed up as Jacob, but somehow Brian Marggraf was able to make me care about him. The way I felt about the characters in Dream Brother was very similar to how I felt about the characters in "Breaking Bad" and "Weeds"... knowing I shouldn't like them, but not being able to help it.
Dream Brother is not just a book about human nature, though. It also has plenty of action and mystery which builds up swiftly and culminates in a very unpredictable conclusion. From start to finish, I found it very difficult to put Marggraf's story down.
The story-line, on its own, makes this a great book. Combine that with the artistry of Marggraf's written word, and a great book becomes an unforgettable one! I'm looking forward to more from this author, and wouldn't be surprised to someday see his work on a bestseller's list.
Purchase Dream Brother
Brian Marggraf has been writing fiction since the fourth grade. His first completed piece: a story about dragons, castles, and knights. Derivative, yes, but at age ten that's ok. In 2002, he graduated from San Francisco State University's creative writing program. His work has been published in Transfer Magazine and The Olive Tree Review. Dream Brother, his debut novel, was released in January 2014. He grew up in Ventura County, California, and now lives in New York City.
Where to Find Brian Marggraf
Author Website: Brian Marggraf
Blog: Brian Marggraf-- Indie Hero
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