Shaudin Melgar-foraster

Beyond the Dream Shaudin Melgar-foraster

Anna is twelve and lives in Toronto, the lonely, unhappy daughter of immigrant parents. One night she dreams she is in the middle of a bloody battle, and is almost caught by a huge warrior with blood-red eyes. In the schoolyard the following day she sees the huge warrior again. She throws a rock at him, breaks a window, and he vanishes.

There are more strange apparitions - in a library and at school, where Alison, her least favourite classmate, sees a blood-stained hand on Anna?s computer screen. The two enemies, Anna and Alison, form an uneasy alliance to find out what is causing these manifestations. In trying, they are swept into another world.

In a country in the other world, Rocdur, lives a boy named Tam, also an immigrant. Rocdur is ruled by a ruthless tyrant whose harsh laws make it a cruel place for its impoverished and suppressed immigrants. Tam manages to survive the difficult conditions only through his talent for story-telling.

Anna discovers that she is the only person who can help a group of strangers - the young story-teller, a skilful horseman and a rebel warrior - in an ongoing battle to prevent the destruction of their world.