Dreaming of a Falling Star definitely has its roots in some tropes and archetypes, but I'd say its uniqueness lies in its handling of the themes behind those tropes. Despite being an expansive progression fantasy in which the story revolves around ascension through worlds, the clash between our protagonist, an unrestrained dreamer, and a world defined by unreliable narration raises questions regarding the right to dream and the very act of chasing one's dreams.
Synopsis:
In a world where cold laws and facts dictate all, dreams are dismissed as meaningless fantasies to outgrow. That is, to all except Elena–a shunned researcher whose radical theory proposes that higher realities really do exist, and that dreams are humanity’s one and only gateway to glimpsing them. Mocked and isolated, she turns her back to the world that never tried to dream.
But, when Elena drifts to sleep one night, she awakens in a world where fantasy isn’t a children’s story, magic isn’t make-believe, and reality itself bends to those who can grasp Possibility.
As she ascends through countless layered worlds and clashes with beings climbing the ladder of existence, Elena begins to unravel the truth behind dreams, power, and the very limits of reality, all to arrive at the answer to one question:
If there really exists a being at the top of all Possibility, could they still dream?
