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Dreams Underfoot Kindle Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 272 ratings

Welcome to Charles de Lint’s first collection of Newford stories. Immerse yourself in his gritty fictional city—as much a character as Jilly who paints fey wonders, fiddle player Geordie seeking his stolen beloved, the conjure man and his Tree of Tales, or Paperjack revealing fortunes. Meet Gemmins who live in abandoned cars and Katrina, a mermaid so entranced by love that she’s left the cold dark water to walk in the moonlight. Visit the music clubs, the waterfront, and the alleyways where myths and magic spill into the modern world.

Reviews:
This collection of conceptually innovative, thematically simple stories proves again that de Lint is a leading talent in the urban fantasy subgenre.
—Publishers Weekly

I can never recapture the feeling of first arriving in Newford and meeting the people and seeing the sights as a newcomer. However, part of the beauty of Newford is the sense that it has always been there, that de Lint is a reporter who occasionally files stories from a reality stranger and more beautiful than ours. De Lint also manages to keep each new Newford story fresh and captivating because he is so generous and loving in his depiction of the characters. Yes, there are a group of core characters whose stories recur most often, but a city like Newford has so many intriguing people in it, so many diverse stories to tell, so much pain and triumph to chronicle.
—Challenging Destiny

Dreams Underfoot is a collection of stories set in Newford, Charles de Lint's mythical city, and its environs, both magical and mundane. I say mythical, but Newford is sometimes more real to me than any other place I've been. The stories in this fat volume are all wonderful… These stories connect in ways that tug at your heart and make you look more deeply for the magic in your own life.
—Rambles Magazine

If Ottawa-area author Charles de Lint didn't create the contemporary fantasy, he certainly defined it. …writer-musician-artist-folklorist de Lint has lifted our accepted reality and tipped it just enough sideways to show the possibilities that lie beneath the surface… Unlike most fantasy writers who deal with battles between ultimate good and evil, de Lint concentrates on smaller, very personal conflicts. Perhaps this is what makes him accessible to the non-fantasy audience as well as the hard-core fans. Perhaps it's just damned fine writing.
—Quill & Quire

In de Lint's capable hands, modern fantasy becomes something other than escapism. It becomes folk song, the stuff of urban myth.
―The Phoenix Gazette

Charles de Lint shows that, far from being escapism, contemporary fantasy can be the deep mythic literature of our time.
―The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

Every story is a winner. With moody pieces offset by airy and magical fantasies, and the occasional glint of an edge just beneath the surface, de Lint does indeed create a mythology all his own.
—Booklovers

Maybe you find it hard to believe that the dirty, smelly, crowded modern-day city can have any sort of mystique or magic to it, but believe me, there's a lot more than what meets the eye. Legends stalk the slums, ghosts haunt the cobblestoned streets, goblins dwell in the buried part of the city, and nightmares share the roads. The city itself possesses character, spirit, and an identity.
—Green Man Review

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This collection of conceptually innovative, thematically simple stories proves again that de Lint ( Spiritwalk ) is a leading talent in the urban fantasy subgenre, which seeks to unite the escapist whimsy of fantasy with the hard edge of cyberpunk SF. The stories are all set in Newford, a New York/Chicago-style urban jungle where citizens often encounter strange beings--worldly monsters, as well as unearthly ghosts--who coexist in what one character calls "a consensual reality where things exist because we want them to exist." In what may be his cleverest stylistic twist, de Lint links the stories through overlapping characters, all of whom have some familiarity with the fictional writer Christy Riddell, who (like de Lint) writes "mythistories," the "odd little stories that lie just under the skin of any large city." De Lint is at his best when his sense of wonder at the possibilities of imagination is rooted in an unsentimental view of harsh human realities: "Freewheeling" includes a sad view of urban street kids, and "In the House of My Enemy" takes a tough look at child abuse. However, De Lint's obviously sincere feeling that "if we learned to care again about the wild places from which we'd driven the magic away, then maybe it would return" leads him to spell out his moral messages, to the detriment of his fiction.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-A collection of urban fantasies, interconnected in unexpected ways as characters slip between past and present. Most of the selections are akin to fairy tales, but not all have direct antecedents. The result is a delighfully naturalistic fairy tour of the city of Newford, where events are at times shocking, involved, or dreamlike. Jilly Coppercorn, Geordie Riddell, and his brother provide some of the links, and the city creates others. Ghosts, spirits of place, goblins, and conjure men all make appearances and remind readers that it's their ability to see magic that allows it to exist. Jilly and her friends' relationship with the otherworld is attractive, but so is their deep commitment to this one. deLint's unassuming prose is always in the service of his vision, never in its way. A thoroughly engaging book, sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, full of ideas and characters that won't let go...but then, YAs won't want them to.
Cathy Chauvette, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B078BP3W47
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Triskell Press (November 22, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 22, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1916 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 418 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 272 ratings

About the author

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Charles de Lint
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Charles de Lint and his wife, MaryAnn Harris, live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, with their little dog Johnny Cash. His evocative novels, including Moonheart, Forests of the Heart, The Onion Girl, and The Wind in His Heart have earned him a devoted following and critical acclaim as a master of contemporary mythic fiction. In 2018 he was given a World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
272 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the beautiful and rich stories with interconnected tales. They find the characters fantastic and memorable. Readers praise the writing style as outstanding and savoring the language. The book is described as delightful, thoughtful, and a worthwhile read. Customers describe the author as creative and talented, making it unique and exciting.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

15 customers mention "Story telling"15 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging stories with their well-developed characters and interconnected tales. The author uses fantasy and magic to transport readers into the world and souls of the characters. Readers find the stories fresh and engrossing, making them reconsider hidden worlds and explore new places.

"Spooky and sweet tales make up much of this interconnected story. Is Charles really Christy?..." Read more

"...I made a terrible mistake. These stories are beautiful and rich...." Read more

"...behind the stories that make this collection not only unique and exciting, but moving and provocative...." Read more

"A beautiful collection of short stories catching the spirit and the heart of the people who populate the hidden parts of the city...." Read more

8 customers mention "Character development"7 positive1 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. They say the characters stay with them after reading the book.

"...The characters are fantastic, and the language is awesome. You can tell his writing had progressed since 'Yarrow' written a few years earlier...." Read more

"...It is just so well written, and the characters will stay with you long after you have finished reading." Read more

"...Characters intertwine among the stories and you are left with the impression that you were actually part of their lives" Read more

"...of Newford, as well as our introduction to a number of wonderful characters." Read more

8 customers mention "Writing style"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style. They say it's outstanding and can be read aloud to savor the language. The book reads like a novel, with the same characters.

"...But the writing is just phenomenal. I immediately ordered a bunch more De Lint including most of Newford until my wallet was hurting too much...." Read more

"...De Lint's prose is gentle and relaxing. These stories almost beg to be read aloud, so that the reader can savor the language...." Read more

"...It is just so well written, and the characters will stay with you long after you have finished reading." Read more

"The writing is outstanding, but it is the ideas behind the stories that make this collection not only unique and exciting, but moving and provocative..." Read more

7 customers mention "Enjoyment"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it delightful, thoughtful, and well-written. The book is considered a worthwhile read.

"...denser than his earlier works, but also in the long run a more rewarding read...." Read more

"...While enjoyable I will say the tone gets pretty ponderous by the last quarter of the book...." Read more

"...You simply cannot go wrong with the story telling of this amazing writer, musician and artist...." Read more

"...book on college, and over 25 years later, it remains one of my very favorite books. Quintessential urban fantasy by the Master of the form." Read more

3 customers mention "Creativity"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's creativity. They find his stories engaging and unique.

"...it is the ideas behind the stories that make this collection not only unique and exciting, but moving and provocative...." Read more

"...Have never read a de Lint book that did not speak to me. He is inventive, creative, talented, and his stories strum wild music on my heartstrings." Read more

"Creative, imaginative, characters that stay with you" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2013
    This was recommended to me as an easy entry point into the 'Newford' series of Urban Fantasy work by Charles De Lint, it's also the fourth straight book I've completed reading by De Lint, having previously read 'Greenmantle', 'Yarrow', and 'The Wild Wood'. 'Dreams Underfoot' is a selection of short stories featuring many of the same characters, and reads almost like a novel if you go the whole way through. The characters are fantastic, and the language is awesome. You can tell his writing had progressed since 'Yarrow' written a few years earlier. It is somewhat denser than his earlier works, but also in the long run a more rewarding read. I approached 'Newford' with trepidation because I'm not normally an Urban Fantasy reader, it just hasn't interested me. But the writing is just phenomenal. I immediately ordered a bunch more De Lint including most of Newford until my wallet was hurting too much. I am a binge reader and buyer. I know De Lint will supply me with many more hours of happy reading.
    9 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
    I've bought from these guys for years: always a quick, easy, and great transaction.
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2019
    Spooky and sweet tales make up much of this interconnected story. Is Charles really Christy? Maybe maybe not but each story pulls on you and makes you reconsider a hidden world.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2001
    In the nineteen stories about the fictional Canadian city of Newford collected in this book, Charles de Lint relocates the mythical creatures of fairy tale and folklore from their traditional settings and surrounds them with urban scenery. As one character writes in the final story: "That was the real magic for me: the possibility that we only have to draw aside a veil to find the world a far more strange and wondrous place than its mundaneness allowed it could be." That quote sums up why I love the Newford stories than I ever could.
    While not a novel, these stories do add up to more than the sum of their parts. Minor characters in one story may go on to star in stories of their own. Events in one tale have resonances later on. The reader is given a cross-sectional look at the small events that make up life in this city, and gets a chance to know its inhabitants.
    De Lint's prose is gentle and relaxing. These stories almost beg to be read aloud, so that the reader can savor the language. Whenever I'm feeling upset, I know I can read one of de Lint's stories and feel better, just by "listening" to his voice. He doesn't always have something groundbreaking to say about people or life or love, but sometimes it's good to be reminded of things we already know to be true, and even better to be reminded in such a beautiful fashion.
    32 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2020
    I had been putting off reading the Newford series, because "Someplace to be Flying" is one of my favorite books, and I worried the rest of the books wouldn't hold up to it. I made a terrible mistake.

    These stories are beautiful and rich. They don't all have happy endings, and I think that makes them even better. Life doesn't always have a happily ever after. The characters are real and flawed.

    I love Urban fantasy, and this fits that genre, but is closer to urban fairytale. It is just so well written, and the characters will stay with you long after you have finished reading.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2020
    The writing is outstanding, but it is the ideas behind the stories that make this collection not only unique and exciting, but moving and provocative. The characters present as people you already know, familiar from the first page. What is most stunning about "Dreams Underfoot" is the freshness of each new story. In an anthology of this size we might expect some repetition of theme, but Charles de Lint mines new ideas as though from an undiscovered land. Don't miss it.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2018
    I’ve been reading De Lint’s Newford books for a while but never took the trouble to track down #1. I’ve decided to start at the beginning and it was fun to see all the usual characters from other books get introduced for the first time.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2022
    A beautiful collection of short stories catching the spirit and the heart of the people who populate the hidden parts of the city. Use wisps of fantasy and magic the author takes you into their world and their souls. Characters intertwine among the stories and you are left with the impression that you were actually part of their lives
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Just brilliant....
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 27, 2020
    This was one of the first books of his I read, at least 20 years ago. Re-reading it, i was just as sucked into his stories as I was then. It's a collection of short stories set in a final city called Newford. There's magic in his writing, and honesty and love and miss and sadness and so much humanity. Just quality.....
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on January 14, 2018
    Another winner by Charles deLint
  • Amazonカスタマー
    4.0 out of 5 stars 角が折れて届きました
    Reviewed in Japan on September 7, 2023
    テープで穴を塞いだペランペランの袋に入って来て驚きました。アマゾンらしくない。本自体に良いです。パッキングに大いに不満。なので星一つ減らします。
  • Du citron dans mon thé
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
    Reviewed in France on March 16, 2017
    The short stories in this book each show a different facet of the city of Newford. Sometimes sad, simetimes horrific, sometimes romantic, but always magical.
    Each story gave me a little something, a little spark that echoed a long time.

    I simply love this book.
  • Connor Caple
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another great collection of haunting, wyrding tales from the author.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2018
    I love the way these tales draw you in and show you a world of what might be. Many familiar characters are waiting here to take you by the hand and lead you away.

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