This is an important and timely question explored in the highly acclaimed spiritual novel, SNOOZE: A STORY OF AWAKENING, winner of the 2015 National Indie Excellence Award for New Age Fiction.

Written with young adult and young-at-heart readers in mind, SNOOZE further proved its literary merit by being selected as a 2016 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Finalist in the Young Adult-Coming of Age category and receiving an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Beach Book Festival Prize competition in the General Fiction category.

Now for the first time ever, this epic visionary tale is being officially serialized—in both readable and audible formats.

You’re invited to join—either with eyes or ears—Max Diver, a.k.a. “Snooze,” along the razor’s edge of a quest to rescue his astronaut father from a fate stranger than death in the exotic, perilous Otherworld of sleep.

This inspiring tale interweaves a plethora of paranormal and metaphysical subjects, from Bigfoot and enlightenment to the Loch Ness Monster and time travel via the Bermuda Triangle.

In her review of SNOOZE published in INDIE SHAMAN Magazine, June Kent had this to say about what she described as “superlative fiction”: “Engrossing, entertaining and occasionally humorous, SNOOZE also takes a look at a wide range of subjects including levitation, telepathy, lucid dreaming, spirit animals, parallel universes and shamanic-like journeying, giving a wide range of information effortlessly absorbed as you enjoy the story as well as much food for thought.”

If you’d like your own downloadable review copy to share your thoughts via Amazon, Goodreads and elsewhere, read details and contact the author with your request.

Naturally, your generous review would be greatly appreciated even if you simply enjoy the full text now being presented on this blog and numerous podcast platforms. Keep in mind that paperback and ebook versions are for sale. A complimentary online version is also available for your reading pleasure.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to follow Snooze 2 Awaken and/or Sol Luckman Uncensored for alerts as new chapters of the 84 in total that make up Max’s extraordinary story become available.

Sweet dreams!

SNOOZE: A STORY OF AWAKENING

By Sol Luckman

CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE

Max knew roughly as much about ships as the Ily-bintus knew about airplanes—yet he immediately recognized that the Ily-bintu was no normal (whatever that meant anymore) vessel.

Staring back at the ship’s sinuous wake, he became aware of a wooden blade like a shark’s vertical fin, in lieu of a motorized propeller, “swimming” the boat forward at a decent pace past the rotating lighthouse in the harbor.

This observation occurred just before the sails were unfurled and Max was guided by Karul to the bridge—where he found Artemisia alone at the wheel confidently steering the Ily-bintu. “You have the look of someone who has never sailed before,” she said after Karul had offered to take Max’s basket of caramel cakes below decks.

“Not on the water, at any rate,” replied Max, invigorated by the twilit expanse of waves and the fine spray tapping his cheeks. “My family preferred to sail through the air.”

“I imagine that would be extraordinary.”

“So is this. How long have you sailed?”

“Ever since I can remember—although not since seven revolutions of the sun ago. That was how I met Maxwallah’s father: while sailing.”

“Fitting. My parents met while flying.”

With the wind up and the “shark fin” in full swing, they were quickly gaining speed. They passed a handful of smaller fishing boats heading out into the open water like a modern jet passing biplanes.

“Your world strikes me as very exciting, Maxwell. Far from perfect, mind you, but thrilling all the same. I would love to visit someday.”

“Maybe you will.”

“Maybe I will.”

With these words, the radiant edge of the sun inched like a ring of fire above the horizon, pulsing golden light up into the pale sky. “You do realize that regardless of what happens with your father, Maxwallah plans to follow you back through the Angel’s Eye to complete the Circle of Life?”

“Of course. Isn’t that what all this is about?”

“You will look after him, will you not?”

“Maxwallah will be in good hands. He’s … family. So are you.”

“Thank you for saying that. My son and I both feel the same where you are concerned.”

As if on cue, Maxwallah appeared, followed by Karul and Zana. All three bore large platters of food and drink, which they set on the circular table surrounded by a circular bench beside the wheel.

Karul took the wheel and allowed Artemisia to sit down to breakfast with the twins. Zana plopped down on the floorboards nearby soaking up the wind and the morning sunlight with a carefree face like a dog at an open car window.

The Ily-bintu was racing now. Contrary to Max’s expectations, the ride got smoother the faster the ship went. It dawned on him they were almost flying—barely skimming along the water’s surface. “Wait a second,” he said. “Doesn’t ‘Ily-bintu’ mean something like Wind Rider?”

“Yes,” said Maxwallah, pouring three glasses of water from a pitcher. “Your Tay-wo is really excellent.”

“And in the case of this ship, the name literally describes how it operates.”

“Technically, I suppose that is true.”

“Cool.”

“I take it ships in your world do not sail using vibrational energy to lighten their load?” asked Artemisia while distributing food on their plates.

Max laughed. “You can say that again. There’s a growing consensus in the material sector that more technology has been hidden away than has ever been shared with the public.”

“Why?”

“Two words: power and control.”

“This must change,” said Maxwallah.

“I know.”

“You and I must change it.”

“I was just thinking the same thing. There’s a lot we’re going to change.” Max looked around. “Not to change the subject, but aren’t Zana and Karul going to eat with us?”

“I have breakfasted already, thank you,” said Karul while slightly adjusting the ship’s trajectory.

“And Zana has never cared for human food,” said Maxwallah. Then, in a whisper: “Anything cooked is frowned upon.”

“She will eat when she is hungry,” said Artemisia. “The Inland Sea teems with fish.”

Indeed, at just that moment a whirring sound filled the air as a school of flying fish passed close. One fish, impacting the mast, fell, still flopping, on Zana—who scooped it up with no hint of surprise and ate it absentmindedly.

“See,” laughed Artemisia. “Now, who would like some Turkish coffee?”

Two cups of coffee, three delicious caramel cakes, two boiled eggs, a bunch of red grapes and a bowl of fresh goat yogurt sweetened with honey later, Maxwallah offered to show Max around the ship.

The Ily-bintu was even more sophisticated than it at first seemed. To Max’s surprise, there was what amounted to a three-bedroom apartment below decks—complete with a toilet, shower, living room, kitchen, and dining area. “Well,” he said, “I see you folks don’t exactly ‘rough it’ on the high seas.”

Maxwallah grinned. “It is rather comfortable, is it not?”

“I’d say. I’ve just got one nagging question.”

“Ask away.”

“How does the Ily-bintu protect itself? Aren’t there pirates in time-space?”

“Very few, fortunately.”

“But surely there are other dangers associated with sailing? I’ve seen a number of prehistoric monsters myself since I got here. You mentioned a water dragon.”

“Yes. A jander.”

“If there’s a jander—whatever that is—in Blue Lake, surely there are giant sea creatures one might encounter in the Inland Sea?”

“I see what you are getting at. Follow me.”

Back on the upper deck, Maxwallah directed Max to a curious contraption situated on the other side of the wheel from the dining table: an ebony globe the size of a beach ball embedded in a slab of white marble like a pit sitting atop half a sliced avocado.

“What on earth is that?” asked Max.

“Our Pacifier,” replied Maxwallah matter-of-factly.

“Your what?”

“A device designed to emit harmonic signals that calm aggressive creatures,” called Artemisia from where she stood back at the wheel.

“Including aggressive people,” added Maxwallah.

Max compared this approach to self-defense to the proliferation of deadly weapons in space-time and could only sigh. “Does it work?”

“Well enough—assuming the targets are not too numerous and are localized in the same vicinity,” said Artemisia.

“What else do you guys have onboard?” wondered Max. “Free WiFi?”

In the late afternoon, following an alfresco lunch of fresh seafood salad and something akin to Italian bruschetta, courtesy of Mardah, Max found himself alone leaning against the railing of the ship’s port side lost in thought.

Not far ahead, though still miniaturized by the horizon, gray cliffs rose straight up out of the sea and became verdant hills beneath a sky roiling with smoke in the distance.

Was his father even still alive in his lakeside cave? Could he himself get past the water dragon guarding the entrance? If he somehow managed to do so, would he be able to transport Captain Diver back to the Tempus Fugit—to say nothing of beyond?

Gazing down at the water’s foaming surface, he was surprised to find an entire pod of bottlenose dolphins playfully swimming along beside the Ily-bintu, which was just beginning to angle along the approaching coast.

As if in answer to his unspoken questions, the dolphins kept repeating a combination of high-pitched sounds that Max realized meant, “Yes.” Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, they were saying with enthusiasm.

“Ravens sometimes cheer me on like that,” commented Maxwallah, leaning against the rail beside his twin.

“Does it help?”

“It certainly improves my morale. We are nearing the Loud River, you know. You can see it.”

Max focused his attention ahead. “You mean that waterfall cutting down through the cliffs?”

“Exactly. You must have questions, my friend. Now is the time to voice them—whatever they may be.”

Max stared at the massive waterfall cascading from on high down into the Inland Sea. For the first time, during the pause in their conversation, he could hear it: a noise like that of ceaseless thunder faraway. “This … jander,” he said. “Is it really dangerous?”

“Let us put it this way: if the Almasty fear it, then it is truly to be respected.”

“Have you ever seen one?”

“No. Janders are quite rare at this latitude.”

“How did one get up to Blue Lake? Not by swimming up that waterfall—that’s for sure.”

“I imagine it is capable of walking on land—at least for short distances.”

“That could explain it.”

The Ily-bintu began to slow its pace as it moved closer to shore. “I must help bring down the sails, Maxwell. But my heart tells me you still have something you wish to ask.”

“I do. It’s about my father.”

“What of him?”

“What should I expect?”

“Frankly?”

“Frankly.”

Maxwallah’s expression wasn’t exactly encouraging. “Expect to be shocked. I know I was. Just remember: you have the power to alter not just your own reality, but that of others as well.”

Finally, at the deafening mouth of the Loud River, so close he could smell the ozone and feel the spray from the waterfall like rain, Max’s moment of truth arrived. Standing on the foredeck surrounded by his four companions, he said, “Well, this is it.”

“Yes,” said Artemisia. “This is it. Just follow the river. It will take you straight there.”

“We have faith in you, Maxwell,” said Karul.

“You were meant for this,” said Maxwallah.

“May the Umbodi be blessed,” said Zana telepathically.

“Thank you,” replied Max. “How far is it from here to the Angel’s Eye?”

“Forty miles that way,” said Artemisia pointing diagonally across the starboard. “Provided the wind holds, we can be there before nightfall.”

“Then I will meet you at the Tempus Fugit—the metal thunderbird—before nightfall.”

Max took a deep breath with his eyes closed, then reopened them with a grin while preparing to blast off. “And if I never see any of you again, I hear jander meat is a real delicacy.”

Copyright © Sol Luckman. All Rights Reserved.

Introducing Sol Luckman’s latest multi-award-winning visionary novel, CALI THE DESTROYER. Learn about the single most censored story in the history of the human race—and why it matters today.