Why you can trust GamesRadar+
Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.
The cover of Sleepwalkers may scream Generic Supernatural Thriller, but don't be put off. This is a book that thrives on confounding expectations.
Ben is a family man. He's got a wife and kids and a job, but he's also plagued by violent dreams. Every night they seem more real – and more disturbing. He's not the only one. 15-year-old Toby is equally troubled. Could they be true? And is someone messing with their memories?
There are hints of both the Bourne series and Philip K Dick (though it's closer in tone to Verhoeven's Total Recall than Dick's “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale”). Switching between first- and third-person narratives, what starts as a creepy tale of one man slowly losing his shit soon turns into something much grander.
Article continues below
Grieves's pedigree as a writer for Being Human (he penned two scripts for series four: psycho ghost episode “A Spectre Calls” and Adam’s return, “Hold The Front Page”) shows in some strong characterisation. As Ben discovers a natural talent for extreme violence, he's consumed with fear about the sort of man he used to be. Likewise the “villains” are complex (even occasionally compassionate) people trapped in a bizarre situation.
Unfortunately, Sleepwalkers does lean slightly towards cliché. There's a maverick conspiracy theorist who helps to unpick the mystery, and a sinister company (actually referred to, non-smirkingly, as The Company). While it's a reasonably smart book, there's little new here. But it’s still a fast-paced, thoughtful and at times moving thriller that you won't want to forget.
SFX Magazine is the world's number one sci-fi, fantasy, and horror magazine published by Future PLC. Established in 1995, SFX Magazine prides itself on writing for its fans, welcoming geeks, collectors, and aficionados into its readership for over 25 years. Covering films, TV shows, books, comics, games, merch, and more, SFX Magazine is published every month. If you love it, chances are we do too and you'll find it in SFX.
