Synopsis

Mal Winter and the Cloud Runners

The night after his father’s death, Mal meets a mysterious man who introduces himself as Mr Blue. He is kind, and tells Mal about the  Dreamscape that houses all the souls of the sleeping world. Each soul creates a dream to surround it like a large suit-of-armour to protect itself from Nightmares: the predators of the Dreamscape. 

Nightmare aren’t bad dreams, they’re demons who prey on the souls of the sleeping, hunting through dreams to devour the sleeping.

That’s when Mal learns about the Cloud Runners, an ancient group that protects the sleeping world and serve as the guardians of the Dreamscape. Mal’s father was one of the greatest Cloud Runners to ever live, and perhaps his death wasn’t an accident... What kind of legacy did his father left for him?

Mal’s story takes him through dozens of magical dreams set atop mountains, foreign lands, impossible caves, tropical islands and endless skies. 

Danger however isn’t contained to when he is asleep, Mal and his best friends Vic and James, are chased and tricked and the greatest adventure they’ll experience unfolds before them.

Mal Winter and the Last Titan

WARNING: Although I've tried to avoid spoilers here, if you haven't finished Mal Winter and the Cloud Runners, I would advise skipping this synopsis for now. 
Mal is training to protect mankind from Nightmares, the demons which stalk the Dreamscape in search of souls. 

After a dangerous introduction to the Dreamscape last year, Mal thought the hardest thing in his life would be juggling his training and high school - he was wrong. The very Dreamscape itself is thrown into turmoil by the appearance of a mysterious new threat, with powers not seen in generations.
​
Desperate, Mal turns to an unexpected ally to help him face this new foe. But, even if Mal and his friends can save the day, one thing is for certain: his world will never be the same again.

"I really love the book and as serious as it is, I like how you have funny things in it.”

- Josephine, 12

Characters

Mal Winter
We find Malcolm Winter as a normal fourteen year old. He's in eighth grade and measures his long school days by how many pictures he’s drawn. His strength is his imagination, and he lives with his head lost in the clouds. Mal likes comic, eating buttered toast for breakfast, and spending weekends with his best friends  playing video games, eating pizza and planning pranks.​

Dante

Dante is a stranger stalking Mal, a man with mysterious intent and unsure alliance. He's got a rough edge, hardened by a tough life. 

Mr Blue
One of the mysteries Mal will have to uncover is who is Mr Blue? To Mal most adults are big, but Mr Blue is huge, with broad shoulders, a thick neck and muscular arms. Despite his size, and looking like a man you don’t want to run into in a dark alley, Mr Blue wears a cheery grin and smiling eyes. He’s kind, powerful, and mysterious.

Charli
Don’t call her Charlotte, it’s Charli or nothing! She may seem like just a pretty girl that runs into Mal one day, but she is more connected to the Cloud Runners than Mal could expect. She is a strong, smart and has more attitude than Mal knows what do with. She likes running and action movies and eating cupcakes.​

Kimiko
She must be referred to as Sensei by Mal, and will stand by nothing else. Kimiko is cold, calculating and very good at her job. She is a mysterious woman with a dark history.

Vic & James

Vic is the smartest person that Mal has ever met, and he knows it. Vic doesn't waste words, he likes fast cars, and figures everything out quicker than anyone else. 

James is an athlete and a self proclaimed 'lady's man'. He has a charming personality, a winning smile, and loves sport.

Lion
He may be older, but Luciano Lione idolises Mal and dreams to be nothing but a hero. He's huge for his size and his blue mindstone makes him powerful, but 'Lion' is a big teddy bear. Born and raised in Spain, Lion comes to Australia to train with Mal, and although he loves it he misses his family.

Dr Winter
Mal's mother is a cardiac surgeon, and worries about her son all the time. She has the biggest heart of anyone, and all she wants is to be able to help her patients and keep her family healthy. 

Fanart


"There are great visuals. It's really easy to imagine all these beautiful dreams, but then all the dark side, too, because it's all so descriptive and on point when you read about Nightmares and pretty dreams.”

- Kristy, 19

Download sample chapters.

Chapter One

from Mal Winter and the Cloud Runners

Chapter Three

from Mal Winter and the Cloud Runners

Prologue

from Mal Winter and the Last Titan
© Danny Beaton