A surprisingly compelling story of a possible future where people have just stopped sleeping, leaving sleep (and dreams) as a strange luxury. Interesting science fiction, if sometimes strange and trippy in the dreams. The ending really made the story click for me.

And the making-of side was pretty neat, although honestly I'd have been just as happy to have the story stand on its own. ( )

This is a double sided "flip-book" by artist Prentis Rollins. The first side includes "The Resonator," a science-fiction story set in the deep future. Bronsen, a uranium miner, in a dream, cracks open a false reality perpetuated by an interplanetary corporation. The story leaves a bit to be desired, though the artwork, delicate and complex, is gorgeous.

What makes the book stand out, though, is that second side. Rollins takes readers behind the scenes of the book. He offers tips on drawing and inking comics, as well as storyboarding and plot formulation. These are all things that can be found in other books, to be sure, but those other books too often tend to lack a sense of applicability. Rollins’ book offers the chance to see how such early decisions as sketching style and lettering affect the finished product.

DISCLAIMER--I didn't even read the "making of" side of the book. This review covers only the story side.

For those few ailurophiles raised on equal parts the Dreamlands of H.P. Lovecraft and the dreams of the Space Age--you might find this story deeply moving. I did. Prentis Rollins tells the tale of the last cat and the first human in decades to sleep. I enjoyed this tragic tale. ( )