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Beyond the Dream

The Other World

A large number of chapters in Beyond the Dream take place in the other world –many of those that tell Anna’s story, that narrate Tam’s story, and the chapters focusing on the Lord of Rocdur.

The interference between our world and the other world occurs as a result of Annna’s dream at the begining of the novel, but we never know for certain where, exactly, this other world is. It is an imaginary world that is for the most part like our own, yet in some ways very distant from it.

In the other world we find several countries with different political and social structures, such as Rocdur, a militarized dictatorship, or Fosca, which is democratic, advanced and prosperous. There are others –a matriarcal and peaceful society and the tribal and warrior groups in the north. There is, also, a country of wide, open plains populated by riders without rival and, as well, the people of Pot who are forced to emigrate in large numbers because of desertification and the resulting impoverishment of their land. And Maiera, a country that Rocdur seeks to annex but that has rebelled against the invaders.

All these countries in the other world are at different stages of evolution, but all of them are more or less technologically primitive. Even though, some of these societies have social progress that could leave our world quite ashamed.

The other world is not a magical world. The author wanted to make sure of this aspect. Aside from some fantastic elements, in general the other world is quite similar to ours and with people, more or less, as ourselves. In Beyond the Dream the readers will find mostly normal people who love, suffer and fight to survive. Yet, no doubt, it is quite fantastic to go from one world to the other.