Josh Cope is an ordinary boy, except for four things: he is a collector of strange and unusual objects, he can fall asleep whenever and wherever he wants, he can always remember his dreams, and he is a thief. These skills draw the attention of Gippart International, an organization that has made its fortune selling the most innovative new products for over a thousand years. After answering the simple question "How does one get into, or out of, a dream?" Josh is recruited to help Gippart explore their newest sales territory, umaya, a dream world through which Gippart hopes to unlock the secrets of time.

Umaya is described as being "the collective dream-world of all mankind, made up of the collective dreams and memories of the entire human race." Josh is sent to umaya along with his friend Baz, a drummer, and Teresa, an exceptional teller of tales. Initially, they believe they are there to sell wooden birdcalls, but come to find that Gippart is using them as guinea pigs for an experiment in time travel. After becoming trapped in umaya, the only way they will ever get home is to travel to the "end of time" and make peace between the two legendary founders of the mercantile trade.

THE DREAM MERCHANT, translated from the Dutch, is not a straightforward narrative. The book is long, and takes a winding path to its final destination. This may challenge less patient readers, but rewards those who like a detailed exploration of fantastic worlds. The story is captivating and complex, presenting an original vision cobbled from history, nightmares and imagination.

Philosophical, dream-like, and full of unexpected characters and adventures, THE DREAM MERCHANT will appeal to readers who have enjoyed Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series, or Philip Reeve's MORTAL ENGINES. Even with a satisfying ending in place, the book asks more questions than it is able to answer, leaving readers thinking about the ideas it presents long after the adventure is finished.