“Dreams Come to Life” Audio Book - Spoiler-Free Review

If you’re a fan of BATIM lore, this novel is a must-read. It provides a wealth of new information about the characters, the ink machine, and the mysterious events at Joey Drew Studios. I dare say it’s more revealing than the Employee Handbook!

You get a fresh look at the following characters, their appearance, personality, and relationship with the studio and the other employees:

Bertrum - his relationship with Joey will surprise you!

- his relationship with Joey will surprise you! Allison and Tom - a shocking twist that will make you question how much you really know about their history at the studio.

Norman - if something happens at the studio, you can be sure that he knows everything about it. Perhaps too much for his own good!



Sammy - oh boy… Sammy. If you’re his fan, you will probably hate him in this book. You will learn things about him you’re going to wish you never knew about.



Joey - a man of contradictions. He’ll make you want to give him a big hug in one moment, and a hearty punch in the face in the next. He finally exhibits some good qualities, but he’s working very hard to undermine them all. His relationship with Henry is given more depth, shippers will be pleased. And boy, is the book trying to draw a connection between him and Bendy! Its exact nature is still a mystery, though.



Bendy - You will find out where he was imprisoned and how he escaped. And something about his personality as well.



The Ink - because the Ink is a character! And what a terrifying and mysterious one, at that! Reminded me of Marvel’s Venom.

Buddy and Dot - I have a complete faith that at least one of them is going to make an appearance in BATDR and play an important role in the game. The way the book ends makes it clear that there’s going to be a payoff to all the build-up as far as their characters are concerned.

- I have a complete faith that at least one of them is going to make an appearance in BATDR and play an important role in the game. The way the book ends makes it clear that there’s going to be a payoff to all the build-up as far as their characters are concerned. The Ink Creatures - How does a person become one, and what’s it like to be a living cartoon? What’s up with the whole soul thing? The answers to these and many more questions are finally here!



Aside from the game lore, the book is a very fun read on its own. The characters are likeable, the pacing is good, and the action is entertaining. I didn’t feel bored at any point. The language is clear and understandable to readers of most ages and backgrounds. The sensitive themes were handled with respect. If you’re a theorist, you’re probably going to find yourself analyzing every word, because there’s a lot of references to the game in both the dialogue, and the narration.



As someone, for whom English is not their first language, I was very pleased with the strong, clear voice of the narrator. I also enjoyed many of the voices he chose for the characters.



There are some chilling scenes, and some heart-wrenching ones. Surprisingly, there’s not much humor, which is a big mood whiplash from the game and the Employee Handbook. The appalling way Joey is treating his employees is toned down a lot, so it’s not quite so over-the-top. You can actually begin to understand why people chose to put up with his antics, instead of searching for work elsewhere.

I liked the way the book is not playing games with the reader. Despite leaving some things fairly ambiguous, most mysteries are explained clearly, so as to ensure that the readers don’t miss or misinterpret anything important (though it’s not like this has ever stopped us from making wildly inaccurate guesses before!). There’s even a point in the book, which reads like it’s advising the theorists:

“It’s interesting how the brain works. It can see all the things as one thing. It doesn’t see the pieces, the individual component parts. You see a car. You don’t see a windshield, doors, headlights. It’s funny how - if you don’t look for the pieces - sometimes you never notice them. Small, individual things that make up the whole. The clues.“

Something worth keeping in mind, as we work on our next Bendy theory!

