Books
- Divergent Trilogy
The Trilogy consists of three books, Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant, which follow Beatrice Prior (Tris). Tris lives in a world separated by five factions, in which people are separated depending on their personality and social association. A world divided by factions is supposed to remove the danger of anyone exercising their own free will and threatening everyone’s safety. Tris, who was born in Abnegation but transfers to Dauntless during her choosing ceremony, learns she doesn’t easily fit into just one faction, and if the leaders of Erudite were to find out, her life could be in danger.
Like the MultiMind Corporation in Dawn of the Dreamer, the leaders in Divergent will do anything to remain in control. Even by making people feel as though they only belong in a certain group, Erudite, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity or Candor. Much like, Dreamers or Non-Dreamers.
- The Host
Melanie Stryder, lives in a world where parasitic aliens called “Souls,” have invaded earth believing humans are too violent to run it. When a Soul is implanted in a human’s (hosts) body, the consciousness of the owner is erased. When Melanie becomes the host of “Wanderer,” a Soul who has lived on eight planets before earth, Wanderer soon realises that Melanie’s consciousness is still alive and is able to communicate with her.
This is a different form of mind control, but mind control nonetheless. This alien race is trying to erase the ability for humans to make a decision for themselves just as the MulitMind Corporation are doing with the Wristcuff.
- Institute Series
Living in constant fear. Always looking over your shoulder. The source of your fear? The Institute.
Allira Daniels will do anything to keep her Defective brother safe from the Institute. They claim to protect Defectives, but its human nature to fear the unknown. Defectives are dangerous, they possess abilities that no human should be able to. To Allira and the rest of her family, the Institute seems more like a prison than the safe-haven they promote themselves to be.
A similar theme in the Institute series and the Dawn of the Dreamer is corruption. People will do anything to gain power and control even to the extremes in these two series.
- The Hunger Games Series
The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, follow the life of Katniss Everdeen. In a scary vision of the future, twelve boys and twelve girls from each of the twelve districts are forced to compete in a TV show called ‘The Hunger Games.’ The objective of the game, to kill the other competitors and be the last person standing.
When Katniss’s sister is chosen to compete in the games, she sees no other choice but to volunteer herself in her place.
Like Amelia, Katniss will do anything to protect her friends and family, even risk her own life.
Movies
- Inception
Framed for his wife’s death, Dom Cobb is on the run. When he is unable to extract information he needs from the mind of a businessman named Saito, Saito makes a deal with him: If Cobb can plant an idea in the mind of the heir to a multibillion dollar empire, Fisher, Saito will clear his name. This involves assembling a team that will delve deep into Fischer’s dreams to plant (Incept) the idea.
Although based much more in the world of dreaming, Inception’s cast are able to enter others dreams just as Amelia can share a dream with Jonah.
- The Cell
When an FBI agent persuades social worker Catherine Deane to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer, she is thrust into his often sick and scary thoughts in order to learn where he is keeping his latest kidnap victim.
Dawn of the Dreamer is nowhere near as freaky as this movie, but it does involve delving into the thoughts and dreams of others.
- Matrix Series
The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, will make you question your reality and what is and isn’t real. Computer hacker Neo is approached by a rebel group and begins to learn the true nature of his reality. Plunging him into a new world.
The Matrix shows a world that is fabricated and that everyone is plugged in and their minds controlled so that they believe this is their reality. Similar to the way the MultiMiind Corporation are using the Wristcuff to control the population.
- The Giver
In a seemingly perfect community, without war, pain, suffering, differences or choice, Jonas is about to find out his assignment in the community. When he is assigned as Receiver he is paired up with The Giver who shares his memories with him. Through his memories Jonas learns about the true pain and pleasure of the “real” world.
Much like Amelia in Dawn of the Dreamer, Jonas must take the truth that he has learned and decide if he wants to fight for it or to live the life he has always known.
I hope you enjoy these books and movies as much as I have. Although they have similar themes to Dawn of the Dreamer, they are all different and amazing in their own right.
Have you read or seen any of these already? Let me know in the comments below!
ljhiggins 