In Dream Breach by Todd L. Shuler, Sandra and her sister Emily had been working on Project ONEIROS with Dr. Reed, who had been Sandra’s mentor. Realizing the intentions of some of the scientists to weaponize consciousness, Sandra and Emily went contrary to the others. This leads to Emily's disappearance, which has a huge toll on Sandra. Currently, she is taking care of two patients who have been in a coma for months and have bizarre EEG activity; at one point, the EEGs of both patients are even synchronized. More people around the world are sliding into these comas, but with determination and the help of Prof. Weber who had discovered more about bridging consciousness, will Sandra uncover the truth? How is the Helios Foundation connected to everything, and what are their true intentions?

Dream Breach by Todd L. Shuler is wonderfully written with puzzles and suspense that kept me looking forward to the events of subsequent chapters. Todd also ensured the pacing was steady, which kept me intrigued. The characters were well-developed, and I also loved the well-crafted dialogue and the vivid descriptions, which helped to bring the story to life. This thought-provoking work also gets one thinking about the moral and ethical issues that should be considered as human beings continue to pursue technological advancements. The reader will also appreciate the seamless flow of the plot, which leaves no room for confusion. This was a good read, and I am looking forward to more by this talented author.

Dream Breach: First Contact by Todd L. Shuler is a fascinating dive inside the human mind in the search for the overriding human consciousness. Dr. Sandra Chen and her colleagues are responsible for the care and monitoring of several coma patients at the Greenstone Medical Center. Both she and her sister Emily have been working on cutting-edge scientific research into human consciousness and their coma patients are returning strange and unusual Electro Encephalagram (EEG) readings which suggest a breakthrough is near. When Emily suddenly disappears after clashing with Dr. Nathaniel Reed over unauthorized experiments, Sandra is determined to discover what happened to her sister. Her best chance of understanding what is happening with her patients lies in some mysterious research done by a physics professor, K Webber, into “dimensional bridging”. If Sandra can decode his work, she may understand what is happening to her coma patients, what happened to her sister, and what or who is the mysterious Observer. 

Dream Breach is absolutely fascinating. The idea of human consciousness being a single entity is certainly one that has been around for some time but this novel stretches the paradigm to include the possibility of multiple states of being; in effect, multiple universes. I love it when an author uses fiction to explore the cutting edge of science and Todd L. Shuler certainly does it here. He suggests this story is merely the prologue to a series based on this topic. Although I will confess to being overwhelmed in places by the concepts and the science involved, that certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the narrative. I appreciated that whenever there are advances in scientific understanding, especially of the human mind, for some sections of society the first thought is how to weaponize this new understanding or power. The idea of government or NGOs seeking to control and use human consciousness to advance their agendas is certainly one that we have seen played out in real life over the years. The writing style is crisp and staccato which gave the entire narrative a sense of urgency. I was truly enraptured by this tale and look forward to the author exploring it further and in more detail. This was a riveting read that I highly recommend.

“The mind is more powerful than we have ever imagined. The question is, how do we harness that power?” For Dr. Sandra Chen, the protagonist of Todd Shuler's novella Dream Breach: First Contact, that question has multiple answers. Dr. Chen is a scientist dedicated to caring for comatose patients who should not be in a coma while also searching for her sister, Emily, who has disappeared without a trace. This is one aspect of her reality. Another equally valid perspective is that Dr. Chen finds herself in a struggle between an entity that exists beyond our conscious understanding and those who aim to weaponize human consciousness. For this to occur, however, a new reality must emerge, and Sandra learns that the only way to create a new reality is to destroy the old one.

Dream Breach by Todd Shuler is a surreal and nightmarish novella that blends elements of mystery, survival, and the struggle to retain one's humanity against an incomprehensible presence trying to breach the boundary between its universe and ours. The plot weaves together themes of ambition and hubris while exploring what it truly means to be human. Despite its brevity, this novella has a powerful impact and the writing is focused on the meat of the story rather than fluff. The character count is low, but each character is well-defined, enhancing the story's setting. A fast-paced narrative ties the tale together, making it a distinctive read for science fiction fans and those interested in the intricacies of the mind.

Dr. Sandra Chen is a neuroscientist grounded in hard facts and data. So when her sister, Emily, disappears during a classified experiment in consciousness bridging, Sandra is pulled into a mystery. She’s drawn back into Project ONEIROS, where coma patients exhibit bizarre, synchronized neural activity. Angela Martinez, a fractal artist, and James Ross, a cryptographic engineer, lie in comas with their brain waves resonating in patterns. As Sandra investigates, she uncovers evidence of the Helios Foundation seeking to weaponize human consciousness. Her search carries her through encrypted research, whispered legends about The Observer, and the Knossos Key, which could unlock or seal a multidimensional breach. With time running out and reality beginning to warp, can Sandra race against powerful enemies and forces beyond comprehension to find her sister and prevent an irreversible collapse in Dream Breach by Todd L. Shuler?

Dream Breach: First Contact is an electrifying combination of hard science fiction, psychological thriller, and cosmic horror. Todd L. Shuler’s writing style is sharp and blends neuroscience, quantum mechanics, and intrigue. The author balances these high-concept ideas with visceral, cinematic descriptions of mindscapes and reality distortions. Sandra is a riveting protagonist—driven, logical, and skeptical—though perpetually haunted by guilt over her sister’s disappearance. The mystery of Dr. Reed and an enigmatic informant known as [EXIGMA] helps with the complex characterization, although some of the secondary characters could use more depth. Overall, Dream Breach is a thrilling prequel for readers who enjoy cerebral, edge-of-your-seat sci-fi thrillers.