Remeon's Quest

Remeon’s Quest by J. W. Garrett is an imaginative and escapist read.

It begins in a classic way that some say is longer necessary, as in lay the groundwork, give us an era we might recognize, add struggle and then throw us into a doorway to somewhere else. Boom!

I beg to differ about this style not being important and am glad to see it here, because the clever opening not only made me immediately bond with Jack the main character, but it also reminded me of books that created my life-long reading habit, as in entering the gate to The Secret Garden, and the magical Wardrobe that sailed us to Narnia.

But alas, we don’t go to Narnia this time…

Instead we are taken to a place where human beings are collected and used as lab rats, where their feelings are not taken into consideration and many die just getting to this place that is a wonderland to some, but not Jack and Harry and definitely not to humans.

What I appreciated was feeling just as lost, confused and angry, as seventeen-year-old Jack does, after he realizes that he is no longer in charge of his fate and basically is a prisoner in a foreign place and has done nothing to deserve this. A person who the reader comes to admire. He’s a straight shooter, hard worker and loyal to a fault.

Incoming is Whisterly a young woman who is elegant, mystical and exotic. Opposites attract and a secret is revealed. She has power, intellect and influence, but will she use it?

The first kiss between Jack and Whisterly was aching, perfection of that pure feeling we only get to experience once. I truly enjoyed how their tender relationship was written.

The themes and fears covered as in: survival of a species, disease and loss of loved ones, and what technology does or doesn’t do to keep reality in check was all very timely, especially concerning bio-tech and what it means to be alive or not inside that spectrum.

The dream sequences with Sam a very influential man in Jack’s life returns to him as sort of a guardian angel and guide. They were interesting and important to the final scene.

At first it was difficult to accept some of the bold ideas, then an ah ha moment arrives and we see how technology, magic and rebellion are tied together.

I enjoy rooting for the underdog and in this story the most unlikely people become heroes and hope for the future.

Whisterly listens to her grandmother and follows the powerful path she was made for. The guide from beyond and the key and the book were all magical and especially well written.

When things come undone, the reader is left wondering who will prevail and if good will win?

It’s the prefect close to a new series that has a lot left to explore and potential to change everything for earth and a mysterious and sometimes brutal place called Remeon.

If you enjoy fantasy, science fiction and characters you wish to admire for their courage, wisdom and heart, this one is definitely for you.

Garrett has some really interesting ideas, and I love that the time period for our hero was in the time of the building of the Hoover Dam. I felt her writing was strongest during the historical side, and though I loved the ideas she had, I think there maybe too many. A lot of times it felt like a whole jumble of ideas on spin cycle and you weren't sure which one was supposed to be the main one or which was important at all. I think though that there's a lot of promise in Garrett's writing style and the story had some very tender moments which I appreciated.

Remeon’s Quest by J. W. Garrett offers a unique take on a classic trope. Whilst the novel could've offered more of a foundation to start with, the clever opening made the character relate-able, and likeable - which is important in it's own right. Utilising common science fiction themes, we visit a world where humans are expendable, and emotions are considered meaningless. Species survival is paramount in this novel, and disease and loss threaten this - as a whole this book delivers a promising out-take on a common sci-fi trope.