Publisher: BHC Press

Written By: J.W. Garrett

RRP: £10.95 / $14.95 (Paperback)

Reviewed by: Sebastian J. Brook

Review Posted: 31st August 2020

Following on from our recent review of Remeon's Destiny, we are thrilled to have just finished the sequel (or rather, prequel); Remeon's Quest.

This time around, we find ourselves back in time to 1930, where America is still in the crux of the Great Depression. The story sees our main character, Jack Livingston, dealing with a tragedy at work that takes his best friend Sam from him. Left with a note from Sam, Jack begins to carve out the new future he initially planned with his friend, when life takes another, unsuspecting turn...

I want to begin by commending J.W. Garrett for such a gripping start to this story. From the  gut-wrenching loss Jack deals with, to the journey he goes on with Harry, the reader is pulled along at a fantastic pace that somehow also allows you to breathe in the sights along the way. Such is Garret's attention to detail, from the cold beginning in Utah to Las Vegas and - quite literally - BEYOND, you really feel like you are travelling a first class, evocative ticket with the characters.

Speaking of characters, Remeon's Quest is brimming with a whole host of rich, new characters, as well as some old (or should that be younger?) favourites from the previous chapter in the Realms Of Chaos saga. Of these new characters, Whisterley is definitely our favourite; another strong, female character that helps balance the book, whilst giving our central character some much-needed happiness.

Again, we have a wonderful, expertly crafted blend of Science Fiction and Fantasy, with the added sprinkling of a love story between Jack and Whisterley, that holds central to the book.

As with Remeon's Destiny, you never know what is around the corner; be it a new best friend, an oncoming spaceship or true love, but one thing you can count on is a thrill-ride full of adventure.

This is some genius storytelling, and whilst it's not a movie (gosh what a movie series this would make!), it does reflect a little of the clever use of time travel seen in Back To The Future. Little nods that come back to play out later on - not to mention the time jumps.

There's some real momentum with this series and with book 3 (Remeon's Crusade) having just been released, I cannot wait to see what happens next, chronologically.

+  Remeon's Quest is Out Now!
+  Buy this book from Amazon.co.uk!
+  Follow @GarrettJLW on Twitter.

Publisher: BHC Press

Written By: J.W. Garrett

RRP: £10.95 / $14.95 (Paperback)

Reviewed by: Sebastian J. Brook

Review Posted: 1st July 2020

Remeon's Destiny follows the story of Thomas, a young man growing up in 1940's rural Virginia, who dreams of more than the expected path set before him. Immediately we felt pangs of nostalgia due to the loose parallels with Superman and Star Wars; Clark Kent growing up in rural Kansas - destined for greater things, and Luke Skywalker growing up on a moisture farm on the desert planet of Tattooine - destined to bring peace and order to the galaxy.

It's a recipe that works so well as we all root for the central character to achieve their aspirations, but it's always so refreshing when an author actually adds something new and unexpected to that recipe - and that's exactly what J.W. Garrett has done here.

The juxtaposition between the setting of post-World War II America and that of the futuristic world of Remeon is stark and ultimately meaningful as events, experiences and choices made in the future, make for fantastic character development in Thomas and for the messages and warnings that are underlying for our own planet.

Speaking of characters, those featured in Remeon's Destiny are rich and well-rounded, and whilst Thomas is our main protagonist, there are some fantastic female characters full of depth and who give great poignance to the story. It feels wonderfully balanced and, as a result, real.

Garrett's skill of painting both mundane life in rich, beautiful detail, coupled with the far out complex strokes of a distant world in the same brush is commendable. All this whilst maintaining a driven, entertaining story that compels you to keep on reading - and boy does it do that! 

There are so many moments that jump off the page and feel like a full-on emotive scene that you'd expect to see in a big-screen movie.

There's one particular line near the end of the story, and without giving too much away, it captures a moment every son hopes to have with his father; an acknowledgement of change and being accepted as an adult:

"James desperately searched for answers as he combed the face he thought he knew so well. “Son,” he said, as he grasped Thomas’s shoulders, his voice quivering, “you’ve changed. I can see it in you. A man’s eyes don’t lie.""

That sense of journey; a beginning, a middle and an end - the load-bearing principles of good story writing are all here, but there's so much colour and attention to detail that, (if you pardon us one more arty metaphor), you end up with a masterpiece so full of depth you'll want to bask in it time and time again.

Whilst we are aware the is a prequel to this story now available (and we are very much looking forward to reading it), we cannot help wanting to see what happens next in Thomas' story. As of writing we have just had news that Book 3 in the series (Remeon's Crusade) is out in August - and we cannot wait!

+  Remeon's Destiny is Out Now!
+  Buy this book from Amazon.co.uk!
+  Follow @GarrettJLW on Twitter.