The Sky Beneath - Jason Warne

The memory of his Grandpa hauling a minivan away from a cliff-side, as if picking up a piece of paper, is revitalized in Adam’s memory when he visits him hospital.

A man who was his hero, is seemingly struggling to hold on to life.  But something isn’t right. And it’s highlighted when his grandfather asks him to pass him some pills when they’re alone.

Struggling with low blood sugar, Adam wonders whether he can talk to Dr. Bowie, but something holds him back. His Aunt Jessica and Uncle Deacon have always been there, ever since his parents died in that minivan, will they be there for him now?

All his life, Adam has wondered what was wrong. He knew something was going on, but he couldn’t define it. Flashes of his father asking him to run until he was lost, haunt him. What did all of that mean?

Events begin to unfold where Adam, finds a new strength that he was unaware of, a strength he was told to repress. When the love his life, Jaime, whom he has never actually told her how he felt, turns out to be the friend who always looked out for him. Together, with her boyfriend, Tim, the three escape the men chasing them.

Who are these men? What do they want? So many questions whirl around Adam’s young mind. The leader of the group, Jacob, is determined to find all Adam’s kind and destroy them, but to what end. Can Adam survive the fragility of this life?

It took me a while to get into this book. More than likely, because I am not a fan of science fiction, I didn’t take to this story straightaway. However, I felt the plot was good. It felt a little disjointed but Warne’s characters are all developed and the story has real depth and meaning. The overall theme of the story was love and friendship and family although it’s not immediately obvious. A recommended read for sci-fi fans.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and I am not required to give a positive critique. 

Fix By Force - Jason Warne

Seventeen year old Spencer feels alone and isolated. His father died eight years ago in a car collision, a collision which killed a woman. Burdened with that knowledge and living in a small town where his father is despised, Spencer can't help but feel weak.

His relationship with his mother is abusive and disintegrating fast and he has no friends. He looks at himself and sees a feeble and insubstantial image. Is he predestined to be become his father? A potent mixture of fear, self-loathing and loneliness eventually leads to his use of drugs. Spencer needs to fix his life and he wants it to be immediate. The only way he knows how to become stronger and a force to be reckoned with is to inject himself with steroids. He's read about the side effects, he knows the dangers - he'll be fine. But little does he understand that these fixes maybe quick but it doesn't mean they're right.

Warne's debut novel is powerful, hard-hitting and beautifully written. I couldn't put this book down and read it in a day. From page one I was hooked (pardon the pun!) as to how this story will develop. I felt helpless as I 'watched' an intelligent young man, ripped apart emotionally by bullying and family circumstance, turn to drugs. I see how he gets to that decision but I still just wanted to reach in (to the book) to stop him from making this mistake.

The authors portrayal of being part of a dysfunctional family (an estranged uncle, a demonstrative mother battling her own demons), dealing with bullying and having low-self esteem are effortless. Together they combine to create a world that is flawed yet Spencer has an inner strength that he doesn't realize he has.

It's a gutsy and raw story but quietly so. The author told this descent in to despair completely from a seventeen years old viewpoint - his words, expressions, understandings. The profound sadness and quiet courage would have been lost if Warne had the reader hearing the voice of an adult. The characters in this short story are strong and well developed and I felt a lot of empathy for them all.

This book should become part of the curriculum for schools; it's the Lord of the Flies for today's generation - and by that I mean, this book shows how easily a young mind can convince themselves that what they're doing is right, that being bullied, feeling abandoned and lost can make them wonder down a path that's seems fine but is ultimately paved with horror. A very highly recommended read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson publishing as part of their Booksneeze program. The opinions expressed here are my own and I am not expected to give a positive review.