BOOK REVIEW
The second in Graham’s (Seventh Journey: Book 1, 2, – 2012, 2015) fantasy series follows the adventures of James as he travels through dimensions and battles monsters in an attempt to overthrow the evil entity Luzige.
When a man wakes up in a crater deep in the snow of the northern lands, he doesn’t know who he is or how he got there. He is taken in by kindly George and his daughter, who call him James, and he slowly realizes that although he has amnesia, he still knows some things, like how to skillfully defeat a large group of violent bikers—all by himself. When James sleeps, he has vivid, mysterious dreams in which he travels to other dimensions. Eventually he understands that these are not mere dreams and that he is actually traveling through dimensions. He meets his mother and father and learns that he was Jacob Cross in his last life. As his father explains: “You were not born into the physical world as you understand it. An energy vortex was created, and your physical body was willed into being, allowing your consciousness to bond with it.” Cross had developed the Auditum, a device enabling the user to travel through dimensions.
Unfortunately, the Netex Corporation took advantage of this technology and allowed an evil entity, Luzige, to enter Earth’s dimension and bring about a reign of terror and destruction. Cross was murdered in that life, and now he’s back, as James, to set things straight. It’s no easy task, however. He’s forced to battle a monstrous scorpion, innumerable demons, and a gargantuan spiderlike creature “made of mostly burnt flesh, stone, and metal.” These creatures try to stop James from finding and rescuing his good friends Tarif and Paul and his beloved Tamara from Luzige’s control. Only when the friends are reunited do they stand a chance of saving the Earth and all of humanity. Readers will see that Graham is at no loss for imagination, and his pace remains at an enjoyably accelerated clip. Biblical and religious references—from names like Joshua, Sarah, and David to references to resurrection and the Trinity—are evident throughout, providing a distinct layer of symbolism. Some readers may be disappointed at the story’s conclusion, which is less a cliffhanger than a random stopping point. However, those hooked will no doubt anticipate Book 3.
A broad fantasy of battles against otherworldly creatures.
Kirkus Indie, Kirkus Media LLC, 6411 Burleson Rd., Austin, TX 78744 indie@kirkusreviews.com
SEVENTH JOURNEY
Ed. by Graham, Robert J. R. iUniverse (230 pp.)
$15.95 paperback, $3.99 e-book
January 21, 2015