A twelve year-old boy stands on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, near a silent amusement park and a a near-empty ocean resort called the Alhambra. His father is gone, his mother seems to be dying, and the world makes no sense. However, everything is about to change, as he discovers that he has been chosen to make a journey to save his mother. The twist is that this journey will not only take him across America, but into another realm entirely.
This is a quest story, but also a story about friendship and loyalty, filled with wonderful people, and terrifying monsters, and epic landscapes. Jack, the main character, is faced with danger at every turn, and is mostly on his own to figure out if he can make it through his journey alive.
This is one of the books I picked up instead of continuing to slog through "Be Frank with Me." I think it's my tenth or eleventh re-read of the book, although this was only the second time I've cracked it in hardcover (I wore out my original paperback to the point where chunks were coming out). I enjoy many of Stephen King's books (although not really his earlier books) and also like Peter Struab, so when I discovered this book years ago, I had high hopes. I feel like the two authors brought their strongest storytelling to this book, which has an even pace which steadily increases as the story continues. There are wonderful characters here, and not just the main character, but many of the supporting characters. It's easy to envision these people, and the settings, even when you're in the realm of the Territories.
So, a bit of a spoiler here, but this may help explain a little more about what this book is about. In this story, we have the world we know, but there is also an alternate world, called the Territories. It's not as large as our world, and there are some similarities, but there's also more magic, and creatures that don't exist in our own world. Most people exist in our world, and some also exist in the Territories (and that person in the Territories is called a Twinner). However, Jack is unique because there is only one Jack. In this world and in the Territories. Jack also has some special connections, and a special purpose. So, when he's on his journey to save his mother, he's also on a journey to save someone in the Territories (and basically, save the world).
As mentioned, I've read this book many times. Even though I know the story, and know what's going to happen, I still love revisiting it, and I still have an emotional reaction to parts in the book. To me, that's what makes a great story.
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