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Realms of Chaos #1
Remeon's Destiny
A boy seeking adventure… A world that's dying… A war that may have no winners…
Thomas longs to escape the drudgery of farm life, dreaming of adventure and running away from his demanding parents.
Planet Remeon is on the brink of destruction, fighting a crippling disease that threatens to wipe out their civilization.
Thrust into their world, Thomas is caught in the middle of telepathic mind games between the Day Watchers and the Night Dwellers.
Alliances will be broken. Thoughts will be controlled. Will anyone survive?
Available in Epub, Mobi, and PDF
Thomas longs to escape the drudgery of farm life, dreaming of adventure and running away from his demanding parents.
Planet Remeon is on the brink of destruction, fighting a crippling disease that threatens to wipe out their civilization.
Thrust into their world, Thomas is caught in the middle of telepathic mind games between the Day Watchers and the Night Dwellers.
Alliances will be broken. Thoughts will be controlled. Will anyone survive?
Available in Epub, Mobi, and PDF
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 19, 2018
1 person is currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
J.W. Garrett
51 books199 followersWelcome!
I've been writing in one form or another since I was a teenager. I currently live in Florida where I write speculative fiction from the sunny beaches of Jacksonville, FL, but I love the mountains of Virginia where I was born. My works include novels for young and old alike, as well as short stories and poetry. Book three, Remeon's Crusade in my Realms of Chaos series, is out now at your favorite book retailer.
Influences on my writing include J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. LeGuin, Diana Gabaldon, Jean Auel, George R. R.Martin and Barbara Taylor Bradford.
Remeon's Quest, the prequel in my fantasy, scifi series, Realms of Chaos, is available now. Also check out the award winning Remeon's Destiny, book 1.
Sign up for my newsletter at www.jwgarrett.com and receive a free short story, plus exclusive giveaways and previews!
Join me on my writing journey!
I've been writing in one form or another since I was a teenager. I currently live in Florida where I write speculative fiction from the sunny beaches of Jacksonville, FL, but I love the mountains of Virginia where I was born. My works include novels for young and old alike, as well as short stories and poetry. Book three, Remeon's Crusade in my Realms of Chaos series, is out now at your favorite book retailer.
Influences on my writing include J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. LeGuin, Diana Gabaldon, Jean Auel, George R. R.Martin and Barbara Taylor Bradford.
Remeon's Quest, the prequel in my fantasy, scifi series, Realms of Chaos, is available now. Also check out the award winning Remeon's Destiny, book 1.
Sign up for my newsletter at www.jwgarrett.com and receive a free short story, plus exclusive giveaways and previews!
Join me on my writing journey!
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 18, 2018
Remeon’s Destiny is quite a gem. It’s set in 1947 (an interesting date we eventually find) on farmlands of a rural Virginia town that is brilliantly painted by author J.W. Garrett. We immediately get conflict in a big way between the Thomas/Stephen and his father James. What I like most is that we understand both their desires, neither wrong: the son wanting to go his own way on an adventure and see the world, and the father truly needed his son to follow in his footsteps for the sake of family needs. This makes the conflict all the more real and perplexing and sets great anticipations for what the possible resolution might be.
And the real quagmire is not the resolution but where it comes from. Outside forces that act upon this family are literally out of this world, upping the ante in the problem department to what feels like unattainable heights. One of the strengths of the novel is character development. From James and his family to the two factions of alien groups, the individual characters are unique, contrasting, and complex.
When we go off planet the stakes get even higher when we’re no longer fighting for the farm or the next meal, but the extinction of a race of beings and the rise of an unlikely hero. Garrett does a great job of worldbuilding on the fly without taking us out of the story or bogging down the narrative. I love the character names and how through all of this end-of-days high drama, Garrett can create authentic intimate scenes between the characters along with a few twists that definitely weren’t expected. This gem of a standalone novel stands out in a sea of serial novels. I love it. The Roswell touch was particularly appreciated. Five easy stars and looking forward to Garrett's next effort, which I understand is less than a year away. Yay!
And the real quagmire is not the resolution but where it comes from. Outside forces that act upon this family are literally out of this world, upping the ante in the problem department to what feels like unattainable heights. One of the strengths of the novel is character development. From James and his family to the two factions of alien groups, the individual characters are unique, contrasting, and complex.
When we go off planet the stakes get even higher when we’re no longer fighting for the farm or the next meal, but the extinction of a race of beings and the rise of an unlikely hero. Garrett does a great job of worldbuilding on the fly without taking us out of the story or bogging down the narrative. I love the character names and how through all of this end-of-days high drama, Garrett can create authentic intimate scenes between the characters along with a few twists that definitely weren’t expected. This gem of a standalone novel stands out in a sea of serial novels. I love it. The Roswell touch was particularly appreciated. Five easy stars and looking forward to Garrett's next effort, which I understand is less than a year away. Yay!
September 23, 2018
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I’m not a huge fan of sci-fi, but I love a story that’s written well and tugs at multiple emotions. And this one did that. I also like the depth of the characters which is essential to bringing out those emotions. Flat characters, no emotions. The country and alien planet settings reminded me of the old Superman movie with Christopher Reeve, switching from the alien world of Krypton to Kansas. The love element was a nice spice, but the life and death element and the moral dilemmas the characters faced raised the stakes even higher and easily kept me committed to the story. I’ll be reading the next book in the series.
February 11, 2019
I'm starting to listen to more audiobooks so I can experience books on the way home from work in my car. I started this one on the way home from work Friday and finished by Sunday night. It was quite a unique read, and not at all what I expected from reading the synopsis or looking at the cover. But the characters and story kept my interest throughout and the reader's voice was such that it didn't take away from the story in any way, in fact, it complimented it. I'm looking forward to more books by this author.
December 2, 2018
Remeon's Destiny follows a young boy as he struggles with the 'simple' farmer life his father wants to pass down. He wants more adventure, like the comics he reads. But be careful what you wish for.
This book opens with family conflict and closes that conflict through unexpected channels. I'll admit, the 1947 reference was lost on me but if you know anything about alien history you'll catch it.
Thomas faces both family trials and trials out of this world as he's thrown into the chaos of an otherworldly civil war. Both factions have the same goal, survival, but they have different ways they go about it.
Join Thomas on his quest to discover who he is and whether he can help save an entire race.
This book opens with family conflict and closes that conflict through unexpected channels. I'll admit, the 1947 reference was lost on me but if you know anything about alien history you'll catch it.
Thomas faces both family trials and trials out of this world as he's thrown into the chaos of an otherworldly civil war. Both factions have the same goal, survival, but they have different ways they go about it.
Join Thomas on his quest to discover who he is and whether he can help save an entire race.
November 30, 2018
I liked the characters and the story a lot. Arista was my favorite character because I could relate to her. I've never read a book like this before. It was very different than anything I've read before but in a good way. It was hard to put down. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
October 28, 2019
At almost 16 years of age, Thomas is nearly a man. Growing up in the late 1940s it is presumed he will soon begin helping his father run the farm. In rural Virginia, there's not much hope for the boy to escape the simple life of a farmer, but he dreams of more . . . of seeing the world. Thomas' father is ready to introduce him to other aspects of the business, but first, he expects the boy to get his head out of the clouds. When Thomas turns ill, it would appear his dreams of liberation are shattered. Then, through a remarkable turn of events, the young man finds himself transported to an alternate world, a planet on which he is the only hope for the survival of its inhabitants. This unlikely hero has much to learn as he tries to find his way towards fulfilling an extraordinary destiny.
Author J.W. Garrett's Remeon's Destiny, is a marvelous coming-of-age tale that will appeal to readers of all ages. With an engaging plot, characters that are fleshed out in very real and tangible ways, and fascinating sci-fi elements, this book has much to offer a YA audience. Recommended for home and school libraries, Remeon's Destiny has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
Author J.W. Garrett's Remeon's Destiny, is a marvelous coming-of-age tale that will appeal to readers of all ages. With an engaging plot, characters that are fleshed out in very real and tangible ways, and fascinating sci-fi elements, this book has much to offer a YA audience. Recommended for home and school libraries, Remeon's Destiny has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
August 14, 2018
Young adult fantasy is not my typical genre for reading. However, add a little time and space travel and I'm all in! Remeon's Destiny has so much to offer for a wide range of readers...vivid language, colorful characters, lots of conflict, unexpected plot twists and turns. Thomas, a restless teen, is ready for a change in life and a little adventure. He certainly receives more than he bargains for finding himself transported to Remeon as the star candidate for "the perfect match". (I'll not spoil the story by revealing too much here!) Thomas' hero journey is full of denial, conflict and ordeal.
I so enjoyed the strong women characters of the novel, Remeonites Wisterly and Arista. They have their own conflicts, challenges and human-like flaws but through it all were decisive and visionary.
Once I started this book I couldn't put it down. This is a great read which I recommend to all readers not just young adults. My only disappointment is that I must wait until the sequel is published to discover what happens next!
I so enjoyed the strong women characters of the novel, Remeonites Wisterly and Arista. They have their own conflicts, challenges and human-like flaws but through it all were decisive and visionary.
Once I started this book I couldn't put it down. This is a great read which I recommend to all readers not just young adults. My only disappointment is that I must wait until the sequel is published to discover what happens next!
December 23, 2018
An excellent novel. Well written, well rounded, gripping. I don't often read YA novels, but my high school students inspired me to pick this up, and I am glad I did. The layering of the stories, the weaving of the worlds, the intertwined destines drew me in and had me turning pages and wanting more. The author writes with a clarity and detail that genuinely makes you care about the characters, and the outcome. A triumph of a first novel, hoping for many many more.
April 29, 2020
An out of this world fantasy. The characters and the plot are just wonderful together.
September 26, 2019
This is a good story to read and enjoy slowly.
Make sure you're settled because you'll resent
having to move.
I know I did.
Phyllis S.
Make sure you're settled because you'll resent
having to move.
I know I did.
Phyllis S.
February 23, 2019
I just finished reading J.W. Garrett’s Remeon’s Destiny for the second time. My strongest impression from the first read was the author’s ability to move the story forward, from a post-WWII American farm to a futuristic world called Remeon. The protagonist is Thomas, a good kid fighting against his father’s expectations. Tension between the two is palpable, thanks to Garrett’s deft character development. As for female characters, Thomas’s mother and sisters are believable foils to the male drama—supporting characters, quite literally—until later. On Remeon, three females stand at the epicenter of the conflict, responsible for the survival of their people. Two tribes are in a race for the cure, and Thomas holds the key. Unwitting hero or sacrificial human, Thomas discovers his destiny is inextricably linked to theirs. I read Book 1 of this series in one sitting, routing for Thomas, hoping that he would prove his manhood.
My more recent impressions of the book result from a closer look at Garrett’s method, particularly the skill of foreshadowing. Suffice it to say, one gleans much from Thomas’s hobbies, the contents of his hip pocket, and the gifts he receives on his birthday. Another strength is Garrett’s incorporation of history, providing both context and symbolic value. Complications to the protagonist’s quest for manhood on earth are mirrored in tests he must survive on Remeon. Thomas finds the seemingly clear-cut struggle between good and evil to be more complex than he imagined, the struggle for survival a mitigating factor. These are realities we can easily relate to planet earth and what we witness in our daily news. Garrett takes us outside our own world to see these truths about coexistence.
My more recent impressions of the book result from a closer look at Garrett’s method, particularly the skill of foreshadowing. Suffice it to say, one gleans much from Thomas’s hobbies, the contents of his hip pocket, and the gifts he receives on his birthday. Another strength is Garrett’s incorporation of history, providing both context and symbolic value. Complications to the protagonist’s quest for manhood on earth are mirrored in tests he must survive on Remeon. Thomas finds the seemingly clear-cut struggle between good and evil to be more complex than he imagined, the struggle for survival a mitigating factor. These are realities we can easily relate to planet earth and what we witness in our daily news. Garrett takes us outside our own world to see these truths about coexistence.
November 14, 2020
Remeon's Destiny is the second book in a series of three "Realms of Chaos" books. The series of chaos books are sequenced as follows:
1)Remeon's Quest, earth year 1930-
2)Remeon's Destiny, earth year 1947-
3)Remeon's Crusade, earth year 1947.
It is ironic that these books are dealing with the subject of a "Deadly Virus" that has affected the planet Remeon and its inhabitants must find a cure. How pertinent to today's situation on earth. Like our reality, there are both male and female heroes and heroines. Time travel, telepathy, family values and ultimately love, are all woven into Garrett's fast moving, imaginative, and descriptive saga.
On the planet Remeon it is a crime to use invasive telepathy on others. Remeonites are able to use telepathy, but must do so with ethics. This somehow relates in my mind to the use of social media today for either good or evil.
Of course, the world will always welcome lovers as time goes by, even on planet Remeon. Our young protagonists are Thomas, Belle, and Arista who make choices either for love or for themselves.
I recommend this book and also the other two books in this series.
1)Remeon's Quest, earth year 1930-
2)Remeon's Destiny, earth year 1947-
3)Remeon's Crusade, earth year 1947.
It is ironic that these books are dealing with the subject of a "Deadly Virus" that has affected the planet Remeon and its inhabitants must find a cure. How pertinent to today's situation on earth. Like our reality, there are both male and female heroes and heroines. Time travel, telepathy, family values and ultimately love, are all woven into Garrett's fast moving, imaginative, and descriptive saga.
On the planet Remeon it is a crime to use invasive telepathy on others. Remeonites are able to use telepathy, but must do so with ethics. This somehow relates in my mind to the use of social media today for either good or evil.
Of course, the world will always welcome lovers as time goes by, even on planet Remeon. Our young protagonists are Thomas, Belle, and Arista who make choices either for love or for themselves.
I recommend this book and also the other two books in this series.
December 12, 2021
3.75 stars
Interesting, if convoluted, story about a 16 year old boy who holds the answer to save a dying species' race on a alternate world.
While the plot had plenty of promise, the manner of revealing the elements of said plot was most confusing. Sudden shifts between worlds were abrupt and disorienting. Particularly the first venture into the world of Remeon; which appears out of the blue.
This alternative world is divided into two groups: the Night Dwellers and the Day Watchers. Both factions are unable to reproduce and must go "off planet" to find a human to breed with one of their own chosen species, Arista. Sixteen year old Thomas is the "lucky" human. Using telepathy and holographic projection, the Day Watchers bring him to Remeon for testing. Along the way, his sister, Belle, is also mistakenly abducted and becomes a pawn between the two groups for Thomas's use in restoring their ability to reproduce.
Alternating between worlds and subplots at a confusingly quick pace as the story progresses left this reader's head spinning. Transitions were abrupt and uneven, which disrupted the flow of the storytelling.
While all seemingly worked itself to a satisfactory conclusion for all parties, the author left room for, of course, a sequel. I will read it, as I have the book, but not until my brain has had time to regroup and sort itself out.
Basically a sci-fi book, with other elements thrown in, I would only recommend this book to my more cerebral followers who can tolerate the mostly disorganized plotlines. When all is completed, I was generally disappointed with this book.
Interesting, if convoluted, story about a 16 year old boy who holds the answer to save a dying species' race on a alternate world.
While the plot had plenty of promise, the manner of revealing the elements of said plot was most confusing. Sudden shifts between worlds were abrupt and disorienting. Particularly the first venture into the world of Remeon; which appears out of the blue.
This alternative world is divided into two groups: the Night Dwellers and the Day Watchers. Both factions are unable to reproduce and must go "off planet" to find a human to breed with one of their own chosen species, Arista. Sixteen year old Thomas is the "lucky" human. Using telepathy and holographic projection, the Day Watchers bring him to Remeon for testing. Along the way, his sister, Belle, is also mistakenly abducted and becomes a pawn between the two groups for Thomas's use in restoring their ability to reproduce.
Alternating between worlds and subplots at a confusingly quick pace as the story progresses left this reader's head spinning. Transitions were abrupt and uneven, which disrupted the flow of the storytelling.
While all seemingly worked itself to a satisfactory conclusion for all parties, the author left room for, of course, a sequel. I will read it, as I have the book, but not until my brain has had time to regroup and sort itself out.
Basically a sci-fi book, with other elements thrown in, I would only recommend this book to my more cerebral followers who can tolerate the mostly disorganized plotlines. When all is completed, I was generally disappointed with this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2022
I´m having mixed feelings about this one.
The start, with all the family life, decisions our young prota has to make, the father-son relationship developing, the hardships he overcomes - that all is great written, with deep chars.
But once the Remeon people got into play, it felt off. The people there felt flat and forced, a society that got explained and yet seemed to miss the important bits. Even the prota was like a different person, maybe to outline the differences, but it wasn´t a nice development, since he could´ve grown to so much more without all this. Not to mention that the whole reason for his involvement was poorly explained.
If someone would rewrite this as a coming of age story, starting off just where the space plot sets in but leaving it out, I´d give it 4 stars.
The start, with all the family life, decisions our young prota has to make, the father-son relationship developing, the hardships he overcomes - that all is great written, with deep chars.
But once the Remeon people got into play, it felt off. The people there felt flat and forced, a society that got explained and yet seemed to miss the important bits. Even the prota was like a different person, maybe to outline the differences, but it wasn´t a nice development, since he could´ve grown to so much more without all this. Not to mention that the whole reason for his involvement was poorly explained.
If someone would rewrite this as a coming of age story, starting off just where the space plot sets in but leaving it out, I´d give it 4 stars.
January 13, 2023
Love & hate !
The Love : J. W. Garrett wrote a beautiful YA series with a great imagination and twists.
The Hate: now after listening to the first audiobook of the series I must wait for the narration of the next two books and hope that the author will let me get my hand on them for reviews.
William Turbett is an excellent narrator which always get the job done perfectly.
I absolutely
recommend
this audiobook !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
PS: this author and the book are just WOW !!!
The Love : J. W. Garrett wrote a beautiful YA series with a great imagination and twists.
The Hate: now after listening to the first audiobook of the series I must wait for the narration of the next two books and hope that the author will let me get my hand on them for reviews.
William Turbett is an excellent narrator which always get the job done perfectly.
I absolutely
recommend
this audiobook !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
PS: this author and the book are just WOW !!!
December 21, 2018
Historical fiction sci-fi - always an interesting combination. While there were some intriguing moments, there were also confusing ones.
Read
December 29, 2021An interesting premise. The concept of people suffering from a disease on Earth being the source of a cure for another planet’s plague is original. A good juvenile read
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews