The Journeys of John and Julia in Chapter One: Genesis (Paperback)
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all these other countries) Usually dispatched within 48 hours | |Short Description for The Journeys of John and Julia in Chapter One "Cool new series...Anyone who is a fan of 'Heroes' will definitely enjoy 'Genesis.'" --Tim Kring, creator of the NBC cult television series "Heroes" It all starts when Julia's parents totally mess with her summer. First Julia's dad takes off to start a whole new family. Then Julia's mom yanks Julia from cheerleader camp to spend the summer with her grandmother in the land of no signal, no mall, no...
Full description- Publisher: Rigler Creative Solutions
- Published: 29 June 2012
- Format: Paperback 278 pages
- See: Full bibliographic data
- Categories: Science Fiction
- ISBN 13: 9780984001965 ISBN 10: 0984001964
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Reviews for The Journeys of John and Julia in Chapter One
several references to Eastern, New Age, and occult ideas
How would you feel if you have planned to go to cheerleading camp and your mother decides to take you to spend the entire summer with your grandmother way out in the middle of nowhere? Julia is a thirteen-year-old girl to whom this happens. Her dad has left to live with his girlfriend and start a new family on the east coast. Her mom Elizabeth needs to go to Japan for a year on business and plans to have Julia stay with her grandmother, Amelia Livingston, who lives on an estate known as Fragrant Meadows near the very rural community of Cedarwood Ridge where there isn't a mall and even cell phone signals are quite spotty, for the whole year, although she hasn't told her that yet. Julia is really bummed out.
Not far from Fragrant Meadows lives John Freeman, a rather geeky boy, six months younger than Julia, with whom she has been friends through the years during her summer visits to see her grandmother. John has also been good friends with Julia's grandfather Sam, but Sam has recently passed away. However, John has had some strange experiences with voices and visions from Sam. John is really looking forward to seeing Julia again, but both of them have changed and she's somewhat weirded out when John tells her his experiences, so she runs away to go visit her father. In addition to all this, there is a mysterious group of beings, known as The Twenty-Two, although there are actually 23 of them, who are trying to steer Julia and John in the right direction while their evil enemy, Mr. Niem Vidalgo Oten. and his agent Constellato are seeking to launch a communications satellite that will gain them control of the whole earth. In fact, Julia's dad works for a company owned by Oten. Will Julia be able to overcome her anger? Will she get to her father, return to her grandmother, or what? And what will happen to John?
The Journeys of John and Julia is certainly a different kind of story. It contains several references to Eastern, New Age, and occultic concepts such as reincarnation, karma, ESP, psychics, altered states of mind, ghosts, astrology, and channeling, and even mentions global warming. Those who accept such ideas will probably like the book. Those who don't believe in these things either might want to avoid it or can just read it as pure fantasy fiction. As to language, in addition to some common euphemisms, the words "God" and "Lord" are used as interjections, the "d" and "h" curse words are found, and there are some semi-vulgarisms, such as "sucks," "crap," kicking someone's "a-dot-ss," and a slang term for girls' breasts. On one occasion, something is described by the initials "B. S.," and on another what those initials stand for is fully spelled out. There are also references to girls' menstruation and boys' "conquests." Thus, many parents would find it not appropriate for younger children. If they wish to wade through all that, along with a lot of descriptive asides and a few psychological discussions, which can be a little dense at times, some might find an interesting story which will continue in The Journeys of John and Julia, Chapter Two: Between Two Worlds. by Wayne S. WalkerCan't Stand Julia or Her Mother
Reason for Reading: The premise piqued my interest.
I'm going into this review without a clue as to what my rating will be nor which way my review is going to lean. This is a tough review for me write. On the one hand, I really did not like this book and yet, I was completely hooked on the premise and couldn't stop reading! How does one really dislike yet enjoy a book at the same time? I'm not sure but it happened with me and "Genesis".
First off, two of the main characters, Julie and her mother Elizabeth, are both extremely unlikable characters. Julie is a teenaged brat who is so wrapped up in herself that she inhabits her own little world where she regularly verbally abuses her mother and friends alike. Her mother is no better as she permits this behaviour by walking on eggshells around her daughter giving her power over their mother/daughter relationship so that she, the parent, is a pathetic victim of bullying by her own 13yo daughter. While at the same time she seems to have the exact mother/daughter relationship with her own mother! I hated these two characters passionately and wanted to slap some sense into them almost every time they opened their mouths!
Fortunately before we meet these two we are introduced to the intriguing Twenty-two, the beings who exist in between time and space who can interact and have effect upon what happens on our world to help things along for the better. They recruit people to help out and especially now help is needed as a dark power is trying to take over the world through digital communications. This story line is unique and the dynamics between the group of beings is very engaging. On top of this when we meet John we finally are introduced to a likable main character. John is a science geek, has social anxieties, obsessions and has a rather typical Asperger's personality. Along with this he is just an all around nice, fun guy. The character of John carries the book as it would have quickly disintegrated without him.
So with John and the plot, there is something here that did capture my imagination and kept me reading. Julia's character does grow through the book and her rather unbelievable episode that causes a change of heart may possibly make her character more bearable in the second book of this series. I'd be willing to try the second book to see if it gets better from here.
One thing I must mention though that I am very upset with is the author's use of the word "******" in conversation between two grown women. This is unacceptable. As a member of the mental health community, it is imperative that people be aware of the hurtfulness of this word. It has the same affect on a large portion of society as the n- word does on blacks, and the f- word on gays. I don't want the word , or the others, banned out of existence; they have their place within historical settings or when showing the ignorant hatred of the person speaking. But the use of "******" has no place in the casual conversation of a supposedly intelligent adult business woman. by Nicola Mansfield
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