Title: Journey to the West Valley Wall
Author: Mark L. Lloyd
Publisher: Tellwell
ISBN: B07DGWLHKV
Pages: 228
Genre: Adventure
Reviewed by: Jennifer Weiss
Pacific Book Review
Jack Van Horne is a successful science fiction writer and one who struggles greatly with Agoraphobia; a condition that renders him unable to leave his current surroundings. Panic ensues with thoughts have having to leave his comfort zone. Because of this illness, he has been unable to finish his final book. One that has put further strain on his mental stability. Now he has a task that will test his sanity and capabilities to overcome his limitations; he needs to watch his niece for a few days. Outside of his comfort zone. He begins his journey to the West Valley Wall, which will test his strengths mentally and physically. He will either succeed or he will crumble under the pressure, which will it be?
It is refreshing to see a main character as one who struggles with a mental illness such as Agoraphobia. As readers read through the story they discover he has a lot of strength within that he himself may not see. We see Jack as a flawed human being, one who steadily grows and discovers he is capable of more than he thought. This is highly relatable and realistic to many readers who find themselves feeling limited and afraid. Author Mark Lloyd pays a great deal of attention to detail and description to give his readers a clear vision of the story he is presenting. Through the prologue and first few chapters we see Jack struggle with accepting the idea of leaving his comfort zone and as a reader, you can feel the anxiety growing in him. Lloyd does an excellent job drawing on emotions to draw the reader into his story.
The dialogue, while it may feel a little mundane, helps move the story along. It may seem mundane at times because he writes the way people would actually speak. There is a natural flow of speech patterns and conversation between characters. The flow of the story is natural and steady, nothing feels neither choppy or forced as you read along; it has an easy leisurely pace to it. While there may not be a large amount of action in this book, it is an exciting story with a satisfying ending. The incorporation of Jack’s book into this story is an interesting tactic; one which adds to the story rather than taking away from it.
If you enjoy adventure novels with a bit of the characters discovering new things about themselves and overcoming limitations then this is the book for you. We watch as a character we grow to love transcends himself and becomes something better. It is an enjoyable book to read and book lovers of all genres would enjoy reading this book. This is a phenomenal book.
