Review: Enjoyed the book thoroughly
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 14, 2010
I've been meaning to come write a review for this book for awhile.  I read a lot of books that I don't bother to review, but this one stands apart.I'm not sure if I'm getting pickier as time goes on, or if there are just fewer and fewer books that are able to keep my attention.  Whatever the reason, I've been having a *really* hard time finding books that I want to bother to start reading, and even fewer that I actually bother to finish.  "The Realm Shift" by James Somers was a rare treat in a sea of blah.The main character is a teenager, and Somers manages to write him in a believable, likeable way (which is really saying something considering the fact that the character boasts spectacular powers-- and could easily be a shallow character).  I actually cared about what was going to happen to him.I also enjoyed the plot.  Somers does a good job at pacing and keeping the story exciting.  There's nothing worse than being engaged in a story and then the author slows the action/story down to relate mundane details (ex. describing room decorations ad nauseum, or wasting pages giving the menu for dinner).  Somehow the author is able to have an economy of words.  Enough to give you a vivid picture of what's going on, but not so much that you get bored or want to skim.He also weaves a moral good story without being cheesy, trite, or heavy-handed.To me a book is worth it, not so much based on cost, if its worth the reading hours I invested. Everyone's limited reading time is precious, and authors should not waste that time (neither should readers). Let me assure you, this book is MORE than worth it on both counts (money spent and time invested).  I'm not sure exactly what brought me to James Somers page, but I am very glad I found it, and purchased this book (and am in the middle of thoroughly enjoying the sequel "The Order of Shaddai").I am planning to check out many more of James Somers books and advise any readers that stumble across this review to do the same.