The Journey

By Jewel Adams

Reviewed by Trina Ayers
On 10/3/2008

Jewel of the West Publishing, May 2008 Paperback:
180 pages
ISBN: 978-0-615-2027-5 Price:$11.95

J. Adams is the author. Do all female authors prefer to keep themselves anonymous? Jewel Adams is a beautiful name and I think that her name fits the fantasy genre quite well. There are often jewels or treasure of some sort involved in a fantasy. J. Adams is more unisex, and at first impression you’d say the author must be male. You can’t judge a book by its cover nor by its author’s name.

And on that note, the cover art is very ‘eye catching’, no pun intended. There is a lake with a bridge and forest and then discreetly some large eyes glaring mystically, as if they are eyes of some unseen force are staring right at you. It’s almost like some of those 3D art pictures that you look at with crossed eyes to actually see the hidden picture. I am not sure of the relation to the story line except that the bridge might be a path like a journey, hence the title of the book, and the eyes are the representation of the hidden gate that the people pass through to enter the land of Jubilis, for a period of time to be tested. Or maybe the eyes are representing the idea that someone is always watching you. The font used on the title is very fitting for the dress and time era that is portrayed. Overall the cover would look like a book that is meant to relax the reader, and then when you notice the eyes it makes it more interesting and encourages one to open the cover and check it out.

The Journey is a quick read that even my ten year old is enjoying. We started reading it aloud and she immediately, to my surprise, asked if the characters and story line could be related to the plan of salvation that she is taught at home and church. She started imagining the relations to real living people she knows and those she has forgotten on the other side of the veil. So I started reading it and couldn’t stop with the plan of salvation in mind and how I could relate it to my life and past experiences. This book would be a great read for a teenager or someone who does not know of the plan of salvation and needs to have an analogy of it. For those that are familiar with it, it would be nice to actually have scriptural references and such, but that would be for the Senior seminary student.

Throughout this book there are many life lessons and any young adult could use these gentle reminders while reading The Journey. The battle of good and evil is always existing and we all need to choose which side we want to be on. Good or Evil? This book shows a great representation of the clear differences between them.

Here is a rundown of the storyline. Ciran, a beautiful young woman, is sent to live on Jubilis, another world, where she would forget about her family and be tested and tried. After being there for two years she meets Ubal at a party. He is very handsome and alluring. She spends more and more time with him and ultimately finds herself reading her scroll less and less and wanting to please Ubal more and more. There is a drink that many drink there called splendor fire. Drinking it gives them scales that cover their fair skin, a brand, an outward sign, that you have actually given in to sin and feel as if you can’t go back to being fair again. Ubal asks Ciran eventually to drink this and she gives in and sips twice and then the truth is revealed to her. Ubal is the darkest dark lord, the leader of them all, and he expects to take her and take over the whole land of Jubilis. Ciran was the daughter of Cillian who was the leader of Krisandor, a place like heaven, who was watching over the people in Jubilis, so Ubal’s threat to keep Ciran was crucial in his plan to gaining Jubilis.

Orion is a funny looking man who is Ciran’s guardian and he gives her bits of information once in a while to help her choose the right, but he also allows her to choose and decide for herself, so as not to rob her of some of the experiences that she may want to have.

If you compare this story to the plan of salvation, one could correlate the characters in this book with familiar characters. This, of course, will vary, depending upon the reader and the reader’s life experiences.

Cillian-Heavenly Father

Halia-Heavenly Mother

Sakriel-possibly savior

Ciran-Us, people born on earth

Isaril-Ciran’s husband

Orion-Holy Ghost

Ubal-Satan

There are a few more characters that make the storyline more interesting. As you can see it is rather catching to think of The Journey in terms of the Plan of Salvation.

There are a lot of thought provoking lines that get one thinking about whether or not this might be the way it is for us. For example; when Halia is killed and she falls to the floor, “all the poor choices she had made in her life were placed before her. She also glimpsed the choices she should have made but didn’t.

“As she lay and watched the black cloaked figure dart away, she was surprised to see each of her mistakes vanish as well.”

There's a lot of symbolism going on. Other quotes and their comparisons: “Each of us has a purpose, a reason for being here.” We each have a purpose here on earth and a teen that realizes this will have self-confidence. “We must use these final days to convince those who follow Ubal that his way is not the way. We must help them see that they will never be truly happy with Ubal in control of their very lives. They have been deceived and follow him blindly. We must try and convince them of the truth. More importantly, we must help them understand that once the gate is shut, it will be sealed forever.” This could be related to the importance of missionary work in the latter days, after the Savior comes and the earth is sealed up. And, “…the earth is becoming so restless. The evil has grown so much that even the land feels it” can coincided with the natural catastrophes that have been prophesied that are happening now. It’s a constant opportunity to think about the symbolism.

One can ponder upon statements like this and ask, "Will it be this way for me?" Or what in this world is like this experience in the book. These are great questions and topics for teens to be thinking about.


Copyright 2008