Jeff Browning is a teenage boy who, following the mysterious disappearance of his father (a brilliant physicist), finds a portal in his father’s office that transports him to another dimension.

The dimension is populated by fantastic and dangerous creatures and also an advanced society of humans. That society, while very different from those on earth, is oddly similar, in some ways, to the society in which Jeff grew up.

As Jeff looks for clues regarding what may have happened to his father, he is accused by some of being a spy while thought by others to be a prophesized figure . . . who may be the key to victory in a developing war.

REVIEW

There's a certain universality to the fantasy/sci-fi genre, so it's not giving much away to say that "Land of Nod: The Artifact" features a highly relatable protagonist who finds himself thrown into a strange and frightening new world, where staying alive competes with learning just what the heck is going on as top priorities.

Flipping through the pages, I got flashes of some of the great franchises: A touch of Harry Potter here, a little Star Wars or Indiana Jones there. Which isn't to say that there's nothing original here. Cribbing is what this genre is all about, and Gary Hoover cribs from the best while constructing something exciting and different.

Science and technology mesh with mysticism and prophecy in a well-textured world both familiar and strange (but the politicians are still completely useless, a thread that Hoover and his protagonist clearly see as inescapable).

While detailed and complex, the story moves along at a brisk clip, as Jeff's experiences plunge him from one situation to another astride a narrative that never takes a blind alley.

I look forward to finding out what awaits in this trilogy, and I hope Hoover's hard work is rewarded with a publishing deal someday soon.

Reviewed by: BJ Corbitt