Book Review for Prelude: An Alex Winters Series
Prelude: An Alec Winters Series, by Chariss K. Walker, is a romantic tale about caring for your loved ones, even when you may no longer be human.
The book is separated into two parts. The first part introduces a sixteen-year old boy named Alec Winters, a star football player and honors student who is greatly loved by his hometown. He has his best friend and girlfriend beside him, as well as a younger sister who adores him. That perfect world comes crashing down when Alec finds himself arrested for the murder of his abusive father. Part two deals with the aftermath of Alec’s trial, and the struggles both he and his family have to go through in order to move on with their lives. Alec also develops his newfound abilities to help those in need, while punishing others who seek to do harm. In this fantastical story, Walker illustrates that even the tiniest light that justice offers can remind us that the world is beautiful.
It was strange, reading about these characters. Each one had been touched by Alec in some way. His little sister, his mother, his girlfriend and best friend, and even complete strangers, whether they be good or evil; they all come to him, like lost souls to a hearth. They know there is something different about him, that his powers can both heal and destroy. It’s an aspect of the book that Walker had emphasized over and over again, and its encouraging, to say the least. Nevertheless, I did find Alec a bit annoying. While his relationships with his family and friends were wonderful, they were also pretty dull. There was also the power that Alec possessed; it was frightening, how absolute he seemed in his knowledge of good and evil. There were times when I found his beliefs too burdensome, and to be honest, I was surprised when he hadn’t completely gone off the deep end.
Still, these characteristics gave way to a simple comfort in the book, and that is no matter where you are, there is always someone looking out for you. Although there are many forms of justice, with corruption lurking at every corner, someone will protect you, whether they be close by, or far away. Guardian angels, heroes of legend, even the simplistic knights from long, forgotten fairytales; there is someone that will be there for you.
The book was enjoyable. I liked the thought of a guardian angel watching over distant strangers, as well as the support system these characters have. There were problems with the characters individually, and my confusion on Alec’s morality proved a further detractor. Nevertheless, it was good. I would, thus, give the story a rating of a 3.3 out of 5 stars, and would recommend it to those who enjoy The Chosen of Trees and Talons by Jeff Pryor and Hall of Heroes: A Fellowship of Fantasy.
