Energy Wars
Book 2: Metamorphosis
A gifted boy experiences friendship, vulnerability, and hope while facing down great dangers in the exciting, series-continuing fantasy novel Energy Wars: Metamorphosis.
In Jodi Dee’s exciting coming-of-age fantasy novel Energy Wars: Metamorphosis, a suburban town faces sinister threats.
Thirteen-year-old Myles struggles to make sense of the changing world. He has the ability to see, at an atomic level, the energies of individual people, objects, and devices. When he learns of an evil plan that could devastate the world, he and his friends take action.
Meanwhile, Myles also navigates troubles at school and at home, and the dichotomy between his supernatural skills, which are at once a boon and a bane, and his ordinary teenage woes is thrilling. He laments his own perceived helplessness: His powers are insufficient to be of much use to his friends, and he desires more freedom from his absent, abrasive father. Further, when his powers do manifest, they are often unpredictable and uncontrollable.
Myles’s friends—each of whom are poised to help him in some way—are characterized in a vibrant manner. Sally, the daughter of a military serviceman, uses her connections to understand the extent of Myles’s powers; rich Ethan is only outwardly aloof; and down-to-earth Charlie is an unwavering friend. Myles feels loyalty to all of them, asserting “I’m so grateful for all of you,” and this undergirds his determination to be brave for them. The high stakes they face are softened by their camaraderie, which is evinced in tender emotional scenes throughout.
About power and the lack thereof, the novel’s progression mimics Myles’s growth; he enjoys new freedoms, experiences, and emotions through his experiences. His ability to see energy mirrors how growing up opens up a wide world of possibilities, intrigue, and danger.
The book’s worldbuilding in service of these themes is subtle, accomplished via layered details that flesh out Myles’s parallel world in the midst of the action. Its linguistic reach is sometimes great, but it includes a helpful glossary. Energy is described in a prosodic manner, and spiritual sensitivity weaves throughout, hinting at a power beyond Myles’s that transcends time and space.
In the fantastical coming-of-age novel Energy Wars: Metamorphosis, a gifted boy experiences friendship, vulnerability, and hope while facing down great dangers, coming to believe that anyone can change the world with the right people by their side. Problems including the pollution of space with disused equipment and rapid technological advancement leading to social isolation are alluded to as the book races to its startling conclusion, generating interest in future series installments.
Reviewed by
Caitlin Cacciatore
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
