James of This World by Steven Lee Climer: A New Fantasy

James Bradley has got it made - or so it seems. Born of a wealthy family, blessed with exceptional skills, attending Davenport, a private prep school with his best friend Richard Bensen, and almost sure to marry the artistically talented Melody - a fine match for a boy of his breeding, as his father would undoubtedly say - James's future is paved before him, a veritable yellow brick road. All he's got to do is fulfill everyone's expectations, connect all the dots, and a successful life awaits.

On top of all that, one day while he and Richard are tending to Richard's grandmother's lawn, Alexandra Bensen makes James an offer he can't refuse: if he uses his skills to help her buy back the shares to the company she and her husband started years ago, she'll eventually turn those shares over to him, making him her heir instead of Richard.

Wow! Talk about when it rains it pours, and then everything comes up roses, aces, and spades. The only problem is James isn't sure if that life is for him. Though he knows Melody would make a fine wife, he also knows he doesn't really love her. Doing all the right "corporate" things for his future will please his parents, but if he follows his heart and does what he wants, he knows he'll be exiled so fast, his head will spin.

So what's a guy that has everything and wants none of it to do?

Why….get involved in an inter-dimensional battle of good versus evil, of course.

James of This World is young adult novel written by Steven Lee Climer, and readers who enjoyed the similar tales of A Wind in The Door by Madeleine L'Engle and any of the Narnia books will enjoy this dimension hopping tale of young man on a quest to not only save the world from the forces of chaos and evil, but also to discover the power within and his "true" voice.

James is a creative tale that pays homage to time-traveling, dimension hopping young adult novels everywhere, but also has its own, unique bent. There are lessons here about good and evil, trusting in faith and not giving in to doubt, and like the Force in Star Wars or Meg Wallace in A Wrinkle In Time, James is never able to really tap into his own power until he's finally ready to start thinking on his own, instead of defining himself based on what others think of him

James of This World is billed as "dark young adult fantasy", and the only thing I can see as qualifying it as "dark" is the foul language and explicit sexual imagery that runs throughout the story, which unfortunately, (speaking as middle school English teacher myself), disqualifies it as appropriate reading material for readers under the age of seventeen.

It's too bad, really, because the story was fine on its own, the profane language and sexuality not adding to the story a whole lot. While in any mainstream youth novel, a few "naughty words" are expected - usually those revolving around a P - 13 rating - James too frequently dips into R territory for this to be a good read for junior high students.

All in all, James of this World is a solid, enjoyable read based on tried and true themes of sacrifice, honor, and finding one's true self, recommended for those seventeen or older - and there's nothing wrong with that, a lot of great, classic books; The Outsiders, Rumblefish, The Moves Make the Man - have dealt with issues too harsh for younger readers, and hey - hasn't Huck Finn been banned from many places? The only recommendation here is to be wary of allowing junior high students to read this book.