PRATT'S THE VISION QUEST: BOOK ONE

The Atlantian: The Vision Quest, Book One, by Deborah M. Pratt (VGM Publishing, Beverly Hills CA, 2015, 287 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

September 10, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - Deborah Pratt, a master storyteller with a vivid and imaginative mind for science fiction, the former co-executive producer and head writer on the iconic NBC series Quantum Leap, has followed this up with her latest book of a similar genre; The Atlantian: The Vision Quest, Book One. The Atlantian is a classic adventure that confronts the loss of innocence and the tender heartbeats of first love, held in secret while the whole of human existence hangs in the balance.

Pratt, the author of The Tempting: Seducing the Nephilim, which this writer had the earlier honor and pleasure of writing a review of in the East County Magazine, continues her trend of writing books that grabs and keeps our attention and love for fantasy and science fiction.

In the not too distant future, earth had evolved into a brave new world filled with equality, unity and hope for a better mankind, according to Pratt’s book. Humans combined their DNA to create new species of genetic splicers. These human based creatures, remembered the limitless powers of the mind forgotten over the millenniums by human kind. But technology was, as ever, racing ahead. Human DNA was also infused into biologically based robots called Biodroids and they had become aware, discovered emotions, and begun to rise up, threatening the world that had been so carefully reconstructed after the Great Quakes.

The story actually begins when rebellion touches the life of Lazar, a teenage boy, finding it hard enough to stay out of trouble and grow up. His world is altered by a series of tragedies that shock him into adulthood. With his best friends Cashton and Kyla, life as was known on Atlantia was about to be forever changed.

The Atlantian reads like a screenplay, and with Pratt’s background, I would not be surprised to see it on the big screen one day. Typical in the author’s book, which sets the theme, is a passage which states: “There skin was an oily grayish-blue that flashed smooth and sleek from the tops of their heads to the tips of their three-fingered mechanical hands and tri-pedal feet. The muscular definition of their torsos, upper arms, and upper legs are humanlike, although their lower extremities were mechanical. Their heads were a unique combination of both. Firm muscles rippled and flexed beneath the gray-colored skin as they walked, like tall, graceful birds or upright feline."

The author's interview on our "East County Magazine Live!" radio show gives perspective on her works. To listen click here.

Dennis Moore is the Associate Editor of the East County Magazine in San Diego and the book review editor for SDWriteway, an online newsletter for writers in San Diego that has partnered with the East County Magazine, as well as a freelance contributor to EURweb based out of Los Angeles. Mr. Moore can be contacted at contractsagency@gmail.com or you can follow him on Twitter at: @DennisMoore8.