Jeremy Austin and Miervaldis is a work of fiction in the action, adventure, and fantasy sub-genres, and was penned by author Rod C. Spence. Written for young adult reading audiences, this truly epic work of fiction spans many different episodes in its winding plot and returns us to the action for the third installment in the harrowing adventures of its teenage protagonists. Jeremy and the crew have been through some incredible events in the world that they find themselves trapped in, but now a mysterious ancient sword called Miervaldis may hold the key to vanquishing the villains and finding a portal home to Earth at last. What results is an exciting and stylish adventure novel with plenty of twists and turns.

Author Rod C. Spence returns for another excellent installment in the Jeremy Austin series, mixing fantasy worlds with science fiction concepts and giving plenty of homage to both as the plot unfolds. One of the things which I really like about this novel is its approach to the audience, giving realistic teen attitudes and language use that is modern and engaging, but also paying tribute to fantasy realms from the old masters like Tolkien. This puts a fresh spin on every surprise attack and clever twist, and it makes the relationships between the characters and their reactions to situations all the more interesting to watch as they play out. Overall, I would highly recommend Jeremy Austin and Miervaldis to fans of the existing series as well as fantasy readers seeking original, stylish adventure stories.

In Jeremy Austin and Miervaldis by Rod C. Spence, six teenagers from Lewisville set out to find their parents who go missing after an expedition to planet Genesis 2.4, situated million light-years away from planet Earth. Their parents are brilliant scientists, but each of these kids has had a unique relationship with their parents. Transported through a wormhole, they are about to discover more of a hell than a reunion with their parents, with sinister creatures like the Gnome King and his allies who will do everything to invade Earth and control it. The key to survival and success in the mission lies in finding Miervaldis, an ancient magical sword with the power to change everything. But can they locate this sword in time to stop the attacks launched against them and outwit manipulative and dangerous enemies? And can they find their parents and make it safely back to Earth?

This is a multilayered story with sophisticated characters. Each character has unique traits, a unique background, and a not-so-clear relationship with their parents. For instance, sixteen-year-old Marissa has suffered sexual abuse for many years and she blames her father for his negligence in looking into it. One of the key characters, Jeremy Austin, is not as brilliant as the others. In fact, he is adopted by one of the reputable scientists, and the discovery that he is not his natural son is enough to raise serious questions. This entry into the series is packed with action and adventure and each of the characters will experience unique trials. I enjoyed the skill with which the author handles each character’s journey, allowing each of them to evolve through their pain and trials and creating villains that readers will genuinely hate. Jeremy Austin and Miervaldis is a novel with an exciting universe to explore, a deftly written story that reflects a rich imagination and creative genius.

Jeremy Austin and Miervaldis by Rod C. Spence is a delightful read for those who love character-driven fantasy with nerdy, eccentric characters, and strong plot twists. In this story, readers encounter six teenagers from Lewisville on a dangerous quest to find their parents who go missing on an expedition to planet Genesis 2.4, million light-years away from Earth. Each of these kids has a unique reason for finding their parents, but the wormhole leads them to more danger than they imagined, with magical enemies who will stop at nothing to dominate Earth and evil gnomes who covet their skills and what they have. Can they find the ancient sword, Miervaldis, release its power, defeat the evil enemies, and make it safely back to Earth? Most importantly, can they find and save their parents?

The character development in this novel is impeccable and I loved the fact that the young characters are from diverse backgrounds, each having a unique motivation that is ingeniously explored throughout the story. They are sixteen-year-old Marissa, a brilliant girl who suffered sexual abuse for many years and blames her father for turning a blind eye to it; Jeremy Austin, an average boy who has just discovered he’s been adopted by an intelligent scientist; sixteen-year-old Leo Tyrannus who has suffered much bullying from Alexander Leach in high school; eighteen-year-old Selana Choi whose mother goes missing when her hopes are raised for Harvard; the arrogant Alexander Leach Jr., son of the president of TerraGen Universal whose life is easy; and Patrick Korrapati, the son of Indian immigrants. Jeremy Austin and Miervaldis is filled with adventure and the world-building is impeccable, transporting readers into a universe that has so much in store for them. Characters like the Gnome King are the anti-heroes who heighten the conflict and test the characters in powerful ways. Rod C. Spence takes ordinary characters and writes them into heroes of a fantasy tale with strong underpinnings of science fiction. It is fast-paced and action-packed. I was mesmerized by the characters, their quirkiness, and the strong plot points.

Jeremy Austin and Miervaldis by Rod C. Spence is the third book in a series and promises that the six earthlanders will get a taste of revenge. Stranded on a planet far from earth, these six teenagers are doing everything they can to survive whatever comes at them. Whether they are facing off against a Gnome King, Shadow Lord, or Mistress Spellbinder the witch, these kids don’t back down. Hopefully, this fierce determination will get them all out alive.

Wow, what an adventure! Now I have to be completely honest; I haven’t read the first two books (I plan to go back!) of this series. So, when I first jumped into this book, I felt a bit lost. However, it didn’t take long for me to feel confident in the world I had been introduced to. The writing of this book is so well done, I caught on to things pretty easily and I felt invested in the lives of these kids. This is such a fun adventure that really reminds me of the Lord of the Rings.

Jeremy Austin and Miervaldis by Rod C. Spence is absolutely action-packed and there were parts where I felt like I was nearly breathless reading it. If a book can get a physical reaction out of me, I label that one a great read. Now the length might make some readers a little nervous, but don’t let it put you off. The pacing of this book is fantastic, it goes really quickly and you find yourself wishing it was longer in the end. At least I did. I think this is a fantastic stand-alone story and I can’t wait to go back now and read the rest of the series.