"P.A.I.N" Review

[Comicality]

"P.A.I.N." By Tyler & Pete

 

P.A.I.N. (Psychics Against Injustice Now is the acronym.) Now I always limit my reviews to what's in the first five chapters, so I will say that that the 'injustice' part of it doesn't happen until later on in the storyline. But the firs 5 chapters definitely give you a more than satisfying introduction to the characters and the overall 'feel' of this sci fi series, and sets the stage for the events that come later.

 

The story begins with a no-holds-barred bus accident, with a teen boy being tossed around in a vicious rollover. You're immediately thrust into a world of chaos and confusion, and it works really well for this story as it draws you right in and makes reading more about what happened mandatory. Author, Tyler, was the originator of this particular idea for Imagine Magazine, with Pete picking up right after the first chapter to continue with the series all on his own. Updates are made on a monthly basis, and the series has been running for about a year now.

 

The story details the life of 14 year old Alex Blackwell, and his blossoming into a full blown telekinetic after his tragic accident. Apparently his abilities manifested themselves as a defense mechanism to protect him from the crash, and now that they have been activated, much to his surprise, they have become a huge part of his life. Which is already an interesting concept in itself.

 

Dealing with an abusive father, a loving mother, and a younger brother that needs protecting, Alex comes out of the hospital just trying to regain a somewhat normal balance to his life. But...people are watching. News of a sole survivor in a bus crash without any bruises or damage done to him at all gets out, and a young boy (Jason) from Alex's high school is sent to keep tabs on Alex during his recovery. What builds from there is an infatuation between the two, as well as a substantial friendship. As it turns out, Jason is also a psychic, and a part of a small underground movement to recruit boys like Alex into their ranks. For what purpose? That's not revealed just yet in the first five chapters. But it is made apparent that danger is close as we share in Alex's dreams and visions of what is to come.

 

Where Tyler sets the stage for the first chapter, Pete picks the story up, flawlessly, with the second, and has built a rather intriguing and enjoyable series around it! Honestly, if you're reading, the difference between the two writing styles and plot devices isn't noticeable at all outside of the fact that the future chapters contain more dialogue, which seems to be more implied than evident in the first chapter. As Alex experiences his new abilities and returns home, we as readers are led on a journey towards something truly amazing! There's a sense of dread and consequence building, even through the supposedly lighthearted interactions of Jason and Alex as it is written. A 14 year old boy with powers? What could be more exciting than that?

 

NOW....a few things that I would like to know 'more' about as a reader....

 

The abusive father in this story, I read about him, and I'm never really sure if I'm supposed to connect with him as a character or not. Sometimes he seems like this really damaged character who is motivated to do what he does in order to toughen up his kid and find his own self worth. And other times, he seems like a menace who readers should hate every time his name is mentioned. So I remain on the fence about him for quite a while. From the way he is written, I can almost imagine him being one of those juvenile delinquent kids who was made to take martial arts in order to be taught some discipline and self control..but it ended up just making him a better bully. The father is an actual 'character' and not an afterthought. Which I found interesting. I feel like there is more to his particular back story than what's being told here. So I definitely want to hear more. I know he's not the main focus of the plot, but I was curious about him.

 

Also, I'm a bit puzzled by the fact that the bus crash, which was so horrible and fatal for all of the passengers aboard, save one, hasn't created a bit more of a disturbance in Alex's mind as well as the minds of everyone in his community. I would think a tragedy of that magnitude would weigh heavy on the entire suburb and linger for months, maybe even years to come. I think that was overlooked a bit in the story, as most small communities would look at that as an 'apocalyptic' event. I think having Alex and his family and friends deal with that a bit more would only enhance the dramatic effect of the accident itself, and make Alex all the more special for having survived it. That's an awesome opportunity to get into the heart and mind of Alex Blackwell and expose him emotionally to the reading audience. We get to know him better. We get to bond with him at his most vulnerable point.

 

Same goes for that first kiss between Alex and Jason. There is fear, doubt, excitement, arousal...I want to hear about it. That is a major scene after the build up that came before it. What's going through Alex's head? This is his very first kiss with another boy. I'm fully locked into the story at this point, so give me the goods. I, personally, LOVE that kind of stuff. I want to know what Alex see when he looks at Jason. What he feels. He's 14. Jason is cute. I realize that this is only a small section of the story, but I feel like it's a 'significant' section of the story. Emotion is a motivating factor in what happens after the first 5 chapters. I think this is a perfect opportunity to set those emotional chess pieces in place.

 

So, all in all, VERY cool story! Great psychic plot that draws you in from the first few paragraphs! I think the story could use a little more emotional detail here and there, but I have read further on in the series and I know that it does deliver on many levels that I won't mention here. But having Alex learn about himself and expand and grow as a psychic...it's a great metaphor for puberty itself (Learn your body, kids! Hehehe!), and it will definitely be a fun read for anyone who is looking for something different and exciting to get into. So check out the "P.A.I.N." series on Imagine Magazine (Starting with Issue #2, and still going)! And be sure to write and leave a comment behind for them when you can!

[ricky]

Everything but a link to the story? Thanks, it sounds exciting.

[Pete072313]

Ricky, the story can be found here:

http://imagine-magazine.org/im-online/library/

It’s about halfway down the page: P.A.I.N.

[Comicality]

Oops...yeah...forgot that part.

[Pete072313]

Thanks for the review, Com!

 

The first story has ended, and now I'm working on the second one. Although the story so far has taken a year to tell, only 12 days in Alex's life have transpired. In the second story, I’ll work a little more on the background of Alex and the other characters, and the story will stretch out a bit more.

 

I think the reason I don’t go into detail on the characters is because I tend to take them at face value. I guess I’m the only one who does that. Hehe. When you guys read the second story, keep me honest and get me to go a bit deeper into the backgrounds if I start to slack off. And don’t forget to drop me a line and let me know what you think of the stories. You can reach me at Pete@Imagine-Magazine.info.

 

Again, thanks for the review, Comsie. (o:

[ricky]

Finally got around to reading it. A great story with loads of possibilities. I can't wait for more. thanks!