LitPick Review
Mindfield: A Paranormal Thriller for Teens features Matt, a teen boy who discovered at the age of eight that he has telepathic abilities…he can read people’s minds. For years, this ability though makes him feel isolated and alone, and he is forced to go through psychiatric counseling and therapy because his parents and therapists don’t believe in his special ability. Alone and dejected, one day Matt stumbles upon a fellow telepath, Trent. They discuss their lives and the similar experiences they have shared due to their special gift which makes them different from others. Although they empathize with each other, Matt senses that Trent is troubled by a secret that he does not want to share. When Trent is suddenly kidnapped, he telepathically sends a message to Matt for help. Matt and his friend Hunter then follow various clues to find Trent as they set off on an exciting and dangerous adventure to release him from the grasp of a deranged graduate assistant, Victor Sokolov.
Opinion:
Mindfield: A Paranormal Thriller for Teens by C. W. James is a thought-provoking, fast-paced, page-turner. It takes the reader on an exciting, roller-coaster ride as Matt and Trent, both born with a rare gift of telepathy, embark on a treacherous adventure against the sinister Sokolov and his depraved selfish plans. Mr. James does a beautiful job developing the characters in Mindfield. He skillfully makes the reader feel sympathetic towards Matt and Trent, the main characters who are isolated and at times tormented by their special telepathic power. Mr. James also nicely weaves into the story, the use of their telepathic ability in different ways, even showing the reader how this power can be used for good to combat evil. Matt’s friend Hunter and the villain Sokolov are also interestingly portrayed. Although, I did find the bumbling, brutish thugs who assist Sokolov a bit too stereotyped and the dialogue between the main characters at times very immature and sometimes unfitting for their situation. Mr. James beautifully builds the plot and progressively has the characters unravel clues which lead to an exciting climax with an unexpected twist.
Having previously read Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government's Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis by Annie Jacobsen, I was particularly intrigued by Mindfield. For those interested in learning more about telepathy and research into this power by the U.S. government and military, I highly recommend Phenomena. Readers especially might find this book interesting after reading the unexpected and exciting ending of Mindfield, which offers an imaginative perspective on the concept of singularity, man and machine becoming like one.
Overall, I recommend this book to teens who like fast-paced, adventure stories. Besides Mindfield being a fun and exciting read, it also makes readers think about being different. Superpowers or even differences that make us special or unique are not always a good thing. And people who possess special or unique gifts may not like feeling different, and therefore, they may be faced with the question of whether to make others aware of their differences or hide them to seem more normal? At the end of this book, see how the characters of Mindfield decide to deal with this interesting dilemma.
