Collision by P. M. Ramos
What's It About?
Collision: an activity where two people are connected by an unknown force that mirrors the brains. It is considered one of the most sensitive topics in science. International scientists have gone many years trying to resolve the mystery behind it, but none has succeeded.Collision: an activity where two people are connected by an unknown force that mirrors the brains. It is considered one of the most sensitive topics in science. International scientists have gone many years trying to resolve the mystery behind it, but none has succeeded.
That’s a lot to swallow for Peter Myers, an apathetic, loner teen trying to cope with the death of his father in the science fiction thriller Collision by P.M. Ramos. So what does all this “collision” talk have to do with him anyway?
First things first. The death of his father takes a toll on the young boy, so much so that Peter can’t even work up the motivation to leave his room or make the slightest attempt to return to normalcy. With few friends, interests or inspirations, Peter also distances himself from his mother, mired in heaving mourning of her own.
FOR ANYONE CONSIDERING A SWIFT, FUN RIDE
Yet Peter sees something strange when he decides to break out and take a short walk: “He stares at me, without saying a word. All I can do is stand still because I can’t move any part of my body. This is making me feel paralyzed, both physically and emotionally. My mind must be playing tricks on me.”
Could it be his dead father? Is a message being sent? Is Peter hallucinating — or going crazy?
His mother arranges for him to see a therapist, Dr. Evans, and that’s when the games begin.
As traditional therapy generates no immediate return except to provide Peter with someone to talk to, Dr. Evans recommends a set of unorthodox tests in an apparent attempt to understand what’s going on in Peter’s mind. The effect of the unusual apparatus is for Peter to be transported in his consciousness to a strange place of solitude and physical and natural beauty where he stumbles upon only one other person – the beautiful Alexandra, whose identity and presence are a mystery.
Initially, the setting provides total tranquility for the boy. “I know I should be freaking out more since I did wake up in an unfamiliar place with no one to be seen. But somehow, I feel okay for once….It’s most likely that I’m dreaming, but I don’t want to fight it.”
AN EXHILARATING STORY AND A RELATABLE CHARACTER
So who is Alexandra? What is she doing in Peter’s mind and how did she get there? And what of the tests conducted by Dr. Evans and his disconcerting assistant Henry? Are the two professionals working in the best interests of their patient? Do they have another agenda?
Collision is the first work of the young author Ramos. She turns science fiction into a psychological thriller with a fast-paced story that gets more unsettling as the plot continues to unfold. The disconnected Peter, almost reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz characters, seems to gain courage, poise and character as he tries to figure out the unusual circumstances surrounding him.
For Young Adult readers, Collision offers an exhilarating story and a relatable character. For any reader seeking a swift fun ride, this is a book worth considering.
Collision is available for review here.
