Young Max Ransome watched his father die, killed by marauding phantors as they swept through T'Aragam at the bidding of the evil wizard Zadok. Barely escaping with his own life, Max is thrust into a whirlwind journey as he races against time to save T'Aragam, the world he loves, from a dark dominion. Can Max overcome the horror of his father's death and save T'Aragam from the grasping talons of its enemies?
Woven with a charming mix of zany humor and genuine danger, T'Aragam immerses the reader in a world of original characters and tightly-woven plot. Young Max leads the cast and is ably supported by, among others, a faithful medgekin friend named Gramkin, two monster brothers named Doom and Gloom, and an equuraptor named Dresden.
Coupled with quirky supporting characters, such as mercenary Captain Baggywrinkle, Lord Stench, and a perpetually hungry sea serpent named Bob, this cast of characters steps from the pages and pulls the reader into the story.
Praise and Reviews
Alex McGilvery (Armchair Interviews): I enjoyed reading this book. Max is a believable thirteen year old. Jack W. Regan has given his young protagonist just the right mix of teen-aged confidence and uncertainty. He doesn’t magically transform into a hero with adult sensibilities and talents, but he does grow and mature during the course of the story. The cast of supporting characters is a mix of creatures and people. Regan does some unexpected things with his characters. There is a great deal of humor in the story, but no one is present only for comic relief. On the other hand, even the most powerful have weaknesses that make them human. Read the entire review at Armchair Interviews
Kristin Callender (author of The Truth Lies in the Dark): T'Aragam: The Max Ransome Chronicles by Jack W. Regan is a great new Juvenile/Fantasy novel. It is a story of medieval meets magic and is packed with adventure. The characters will have you laughing, cheering, and some you will just love to hate.
Max Ransome is thrust into a dangerous adult world at the young age of 13 after he witnessed his father's death and then is forced to fight to save his own. As the story progresses he realizes that it is not just his own life that is at risk, but all of the lives in T'Aragam. His father, Lord Ransome was a great and powerful ruler, but with him gone there is no stopping the evil Zodak and his army of Phantors from taking over the land and imprisoning the people. Is a boy of 13 any match for an evil empire? To find out he must learn who to trust and, most importantly, he has to learn to trust himself.
Max is befriended by some interested characters along the way. A pair of monster brothers, named Doom and Gloom, who are reduced to tears at every new obstacle. A clumsy medgekin, named Gramkin, who is motivated by his addiction to cheese, and a loyal wizard, named Zohar, who just happens to be the brother of the evil Zodak. Then you add the dark assortment of enemies like the beautiful Ariaal, whose magic and looks prove to be a treacherous combination and, of course Bob, the sea ever hungry sea serpent.
I recommend T'Aragam. It has everything to captivate the imagination; danger, excitement, humor, and endless adventure.
Booker Looker (Amazon.com): I was teased with the beginning of this book before it was published. Then I had to wait to read young Max out of the trouble I had read him in to. As soon as I started reading, it happened again. Me and Max in and out of one thing after another. I couldn't stop and I enjoyed every minute of it too.
Amazon Expert Reviewer: Great imaginative details. I loved the chuckle bugs and the description of the phantor. The interaction between Max and Gramkin is amusing. A story featuring them as foils to each other would be interesting...a story that could have wide appeal -- from young adults on up...
Amazon Expert Reviewer: This is a bit like Lord of the Rings but has some elements of Inkheart to it. I like stories with wizards in them, so this is an obvious good start. Gramkin reminds me somewhat of a hobbit, or one of the brownies from Inkheart, perhaps a combination of the two. The description of the phantors is quite eerie and I am interested to know more about the dark woods. I also like the fact that Gramkin is willing to risk his neck for cheese. It adds humor to the story without seeming out of place. This is...very good.
C. Sparks (reader from Huntington, WV): This was a well written fantasy fiction. It had an interesting collection of characters and a good story line with lots of humor throughout. I enjoyed this book very much and am looking forward to reading other books by this author.
Tim Nies (reader from Chicago, IL): T' Aragam by Jack Regan is fantasy fiction through and through. The story…slowly lets the arch of tension build. Something is afoot and it’s coming from the Dark Wood. This is a fine adventure story that's well written and fast paced. I enjoyed it and look forward to see what...Jack Regan will bring next.
