The cover of the fictional novel Storm Watch, by C. J. Box, consists of numerous visual layers. The ever-growing snowstorm sets the setting of the novel, and the puzzling man, hidden by the shadows, hints towards a mystery the reader must solve. After reading this book, I believe it is a mystery well worth solving. Furthermore, the author uses the main character’s struggle to convey that persistence is key when accomplishing your duties and or goals...
Joe Pickett, the well-known Wyoming Game Warden, is the main character in this novel. Early into the book, Joe’s Radio described an incident in which 3 elk and a car were involved. Curious to find out what had happened, he went and investigated for himself. A young male driver had hit 3 elk while driving to a Montana ski resort, totaling his car and killing two of them. However, one had been injured. Joe, not wanting the elk to suffer, searched for it. What he found shook him to the bones. In front of his eyes, was a large warehouse, full of computers. And inside, a dead professor, whose head had been chopped off. On his way back to his truck, he heard a sharp sound the narrator described as a ting. This sound was not an affectionate noise, but one with callous intent. When Joe discusses the incident with neighboring departments, he is met with a troubling declaration from the Wyoming governor, Allen. The governor demands that Joe and his boss sit this investigation out. This book is largely entertaining, as the mystery keeps you intrigued to discover the following events. The characters, especially Joe, are admirable. This allows the reader to feel empathic toward the emotional and physical trials that the character faces. I agree with the author's choice to include limited information, otherwise, it would lose its mysterious flare. There are many instances where the book suggests the idea of willpower. If Joe did not have the willpower he was famous for, he would not have been able to save the people and wildlife residing in the state of Wyoming. This relates to the first edition of the series Alex Rider. Alex is a 14 yr old schoolboy, who saves millions of people by destroying computers containing a deadly variant of smallpox. Alex had to crash through a science museum ceiling in front of an armada of security guards and shoot the computers. He needed the willpower to make such a daring move, similar to how Joe needed the willpower to save his family and friends. This novel also touches on betrayal through multiple events that would spoil the book. The book reminded me that you should listen to your gut, even if things like betrayal seem out of the picture. All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys being on edge through the entirety of the novel. I would advise reading this book at night, as it increases the suspense. Enjoy!
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