“Pollen and the Ring of Harmony” By Francis T. Perry Williams

Reviewed by Alicia Karen Elkins

For Rambles.net

 When I received Pollen and the Ring of Harmony I was immediately drawn into the book.  I started reading it and could not stop until I finished the final page.  I was left wondering if there will be a sequel or a movie.  This book is too magnificent to not have a follow up.  It carries a vital message that our world needs to hear.

Pollen is a 278,000 year-old alien from deep space who travels from one planet to another to issue warnings or save the planet.  If the inhabitants agree to change their ways and to try to learn to live in harmony with each other and all things that surround them, Pollen will save the planet and give them a second chance.  But usually, they do not elect to change their ways.  His power lies within the living Ring of Harmony that he wears.

Two planets have collided and an asteroid is hurtling toward Earth.  Pollen arrives with the ability to deflect the asteroid, but says that he must first speak with the president.  He teams up with an old environmentalist who's dying with cancer, Reb, and his hound dog, Duke.  Together they leave California on an excitement-filled journey toward the White House, picking up friends, supporters, and a few environmental crusaders along the way.

But Pollen's exploits to save lives, alleviate suffering, and right the wrongs that he encounters do more than make news.  They catch the attention of the evil, power-hungry vice-president, who decides to get the Ring of Harmony for his own self-promotion.  The story turns deadly when he meets with Pollen for a conference, professes trust, entices Pollen to remove the ring, then has Pollen grabbed by the security team.

With an asteroid less than two days from Earth, Pollen is shot in the chest six times and Reb is on the run with the Ring of Harmony, which he cannot control, and a news team with a teenage daughter who just got suspended from school ... and a hound who just got the tip of his tail shot.

What a story!  I loved every paragraph.  Williams has crafted a spellbinding tale that packs a solid combination punch right to the midsection.  He delivers his message with emphatic clarity while providing the highest caliber of entertainment.  The storyline flows smoothly with excellent segues and his writing is descriptive to the verge of poetics.  When he describes how the old guy and his hound both have the droopy skin around their eyes, you will see the melted-hound-dog face on both of them and agree that they do resemble each other.

The character development is tremendous.  Williams has created an alien that you must love and the world's most unlikely hero,  combined them with the world's most under-appreciated type of dog, and thrown in enough diversity in the supporting characters that the average reader will identify with at least one.  Then, he allows them to grow and undergo character maturity right before your eyes.  By the time the story ends, you feel as if they are old friends.  

Williams follows action in multiple areas before merging the threads into one tightly woven story.  It is as good as any writing I have found and far better than the average book on the market.  Williams will be a name to remember.  He is a gifted storyteller and an outstanding writer.  I hope he keeps my name on his list of reviewers because his work is a pleasure to experience!

If you read my reviews, you know that I am not a fan of science fiction and prefer not to read about aliens unless they have vampires or werewolves among them.  So when I promise you that Pollen and the Ring of Harmony is one of the best books that I have read in recent months, you can believe me.  This book is first-rate entertainment.

Francis T. Perry Williams attended San Diego State University for a degree in drama with minors in art and music.  He wrote, directed, and acted there.  Upon graduation, he starred in several sitcoms, including Happy Days, Bosom Buddies, Laverne and Shirley, and MASH, and wrote one of the episodes for Laverne and Shirley.  He is a certified personal trainer with twenty-five experience.  Most importantly, he is an eco-advocate who actively attempts to teach the younger generations to be more eco-friendly and to live in harmony with nature and the world around them.  He is a resident of Venice Beach , California .