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When Nathan Dean's father, the Police Chief of Camanor, is abducted by a ruthless consortium of organ snatchers, the teenage football star flies into action, consulting "ancient gods" lurking underground in the Health-giving Lawa cavern, by the life-giving waters of an underground lake. The deity High Cloud endows Nathan with a "super ring"—a blue diamond embedded in platinum and erbium. With unearthly strength, speed, and enhanced sensory perception from the ring, and aided by the ever-watchful Eagle Spirit, Nathan finds his father and vanquishes the evil syndicate. Set in 2050, the novel features help from the FBI, a mysterious clan of friendly torturers, and a smart and sexy cheerleader, but truly this is Nathan's story, his foes to fight, and his reward to win.
Super Ring's dramatic story line projects graphic, even cinematic, flair and could garner a dedicated young adult audience. With appropriate gore and constantly escalating action, it will certainly garner appeal. A teen hero, high-tech weaponry, a magic ring, love interest, and supernatural connections make for a classic fantasy. Author Panol, an engineer, agriculturalist, and environmentalist, seems quite particular about the science involved, with four appendices of technical data. Sometimes the author's verb tenses change every few sentences, sometimes even within single sentences, and misspellings are common, creating a certain awkwardness that could be corrected by better editing. However, the story's mix of science and the supernatural make it perfect for the YA audience.