Strange Lands: YA Otherworldly Fantasy Adventure (Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1) by Anderson Atlas

Allan won the swimming competition and set a new record.  Then he got to watch it all go down the drain when his math teacher tells everyone he got an "F" on the last test.  On the way home, he gets lectured about his future, how long he'll be grounded and then everything goes black.  When he reawakens in the hospital, both his parents are dead and his legs don't work anymore...

Synesthesia Books sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can grab a copy now.

This is written for young readers but it spoke to me, too.  Allan feels guilty for his parent's deaths and thinks he's responsible.  He has no hope for athletics anymore.  And he doesn't want to go anywhere or see anyone.  No one seems to know how to act around him.  His own uncle didn't want to take him on because he's not sure how to care for him.  He's not in a good place.  He'll realize it wasn't so bad later...

When his uncle takes him fishing, he's not thrilled.  What neither one of them anticipated was a freak flood that took out their camp and moved them downstream.  Allan can't get his uncle loose from the rock that has him pinned.  He's unconscious.  Allan manages to put rocks all around him to keep him out of the water.  Then he tries to crawl up to the road to get help.  On the way, he finds this odd plant.  When he touches it, it sprays him with pollen and spikes.  And, soon, he's no longer by the river...

This is a new world, with new dangers and new enemies.  Some of the friendlies aren't really.  Lots of things would like to eat you.  And Allan can't even walk...

The journey he takes in this world makes him accept what has happened in his life.  He begins to understand it wasn't all his fault.  And if he wants to get back to his world and save his uncle, he's going to have to save this world, too.

This was a very entertaining read and I can't wait to see where the author takes the story next.  He has friends in the other world and they've made him a promise...