Review: Not far enough
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 13, 2013
Never Too Far is solidly constructed, has a reasonable plot, contains some interesting ideas, and generally delivers. So, why only 3 stars?Well, there are two issues which I really feel hold it back in a big way.Firstly, the plot is totally linear which gets a bit wearing after a while. There aren't any sub-plots, no real twists and, although it does feature some tense moments, there's nothing there to make it a 'page turner'.Secondly, and an even bigger issue than my first point, is that there is no depth to the story. Is this supposed to be our Earth? What's happened? When is the story happening? Who are these different groups? What's Mary's real story? What's gone before? Normally these things would be revealed during the course of a story but Never Too Far doesn't. It leaves one feeling like you've just read the third book in a five-book series having not bought the first two.An example of what I mean is when they are jumped by a group of savages. Who are these people? Why do they behave this way? Why do they suddenly give up? Aren't they familiar with rifles? And so on.I'm sure these details could be added and also a few intriguing twists included. It'd make for a significantly longer book which the author might feel needed splitting but it'd certainly make it much more memorable.I would have liked to have given Never Too Far more than 3 stars but, as it is, I just can't.