No True Echo by Gareth P. Jones

by Gareth P. Jones

Eddie is pretty certain nowhere could be more small-town, more boring, and more inconsequential than his home town of the Wellcome Valley. Unfortunately, he is about to be proved spectacularly wrong. Eddie's problems start when he sees his teacher getting shot (possibly with an elastic band) and then promptly vanish into thin air. Or maybe they start just a little bit before then, with the arrival of Scarlett, a new girl in town who seems rather too confident and mysterious for your average schoolgirl. She attracts trouble (and Eddie) like a magnet, and she's apparently only interested in two very strange things - protecting the local crackpot scientist, Dr Wolf, and telling Eddie absolutely nothing about what on earth is going on. Because things quickly go from weird to worse for Eddie, and he's about to find himself in the middle of a dangerous battle for the fate of not just himself, Scarlett and the town - but Time itself.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Time Travel, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Teen

Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Gareth first started writing when he was very young but it wasn’t until he was in his early twenties that he completed his first novel. Having had it universally rejected he wrote a novel for children called Who Killed Charlie Twig, which received an equally unimpressed reception and remains rightly unpublished to this day.

Some years passed during which Gareth met his future wife, Lisa and began a career in TV, working on shows such as The Big Breakfast and Richard & Judy. Then one day he found himself having lunch at the offices of Bloomsbury. He mentioned the unpublished book to a nice lady called Sarah, who politely suggested that he should send in the first three chapters for her to look at (and most likely dismiss, she thought to herself). Gareth returned home and excitedly told his wife this news, who gently explained that the book he had written actually wasn’t very good, but reminded him that he had recently begun work on a much better idea. This turned out to be good advice. In 2007 Bloomsbury published the first of four books in the series The Dragon Detective Agency and have since published The Thornthwaite Inheritance, Space Crime Conspiracy and The Considine Curse. He has also written a shorter story, Perry’s 5, published by Barrington Stoke and a series of books called Ninja Meerkats, published by Stripes.

Gareth now divides his time between writing books, producing TV programmes, spending time with his wife and son, Herbie and playing the slightly ludicrous number of stringed instruments in his front room.

NOMINATIONS & AWARDS

The Dragon Detective Agency: The Case of the Missing Cats was shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Book Prize.
The Thornthwaite Inheritance was shortlisted for eleven local book awards and won seven of them.
The Considine Curse was voted Blue Peter Book of the Year 2012.

Reviews

[Marie the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4-star! The only negative is that its a bit confusing with all the timejumps, it demands a strong and focused reader! Otherwise I really liked it!!

[Shelbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this book to be a bit scattered...or maybe jumpy is the better word. The concept of the book was really what drew me in, but I felt like there wasn't much substance and it was pretty confusing to read. I didn't connect well with the characters and felt a lot like Eddie did throughout the book: lost and confused. Melody, in my opinion was just unlikable and I felt like Liphook was a useless character.

I wish the book could've panned out better. I did enjoy the writing style and read it fairly fast, considering. I was curious as to how it was going to end though. The ending wrapped up somethings but still left somethings unanswered. They incorporated Frankenstein throughout the book and it was a cool concept that related it to this book. Frankenstein created his monster and messed with something that he should never have messed with. The same goes for the plot in this book.

I wished this book was better. I felt it had so much potential and I felt a bit let down. I also think that the file wasn't very compatible with my Kindle. It was strange to read, especially with the absence of capital letters where they were needed. I feel I would still recommend this, especially for people who are interested in science and time travel. It sheds a whole new light on time travel, that's for sure!

[Sean Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

“So you're telling me that today is two days ago, tomorrow is yesterday and what was today hasn't happened yet?”

This is absolutely and without doubt my best time travel book of the year so far. It crackles along at a breakneck pace and has characters both deep and meaningful

“We shouldn't talk,” said Angus. “Why? Are you worried that we might say something that actually makes sense?”

The complexities of time travel do strain the reader a little, but the fun factor is always there, and the dialogue in the ETA chapter is absolutely priceless (Cornish's bewilderment is superb). The only slight qualm in an otherwise outstanding novel was the end, which although it succeeds in finishing off the story, somehow seemed to avoid any meaningful resolution in my mind. I can't deny that the story itself was worth a handful of bad endings, and this one wasn't bad, just less fulfilling than I'd hoped. Yet this was a powerful, enjoyable, and very entertaining read.

[Paul Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book as an eARC from ABRAMS KIds and Amulet Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I love time travel stories, especially ones that convince me that time travel could actually exist. This book takes a really interesting twist on time travel: Echo Technology. But is it really time travel?

With this novel, you have to suspend your disbelief and accept the terms of the world and just go with it. The plot lead to wonderful confusion and brain bending concepts. But, it was easy enough to follow along.

There are great and interesting relationships in this novel from family to friends. Past, Present, and future.

This story is European and it took me a while to figure it out. The location isn't really that necessary, but there were odd little bits that I was confused about or that I picked up on.

I really enjoyed this book. It's a thinker and it's well written. I give it a 5/5 and highly recommend it!

[American Mensa · Rating 5 out of 5]

With an attraction already developed in both the title and the cover art, No True Echo is definitely an attention-grabber. Any fantasy-loving teen will appreciate this intriguing novel, which combines the best of action, mystery, crime, and a bit of romance. Young Eddie Dane and his fun-loving friend must try to understand the confusing tangles of time travel, and so must the reader. Though the intricate plot and subtle hints may incite the reader to read through the story again to see what they missed, it would be quite an enjoyable reread, as there are many hidden treasures to be found the second time around, after the initial wonders of Jones were already experienced. With this mix of little bits of several youth genres, No True Echo is a choice read for a young adult looking for something new and slightly thoughtful to read.
Review by Tyler S, age 16, Baton Rouge Mensa

[Stacee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a lot more confusing than I was expecting it to be.

I didn't really care for Eddie. His search for answers and incessant questions come across as needy and whiny. His BFF, Angus, is supposed to be the humor, but it fell flat for me.

I did like the idea of the premise and wanting to know what was happening is the only reason I kept reading. When it came to the time jumping and the echoes and pretty much everything science-y I was completely lost.

I can definitely see how people will really like this, but ultimately it wasn't for me.

**Huge thanks to Amulet Books and BetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Hammond Jr.                                                                                                             12.1.17
St. Christopher                                                                                                                          ELA



    “No True Echo”, a science fiction novel written by Gareth P. Jones, is a captivating and compelling book of a young boy named Eddy Dane who is trapped repeating the same day over and over again. Throughout the story Eddy tries to put together the real way his mother died, if she was even dead. Throughout these different versions of the day, Eddy went through many different problems and witnessed things he could never imagine including his own death. The descriptive words and great imagery used by Gareth P. Jones supplied my mind with the information I needed to visualize the setting of the story, in the beautiful Welcome Valley. Being that the story was written in first person and Jones’ diction provides me with the layout of the land wherever Eddy goes, I felt as if I were Eddy.
    “No True Echo” is recommended to those who have a deep liking for science. Jones’ somewhat pompous tone goes deep in your mind making you think of words you have never heard before with the use of different characters giving the reader a perplexed mood. Eddy, whose character’s age was close with mine, had similar reactions to mine with these complex and bewildering explanations on the so called echo technology from the scientists. According to David Maguire, who was Eddy’s mother’s partner, Echo technology allows one to “jump” back or forward in time or to a different version of the day they have just witnessed. Eddy and his friend Scarlett stumbled upon David’s cabin and were both exposed to the Echo technology. With this Eddy was now stuck in a repeating loop of the previous day. Eddy being caught in this loop makes the reader want to read more to see what is going to happen to Eddy and his friends the next time the day repeats.
    Filled with suspense and drama this novel was very intriguing in each part of the story, to where you don’t even know who is a friend or a foe. Each part causes the reader to think and interpret what each character is going to perform next with the information they have received about themselves and their companions. Each character is faced with decisions that can change their lives and even the world forever especially Eddy with the decision of keeping his mother and living in a not so perfect world or going back to normal and living with his grandmother once again. This novel puts the reader on an emotional joyride and connects with their lives very well. Gareth P. Jones knows how to find common misconceptions in someone's general life and can turn it into a novel expressing these problems.
    I would highly recommend this novel to those who are interested in science fiction. Gareth P. Jones’ ability to connect to the reader through his characters is fascinating and this story touched me at many different emotional aspects. The confusion the chapters left me with only made me want to keep reading to understand the point the writer was trying to get across. Enthralling and arousing, I never wanted to put the novel down and stop reading. I believe this novel is very good for all young adults and will touch them in a very special way.

[Vesper Vesper · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s a picture of regret, it can’t be finished.”

No True Echo is an interesting story about echo-jumping (time travel). The whole premise is wonderful and intriguing enough to keep its readers…well… reading. It started off somewhat slow, but not enough that I felt like I couldn’t continue.

The characters are greatly thought out, making them believable and providing a personal connection. The little “relationship” (I use quotations for a reason) between Scarlett and Eddie is really adorable… the playful kind of adorable. I love those types of “relationships.”

Mr. Jones does a great job with the concept of the story and the switching of perspectives. Each perspective is seemingly smooth when executed and doesn’t take away from the story. Along with that, the book definitely has its moment of humor that left me chuckling to myself... (More via website)

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I was initially quite skeptical of "No True Echo"'s seemingly bizarre, scattered premise, I quickly discovered that its positive elements heavily outweighed its negative counterparts. I mean, a science-fiction novel with a thorough, analytic explanation supporting its outlandish events? Unfathomable!
What I truly adored regarding the plot of "No True Echo", however, was its endless number of possible interpretations. Had it illustrated the fierce, invincible power of human reasoning and empathy? The steady corruption of said human empathy with treacherous new technological advancements? Bungee-jumping? It's all left to the reader's provoked imagination, therefore furthering my appreciation for this outstanding product of fiery passion and brilliant creativity.

[Lynna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love time travel stories with complicated repercussions and messy timelines and especially the rules and how exactly time travel is implemented. This book was one of those stories. I really enjoyed learning more about echo jumping little by little as the story progressed, much like Eddie did. It was very cool how everything meshed together at the end. I also loved the design of this book, from the cover to how the book was made to look like it was written over a copy of Frankenstein. Truly a fun and thrilling read.

[Susan Monmaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your typical time travel book. Teens will relate to Eddie's frustration of living in a place (and time) when nothing seems to change. As he begins to realize that this may not be the full story, readers are drawn into the complex scenarios and ethical challenges of traveling through time. #mpsvt #vsla

[Anne Grete Holje · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the story about the people, but I didn`t understand the timetravel part of it.
I am glad I did not read it to my 10 year old son, but only to my self.
This book is to complicated for kids, and some grownups like me.

[P.M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care much for this book although the idea of a decision creating multiple ripples through history was intriguing.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confusing, interesting and entertaining. So not what I was expecting but a good read.

[useFOSS · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is better than many adult-aimed time-travel novels. I wish the author wrote more science fiction.

[max · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - 28%

"Humans, with our endless desire to push back boundaries, are the greatest monsters of all."

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the first several chapters. There were lots of highlight-worthy quotes that kept me engrossed.

"Who decides this natural course of events? Who controls our fates? Those with money. Those with power. It’s always the rich. The idea of fate is a tool of repression. The powerful have always preached to those with nothing that they must accept their lives and that there is nothing they can do about their situations. This is wrong. We should be the masters of our own stories."

As compelling as some notions explored were, the pace was excruciatingly slow.


Eddie felt like a shallow character, his emotions and characteristics were lackluster. His flustered conversations with Scarlett seemed forced, and trust me to know as I've had my fair share of awkward conversations.

By the 16th chapter, we know that Scarlett is up to something fishy but surprise, surprise; Eddie doesn't find it weird enough and tags along. I see what relationship the author is trying to build here but I dislike the idea of following someone blindly just because you like that person.

TW: suicide
(No actual self-harm occurred in the book from what I've read, just some awful use of words.) There was this one thing I really frowned about upon reading where Eddie describes his words as "Not a great reply, but nor was it wrist-slittingly awful." (The emphasis is on me.) I'm pretty sure there are a hundred more appropriate ways to describe awful.

The concepts this book are built around seem intriguing, from what I can understand there's some sort of time traveling smack going on. Overall, it isn't bad but some things just held me back, I was skimming through its pages before I decided to stop. I'm still keeping my options open though, I may or may not pick this back up in the future. For now, it's a dreaded DNF.

Really, really late but thanks to ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books and NetGalley for giving me access to an eARC. (still trying to catch up, yep)

[Kelly Gunderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out this and other reviews on my YA book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!

Eddie is your average teenage boy - going to school, spending time with friends, riding his bike, and he lives in the middle of nowhere where nothing ever really happens. He lives with his grandmother (who he calls Ruby because she hates being called grandma), and while she has some good days (where she likes to paint and she's cheerful), she also has some bad days (where she lies on the couch watching game shows and doesn't really do much else). His mother died when he was a baby, and he never knew who his father was. For the most part, he is content with his life (although he longs to have a mother and wishes his grandmother would have more "good days"), and his routine is usually the same on a day-to-day basis.

Until one day, on the way to school, a new girl gets on the bus. Her name is Scarlett White.

All throughout the day, Eddie notices odd things about Scarlett, and some others around him. His teacher, who sometimes takes him home from school, doesn't remember he is supposed to give Eddie a ride that day. Nor does he remember that Eddie's mother had died, and they had talked about it only a few days prior. While Eddie finds this a little odd, he brushes it off and tries to forget about it.

When Eddie accompanies Scarlett to a farmhouse and a gruesome murder occurs, Eddie isn't really sure what to think, or what's really going on.

B,ut weird things keep happening. For example, Eddie finds himself reliving the same day over again, only this time Scarlett doesn't get on the bus. No one has heard of her. Other random things are amiss, and Eddie finds himself waking up in alternate realities. He pieces things together and tries to figure out what's going on. Bit by bit, things start to add up and Eddie begins to discover what strange things are happening in his small town.

Let me tell you now that this book gets almost completely impossible to follow unless you pay super close attention to pretty much every single little thing that's going on. It's confusing as hell in places, but if you stick around for the ride, it really does pay off. The whole premise of "echo jumping" and alternate versions of reality are pretty cool, and I haven't read anything else like this before. While some parts of this novel are difficult to follow, it's definitely a worth while read, especially if you enjoy YA books about time travel. It's an easy book to get pulled into, and it feels realistic. The only reason I took one star off of this one was because I think there could have been a way to make it a little bit easier to follow. But once you manage to get a good grasp on what's really happening (pretty close to the end of the book), it all clicks in place and makes it a unique story that will stick with you, and change the way you look at time travel!

Note: I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Mad · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you to ABRAMS Kids for providing me a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley for the purposes of review**

I’m usually wary of time travel novels — time travel anything, really. I think the concept of time travel is a wonderful staple of science fiction, but at the price of being a kind of double-edged sword. There’s two-ish routes a creative may go: either take the time to explain all the time travel — even at least some of it, hence the “ish” — OR explain nothing at all and expect the audience to just roll with it. I don’t have a preference to either approach, given that I’m not particularly adept at science and so trying to even attempt at analyzing the scientific proposals for time travel is just not going to happen. If it sounds plausible enough, I can usually just shrug and say, “Sure. That works for me.”

NO TRUE ECHO is unique in that it’s time travel proposal was not only plausible to (the science-impaired) me, but had me doing more than just shrugging and rolling with it: I actually wanted to know more about it. The more “science gobbledeegook” that was spouted at me, the more fascinated I became.

It’s easy to guess that I found this book supremely clever. No, really, it’s clever. I won’t say much of anything because, after all, that would be serious spoilers, but I will say this: time travel is not quite what it seems in NO TRUE ECHO, and what it actually ends up becoming is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen/read before. A rare and welcome occurrence!

My only complaint is that it takes a while for the reader to realize just how clever this novel is; this is a slow-burner of a story, where the true “action” doesn’t pick up until the reader is already a significant way through the novel. I’ll be honest: I was almost ready to give up on this book until I hit that “moment”, that turning point where everything suddenly begins to really move. Of course, once it did begin to move, the multiple storyline threads and jumps made for a book equal parts schizophrenic, terrifying, mysterious, and just infuriatingly clever.

I think any fans of science fiction, especially those able to keep up with multiple storylines/timelines and fond of slower-paced novels, will enjoy this novel. I certainly did.

[Laura.125Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars Original review at www.125pages.com

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

♦ I was not expecting to like No True Echo as much as I did. I was expecting a cutesy YA book focusing on a romance with the time travel as the secondary story line. Instead I got a book depicting what happens when technology is used to further personal agenda. I really cannot describe the book much as almost everything I could say would be spoiler-y. But I can say that at first I was confused; there is almost no world building and you are thrust in to the story already in progress. At first I was annoyed, but then the more I read the more I got why. You need to be present in the story, having too much build up would have ruined the confusion which is actually very needed. The multiple story arcs enhance the pace and tone. I really enjoyed the twists and turns the story took and I was honestly still guessing what would happen all the way through the final chapter.

◊ Favorite lines from Chapter 51 – “Half my life was spent trying to be a better person, but you reach a certain age and you realize you don’t have a choice about who you are. All of us are slaves to ourselves.”

[JoLee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wellcome Valley was a quiet place. Eddie Dane had his best friend and his grandmother and not much happened until Scarlett came to town. Scarlett's arrival ushered in a murder, an accident, an investigation, and a long-lost family member. Now Eddie is trapped in a time loop reliving the same day over and over again.

No True Echo was a surprising delight. I was not expecting to like Gareth P. Jones's book as much as I did. Truth be told, I think I was putting it off because I was worried it wouldn't be any good, but it vastly exceeded my expectations. The concept of trying to discover the true timeline through an increasingly complicated investigation was so trippy. (Just how I like my time travel novels.) I'd recommend this one to the true time travel diehards.

Review copy from NetGalley.

[Christinalovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED it!

Some semi-spoilers below......

Along the lines of Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me ( which was an awesome time travel suspense book and highly recommended by me), No True Eco is a quick read, page turner. Yes, some reviews have it right... the reader is just a confused as Eddie most of the time, but isn't that the fun of time travel books, people? characters are engageable ( Angus ), quirky ( Ruby )and disappointing ( mostly Melody cuz you just want her to be an awesome mom!) I have this to my 13 year old who is a time travel lover... Will update when she's done....

[MP · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning did not quite lead to the story that I expected but the time travel elements were very intriguing. I felt like it was wanting to be a crime novel in the guise of an exploration about who controls history and its meaning but didnt fully accomplish either. Still, really interesting ideas and a good read.

[C.P. Cabaniss · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this novel through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I really enjoyed this novel. There are a few things that kept me from loving it, but overall I thought it was an interesting premise and I really enjoyed the read.

Full review can be found on my blog the 21st of October: http://courtneysreads.blogspot.com/20...

[Spellcheck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel and read it over the course of two days. Eddy may not be my favorite protagonist ever, but I enjoyed the story wholeheartedly. I love time-travel stories, and this one had a fresh take. I found this one a good read.

[Gina Schaarschmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like time travel stories and this one is smart and delightfully confusing. It's European (this helps to know when you encounter some of the vocabulary), quirky and smart. It reminds me a little of Planesrunner, which I loved. A real mind bender.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Where to even begin? This was not just a thrill-ride of time leaps and bounds, but a love story, a backwards murder mystery and a heart-wrenching tale of lives gone awry. A very captivating story that I often thought about even when I wasn't reading it.

[al · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read this, I loved the science fiction aspect of "echos". Very intriguing at the least :)

[Kerryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook in the car and really enjoyed it.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confusing and brilliant.

[Bethany Heid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made absolutely no sense. Was confused the entire book.