doG Backwards: 2020 Edition

by Guy A. Johnson, Lisa Moss (Illustrator)

doG Backwards is Guy A Johnson's debut novel. 'Really liked! V interesting, gripping and unusual!' - Sophie Hannah, bestselling author of 'Little Face' and 'Kind of Cruel.' doG Backwards is the story of six lives that come together through an unimaginable to meet with the dead for just one hour. Michael works in an office and is mourning the loss of his five-year-old daughter, Milly. Barbara has her own cleaning company and the death of her stepfather, Eric, hangs heavy on her conscience. Connor is ten and, despite having the love of his aunt and uncle, still misses his mother, who has been dead for over a year. Liam lives in his big family home all by himself, where he hides from his past and yearns for the return of his mother, father and sister, all of whom are gone for good. Shelley, friend and lover to Liam, also has her losses, but keeps these a secret from him. Their reactions are very different. Michael’s is very he simply cannot believe his luck. The others, however, do not react in the same Shelley is disgusted, Barbara cannot face making a decision and ten-year-old Connor simply doesn’t understand. There are further complications. Michael has to consider his estranged wife, she has not been chosen for the program. Barbara discovers the experience is likely to leave her penniless. Connor has not only lost his mother, but also his father. So he is faced with a dilemma that no ten-year-old boy should ever have to which one to choose?

Genres: Fantasy, Thriller, Death, Fiction

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 17, 2012

Reviews

[Patty Strandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. Wasn't sure when I first started it, but kept reading it and was interesting and different.

[Ammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and how the characters were related in a surprising way throughout the book. It was also an interesting look at how we each perceive and deal with death.

[Jennifer Mae Hiles]

I would have given it 5 but there were some storyline issues and I also try to reserve 5 stars for amazing, must read will change your life sort of books. I thought doG Backwards was great though. It was unique, I've never read anything quite like it. Great character development. You definitely fall for these characters (some more than others) and want them to be happy. Most of them have circumstances that would make any person sad or depressed. The premise is so unique but I feel like they didn't offer an explanation to the "experiment" and the impossibility of it. It made me think that the author didn't know either so he just left that part out! That would be my minus 1 star. If you are looking for something different that will totally keep you turning the pages you found it. Really makes you think, what if?

[Lyndsey Nicole Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Government or someone ends up giving away some letters to certain people. To get one of these letters you must have known someone who died. The point of this? To see the dead again, one last time. They get an hour with the deceased. It is quite the experiment. If something goes wrong they need to stop it.


All the characters in the story are connected but they don't know it. Is it really worth it? For some it was.

I really don't want to give a lot away on this one.

[MetLineReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a fascinating premise which sadly didn't live up to the blurb on the book.
Although the characters all had a tale to tell and their choices were important for the outcome, I didn't really "feel" their stories or connect to them. Several of them were so unlikeable and their stories quite far fetched, I had to put it down and come back to it which is unusual for me,
Good that the stories intertwined but overall not a book I'd be rushing to re-read.

[Liquid Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle freebie. Fast read. I don't know about this one. I wasn't paying enough attention to the names of the character to really 'feel' how their lives merged. The premise of the book - interesting. Personally, I'd have rather had more 'insight' into the MiB. This is a fine short.

[Julie Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinated by the premise of this book. I loved the way the random characters were linked in the end. made me want an hour with my dear departed ones. felt it came to to abrupt an ending that's my only fault

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a strange story but lots of things tying up at the end or did it? I did enjoy reading this but disliked the ending.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to find out how this book would tie all of the characters together... I was pleased with the result.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

different, there were a lot of connections but the one I hoped to find didn't happen, almost felt like it shouldn't have stopped where it did.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made it all the way through this book, unlike White Goods by this author, but, by god, it WAS a struggle !! I am staggered that it could be published with so many mistakes. He's done the hard part in creating the story, which is a fascinating one, but it's ruined by my needing to make notes all the time when I happen across another bloody error. I did have another by him downloaded but since these first 2 are in such a mess I've deleted it. I just can't face another like this. Such a shame as his ideas clearly appeal to me or I'd not bother in the first place. The idea behind this one in particular would make an intriguing series as well, both written and on TV.
If he needs a proofreader I'd happily do it as opposed to publishing books like this and being damned. Seems such a waste.....and so much is basic schoolboy stuff, I think.
There are missed out commas, speechmarks, apostrophes, fullstops for starters along with words missed out of sentences more than a couple of times like "Connor appeared take in each step." That in itself is sloppy enough but parka is not spelt Parker, its should be it's (more than once and also the other way around), In the least and not At the least was written, compliments is not spelt complements (more than once, too), larger should be lager, he used disbelieve and not disbelief, draw and not drawer, gravely and not gravelly, too and not to (which he did in White Goods as well), Maltesa and not Malteser, brought and not bought, connexion and not connection (!!), discomforting and not discomfiting and lead and not led !! That's a LOT of mistakes and I can't believe he doesn't have anybody to hand that would pick this lot out for him.
He had this odd habit in this book of writing unfinished sentences as well. I only noticed as there were SO many and I didn't "get" this analogy at all, "....reminders of their lovely baby that danced around the house like a chain" and this sentence speaks for itself, "The security cameras, she notices, are her trained on her"......really ??
As I said, the story is a terrific idea and I really liked the premise a great deal but at some point it went from enjoyment to a chore for me and only because of the awful presentation. Such a great shame.

[Ursula Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not riveting....a bit too 'back and forth' but an okay read

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this confusing, drawn, and it didn't get really interesting until near the end. I almost quit reading it a few times, but once I start a book I try to finish it. The title doesn't make sense either until you get to the last few chapters either, which everything ends up tying together. Not a BAD story per se, but everything is disjointed and it seems the writer just threw it all together.

[Debbie Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loss and acceptance

I really wanted to read this book but was pretty disappointed in it. There is too much left unexplained about the premise. 250 people are invited to spend one hour with the dead person of their choice. Some find resolution while some lose everything. Unless you are really at a loss for reading material give this one a pass.

[Peri · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read this year. Not my normal genre of book but it intrigued me. I found it clever, compelling and it stayed with me....playing with my mind.
The concept is clever but subtle and it leaves a lot to your own thought processes, which I like. I honestly could not put it down.

[Citrasena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd like to give this book more than two stars because it had so much potential to be a really good read, the concept of it is great, it's just a shame it was so short and not more in depth. Sorry! 2 stars from me on this one!

[Josie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kindle freebie...but way too depressing

[DianaAitch · Rating 1 out of 5]

It might have been because I wasn't too well when reading this book, but I just did *not* get it.. I can't say what it was really about or who the characters were... Hmmmmmm

[Corissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure how I feel about this book. it was a little hard to follow, but I like how everthing tied together at the end.

[Issi · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing concept, and fairly well executed. If you could have an hour with someone who is dead - could you do it, and who would you choose?

[Philippa Hunt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

The characters lives were cleverly linked but their individual stories were average. Over all a slow read and poor ending.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

very disappointed, not what I was expecting