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Never
Travis Hamilton never expected to be a killer. One day he was studying to become a schoolteacher in the little western town of Spencervale, and the next he was sentenced to ten years hard labor in the Dead Mines outside town--from which few return alive. Ross Hamilton is no detective. But when his brother is convicted of murder, he has no choice but to abandon his ranch and do all in his power to find out just what happened the night of the killing, and who is really responsible. Neither brother is prepared to be stretched and tested to his limits and beyond by an adventure that is much bigger than either of them ever imagined. But in the next few days, they will be. The only way to survive is to never compromise. Never.
318 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2012
19 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
J. Grace Pennington
44 books144 followersJ. Grace Pennington has been telling stories since she could talk, and writing them down since age five. Now she lives in the great state of Texas, where she writes as much as adult life permits. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading good books, having adventures with her husband and daughters, and looking up at the stars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 16, 2018
Wowza! I honestly had no idea what to expect going into this . . . and I certainly wasn't expecting all that emotion!
Right away I loved Travis and Ross Hamilton. The strong brother relationship between them was so sweet; I always love sibling stories. The plot, while slow and predictable at times, was still very enjoyable and complex. The villains were quite evil and that side-story-line with Kate . . . ugh! My heart. The ending wrapped everything up a bit suddenly, but quite nicely. And while it took me awhile to realize the significance of it, the cover is so beyond perfect in every way! The faith themes, though not very prominent, were very good, and I loved the "Never" theme. Wow! So powerful.
All in all, I greatly enjoyed this mystery\western novel! Highly recommended!
Right away I loved Travis and Ross Hamilton. The strong brother relationship between them was so sweet; I always love sibling stories. The plot, while slow and predictable at times, was still very enjoyable and complex. The villains were quite evil and that side-story-line with Kate . . . ugh! My heart. The ending wrapped everything up a bit suddenly, but quite nicely. And while it took me awhile to realize the significance of it, the cover is so beyond perfect in every way! The faith themes, though not very prominent, were very good, and I loved the "Never" theme. Wow! So powerful.
All in all, I greatly enjoyed this mystery\western novel! Highly recommended!
March 6, 2017
Wow. I think that's about the best word to describe this book. It seems I go into each of J. Grace Pennington's books thinking 'This is going to be an enoyable book, I'll just read a few chapters now and finish it up later' but then I end up spending my whole day in undivided attention to the book making me ignore things like food, sleep and social engagement. This had been one of the best books I've read in a long time and its defiantly my favorite of Grace's books. I did not go into it thinking I would like it very much simply because I'm not a huge fan of of old westerns but this book put a whole new light on the old west then I had before.
Each time I get a new book by J. Grace Pennington I am amazed at how amazing it is and how well her faith shows through it without being preachy.
I cannot wait until Grace comes out with another book!
(Some notes from my 2017 read.) This book was incredible. She managed to get a strong moral lesson across in the book without shoving at you. That's one of the things I love about this author, she is never pushy about her faith, but you can't help but feel it in every book she writes. I hope to someday write as well as J. Grace Pennington.
Each time I get a new book by J. Grace Pennington I am amazed at how amazing it is and how well her faith shows through it without being preachy.
I cannot wait until Grace comes out with another book!
(Some notes from my 2017 read.) This book was incredible. She managed to get a strong moral lesson across in the book without shoving at you. That's one of the things I love about this author, she is never pushy about her faith, but you can't help but feel it in every book she writes. I hope to someday write as well as J. Grace Pennington.
November 22, 2016
I loved this book so much! I read it a couple months ago.. and apparently never rated it. ;P But I loved it!! One of my favorite westerns. It did have some violence, but I appreciated the lack of swearing and the intriguing story-line and christian values woven throughout.
August 3, 2018
I really, really loved the brother relationship that this book centers around. The love and protectiveness it embodies drove so much of the story, especially Ross's chapters, and his desperation to clear Travis's name seemed to scream from the pages. The mystery storyline was a doozy, and I wasn't anywhere close to figuring it out. Even if I had a better track record at solving mysteries, though, I still don't think I'd have gotten this one; there's so much going on and so much tension with Travis's fate hanging in the balance that I couldn't slow down to study the problem at all.
Travis's parts were absolutely heart-rending (not to mention gut-wrenching), and I was rooting for him with everything I had. In fact, when I read one scene a little too fast and thought he'd taken a certain irreversible step, my heart just about froze. The title of the book hits with so much clarity in Travis's situation, and I appreciated his realization near the end that the strength he had to stand had come from Someone beyond himself.
The secondary characters are diverse and nicely drawn, and I liked them--or not--pretty much as intended. (At least, by the end, I decided I'd mostly liked the right ones; it was hard to tell in for quite a while just which ones were the good guys.) Dan was probably my favorite (aside from Ross and Travis), although I can't say much about him for fear of spoilers. Just--so good! And if I can't say much about Dan, I certainly can't say much about anyone else! In fact, I can't say much of anything without giving way too much away... It's one of those books you have to read for yourself.
Final rating--4.5 stars
Content--some off-page profanity; "hell" used mostly as a place or a descriptor for the mines; a few "sanitized" expressions; a fair amount of violence and death, although not graphic; a character is tortured physically and mentally
Travis's parts were absolutely heart-rending (not to mention gut-wrenching), and I was rooting for him with everything I had. In fact, when I read one scene a little too fast and thought he'd taken a certain irreversible step, my heart just about froze. The title of the book hits with so much clarity in Travis's situation, and I appreciated his realization near the end that the strength he had to stand had come from Someone beyond himself.
The secondary characters are diverse and nicely drawn, and I liked them--or not--pretty much as intended. (At least, by the end, I decided I'd mostly liked the right ones; it was hard to tell in for quite a while just which ones were the good guys.) Dan was probably my favorite (aside from Ross and Travis), although I can't say much about him for fear of spoilers. Just--so good! And if I can't say much about Dan, I certainly can't say much about anyone else! In fact, I can't say much of anything without giving way too much away... It's one of those books you have to read for yourself.
Final rating--4.5 stars
Content--some off-page profanity; "hell" used mostly as a place or a descriptor for the mines; a few "sanitized" expressions; a fair amount of violence and death, although not graphic; a character is tortured physically and mentally
May 23, 2017
With Never, J. Grace Pennington has done something that I've always felt had fascinating possibilities—setting a traditional murder mystery in the Old West. But there is also another layer to the story that takes it beyond a simple whodunit. On the one hand is the traditional set-up of the small circle of suspects, the puzzling bits of evidence, and the amateur detectives' efforts to fit it all together, but then there is the additional plotline of Travis' sentence in the coal mines, and something darker at work there that just might tie into the reason for the murder.
On the mystery side, I thought the sleepwalking angle that sets the stage for the night of the crime was a particularly clever idea. The legal situation in the town seems decidedly unusual, but I suppose that is part of the point of the story after all. I personally was more interested in the mystery angle than the mine scenes, where the emphasis on the filth and sordidness of the workers' living conditions can sometimes get a little hard to take. But in spite of that, I definitely felt that it's the central theme of the book, expressed in that one word Never—never compromise—that ties the whole book together and is its most compelling element, possibly even stronger than the mystery plot. Some of the best passages in the story are the ones dealing with this theme. It's nice to find a book that simply and straightforwardly roots characters' determination to do right in their Christian faith, without making it seem tacked on just to make the book "Christian." Readers who appreciate that may enjoy this story even if they've never considered trying a Western or a mystery before.
On the mystery side, I thought the sleepwalking angle that sets the stage for the night of the crime was a particularly clever idea. The legal situation in the town seems decidedly unusual, but I suppose that is part of the point of the story after all. I personally was more interested in the mystery angle than the mine scenes, where the emphasis on the filth and sordidness of the workers' living conditions can sometimes get a little hard to take. But in spite of that, I definitely felt that it's the central theme of the book, expressed in that one word Never—never compromise—that ties the whole book together and is its most compelling element, possibly even stronger than the mystery plot. Some of the best passages in the story are the ones dealing with this theme. It's nice to find a book that simply and straightforwardly roots characters' determination to do right in their Christian faith, without making it seem tacked on just to make the book "Christian." Readers who appreciate that may enjoy this story even if they've never considered trying a Western or a mystery before.
October 31, 2017
Whew. That. Was. Intense.
This is one of those books where the awesome, is super awesome and the miserable, is super miserable! You feel for the characters so strongly! You feel their confusion, pain, and sorrow in a strong way! POOR Travis! And Ross. Oh, I loved Ross. Such a strong story line. Pennington is continually great at plotting and character arcs! I did NOT see that last big plot twist coming! I mean, wowzers! Well done, Ms. Pennington!
This is one of those books where the awesome, is super awesome and the miserable, is super miserable! You feel for the characters so strongly! You feel their confusion, pain, and sorrow in a strong way! POOR Travis! And Ross. Oh, I loved Ross. Such a strong story line. Pennington is continually great at plotting and character arcs! I did NOT see that last big plot twist coming! I mean, wowzers! Well done, Ms. Pennington!
July 12, 2017
Kk, one of my rare reviews. XD
This book. Like OHMEGOODNESS. How do I start?? I mean, it was about brothers, so I definitely couldn't resist. And then, I heard that this book had injury in it.
How could I resist?!
There were some slightly (yet pretty awesome) creepy parts that reminded me of the Laredo (a western TV show) episode called "Sound of Terror", for those of you who have seen Laredo. Only on a smaller scale. ;)
*SPOILER ALERT*
Travis was amazing. I mean, keeping strong and trusting in God while his whole body was rebelling, telling him to give in... just ack. He was so sweet.
Ross, the big brother everyone wants. The guy that went to great lengths to prove his brother's innocence, and I was kept guessing pretty much the entire time as to whom the murderer was.
And then the ending... goodness gracious, my mind was screaming, "TRAVIS GET UP YOUR BROTHER NEEEEEDS YOUUUUU" and then HE PULLED THROUGH.
So if you like happy endings... yup. This book was AMAZING.
This book. Like OHMEGOODNESS. How do I start?? I mean, it was about brothers, so I definitely couldn't resist. And then, I heard that this book had injury in it.
How could I resist?!
There were some slightly (yet pretty awesome) creepy parts that reminded me of the Laredo (a western TV show) episode called "Sound of Terror", for those of you who have seen Laredo. Only on a smaller scale. ;)
*SPOILER ALERT*
Travis was amazing. I mean, keeping strong and trusting in God while his whole body was rebelling, telling him to give in... just ack. He was so sweet.
Ross, the big brother everyone wants. The guy that went to great lengths to prove his brother's innocence, and I was kept guessing pretty much the entire time as to whom the murderer was.
And then the ending... goodness gracious, my mind was screaming, "TRAVIS GET UP YOUR BROTHER NEEEEEDS YOUUUUU" and then HE PULLED THROUGH.
So if you like happy endings... yup. This book was AMAZING.
October 7, 2015
This was an amazing!!!! mysterious story I borrowed that kept me reading as long as I was able to whilest vacationing with dear friends. ;) The plot was intriguing and kept me on the edge of my seat till the last page - I just HAD to finish it before I went home!
It's a little bit "rugged" in spots, as it's a thrilling adventure story with lot's of action taking place, but it has great faith and character messages and a wonderfully woven story. There were so many unexpected surprises along the way! This also is a good boy or girl gift for friends and family. Now I'm going to have to buy a copy for my own collection! ;)
It's a little bit "rugged" in spots, as it's a thrilling adventure story with lot's of action taking place, but it has great faith and character messages and a wonderfully woven story. There were so many unexpected surprises along the way! This also is a good boy or girl gift for friends and family. Now I'm going to have to buy a copy for my own collection! ;)
July 6, 2018
Very well written - the description drew me in. The premise was catchy and the flow of events made me want to keep reading. The characters were well-developed and the message was excellently done - and much needed in our world today.
The content itself wasn’t exactly my type of book - more violence than I personally care for - but it wasn’t at all over-the-top or graphic. The mystery was well-woven, though the explanations at the end didn’t quite all come together perfectly for me. So much was involved that it was difficult to keep it all straight in the end.
I’d recommend this book to fans of historical mystery and Westerns.
The content itself wasn’t exactly my type of book - more violence than I personally care for - but it wasn’t at all over-the-top or graphic. The mystery was well-woven, though the explanations at the end didn’t quite all come together perfectly for me. So much was involved that it was difficult to keep it all straight in the end.
I’d recommend this book to fans of historical mystery and Westerns.
August 19, 2014
Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for mild violence, mildly disturbing scenes, and subject of murder.
Best for Ages: 15 and up
Never is…Wow!
Never is…Amazing!
Never is…Thought provoking!
I really, really love Pennington’s Firmament series and thought nothing could come close to that, but I was wrong. This book is an amazing tale and is much more than just another whodunit.
This book kept me up late (we call Pennington the sleep-stealer at my house) reading, flipping pages, and second guessing myself. I was so sure I had most of it figured out at the beginning of the book. While some of my guesses were right, many were way off.
If you read some of the reviews you might be confused as to whether this book is full of Christian preachiness or if it has no religion in it whatsoever. I think the reason for the mixed reviews on this subject is because a lot of that has to do with what you take away from the story. There was no sermonizing at all, no great speeches about God, no character quoting Bible verses every other page. However, for those that want to find it, there are some amazing morals to this story, and God is to be found. To me, it was the most balanced Christian book I have read.
The characters were timeless. The brothers Travis and Ross were so awesome. Their very manly friendship and deep care for one another was evident. The side characters sparkled with depth and originality, helping to make this book unforgettable.
Another plus for many of those who follow my reviews is that there is no romance in this story. There are not even the typical bad girls that normally populate western stories.
I highly recommend this story for those who like clean mysteries, thought-provoking stories, and western tales.
Best for Ages: 15 and up
Never is…Wow!
Never is…Amazing!
Never is…Thought provoking!
I really, really love Pennington’s Firmament series and thought nothing could come close to that, but I was wrong. This book is an amazing tale and is much more than just another whodunit.
This book kept me up late (we call Pennington the sleep-stealer at my house) reading, flipping pages, and second guessing myself. I was so sure I had most of it figured out at the beginning of the book. While some of my guesses were right, many were way off.
If you read some of the reviews you might be confused as to whether this book is full of Christian preachiness or if it has no religion in it whatsoever. I think the reason for the mixed reviews on this subject is because a lot of that has to do with what you take away from the story. There was no sermonizing at all, no great speeches about God, no character quoting Bible verses every other page. However, for those that want to find it, there are some amazing morals to this story, and God is to be found. To me, it was the most balanced Christian book I have read.
The characters were timeless. The brothers Travis and Ross were so awesome. Their very manly friendship and deep care for one another was evident. The side characters sparkled with depth and originality, helping to make this book unforgettable.
Another plus for many of those who follow my reviews is that there is no romance in this story. There are not even the typical bad girls that normally populate western stories.
I highly recommend this story for those who like clean mysteries, thought-provoking stories, and western tales.
March 3, 2013
Never.
This word inspires Travis and Ross as they persevere through hardship and injustice in this mysterious western. When a shot rings out in the night, two brothers find themselves in the midst of a mess far more complicated and sinister than they realized existed in their little town. With one brother convicted of murder and the other seeking to prove him innocent, the plot unfolds into a Whodunnit complete with multiple suspects and double-crossing characters. The story unpacks into unlikely heroes, faithful sidekicks, unexpected enemies, and even a very important canary!
The story deals with important issues like not compromising even if it will cost you your life and perseverance in trials even when you are weak. The characters were rich and easy to sympathize with. The emotion and feelings were portrayed with realism, not coming across as overly psychological, but still making me feel every gut-wrenching moment of the characters' trials. I was genuinely depressed while in the mines with Travis!
I do feel there could have been more reliance on Christ demonstrated in the story. This is really my only critique, though!
I heartily recommend this story for older readers. An excellent Whodunnit with characters of strong character and a legacy of no-compromise handed down from a good father.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This word inspires Travis and Ross as they persevere through hardship and injustice in this mysterious western. When a shot rings out in the night, two brothers find themselves in the midst of a mess far more complicated and sinister than they realized existed in their little town. With one brother convicted of murder and the other seeking to prove him innocent, the plot unfolds into a Whodunnit complete with multiple suspects and double-crossing characters. The story unpacks into unlikely heroes, faithful sidekicks, unexpected enemies, and even a very important canary!
The story deals with important issues like not compromising even if it will cost you your life and perseverance in trials even when you are weak. The characters were rich and easy to sympathize with. The emotion and feelings were portrayed with realism, not coming across as overly psychological, but still making me feel every gut-wrenching moment of the characters' trials. I was genuinely depressed while in the mines with Travis!
I do feel there could have been more reliance on Christ demonstrated in the story. This is really my only critique, though!
I heartily recommend this story for older readers. An excellent Whodunnit with characters of strong character and a legacy of no-compromise handed down from a good father.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 27, 2016
This book was great in the sense that it had a surprise ending, an unlikely hero, and a totally unforeseen villain. The description was amazing, pulling me into Travis' despairing life in the mines as if I were there. I do realize I don't have much of a concept of what the characters look like, but when something was very important, like that glass of water or the mountain of coal, Miss Pennington described it just like she was there. I continued to read the book just to find out what happened because I had no idea what exactly was going on.
I did, however, have a hard time rating this book for two reasons. First, I found the violence (inevitable to a town in the Old West) too graphic. There is a painful reality of violence in this world but the grossness of it all is not something to be reveled in. Also, I found the book to be more moralistic than Christian--meaning that although the characters saw murder as wrong because God says so, it seemed to matter more to them that their father said it was wrong. There were times when their Christianity seemed to come out more, but I'm not sure any of them ever prayed to God for help. Also, Travis' reason for hope was that Ross might be able to save him and reason for going on was his father's words to "never give up".
This book was enjoyable as a mystery, but I would not recommend it for younger or more sensitive readers.
I did, however, have a hard time rating this book for two reasons. First, I found the violence (inevitable to a town in the Old West) too graphic. There is a painful reality of violence in this world but the grossness of it all is not something to be reveled in. Also, I found the book to be more moralistic than Christian--meaning that although the characters saw murder as wrong because God says so, it seemed to matter more to them that their father said it was wrong. There were times when their Christianity seemed to come out more, but I'm not sure any of them ever prayed to God for help. Also, Travis' reason for hope was that Ross might be able to save him and reason for going on was his father's words to "never give up".
This book was enjoyable as a mystery, but I would not recommend it for younger or more sensitive readers.
May 16, 2016
Rating: 3.5/5
I enjoyed this book. It definitely kept me flipping the pages to try and figure everything out. With mystery stories, I just end up suspecting everyone to cover all my bases, but Ms. Pennington did an excellent job of hinting and redirecting to keep the suspense up to the very end.
I didn't like Travis as much as his brother Ross. But all the supporting characters were varied and colorful. I enjoy the author's writing style and she does a marvelous storytelling job.
My only little quibble is how debilitated Travis became once reaching the mines. If I recall correctly, the story takes place over little more than a week. Yes, it's said that he's not used to hard manual labor, but he's young and healthy going in and the human body adapts very quickly. Especially since a lot of other people seemed to survive their first week there. Anyway, this is a personal thing, so please don't let it stop you from enjoying this story.
Recommended for anyone who loves Westerns, mystery, and suspense!
I enjoyed this book. It definitely kept me flipping the pages to try and figure everything out. With mystery stories, I just end up suspecting everyone to cover all my bases, but Ms. Pennington did an excellent job of hinting and redirecting to keep the suspense up to the very end.
I didn't like Travis as much as his brother Ross. But all the supporting characters were varied and colorful. I enjoy the author's writing style and she does a marvelous storytelling job.
My only little quibble is how debilitated Travis became once reaching the mines. If I recall correctly, the story takes place over little more than a week. Yes, it's said that he's not used to hard manual labor, but he's young and healthy going in and the human body adapts very quickly. Especially since a lot of other people seemed to survive their first week there. Anyway, this is a personal thing, so please don't let it stop you from enjoying this story.
Recommended for anyone who loves Westerns, mystery, and suspense!
January 21, 2013
After reading Miss Pennington's science fiction book 'Firmament: Radialloy', I wasn't sure if she could top that with a western. The only westerns I've ever read have been the 'Journeys of the Stranger' series, written by a Christian, that are not really that well written. My brother also wrote some cowboy stories when he was twelve or thirteen. Of course, I've watched quite a few old cowboy movies and enjoyed many of them. So I guess you'd say I have a fairly good grasp of the genre but I'm not crazy about it.
So, with all that said, I'd say that the mark of a good author is that they can take you into any genre, even one that you don't normally read or care about, and hook you. Which is what happened with 'Never'.
The story alternates between the POVs of two brothers: Ross Hamilton and his younger brother Travis. They live a good life in Spencervale, with Ross running the ranch that his father left him and Travis studying to be a school teacher. Then Grange Miller shows up in town, broken, dispirited, and extremely angry. Travis, through no fault of his own, gets on Miller's bad side, as do Travis's teacher Master Hayle and the town doctor. It is established early on that Travis has a problem with sleepwalking. So when he wakes up to find the sherrif accusing him of murdering Grange Miller, and with a witness to prove it, it looks like it's a closed case. But Ross isn't so sure, and things just don't add up.
With Travis sentenced to ten years in the brutal Dead Mines, Ross knows he has to prove that his brother is innocent. He is certain that at least one of the people staying in the hotel at the time of the murder had something to do with it, and so he and Master Hayle figure out a way to quarantine the hotel on account of a 'case' of the measles. However, Ross realizes that the more he investigates, the less clear everything is becoming and the less trustworthy everyone he thought he knew.
Meanwhile, Travis, not used to a lot of physical work, finds himself being worn down day by day, with little food or drink, fellow convicts that are more animal than human, and increasing pressure from the evil Mr. Renshaw to do 'work' that Travis is quite sure is not morally right.
So, my thoughts. The book started out just a tad slow, but it picked up very quickly. I really liked Travis and Ross, and the cast of supporting characters was great. Miss Pennington knows how to pile on the tension and how to tangle everything up so that we become as puzzled as the main characters, then she unravels it slowly and makes us say, "Wow!"
As in 'Radialloy', the main characters are Christians, but again it isn't preachy or hit-you-on-the-head stuff. It's very refreshing to see the characters acting out their faith, and growing in it too, without having a corny and unrealistic 'conversion scene' as so many Christian authors feel they have to put in for their book to be 'Christian'.
The author is also very good at evoking emotions. There was one place where I seriously wanted to cry (not going to spoil it for ya'll, but it had to do with a young woman named Kate), and I could feel Travis's despair and weariness and everything.
There are a few cons, but not many. I thought that the book emphasized Travis's sensitiveness a bit too much. He wasn't a sissy by any stretch of the imagination, and I didn't like that word being used so often because of the connotations. There were also a number of typos, where a letter of a word would be missing, which hopefully will be fixed in later editions. Other than that, though, I say thumbs up to J. Grace Pennington for a wonderful and engaging tale. I hope she'll write more cowboy stories, because I will definitely read them.
So, with all that said, I'd say that the mark of a good author is that they can take you into any genre, even one that you don't normally read or care about, and hook you. Which is what happened with 'Never'.
The story alternates between the POVs of two brothers: Ross Hamilton and his younger brother Travis. They live a good life in Spencervale, with Ross running the ranch that his father left him and Travis studying to be a school teacher. Then Grange Miller shows up in town, broken, dispirited, and extremely angry. Travis, through no fault of his own, gets on Miller's bad side, as do Travis's teacher Master Hayle and the town doctor. It is established early on that Travis has a problem with sleepwalking. So when he wakes up to find the sherrif accusing him of murdering Grange Miller, and with a witness to prove it, it looks like it's a closed case. But Ross isn't so sure, and things just don't add up.
With Travis sentenced to ten years in the brutal Dead Mines, Ross knows he has to prove that his brother is innocent. He is certain that at least one of the people staying in the hotel at the time of the murder had something to do with it, and so he and Master Hayle figure out a way to quarantine the hotel on account of a 'case' of the measles. However, Ross realizes that the more he investigates, the less clear everything is becoming and the less trustworthy everyone he thought he knew.
Meanwhile, Travis, not used to a lot of physical work, finds himself being worn down day by day, with little food or drink, fellow convicts that are more animal than human, and increasing pressure from the evil Mr. Renshaw to do 'work' that Travis is quite sure is not morally right.
So, my thoughts. The book started out just a tad slow, but it picked up very quickly. I really liked Travis and Ross, and the cast of supporting characters was great. Miss Pennington knows how to pile on the tension and how to tangle everything up so that we become as puzzled as the main characters, then she unravels it slowly and makes us say, "Wow!"
As in 'Radialloy', the main characters are Christians, but again it isn't preachy or hit-you-on-the-head stuff. It's very refreshing to see the characters acting out their faith, and growing in it too, without having a corny and unrealistic 'conversion scene' as so many Christian authors feel they have to put in for their book to be 'Christian'.
The author is also very good at evoking emotions. There was one place where I seriously wanted to cry (not going to spoil it for ya'll, but it had to do with a young woman named Kate), and I could feel Travis's despair and weariness and everything.
There are a few cons, but not many. I thought that the book emphasized Travis's sensitiveness a bit too much. He wasn't a sissy by any stretch of the imagination, and I didn't like that word being used so often because of the connotations. There were also a number of typos, where a letter of a word would be missing, which hopefully will be fixed in later editions. Other than that, though, I say thumbs up to J. Grace Pennington for a wonderful and engaging tale. I hope she'll write more cowboy stories, because I will definitely read them.
May 19, 2015
Deep and Satisfying
Brothers Ross and Travis Hamilton are very different. Nevertheless, when quiet, sensitive, bookworm Travis is convicted of murder, hard-working, practical Ross is determined to prove him innocent; even though Travis himself isn't sure he's innocent.
Travis's punishment is ten years in a nearby coal mine worked by convicts. As he adjusts to life underground, with poor food, little rest, and inadequate water, he struggles to hold fast to the principles of integrity his late father taught him.
Meanwhile, Ross deals with a town unusually full of suspicious strangers. Clues pass like sand scattering in the desert wind, leaving Ross mystified, and Travis no closer to escaping the so-called "Dead Mines" with his life. As Ross's time to understand the plot runs out, Travis's tormenters continue to ratchet up the pressure, trying to crack him (for what purpose, he doesn't know). Nevertheless, the brothers are determined to do what they believe is right, never abandoning the principles that make them who they are.
I have to admit I have a soft spot for stories about brother relationships. So, I've been looking forward to reading this book, and I was not disappointed. There's more to "Never" than family loyalties, though. Unlikely allies confront shadowy villains. Disparate threads combine later on to point to a reasonable answer. Suffering is real (prepare to become *very* thirsty), and hope is faint, but not absent.
And this is the heart of Ms. Pennington's novel. The brothers' hope is not in the near-monarchical justice system of their western town. It's not, ultimately, in their own ability to vindicate or rescue themselves.
It's a hope that gives the strength – a strength not their own – to press on. Even when things look bad. Even when nothing looks like it can come out right. Even when Travis has been worked down to a living shell of what he once was, he has hope that he will stand firm and do the right thing, and never compromise. Never submit to evil. Never.
(Technical Note: I purchased the ebook version of this book. Reading it in Kindle Ereader had no problems, but when I converted it via Calibre for reading on my Nook, an error occurred where random words were added to the end of random paragraphs where they didn't belong, the text was not properly formatted, and some paragraphs were even missing words or sentences in the middle.)
Brothers Ross and Travis Hamilton are very different. Nevertheless, when quiet, sensitive, bookworm Travis is convicted of murder, hard-working, practical Ross is determined to prove him innocent; even though Travis himself isn't sure he's innocent.
Travis's punishment is ten years in a nearby coal mine worked by convicts. As he adjusts to life underground, with poor food, little rest, and inadequate water, he struggles to hold fast to the principles of integrity his late father taught him.
Meanwhile, Ross deals with a town unusually full of suspicious strangers. Clues pass like sand scattering in the desert wind, leaving Ross mystified, and Travis no closer to escaping the so-called "Dead Mines" with his life. As Ross's time to understand the plot runs out, Travis's tormenters continue to ratchet up the pressure, trying to crack him (for what purpose, he doesn't know). Nevertheless, the brothers are determined to do what they believe is right, never abandoning the principles that make them who they are.
I have to admit I have a soft spot for stories about brother relationships. So, I've been looking forward to reading this book, and I was not disappointed. There's more to "Never" than family loyalties, though. Unlikely allies confront shadowy villains. Disparate threads combine later on to point to a reasonable answer. Suffering is real (prepare to become *very* thirsty), and hope is faint, but not absent.
And this is the heart of Ms. Pennington's novel. The brothers' hope is not in the near-monarchical justice system of their western town. It's not, ultimately, in their own ability to vindicate or rescue themselves.
It's a hope that gives the strength – a strength not their own – to press on. Even when things look bad. Even when nothing looks like it can come out right. Even when Travis has been worked down to a living shell of what he once was, he has hope that he will stand firm and do the right thing, and never compromise. Never submit to evil. Never.
(Technical Note: I purchased the ebook version of this book. Reading it in Kindle Ereader had no problems, but when I converted it via Calibre for reading on my Nook, an error occurred where random words were added to the end of random paragraphs where they didn't belong, the text was not properly formatted, and some paragraphs were even missing words or sentences in the middle.)
January 16, 2013
Water n : a necessary supplement to life.
Thirst n : 1 a : What one feels after lack of water. b : can be used as torture.
Never adv 1 a : at no time, b : not under any condition.
Henry Hamilton gave his boys a lasting legacy: strong morals and the conviction to never give in when the going got tough. Would his legacy withstand one of the toughest trials two young men could go through?
Ross Hamilton promised his dying father that he would take care of his younger brother. Then Travis was convicted of murder. Would he be able to keep his promise by convincing others that Travis was not the killer?
Travis Hamilton. Son of a rancher, but not used to really hard labor. His dream was to become a schoolteacher and he worked hard at his studying. Then he was convicted of murder and sent to hell on earth: the Dead Mines where he would be forced to work harder than ever before. Would he give into the demands of the mine boss?
Can Ross find proof of Travis' innocence? Will Travis survive the mines ten days let alone ten years?
The Good
Grace does a wonderful job writing an interesting and intriguing story. Her characters are likable and hate-able. Her plot keeps you guessing to the very last page. Her writing style is perfect for the Western genre. The dialogue has a very tasteful amount of written Western accent in it.
The Bad
I stayed up too late so I could finish it. Grace made me want to know Travis and Ross better. Write more about them, please?
The Ugly
Shane Renshaw. The perfect bad guy.
The Summary
This was the cleanest, most wholesome, family friendly, enjoyable Western I have ever read. And I have read quite a few. If you like Historical Fiction, Westerns, Louis L'Amour, or mysteries, this book is definitely for you. Even if you do not usually read any of those, pick it up and read it anyway.
Due to some violence, I would recommend “Never” for ages 10 and up.
Make sure you add this book to your reading list and/or Christmas list.
Thirst n : 1 a : What one feels after lack of water. b : can be used as torture.
Never adv 1 a : at no time, b : not under any condition.
Henry Hamilton gave his boys a lasting legacy: strong morals and the conviction to never give in when the going got tough. Would his legacy withstand one of the toughest trials two young men could go through?
Ross Hamilton promised his dying father that he would take care of his younger brother. Then Travis was convicted of murder. Would he be able to keep his promise by convincing others that Travis was not the killer?
Travis Hamilton. Son of a rancher, but not used to really hard labor. His dream was to become a schoolteacher and he worked hard at his studying. Then he was convicted of murder and sent to hell on earth: the Dead Mines where he would be forced to work harder than ever before. Would he give into the demands of the mine boss?
Can Ross find proof of Travis' innocence? Will Travis survive the mines ten days let alone ten years?
The Good
Grace does a wonderful job writing an interesting and intriguing story. Her characters are likable and hate-able. Her plot keeps you guessing to the very last page. Her writing style is perfect for the Western genre. The dialogue has a very tasteful amount of written Western accent in it.
The Bad
I stayed up too late so I could finish it. Grace made me want to know Travis and Ross better. Write more about them, please?
The Ugly
Shane Renshaw. The perfect bad guy.
The Summary
This was the cleanest, most wholesome, family friendly, enjoyable Western I have ever read. And I have read quite a few. If you like Historical Fiction, Westerns, Louis L'Amour, or mysteries, this book is definitely for you. Even if you do not usually read any of those, pick it up and read it anyway.
Due to some violence, I would recommend “Never” for ages 10 and up.
Make sure you add this book to your reading list and/or Christmas list.
March 4, 2015
Again I am in awe of Grace's skill with the mystery side of her stories. Not only is it better than any mystery I have attempted to write, it is better than most of the mystery series I grew up on. Grace kept me guessing "whodunit" for quite a while, and even at the end I was going "He's on that side? I thought I could trust him." At the beginning, I wasn't even entirely sure the Travis hadn't somehow done it. About halfway through the book, the plot thickens considerably, revealing it to be more than just a random murder.
On the non-mystery side of the story, I loved the mine parts of the story. I've loved terrible underground places in stories since I was little (probably since I first read The Silver Chair) and the Dead Mines was such a place. The description of the conditions in the mine was extremely good, dark and grimy, hardly any food, nasty water, etc. Travis's experience was very well written, to say the least. Ross and Travis were well developed characters, they have their own personalities, and, despite being very different, are very close brothers. The message to never compromise your principles is well done, especially since the principles the Hamiltons are determined never to compromise are Christian ones.
The one thing I can think of that I didn't particularly like was that the word "then" was used a bit too often at the very beginning. However, further into the book she used the word much more sparingly.
In short, I really enjoyed Never, and would definitely recommend it, though, due to the subject of murder, probably not for young children.
My sister wants me to add that she thinks it is "totally awesome."
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
On the non-mystery side of the story, I loved the mine parts of the story. I've loved terrible underground places in stories since I was little (probably since I first read The Silver Chair) and the Dead Mines was such a place. The description of the conditions in the mine was extremely good, dark and grimy, hardly any food, nasty water, etc. Travis's experience was very well written, to say the least. Ross and Travis were well developed characters, they have their own personalities, and, despite being very different, are very close brothers. The message to never compromise your principles is well done, especially since the principles the Hamiltons are determined never to compromise are Christian ones.
The one thing I can think of that I didn't particularly like was that the word "then" was used a bit too often at the very beginning. However, further into the book she used the word much more sparingly.
In short, I really enjoyed Never, and would definitely recommend it, though, due to the subject of murder, probably not for young children.
My sister wants me to add that she thinks it is "totally awesome."
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
March 15, 2016
Um... Wow. I was not expecting that.
I was not expecting to spend all day reading this book when I only intended to read a little.
I was not expecting to be so gripped by this story that I couldn't stop.
I was not expecting to have to rate this five stars.
I was not expecting this book to be so well written and put together and full of such strong things.
But boy... was it all of that.
The mystery was well crafted; I had many suspicions and while some of them were right there were several surprises, but they all made sense. I do love a good mystery/whodunnit and this was one.
The western aspect was well drawn; I felt entirely immersed in the old west, complete with dust and heat. I should also say that I've hardly read any westerns before this. I can probably count them on one hand. But now... I enjoyed this book's western aspect so much that it has made me want to read more of them!
The characters were all interesting and there were several I had a hard time figuring out if they were good or not--which again aided the mystery. I loved that.
The brothers were marvelously done characters; I really loved their closeness and love and admiration for each other, but how they also stood firm on their own. Travis was great and I must say I loved Ross. ;)
It's been awhile since I've read a story that did such a good job of characters trying to apply living good, moral, Christian lives to what was going on around them. I was impressed with how this was done, yet in an extremely natural, non-preachy way.
I recommend it to readers sixteen and up, for generally disturbing situations; I found it to be slightly dark but in a good way--a way that makes one think.
Well done, Miss Pennington. Thanks for the good read. I'll be watching your writing career with interest... ;)
I was not expecting to spend all day reading this book when I only intended to read a little.
I was not expecting to be so gripped by this story that I couldn't stop.
I was not expecting to have to rate this five stars.
I was not expecting this book to be so well written and put together and full of such strong things.
But boy... was it all of that.
The mystery was well crafted; I had many suspicions and while some of them were right there were several surprises, but they all made sense. I do love a good mystery/whodunnit and this was one.
The western aspect was well drawn; I felt entirely immersed in the old west, complete with dust and heat. I should also say that I've hardly read any westerns before this. I can probably count them on one hand. But now... I enjoyed this book's western aspect so much that it has made me want to read more of them!
The characters were all interesting and there were several I had a hard time figuring out if they were good or not--which again aided the mystery. I loved that.
The brothers were marvelously done characters; I really loved their closeness and love and admiration for each other, but how they also stood firm on their own. Travis was great and I must say I loved Ross. ;)
It's been awhile since I've read a story that did such a good job of characters trying to apply living good, moral, Christian lives to what was going on around them. I was impressed with how this was done, yet in an extremely natural, non-preachy way.
I recommend it to readers sixteen and up, for generally disturbing situations; I found it to be slightly dark but in a good way--a way that makes one think.
Well done, Miss Pennington. Thanks for the good read. I'll be watching your writing career with interest... ;)
December 19, 2012
I think this is the first time I've given a self-published book a five star rating. I found "Never" through a blog scavenger hunt the author did to celebrate the book release. When I downloaded the free sample, I didn't know what to expect. The sample definitely hooked me.
Travis Hamilton, a scholarly young man, is an unlikely suspect for murder. When he is convicted and sentenced ten years labor in Dead Mines, his brother Ross is determined to clear Travis. Ross knows his brother cannot survive the sentence, and he knows Travis is not the murderer. But the web of deception is more tangled than either brother imagined. As their journeys increase in difficulty, both brothers turn to moral convictions that must "never" be abandoned, no matter what the cost. Can Travis survive the evil rule of the mine boss? Can Ross reach the bottom of an ever deepening mystery before it's too late to rescue his brother?
Some of Travis's experiences in the mine might make this book unsuitable for young children. I'd give it a PG rating. That said, this book was refreshing. Even in Christian fiction, it's rare to see heroes sticking to what they believe as tenaciously as Ross and Travis. The author did a wonderful job showing principled good winning over unprincipled evil. I'll be looking forward to reading more from this author.
[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.]
Travis Hamilton, a scholarly young man, is an unlikely suspect for murder. When he is convicted and sentenced ten years labor in Dead Mines, his brother Ross is determined to clear Travis. Ross knows his brother cannot survive the sentence, and he knows Travis is not the murderer. But the web of deception is more tangled than either brother imagined. As their journeys increase in difficulty, both brothers turn to moral convictions that must "never" be abandoned, no matter what the cost. Can Travis survive the evil rule of the mine boss? Can Ross reach the bottom of an ever deepening mystery before it's too late to rescue his brother?
Some of Travis's experiences in the mine might make this book unsuitable for young children. I'd give it a PG rating. That said, this book was refreshing. Even in Christian fiction, it's rare to see heroes sticking to what they believe as tenaciously as Ross and Travis. The author did a wonderful job showing principled good winning over unprincipled evil. I'll be looking forward to reading more from this author.
[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.]
May 9, 2016
Good book!!
Enjoyed this book. A very dark story though. Well written. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well written book!!
Enjoyed this book. A very dark story though. Well written. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well written book!!
dnf
March 3, 2018Maybe I was just in the wrong mood, but at one chapter in I didn't care enough to keep reading. I might be willing to give it another try sometime, but for now I'm moving on.
August 24, 2020
Interesting concept
Most certainly want your typical western. Can’t say much more without spoilers. Recommended for 12+ for thematic material covered, particularly because of a particular sadistic bad guy who is kinda creepy (no terrible details, but it is a bit much for little kids for a baddy to enjoy casting people suffering).
Most certainly want your typical western. Can’t say much more without spoilers. Recommended for 12+ for thematic material covered, particularly because of a particular sadistic bad guy who is kinda creepy (no terrible details, but it is a bit much for little kids for a baddy to enjoy casting people suffering).
March 15, 2013
Never is a tale of two young men who were brought up to a high standard--to never compromise, no matter what. This principle is put to the test when Travis, the younger of the two and an aspiring school teacher, is convicted of murder. All the evidence seems to prove his guilt, and he even believes himself to be guilty by the time he is sentenced ten years hard labor in the Dead Mines--a living hell according to some. It is an embellished, drawn-out, death sentence.
Ross, older brother to the accused, is determined to find out what really happened, and prove his brother's innocence--leaving his ranch and going way out of his element.
Both brothers are stretched to their limits and beyond. Travis is shown an easier way; a better way. A way that he knows is against everything he's ever been taught.
Ross is forced to admit that he must not thwart justice in his attempts to save his brother. No matter how right he thinks he is.
Both brothers are severely tempted to compromise, there is no promise that doing otherwise will bring about a better result; and time is running out.
A complex mystery set in the wild west, Never is a quick, solid, enjoyable read. The historical setting is believable, and the mystery fits it well. At first, a western-mystery sounded like a strange mixture of genres to me for some reason; but I've seen Roy Rogers, and other similar tv shows before, and this reminds me of them in a few ways.
Yet it has something those did not, at least not to this extent. This story has a strong message running through it. No, the book is not a sermon, the 'message' does not obscure the story in the least--the story drives the message home, without you noticing you feel it unless you look for it.
It shows the importance of the resolution to never ever give up--whether this means simply giving in to someone's demands, succumbing to the majority, or laying down to die. It shows how important the word, and concept of, 'never' can become.
It demonstrates clearly the ravishes of temptation, and how impossible things will become.
It demonstrates that we need a Savior to get us through.
My breakdown and rating:
Plot: 5/5
Complex, mirky, unpredictable. You get the idea very early on that something isn't right, and that feeling grows progressively throughout the story as you try to put the pieces together. You won't likely know what's up until the end of the book, but at the same time you have plenty to speculate on along the way.
Characters: 5/5
Real, deep, detailed. You can feel their anguish (there's a lot of this...), worry, anger, despair...and determination.
Writing: 5/5
The writing style is smooth, descriptive, and not unnecessarily complicated--perfect for fast reading so you can find out where things are going sooner. Exceptionally good writing, especially considering its self-publishedness. It also has a very visual thread to it, which I appreciate in a book--keeps me from getting lost.
Overall: 5/5 (as you probably guessed..)
Note: This book portrays some ugly things necessary to convey its message. Reader discretion advised.
Ross, older brother to the accused, is determined to find out what really happened, and prove his brother's innocence--leaving his ranch and going way out of his element.
Both brothers are stretched to their limits and beyond. Travis is shown an easier way; a better way. A way that he knows is against everything he's ever been taught.
Ross is forced to admit that he must not thwart justice in his attempts to save his brother. No matter how right he thinks he is.
Both brothers are severely tempted to compromise, there is no promise that doing otherwise will bring about a better result; and time is running out.
A complex mystery set in the wild west, Never is a quick, solid, enjoyable read. The historical setting is believable, and the mystery fits it well. At first, a western-mystery sounded like a strange mixture of genres to me for some reason; but I've seen Roy Rogers, and other similar tv shows before, and this reminds me of them in a few ways.
Yet it has something those did not, at least not to this extent. This story has a strong message running through it. No, the book is not a sermon, the 'message' does not obscure the story in the least--the story drives the message home, without you noticing you feel it unless you look for it.
It shows the importance of the resolution to never ever give up--whether this means simply giving in to someone's demands, succumbing to the majority, or laying down to die. It shows how important the word, and concept of, 'never' can become.
It demonstrates clearly the ravishes of temptation, and how impossible things will become.
It demonstrates that we need a Savior to get us through.
My breakdown and rating:
Plot: 5/5
Complex, mirky, unpredictable. You get the idea very early on that something isn't right, and that feeling grows progressively throughout the story as you try to put the pieces together. You won't likely know what's up until the end of the book, but at the same time you have plenty to speculate on along the way.
Characters: 5/5
Real, deep, detailed. You can feel their anguish (there's a lot of this...), worry, anger, despair...and determination.
Writing: 5/5
The writing style is smooth, descriptive, and not unnecessarily complicated--perfect for fast reading so you can find out where things are going sooner. Exceptionally good writing, especially considering its self-publishedness. It also has a very visual thread to it, which I appreciate in a book--keeps me from getting lost.
Overall: 5/5 (as you probably guessed..)
Note: This book portrays some ugly things necessary to convey its message. Reader discretion advised.
March 8, 2013
Last night, I finished reading a book called Never, by J. Grace Pennington.
The writing style of the book just blew me away. I mean, I had high expectations for Never to begin with, and I was still pleasantly surprised by what I read. The characters were vivid and three-dimensional, the storyline was exciting, and there were plenty of plot twists along the way to keep you guessing.
I'm not going to give anything away, but the basic plot goes like this—Travis and Ross Hamilton are brothers who work on a ranch that their father left them when he passed away. Travis is bookish, and wants to become a teacher, and Ross supports him in that endeavour.
Everything goes wrong when a murder is committed in town... and all evidence points to Travis as the killer.
He is sentenced to a certain amount of years of labor in the Dead Mines, which is basically a prison, only much worse.
But all is not what it seems in the Mines, or in the small town of Spencervale, for that matter.
I'm not going to tell you anymore, because let's face it—if you haven't read this book yet, you really should. But enough of my excited ranting; I'll give a more organized and neutral review now for those of you who prefer that to my rambling.
The book has pros and cons as well; every book does. I'll give the pros first, because there are more of them.
~~
Pros:
- The characters are vibrant and believable; much more so than most characters in other books that are being published these days. They have strengths and they have weaknesses. They have fears and they have doubts. Just like everybody does.
- The writing style is excellent. There aren't many people who can switch from two different points of view (Ross to Travis, in this particular book) without making a mistake or two. But Miss Pennington did it perfectly. She also did a very good job of switching POVs at cliffhangars, which made me read faster to get to the other character's POV to see what happened to them.
- The ending is unexpected. Now, there is information building up to the climax that should tell you how it's going to end, but it still surprised me all the same.
~~
Okay, now for cons. I only found one or two cons for the book, if I'm going to be completely honest.
Cons:
- There were a few spelling and punctuation mistakes in the book. Not many, but there were some there. Nothing too bad; and probably nothing that normal people would have noticed. I, however, am not normal and nitpick about every little bit of punctuation I come across.
~~
Now, see, what did I tell you? I've been sitting here nigh on ten minutes, and that's the only con I could come up with. I'm not exaggerating either—I'm making the effort to be completely honest in this review, so what I say is what I think.
So, let me see... I don't think there's much more I have to say. This is a book that would have normally taken me only one night to read, except I've been insanely busy lately, so it took me a few weeks.
If you have any questions about the book, let me know and I'll answer them!
God bless, love and peace,
Theodora
March 13, 2013
J. Grace Pennington’s latest novel, Never, is a story where a reader can taste the dust and feel the listless air of it’s desert setting, but most importantly, experience the pain and hardship the characters go through.
Not much usually happens in the small town of Spencerville, until Travis Hamilton is sentenced to ten years in the dead mines outside of town for a murder he did not commit... Or did he? Few return from the place alive, and Travis is tested to his limits in the days that follow.
His brother, Ross Hamilton, is a rancher, not a detective. Before long, though, it’s up to him to find out what is really going on in the mines and get Travis out before it is too late.
This book, just like Grace’s first novel, Firmament: Radialloy, was a one day read. Once I got into the story, it was impossible to put down. It was all I could think about during the short intervals that I could put it down. Before I knew it I was at page 90, then 290, and then the end of the book was fast approaching.
The mystery aspect of this novel kept me guessing. A couple of times I thought I had something figured out, and then the story had a twist that proved me wrong, and yet made perfect sense and didn’t leave me confused.
As the story gets reaches it’s climax, certain scenes had me very close to tears. I’m not the type of person who usually cries when reading books, either. But it was packed so full of emotion, and had characters that I cared for and truly wanted to see things come out on top for them (It’s useless to tell me that they’re just characters, since they felt so much like real people!)
This novel is clean, written from the perspective of Christian characters, and has some valuable morals that are very powerful. However, it does deal with darker and more mature content then Firmament: Radialloy. As a result, I would not suggest it for most under the age of 12 or so. It still comes highly recommend for teens and adults.
As a whole, this is a truly inspiring novel and I cannot say enough good things about it.
Not much usually happens in the small town of Spencerville, until Travis Hamilton is sentenced to ten years in the dead mines outside of town for a murder he did not commit... Or did he? Few return from the place alive, and Travis is tested to his limits in the days that follow.
His brother, Ross Hamilton, is a rancher, not a detective. Before long, though, it’s up to him to find out what is really going on in the mines and get Travis out before it is too late.
This book, just like Grace’s first novel, Firmament: Radialloy, was a one day read. Once I got into the story, it was impossible to put down. It was all I could think about during the short intervals that I could put it down. Before I knew it I was at page 90, then 290, and then the end of the book was fast approaching.
The mystery aspect of this novel kept me guessing. A couple of times I thought I had something figured out, and then the story had a twist that proved me wrong, and yet made perfect sense and didn’t leave me confused.
As the story gets reaches it’s climax, certain scenes had me very close to tears. I’m not the type of person who usually cries when reading books, either. But it was packed so full of emotion, and had characters that I cared for and truly wanted to see things come out on top for them (It’s useless to tell me that they’re just characters, since they felt so much like real people!)
This novel is clean, written from the perspective of Christian characters, and has some valuable morals that are very powerful. However, it does deal with darker and more mature content then Firmament: Radialloy. As a result, I would not suggest it for most under the age of 12 or so. It still comes highly recommend for teens and adults.
As a whole, this is a truly inspiring novel and I cannot say enough good things about it.
December 14, 2016
Full review here: http://oliviasinkspots.blogspot.com/2...
I enjoyed this book. I liked how a western novel had mystery and suspense, instead of an action/adventure aspect that might be expected. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery alongside Ross and the others, even though my guesses ended up being wrong. The ending kind of confused me, as to villain roles in the whole matter, but it was still fun to watch it all fall into place.
Travis' character was unique for me. I know it sounds awful to say it, but I liked seeing the immense struggle he had to endure, with the exhaustion and pain. It's was different to see that for a main character, and I liked seeing such hardship for the main character to experience. His overall personality was an interesting combination to the struggles he experiences too, and it made it interesting to watch him handle the situations he was put in.
The message of the book was very good, too, and well conveyed. Never giving up or compromising your beliefs, even when it means enduring trials instead of having it easy or safe.
I enjoyed this book. I liked how a western novel had mystery and suspense, instead of an action/adventure aspect that might be expected. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery alongside Ross and the others, even though my guesses ended up being wrong. The ending kind of confused me, as to villain roles in the whole matter, but it was still fun to watch it all fall into place.
Travis' character was unique for me. I know it sounds awful to say it, but I liked seeing the immense struggle he had to endure, with the exhaustion and pain. It's was different to see that for a main character, and I liked seeing such hardship for the main character to experience. His overall personality was an interesting combination to the struggles he experiences too, and it made it interesting to watch him handle the situations he was put in.
The message of the book was very good, too, and well conveyed. Never giving up or compromising your beliefs, even when it means enduring trials instead of having it easy or safe.
May 9, 2014
Had I checked more closely, other than the general Goodreads description of this book, I would've undoubtedly "never" read it. Anyone, including "born-again Christians" such as Ms. Pennington, has every right to put out a novel with their particular slant. At several places in this book the "preachiness" became apparent to me, and this just isn't my cup of tea. In my view, this was really a sort of sermonette under the guise of a novel. I'd agree that the overall plot is not bad. The writing is OK. I don't find the characters particularly well-defined or memorable. The author's frequent use of "kay" for "okay" is somewhat anachronistic & silly, not to mention annoying. Some elements of the story seem really far-fetched. I mean, given the description of the serious physical travails of Travis, could someone actually survive all that? About the only feature that kept my interest was the whodunit element. Compared to the initial Goodreads description, the novel was a disappointment to me.
October 15, 2013
If you're looking for a traditional western story where a lone gunslinging sheriff meets an unlawful villain on Main Street at high noon for a test of gun-drawing reflexes, you might want to find a different book. If you're looking for a story about two brothers sent on a wildly exciting and emotional ride where mettle is tested, perseverance is necessary, and survival is optional...this might be just the book for you.
In this gripping western by J. Grace Pennington, the western setting is blended with several elements of murder mystery, attempt at raw survival and not losing one's humanity, and a generous helping of emotion. (Stir elements thoroughly. Serve with comfy chair and warm, crackling fireplace.)
Teenagers (at least) and upward in age will be the best audience for this western, and those aforementioned who read Never will find it a great page-turner worthy of their time.
In this gripping western by J. Grace Pennington, the western setting is blended with several elements of murder mystery, attempt at raw survival and not losing one's humanity, and a generous helping of emotion. (Stir elements thoroughly. Serve with comfy chair and warm, crackling fireplace.)
Teenagers (at least) and upward in age will be the best audience for this western, and those aforementioned who read Never will find it a great page-turner worthy of their time.
June 6, 2021
So sad. So many twists.
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