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If I Never
Price is used to living within the shadow of threatening friend George - forever in the fear that not to follow his lead with will end with a beating. However, new developments mean his life finally seems to be moving from the dormant and gaining some positive development. Before long, though, George is back and Price finds himself following his friend once more. But this time it is different - secrets are discovered, decisions are to be made and life and perspective will never be the same again. If I Never is a novel about asking questions but being unsure if you want to know the answers.
399 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 2009
4 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Gary William Murning
6 books32 followersGary is a novelist living in the northeast of England. His work, largely literary fiction, focuses on themes that touch us all — love, death, loss and aspiration — but always with an eye to finding an unusual angle or viewpoint. Quirky and highly readable, his writing aims to entertain first and foremost. If he can also offer a previously unfamiliar perspective or insight, all the better.
His first novel, If I Never, is published by Legend Press and is now available from all good bookstores, online and High Street.
His first novel, If I Never, is published by Legend Press and is now available from all good bookstores, online and High Street.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 25, 2009
If I was handed this book and told that it was about a man who is lacking the sense of smell, a woman who sweats profusely to the point of clearing rooms with her offensive body odor, a one legged woman, a quadriplegic, a pedophile, a recently paroled lesbian convict, a retired gangster, and a bully, I would have looked at them as if they were mad. The concept seems like a deranged circus act, with so much going on it is hard to imagine that an author could come up with any sort of cohesion, but the imperfections of all the characters lead to a form of perfection. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more by the author.
November 1, 2010
If I Never defies categorisation.
There are several storylines which weave together: a romance; a crime and a philosophical storyline which touches on the right to die & euthanasia. But this is not a heavy read - it is light, and touching. The writing pulls the reader along and I found myself willing Tara and Price to live happily ever after.
Another interesting feature of the novel is the strong focus on `difference`. One character misses a sense (he has anosmia), another suffers from excessive body odour, one is severely disabled and confined to a wheelchair, yet another is described as `a monster` and we can guess at physical and learning difficulties. All of this, yet the narrative is essentially up-beta, humerous and even sentimental in places. The major themes are handled with a light touch, making this readable yet weighty at the same time.
Something for everyone.
There are several storylines which weave together: a romance; a crime and a philosophical storyline which touches on the right to die & euthanasia. But this is not a heavy read - it is light, and touching. The writing pulls the reader along and I found myself willing Tara and Price to live happily ever after.
Another interesting feature of the novel is the strong focus on `difference`. One character misses a sense (he has anosmia), another suffers from excessive body odour, one is severely disabled and confined to a wheelchair, yet another is described as `a monster` and we can guess at physical and learning difficulties. All of this, yet the narrative is essentially up-beta, humerous and even sentimental in places. The major themes are handled with a light touch, making this readable yet weighty at the same time.
Something for everyone.
January 22, 2010
If I Never. Three words I believe many of us have uttered to ourselves at some stage during our lives. I imagine the main character Price says this to himself quite regularly, possibly even more than once a day, and once you have read the book you will not hold this against him and you will understand why these three words have a permanent abode in his mind.
Price is a likeable character, even though throughout the novel you will be screaming at him to make the opposite decisions to those which he continuously feels drawn to making. He has anosmia, which means he cannot smell. Missing his sense of smell does not hinder him per se; although sometimes you get the feeling it is a metaphor for him missing something in his life. Anosmia does have its positives though, the horrid smells that drift around do not permeate his nostrils, Price adds chilli to his meals to compensate for not smelling the food’s aroma and he can stand drinking cheap whiskey, the petrol smell of the lesser brands doesn’t dissuade him from drinking it.
The beginning of the book sees Price living alone, jobless and single. Early on he finds a job, or more to the point his father throws him into it, and he finds a girl. This is where the story really begins. We go on a journey with Price, we see how he participates in different relationships, with his parents, with Tara, with Tara’s mum, with George (and the many people he brings along with him), with a work colleague and his wife and with Price himself.
Tara is Price’s girl and they are perfectly matched – this becomes obvious as the story progresses. Tara is George’s cousin. George is Price’s “friend”. George is a bully and has bullied Price since the dawn of time; he has just always been able to tell Price what to do and Price has fallen into the unfortunate cycle of doing what George tells him. Due to George’s ability to stand over his friend Price and Tara become intricately entwined in George’s shenanigans and we go on a wild ride involving, amongst other things, kidnapping, murder and drugs. Poor Price finds himself in some very tight situations.
Along the way Price has to make some moral decisions, these seem to occupy his mind and they overlap, he’s not just thinking about one thing, he’s thinking about a few at the same time. We see into Price’s mind and are able to follow the process in which he comes to the conclusions he does and therefore I felt connected to Price. I could go into the details more but then I’d have to kill you…….joking. I don’t want to give anything away so you will just have to read it yourself.
If I Never is Gary Murning’s debut novel and I must say it is an exceptional work of art. It is a well-written novel. In my interview with Gary he expressed how all rules of writing were not adhered to, some of them needed to be broken to make this book what it is and I must say this was a great path to take, it definitely adds to the reader’s experience. If I Never is a page turner and especially the last quarter of the book I did not want to put it down, I just wanted to find out where we were going to end up next. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience and I will be keeping my eye out for future works by Gary.
I was lucky enough to win If I Never through a Goodreads giveaway competition. I was doubly lucky to be able to interview Gary. I would like to say a big thank you to Gary for providing me with a very entertaining read and an engrossing interview. Thank you, Gary.
Please click the following link to read my interview with Gary:
http://mandythebookworm.wordpress.com...
Price is a likeable character, even though throughout the novel you will be screaming at him to make the opposite decisions to those which he continuously feels drawn to making. He has anosmia, which means he cannot smell. Missing his sense of smell does not hinder him per se; although sometimes you get the feeling it is a metaphor for him missing something in his life. Anosmia does have its positives though, the horrid smells that drift around do not permeate his nostrils, Price adds chilli to his meals to compensate for not smelling the food’s aroma and he can stand drinking cheap whiskey, the petrol smell of the lesser brands doesn’t dissuade him from drinking it.
The beginning of the book sees Price living alone, jobless and single. Early on he finds a job, or more to the point his father throws him into it, and he finds a girl. This is where the story really begins. We go on a journey with Price, we see how he participates in different relationships, with his parents, with Tara, with Tara’s mum, with George (and the many people he brings along with him), with a work colleague and his wife and with Price himself.
Tara is Price’s girl and they are perfectly matched – this becomes obvious as the story progresses. Tara is George’s cousin. George is Price’s “friend”. George is a bully and has bullied Price since the dawn of time; he has just always been able to tell Price what to do and Price has fallen into the unfortunate cycle of doing what George tells him. Due to George’s ability to stand over his friend Price and Tara become intricately entwined in George’s shenanigans and we go on a wild ride involving, amongst other things, kidnapping, murder and drugs. Poor Price finds himself in some very tight situations.
Along the way Price has to make some moral decisions, these seem to occupy his mind and they overlap, he’s not just thinking about one thing, he’s thinking about a few at the same time. We see into Price’s mind and are able to follow the process in which he comes to the conclusions he does and therefore I felt connected to Price. I could go into the details more but then I’d have to kill you…….joking. I don’t want to give anything away so you will just have to read it yourself.
If I Never is Gary Murning’s debut novel and I must say it is an exceptional work of art. It is a well-written novel. In my interview with Gary he expressed how all rules of writing were not adhered to, some of them needed to be broken to make this book what it is and I must say this was a great path to take, it definitely adds to the reader’s experience. If I Never is a page turner and especially the last quarter of the book I did not want to put it down, I just wanted to find out where we were going to end up next. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience and I will be keeping my eye out for future works by Gary.
I was lucky enough to win If I Never through a Goodreads giveaway competition. I was doubly lucky to be able to interview Gary. I would like to say a big thank you to Gary for providing me with a very entertaining read and an engrossing interview. Thank you, Gary.
Please click the following link to read my interview with Gary:
http://mandythebookworm.wordpress.com...
January 31, 2011
The story revolves around an ordinary bloke called Price Waters whose life is in need some adventure or at least change for the better as it hasn't been all that momentous up till now. Price is single and jobless but those circumstances are about to change but not without consequences.
If I Never was a welcome change from my usual diet of fantasy and sci-fi novels and my first time with a book on the Kindle. I havce to say I quite enjoyed it.
If I Never was a welcome change from my usual diet of fantasy and sci-fi novels and my first time with a book on the Kindle. I havce to say I quite enjoyed it.
November 4, 2009
While I was reading the first few pages I thought that Price was in his teens and was surprised to find out later that he was in his thirties. His behaviour is more suited to someone younger but this did not detract from the story. It's very unusual book about different behaviours and personalities and how they interacted with each other and I enjoyed it.
March 21, 2015
Book Review – If I Never by Gary William Murning
Legend Press – ISBN – 9787906558147
7 out of 10
‘If I Never’ by Gary William Murning is one of those books that flits from genre to genre. It is both a touching love story, a story about childhood friendship that is maintained when it should have been abandoned, of crime and actions that go back years, of lives that could have been different, but are not.
The book’s central character is Price, down on his luck, suffering from Amnosmia (a lack of a sense of smell) he lands a job working as a Gardener’s assistant. His new boss, Tony, is living with Claudia, a once respected lawyer, who following a car accident is now confined to a wheelchair, and can only communicate through movement. Price’s oldest friend is George, a bully who is not the thug he believes himself to be. They have maintained a friendship of sorts out of habit, but George has a way about him, and Price is easily led astray. George does not come from a good background. His mother is an embarrassing drunk who lost a leg saving George when he ran across a road as a child. She had a relationship years before with a man who sexually molested George, and as a child George wanted revenge, and arrangements were made, but the wrong man is killed.
To add to Price’s difficulties he falls in love with Tara, George’s cousin, who is unlucky in love, due to an embarrassing problem of excessive sweating. It would appear she and Price are perfect for each other, even though George does his best to halt the budding relationship.
George wants to go on a wild goose chase, and meet up with Sharon, a girl that he knew in his youth. His first love, who he confided about his attack in. She has three brothers from the criminal fraternity who George believes will kill his attacker, particularly when the family leave town 3 days later, and are never seen again.
George has come into contact with the brothers again. He has been dealing drugs on their patch, and owes them £5,000. Unbeknown to George though, he and Sharon have a son, Richard, who has learning difficulties.
There are touching elements of writing where George realises his responsibilities to both Richard and Sharon, and becomes a better man than his circumstances would normally have allowed for. The book is 400 pages long, and I felt that a bit of pruning would have helped the story along. Too much is made of the constant re-assuring of both Price and Tara, and although it shows a real life, and realistic love story for two people falling in love in the their thirties, it does sometimes get in the way of the story-line.
The ending is not really gritty enough to allow this to be seen as a Crime story, and there is very little in the way of real danger, none of Sharon’s Brothers are drawn in a way that shows Price, Tara and Sharon should be fearful for their lives. This is a good book, it is well written, and is a harmless way to pass a few hours, but it falls between too many stools to really stay in the memory.
Legend Press – ISBN – 9787906558147
7 out of 10
‘If I Never’ by Gary William Murning is one of those books that flits from genre to genre. It is both a touching love story, a story about childhood friendship that is maintained when it should have been abandoned, of crime and actions that go back years, of lives that could have been different, but are not.
The book’s central character is Price, down on his luck, suffering from Amnosmia (a lack of a sense of smell) he lands a job working as a Gardener’s assistant. His new boss, Tony, is living with Claudia, a once respected lawyer, who following a car accident is now confined to a wheelchair, and can only communicate through movement. Price’s oldest friend is George, a bully who is not the thug he believes himself to be. They have maintained a friendship of sorts out of habit, but George has a way about him, and Price is easily led astray. George does not come from a good background. His mother is an embarrassing drunk who lost a leg saving George when he ran across a road as a child. She had a relationship years before with a man who sexually molested George, and as a child George wanted revenge, and arrangements were made, but the wrong man is killed.
To add to Price’s difficulties he falls in love with Tara, George’s cousin, who is unlucky in love, due to an embarrassing problem of excessive sweating. It would appear she and Price are perfect for each other, even though George does his best to halt the budding relationship.
George wants to go on a wild goose chase, and meet up with Sharon, a girl that he knew in his youth. His first love, who he confided about his attack in. She has three brothers from the criminal fraternity who George believes will kill his attacker, particularly when the family leave town 3 days later, and are never seen again.
George has come into contact with the brothers again. He has been dealing drugs on their patch, and owes them £5,000. Unbeknown to George though, he and Sharon have a son, Richard, who has learning difficulties.
There are touching elements of writing where George realises his responsibilities to both Richard and Sharon, and becomes a better man than his circumstances would normally have allowed for. The book is 400 pages long, and I felt that a bit of pruning would have helped the story along. Too much is made of the constant re-assuring of both Price and Tara, and although it shows a real life, and realistic love story for two people falling in love in the their thirties, it does sometimes get in the way of the story-line.
The ending is not really gritty enough to allow this to be seen as a Crime story, and there is very little in the way of real danger, none of Sharon’s Brothers are drawn in a way that shows Price, Tara and Sharon should be fearful for their lives. This is a good book, it is well written, and is a harmless way to pass a few hours, but it falls between too many stools to really stay in the memory.
November 22, 2009
I'm not quite sure what to make of this book. The author's heart is clearly in the right place, and he had put a great deal of effort into crafting this story. But, in the final analysis, it is quite simply not a very good book. Murning clearly has a grasp of the craft of writing, but seems a bit more dodgy on the ideas of plot and character.
The protagonist of this book, Price, fulfills one of many easily identified stereotyped fictional characters, that of the Lovable Loser. His best friend is the Bully with a (not-so) Secret Soft Spot. Price hooks up with Tara, the Woman with a Heart of Gold and One Big Flaw. Etcetera. All of this rather formulaic characterization would perhaps be less jarring if the plot was more plausible or interesting. Unfortunately, at nearly every turn there is an eye-rolling twist that just doesn't make any logical sense, but at the same time is not so bizarre as to qualify as the type of absurdity that can make a plot truly interesting. The choices the characters make seem designed to do little but serve the story the author has chosen to tell, rather than allowing the choices they make to inform the story he tells. Though not everything must be subsumed to character, it is always useful when the characters as drawn could plausibly have made the choices the author imposes upon them. Even the thugs act illogically, postponing something they have risked life and limb to do, for no more sensible reason than because the author wishes them to, or so it seems.
This is also not a well-edited book; there are several word choice errors (i.e., verbs of the wrong tense, likely residuals from editing choices), and at least one instance where the name of one character is substituted for another (Tara doesn't have three ugly brothers, as far as I know). In two different places, there are actual lacunae in the text, including one unfortunate instance when Price actually works up the gumption to take physical action, and we jump directly from the consideration of the action to its aftermath; this is especially disappointing, as we have been waiting a rather long time for him to finally do something.
All in all, it seems that someone who has the chops to put together a story of this length in a somewhat comprehensible fashion could make something of such skill if he seeks the help of a competent teacher of writing who can convert his passion into something readable. I wish him well, and hope that we hear more from him in the future.
The protagonist of this book, Price, fulfills one of many easily identified stereotyped fictional characters, that of the Lovable Loser. His best friend is the Bully with a (not-so) Secret Soft Spot. Price hooks up with Tara, the Woman with a Heart of Gold and One Big Flaw. Etcetera. All of this rather formulaic characterization would perhaps be less jarring if the plot was more plausible or interesting. Unfortunately, at nearly every turn there is an eye-rolling twist that just doesn't make any logical sense, but at the same time is not so bizarre as to qualify as the type of absurdity that can make a plot truly interesting. The choices the characters make seem designed to do little but serve the story the author has chosen to tell, rather than allowing the choices they make to inform the story he tells. Though not everything must be subsumed to character, it is always useful when the characters as drawn could plausibly have made the choices the author imposes upon them. Even the thugs act illogically, postponing something they have risked life and limb to do, for no more sensible reason than because the author wishes them to, or so it seems.
This is also not a well-edited book; there are several word choice errors (i.e., verbs of the wrong tense, likely residuals from editing choices), and at least one instance where the name of one character is substituted for another (Tara doesn't have three ugly brothers, as far as I know). In two different places, there are actual lacunae in the text, including one unfortunate instance when Price actually works up the gumption to take physical action, and we jump directly from the consideration of the action to its aftermath; this is especially disappointing, as we have been waiting a rather long time for him to finally do something.
All in all, it seems that someone who has the chops to put together a story of this length in a somewhat comprehensible fashion could make something of such skill if he seeks the help of a competent teacher of writing who can convert his passion into something readable. I wish him well, and hope that we hear more from him in the future.
December 17, 2010
This is a very unusual novel, unlike anything I've read before. The story is driven by the characters, all of whom are, in their own way, rather unusual. For the most part the characters are very well drawn, but I would echo the views of previous reviewers who believed them to be significantly younger than they are; what I read as teenage angst clearly wasn't at all.
The plot finds the central characters immersed in a series of interconnected events, which don't become fully clear to the reader until the end of the novel. We witness all of the characters growing and developing, and tackling the demons of their own pasts, while also hoping for a brighter future. During the course of this process, there are several really thought-provoking and genuinely touching moments. I was a little disappointed, though, that some of the "issues" raised during the course of the story are resolved a little too tidily. Perhaps some of the storylines could have done with a little more attention, particularly the subplot with Price's boss and his wife.
Despite these small niggles, this is a charming book that I enjoyed reading, and which I would have no hesitation to recommend to any fans of quirky, character-led fiction.
The plot finds the central characters immersed in a series of interconnected events, which don't become fully clear to the reader until the end of the novel. We witness all of the characters growing and developing, and tackling the demons of their own pasts, while also hoping for a brighter future. During the course of this process, there are several really thought-provoking and genuinely touching moments. I was a little disappointed, though, that some of the "issues" raised during the course of the story are resolved a little too tidily. Perhaps some of the storylines could have done with a little more attention, particularly the subplot with Price's boss and his wife.
Despite these small niggles, this is a charming book that I enjoyed reading, and which I would have no hesitation to recommend to any fans of quirky, character-led fiction.
December 29, 2010
I won this book through First Reads. I was very happy to have had the chance to read this book, but unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations. I thought the story rambled on with a lot of wordy, unnecessary dialogue and nonsensical plot twists. I never really felt the characters to be in any real danger, so maybe that hampered the story's believabilty for me. Also, the characters didn't seem like adults but that they were trying to act like adults. However, it clearly took some effort putting this story together (while I didn't quite believe in the plot, it was rather complex) and I felt the author did have affection for it. With a little more editing and a refinement of style, I think Murning could turn out a pretty exciting story. Good effort for a first novel!
October 2, 2009
Though the adage about book covers still rings true, it need be said that If I Never is gorgeous. And Murning backs up the alluring art by delivering quality prose. In fact, there’s an awful lot to like....
Read the rest in the October 2009 issue of decomP .
Read the rest in the October 2009 issue of decomP .
February 2, 2011
Excellent characterisation, an ever-moving plot and a clever twist on a made-for-each-other love story.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews