By M.L.S. Weech

When one journey ends, another one begins.

Death comes for us all, and none can escape their fate, not even Bob Drifter. As a Journeyman, Bob is drawn to death, forced to watch, powerless to interfere, or so he was taught. Now Bob is ready to challenge these long held tenets, earning him the ire of the others and the local police. Hemmed in, Bob narrowly averts one tragedy, only to face another, the dark secret no Journeyman will speak of.

At first the story seems typical of its genre: a looming threat, an unassuming protagonist, setting the stage for their eventual conflict. What follows seems less like a novel and more like an anthology of short stories, united by a single character, and the mysteries that surround him.

Gradually the story unites its diverse threads, but the main conflict is always overshadowed by its subplots. The lingering pace and alternating perspective diffuse the tension of the story, even as they emphasize the underlying question; what meaning can life have, in light of its inevitable end? Sprinkles of humor keep the tone light-hearted, making this a good relaxing read, particularly for anyone who believes in the simple beauty of life.

+Strong Ideas
+Strong, humorous, relationship driven subplots
*Strong but familiar characters
*easy read, mellow, slow pacing
-predictable main plot

3/5

Next Time…
TRIO: Getting There
2017/03/02