Goneaway into the land

GoneAway into the Land by Jeffrey B. Allen is an interesting juxtaposition between a child’s harsh, abusive reality and a Land of fantasy and tasty confection. It is well-written, engaging, and fascinating, creating a vibrant world that draws in the reader.

The plotline of GoneAway into the Land is innovative, and delicious. The story begins with the sad home life of young John Greber, who tragically has an angry, abusive father; he, his younger sister, Marny and his mother Ellie all live an unhappy existence. The forlorn home life explodes in a violent confrontation that results in John’s father, whom he calls The Beast, kidnapping Marny; this horror catapults John and his mother into a strange odyssey, as they search for the little girl. With the help of the mysterious Driver they venture into the Land, a curious place of sugary bonbons and inspiration intricately connected with our World. This extraordinary place is now in serious danger of destruction by the evil machinations of Mengus, one of the Ministers of the Land, and the rampages of The Beast. Denizens of both worlds are bound together in their attempts to save their respective worlds and one small girl.

GoneAway into the Land is a remarkable novel, and I was most impressed with its characterization. The portrayals in this novel are not larger than life heroic depictions; they are solid, relatable, fully complete people, be they born of the real world or the realm of fantasy. The wondrous characters that abound in this novel are diverse, some malicious, some decent, some in-between. They will earn your loyalty and your affection or your dislike and disdain.

There is a faint dream-like quality to this book, a metaphoric attribute as it deals with themes of friendship, loss, violence, courage, greed, innocence, selfishness, and love. It is an adventure, an allegory, a bittersweet fantasy filled with subtle meaning and depth that never loses its appeal. GoneAway into the Land is a captivating book with a creative narrative that quietly lures a reader into an original world that is fully realised and thoroughly absorbing. It transcends into a superb piece of fiction, and I recommend it highly.

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Scott Douglas/Rutgers University

GoneAway Into the Land is a story about the greatest triumph of them all.  It will reach the love, the hurt, and the hate that resides within your heart.  It will pry open the deepest corners of your childhood, and then, without a hint of intention, reveal the positive energy of the human spirit.  Jeffrey B. Allen will lead you on an unforgettable journey. His vivid imagination, and his amazing talent as a writer, transports his readers to a place filled with wonders as original in form as in character.  But, be certain to read between the lines.  Because this, you will discover, is where GoneAway Into the Land truly shines.

Erin O'Riordan
February 25 at 9:09
Jeffrey, I really enjoyed the book.

Remember, in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, when Willy Wonka took the children and their guardians for a ride in a boat? Remember how the boat ride suddenly because dark and sinister, and you sensed there was something seriously evil afoot in the chocolate factory? Keep that boat ride in mind, and you’ll have some idea of where GoneAway Into the Land (2008, Wandering Sage Publications) is going to take you.

“His name was Danny Greber, Daniel Johannes Greber, but I named him the beast.” From its opening line, GoneAway crackles with danger. Author Jeffrey B. Allen creates a vivid, animated world in which trains breathe and an attic full of discarded housewares plots its revenge. Clearly, Allen has a poet’s eye. His young hero, thirteen-year-old John, has a poet-warrior’s heart. Imagine Harry Potter if, instead of the slightly unpleasant Dursleys, Harry had been raised by a full-grown mountain troll.

John’s beast of a father is unpredictable and dangerous. He takes the story book villain to a whole new level of greed and ignorance.

“The beast” finally goes too far when he disappears, taking John’s little sister, Marny, with him. The search for Marny leads John and his mother, Ellie, in the Land, a place they couldn’t have imagined in their wildest dreams. (Think of Candyland crossed with Gregory Maguire’s vision of Oz and you’ll have something of an idea.) Allen skillfully combines the everyday world with the fantastic, a seemingly seamless combination which reminds the reader of the very best of fantasy novels. Yet, GoneAway never imitates the style of other fantasies. It remains fresh and surprising, giving the reader little thrills of recognition but never descending into fairy tale clichés.

A note at the end of the book promises the GoneAway series will continue in a second book. The GoneAway series promises to be a fascinating one, as the first book ends on notes of hope, but also of missed opportunity. It will be rewarding to see how the series develops.

GoneAway Into the Land is a highly satisfying reading fix for older children. It will not disappoint adult fans of fantasy, either. Readers who enjoyed Keith Miller’s The Book of Flying and other fairy tales for grown-ups will also appreciate GoneAway.
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Jeffrey B. Allen
<a href="http://www.jeffreyballen.com">www.jeffreyballen.com</a>