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"Neverwood: A Gritty Book With Both Humor and Heart"
I just finished reading Mike Capley's first book; Neverwood.



If you are looking for a Tolkien-esque tale of deathly serious porportions this is the wrong book for you. Mike did not create a grandeous tribal language nor did he draw intricate maps of the lands his characters trek through. He also didn't bore the crap out of me. This is the kind of story that takes itself lightly; even less seriously than the main character (Brandon Porter) takes himself... but this is not a bad thing.



It is refreshing to see the rules of fantasy get broken at every turn. I can only express my joy of this novel in relation to a lesser... More > book called "Bored of the Rings" which was a less subtle parody of "The Lord of the Rings" in which Bilbo was named Dildo and Frodo named Frito. Neverwood has influence by Tolkien, don't get me wrong, but it's own self depreciation gives it more humanity. Capley throws in these culture refrences that had me hating him one minute and laughing the next. I am certian this was intentional.



Sure, this book was the most vulgar thing I have ever had the pleasure to read. I cannot chance to give away the horrible visuals my mind now owns as a result of reading this novel. Again, aonther seemingly bad quality in a book that genuinely works for this novel. In fact; had this been a straight laced Mickey Mouse humpty dumpty slice of apple pie book it wouldn't have worked at all.



I also wouldn't want to spoil the nuiances of the character developments either; while I was able to piece together many of the events that unfolded the things that suprised me were even more notable. The main character isn't the most original in the history of literature but who says you have to reinvent the wheel? The way he deals with the fantastic situations he is thrust into (innuendo intended) is what is important.



After I was able to get past the foreward I found myself hating myself for putting this book down. If I had the means this would have been a book that I easily could have accidently read straight through until early in the morning. Not every book can do that. To make a long story short (too late) if you have a sense of humor and can keep your wits about you... Neverwood is someplace you wont regret having visited. < Less

"Though I only read the review..." I can definitely say I love your writing! The main hook of a book is its humor, and you've got the most of that anyone can want. And since fantasy is such a popular genre these days, the mix personified by your book is the perfect one for millions of people!

"Neverwood" This is one of the better books I've read in a long time. Just when you think you know what's about to happen, it throws you for a loop. There is humor, intensity, antispation, a little violence. All the right stuff. I highly recommend this book.

"Can't Wait For The Second One" This was a pretty good read even for someone like me who doesn't read all that often. The pop culture references alone made it worth the read, just waiting to see where Capley was going with them. A definite buy and you can't beat that price. Unless you're poor. You're not poor are ya? Yeah, didn't think so.

"Excellent Book" I just finished reading the book and I have to say this about it, this has got to be the best first novel I've ever read!! M. Capley's characterizations and plot development are reminiscent of much more seasoned writers. Capley has a glowing future ahead of him in the fiction/fantasy genre. If you like the works of Piers Anthony, Terry Pratchett, and Douglas Adams, you'll like Neverwood. Funny, sarcastic, lots of pop culture references, and a lead character that pretty much everyone can identify with. What more can I say? It's a wonderful read, an excursion from the mundane into the fantastic. I recommend it.