Gone Away Into the Land by Jeffrey B. Allen

The dust jacket text for Gone Away: Into the Land promises an epic fantasy adventure. I can tell you that this is one novel that exceeds expectations. Author Jeffrey B. Allen takes the reader on an adventure that will leave you thinking about the story long after you close the final page.We meet our protagonist, twelve-year-old John Gerber. John's life is not that of an average pre-teen-not even close. John, his mother Ellie, and his sister Marny live in constant, paralyzing fear of John's father, Daniel. Daniel, or the beast as John calls him, is an extremely volatile man whose rage could explode on his family at any moment-and explode it does. John dreams of ending the beast's reign of terror, of taking his family away before it is too late. The first fifty pages of Part 1 are no fantasy as the author describes in vivid, shocking detail Daniel's unpredictable fury and a horrible example of violent abuse, as the beast leaves John and Ellie beaten and bloodied and kidnaps six-year-old Marny.With the help of a mysterious taxi driver, John and Ellie begin their search for Marny. This is where the fantasy starts as it is believed that Marny is somewhere in the candy factory where Daniel was employed. Soon John and his mother are aboard a train in an amazing land called ZingZongLand. ZZL is a place that is all about creating the best tasting candy. The leader of the land is called KyaSiftar. The Siftar's main rival is the minister of Southland province named Mengus. Desperate for power, Mengus has his sights set on dominating the land and controlling the new flavor creations. Mengus recruits the beast to aid in his conquest of the Land. He believes that gaining control in the Land is the key to overthrowing the World as well.Jeffrey B. Allen showcases his considerable imagination and writing talent in creating an entire universe. His lead is a believable, lovable character with which readers young and old will quickly bond. The villains are wonderfully horrible and easy to loathe, without overshadowing the hero. The secondary characters are interesting, fresh and well drawn. The dialogue is crisp and clear and well suited to the vast variety of creatures and peoples. Allen slowly reveals his characters' secrets along the way, keeping the reader captivated throughout. He wastes none of these nearly 500 pages, using suspense and vibrant description to keep the pages turning. He brings all the players together in a David versus Goliath-type showdown for the ages that will have you rooting for John to the end.Gone Away is building momentum, was recently picked up by a major publisher and was accepted in several school libraries. I believe it will become the next time-tested classic fantasy tale, universally adored and mentioned in the same breath as The Wizard of Oz, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Lord of The Rings. I highly recommend this thought-provoking, entertaining read.Gone Away Into The LandStrategic Book Publishing (October 1, 2009)
978-1608608591
Gone Away Into The Land
Jeffrey B. AllenBy William R. Potter for Readers' Choice Reviews dr seuss book collection