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Promise of Departure

by L.W. Montgomery (Goodreads Author)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 39 ratings · 21 reviews

A broken mechanic packs his motorcyle and heads to Haiti to repair his own crumbling life.

My dearest little Maggie,

I'm sorry in ways you may never understand. Please know that I never wanted to leave you....

It wasn't the traditional birthday letter Greg had written his daughter four times before. But traditions, like everything else, had utterly unraveled.

Jobless and adrif...more

Kindle Edition, 282 pages

Published August 16th 2012 by LW MONTGOMERY

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Nov 20, 2012 Oliver E. rated it 5 of 5 stars

(I was provided with a complimentary copy of the book for review.)

Promise of Departure is a rare animal indeed. It is, at times, humorous and comforting, beguilingly so, stripping bare the darker elements of our nature in such stark, raw detail as to force self-examination of one's belief systems, a forceful fact-check of our own personal and most trusted, accepted ideologies. A paper-thin fairy tale it is not. What it is, rather, is a dark and wholly honest observation of the oft-unforeseen pit...more (I was provided with a complimentary copy of the book for review.)

Promise of Departure is a rare animal indeed. It is, at times, humorous and comforting, beguilingly so, stripping bare the darker elements of our nature in such stark, raw detail as to force self-examination of one's belief systems, a forceful fact-check of our own personal and most trusted, accepted ideologies. A paper-thin fairy tale it is not. What it is, rather, is a dark and wholly honest observation of the oft-unforeseen pitfalls of the American Dream not many discuss openly.

Retired at the age of thirty-seven, Greg has everything he's ever desired to in life: financial freedom, a healthy, happy family, and the accomplishment of having achieved personal goals established as a child. To his dismay, however, he discovers an overwhelming sense of emptiness in this effortless existence. Depressed and alone in his withdrawal from the workaday world he once knew, he appears to teeter on the edge of mental instability, often fantasizing of suicide, and seemingly uncertain of an unchallenged future he no longer desires. It is his relationships with those closest to him which suffer the greatest cost, and when his wife files for divorce, Greg succumbs to a very primal instinct: fight or flight. He does not fight. He leaves the not unsubstantial investments accumulated in his lucrative days to his wife and daughter before loading up his motorcycle to set sail for uncharted waters. Greg wanders the far Western United States for a while, settling down in Portland, Oregon with a friend where he remains on the lam from a family back in the state of Texas he ironically believes he's protected from heartache of a broken home. It's when tragedy strikes Haiti in early 2010 that he sees an opportunity to offer up what little usefulness he feels he still possesses in an unlikely and most unusual fashion: he will travel to Haiti to repair and maintain the fleets of motorbikes the locals rely upon in their day to day lives. Masquerading as a generous display of selflessness, Greg's dubious intentions are generally regarded as respectful to his friends, if not odd, but he alone commits himself to this act with the understanding that he will likely not survive the journey, instead seeing it as an opportunity to end his frustration and despondence in a final act of 'charity'.

Throughout the novel, Greg deals with themes not uncommon to many 'Gen-Xers' today: finding success at an early age only to ask themselves 'What now?' as they wrestle with the knotty untangling of self-imposed guilt, uncertain if the efforts, the very work itself, ever truly warranted the rewards. Paradoxically, Greg suffers from low self-esteem and a shaky view of what feels like a bleak future not only for himself, but for society in general. As an example, he defends his decisions to shun social media as an acceptable replacement for what he believes is meaningful interaction, instead preferring a classic form of letter writing that appears in several instances throughout the novel. He describes the inherent benefits of a so-called 'technology cleanse', and even stops looking up simple scientific queries, content to examine them himself or ‘chew them over first', as he puts it. Many issues like these are often humorous in their innocence and inclusion, but the book deals with heavy realities in ways not immediately comparable to other works today. The cold nature of divorce and the limited prospect of single parenting from a male perspective is discussed in raw detail. Suicide is an omnipresent theme and met head-on. It is not an easy read at times, and is simply put, extraordinarily sugar-free in its delivery. It is the steady dissection of a thinking, feeling person who, once away from the pursuit of said American Dream, begins to think and feel in the broad, lateral ways he used to. In that light, the novel is also very much a sad reflection of a slow descent into a world of social isolation, the story of a man cloistered from the day-to-day working world that provides most people with their network of friends and personal interactions.

Through either direct dialogues with himself, or in deeper, near pitch-perfect conversation with Beth, a volunteer doctor in Haiti, Greg reflects on his 'midlife chrysalis', as he describes it, and his disappointment in what most people strive for all their lives. Initially, this voice contrasts sharply to the narrator's outlook on just about everything, but as the story unfolds, the two voices draw nearer to a harmonious center of someone humbled by the destruction in Haiti, an open mind seeing the world a bit more clearly through the rediscovery of some small semblance of life in the empty inner hell he has created for himself. The love story that develops organically throughout the later-half of the novel was admittedly somewhat unexpected, though realistically portrayed in a manner more or less befitting the work. This chance meeting with Beth is the real catalyst here - a slap across the face, a reminder of what truly matters to Greg.

The proper secondary character of the novel, however, is an inanimate object: a motorbike that Greg arranges and ships to Haiti to operate as his mobile base of operations. Loaded to almost comical proportions, the bike acts as a relative anchor for him, his trusty steed, and the very conveyance by which he is able to lend his rather limited assistance throughout Haiti. Greg thinks of the motorcycle as a partner, not a mere piece of hardware, but a traveling companion offering up the facsimile of a friend, a form of comfort. I imagine that to those who also ride, the story will find concrete connections in the intricacy of the details. I personally do not, though found the technical aspects he deals with interesting and compelling enough to never mire the page.

In summary, Promise of Departure is in this reviewer's opinion, an exercise; an experiment in written word that isn't easily discussed without laying bare essential clues of the intended goal of the author. There are many, and the observant reader will likely come away having heard a very different tale than the casual reader. It can be a challenging read. It will not leave you warm and cozy at points, though for some readers so troubled as Greg finds himself, it may often do precisely that. On more than one occasion, the comfortable and personable nature of the storytelling lulled me into forgetting this was not in fact someone's very personal travel diary. This, I believe, was my strongest reaction to the book: it made me forget these were not very real people in a very real, often cold, world. Ultimately, this is one of the braver debuts I've seen in quite some time. Greg would likely call it 'calculated stupidity'. I call it a calculated success.
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4 likes · like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Evgeny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure

First things first. I need to mention I received this book from Goodreads giveaways.

I can actually give the plot summary for this book and my review in one sentence. This is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values, Jr. Simple as that.

A little more detailed description. A guy called Greg quits his job, leaves almost everything to his wife (with whom he is in the middle of divorce) and daughter and goes to Haiti devastated by an earthquake with his bike hoping to help l...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 01, 2012 Katie Meek rated it 5 of 5 stars

The storm scene is some of the best writing I've read :)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 03, 2013 Debra Hartmann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book Review - "Promise of Departure" by L W Montgomery - 4 Stars and a "Grab Your Riding Gear" Shout out!

The book begins with a "picture" of a typed letter to Janet from Greg, telling her he is stepping out of the picture as a result of his own inability to deal with their divorce. I liked this unique start, this presentation of the letter, it made me want to see what other surprises would be included and I wasn't disappointed. Chapter 1 begins with Greg fussing over having dropped his motorcycl...more Book Review - "Promise of Departure" by L W Montgomery - 4 Stars and a "Grab Your Riding Gear" Shout out!

The book begins with a "picture" of a typed letter to Janet from Greg, telling her he is stepping out of the picture as a result of his own inability to deal with their divorce. I liked this unique start, this presentation of the letter, it made me want to see what other surprises would be included and I wasn't disappointed. Chapter 1 begins with Greg fussing over having dropped his motorcycle while off loading from the ship that had only just brought him to Haiti. Right away this character begins to immerge, flawed and realistic, mentally past his edge that was once sharp and dedicated to his career and his family and clearly battling depression and alcoholism while not falling into any cliché patterns but instead, drawing me along into an intriguing storyline that would not allow me to put this book down.

I appreciated the author's witty prose as he crafted enlightening yet brief flashbacks to establish the needed history behind Greg's decision to write the letter and to venture to disaster torn Haiti. The supporting characters and the very descriptive imagery as the storyline moved through emotional highs and lows, despair, hopelessness and Greg's search for himself were written with great skill and talent and presented through Greg's eyes. The characters were so completely human and realistic that relating and feeling a connection to them was natural. As the reader, I felt like a passenger on the back of Greg's motorcycle while he showed me Haiti after the earthquake tragedy of 2010, the people that lived there and some of the volunteers, including Beth and Ben. Upon meeting Beth, a dialogue that was so natural and realistic occurs between them and Greg is greatly affected by all that he sees and experiences in the company of her and the other members of her volunteer medical unit over the course of just a few days. True to a well written protagonist, Greg sticks to his original mission and soon meets a colorful character named Ben. From here the story moves a bit quicker as Greg finds where he is needed most, revisits working on things with Janet and becoming part of his daughter's life again. As the last page is turned and you see the back cover art of this wonderful novel, you can't help but wish for more!

The way this story discusses the profound impacts of career on family life and on an individual struggling to find the right balance in both, the resulting failed marriage that was based not on sensational events but on a slow deterioration and the great love of a father for his daughter was so real, so not dramatic and so refreshingly presented. The complexities, the reality in the issues and the author's skill in crafting imagery of places and events was exceptional! I personally would love to read a sequel to this book just to check in on Greg again. In the battle to rise above the millions of authors and books vying for number one these days, it was quite courageous to leave out vampires, monsters, psychopaths, elves and the like and write a real story like this!

~~~~~~~~~~~reviewed by Debra L Hartmann, Owner of The Pro Book Editor, published author, aspiring blogger Stay tuned for an exclusive Talk Radio with NO Radio Author Interview with Mr. Montgomery on my show this week!(less)

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Dec 26, 2012 Todd Faugal rated it 5 of 5 stars

This guy basically wrote a new zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. My dad and I have always been big into harleys and he made me read that back in the day. I liked zen, and it was a good book and all but a litlte long. The bike parts were the best. Well, this guy wrote what's like a whole new generations version of that book. I'm not big into romance stuff, so that was the one thing I didn't really care about much. It's real sounding and not how most movies or books deal with it which is...more

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Dec 13, 2012 TDM rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From a women's perspective, I especially enjoyed Greg's courageous self journey to find his physical and literal 'life's meaning'. Finding myself tearful at times throughout the book, the author related raw and honest emotions that expose many of our own personal vulnerabilities and imperfections in life. In a complicated world of do's and don'ts, Greg's quest may come across as self indulgent but he does eventually find intrinsic value, growth and connection within his personal relationships, m...more

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Nov 10, 2012 L.W. Montgomery rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

5-star Amazon review by Sean R.

"Loved it. A page turner.

The main character, Greg, is immediately relatable and carries us forward through the story with ease.

I love that the character is flawed, honest about those flaws, and willing to do the hard work to expose those flaws. It's always a joy to read a character that's a human, rather than "a character".

I expect I'd like to have a beer with this Greg guy.

As an aside, the motorcycle motif worked really well for me. It's interesting to me... by u...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Christine H rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemp-lit, first-reads-arcs

** If I could give this a 3.5 star rating, I would. I liked it more than just 3 stars' worth!

Montgomery’s debut novel grabs you from the very first page in which our protagonist, Greg, writes a letter to his soon-to-be ex-wife to semi-adequately explain his reasons for disappearing. The opening of Promise of Departure—which delineates both the inciting event and numerous conflicts and, thus, is simultaneously satisfying and tantalizing—grabs you from the get-go. We journey alongside Greg as he j...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Patti rated it 5 of 5 stars

What an amazing journey to read. Greg thinking he is lost within his personal life. Not seeing his qualities within himself; fatherhood, friendship and his compassion for his fellow being. My interpretation is he's not lost but finding his path in life; to love again & sharing his talent of repairing motorcycles. It's obvious he loves motorcycles (endearingly naming them) old or new and wants to pay it forward in his own humble way by repairing them. His detailed description of Haiti and the...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 06, 2013 David W. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I found this book to be a true home run. One of the ways I can always tell a winner is my not wanting it to end and this read certainly fit the bill.

As other reviewers have mentioned it's a complex piece with real characters dealing with real questions and issues we can all relate to. No cardboard cutouts here or facade and pretense which I find most refreshing. Our protagonist Greg has hit the wall mentally and is running away from an all too lifelike troubled marriage in attempt to assist thos...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 31, 2013 Wanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, giveaway

I received the novel Promise of Departure via Goodreads firstreads giveaway. Thanks to the author LW Montgomery for the signed copy! This was a thought-provoking read for me, to which I truly enjoyed. The novel shares the story of Greg Maurus, a man who is emotionally tormented by the life he is seeking and the one he left behind. He travels to Haiti in hopes of finding the man he wants to become, in an attempt to escape the man he recognizes that he did not want to be. The author's writing capt...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 05, 2013 Dave Montgomery-blake rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mine

Promise of Departure is a solid first novel from L.W. Montgomery. In the beginning, the mechanical jargon of motorcycle riding and repair left me left me slightly bewildered. I know next to nothing about engine mechanics and even less about riding motorcycles. However as the narrative continued, I found a common ground with the character of Greg, his journey, and the different people he met along the ride.

Promise is a personal narrative of Otherness and finding hope in the most hopeless of place...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 10, 2013 Jaishree rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book through a First Reads giveaway on Good Reads.

I loved this book and completely related to the story of a person who have achieved success in the world and has reached a point of saturation. He is now looking for more, something bigger than success in the worldly sense. Questioning life's purpose is something everyone goes through. The fascinating aspect of this particular book is how Greg(the character whose journey the book follows) deals with this struggle of realizing how...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Michelle Hopkins rated it 3 of 5 stars

Promise Of Departure is a story of a man on a journey to self-discovery. The main character, Greg, is flawed and easy to relate to. LW Montgomery is an expert at imagery. I was able to picture every detail of Greg's ride through Haiti. Well written!

1 like · like · see review

Dec 31, 2012 Line rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-read-wins

I won this book in a Goodreads FirstRead giveaway.

Promise of departure - the road to realization for our main character Greg, who on his travels wonder about the past present and future in a not too deep but in way it's easy to relate to.
Greg travels far and wide on his bike and though the storyline isn't always full speed ahead I was never bored expect for a few times when i found the descreptions of the motorcycles a little too detailed.
This book definately exeeded my expectations - thoughtf...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Morisca Cristian rated it 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading it. I recommend it. I got this book through Goodreads First Reads.

1 like · like · see review

Jan 19, 2013 Yoga rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: inspirational, romance

( I was one of the winner of the giveaway )

Promise of Departure, one of my favorite books. The story is some of the best I can find, especially in my country. My family enjoyed reading it, even the young ones.

Promise of Departure serves comedy, tears, and laughs for the readers to enjoy. Though there are a few part that I didn't understand. But that's okay, though. I've re-read it for a few times and now I came to understand more about those parts.

Well, I can only recommend this book to all of y...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 11, 2012 Andrea added it

Shelves: fiction

Sé pah pou moi.

1 like · like · see review

Dec 21, 2012 Bookmaniac70 marked it as to-read

Received today in the mail. I won it in a Goodreads giveaway.

1 like · like · see review

Feb 23, 2013 Vivian Chuang rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had won this book through a giveaway here on Goodreads.

I have one thing to say on this book: It's brilliant. The writing is sentimental and heartfelt, the writer's choice of words is striking and connects to the reader.

Although it drags on in some chapters, this book is definitely worth a read.

1 like · like · see review

May 22, 2013 Karry Vanherreweghe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received this as a Goodreads first-reads winner and I enjoyed it very much. Definitely worth reading!

1 like · like · see review

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May 19, 2013 Puja Narula rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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About L.W. Montgomery

LW Montgomery spent his youth lost in the library. He would spend years sacking groceries, building hard drives, and co-founding the game studio Gearbox Software before returning to his first love.

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“I realized I was far more interested in the expansion of concentric rings than the geometry of perfect circles.” — 1 person liked it

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