Souls of the Never

Tales of the Neverwar #1

by C.J. Rutherford

Katheryne thinks she's just a normal 20-year-old, until her dreams descend into terror and pain.
At the edge of the universe, an ancient evil awakens. It wants our world; and she is the gateway.
As the dreams become reality, Katheryne is pitched into a battle that has raged for thousands of years. The fate of all reality rests in her hands, but the enemy has discovered her.
Can Derren, an elite warrior from another time and space, find her in time to save her?

This is Book One in Tales of the Neverwar. An epic adventure through time, space and alternate realities. Witness epic dragon battles in this coming of age fantasy adventure series. Suitable for the Young Adult audience. I would highly recommend reading the free short prequel, Origins of the Never. It's set thousands of years before events in this book, and will provide an insight into some of the characters you meet.

Genres: Fantasy, Ebooks, Audiobook

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2014

About the author

Science fiction, fantasy, and apocalyptic author. Kisser of the Blarney Stone...oh and proud host to my very own imaginary dragon, Claude, who lives in my head. Check out the blog for a brief introduction to our scaly friend.
Cj's first series, Tales of the Neverwar, combines magic with science in an ancient battle between good and evil. There's a kick-ass Irish heroine, a band of dimension skipping elite warriors, and dragons. Oh, they are there, even if they don't know it yet. Need to know more? Book TWO ;)
In a departure from his SFF roots, CJ has just released Treaters, a post-apocalyptic/dark fantasy in the realms of Stranger Things and The Walking Dead(but with no zombies). It's available now on Amazon and is free on Kindle Unlimited.
CJ has been pretty busy, and has just finished the first draft of his latest high fantasy epic, Companion of Darkness. This novel is book one in a new series set in the Neverwar universe, but goes way back in time to tell how the Darkness originally came to power.
Feel free to pop over and visit his website here: https://coljr3.wixsite.com/cj-rutherford
Or follow him on Twitter at @writerutherford

And, if you'd like to drop Claude a line just to tell him how magnificent he is, feel free to email him here: Claude@Talesoftheneverwar.com'
Just don't overdo the compliments. You know how dragons can be ;)

Reviews

[Jada Ryker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy/Science Fiction Story for Young Adults

In Origins of the Never, friends Olumé and Tenybris seemed like two mischievous, fun-loving boys. Appearances were deceiving. Olumé manipulated magic, while Tenybris grew more skilled at using magic to get what he wants.

Now, in Souls of the Never, the boundaries between dreams and reality merge and blur. In a world filled with fantasy, scifi, romance, and time travel, with dragons, elves and faeries, the characters grapple with issues like bullying, friendship, and deciding what’s wrong and right.

C. J. Rutherford's Souls of the Never is a wonderful book. In the story geared toward young adults and teens but suitable for all ages, Mr. Rutherford deftly moves the reader back and forth through time. The chapter graphics are lovely.

Origins of the Never: A prequel to Souls of the Never serves as short introduction to Souls of the Never. The tale weaves complexities of emotions, surrounding them with magic.

[Lex Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Souls of the Never,” by CJ Rutherford is a classic tale of good versus evil in a world-building sci-fi/fantasy story that kicks off what will assuredly become an incredible series of epic proportion.

In his first full-length novel, C.J. Rutherford displays exceptional skill as he sets the stage for an opening of worlds that only a vivid imagination could awaken, and an excellent writer could describe. As the story unfolds, Katheryne and Perry in our world, Derrin and Krista from Sanctuary, come alive to such an extent that you will undoubtedly recognize them in people you know. Two personal favorite sci-fi themes, multi / parallel universes, and time travel are presented and introduced, initially through dreams and nightmares, in an easy to understand, completely believable manner.

Rutherford has a particular talent for writing narrative detail and, if you prefer that over dialog, you’ll find your fill within these pages. While dialog is sparse through many sections of the story, when it comes, it is relevant and spot on to the character. I highly recommend “Souls of the Never,” and I’m looking forward to future books in the series. Because of the excellent narrative, I believe “Souls of the Never” lends itself exceptionally well to an audio book, and I hope Mr. Rutherford takes advantage of that venue in the future.

[BookLoversLife · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the prequel to this. It set the scene but was also going to be hard to follow up. But CJ Rutherford managed to surpass it! This was fantastic!!

Katherine is a normal girl, but her dreams are anything but! They feel like they are getting worse and darker, but she is also dreaming of a certain boy, and when that boy turns up she is both thrilled terrified.

Derren is from Sanctuary and has been searching for the girl from his dream too. He finds her in Katherine and what follows is an epic journey of discovery, a battle between good and evil, and a sweet romance.

I absolutely loved everything about this book! The characters were well written and developed and were all amazing. The plot was fast paced, intriguing, and gripping. I devoured the book!! Right from the very first page the author grabs your attention and doesn't let go. This book is filled full of magic, dragons, different worlds and so much awesomeness!! It's a must read.

I have to say that this author is one to watch. The writing in this is amazing and as for the world building, well that was phenomenal!! I will be keeping a real close eye on this author and series!

*I received a copy of this for review, this in no way affects my thoughts.*

[J.C. Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to a whirlwind of excitement, emotion, wonderment—each page making you anxious for what the next one will bring.
Have you ever thought about all the other worlds out there? All the other dimensions of reality there are and what you would be in one of those other realities? Well, this story brings you into those other realities. you will enter into the fantasy of other dimensions Beyond your dreams and nightmare. enter into the worlds of alternate dimensions and meet the evil malevolent entity who wants to destroy it all.
You’ll experience death, true evil, amazing strength, and incredible abilities. But above all else, you will be swept away by a powerful, pure love unlike any you have ever experienced.
This first book will leave you with an ache to read the next. You want the pages of the next book to reveal what could possibly happen next. You’ll find yourself craving the next part of the story and wishing the story you just read had never ended.
Very well written, intriguing characters that you can relate too, and wonderful imagery that pulls you into the lives and the places created by this talented author

[K.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really cool novel from a debut author. The storyline is awesome and it has real potential as a long running series that will keep teenagers glued to it for a while to come. This author writes great teen dialogue that actually sounds like your own kids bickering.

8/11/15
I'm rereading this series after the author made significant changes to the editing. It's heaps better. It flows well, the passive voice is gone and it's a clean read. I enjoyed it much better second time around and would definitely recommend it. The world building is more breathtaking this time around and I've forced my mind through mental gymnastics to understand how it all hangs together so intricately. Good job CJ Rutherford. It's great to see a debut author growing and developing their craft. To anyone who read it a year ago - definitely read it again.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't my usual genre, but I found this novel interesting and thrilling. Katherine is an average teenage student who finds herself swept into a mystery. But not just any mystery. This mystery involves another place and another time and a man she's only met in her dreams. When Katherine meets her mystery man, the novel turns from comfortable romance to a spine tingling roller coaster ride through alternate realms and battles. The characters in this novel were fantastic. From coy and cute to dedicated and determined, they keep the novel flowing at a fast pace and the reader eagerly turning the pages for more.

[Elissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the AUDIO version.

Although read clearly and with great fervor, the narrator's vocal range did not permit as full a distinction of characters as the broad cast demanded. Nonetheless I found myself mesmerized by the story as we slipped from world to world and time to time as the narrative built to its conclusion. I found it helpful to have enjoyed the prequel which sets the background for the first novel in the series, but the tale also stood very well on its own. The author has imagined a rich universe of many worlds and creatures struggling to survive the chaos of an epic battle between good and evil.

[Ruby McDemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really really confusing at first, but it was interesting. The longer I listened the more it made sense and was worth it to keep reading. Katie did a great job as the narrator. At times I had to really listen because she is so soft spoken. I loved the story and all its complexities. With stories like this it's so hard to just pick one person or one place even to talk about, but it's well worth listening to or even reading. I will say though that the Brownies are my absolute favorite race.

[Todd Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my style of book usually but the author and narrator have me hooked and wanting more. Can't wait for the rest of the series!!!

[Barb VanderWel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.

[Pat Welte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story and the characters. Lots of excitement and fantasy. Can hardly wait for more books in this series.

[William Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have gotten the opportunity to discover some great new authors and their books through the Book Review Depot group on Facebook. C. J. Rutherford is one of those authors and Souls of the Never is one of those books!

Synopsis (from the author): In Boston, Massachusetts, 24-year-old Katheryne dreamt, all the while knowing that the dreams were killing her. Something wanted into her world, into the world of the mortals, and she was to be the unwilling vessel to let it in..

On Sanctuary, a world that lay at the heart of the Never, Derren searches desperately for the face from his dreams. It is the face of a stranger, but one who he seems to have known all his life.

At the edge of the universe, a dormant evil awakens. His slumber is over as the Veil that hides his source of power slowly collapses, allowing magic to trickle back into his malevolent grasp.

What I liked: The concept of this book was great! I liked the way Colin Rutherford used Katheryne’s dreams to develop the rest of the story, and to create the island that provided her a bit of peace among the chaos of her dreams. Katheryne’ relationship with Derren, a Walker who has searched for her for centuries, made for a nice love interest. Katheryne’s friend Perry is another intriguing character, as is Krista, Derren’s sister. Filled with intrigue, nice sci-fi and fantasy elements, and excellent storytelling, Souls of the Never is a great read!

What I didn’t like: I can only think of two issues I had with the book. First, the connections between parts of the Never were a bit disjointed and a little difficult to follow. Secondly, for a book listed for ages 12 and up, there were plenty of expletives that might be better suited for older readers.

Overall impression: Well-written, attention grabbing, and full of the elements that I like in a book, Souls of the Never is an excellent read. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys a nice mix of sci-fi and fantasy. Well Done Colin Rutherford!

My rating: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

[Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Katheryne ran. People say you run faster when you’re scared.”

A Red Raven Reads Review of “Souls of the Never” by CJ Rutherford

www.redravenreads.wordpress.com // www.booksarefood.wordpress.com

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

THE STORY:
Get ready for an epic failure of a description on my part. Prepared? Awesome. So there are several—lemme rephrase—SEVERAL storylines that weave together to make this book, though the primary plot strand comes from protagonist Katheryne, a seemingly regular 20 year-old who also struggles with demonic, soul-shattering nightmares. As the story progresses, we also focus on a soulmate connection with ultra-mysterious dimension traveler, Derren. Epic battles, elves, faeries, dragons, HOLY COW FIGHT SCENES.

THE GOOD:
This book was such a pleasure to read. It had good pacing, excellent dialogue, wonderful descriptions, and a fantastic best friend relationship that definitely overshadowed the love interest, in my humble opinion. #TeamPerri. It’s definitely a breeze to read, and thoroughly entertaining.

THE BAD:
I found the love interest aspect of the book to be slightly lackluster and a bit shallow. I appreciate the star-crossed lovers theme as always, but it felt a little dry here. I personally don’t enjoy having “soulmates” serve as the primary entity for a relationship, albeit well expressed. I also felt as though there was a bit more “telling” than necessary.

THE CONSENSUS:
“Souls of the Never” is an enjoyable read with a lot going for it. (I mean c’mon now. Dream demons? All of the yes.) In my critical opinion, the pros definitely outweigh the cons to create a book worthy of its kindle price for its intended audience.

THE RATING:
I’m so happy to give this book 3.5 stars, and have rounded it up to 4 for the sake of review. If you want a downright fun and easy to read fantasy, this is definitely a book I’d recommend picking up.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The story itself was interesting, unique, entertaining and creative. I was really looking forward to this book. It took me a really long time to get into this story and I could only listen for short periods of time. For a shorter book that is unusual. The problem for me was not the story it was the narration. I even listened to the book a second time to see if my opinion would change.

Magic, dragons, alternate worlds, time travel, soulmates, romance, action, betrayal and so much more.

As I said before the storyline is creative and actually really good, with a great cast of characters. It's basically a classic good vs. evil with creative twists and unexpected turns. It has all the elements that make a really good story and plot.

I would like to continue with the series but it will have to be physically reading it not an audiobook. I do think the actual story is entertaining, enjoyable and worth your time.

Narration the good & bad
This is the first time I have listened to a book narrated by Katie Welburn. She does have a pleasant voice, but for me her narration was just to soft. I had to turn up the volume on my iPod, then some of the character voices are so fast and high pitched they were hard to listen to at the same volume. The little girl voices were annoying. Many times her words tend to trail off at the end of a sentence. She does have some really good character voices. Other characters sound the same which makes it hard at times to be sure which character is speaking. She was able to bring the emotions of the characters to life. She by far is not the worst narrator I have ever listened to and she has some really good qualities as a narrator. This is just one of those times that the narration affected my overall enjoyment of the story.

I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher.

[Darren Worrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rutherford knows how to weave a fascinating story; I knew that before I started this one as I read the excellent prelude but while the prelude does much to open our eyes to the fantasy world portrayed this first book unexpectedly starts in our own world. The reality is set; a couple of girls in university begin to analysis the dreams that haunt them when they suspect they are becoming more real. Unlike Tolkien we are not expected to just be plonked in the middle of Never without a map; Colin is crafting the worlds before us, opening up his mind and pouring in the rich narrative and creative descriptions with ease. The multi-universe theory comes into play and the adventure unfolds; nothing particularly original in this but, and this is a big but, it is all within the courageous wordplay, the real life conversations and situations that make this something very special. It reads beautifully, it does not confuse and it implements all we need to know to enter his world confident that we are no stranger.

It reminded me of Cecily Magnon’s amazing series, “The Order of the Anakim,” more so than lost in time feel of Lord of The Rings, with its perfect mixture of rich portrayals and everyday conversation pieces and this, coupled with the modern scientific theory that melds our world to that of the Never this book keeps you beyond entertained and when it is over, dripping for more. It’s a grand job for all fantasy fans and a lot more beyond that, hats off to the author; I’m hooked!

[Lorrie Farrelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOULS OF THE NEVER is an exciting and imaginative, romantic, sci fi fantasy with fully developed characters. Adults of all ages – young and old – will recognize and identify with them right away. Not only does author CJ Rutherford give us parallel universes and time travel, but he spins a wonderful story of an uncertain young woman finding her true strength and best self in a high-stakes adventure full of danger and romance.

As this is a continuing series, many of the themes in SOULS remain to be concluded, but enough is resolved in this book (the first in the series, not counting the prequel ORIGINS OF THE NEVER) to make it a very satisfying read in and of itself. I do, however, recommend reading the short ORIGINS prequel first to acquaint yourself with the central conflict of the series, as well as some of the important characters. Also, the story does require somewhat careful reading, as there are many jumps in time and location.

Romance is a very strong element in SOULS, but the emphasis is on the trust and passionate devotion the two young lovers, Katheryne and Derren, have with one another. Physical love is discreet, but the attraction and bond the two have is very powerful and endearing.

There are a number of twists and surprises that make SOULS a compulsive page-turner. I can't wait to read the next in the series!

[Sherri Wingler · Rating 5 out of 5]

As other reviews have pointed out, this book has a little bit of something for everyone. There are dragons, time travel, an epic bad guy, and a heart-melting romance between the two main characters, Katheryne and Derren. It's marketed as sci-fi, but I can easily seeing it fitting into young adult fantasy too. There were more than a few artfully twisted plot points to keep me guessing, and I loved that because I always want a book to surprise me. (Unfortunately, not many do.) This one managed to do the job several times.
The thing which stayed with me was the relationship between Katheryne and her best friend Perri. The author did an incredible job with that. I don't mean to sound sexist, but most men just don't get the nuances of women and their relationships. So hats off to Mr. Rutherford for a job well done. The characters were well-rounded (all the characters, not just the main ones), and that really helps draw someone into a story. The plot was full of action, adventure, and romance. No dull moments to skip over! If you're still on the fence about grabbing a copy, just download the free preview on the "Look Inside" feature and see how fast it grabs you. You won't be disappointed.

[Sharon Brownlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy, love, battles and time travel what's not to be loved by Souls of the Never? Absolutely nothing! I thought at first I would easily get lost with following Kat and her dreams. Fantasy books tend to jump about a lot so I did worry to begin with. However it didn't cause me any problems at all because the plot and sub plots held me riveted, the author through his clever narrative and dialogue ensured I didn't lose sight of the story. It takes a certain talent to be able to do this and Colin Ruherford nailed it.
A lot of work and thought has gone into Souls of the Never. One memorable part of the Souls of the Never I will remember for all time is Toshi's thought, 'With this amount of love and hope on our side we're invincible,' A thought that, I hope one day sums up the world we live in.
Originality, pace and dialogue should make this and future works a hit for YA.
I will certainly be following this author, I read the prequel - Origins of the Never, it was my first introduction to Sci-fi/fantasy and it had me hooked and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

[Lelouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

I found the story a little difficult to read. I'm used to reading romance and YA which focus on two different perspectives, alternating every 1-2 chapters, but we've got 4 or more here, and many of them seem to be minor characters we don't hear much from until later. The chapters are really short, which makes the frequent perspective change a bit more difficult to manage. The first half of the book is primarily background, and things don't really start moving until a kidnapping at the halfway mark. After that, I felt the story improved as everything starts coming together.

The narrator gives a bit of a quiet voice to the story. I like her character voices; perry and julia come to mind. I think she could have done a little more to help differentiate the different perspectives, though.

[Flurbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

1) There are multiple dimensions.
2) Love conquers all.
3)The Fae (Walkers), who cross, and cause both love and heartache. Derren is looking for The One, and his homeworld of Sanctuary is the spiritual heart of The Never.
4)Every action has a reaction, regardless of what world your feet are in. The conflicting needs of different peoples are never going to end, and the veil between these worlds is necessarily thin.
It's part romance, part high fantasy. Kat is a dreamer-- I don't mean the kind of woman who stares into space, she is a woman who Stares into Space, as her dreams are an actual reflection of something more, something real that is beyond her current physical world. She's a tether, and it's actually a little bit like the theme of The Princess Bride-- you know, "everything goes to hell, but it all turns out okay in the end."

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following on from Tales of the Neverwar.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved the friendship between Katheryne and Perri although not sure that Perri would accept so easily the dreams as being real. Both feisty girls but in different ways. The relationship with Derren didn’t strike me in the same way, it was nice but I believed more in Katheryne and Perri.
There was a lot of repetition in places which slowed the story down and there were so many threads that at times I struggled to work out who was who. Having said that though it cleverly weaved together in the end and the author’s bold use of so many strands paid off.
A well-written thoroughly enjoyable book and I look forward to the next book in the series which just happens to already be on my kindle.

[Sharon Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

CJ Rutherford's Souls of the Never.
Souls of the Never is not what I expected.
A tale which spans years and time zones.
Derren has been searching for Katheryne, the one he's dreamed of for so long. Now he's finally found her, but the creature who stalks her in her dreams is closing in, ready to take away her soul. From the far away reaches of Sanctuary to the sandy beaches of a secret oasis this author's imagination will draw you into a world of betrayal, war, love, and hope. An enjoyable read which will leave you wanting more.

[Leserling Belana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the idea, the settings, and the characters. I enjoy the language, too: modern but no foul language, which is a great plus in my book!

I really need to know how the story goes on now.

I listened to the audio book, too, and the narrator reads very fast, which is something I'm not fond of, as it makes me feel as if there is a race to be won. However, she reads with great passion, so all the emotions come across very convincingly, which is fantastic! Thankfully, I was able to slow down the speed in my mp3 player, so then it was just perfect!

[J.M. Northup · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enchanting story!
I was really impressed with the way the author structured this book. At first, I questioned why the writer was jumping to and fro in time, but it all became clear in the end... or should I say beginning? This is only one in the series! I have read the prequel and I look forward to continuing on with this book series and author. I found their style to be interesting and captivating.
Anyone who loves fantasy, fairies, magic, or mystery will enjoy this book. It has romance, heartbreak, and humor. It is well rounded and enjoyable!

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

** Review of Audio Format **

OK YA

Katherine's dreams are getting darker and darker and she feels like she has to keep them buried deep to save herself and everything she knows. Before long, she has teamed up with and old friend and a couple of new ones, including her soul mate. A man she has dreamed about for a long time but never thought she would meet in person. Before you know it, he is snatched away from her and this gives her the incentive to learn all she can and fight the evil threatening to take over all realities.

This was a very YA book and not deep enough with interesting, strong characters to keep my attention for long. All of the relationship angst felt overdone and it took Katherine way too long to get over indecision and grasp her destiny. In the end, the story was just OK for me. Not really enough to want me to keep going to see what else happens in the series.

The narration confused me. Katherine is obviously supposed to be Irish but the narrator doesn't give her an Irish accent. Yet other characters are given accents. It distracted from the story for me and I don't think I could get past it.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Elena Alvarez Dosil · Rating 2 out of 5]

My original Souls of the Never audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

20 year old Katherine started to have nightmares some months ago. She often wakes up bathed in sweat. Her best friend Perry is her confident, and will try to make Katherine feel better despite her weird dreams. But one day they stumble upon Darren, the boy who lately appeared in Katherine's dreams, and together they discover that Katherine will be the key in a war between the good and the evil.

The premises of this book were very good, an ancient conflict between the good and the evil, traitors and a girl that will be decisive for the outcome. But the execution was poor. There is a lot going on here, and more background info would have been welcomed. We are suddenly thrown in the middle of the story. The author has the concepts clear in her mind, but we do not. It is recommended to read the short prequel Origins of the Never, so I guess this book would be less confusing having read or listened to it. Since it it a short prequel I would have appreciated if they would have been published together. Origins of the Never was, though, published after Souls of the Never, I understand, in a way to give a more precise frame for the events on this book.

I also felt that way about the Island Katherine builds in her dreams. It seems there is some information missing here, and the way the island is introduced is quite abrupt.

Despite we were given some key events from the character's past, these remain quite unidimensional and they are the typical stereotypical characters: Katherine is the damsel in distress that discovers she has what it takes to save the world, Perry is the loud and strong friend any girl would want, and Darren is handsome, romantic and completely in love with Katherine. And do not get me started with love. The word appears so many times in this book that it is ridiculous. Katherine and Darren meet and they suddenly feel true love and that they are two halves of the same soul. Sappy? Well, this just the beginning. The characters are supposedly 20 years old, but their emotions and words are the ones from a young teenager. I left that time of my life some years ago, but I can still read some Young Adult novels without thinking they are ridiculous. This one got me rolling my eyes at the mention of true love again and again. I wonder how one can try to save the world when she is completely obsessed about a boy that she can hardly think about anything else.

One thing that I enjoyed was the twist to the story, even though it implies a mix of genres (fantasy and science fiction) that does not seem to work completely for me here.

Katie Welburn did a decent job narrating this story, and she truly became the girls and was able to express their exalted emotions. I felt her register was a bit limited and there was no difference when she impersonated male characters, but this did not prevent me from enjoying the story.

I think this book would work well for young adult female readers that long for romance with some fantasy touches. This is a fantasy book but the fantasy is secondary to the romance, in my opinion.

[Dave Higgins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Combining the solid core of fantasy and YA romance tropes with a deft layering of personal touches, Rutherford has created a novel that will appeal to both audiences.

After a tragic childhood, Katheryne longs for a normal university experience: dating, socialising, and potentially even learning. But waking screaming each night from dreams of burning in a lake of fire as a foul creature draws ever closer, both ruin her composure and turn her house-mates away. Ripped from space and time to fight in a war for existence, Derren searches for the saviour whose face fills his dreams. And in the space outside realities, an ancient evil finds a crack in its prison.

Rutherford’s mythology is both interesting and coherent. Starting from the classic fantasy tropes of an enemy banished in the mists of time now returning, and a saviour found in a world without magic, he quickly adds both detail and variety.

As a testament to his skill in revealing the world and plot, the descriptions are integrated into dialogue as plausible responses to events to the extent that examples of Rutherford’s world-building also risk spoiling the mysteries that underlie the story.

While the fantasy side of the book has both a depth that will engage fans of epic fantasy and a focus on a small cast combined with good pacing that will appeal to readers who are not seeking the massive tomes that some epic fantasy become, the romance side of the book is likely to be more polarising.

Delivered in the fevered strains of youth, when everything is of great emotional significance and a glance across a bar is cause for many hours of analysis and discussion with close friends, the trials of possible love stand beside ancient prophecy and magical conspiracy as equals for the reader’s attention.>

So – while Rutherford portrays the experience of being still only on the brink of adulthood with as equal skill to the fantasy elements – this novel might not appeal to readers who do not enjoy characters with their emotions turned up to eleven.

When not facing the equal terrors of existential evil and embarrassing one’s self in the presence of a crush, the characters continue to feel plausible. Both Katheryne and Derren have traumas in their past, but both the impact of those traumas and their ways of handling them are different. This makes both their difficulty in resolving them, and the benefit they find in each other’s company seem more than the inevitability of plot.

I enjoyed this novel, but found the romance a little exhausting. I recommend it to readers seeking a good example of YA fantasy.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a complimentary audiobook for my honest review.

Honestly, I can't say if the book itself has problems because it is the audiobook that gave me trouble. The narrator, well, sounds like a little girl. A soft little girl voice that no matter how high I turned up the volume, it was still just a little high-pitched girl voice. And that made it SO HARD for me to follow along. I kept losing interest. I kept backing it up. I gave up backing it up after a while and just kept listening to get through the story. A sample isn't enough to really get a feel for the narrator, but when after an hour of listening you realize you lost your attention somewhere and couldn't figure out where, there's a problem.

But I feel like I must have missed a lot because the amazing story that the other reviewers are touting just wasn't there for me. This book even won an award! So is it me? It might be me.
Anyway, the general gist of the story was creative. I really liked the different dimensions and the tech talk that made me remember some episodes of The Fringe. See? This book should have been totally right up my alley. I love alternate dimensions and finding other selves and even possible time travel stories. This book had all the elements of a great story for me but didn't deliver. And I hate to think the audio narrator ruined the book for me. But I really believe that is what happened unless the book itself was so disjointed that reading it would have lost me as well. I really can't say. For a book that is only about 5 hours long, I sure felt like it took longer with all the backing up to try to figure out double you tee eff was going on.

It is so hard to believe a love story when it sounds like a child is narrating it. But the love story in this book is epic, two souls searching for each other, dreaming about each other, through multiple dimensions until they finally find each other. EPIC. Well, it should have been anyway.

Another issue I had with the book is the ending. Our awesome heroine plans to save the day by stopping an event in the past to prevent all the horror that happened since. But life doesn't quite work out that way, does it? All that paradox stuff anyway. I didn't understand why she was the special snowflake that was even able to go back and try to change something, but the whole way it went down was creep factor major and just didn't work for me.

So I guess I'll have to be the black sheep reviewer on this one. Sorrynotsorry.

[John Collings · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a troubled childhood where Katheryne lost her mother to a bizarre scientific experiment conducted by her father, she is troubled by dreams that force her to hide from a hideous beast that attacks her on the safety of an island that she has created. The only way she can survive these dreams is through the help of a handsome Liberi named Darren who teaches her how to protect herself from the danger that is invading her dreams. But are these visions real, and is the threat an actual one that if it makes it to Earth could destroy everything that Katheryne loves? Or is this just a figment of her imagination? These questions get answered as Katheryne goes on a quest of epic proportions in C.J. Rutherford's debut novel, Souls of the Never.

There are a lot of interesting things going on in this story with some philosophical questions that leave the reader pondering the make-up of the entire universe. It is wrapped up in a story with a lot of action that keeps the pages flying by, and Rutherford even added a little romance to spice everything up. It has a little bit of everything for everybody. The book could have used a little more editing before publication. There are numerous grammatical errors throughout the book that distracts the reader from the overall story, and takes away from Rutherford's professional appeal. There are also plot problems as time is not always the same between chapters. Something that only took a minute in one chapter turns into a couple of days in the next chapter. Lastly, the characters are a little predictable and fall into the category of stock characters, the hopeless heroine who finds her strength, the sassy friend who is her rock, the hero who come and save her, and the faceless bad guy that everybody must fight. Besides these complaints, it is still a fun read and would fall into the category of summer blockbuster if the reader could excuse some of the mistakes made by the writer,

[Duawana Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldnt finish this book. It could be a great read for someone else I just didn't care for it.