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There are currently 21 member reviews
for Far From True
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Shaun D. (Woodridge, IL)
Not One of Barclay's Best
Having read several of Barclay's previous novels I was looking forward to settling into 'Far From True'. Unfortunately it was a disappointment from the start. It read like a book in the middle of a series - not so much because the reader was assumed to know anything but because Barclay inserted so many asides into the narrative seemingly in an attempt to provide background information. However none of these asides were relevant to this particular storyline so they felt unnecessary and awkward. The story itself had some interesting possibilities but I felt that it fell as flat as the characters. The characters were little more than their names.....no physical descriptions of what they looked like, no inner monologues to hint at what they were thinking, no personalities were provided for any of them - there was really no character development at all. Also distracting was that some of the characters had unnecessarily similar names which became a bit confusing because without a clue of what they looked like there wasn't much to help distinguish 'Duncomb' from 'Duckworth'. (And in that particular case one was a former-cop-now-a-security-guard and the other was a cop which added to the confusion). Even stranger and more disappointing was that there wasn't an ending to the book. As readers we have no idea 'who did it' because the book just ends without wrapping up any of the plot points or telling us who the killer was. After 447 pages there wasn't a reveal, no resolution, no conclusion at all. While I don't recommend this book I would refer anyone interested to start with Barclay's older novels as those were much more satisfying all-around.
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Mary G. (Purcellville, VA)
Far From True is far from simple
If you are the type of person who likes mental challenges to keep your mind sharp, then this whodunit may be for you. There are so many characters and so many plots and subplots that you really have to keep your concentration as you read. Also, this book is the second in a trilogy. if you did not read the first book (I did not) then you face the added challenge of learning the backstory of many of the characters--which is doable but will increase your overall exhaustion.
For all of its challenges, I did find this an absorbing, albeit somewhat bizarre, book. The ending was extremely abrupt with none of the puzzles that make up the story resolved. It was very clear that another book will soon be on its way. What isn't as clear is whether I will read it.
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Elizabeth K. (Dallas, TX)
Far from Excellent...
This is the first Linwood Barclay book I've read. I wish I could say I'm impressed, but after finishing it I realized I didn't know who the main character was, and none of the ensemble of quirky characters made a lasting impression. For me, character-driven stories are what makes the plot come alive. There were "hooks" all along the way that kept me reading, but the story wasn't particularly suspenseful and the ending was disappointing. There are a lot of NY Times Bestsellers, that don't seem like they should be best sellers to me...this is one of them.
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Constance C. (Manchester, NH)
Broken Promises trilogy
This thriller, Far From True by Linwood Barclay is linked to the town of Broken Promises. I did not read the previous books in the series, but that did not make any difference, it can be read as a stand alone. I do think that there are too many characters, some dark secrets which can be guessed at pretty easily. Some side plots but no real mystery. There is an unresolved issue at the end of the book which seems to be setting up the next book. This is a fast read book, of interest to followers of this author. I enjoyed but consider it an average plot.
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Dorothy M. (Maynard, MA)
This one takes patience
Linwood Barclay has a long string of very successful thriller books. He is now trying something rather new - a series that acts - like a TV show - as segments in a story rather than as a stand alone book. His most recent - Far From True - is set in his mythical Promise Falls and begins when the local drive in movie theater screen is blown up and falls on the audience. The book is full of action, supporting characters who wander in and out, villains so unredeemingly evil they are cartoon characters and lots of cliff hangers. This didn't work for me but if you like the concept of signing on with an author for a long haul story you will probably enjoy this beach read.
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Diane P. (Concord, MA)
What is in a conclusion?
For every admirable aspect of this novel, there is an equally puzzling deficit. Linwood Barclay is a fine writer. By this statement I mean, he avoids clichés, in a genre ("thriller" fiction) given to formulae and banalities. His story line is well-crafted, and despite the fact that keeping track of his characters—for the first hundred pages, or so—requires either a razor-sharp memory or cue cards, his plot twists are memorable. Indeed, I gradually became attached to certain characters and followed their persistent dilemmas with rapt attention. Nonetheless, the overall success of the work is disappointing, mainly because of the way the novel concludes—or doesn't.
It is important not to spoil the story, for it is, in essence, a mystery, but that would be difficult, for after finally putting the book aside, the reader discovers the mystery is not actually solved. Certainly hints are abundant, and one of the several concerns seems to be resolved. But the novel ends with an excerpt of the next volume that begins: "Sixty-Nine"—the next sequential chapter—only to discover there is no chapter sixty-nine. With no previous warning, the reader must wait to discover what actually happened by reading The Twenty-Three, Barclay's next work, which a note informs us will be available in November 2016.
Four hundred and fifty pages should be enough to settle the narrative's central mystery, but they were insufficient for Barclay. I must confess that I will look for the next volume and hope I can remember who the characters are and what the tangled events left unsettled. This conceit, however, is not, I deeply hope, a trend in thriller/mystery literature.
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Sandy F. (Davis, CA)
Needs editing and a better end
I struggled to get into this book. The characters and situations were a mish mash. I found myself back tracking often to figure out what was going on. I would have guessed this was an inexperienced writer. The middle was better but no "thrill and chill" for me. And then, the non ending -- what is that? There were many over used descriptors, the characters were flat, the situations not linked well. I would not have wasted my time if not for the responsibility of this review. I love good mysteries - this one was not for me.
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