Standing by the Wall at the Near and Far


Fiction - Action
440 Pages
Reviewed on 06/19/2022
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Standing by the Wall at the Near and Far by Golden November is an interactive reading experience that requires the participation of two or more readers to breathe life into this action-packed novel. On the run for reasons initially unexplained, Sapphire is on the road when she gets a call from Simon, who keeps calling her Lisa and is following her in a helicopter while demanding that she pulls over. She does, but not for Simon, and ends up lost in the woods where it is revealed that Simon has reason to follow her. Sapphire has a file that Simon wants her to return. A chase ensues that has Sapphire walking for miles, fighting off creatures both in the wild and in her cheap motel room which has, as reception clarifies, bedbugs but no roaches. She is successful and put on another mission, and then...a date? Meanwhile, the usual Milestoneville characters are skydiving, dancing at music awards, and stealing back rare books in front of rural outhouses.

Standing by the Wall at the Near and Far is a hilarious romp through every conceivable landscape and tundra in North America. Sapphire is always a step ahead of Simon and Jillian has intercepted Burt in a forest. The common denominator in Golden November's string of subplots is clear - women are amazing. There is a part where the irony of readers reading the lines of characters playing other characters becomes clear. The crew is deployed to rescue happy holidaymakers from a virtual city where the vacationers and their rescuers are all playing other characters. The best part is that they are depicted in a unique twist by the author, who has only ever shown us locations in the photo prompts and not actual characters. I fell a little in love with Rick who looks disturbingly similar to The Witcher. This might be the most action-packed book of November's yet and it is loads of fun for readers who are looking for a story and format that is different.

Pikasho Deka

Standing by the Wall at the Near and Far is a sleuth action-adventure novel by Golden November. While driving down a deserted highway, Sapphire, a recovery agent for GN, realizes that her mark Simon was following her car in a helicopter. Eager for him to lose her trail, she ventures into the woods and disappears. After successfully retrieving the covert file for her boss, Cal, Sapphire completes a couple more missions before taking a much-deserved break. She is invited to the Channel 1994 award show, which also hosts a reunion party for former and current employees of GN. But as she mingles with her friends and listens to their extraordinary tales, Sapphire once again comes face to face with Simon, who followed her to the party.

Almost all the major characters of Golden November's previous books make an appearance in this fast-paced action-adventure tale that rarely gives you a moment to take a breath. In this installment, November drops you in the midst of action from the get-go. You will be hopping on a wild rollercoaster of a ride that you will find surprisingly enjoyable despite the unorthodox narrative style or the lack of usual expository scenes. In fact, those are the very aspects that make Standing by the Wall at the Near and Far such a unique and authentic piece of work. It is an acquired taste, no doubt, but if you go along and enjoy the ride with an open mind, you will have a wonderful time. Recommended to readers who love quirky adventure stories.

Rabia Tanveer

Standing by the Wall at the Near and Far is the second novel in the Milestoneville Book series by Golden November. The story follows Sapphire, our protagonist, as she is chased and lost. The story opens with Sapphire in a rented red convertible when she gets a strange phone call from a man named Simon. Simon believes Sapphire is Lisa, has an important file, and is now chasing her car via helicopter. Sapphire dodges him by driving into the woods. With the convertible in a ditch and Sapphire lost in the woods, she needs to get to safety before Simon catches up with her and realizes she has the file. Can she run away and complete her job, or will Simon capture her?

Golden November brings back the much-loved characters from the original Milestoneville series as he creates an action-packed story with Sapphire in the center. It is nice to see the original gang back at their shenanigans, but Sapphire is the real star of the story. The action is intense, the pace is fast, and the plot is entertaining; three ingredients of every Golden November novel. I love how Golden November doesn’t give us anything in terms of descriptions, yet I still read the dialogues for each character in a different and distinct voice. The dialogues are so powerful in this book that you will have a hard time not creating a mental image of each of the characters you come across. Simple yet effective, another job well done by Golden November.