Official Review: 500 Miles To Go by J. Conrad Guest

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ritah
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Official Review: 500 Miles To Go by J. Conrad Guest

Post by ritah »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "500 Miles To Go" by J. Conrad Guest.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.” – Harry Nilsson

What if the one career path you chose caused considerable anxiety to your family? When one wrong move, mechanical failure, or just being on the wrong side of the field (racetrack) at the wrong time increases the probability of you meeting the grim reaper sooner rather than later. What If your first love wouldn’t stand by to watch you risk your life? Would all of that be enough to convince you to abandon your childhood dream?

‘Lucky in life, unlucky in love.’ Alex Król, our protagonist, once found himself in such a quandary. Through his interview with Alicia Abney, a freelance writer; we are taken on a trip down memory lane. This trip takes us through the ups and downs, struggles, and losses (the whole package) of being a race car driver during the golden era of racing. It is not long after he begins his career that it starts to cause an obvious strain in his relationship with his girlfriend, Gail Russell. Will they work it out or will he lose her forever? Will he fulfill his dream of becoming one of the best racecar drivers and still manage to come out unscathed?

500 Miles to Go by J. Conrad Guest is a riveting account of a racecar driver; a narrative that hurls readers’ full force into the world of racing. The fact that this book is a work of fiction blows my mind. As soon as I was a few chapters in, I searched Google for an Alex Król, because that’s how real the character and story feel. The more I read on, the more I felt compelled to search for other characters introduced. And behold; some of them did appear, and that is how I continued to read the book till the very end. With brief stops to fact check. The author did a brilliant job of melding fact and fiction that the narrative was incredibly believable. In doing so, I learned so much about the legends of the sport, both living and dead. I had a little bit of a proud moment when one of my favorite scientists mentioned in an interview I was watching — a racing legend by name and I immediately recognized and knew who he was speaking of, when before I would not have had a clue.

When I first chose this book, I had no idea that it would be the one to have me teary-eyed. This was such a profound read. And I’m grateful that I got to read it. The plot and setting worked exceptionally well to create a very realistic story. The characters were multidimensional that I couldn’t help but feel like they were real. Some of the characters were likable and others not so much as you’d have it naturally in a tale whose major theme involves high-stakes racing. Other themes included: ambition, romance, betrayal, friendship, separation, grief, and death.

The blurb convinced me to read the book even though I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the racing aspect, I thought I might enjoy the romance bits. However, I was in for a surprise; I enjoyed every bit of it, and I found myself anticipating the racing bits equally as much. From the very first page up to the last, there was no dull moment. I think that is the mark of a great author. One that convinces you his creation/world is real and can garner interest in a topic from readers who otherwise had not paid attention to the subject or had no prior interest in it. I could tell there was a lot of research that went into writing the book. I had no doubt that the author really knows his stuff having attended the Indy races and the amount of information shared in the book. One of the things that I liked was that the narrative invoked different emotions from me excitement, anxiety, and even grief alongside the characters. I especially liked that the romance wasn’t predictable. I appreciated that it took a mature front.

The book appeared to be professionally edited which made reading it a breeze. I honestly can’t find anything that I didn’t like; which is why I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I feel I should mention that there were a few instances where swear words were used, moderate description of sex scenes. I have no problem with such content. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a high-quality novel with elements of historical fiction, racecar driving, and romance.

******
500 Miles To Go
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juliusotinyo
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Post by juliusotinyo »

Nice review ritah, funny thing is I once aspired to be a rally driver. My parents would hear none of it and I ended up in university instead. Sounds good this one, maybe a glimpse into a world that would've been mine.
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ritah
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Post by ritah »

Thanks, Julius.
Oh really?! The dangers of the sport didn't make you think twice? They were probably looking out for you. I know if I had a family member with the same dream...I'd suffer from a ton of anxiety every time they went on to race. Just because I care and fully understand the gambles of the sport.
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Post by kandscreeley »

Sounds like a really intriguing book. I haven't read many books about racecar drivers. Thanks for the review.
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ritah
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Post by ritah »

It really was, I enjoyed it very much. If you're looking to read more books on race car drivers, this one is a worth it winner. And the fact that it offers more than racing cars and actually includes other themes; I see it appealing to different groups/types of readers as well.
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Post by juliusotinyo »

ritah wrote:Thanks, Julius.
Oh really?! The dangers of the sport didn't make you think twice? They were probably looking out for you. I know if I had a family member with the same dream...I'd suffer from a ton of anxiety every time they went on to race. Just because I care and fully understand the gambles of the sport.
There's just something about 400+ horses under the hood, a dirt/muddy road, tight turns, 4WD and a sequential gearbox that churns the blood...So to speak. Tried it with some buggies once, I didn't mind the dangers back then.
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Post by Ashley Simon »

Sounds like this was a great book that brought you into the story. I enjoyed reading your review!
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Post by Mercelle »

Sounds like an enjoyable book with important life lessons.
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ritah
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Post by ritah »

There's just something about 400+ horses under the hood, a dirt/muddy road, tight turns, 4WD and a sequential gearbox that churns the blood...So to speak. Tried it with some buggies once, I didn't mind the dangers back then.
haha, wow. You make it sound like quite the thrill. I think am one of those that would rather just watch when it comes to dangerous sports or read about them.

-- 19 Oct 2017, 13:13 --
Ashley Simon wrote:Sounds like this was a great book that brought you into the story. I enjoyed reading your review!
Thanks, Ashley. It really did, the narrative felt all too real.

-- 19 Oct 2017, 13:17 --
Mercy Bolo wrote:Sounds like an enjoyable book with important life lessons.
Yes, Mercy. It was a profound read.
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Post by Njihia muigai »

Thanks Rita for the vivid review of the book. Most of us like to experience such thrills from the comfort of our sofas while dare devils do what they do on the track. Sounds like I wanna read the book at the earliest opportunity
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ritah
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Post by ritah »

Thanks Njihia. You ought to, this book will take you there.
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Post by Bianca Casalvolone »

it looks really good, but is not a type of book that most of the people would read
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Post by Emmanuel nonso Akubu »

How can I start reviewing ? Can somebody help? How do I get any of the books to read and review?
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Post by Kat Berg »

A book about racing is not one I would normally be drawn to, but you have described it so well, I'm going to have to consider it. Great review!
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ritah
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Post by ritah »

Kat Berg wrote:A book about racing is not one I would normally be drawn to, but you have described it so well, I'm going to have to consider it. Great review!
Thanks! It'll surprise you.
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