Review of ByTheWay

This forum is for volunteer reviews by members of our review team. These reviews are done voluntarily by the reviewers and are published in this forum, separate from the official professional reviews. These reviews are kept separate primarily because the same book may be reviewed by many different reviewers.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
Post Reply
Kristin Osorio
Posts: 3
Joined: 06 Oct 2021, 00:13
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 4
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kristin-osorio.html
Latest Review: Twisted But True by Darren Burch

Review of ByTheWay

Post by Kristin Osorio »

[Following is a volunteer review of "ByTheWay" by Dennis Santos.]
Book Cover
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


ByTheWay is an inspirational story that will tug at your heartstrings more and more with each chapter. Dalan Owen has finally met the love of his life and gotten married, only to experience an enormous amount of sadness, pain, and loss soon after his wedding. As he attempts to pick up the pieces and move on with his life, he encounters a supernatural being named Buddy, assumed to be an alien - a living, breathing person who is physically similar to a human from Earth. Author Dennis Santos gives readers an incredible insight into one man's journey through space to planets vastly different (and yet somehow eerily similar) to Earth.


The first planet they arrived at, Ouspad, was destitute, devoid of healthy life. The two men soon become friends with a family just a generation or two away from extinction. Ouspad offered the two strangers extreme levels of risk and danger, much different from their experience on the next planet. This destination was the ultimate vacation - a place of happiness, peace, and love. Throughout this story, Dalan is sent on a journey to find himself again, as well as a reason to convince himself he is deserving of love and friendship once more. The author brings enormous life to each character with their quirky, loving, and nurturing personalities. This story is one of inspiration, faith, and friendship that will make anyone a believer of whatever the next life holds.

There were multiple features about this book that I enjoyed. Right from the beginning, I was engrossed in the storyline. Page one immediately drew me in, and I wanted to know more about each character with each page. I found myself wanting to see what would happen next to Dalan and the characters he encounters on each planet. I was thoroughly immersed with learning about Dalan's eerie trip with Buddy through space to other mysterious planets. ByTheWay shows a frightening realistic view of what Earth may look like in the not-too-distant future. It is the perfect example of an alternate reality for humans and should be understood to be a wake-up call if we wish to save the future of our planet. I enjoyed experiencing the high level of detail in almost each scene. Dennis Santos made me feel as if I was directly placed in the scene with the characters watching it unfold firsthand. I really enjoyed how this book made me think about what the next life truly holds for us. It is a story that incorporates religion with mystery, and it offers more than just one man's extraterrestrial experiences. Just when you think you have the answer, ByTheWay will make you question what you think about Heaven and beyond.

Despite my recommendations for this book, there are a few points of dislike for me. Because the author tried to put so much detail into the book, some events felt missing. There were parts that felt as if I needed more of a backstory in order to understand what was happening. For example, there were some possibly important details omitted during Dalan's time on Ouspad when the characters were fighting for their lives. In order to understand how they lived or died, a backstory would have been nice to have. These instances almost made it feel as if there are gaps in the story that make it overall less impactful. This also made the story feel very fast-paced in certain parts. The majority of the book took place on Ouspad, and I would have liked to see Dalan spend a longer time on the final planet. Once Dalan was finally able to travel back to Earth, the book was almost over. The rest of his life spent on Earth went by in less than a chapter, which was disappointing.

After weighing the likes and dislikes of this book, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Overall, I enjoyed the storyline and the mystery of the book. However, it was difficult to follow in some places because of the lack of backstory throughout vital periods. There were minor editing errors I found while reading the book, which also impacted my rating for the book. This book would best appeal to young adults and adults of all ages, genders, religions, and cultures. ByTheWay offers significant points that can be of interest to most readers. Overall, this book provides thoughtful insight for every person who wonders about the future of the planet.

******
ByTheWay
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Akshi Porwal
In It Together VIP
Posts: 380
Joined: 26 May 2021, 08:12
Currently Reading: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Bookshelf Size: 73
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-akshi-porwal.html
Latest Review: The Heat Is On by Afzal (Al) Sovani

Post by Akshi Porwal »

What a great review! This is such a different take on inspirational book. The aliens on the verge of extinction is so interesting.
Post Reply

Return to “Volunteer Reviews”