Review of By the Oz.

[Nzube Chizoba Okeke]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "By the Oz." by Henry Summers.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Michael “Draco” Rooney has one objective now: to help Dot navigate the terrible situation he’s been thrown into. The more complicated things get, the more he realizes he will need a lot of help to ensure things turn out well.

Dot seems to be in over his head, and other people’s lives hang in the balance now. The problems pile up, and he often seems to run out of luck. He needs help — maybe a trusted hand to guide him or someone else to take the reins for a while and relieve him of the pressure. Unfortunately, his closest friend is no longer with him — or is he?

By the Oz. by Henry Summers is a wild ride. With crazy twists and dizzying uncertainties interspersed with philosophical questions and drastic decisions, you won’t be able to put this book down until the end.

The idea behind this book was fascinating. The book was written in alternate perspectives, shifting between Dot’s and Draco’s points of view. Most of it was from Dot’s point of view, so we were not always aware of what was happening behind the scenes until we were reintroduced to Draco’s thoughts. It created a sense of suspense. There were so many moments when things changed so drastically that before I could come to terms with the new development, it triggered a whole new sequence of events. This fast-paced quality of the book made it very difficult to put down and would make the reader eager to find out what would happen at the end. For instance, when some characters successfully reached the airport, I thought they had finally made it home free. At the last minute, a shocking twist made me (and the characters) aware that the journey was still far from over.

The author’s writing did justice to the story. He wove an incredibly complex web without getting too lost in the details. I marveled at his ability to add more elements to the book, building scene upon scene and raising the suspense.

The characters, though diverse, were real and easy to relate with. Despite Dot’s occasional flashes of panic, guilt, and regret, he was admirable for his boldness and determination to keep those around him safe.

I found some errors in this book. The book could use another round of editing. Due to the number of errors, I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Apart from the number of errors, I found nothing to dislike about this book. I’d recommend it to lovers of thrillers or road trip/adventure books with some fantasy elements.

******
By the Oz.
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon