Never Never (Borderlands) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Will Shetterly (Author) "You expect people to get quite when a werewolf walks into a restaurant..." (more)
Key Phrases: impression ball, wild elves, human kid, Wild Hunt, Dragon's Tooth, Milo Chevrolet (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 9-12-In this sequel to Elsewhere (Harcourt, 1991), Ron, a runaway, lives in Bordertown, where the World and Faerie meet. Once a human, he has been turned into a werewolf by a potent spell. His friends are humans, elves, and halfies, and his task is to protect Florida, an orphan elf who is the unwilling heir to the Elflands throne. It soon becomes obvious that things are not always what they seem in Bordertown. Technology is not reliable, magic is not predictible, and people are not necessarily who they say they are. This is cyberpunk fantasy, where magic, teenage gangs, elvish whimsy, rock-and-roll, and adolescent angst blend into a sometimes murky but always lively plot. A murder, a kidnapping, and a trip into the magical forests of the Nevernever lead readers ever deeper into twists and turns and an open-ended conclusion that could permit a sequel. YAs will want background information about the characters and setting that can only be learned by reading the first book. However, the dialogue is snappy and the action never flags. Ron seems to have learned a lot since his arrival in the Borderlands and is a character with whom many teens will identify. Readers may feel at times as though they have fallen into someone else's psychedelic dream, but they will probably enjoy the trip. Fantasy and science-fiction buffs who have read Elsewhere will devour this book and look for more.
Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews
Fast-paced, occasionally confusing, but never dull: a sequel to the punk fantasy Elsewhere (1991) recounting the further adventures of teenager Ron and his friends--other human runaways, elves, and those of mixed blood. Known as ``Wolfboy'' since the lovely elf Leda put a spell on him, Ron is trying to adjust to his new shape and to find love (or sex) in the ever-shifting power struggles on the border between the World and Faerie. But even love takes a back seat to the nonstop kidnappings, false accusations of murder, and motorcycle gangs, and to the deadly search for the true heir to Faerie, who has the disconcerting habit of being two ages at once, in the same time and place. Though it doesn't stand well alone, this has the same witty adolescent verve and vulnerability--plus a message concerning peace among those who are really different. (Fiction. 14+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (October 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812551516
• ISBN-13: 978-0812551518
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,075,148 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #9 in

  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( S ) > Shetterly, Will

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fast-paced, hip, fun, and what an ending!, December 16, 1998

By	R. Sperling - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Nevernever" is far superior to "Elsewhere" (which was still pretty good!) in all areas. It's funnier (Wolfboy's tangent-ridden commentary is very real, very engaging), the characters are better drawn, and the plot is even more intriguing. All the mysteries (well, most) set up in the first book are explained. What a twist at the end! Deeply cool. Bordertown is a mysterious, sometimes frightening, but always fascinating place. Kinda reminds me of NYC, no? Someone help me, here--is "Loses" Los Angeles? Lastly, Orient is in it. 'Nuff said. (Oh, see my review of "Finder"!)

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, April 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Nevernever (Hardcover)

Extremely good book in my opinion. Well written and interesting, I actually read the whole book in one sitting. A must read for anyone who wishes they could just run away from this rotting world into another one thats just cooler. Very good in all.

5.0 out of 5 stars Will Shetterly is a story-teller., November 21, 2005

By	Paul E. Oppenheimer "Be kind." (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Nevernever (Hardcover)

The character of Ron is deeply human, deeply sympathetic, and deeply interesting. Will Shetterly tells a story that is a worthy sequel to "Elsewhere." The pacing makes it a page-turner; each of us can recognize ourselves in all of the characters and varieties of characters. "Never Never" is just what a young adult book should be. It engages the sympathies of the reader, illuminates the ambiguity of reality, and widens the reader's horizon.