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.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
In Endless Times Volume Two: Murphy's Diggins by Walter Stephen Geeding, Jack and Jim utilize a time-traveling bear figurine to save their ranch. They venture to 1849's Gold Rush and the demands of adapting to the period. Strategizing to acquire future supplies, they journey to 1874 Missouri and face the challenge of transporting goods back to their timeline. Returning home, they're unrecognized, sparking memories of past exploits before navigating to 1874 Kansas City on another supply mission. Their iterations include explorer John Murphy, a confrontation with Sam Brannan's guards, and, now a quartet, alliances become vital in defending their path while aiding the Miwok tribe. A catastrophic failed portal attempt leaves them trapped in 1874 where they are pursued by lawmen and the Wind Travelers.
Beyond trying to make time travel believable, which is always difficult to do, one of the most important aspects of the genre is for a reader to feel, wherever in the world they are and in whatever timeline, a sense of space. To me, this is where Walter Stephen Geeding excels in the storytelling of Murphy's Diggins, from the harsh Wyoming winters to the picturesque landscapes of McSwain Ranch and the Gros Ventres. I enjoyed the cast of colorful characters with distinct personalities that extend beyond Jack's unconventional behavior and Jim's audacity to ancillary players like Pete's wisdom, Marg's warmth, and Catrina's curiosity. Geeding accomplishes this in a dialogue-driven narrative that both conveys information and reveals relationships, quirks, and emotions. The writing style could use a little more polish and sometimes loquaciousness slows the pacing down, but overall the book is a fun armchair romp into the past and a solid sequel to its preceding book, The Path of Kokopelli.
