Never, Ken Follett, author; January LaVoy, narrator
Two threads, foreign intrigue and romance compete for the reader’s attention as the chaos races across the pages. Absent the romance, with a concentration on the military and political conflicts, the book would have been more interesting, and less distracting. As it was, the excess tangents and formidable amount of characters served to merely confuse the reader. Choosing names so similar for the characters made it hard to distinguish who was speaking, Like Tam and Tab, Kiah and Kai, etc. As the story jumps from Chad and the CIA fighting barbaric terrorists smuggling drugs and murdering innocents to clandestine plots by China to gain more power, deceit and failed negotiations give rise to the escalating danger of a nuclear war.
Although the idea of a growing political and international crisis leading to a conflagration, is in the realm of reality, the chick lit part of the book was out of place and perhaps should have been left to another book. This book would have been better by half.
Trying to follow the course of events leading to the deceitful negotiations and betrayals of each country involved, as its leaders jockeyed for prestige and power, was extremely difficult. The novel presents a world in turmoil with the left hand never fully understanding what the right hand is doing. The military conflicts were avoidable except for the hubris and arrogance of the leaders. The romantic scenes were at inappropriate times, and would have served the reader better if the characters chose common sense and survival rather than sexual fulfillment when danger arose. The cavalier way the heads of state retaliated against each other’s aggression, whether intentional or accidental showed that diplomacy constantly failed. If this is the world we are headed for, we are in deep trouble.
The idea of never is refuted, You can never say never because “whatever” often occurs instead. Satisfying the need for revenge seems to be the overriding endgame. No one would cry uncle, no one would lose face, so instead they would choose to sacrifice millions of innocent, unsuspecting victims. As China and the United States, two superpowers come head to head without regard for the consequences of their decisions, so obsessed are the leaders with retaliating for perceived wrongs, hawks overrule the doves every time. Corruption overrules honor in each instance leading to further and further man-made catastrophes involving world leaders of many countries, some that seemed insignificantly involved, but nevertheless are drawn into the conflagration building. North and South Korea, Chad, Vietnam, Sudan, Japan, Russia and others were involved in decisions leading to disastrous crises created by treaty agreements. City after city is destroyed in a never ending game of tit for tat. The leadership is Republican in the US and hardliners in China leading to the idea that these groups will probably be the ones to bring about the end of the world as we know it.
The female American President is weak, choosing appeasement over action, often allowing enemies to grow stronger. Overlooking the increasing danger in favor of diplomatic responses creates more and more threatening situations. As each political crisis grows, they conjoin oddly, as the author tries to knit the seemingly unrelated loose ends together. In the end, there is no real connection or conclusion, and the reader will wonder who will survive this game of chance? Like the relationships between people, which are so disingenuous, the relationships between the heads of state are duplicitous. Every leader wanted personal power as well as supremacy in the world order. One after another, the dominoes fall until there is no turning back. Innocent lives are expendable as those who create the horror remain free to save themselves.
What will happen to the characters featured---Tam and Tab, Pauline and Gerry or Pauline and Gus and Gerry and Amelia, Pauline’s parents as they travel to Canada, Abdul and Kiah in Nice, Kai and Ting in Beijing, Ting’s father, Jianjun, who betrays his own son putting Communism above all else, as the world spins out of control? Is the end near because of foolish decisions based on emotion and a lack of common sense. The book does not decisively answer the question nor does it leave the reader with hope, The need for power leads to betrayals, and they ultimately lead to what could be the end of the world. Is this our future?
In this conflict between the East and the West, we witness world leaders unable to compromise as they retaliate, honoring their treaties and sacrificing innocent victims to satisfy their political needs. Who decides what reprisals are appropriate? Are they really equipped to make the decisions about life and death for millions while they save themselves. They create a snowball that rolls downhill, gaining speed and growing in size as it destroys everything in its path. Checkmate is the only path available.
What was Follett thinking as he wrote this novel? His writing usually involves research and great content without wasted words even in huge novels. This one was confusing and seemed to be intent on covering all issues in society, sex, gender, homosexuality, race, civil and women’s rights, political views, and more. Every religion and race is included. The women seem like nymphomaniacs exercising their independence, ridiculous political statements are made like the comparison of Texans not giving up guns being the same as a country not willing to give up nuclear weapons, the men are toxic with their masculinity. Rather than elevate any of the issues raised, he has diminished them by making the characters caricatures.
Some authors seem to change their writing style when females are the protagonists so that the emphasis is on feelings not thoughts, emotions, not intellect. Follett seems to have fallen into this category making this book far different than his previous novels and far less appealing. I wondered, as I finished the reading, if he had sold his name to another writer, without attribution.

Three storylines all related, intertwined yet different. Very interesting good Follett