Review of Just a World Away

[Deretha Thompson]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Just a World Away" by John Tannhauser et al.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Just A World Away is a collection of modern folk stories by John Tannhauser et al. The book contains about ten concise yet fascinating stories by several authors, including one from John Tannhauser. Though written by various authors, there is a central theme of folklore and mystery in each story, which keeps the reader spellbound and expecting the next action. The first story paints a picture in which a mountain chooses to live as a cat in its next life. The cat, Fuji, is adopted by Michio and named Farm Girl. Michio's father labels the cat a demon and is skeptical about it. Are his skepticisms realistic, and what future would their decision spell for their town?​

Another story I enjoyed was the one where a genie told the visitors of his island the story of the great love he had in his life, the various challenges they faced, and what became of this love. A tale I found really funny was that of the pirates who had plundered a village and unknowingly incurred the wrath of a god who guarded the village. They become lost at sea with all roads always leading back to the plundered village with a warning to restore what they lost. Would they heed the warning before it's too late? One of my favourites was the last story of a man who gets lost and almost freezes following a trail in the icy blizzard to get home to his dying grandmother. He is barely saved by a Yuki-onna but ends up undertaking an adventure to save her from her mother's control. Pick up this book for more details and other exciting tales.

​The collection is engaging with a lot of diverse stories that are bound to keep the audience entertained. Most of the authors execute the stories well; I enjoyed most of them, except one I found confusing. The stories were straightforward and easy to understand, with a lot of lessons that the audience could pick up. Lessons like love, the importance of helping others, hope, and courage were all described at one point or the other. Personally, I enjoyed the various storylines that were discussed as well as the various folklore that the authors employed in their writing; I'm certain that other readers would enjoy it as I did.

​I have no dislikes. Most of the stories met my expectations, and I enjoyed the setting, presentation, and delivery of most of them. I spotted a few errors, though not enough to dispute that the book was edited well. I'm rating this book 5 out of 5 stars due to the overall positive impact this book had on me and some of the reasons I highlighted above. I would enjoy reading another book from these authors. This book would be most suitable for audiences who enjoy fiction, folklore, and mysterious stories.

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Just a World Away
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[Mark Lazarus]

The concept of a collection of modern folk stories with elements of mystery and adventure sounds fascinating. I like the idea of each tale offering a unique twist while carrying deeper themes like love, courage, and resilience. Stories about mythical creatures, genies, and moral lessons always capture my interest, especially when they’re written in a way that makes you reflect. I’d definitely consider giving this one a read, especially since it seems like a book that can be enjoyed a story at a time.