After punching his right-wing son in law at a Thanksgiving dinner, an emotionally washed up writer in Spokane, his work made obsolete by the age, goes to the woods, Thoreau style--abjuring all worldly obligations to write a naturalist opus. When a pair of kids show up on his doorstep years later, he fails to recognize them as his grandchildren. What follows is a kind of reckoning with the rise of the far-right in the US and the failure of liberalism, complete with terrible violence-- but told in a way that is comical and at times slapstick. I really admired this book for telling this American story in such an intimate, funny way, without sacrificing gravitas, and was particularly enthralled by its last major scene, a gunfight.

This novel hooked me from the very beginning, and will be one of the top books of 2025 for me. I appreciated Kinnick and how he began as a recluse getting away from the craziness of world when Trump became president, to helping his daughter and grandkids who are caught up in a Christian Nationalist cult.

3.5 stars

For some reason, maybe the use of the term "madcap" in the summary, I was expecting this to be book with a lot of humor. There is some but this is a pretty serious tale which takes a definite dark turn at the end.

Former journalist Rhys went walkabout 7 years ago. He had job troubles, was divorced, broke up his girlfriend's marriage, and was just generally a cranky not so old man. After a particularly awful Thanksgiving with his Christian soldier son in law, Rhys chucks it all, literally in the case of his cell phone, and decamps to an old family cabin back in the woods. He stays there alone, doing projects, reading, and thinking great philosophical thoughts.

Then one day, his two grandchildren (whom he knows not at all) show up at his doorstep. Turns out their mother, his daughter, left a note with a neighbor for just in case scenarios. And then she left. Rhys is dumbstruck, having little experience and living in primitive conditions. But he decides to make an effort.

Rhys is an often touching character. He's screwed up in the past, both in what he did and did not do, and wants to be a better man. The grandchildren's father, who is now involved with a seriously deadly militant religious sect, soon is looking for his wife and kids. He sends the goons out and snatches the kids back after injuring Rhys.

Then the hunt is on. It gets a bit crazy with armed thugs, a militant Christian compound, a Canadian Woodstock pretend event, Rhys's ex-girlfriend and her retired cop ex-boyfriend -- an oddball group. There is a final violent confrontation which seems a bit jarring. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh my goodness! What a hilarious and insightful novel this is. Written with the main story being a reclusive grandfather summoned out of self-imposed exile to care for/rescue his grandchildren from a Christian Nationalist Militia compound and find his estranged daughter, it has so much more to offer. Discussions about fundamental religious beliefs and the Bible, about the US government and politics, about drug use and festivals, about environmental concerns and leave-no-trace, about Native Americans and their lost languages, and even about modern cell phones and the current dependency on them are sprinkled throughout.

As the novel proceeds, each of the main characters has his/her own chapter so background information is complete and motivation is clear. There are no slow parts to this story; the action and suspense keep interest high. Probably the best feature: parts of this novel are hilarious! I actually laughed out loud and reread parts just to laugh again.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC to read and review.

When we meet Rhys Kinnick, he's done what has probably been a thought in many people's minds - gone off the grid to escape the craziness of the modern world. When his two young grandchildren unexpectedly show up on his doorstep, Rhys has to bargain with his failures as a father and with the world he gave up on. Full of heart, humor and well placed cynicism.

I started this one fully in. Jess Walter writes with such precision—smart, satirical, often darkly funny—and the early chapters had me hooked. Kinnick is a mess of a man, but his messiness is rendered with nuance and sharpness. The novel explores regret, aging, and the slow crawl toward accountability with a keen eye. There are moments of emotional clarity that really shine, and I found myself especially drawn to the quieter, more vulnerable threads of the story.

There’s also some brilliant social critique here, particularly in how the book depicts the absurd normalization of extremist beliefs. It walks a tightrope between being funny and terrifyingly rage-inducing about the current state of the country. The satire never veers into soapbox territory, which is a real feat.

But somewhere along the way—maybe after the second or third violent showdown with “the bad guys”—I started to feel myself slipping out of the story. The confrontations became repetitive: threats, punches, a gun, someone bleeding. And while that might be realistic in the world of the book, it also started to feel like a shift into something more conventional. More expected. More… “written by a man” in the way that flattens the emotional resonance rather than deepening it.

There was so much here I wanted to love—some scenes truly land—but by the end, I felt like the most interesting emotional threads had been overshadowed by action set-pieces that didn’t quite earn their weight. A mixed experience, ultimately, with both highlights and letdowns. Thank you Harper for the gifted book.

A cathartic read for trying times. I loved the characters in this story — so vividly drawn, their motivations rational even when unreasonable, and high drama all around. Jess Walter is an author of amazing range and this was unputdownable.

Jess Walter can be relied upon to tell a riveting tale. This one had me hooked from the beginning. The characters and the story are truly relatable.

In 2016, fed up with the world, unemployed environmental journalist Rhys retreats to the rustic home built by his grandfather in the rural Pacific Northwest. He hasn't seen his former wife, or his daughter, son-in-law, or grandchildren in years. Suddenly the grandchildren are delivered to his doorstep at his daughter's request, and he is fending off the conspiracy-ridden fellow church-and-militia members of his son-in-law trying to find his daughter. Helped by a former girlfriend and an ex-cop, he finds himself visiting a militia training ground in Idaho, while evading and evaluating the life he abandoned more than 8 years ago. Wry and witty, but also dark and a bit violent, this is a quick read with a lot to process!

Rhys Kinnick feels out of place. He has been laid off from his newspaper reporting job, no one seems to care about the environment like he does, and his daughter’s husband is a right-wing religious zealot with increasingly intense opinions. After a tense Thanksgiving culminating in a fistfight, Rhys decides to go completely off grid. When his grandchildren show up on his doorstep a few years later, he is devastated to find that he no longer recognizes them. From a compound of gun-toting evangelists to a psychedelic festival in the woods, Rhys is pushed wildly out of his comfort zone as he helps the kids search for their missing mother.

At first, this book did a bit too much telling. Rhys (and the author) do not like the way society is headed, and while I agree completely with his points I don’t know that I needed to be hit over the head with it. But once the story started picking up speed I was hooked! The characters are endearing, the plot is zany and fun, and I enjoyed that the story was written from multiple points of view. While Rhys’ emotional development could have been more fully fleshed out (he seems to just all-of-a-sudden realize that it has been a mistake to avoid his family for years), it did not detract from my enjoyment. The New York Times described this novel as “a witty caper” and that summed it all up quite nicely until the book took an unexpected turn at the end. I won’t spoil anything here, but it did change my perception of this novel and has given me quite a bit to think about. If you read this I would love to hear your thoughts!

Read this if: you enjoyed The Road to Tender Hearts or Run For the Hills.

Skip this if: you aren’t interested in literature that tackles current events.

This was a fun read, lots of action, humor, and good pacing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the eARC of this book.

After several years living off the grid, estranged from his family, Rhys Kinnick's grandchildren show up on his front doorstep. His daughter has gone missing, and Rhys seeks the unlikely help of an ex-girlfriend, a retired detective, and two old friends to help him reckon with his past and track her down. SO FAR GONE is an absolute delight, and a reminder that humor, humility, and empathy are necessary to survive in an increasingly divided America.

After several years of estrangement, Rhys finds his grandchildren on his doorstep.

3.5 rounded up to 4. The story unfolds beautifully, giving the reader the background for each character along the way. Humorous and touching.

Rhys, a retired journalist from Spokane, went off the grid early in Trump's first presidency. When a stranger shows up several years later with his grandchildren, he has to re-enter the world in hopes of finding his daughter. This is a wild ride with interesting supporting characters that help him in his quest.

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. This is a very relatable novel that takes into account the political climate of the last decade as well as the social climate (conspiracy theorists) and even the pandemic. Those made it much more relatable and enjoyable to read. I found Rhys’ character to be likeable for me and the flow of the book was very easy to follow. I was chuckling as I read this book because there is great humor in it. This was definitely an entertaining book for me.

From the first couple of pages I was hooked. These characters are so realistic and weird and flawed. I loved all of them. The action rolls along, it's suspenseful, it's funny, it's sweet. I loved it.

DNF @ ~40%

I was really intrigued by the premise, and the beginning had me hooked. Unfortunately, the perspectives veered to too many characters that the focus got muddled for me. I also think the plot centered around the far-right hit a little too close to home for me to enjoy the “craziness” of it all. I was hoping to get more escapism from this thriller, so I think it wasn’t for me at this time.

3.5 stars, rounded up. I read & loved the author’s “Beautiful Ruins” some 12 or so years ago but had not seen anything else intriguing from Walter since, until this new title “So Far Gone” showed up on my book-radar. Have to say that I really enjoyed it, but it was a bit over-the-top also. Still, I really got into the story of MC Rhys, now living off the grid in the aftermath of both COVID & the rise of MAGA. He’s persona-non-grata with his daughter & her family after a holiday dinner altercation until his grandkids are sent to him & then subsequently abducted. What follows is quite a journey & he's accompanied by a strange & rag-tag crew, as he sets out to save them - and perhaps himself. Overall, I liked it & also appreciated what Walter had to say about our current time-line. My thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for my advance reader’s copy - greatly appreciate the opportunity to read/review it!

I was hesitant in reading this book at first with the political climate we are currently in but glad the author didn't go to far into the far right world, It made your reflect and laugh at the same time. I enjoyed the ride you are taken on especial when you are with Rhys character. It is never to late to be a hero to your children.

Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this E-Arc! I enjoyed this more than I anticipated given the mention of the political climate of 2016, and due to my own personal need to keep a boundary from the ideological political wars that are everywhere. Needless to say, I thought this novel tackled worthwhile aspects of being a part of these trying times, while also sharing insightful, humorous, and engaging characters and storylines. I appreciated many insights shared by the main character Rhys, who was endearing despite his "fall from grace." in his personal life and wider society. I resonated with a lot of his feelings and shared thoughts, and found the relationship dynamics relatable while also being interesting and entertaining enough to get you to the pretty satisfying end of this novel. Have already and will continue to recommend!