When we were first dating, my husband spent endless hours catching me up on J. Michael Straczynski's amazing sci-fi epic television series Babylon 5. He watched it every week and he weren't going to miss it (this was way before you could stream television; I think you could tape shows if you had a VCR, but he didn't), so he spent the commercials (which we had to sit through) explaining what had just happened until, somehow, I caught on. Now, a couple decades later, we have watched Babylon 5 a couple more times. It's brilliant. When I saw this novel by its creator, I knew I had to read it.

As expected, it's brilliant.

Written in an epistolary format using journal entries, voice-to-text entires, texts, and emails, this story of a group of strangers on a cross-country trip to end their lives sounds like it would be sad, but it is somehow life affirming.

For those who need trigger warnings (a phrase I truly despise), yes, there is a lot here: suicide, suicidal ideation, suicide assistance, drug abuse and addiction, mental illness, chronic illness, rape, murder...The list goes on. But, hey, that's life as we know it. And as Straczynski's characters know it. Hence the desire to end it all.

Straczynski manages to capture the voice of a dozen different characters. Each one is distinct. Some are very witty, some acerbic, some angry, some sad. Their stories are told and we ride along, learning who they are and why they're here. Funny thing is, it's not really a sad story.

So many truths are laid bare here. Not just about the characters, but about our character as a society.

Trigger warnings have been applied. Make your own choice. But for my money, I would bet on Straczynski. Dylan would, and he's a pretty good gambler.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for this unbiased review.

At first, I wasn't sure where this book was headed. So many characters but as I kept reading I got drawn into all their stories. There are hard subjects such as anxiety, depression, illness, chronic pain and loneliness.
I became vested in these stories and was compelled to see how it would all turn out for each of them.

The author does a good job especially at the end tieing it all up.with a profound message.

Written with sensitivity and humor and well written at that. I wasn't sure how I would feel about it, but its beautiful. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher!

I wasn't quite sure how I would feel about this book but all in all it is pretty good. Suicide is such a heavy topic and this book definitely has light moments without taking away from the seriousness of it.

Trigger Warning: This book talks graphically about suicide but in a respectful way in my opinion. I think anyone who normally needs trigger warnings for books should look up a more detailed examination of the potential triggers.
This book is a favorite of all time. I will undoubtedly be thinking about this book for many years to come.
I can't accurately describe all of the feelings that this book gave me. The author has the ability to take you from an absolutely sobbing mess to laughing right back into a deep melancholy.
The plotlines for every character were extremely thought out and I rooted for every character. Not necessarily for every character to get the typical happily ever after but to get their own version of happily ever after.
The scene with Zeke and Soldier messed me up in such a powerful real way. That scene is making me cry just thinking about it.
I ended up reading this in its physical version and getting the audiobook version as well. The audiobook version is very well worth the read as it's a full cast recording and the performances are stunning.

This is a deeply empathetic book.

Suicide is a tricky subject to tackle in both a rational yet humanistic way & i felt the author did an admirable job of creating believably disparate characters brought together by their shared suicidal ideation.

Do you have to suspend a whole lot of disbelief? absolutely . what is the likelihood that each character represented a distinct, unique motivation with nary a repeat?

Did that matter to me? not at all. the handling of the death-with-dignity concept was sensitive & incredibly well done.

This was a real page-turner for me but, unless you like sad stories, it may not be for you.

Mark Antonelli, a young disheartened writer goes on an adventure with kindred souls. All of them plan on taking a road trip to THE END, not one of them intend to come back.
At first look this novel is upsetting...in that it is difficult to imagine anyone would want to write a novel about a group of people wanting to commit suicide.
But as you read, it becomes clear the what's and why's of how these people got to where they are. And while this does not make the premise more comfortable per se, it does help you to understand the thinking of these folks.
It is moving, sad, funny, enlightening and entertaining..
I highly recommend this one, just try to open your thinking a little bit, this one is good for your soul.

I have said this before, but I cannot believe I let this gem sit on my NetGalley shelf so long before picking it up. Before I even begin, this is easily one of my top three reads of the year and definitely falls into my top ten ever. As the blurb states, Mark has bought an old bus and hired Dylan to drive it while he picks people up across the country that are wanting to end their lives. Each person has different reasons for wanting to take this trip, which we artfully get bits and pieces of throughout their journey either through journal entries, texts, audio recordings, or face-to-face conversations. Karen has been living with a debilitating pain disorder her entire life. Tyler has a heart condition causing his skin to be blue. Lisa is bipolar/manic depressive. Vaughn is a widower with a ton of guilt. Shanelle has been fat-shamed and bullied her entire life. Zeke has a dying cat that has been the only thing to depend on in his life filled with a constant cocktail of drugs. Then there’s Theo, Peter, Jim, and Teresa who also round out this unlikely group.


This is not just a depressing bus trip across the country for everyone to drive off of a cliff. This is a fascinating look into the minds of these characters which, honestly, prompts a hell of a lot of self-reflection. There were a few times I thought to myself, “that’s no reason to want to kill yourself” before stopping to think that everyone on earth sees and feels things differently. On the other hand, there were characters whose stories were heart-wrenching and I found myself understanding some of their motivation behind joining this bus trip. Regardless of their reasons or situations getting them to that bus, I absolutely adored these characters.

A huge takeaway from this novel, at least for me, is that no matter how bad life may seem, when you find your people, your tribe, or however you want to phrase it – anything is possible. Did everyone get their happy ending? It depends on how you look at it. But every single person on that bus was forced to take a hard look at their lives, what they wanted, and what they no longer wanted. It was amazing how powerful it was simply for these people to let go of their old lives. Just when they thought they had reached rock bottom and there was no hope, all it took was a bus full of new people.

Straczynski has blown me away with this novel. The development of the plot and characters along with the never-ending surprises made this incredible from beginning to end. I loved everything about this book and it will stay in my heart and mind for a long time.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Heartfelt and affecting. Together We Will Go is a recommended purchase for most general fiction collections.

Finally, something unique amongst all the fiction out there. Ultimately, a book about becoming a tribe and knowing that time together is finite. Enjoy the ride. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review

This book does a good job of exploring a difficult topic in a beautiful way. I loved the uniqueness to each individual character and the relationships formed along their journey. The story is told mostly through journal entries, and I thought this was an excellent way for the reader to gain important insight into each of the characters without a bunch of excess dialogue. I loved thinking about the group dynamics while pondering what would happen with each of the characters.

This was such a good book. It is a very sensitive topic and the author handled very well. While it is about a group of people who all are planning to commit suicide, it was not dark and depressing. It is more about relationships, love and acceptance of yourself and others. The characters were all well developed - you understood why they were on the bus. It is thought provoking and will bring about some good discussions. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Together We Will Go, by J. Michael Staczynski

What’s not to get excited about with a description like this:

The Breakfast Club meets The Silver Linings Playbook in this powerful, provocative, and heartfelt novel about twelve endearing strangers who come together to make the most of their final days, from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author J. Michael Straczynski.
I mean, I loved The Breakfast Club and The Silver Linings Playbook was pretty good too.

But something just felt a little off throughout. Yes, the basic premise is uncomfortable, the idea of a group a strangers going off together to end it all just feels awkward. But perhaps for some there is an appeal to taking that “leap” just not alone, instead with validation and companionship.
The abundance of characters to try to get to know was a bit overwhelming, especially when each has a compelling why to reveal during the trip. Dialog, texting family members journaling are all used to share each traveler’s story, and over the course of crossing the continental US, the group grows closer with revelation.
Some are revealed to be not who they claimed to be, and not on this journey for the understood reasons. Others come to see a light at the end of their personal tunnel, and opt to travel a different path instead.
Well written, interesting concept, but just not the right book for this reader at this moment.

I’ve been a fan of Straczynski’s for about ten years now. He was introduced to me by a dear friend, and I love his comics, short stories, and novels. This book was a bit different from the normal sci-fi(ish) things I’ve come to love from him.

CW: suicide, suicide plans, suicide ideation.

Mark Antonelli, a 29 year-old failed writer who has suffered from depression for most of his life decides to take on the ultimate documentation project. He’s going to take what money he has left, buy a bus and take a road trip across the country. This isn’t just any road trip, however, it’s a last road trip of sorts. Antonelli has made the decision to commit suicide, and he invites any folks who also have the same plan to join him. They’ll all go out, Thelma and Louise style, at their last stop in San Francisco. Along the way, they’ll build a bond that might make some reconsider their decision but will solidify the decision of others. From mental health issues to chronic pain, the people who board the bus are all different, but they’ll find community with one another in the time they have left.

Okay, in case you haven’t guessed from the content warning and the summary, this book is heavy. It tackles the tough subject of suicide and explores why different kinds of people see consider it. The thing I love most about Straczynski is his characterization. He has a knack for creating rich, dynamic, wholly empathetic characters (even when you get annoyed and want to smack them), and he really shines here. Throwing all these different types of people together lets them get to know each other, and for the reader to gain a better understanding of their perspectives and lives. These folks aren’t just statistics, and I think these characters humanize this tough topic and encourage us to think about our friends and family in a new light.

If suicide ideation is triggering for you, I’d suggest maybe skipping it, but if not, it was such a good read and I’d recommend it.

It started with a thinly disguised tickler buried in the personals section of a website. It resulted in a group of 12 people, strangers, determined to exercise total control of their lives, their deaths. The participants boarded a beat up tour bus that started in the eastern U.S bound for the west coast, picking up passengers along the way. Together We Will Go, by J. Michael Straczynski is a road trip to the end of the road.

I have always thought suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem but these 12 people gave me more to consider. Each participant had his or her unique reasons for taking this journey. There is humor. There is love. Secrets are revealed and the plot twists in surprising ways. This novel’s epistolary format includes text messages, scripts from audio segments and screen shots. Reading on my Kindle presented challenges, particularly with the screen shots. I had to increase to the largest font and then use the magnifier on my phone to decode what were often important pieces of the story.

While it is not easy to set aside our cultural taboos against suicide, they must be suspended to understand why some would make this choice. This would be an excellent choice for a book club as it begs for thoughtful discussion.

I was taken by the premise of this novel (while noting that the subject matter of suicide is sensitive and this story is certainly not for every reader), as it incorporates many elements I love: A strong ensemble cast, a thought-provoking ethical dilemma, a journey that unfolds literally as well as figuratively. The idea of strangers meeting online for one last cross-country road trip was uncomfortably believable, but of course we soon learned that nothing about their situation was exactly what it first seemed. Some of their voices were memorable to the point of breathtaking clarity (Lisa and Tyler especially); others blended together so that I couldn't always keep everybody straight. The journey resisted predictable turns, ultimately blending deep sadness and deep hope: Perhaps less tidy than some readers would like to see, but a raw, unflinching look at human nature, connection, and meaning. (With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read an advanced copy.)

I wasn’t at all surprised that I loved this book. This author is an awesome writer and storyteller. He knows how to flesh out characters well and provide authentic dialogue. I figured it would be good I just didn’t realize how much it would make me think. And I found myself thinking about this book well after I had finished it. Of course, it’s not for everyone as the subject matter is definitely quite serious but this author still made it entertaining and interesting. I’d recommend it only to those comfortable with the subject matter but say it is definitely a solid book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

Sadly not for me. At all. I liked the sound of the unique premise, but I found it clunky and strangely shallow, which was a surprise. I usually love an epistolary novel but this just felt contrived. The MC was kind of insufferable, and the few characters I was drawn to, were not enough to save this one for me. I’d hoped for more. Disappointed.

I knew at about page 5 that this book was going to stay in my heart. I understand why some people may not enjoy this story. It can be a full-on, whole-book trigger, but I found it eye-opening, educational, and well done. You would think that a book about a busload strangers with a mission to commit suicide would be a complete tear fest, but it wasn't. Yes, there were moments of sadness but I laughed, I smiled, my heart swelled, and I cheered. I highly recommend it.

This tale was a bit slow moving, in my opinion. The narrative was awkward and strained. I didn’t hate the book, the subject matter being interesting, so will try this author again.
Thanks for the ARC opportunity.