The author sent me a copy of his novel to review:
This fantasy novel had a slight herky-jerky start...a tad quick for my hankering. The novel should have elaborated on how and why Erik Eleodum (why the exotic last name?), his brother Befel (another strange name), and his cousin Bryon became disenchanted with farming. Instead, by page eight they were already on the road to adventure. By page 24, they were already gone two years. What? First of all, doesn’t the author, Christopher Patterson, need to develop the story a little more so we can warm up to the protagonists? Second of all, why all the offbeat names (I only mentioned a few)? The Lord of the Rings has already been written. It’s okay to use names of personae and countries that are easy to pronounce and remember. The laborious names don’t add to the flavor of the novel at all, as a matter of fact, it’s an irritation because it’s difficult for the reader to remember all the character’s names. If the writer is going to use unfamiliar names, he or she should provide a cast of characters in the front of the novel with a brief cameo of each character (as an example, refer to Tilar J. Mazzeo’s book, The Hotel on Place Vendome). Okay, enough of my somewhat inane ranting. If I didn’t give my required criticism, it wouldn’t be a Rick Review. Oh, before I tell the reader that I liked the novel...the sketched maps were God-awful. Come on Christopher, hire someone who is an artist. Lastly, how many players do you need in this novel? Is a couple hundred enough? Is this like Stanley Kubrick’s 1960 film, Spartacus with a cast of 10,500? Okay, I can’t stop being a wiseguy and I’m obviously exaggerating. But here is the good news, the novel settles down after a stunted start and becomes enjoyable. What took you so long, Christopher?
The three boys join a caravan of gypsies on their way to the seaport of Finlo. The gypsies are led by Marcus, a giant of a man, who is supported by his beautiful wife, Nadya...is Befel enamored? I think so. Anyway, their trip is uneventful until a man named Fox disappears into the Blue Forest one morning at dawn. Erik, sensing trouble, wakes Marcus and some of the other gypsies. Sure enough the caravan is under attack by slavers. What ensues from page 87 to page 99 is somewhat comparable to fights in Bernard Cornwell’s historical fiction novel, Agincourt. Wow, did I say that? Nobody is better than Cornwell in describing death in battle. But I submit a sample of the slaver battle on page 95, “The blade dug into Befel’s left shoulder, all the way to the handle. Befel cried out, his screams at first silent, and then deafening. He brought his homemade blade up, into the slaver’s gut. The younger man heaved, vomiting blood all over Befel. Befel (note: I don’t like using the same word or name, back to back, such as, Befel) pressed his knife up, rending flesh, cutting bowels. The fighting stopped.” This is only one example of the hand to hand combat scenarios that bleed for 13 continuous pages. Where did this author come up with this prose? I could have easily quit reading this book in the first ten pages, but I’m delighted that I didn’t. Sometimes the reader feels like "throwing in the towel" and discontinue reading. If everybody did that, we would be missing some super classic novels, such as Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (which was super boring at times). Anyhow, after the dead are buried, the three boys continue their trip east (with the survivors of the caravan) to Finlo on the South Sea.
Once in Finlo, Befel seeks help from a barber named Kevon, who is a sometimes surgeon of sorts. Befel needs his shoulder looked at and marginally repaired. This is where I stop recapping the rest of this first novel of a proposed trilogy. What will happen to the three boys (now men) in Finlo...will they board a ship to their great adventure? Or will they get stuck in Finlo at The Drunken Fin? Will the slavers attack them in reprisal? Is that traitor Fox still out there? And who is General Patuk Al’ Banan? Will we see Dwarves in this adventure? Wow, that’s a great series of questions. It seems to me that first time writers like Christopher Patterson feel obligated to start their career with a trilogy. Why? Couldn’t we have closed out this novel and tried something different? If the author retains the dream of writing the great American novel, as his grandmother desires, I don’t think that it is going to be written in the fantasy genre. The author’s first novel is not the great American novel. Other people have tried to write the great American novel, such as, Margaret Mitchell with Gone With the Wind (1936) or Harper lee with To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). Did they? What about Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)? Which one would you choose? I’ve read all three and can’t decide. The one fact I can determine is that Christopher Patterson has talent. Do I think that he is wasting his talent in the fantasy world? Maybe. I have to admit that I ask a lot of questions in my reviews, don’t I? I recommend this novel and suggest that the author finds a major publisher to promote his future works. How? To quote the great American boxer, Mike Tyson, “These books ain’t window dressing. I think Machiavelli’s the most sophisticated writer outside of Shakespeare. Way ahead of his time. Such a manipulative person. Everything he accomplished he did by kissin’ ass.” Enough said?
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
Comment: So what are the greatest fantasy series ever written? Well, here are a few that will make any reader's top ten list:
How about George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (a Game of Thrones)? Fantasybookreview.co.uk says, “George RR Martin’s glorious high fantasy tells the tragic story of treachery, greed and war that threatens the unity of the Seven Kingdoms south of the Wall.” And I say that it is by far the best fantasy series I’ve ever read. I’ve read all the novels and I am waiting with bated breath for the next novel.
How about JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series? Fantasybookreview.co.uk says, “Read and find out how Harry discovers his true heritage at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, the reason behind his parents mysterious death, who is out to kill him and how he uncovers the most amazing secret of all time, the fabled Philosopher’s Stone.” This was a very enjoyable series, but I have to admit that I only saw the movies and never read any of the novels.
How about Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series? Fantasybookreview.co.uk says, “Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, the last gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner, on a spellbinding journey into good and evil, in a desolate world which frighteningly echoes our own.” I just made a mental note to read one of these novels. Oops!
How about Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series? Fantastybookreview.co.uk says, “Twoflower was a tourist, the first ever seen on the Discworld. Tourist, Rincewind decided, meant idiot. Somewhere on the frontier between thought and reality exists the Discworld, a parallel time and place which might sound and smell very much like our own, but which looks completely different.” Now, here is a series that I read many of the novels. My favorite being, The Color of Magic. Unfortunately, Mr. Pratchett recently passed away. God Bless.
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