ARA Review by M. D. Sanders of Medieval Gwennic and other Creatures of Corfe

[M. D. Sanders]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Medieval Gwennic and other Creatures of Corfe.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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I will admit I was not expecting to enjoy Medieval Gwennic and other Creatures of Corfe half so much as I did, when the cover made me think a 90's web designer got their hands on MSPaint and a clipart collection. However my expectations were proven wrong, and the old adage about judging books by covers right, when I found it a delightful read which I firmly endorse with a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

(Noting that for me, at four stars I would consider a book worth reading once and continuing into sequels if I could borrow them from a library or Kindle Unlimited, where at five I would consider it worth potentially re-reading, and purchasing both the book and continuations to get and keep on hand.)

The tale is told in a series of vignettes showing individual scenes from different characters’ perspectives. In which, it reveals the intertwined stories of a castle and countryside being besieged by monstrous creatures that- at least in my imagination- came across as a curious yet grotesque mashup of Tolkien orcs, Three Stooges bobbleheads, and The Wicked Witch of the West, while a hidden heir to a throne faces threats of assassination, and a young woman with magical abilities is just unlucky enough to get caught up in everything while traveling through with her companions.

In it, I found the characters to be endearing, the tone to be light and witty, the monsters to be simultaneously comical and horrific, the peasantry... exactly as intellectual as one might expect of the period, and the villains to be well thought out. The premise was solid, the plot well fleshed out, and the ending sufficient to satisfy while leaving enough open questions to leave one looking forward to a continuation.

Though it can be just a touch confusing getting used to the shifting narrative perspectives at the start, I would very much recommend it to those who enjoy Medieval fantasy with a touch of humor.

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