Review by Mindful Wordsmith -- Fish Wielder

Asma Aisha Ansari · Post by **Asma Aisha Ansari** » 02 May 2021, 19:45

[Following is a volunteer review of "Fish Wielder" by J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Fish Wielder by J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison is an exciting and hilarious fantasy novel set in the magical world of Grome. Our protagonist is the Thoral Mighty Fist, a brawny and handsome man who speaks in an outlandish accent. He is a complete mystery to the people and creatures of Grome. His companion is a talking orange koi fish, Bradfast. Thoral is never seen without his crimson belt which holds his magical sword Blurmflard and contains various mystical items. Warlordhorse is his tiger-striped horse who is proficient at sensing evil from a distance.

At the beginning of the story, Thoral is gloomy and disheartened and takes to drinking non-stop. At his friend Bradfast's insistence, he goes on an adventure. He fights the evil necromancer, Necrogrond and rescues the elf princess, Nalweegie. Soon, he gets entangled in a nefarious plot that imperils the future existence of Grome. Now, at every turn, he finds himself chased and attacked by wicked members of the Bad Religion. He discovers that the arch-villain, the Heartless One, is after the lost Pudding of Power. He seeks the elf King Elfrod's help and forms the Fellowship of the Pudding to acquire the Great Pudding from the dangerous land of Flurge.

Fish Wielder takes inspiration from many popular fantasy novels. The central inspiration is the Lord of the Rings saga. The Wizard of Oz, the Cthulhu Mythos, Alice in Wonderland and many other fantasy works are referenced at various places in the novel. The book pokes fun at the fantasy genre and is, therefore, full of the typical tropes found in this genre. However, the treatment given to these tropes is witty and rib-tickling.

What I liked most about this novel is the tight plot. Everything and every character is significant to the story. One might be compelled to think that this story is only a blend of famous fantasy works. But that's just one aspect of this book. There is, in fact, an actual plot with some overwhelmingly impressive plot twists and shocking reveals. A magic system which consists of magical pudding, crystals and weapons plays a major part in the story. There is a cast of complex characters, a central conflict and a bit of romance. This novel is the first in the trilogy and it ends with a cliffhanger. Hence, this story has a lot of potential to turn into something extraordinary.

The writing is so descriptive that I could easily picture in my mind the colourful world of Grome full of strange and unusual characters. I found only three errors in the book. But they don't spoil the reading experience in any way. Besides, I came across many new words and had to look up their meaning online. However, I loved reading this book because I was completely absorbed in this new fantastic world. I will happily give this book a perfect 4 out of 4 stars.

I will recommend this book to fantasy lovers as well as those who want to explore the genre for the first time. The brilliant plot and the comical nature of this novel will keep you glued till the end.

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Fish Wielder
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