Review by P0tt3ry -- Fish Wielder

[P0tt3ry]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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I admit to being predisposed to like this book because I read and enjoyed Hardison’s graphic works published by Dark Horse. The opening scene with a drunken Thoral Mighty Fist, the barbarian, made me confident that this was going to be a romp through silliness in the world of Grome. I was not disappointed.

Fish Wielder by J.R.R.R. Hardison is a good read for any popular culture geek who likes science fiction and fantasy. Without some knowledge of these genres and the popular culture shows that have come out of fan interest, many of the inside references and wordplay will be lost on the reader. I liked this aspect of the book because I did get many of the references; it became a game to identify the inspiration for the names or situations. Tolkien, Lovecraft, and almost every B cult film receives mention as Thoral Mighty Fist bashes and bumbles his way through this adventure with Bradfast, the helpful koi fish, at his side. Brad is sometimes on Thoral’s shoulder or in the saddlebag but he is always close by. He is the sidekick and advisor. Thoral, Brad, and Warlordhorse have been adventuring together for years and they are setting out on a new journey. There isn’t really a clearly stated adventure in the beginning but they are setting out; a fish, a horse, and a barbarian with a bit of a death wish.

New characters and elements are added to the story as it develops. Each one seems to add another layer of confusion and changes the nature of the adventure. What remains consistent is Thoral’s quirks, Brad’s loyalty and ability to help Thoral find the right words, the incompetence of the bad guys, and an overlying sense that we are missing a lot of the puzzle pieces. It isn’t until the last third of the book that Thoral’s history is revealed and there are some real plot twists including a major one in the last chapter. There is, of course, an elven princess for a touch of romance and talking animals for that Disney touch. Impossible story points like the one about how Thoral met Brad when he rescued him from drowning: ““It is odd that you cannot swim,” Thoral noted. The fish nodded.”

The wordplay and inventiveness is fun and engaging: what’s a “barfart” and who knew elves were gluten intolerant? The language had the potential to be off-putting but the author manages to mix modern language, slang, and medieval reenactment dialect in a way that flows smoothly. Part of this is due to good storytelling and part to good writing. The grammar and spelling in this book is excellent. There are none of those cringe-worthy spelling errors that stop the reader in their tracks to marvel at the mistake. As “a formally trained noticer”, to borrow a phrase from Hardison, I appreciate that.

The repetitive phrasing reminded me of the oral tradition of reciting sagas and that may have been intentional. It became a little stale as the book progressed. It was the only thing that wasn’t enjoyable about the book. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It’s not going to be for everyone but I enjoyed it. It won’t go on my permanent shelf, the one where books that can be read over and over again reside, but it was a pleasure to spend time in Grome.

There’s one more thing I’d like to mention. Not to give anything away, but I may never look at pudding the same way again. If you decide to read this book, you’ll understand why.

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Fish Wielder
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Like P0tt3ry's review? Post a comment saying so!

[kandscreeley]

I haven't read this one yet, but I did read and review another book by him. I think it was Demon Freaks. It was a really good book. I loved his humor infused in an action filled story. Sounds like this one was done just as well! Thanks for the review.

[P0tt3ry]

Thank you for the tip on another good book.

[vinodsai]

A barbaric warrior named Thoral Mighty Fist who carries a magic sword and a talking fish named Brad who also breathes air. They try to save the world of Grome and go on the ultimate quest to find the lost Pudding of Power. I will definitely enjoy reading this book. Thanks for your review.

[P0tt3ry]

You're welcome. I'd love to hear what you thought of it when you've finished.