Review by Lysander99 -- Fish Wielder

Lysander99 · Post by **Lysander99** » 09 Feb 2018, 11:30

[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 a great epic fantasy story, which parodies many of the old tales of sword and sorcery that have come to define this genre. However, whilst this is a parody of the genre it has a unique and interesting take on the concepts of a heroic journey and the followers who aid in this epic quest. The action and plot of this story is fast paced and it focuses allot on the characters who inhabit this world, their always comedic and fantastical interactions with each other and their enemies, as well as the world of Grome.

The novel follows the current journey of Thoral Mighty Fist, as he seeks to find purpose to his life by undertaking an epic quest to rid the world of an evil organization, bent on of course, ruling the world. Thus the author introduces us to Thoral, a barbarian warrior with enormous strength, athletic skills, absurdly huge physique, indestructible magic sword and velvet pouches with items similar to many modern RPGs. One of the most distinctive aspects of the novel is Thoral’s traveling companion Brad, who is a talking Fish that breathes air and serves as the straight man to Thoral’s hilarious decisions and actions throughout his quest.

This is a great novel that is easy to read and enjoy and it is light hearted whilst still being filled with many battle scenes and hilarious interactions with the natives of Grome. One of the best aspects of the book is the author’s unique naming sense of the many persons, places and items within this world. The Names which are used can range from outright hilarious monikers, which can have you laughing out loud, to sublime tags that simply enhance the entire parody aspect of the story. Another great aspect of the book, is how the author hilariously uses Thoral’s colossal Fist strength in action scenes, as well his amusingly absurd luck in near death scenarios.

There is never a dull moment or stereotypical outcome in the plot and the whimsical nature of the adventure adds to the reader’s overall enjoyment of the book. Thoral and his companions form a Fellowship of the Pudding, to deal with their epic quest and the absurdity of their quest, as well as the hilarity of their actions, takes the plot to new depths of action, comedy and foreshadowing.

There are some issues with the story, as sometimes the author stretches out some action sequences and adds some obvious plot devices for comedic effect. This can be great in some scenes but also can detract a reader from being fully immersed in the story, as the author’s influence to shape the plot can be blatantly seen.

Despite these shortcomings, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and I rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars. This is a novel that readers of fictional comedy and fantasy will love and I think the amount of depth and imagination in this book is enough to keep readers asking for more. If anyone wants to read a lighthearted, funny novel with magic and sword fighting then this novel is a perfect fit.

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Fish Wielder
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes

Like Lysander99's review? Post a comment saying so!

******
Fish Wielder
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes

Like Lysander99's review? Post a comment saying so!

Kat Berg · Post by **Kat Berg** » 25 Feb 2018, 19:57

I do enjoy the tongue-in-cheek humor that seems to be a part of this book. It blends some of my favorite elements, and you have given me a hint as to why it is called "Fish Wielder". Although I have read quite a few reviews for this book, this is the first one that has explained Brad, the talking fish, and straight "man". Nice review.

Libs_Books · Post by **Libs_Books** » 26 Feb 2018, 15:50

This does sound like a lot of fun - would you compare the style with that of Terry Pratchett? Thanks for a very thorough review - it gives a very comprehensive picture of the book, so I'm quite tempted to give it a go.