Review by DoodleCat -- Fish Wielder

[DoodleCat]

[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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When writing a story, the author is allowed free reign to spin a yarn of any color. Whatever color you can imagine comedy signifying, Fish Wielder takes every strand it can get. That's not to say it's all laughs and no peril, though. The author, Jim Hardison, whose career spans the entertainment industry, including comic books, has kindled his child-like imagination and has written a silly tale focused through the lens of a crafty adult.

The main character, Thoral, is a violet-eyed, well-muscled barbarian. He is known throughout the land as a nigh invincible force of nature in search of adventure. Obviously, a healthy amount of conflict follows our hero and his companions, Bradfast and Warlordhorse, a talking koi fish and tiger-striped steed respectively. The group quickly gets caught up in an evil plot to subjugate the people of Grome. From ferocious beasts to bumbling cultists, there is no shortage of bloody entrails for Thoral to reluctantly bathe in before meticulously washing off.

Which brings us to the comedy. Ranging from dark to wacky to erring on the side of poor taste, it walks a broad spectrum. The naming convention is an obvious standout: The Bad Religion, barfarts, the Inn of the Gruesomely Gnashed Gnome, whose proprietor is in fact a gruesomely gnashed gnome. The story lightly pokes fun at conventional fantasy tropes. A great deal of the story is focused on bringing the reader either a laugh or chuckle.

Comedy, however, is subjective. What makes one person laugh might not make someone else join alongside. There were a few times the story seemed to force a reaction a little too frequently, even purposefully weaving the odd awkward sentence that catches the reader off guard, and sometimes the narrator would address the reader with a knowing wink. I would have preferred the story to speak for itself more often. Thankfully, the vast majority of the intended awkwardness was funny and I still found myself engaged.

Besides a broad array of jokes, what I found most surprising was the characters themselves. Every single one—even the villains—were likable in their own unique way. While Thoral is mighty and brooding, he is also a self-proclaimed 'trained noticer' with a care for personal hygiene. Bradfast takes the role of the every-man, supplying advice or objection where he sees fit, which is frequent. Even Warlordhorse offers the occasional neigh that is often misinterpreted. At the end of the day, everyone takes their struggles seriously in the world of Grome no matter how odd or dangerous life becomes.

I rate Fish Wielder a solid 4 out of 4 stars. It is a testament to the clever writing that so many of the jokes hit home; I would have docked points otherwise.

In summary, if you're in need of a serious fantasy tale with complex political intrigue, you're better off looking elsewhere, but if you want a fun cast of characters and frequent laughs, Fish Wielder is highly recommended.

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Fish Wielder
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