Review by ScoutWrites -- Fish Wielder

ScoutWrites · Post by **ScoutWrites** » 17 Mar 2018, 10:57

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

4 out of 4 stars

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J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison's first novel, Fish Wielder, follows the adventures of Thoral Mighty Fist, a barbarian who can't stand to have his hands dirty. When Thoral isn't adventuring, he's drowning the sorrows of his mysteriously tragic past in warm ale. Thoral's travelling companions are a talking fish named Bradfast, who cannot swim, and a noble steed named Warlordhorse who can literally smell danger. At first, Thoral is mostly looking for adventure in hopes it might kill him so he will no longer have to suffer the pain of his memories. After some time, though, and as the reader learns more about Thoral’s dark past, the hero discovers and must thwart a plot to destroy the entire land of Grom.

This book is a wild and hilarious ride. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Hardison balances parody, simple word play, farcical humor, and even juvenile humor so the laughs can keep coming without any of the jokes getting old too quickly. If you come to this book prepared to laugh, you will not be disappointed.

When I chose to review this book, I fully expected to give it a rating of less than 4 stars. I expected, since it is a parody, I would not be able to judge it as its own work. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that although the story does feature elements from tales such as The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, the overall plot feels unique and original. What I enjoyed most about this book was the way the plot itself kept me hooked, and I didn’t just keep reading because of the humor.

There were a few things I did not enjoy about the book. One character in particular was fantastically annoying, although I think that is designed to contribute to the humor. Also, I found the romance between two of the characters a little difficult to believe. The thing I disliked most, however, was the ending. It ends in a cliffhanger, which drives me crazy, but mayhap that’s just personal taste. Despite these things, I think the story is still strong enough, and the humor still entertaining enough, to earn 4 out of 4 stars.

This is a great book to read if you like humor, fantasy, and adventure. You will particularly enjoy it if you have read The Lord of the Rings, which I finished reading just weeks before picking up Fish Wielder. This made a lot of the jokes more enjoyable. For example, the narrator describes one location as, “Reefma, the city known to the elves as the Black Gem because the elves always had to have their own names for everything.”

If you take your adventure/fantasy novels too seriously and you’re not ready to laugh out loud at simple things like a fish that cannot swim or a bow named Fwang, this may not be the book for you. You might find some the humor to be stupid or out of place. But I think most people with a healthy sense of humor would love this ridiculous tale!

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Fish Wielder
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Libs_Books · Post by **Libs_Books** » 20 Mar 2018, 01:32

Thanks for a very entertaining review. You make the book sound very appealing, but I do agree about the tiresomeness (is that even a word?) of authors not ending a book properly. I had similar issues with the one I've just reviewed.

Helen_Combe · Post by **Helen_Combe** » 20 Mar 2018, 09:55

Great review,
I know what you mean about the end. I felt let down at first, but then I thought, ‘how else can it end?’
To take the story to its conclusion with a happy ending would have been a big yawn reiteration of the Lord Of The Rings. I decided that it wasn’t a cliff hanger because Thoral Mightly Fist said it wasn’t finished and what he says is always the truth.

rcarr13 · Post by **rcarr13** » 20 Mar 2018, 22:09

Thank you for your review. This sounds like something I would love to read. I like fantasy, but I enjoy humor as well. I will have to give this one a try.

420waystoreachthesun · Post by **420waystoreachthesun** » 20 Mar 2018, 22:31

Wow. Thank you for this review. I know what to read next.

ScoutWrites · Post by **ScoutWrites** » 22 Mar 2018, 10:43

Helen_Combe wrote: ↑20 Mar 2018, 09:55 Great review,
I know what you mean about the end. I felt let down at first, but then I thought, ‘how else can it end?’
To take the story to its conclusion with a happy ending would have been a big yawn reiteration of the Lord Of The Rings. I decided that it wasn’t a cliff hanger because Thoral Mightly Fist said it wasn’t finished and what he says is always the truth.

I came to terms with the end, but the previous book I'd read did the same thing so I think I was just flustered.

qsusan · Post by **qsusan** » 11 Apr 2018, 08:54

I've also reviewed this book and it is a really nice and fun book. Thoral's journey is amusing and his luck which seems contrived may actually be contrived. The ending makes me think there might be a sequel. Is there one?