Official Review: I, Walter by Mike Hartner
-
casper
- Posts: 173
- Joined: 22 Mar 2013, 03:55
- Bookshelf Size: 25
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-casper.html
- Latest Review: "The Sanctuary" by Cassandra R. Siddons
Official Review: I, Walter by Mike Hartner
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "I, Walter" by Mike Hartner.]
This book is set in Elizabethan and Jacobean England and recounts the life and adventures of the hero, Walter Crofter, who runs away to sea at a young age to seek his fortune.
The book is written in the first person and takes the form of an autobiography with the old Walter, in ill health, looking back on his life. He certainly has some adventures to relate and packs in plenty of action as he voyages around the Mediterranean, crosses the Atlantic and rounds the Cape of Africa to the Indian ocean; it puts paid to the idea that sea travel in those days could be rather boring. He meets up with a variety of characters on his way, quite a few of whom turn out not to be what they seem, and fortunately most of them are able to speak English. Walter seems to lead a charmed life until a shadow from his past catches up with him and tragedy strikes his family.
I was expecting an historical novel but 'I Walter' is certainly is not that. Walter's adventures at sea and on land are completely fantastic and the book is sprinkled with crazy, unbelievable coincidences. Walter himself seems to be a modern day hero, a principled man of honour dropped down in history, and although there are token, contemporary spellings of some words, most of the narrative uses modern idioms, which seem rather bizarre coming from the pen of a seventeenth century man.
The book is written in quite a simple style, which I assume is Walter's, and reminds me at times of Stevenson's Treasure Island, especially with the parallels of sea voyages and pirates. He writes about the scenes of violence in a detached manner and describes brutal injury and death quite dispassionately. On the whole I found Walter a rather endearing character although at times he can be a bit irritating and he is not as ingenuous as he might appear - he is often quite crafty and manipulative, and, if his story were to be believed, he is single-handedly accountable for modern day health problems such as lung cancer, tooth decay and obesity!
Having finished the book, I am still rather puzzled by it and can't decide whether the author intends it as a parody: many of the facts such as geographical locations and cultural references seem to be correct, as do Walter's experiences at sea, although I don't know enough about sailing ships to really judge, but I cannot say the same for historical accuracy: certainly a lot doesn't sound very authentic; and certain political and military events don't exactly tie up! There were also a few proofreading errors, but they did not really detract from the tale. In the end I took it in the spirit of some surreal dream, although occasionally the fantastical storyline was a bit hard to swallow. In spite of this, I have rated the book three out of four stars as it was a fun read.
***
Buy "I, Walter" on Amazon
This book is set in Elizabethan and Jacobean England and recounts the life and adventures of the hero, Walter Crofter, who runs away to sea at a young age to seek his fortune.
The book is written in the first person and takes the form of an autobiography with the old Walter, in ill health, looking back on his life. He certainly has some adventures to relate and packs in plenty of action as he voyages around the Mediterranean, crosses the Atlantic and rounds the Cape of Africa to the Indian ocean; it puts paid to the idea that sea travel in those days could be rather boring. He meets up with a variety of characters on his way, quite a few of whom turn out not to be what they seem, and fortunately most of them are able to speak English. Walter seems to lead a charmed life until a shadow from his past catches up with him and tragedy strikes his family.
I was expecting an historical novel but 'I Walter' is certainly is not that. Walter's adventures at sea and on land are completely fantastic and the book is sprinkled with crazy, unbelievable coincidences. Walter himself seems to be a modern day hero, a principled man of honour dropped down in history, and although there are token, contemporary spellings of some words, most of the narrative uses modern idioms, which seem rather bizarre coming from the pen of a seventeenth century man.
The book is written in quite a simple style, which I assume is Walter's, and reminds me at times of Stevenson's Treasure Island, especially with the parallels of sea voyages and pirates. He writes about the scenes of violence in a detached manner and describes brutal injury and death quite dispassionately. On the whole I found Walter a rather endearing character although at times he can be a bit irritating and he is not as ingenuous as he might appear - he is often quite crafty and manipulative, and, if his story were to be believed, he is single-handedly accountable for modern day health problems such as lung cancer, tooth decay and obesity!
Having finished the book, I am still rather puzzled by it and can't decide whether the author intends it as a parody: many of the facts such as geographical locations and cultural references seem to be correct, as do Walter's experiences at sea, although I don't know enough about sailing ships to really judge, but I cannot say the same for historical accuracy: certainly a lot doesn't sound very authentic; and certain political and military events don't exactly tie up! There were also a few proofreading errors, but they did not really detract from the tale. In the end I took it in the spirit of some surreal dream, although occasionally the fantastical storyline was a bit hard to swallow. In spite of this, I have rated the book three out of four stars as it was a fun read.
***
Buy "I, Walter" on Amazon
Latest Review: "The Sanctuary" by Cassandra R. Siddons
