Review of Fish Wielder

[Courtney Scruggs]

[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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The smells and sounds of the pub were inescapable, through a deeper dive into endless pints of warm ale. Though he hated the taste of ale, even more so when it was warm, Thoral Mighty Fist welcomed each draft. It was the anniversary of something devastating and a time when this famed and beloved adventurer could not drown his sorrows; despite his every effort. He would have continued into oblivion, where it not for the nagging of his faithful companion, Brad, a walking, talking, koi fish. Though small, Brad’s insistence that they ride their other faithful companion, Warlordhorse, off to find glory-a-new, towered over Thoral’s reluctance to leave his warm pints. With this, combined with a well-timed ruffian demanding a brawl, the pub erupts into chaos. Thoral lives up to his namesake (Mighty Fist, not Thoral…Thoral does not strike fear into the hearts of the bold, alone) and reduces the melee to groans and cries of despair. He tosses some coins to the stout, grotesque, pub keeper for his troubles and our adventure begins.

From the moment you begin reading Fish Wielder, by J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison, you are gripped by a wild adventure! This book neither takes itself too seriously, nor feels any shame in its parody of numerous tales, in similar genres. At once, you may feel in the worlds of Middle Earth (J.R.R. Tolkien), Midkemia (Raymond E. Feist), or medieval Europe as you follow our noble band of heroes throughout the land of Grome. We follow the leader of this band of heroes, Thoral Mighty Fist (not Brad, in case you were confused), as he tries to outrun a mysterious and tragic past (made evident by his constant brooding and subject changes, upon its mention). As his group seeks out danger and evil to squelch, they encounter a dastardly wizard, promptly best him, and rescue a beautiful elf, who instantly falls in love with our impeccable hero. Impeccable is truly, no exaggeration. Thoral is blessed with a statuesque physique, tawny locks which flow (both gracefully and manly) to his shoulders, teeth (a blinding shade of white), and striking eyes, (a most unique shade of violet). Additionally, Thoral is covered with battle scars that stretch across his glistening body. His high esteem for personal hygiene is made obvious in his complete disdain for all things filthy. Don’t be disheartened by this. Despite a desire to stay clean, Thoral never shies from battle; regardless of the amount of goo one may encounter or the copious bathing required upon his inevitable victories.

The author’s sense of humor combined with his wild imagination, lead to a well-developed cast of characters. While reading, one can easily imagine an audio version of this tale being narrated by any number of famous voices; James Earl Jones, Sean Connery, and Billy Connelly, come to mind. The writing style is a refreshing tale, written purely for its entertainment value. There is no real sense of tension, anxiety, or fear. Rather, the story reads like it is being spun on a stage at the local renaissance festival. As such, Fish Wielder is the perfect read for any individual looking to decompress from a hard day’s work of having to belong to society. The writing style is reminiscent of David Wong’s John Dies At The End, but does not use any profanity to make its point. Its nonsensical nature makes it suitable for all audiences (regardless of religious beliefs), though the presence of violence suggests and older, age appropriate audience (teen and above).

Our main character is not of the land in which the story is written, meaning that the native language (perceived here as English) is not his first language. As such, Thoral misuses common phrases or words, relatively often. Though slightly irritating to someone with a proclivity for pointing out grammatical errors, one is given a translation through Brad. Brad is that koi fish, mentioned earlier. He is always available to correct or translate Thoral’s thoughts and intentions. This is a clever tool used by the author, as a perceived error, is, in reality, an intentional dialogue choice to further develop Thoral Mighty Fist’s character.

J.R.R.R (Jim) Hardison has written a tale of epic heroism, love, and the many facets of complicated relationships into a delightful story. One may find themselves smiling at each blatant reference to our favorite science-fiction/fantasy tales and epics. A true 4 out of 4 stars. Fish Wielder should be your next choice for an authentic escape from the harshness of reality.

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Fish Wielder
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