Review by MeghanCrawford -- Fish Wielder

[MeghanCrawford]

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

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3 out of 4 stars

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Fish Wielder by J. R. R. R. (Jim) Hardison is a fantasy tale that follows the well-worn path of the classic hero’s quest storyline with many not-so-classic twists and turns along the way. It is the story of Thoral Mighty Fist, hero of Grome, and his steadfast companion Brad, the talking koi fish. Armed with a magical sword and other such trappings, Thoral and Brad battle evil sorcerers, rescue fair maidens, and attempt to stop the total destruction of Grome. Plot twists abound; many are the classic deus-ex-machina to be expected of a fantasy hero’s tale, but some are truly twists and make for a unique story in a genre riddled with repetition.

Hardison is clearly well-versed in his genre: recognizable characters, names, and plot points from classic favorites like Lord of the Rings and Narnia are sprinkled heavily throughout Fish Wielder, both as a nod to the originals and a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of the popular fantasy tropes. This borrowed material is woven into the outlandish setting of Grome, side by side with Hardison’s own original characters and content.The result is a punchy satire piece that take shots at the self-importance of the fantasy genre as a whole without sacrificing entertainment value or plot.

As a fantasy reader, my favorite thing about the book is the many references and homages included in Fish Wielder. It feels a little bit like an Easter Egg hunt. The obvious influence is clearly Lord of the Rings, but I’m pleasantly surprised to find some nods to other lesser known genre writers, like David Eddings.

I also enjoyed the juxtaposition between my expectation of the plot (informed by the predictability of fantasy tropes) and where Hardison actually takes the plot. This tactic is made more successful by how the story is set up. Towards the beginning of the book, every expectation is met: though the odds look grim, Thoral does not die; the various bad guys, though seemingly acting alone, are in league together; the elves live in a hidden valley strongly reminiscent of Tolkien’s Rivendale, called Creekenvalley. These are hard and fast fantasy tropes and Hardison delivers without deviating from the formula (except to put his own goofy spin on it). As the plot progresses, however, this changes. Seemingly unimportant, throwaway information is revealed to be essential, expectations are subverted, and I’m left pleasantly surprised.

Unfortunately, the familiarity and predictability during the buildup, makes for a very slow first few chapters. With the dragging plot and the sometimes verbose writing style, which is part of the tongue-in-cheek commentary on fantasy as a whole, the book is a little difficult to get into at first. The wordiness is probably my least favorite thing about the book. I find the plot picks up pretty quickly after those first few chapters, though, with intriguing plot and characters, and that makes it easier to ignore the overly wordy writing.

From a technical standpoint, the book is wonderful. There are no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors, even given Thoral’s flowery language with “thee’s” and “thou’s” and “wherefore’s,” which tend to trip up less attentive authors and editors. I also find that the plot is cohesive and easily followed.

Taking everything into consideration, I rate Fish Wielder 3 out of 4 stars. I enjoyed the story itself, the creativity of it, thought it was well-written, and appreciated the satirical playfulness with which Hardison juggled well-known fantasy tropes. I took away a star for the slow start and sometimes cumbersome language, which might deter someone from reading on.

I would recommend this book to other fantasy lovers or really any reader looking for a short, fun read. While I feel that a fantasy lover would appreciate the book for the veiled references and satirical take on fantasy literature, I think a less well-versed reader would also enjoy it as many of the references are huge cultural touchstones that most would recognize. I wouldn’t recommend this book to someone who actively dislikes fantasy literature, though, or who doesn’t enjoy satire.

Fish Wielder is an entertaining dance between the heavy-handed satire and the delicate line of the plot which weaves in and out between absurd character names, familiar quest objectives, and refreshingly original ideas. I sincerely hope there is a sequel forthcoming.

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Fish Wielder
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[uyky]

I loved this book and am sorry that start of the book bothered you. I laughed through it most of the time. Good review with clear points. Thank you. You are welcome to read mine on the same book.