Review by Ashrx -- Fish Wielder by J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison

[Ashrx]

[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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In the magical land of Grome, there is a hero above all others: Thoral Mighty Fist! He has sworn a swear to wipe out the Bad Religion and their leader, the Heartless One, before they can reach the Great Pudding of Power, don the Bracelet of Evil and plunge all of Grome into darkness. Since "one does not simply walk into Flurge", Thoral must rely on the help of his companions: Brad, the talking koi fish that cannot swim, and Warlordhorse, his steadfast steed lent to him by his mentor, Yiz.

Along the way, Thoral rescues Nalweegie, an elfin princess whose name means "Evening Snack" because as her father, Elfrod, reveals "to look on her in twilight quells the hunger of one's heart without making one feel overfull, as can happen with a more substantial meal." Nalweegie instantly falls in love with Thoral but can he give his heart to the beautiful princess? You see, long ago something dark and terrible happened in his past which has made him the drunk, nearly suicidal adventurer he is today. Verily, a grand adventure awaits this intrepid Fellowship!

This is not Hardison's first foray into writing - and it shows! Fish Wielder was wonderfully crafted and kept a great pace throughout. This is a parody of the fantasy/adventure genre. The book/series that it most draws from is Lord of the Rings but you can find references to other works as well. This novel told a great story as well as kept me laughing. Starting with the cover, the author's name is J.R.R.R. Hardison - after all, the more R's an author has in their name, the more fantasy literature cred they have! The jokes were nearly constant and were a mix of puns, references, and gags. Just when you think our adventurer is about to meet his end…he manages to pull through, as all epic heroes do.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It is an excellent book with a great plot, interesting characters, and tons of humor. I subtracted a point because sometimes the simile jokes were repetitive and that would take me out of the story. My favorite character was Brad, he had some great lines and emotion. I was glad that he wasn't just a gag - he actually contributed a far amount, especially for a fish.

I would recommend this book to fans of Piers Anthony and the Xanth series as the humor most resembles that and of course epic fantasies such as Lord of the Rings as you will no doubt enjoy the little references and in-jokes sprinkled throughout Fish Wielder.

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Fish Wielder
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