Customer Reviews

Forward the Mage (Joe's World)

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book will prove difficult or boring for many people, partly due to the vocabulary and partly due to the scope of background knowledge necessary to really enjoy it. The book parodies not only the prose of eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (as with the page-long sentence on the evils of verbosity) but also the political and philosophical movements of the time. Throw-away references to experimental physics, ecclesiastical history, etc. will probably lose everyone at some point. I'm sure I missed some (or a lot) of the jokes. As well, the authors are overly faithful to the voice of their narrators. If you don't have the background to catch the (often subtle) barbs, many passages will read as unleavened pedantry.

In spite of that, I recommend this book for those with patience. Not as comedy, exactly - though it has hilarious moments, they're not that frequent. Instead, I'd place it more in the hazy area of the Princess Bride - a story superficially impossible to take seriously, but ultimately very serious indeed. Beneath the antics, there's a real message about human nature. The characters may be literally larger than life, but they are complex and compelling.

Having a large vocabulary or a willingness to expand it rapidly will help. So will knowing something about nationalism and imperialism.

Eric Flint has become an established SF Author. However he has more than one style of writing. This book is in an experimental style more related to Rabelais, Cervantes, Voltaire, Swift and Sterne. This book set in "Joe's World" is the second book in this series. Although not main stream in any way it is an enjoyable book and well worth reading. Once read I was hooked into asking "where is the rest of this story", this is quite normal for this style of writing and I await eagerly the next volume.

Forward the Mage (2002) is the second fantasy novel in the Joe's World series, following The Philosophical Strangler. This tale overlays the first volume, relating some events occurring between the departure of Greyboar and Ignace from Sundjhab and their meeting with Benvenuti in Sfinctr.

In the previous volume, Ignace arranged an engagement for Greyboar to choke the King of the Sundjhab. The King taught the strangler much about philosophy, but Greyboar reluctantly strangled the man anyway. Greyboar and Ignace left town for a while to allow the queen time to cool down.

Greyboar met Cat while he was away and invited her for a drink or three after returning to Sfinctr. Greyboar also met Benvenuti in the Sign of the Trough. Ignace hated him on sight. Benvenuti has an idea and would like Greyboar's assistance.

Later, Greyboar learned that Benvenuti had been Gwendolyn's lover. He still pined for her and took out his sorrow by painting portraits of her in various states of dress. After an initial bit of confusion, they joined in adoration of Gwendolyn.

In this novel, Benvenuti Sfondrati-Piccolomini is an artist, He is also very handsome and graceful; women fall in love with him at first sight. His uncles have trained him in art and survival.

Zulkeh is a master sorcerer and a windbag. He also mistreat his dwarf apprentice.

Shelyid is a very hairy and ugly dwarf with a pleasant voice. He is paid a shilling a month for taking care of Zulkeh and the household.

Greyboar is a professional strangler. He is very tall and built like an ox. He is a member of the Guild of Stranglers and strictly follows their code of professional ethics. His weapons of choice are his hands. Greyboar likes to say that it is all in the thumbs.

Gwendolyn is Greyboar's sister. She is built like her brother, but shorter and voluptuous. They grew up together, but parted when Greyboar left the slaughter house to become a strangler. Gwendolyn is an agitator for dwarf's rights and objects to Greyboar becoming a well paid thug.

Ignace is an old friend of the siblings. He is short, red-headed and freckled and looks like a dwarf compared to Greyboar. He was rescued by Gwendolyn as a child and then grew up with Greyboar. He worked with Greyboar in the slaughter house and then left with him. Now he is Greyboar's agent and financial manager.

Hildegard Laebmauntsforscynneweelds is the abbess of the Sisters of Tranquillity. She has a large storeroom at the abbey filled with notes to and from God.

Wolfgang Laebmauntsforscynneweelds is a nephew of Hildegard. He is a madman by self-admission. He also owns the madhouse.

Magrit is a witch. She had attended the same school as Zulkeh, but was expelled for seducing him.

In this story, Benvenuti arrived in Goimr on the CSS Lucre, which the artist thinks should be renamed the Shipwreck-in-the-Making. The harbor does not impress him and neither does the port building. The only activity is occurring around the Great Grotum Northern. Eastern, Southern, Western, Central and Environs Express and Travel Company (a subsidiary of THE CONSORTIUM), hereafter called the GGNESWC&etc.

Benvenuti leaves his luggage in a locker and goes out the main archway. He steps aside to let a man hurry by. He is wearing the robes of a Goimr sorcerer and is followed by a large sack. Benvenuti looks closer and notice small legs under the sack.

Benvenuti tries to warn the person carrying the sack of an obstacle, but is too late. The fallen sack reveal a dwarf, whom the sorcerer promptly berates. Benvenuti points out that the dwarf had said that he couldn't see, so the sorcerer should have warned him of the obstacle.

The sorcerer turns red and then leaves the building with the dwarf and sack close behind. Then a black coach pulls up and multiple men get off and out of the vehicle. The coach has red painted letters stating GOIMR SECRET POLICE and in smaller print, Classified Information. Tell no one on pain of death.

Benvenuti is the only person left standing in the plaza. So the police promptly seize him. He starts protesting his innocence and they gag him. Benvenuti is going to get a well deserved tongue-lashing from his Uncle Ludovigo.

The secret police try to torture a confession out of Benvenuti. Thinks to the training of his uncles, he has iron-hard calluses an inch thick on his feet, so the lashes don't bother him But he screams and carries on and freely confesses everything that comes to mind. The secret police finally give up and report to the Chief Counselor that he seems to be innocent of the charges.

Then they take Benvenuti to see the Chief Counselor. He gives the man a letter from the king inviting Benvenuti to Goimr and a letter of recommendation from the Director of Companies praising his artistic abilities. The Counselor is impressed, but admits that the king is not sane at the moment and is not seeing visitors.

Benvenuti pries some money from the Chief Counselor and goes to look for a place to stay. He finds a temporary room is a rundown boarding house, but is up half the night fighting off the rats. First thing in the morning, he reclaims his luggage and goes out looking for someplace with fewer rodents.

Rounding a corner, he sees a woman defending herself from a mob of cutthroats. She is picking them up and wringing their necks. After fighting down his artistic impulses, Benvenuti joins the battle. When the thugs are down to three opponents, he is stabbed with a poisoned knife.

Benvenuti is out of the fight, but a giant of a man swats the last few thugs with a massive club and then takes Gwendolyn and Benvenuti into the catacombs. When Benvenuti awakes, Wolfgang is asking Gwendolyn about a message sent by Abbess Hildegard. Gwendolyn had been looking for Zulkeh to pass on the message, but hadn't been able to find him.

Benvenuti remembers the sorcerer at the transportation terminal and mentions to Gwendolyn that Zulkeh had gone to Prygg. Wolfgang decides to go to Prygg to find Zulkeh and Gwendolyn is going to Mutt with news about the Rap Sheet. Benvenuti volunteers to accompany Gwendolyn, hoping for a portrait or two.

Meanwhile, Zulkeh and Shelyid are traveling to Prygg on a GGNESWC&etc coach. Zulkeh is pontifical and Shelyid is fascinated. They learn about highway men and THE CONSORTIUM rules. Zulkeh and Shelyid finally reach Prygg and meet Greyboar, Ignace and Magrit.

This tale eventually brings these people and others together with a grudge against THE CONSORTIUM. The Grotum rebellion is drawing closer. Even the Ozar Senate is noticing the movement.

This novel was published ten years ago. Flint has been busy during the past decade, but the Joe's World series needs a sequel. It is a unique mix of revolution, labor negotiations, lust, and low humor that demands the next installment.

Highly recommended for Flint & Roach fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of armed conflict, master sorcerers, and artistic compulsions. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

This piece is a companion to THE PHILOSPHICAL STRANGLER. It is a sequel in that it was written after the original but the story line takes place before that of the original book. It is also a collaboration and differences can be seen.

The biggest difference to me was the higher level of buffoonery. The characters seem less intelligent than in the original as they wander their way through this magical universe.

The wandering in this story is on the part of two principal characters. One is the mage who was called in to interpret the dream of a king. The king goes mad right after hearing what the mage has to say and said mage embarks on a quest to find out who is trying to thwart him.

The second wanderer is the artist, Benvenuti, from the original book. Since he was supposed to be hired by the mad king, he now has nothing better to do than wander around looking for the wizard who drove his patron mad. Eventually the two link up and set off on a greater quest.

This story is not as interesting as the original nor are the characters as likeable. Still, it is an enjoyable read and well worth the time.

I actually read this before I read "The Philosophical Strangler," and I liked it more. This was probably the book that got me to realize I should start collecting Flint books.

This was also the book that had me laughing out loud in the library. And again. And again. Perhaps it's because I have the background to appreciate it, as another reviewer mentioned, but the points of view are remarkably well done throughout the whole book and the various historical, social, etc references hilarious in context.

I firmly believe that if you are a big fan of dry humor, meta-humor, and absurdist humor, this will be one of your favorite books.

The authors (Eric Flint and Richard Roach) definitely had fun chronicling this book. The frequent changes of viewpoint are confusing at first, due to the very different biases each 'narrator' has, but once I figured that out, it became even more amusing. There is a lot of satire directed towards the modern-day American way of life - licensing agreements and privacy rights just being a couple of the gorings dealt out. A uniquely flavored novel and definitely not for everyone, but I found it well worth the hardback price.

Combining prequel and aspects of similarity with The Philosophical Strangler, "Forward the Mage" is full of Rabelaisian nonsense that is certain to confuse and befuddle the average reader, who will likely then put down the book and exclaim "what nonsense! This is a terrible book! what is it even ABOUT!?!" and that is where their problem arises! The book really isn't ABOUT anything, outside of a loosely held overall plot about the Rap Sheet, that winds its way through the book like a single glinting thread of gold through a cliff of limestone being washed by the ocean. Why do books always have to be "about" something? Why not just sit back and enjoy the lunacy?

The focus bounces back and forth between Zulkeh, sorcerer and pedant, and his apprentice, the dwarf Sheylid; and Benvenuti Sfondrati-Piccolomini, an artist, as he meets, travels with and falls in love with Gwendolyn Greyboard - THE Greyboar's sister, of whom we hear in "The Philosophical Strangler" and even meet there toward the end of that book. And, to make matters yet more entertaining, the book is purportedly written by a louse - yes, a humble louse! Living upon none other than Sheylid himself.

As is obvious from the above, I rather liked the book. I think it will appeal to anyone with a good sense of nonsensical humour (those who enjoy Monty Python, Terry Pratchett, etc.) and who are willing to suspend reality to a fine breaking point and just have fun. Don't miss it, if I have just described you!

Like one reviewer mentioned below, this book is not for the squeamish. My friend and I got a kick out of it and we are both die-hard fantasy lovers (and not very old, either.) However, those to whom Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Princess Bride do not appeal completely may wish to avoid this book.

That being said, this book contains what every good book does: truth. A whole lot of it. Without spoiling anything, the lunatic's advice to Benvenuti in the last line? "Things change." How often does our modern society wish that things didn't change and get washed over by it?

Along the same lines, verbosity is the bane of many readers, and yet the writers go at length to use it (so effectively, I think) to parody the notion itself.

In store for dedicated readers are an uproarious Civil War (in the Dog House,a super-"socialist" city), the completely crazy wizard, and the very human and sane lunatic. (Don't ask me how they did it: the lunatic, Wolfgang, has better insight into the world than most so-called philosophical books do.)

Great, great fun. My friend and I still stage Civil Wars every now and again. (We actually invented a form of government where every other state in the nation controls every state's affairs but its own, inspired by Forward the Mage)

Eric Flint and Richard Roach's Forward The Mage is fantasy writing at its best: an artist-swordsman faces an evil sorcerer, arrest, and politics when his artistic ambitions are rerouted in a struggle for survival. Both feature fast-paced action and complex, believable settings.

This book reads like a dervative of a badly written derivative of Tolkien, married to the son of "Dark and Stormy Night." The annual contest of Groaner openings needs a new entry, maybe that way, FtM could get recognized! Books should be FUN to read, this one is a chore. I have tried three different times to pick it up, but have failed miserably. My last attempt died after less than a chapter. One of the other reviewers used the word "Execrable," if he hadn't, I would have.

I haunt my local Half Price Books and snap up anything by my list of favorite authors that appears on their shelves. Eric Flint is on that list. He has done some very nice collaborative work, so I looked forward to reading FtM. OOPS! WRONG BOOK! I am not ready to give up on Flint, so I will blame his partner for the miserable writing. I don't think I will read any more of Roach's work.