Customer Reviews

Malady of Magicks (Ebenezum Trilgy)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Suspended somewhere between the shallow-silly world of Xanth and the wry quirkiness of Discworld is the strange world of Ebenezum and his hapless apprentice Wuntvor.

Wuntvor is the apprentice of the famed magician Ebenezum (whose main vice is being somewhat greedy). But when a sinister demon, Guxx Unfufadoo, is conjured up -- the worst kind, a rhyming demon, whose power grows with every rhyme he utters. (Fortunately he's not too good at it) And Ebenezum manages to survive Guxx's attempt to kill him. But he soon discovers that Guxx has made him allergic to magic: whenever he's near magic, he starts sneezing uncontrollably.

After self-treatment fails (miserably) Ebenezum concludes that he can only be cured in Vushta, the City of Forbidden Delights. Wuntvor, being a typical teenage male, has no problems at all with this. But their way is fraught with peril -- much of it with silly dialogue, beautiful girls, and more than a few lunatics. Along the way they will encounter a singing-dancing dragon, a used-weapons dealer (who is also a demon), a mildly crazed warrior Hendrek with his club called Headbasher, Death in a game-show setting ("Now, Wuntvor, are you ready to double your lifespan?"), a cult that worships Plaugg the Fairly Magnificent, trial by custard, and demons trying to invade the world from the supernatural Netherhells.

As you can tell, this is not a particularly serious book. It reads like a series of loosely interconnected vignettes (because it was originally published that way) but somehow the episodic tendencies never bothered me. Every chapter is started with a hilarious quote from the Teachings of Ebenezum.
The humor ranges from the character oriented (Wuntvor's perpetually hormone-addled state) to the wry and funny (the hideous torment of aspirin commercials) to the low ("Neebekenezer's Syndrome of Universal Flatulence" and the chicken that... well, never mind).

The humor generally stems from the characters (Wuntvor's perpetually hormone-addled state) or the silly situations (Ebenezum being chased out by Grandmother) or the delightful dialogue ("What rhymes with silver?" "Orange!") such as Ebenezum critiquing Guxx's terrible rhymes. ("There is no justice in the cosmos. At least no poetic justice.")

The characters are hilarious: Ebenezum is the archetypical wizard, with a few secrets and flaws up his voluminous blue sleeve. Wuntvor is the character we see the world through, but he is as quirky as Ebenezum in his own realistic manner: He falls for every pretty girl nearby, looks forward to Vushta, and is a little too gangly and earnest for his own good. Supporting characters (with the exception of Snarks and Hendrek) are generally not developed as well, since they often vanish after a few chapters. This book is okay for most kids and all teens -- a few kisses between Wuntvor and his various love interests is about all that is objectionable.

It's fantastic that this book is back in print. A must-read for fans of fantasy and comedy.

I do not want to mention Shrek or some of the tales of the 1001 nights, or Monty Python's Holy Grail.
I have enjoyed all of them for different reasons. However, at some point in your reading career you discover
that you are also a character in an absurd and funny and crowded narrative, and that it does not matter if
you or others think of you as a wizard, a wizard's apprentice, a hero, a damsel or a demon.

This book and its sequels were not written to help anyone to find themselves or to discover deep truths about life in general. I am sure it was fun to write them and it is a great deal of fun to read them. Light, easy, thrilling, page-turning, full of positive energy, absurd and fun. A trip from somewhere to Vushta, Vushta of forbidden delights, much more interesting than Eldorado of officially approved delights. It is a travelogue on a route full of perils and hopes and optimism, during which the not so heroic heroes are confronted with...........and.....and.....and......and.....and.....

I am Ebenezer the wizard, and Wentwurt the apprentice. I am Gux when i write my rhymes and Hendrek when confronted with drama. And finally, i am snarks, the demon whose "...mother was frightened to death by the promises of a group of politicians." And i am alive and so is this trilogy is alive and will not ever be outdated, until all the magicks become reality in some future.

Reading this book felt like watching a failed British sitcom-- the humor is ever-present, and wanders back and forth between broad, zany, and occasionally even subtle satire. Yet, the book never finds that intangible element that lends a bit of heart to the proceedings and makes a book worth reading.

The characters lack dimension, which makes it difficult to care about them. The humor is sometimes funny, but more often falls flat.

On the positive side, it is a light read that doesn't take too much effort to get through. A young person to whom reading does not come easily might cut their teeth on this as an introduction to humorous fantasy (although Robert Asprin's "Myth" series would be even better).

The episodic nature also lends itself very well to bedtime reading.

If you're in the mood for a light, trifling amusement, this might be right up your alley.

I remember this book from way back when! This series made CSG one of my favorite authors :)

First and formost, I would like to express my most dire sorrow that this book and it's fellows were ever allowed to go out of print. I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of the first three books in this series at a used bookstore some time past, and was amazed to discover that I had purchased one of the greatest reads of my entire life! Truly absorbing, these novels weave along the border of the ludicrous, but never betray their sincere nature to crack humour. Each character is at once incredibly distinct and incredibly funny! A MUST-READ for any fan of fiction!

This is probably the funniest book in ages. I picked it up along with the others in the series at a garage sale in the summer. I wonder if the seller knew they didn't sell this anymore...Anyway this is hilarious and good on days when you feel bad. I think it's a pity that they stopped printing it because it's one of the best books I've read in a long time. I have pity for those who never got a chance to read this and hope that somehow anyone looking for it can find it. START PRINTING IT AGAIN I SAY!

Here it is, short and sweet.

Funny. Had me in stitches, tears, the whole nine yards. It's a quick read so even if you're not too sure you'll like it you won't waste much time finding out. Give it a try if you like clever writing.

Thank goodness I bought these when they were in the bookstores!!! This series has become one of my favorite re-readings, especially when I need a little pick-me-up. There's something about the absurd that makes life a little brighter! I wish they'd reprint these books for those who have not had the chance to experience Wuntvor and especially Snarks!!!!!

Once again, I have to wonder what book I was reading. It couldn't possibly be this book, with glowing reviews of how funny it was.
Now, don't get me wrong; this book was funny. In a few places, and at certain moments, sure. But it wasn't great humor, or, to me, even very good humor. When I was 12, I'm sure I would have found this book wonderfully funny. But I think I've passed the point where I can overlook all of the things about this book that irked me. Even in a comedy, I really prefer to have my characters and plots thought out better.
Good idea, the whole story, but there was nothing to this book at all. I know there's such a thing as light humorous fantasy, but this was a little much, even for me.
The characters are bare bones in development, and the plot just seems to go in circles. The humor has it's moments; unfortunately, they're few, and far between.
All in all, I much prefer, say, the Myth series, or Phule's Company.
I'll probably finish the series, just to see how it turns out, but I have to say, I'm not enjoying it all that much.
And, to those who love this book, I'm sorry. I just don't see it.