Customer Reviews

Phule and His Money (Phule's Company)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

ACE should have given Robert Asprin a swift kick in the butt. Instead they hired a piece of crap writer to carry Asprin and he screwed up the book. Heck obviously had a story of his own in mind when he was handed the reins to "A Phule and His Money". The beginning of the book was typical Asprin; funny, lighthearted and an enjoyable read. Then Heck sat down in front of the computer and proceeded to butcher Asprin's jovial artistry. The following is a list complaints I have with the book. Too long- I should have known something was up when I saw the size of the book and Heck's name on the cover (I love long books but it wasn't appropriate for the Phule series). Side Plots- Heck killed all the side plots within just a few pages of each other and wasted an opportunity to write a better book. New characters- This book was supposed to be about the new additions to the Omega crew. Instead, these new characters had very small roles in this book. Heck took a fun loving commander who involved his troops in everything he did and only used his money to take care of minor inconviences and he turned him into a self centered, secretive individual who instead of using his team to solve problems used his money. I can honestly say I wish I had never read this book and if the next book in the MYTH series is anything like this, ACE shouldn't even bother to print it.

This was actually the subtitle of the book, found inside the cover, and it is an accurate assesment of the book on the whole.

It's been roughly six years since the previous Phule book was published, and it seems this is the best effort Ace could come up with. I would have preferred to wait another six years for another book of the same quality rather than be duped into buying this ill-conceived and poorly written attempt at trying to cash in on Asprin's creation. I can't imagine that Robert Asprin had much to do with this latest volume of the series, other than by providing a general outline and then allowing Peter Heck to have his way with the Phule universe. I've never read anything by Peter J Heck before and have no idea if this effort is representative of his other work, but I can't imagine that he spent much effort in researching for the book.

Anyone who has read Asprin before will be gravely dissappointed, especially if they've read the previous two books in this series. Characters often behave inconsistently in speech and action, doing and saying things that never would have happened if they were under the control of the original author. It was a painful experience just trying to finish it. The material introduced at the closing of Phule's Paradise is wasted here, with old characters making appearances with no purpose other than to show that they're still alive, and many subplots still left dangling as the book eventually derails, a rollercoaster ride gone horribly wrong. Even the cover art is lame, with Jester looking like a 16 year old with braces. I encourage anyone curious about Asprin's MYTH and Phule series to look at the earlier installments, and not to be put off by this latest.

The bottom line, save yourself the money and the aggravation, and stay the "Heck" away from this one!

The "Phule" books -- all of them -- are meant to be tongue-in-cheek, light-hearted reads, and "A Phule and His Money" fits the bill, following in the entertaining footsteps of its predecessors. All of the characters are there -- the butler (who plays a major role despite what a previous reviewer claimed), Chocolate Henry, Mother, Sgt. Brandy, et al -- and Phule's escapades as he outwits his superiors in rank while accomplishing his mission's goals are as humorous as ever. There's mystery, organized crime, abductions, even romance! Note: you must read the two previous books in order to understand this one. Also, don't expect in-depth plots or character exposes. This book is meant to be fun, not something on the book-club list.

I waited a very long time for this book and was totally disappointed after reading it. I waited page after page for the Asprin Magic to kick in but it never did.

Readers - If you are new to Robert Asprin then buy Phules Company and then Phules Paradise but don't bother with this one unless you want the complete set.

Mr. Asprin - What happened? Why was this book so poor compared to the other two? You took long enough to publish it, surely you could tell it wasn't up to your normal level of entertainment?

Having enjoyed the previous two Phules Co. books, I looked forward to reading this one when I received it for my birthday. Unfortunately I was unable to get past about 1/3 of the way. I am sorry that Mr. Aspirin allowed someone else to write this book. It was very poor. The characters were all there, but they were not the people we had grown to love in the previous books. In many cases they were behaving in ways that were totally out of character.

Most of all I missed the butler. He always imparted quality to the crew. I do hope that Mr. Aspirin will write another Phules Co. book. I hope that only Mr. Aspirin writes it.

The summary pretty much says it. Aside from the names of the characters, this book had nothing in common with the other two. Characters spoke and acted differently, and all the fun was just sucked out of the experience.

This is not a bad book, but it's somewhat disappointing. The plot carryovers from the previous book (Phule's Paradise) are terminated off-handedly, but you at least get some explanation of what happened with regards to the Casino, the Yakuza tie-in, Chocolate Harry's past, Lavinia's future, and so on. The roller coaster plot was simply ludicrous. The characters are still likeable, but several of the mainstays are shuffled to the side. If there's ever another in the sequel, may Phule's Errand be it's title, not it's description.

Thepreviously brilliant and flamboyant Captain Jester has been reduced to a slightly unorthodox businessman. The characters, on the whole, are dull, soulless cardboard cutouts of their former selves. Conflicts were resolved too easily, with a minimum of humor. My last thought upon finishing it was, "That's it! " I would have preferred to wait for another "Phule" book and never get one, rather than seeing the series shamelessly trampled like this. (It was, however, tolerable if you didn't think of it as part of the "Phule's Company" series.) I hope Robert Asprin is ashamed of himself for putting his name on this, even with someone else to share the blame.

I have read all of the books in the Myth series and I have enjoyed every page. I was very impressed with "Phule's Company" and follow-up: "Phule's Paradise". "A Phule And His Money" had a good idea, but the story will bore you. It seems like accomplishing the HORRIBLE task given by the General was no challenge at all. There is no excuse for this book...other than Asprin was too busy working on the next Myth novel. Wishful thinking....

Great to see this series picked up again.

Unsure of how much that has to do with companion author.

Phule and his Omega Company are "thrown away" members of the Space Legion. Misfits and maladjusted, they have the "wrong" approach to everything.

Asprin juggles a large cast, that naturally gets bigger in every book as new recruits join the unit. Rather than gloss over this, this book makes it a feature. How to bring new into old, how veterans deal with green members, and how the Top Brass try to take credit for Phule's successes.

Not as bright and fresh as the first two books, but many members of the Company are maturing. That means less 'wacky' stuff is in the plot. But Asprin manages to deliver as the story gets broader with the "trail of baggage" and plot threads building each time.

The next book may tell the story as to whether the series realizes it's potential. Good fun, good read, and an author who appreciates his characters, even if the main purpose here is to bring a smile.