First of all, I have to welcome my first follower, Kate. She found me here through facebook, and I actually know her in real life. Hopefully, she'll stick around, comment a bit, and actually enjoy what she reads here. I have to also welcome my first commenter, Clover, who is a friend of mine, we go way back, through Found Magazine. (note to readers. I've learned how to insert links. yay!!!)
I have to explain how it is I came to have this book. I am a follower of Murphblog, which is authored by Paul Michael Murphy (no relation, although we do share a love of parentheses). He ran a contest in April, which I entered. Imagine my surprise when i actually won the contest.Yay Me!! I wasn't announced as the winner for a while, though, as Mr. James Kennedy had a baby in the midst of the voting.Here's Lucy Momo Kennedy!! So, yeah, the prize for the contest was the book, personally signed by Mr. James Kennedy (take a gander at the title page, up there), a soundtrack for the book, and... the piece de resistance, Mr. Kennedy will read part of my Work In Progress. That's the best part, and I'm waiting on that, with bated breath.
"The Order of Odd Fish" is a wonderful book. If I had to compare it to something that's already out there, I'd have to say that there isn't anything quite like it. Although the Lemony Snicket series comes close. It's only vaguely Harry Potter-esque, in that the protagonist, Jo Larouche, is a young adolescent who didn't know she truly was for most of her life. (and i only mention Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling to send errant searchers my way. Also, TWILIGHT!! [that's apropos of nothing, by the way])
Mr. Paul Michael Murphy interviewed James Kennedy on his blog You can read the interview, and actually, read about the contest here as well. In that interview, James talks about the various things that influenced him as a writer. (basically, his entire, crazy life). He credits Madeline L'engle(amazon link here!), Isaac Asimov, Douglas Adams, and so on. He writes with a crazy abandon that is incredibly energetic. It almost bubbles with frenetic energy, but at the same time, you get to know the characters and what drives them. Yeah, and I think it has a bit of a Monty Python feel to it, as well. (however, if you're not a Python fan, don't let that drive you away from it)
Ok.. so far, this hasn't been much of an review. Frankly, I've never done a review before, so what do you expect? I just really, really liked this book. It's so well written, funny, moving, and exciting. There are cockroaches for butlers, bizarre weapons, a quest, a duel, a battle against good and evil, and an unlikely (and unwilling)hero. I think that it's meant for pre-teen to early teen, (I hate pigeonholing books into agegroups, but people seem to like that) However, in the same way that Harry Potter's taken off in every age group, I think that this book will take off in the same way.
5 comments:
Glad you liked it. I'm always leery of promoting a book. For one, if I'm going to do so, I like to be overly enthusiastic. Lukewarm reviews might be worse than negative ones. I'd rather be outraged than bored. Two, someone out there is bound to disagree with me and then I feel like an ass for vehemently supporting the book even though I know it's all subjective..blah, blah...
So anyway, it's nice to know you liked it.
Monica, Welcome to the blogosphere! I found you via the parenthetical-loving Paul Michael Murphy (see above - yes, I like parentheses, too.) Congrats on winning the contest, and for having the amazing James Kennedy review your work. I'll be following you from now on, so you'd better behave yourself (not!). Stop over my way if you get the chance. I've put out a comfy chair and a pitcher of lemonade (code word for "gin and tonic".) ;-)
Very personal autographed book you got there! Congrats on the win and super spankin new blog!
Well, PMM, even though i was kind of predisposed to like it (you knowing, cuz i got it free and all, and it was signed, and i had the soundtrack, and Mr. Kennedy is reading my WIP), i genuinely liked it. You mentioned in a recent post how you're reading, not wasting time on something that doesn't catch your interest, and i find i've been the same way. Life is too short to read bad books.
Debra, thanks for the welcome. I will not behave myself, that's a promise. I've got all these blog ideas running through my head. I believe i will partake of some 'lemonade'(teehee).
Kelly, i know eh? that's pretty freaking cool. The soundtrack is autographed as well. I'm about to lend the book to my sister, and i think i need to caution her about reading it in a clean environment, no coffee... yadda yadda yadda.
Fifth follower. Fifth comment. I think I've just earned a fifth of something. How 'bout Baileys? Got any of that around? Better yet, I'll pick up the Baileys, you buy some Jameson whiskey, I've got a six pack of Guinness, and we can put them all together and make some Irish car bombs. That'll kick your blog off with style.
Wait, what were we talking about? (Alcohol is very distracting to me.)
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