Book 1 of The Book of Words
Published by Orbit Books
Ok, so I’ll admit it – I bought this book because the cover was so similar to early covers of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. Seems its true what they say (for me at least) that readers often want more of the same, but just a little bit different. I also like to read High Fantasy novels written by women (initials often seem to be a dead giveaway for a female writer), as I find they often give a different take on the genre.
The Baker’s Boy wasn’t anything like The Wheel of Time, but it still has plenty to offer readers of high fantasy. The novel follows the adventures of a number of the residents of Castle Harvell. These include Jack, a baker’s boy who has a mysterious past and a strange power; the naïve young Lady Melliandra; her father, the pompous Lord Maybor; and Baralis, the scheming chancellor. A secondary plot introduces Tawl, a young knight on a quest for redemption.
Jones describes her characters as “Chaucerian”, and many of them do feel like caricatures – from the two dim-witted guards who discuss how to score with the ladies, to the evil Archbishop Tavilisk, who is eating another disgusting delicacy in each scene, to the ongoing feud between Maybor and Baralis who constantly seek to outmaneuver the other in an endless series of traps and tricks. These characters invite some humour into the bleak and treacherous world that Jones creates, and often put a smile on my face for their over-the-top evilness or absurdity.
The protagonists are a little less exciting; Jack is quite likeable if a little uninspired as is the knight, Tawl. However, I found Lady Melliandra (Melli) to be quite annoying. She was sooooo naïve, yet somehow managed to escape the dangers Jones placed her in with only minor injury, often relying on the lucky timing of someone’s arrival to save the day. I found this deus ex machina irritating as it is hard to feel fear for a character who you do not believe to be in any real danger. I also had to give an inward shudder to the worst of clichés- the prostitute with a heart of gold.
Jones has written The Baker’s Boy from several point of views, which makes it seem a little hotchpotch at times, however the story is easy to follow and there is enough difference in the familiar plot devices to keep the pages turning. There is a lot of sex (and talk of sex) and violence in the book, which seemed to be at odds with the child-like characters.
All in all a pleasant popcorn read; good enough to make sure I pick up the second one in the series.
I give this novel 6 out of 10 flapping dragons
Published by Orbit Books
Ok, so I’ll admit it – I bought this book because the cover was so similar to early covers of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. Seems its true what they say (for me at least) that readers often want more of the same, but just a little bit different. I also like to read High Fantasy novels written by women (initials often seem to be a dead giveaway for a female writer), as I find they often give a different take on the genre.
The Baker’s Boy wasn’t anything like The Wheel of Time, but it still has plenty to offer readers of high fantasy. The novel follows the adventures of a number of the residents of Castle Harvell. These include Jack, a baker’s boy who has a mysterious past and a strange power; the naïve young Lady Melliandra; her father, the pompous Lord Maybor; and Baralis, the scheming chancellor. A secondary plot introduces Tawl, a young knight on a quest for redemption.
Jones describes her characters as “Chaucerian”, and many of them do feel like caricatures – from the two dim-witted guards who discuss how to score with the ladies, to the evil Archbishop Tavilisk, who is eating another disgusting delicacy in each scene, to the ongoing feud between Maybor and Baralis who constantly seek to outmaneuver the other in an endless series of traps and tricks. These characters invite some humour into the bleak and treacherous world that Jones creates, and often put a smile on my face for their over-the-top evilness or absurdity.
The protagonists are a little less exciting; Jack is quite likeable if a little uninspired as is the knight, Tawl. However, I found Lady Melliandra (Melli) to be quite annoying. She was sooooo naïve, yet somehow managed to escape the dangers Jones placed her in with only minor injury, often relying on the lucky timing of someone’s arrival to save the day. I found this deus ex machina irritating as it is hard to feel fear for a character who you do not believe to be in any real danger. I also had to give an inward shudder to the worst of clichés- the prostitute with a heart of gold.
Jones has written The Baker’s Boy from several point of views, which makes it seem a little hotchpotch at times, however the story is easy to follow and there is enough difference in the familiar plot devices to keep the pages turning. There is a lot of sex (and talk of sex) and violence in the book, which seemed to be at odds with the child-like characters.
All in all a pleasant popcorn read; good enough to make sure I pick up the second one in the series.
I give this novel 6 out of 10 flapping dragons
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