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Adventures of Kit Bristol #1
The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides
The Accidental Highwayman is the first swashbuckling adventure for young adults by talented author and illustrator, Ben Tripp. In eighteenth-century England, young Christopher "Kit" Bristol is the unwitting servant of notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. One dark night, Kit finds his master bleeding from a mortal wound, dons the man's riding cloak to seek help, and changes the course of his life forever. Mistaken for Whistling Jack and on the run from redcoats, Kit is catapulted into a world of magic and wonders he thought the stuff of fairy tales.
Bound by magical law, Kit takes up his master's quest to rescue a rebellious fairy princess from an arranged marriage to King George III of England. But his task is not an easy one, for Kit must contend with the feisty Princess Morgana, gobling attacks, and a magical map that portends his as a hanged man upon the gallows….
Fans of classic fairy-tale fantasies will find much to love in this irresistible YA debut by Ben Tripp, the son of one of America's most beloved illustrators, Wallace Tripp ( Amelia Bedelia ). Following in his father's footsteps, Ben has woven illustrations throughout the story.
"Delightful and charming. A swashbuckling adventure in the vein of Robert Louis Stevenson." ―#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson
Bound by magical law, Kit takes up his master's quest to rescue a rebellious fairy princess from an arranged marriage to King George III of England. But his task is not an easy one, for Kit must contend with the feisty Princess Morgana, gobling attacks, and a magical map that portends his as a hanged man upon the gallows….
Fans of classic fairy-tale fantasies will find much to love in this irresistible YA debut by Ben Tripp, the son of one of America's most beloved illustrators, Wallace Tripp ( Amelia Bedelia ). Following in his father's footsteps, Ben has woven illustrations throughout the story.
"Delightful and charming. A swashbuckling adventure in the vein of Robert Louis Stevenson." ―#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2014
105 people are currently reading
5656 people want to read
About the author
Ben Tripp
16 books286 followersBEN TRIPP is the author of Fifth House of the Heart; Rise Again and Rise Again: Below Zero, a two-part apocalyptic zombie saga for Gallery; he has also completed the first volume of the Accidental Trilogy, The Accidental Highwayman, which is a young adult fantasy. The Accidental Giant will be the next book in the series.
Tripp is an artist, writer, and designer who has worked with major entertainment companies and motion picture studios for more than two decades. He was for many years one of the world's leading conceptualists of public experiences, with a global portfolio of projects ranging from urban masterplanning to theme parks. Now he writes novels full-time.
He lives with his wife (Academy Award-winning writer/ producer Corinne Marrinan) in Los Angeles and Europe.
Tripp is an artist, writer, and designer who has worked with major entertainment companies and motion picture studios for more than two decades. He was for many years one of the world's leading conceptualists of public experiences, with a global portfolio of projects ranging from urban masterplanning to theme parks. Now he writes novels full-time.
He lives with his wife (Academy Award-winning writer/ producer Corinne Marrinan) in Los Angeles and Europe.
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June 5, 2018(Note: For an explanation of my Goodreads policy, please see here.)
I blurbed a book! I know, I know. That doesn’t happen very often these days, but Susan, my YA editor at Tor, approached me with a project she is very excited and passionate about: The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp. And after reading it, I have to highly recommend it—Susan has discovered a gem.
From the back of the book:
We’ve seen the story of the servant taking up the master’s mantle before. But the twist caught my attention. Kind of like becoming the Dread Pirate Roberts, only you didn’t mean to, and now all England is looking to put you in prison for the crimes your master committed. Something in between The Princess Bride and The Fugitive with the charm of Stardust and the snark of Terry Pratchett—if he wrote Robert Louis Stevenson fan fiction. The Accidental Highwayman should be judged on its own merits, of course, but comparing it to those books and authors is the best way to give you the feel of this novel in a way that will catch the attention of those readers who will enjoy it the most.
At the beginning of the book, author Ben Tripp purports only to be the editor of notes he found in a chest belonging to one of his ancestors. The story begins in an affected voice meant to sound like something from the eighteenth century, but laced with enough humor and snark that you feel the author is subtly looking at you from behind the words and shooting you an anachronistic wink. Tripp has mastered the balancing act of making the prose sound archaic while at the same time being palatable to modern readers. Take a gander at Tripp’s website—you can tell he’s something of a character.
So, yes, I recommend this book. Like I said to my editor, The Accidental Highwayman is “Delightful and charming. A swashbuckling adventure in the vein of Robert Louis Stevenson.”
Take a look at what other reviewers have said:
Want to check out an excerpt? The first two chapters are on Amazon's "Look Inside" feature, and you can read chapters three through eight on Tor.com
I blurbed a book! I know, I know. That doesn’t happen very often these days, but Susan, my YA editor at Tor, approached me with a project she is very excited and passionate about: The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp. And after reading it, I have to highly recommend it—Susan has discovered a gem.
From the back of the book:
In eighteenth-century England, young Christopher “Kit” Bristol is the unwitting servant of notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. One dark night, Kit finds his master bleeding from a mortal wound, dons the man’s riding cloak to seek help, and changes the course of his life forever. Mistaken for Whistling Jack and on the run from redcoats, Kit is catapulted into a world of magic and wonders he thought the stuff of fairy tales.
We’ve seen the story of the servant taking up the master’s mantle before. But the twist caught my attention. Kind of like becoming the Dread Pirate Roberts, only you didn’t mean to, and now all England is looking to put you in prison for the crimes your master committed. Something in between The Princess Bride and The Fugitive with the charm of Stardust and the snark of Terry Pratchett—if he wrote Robert Louis Stevenson fan fiction. The Accidental Highwayman should be judged on its own merits, of course, but comparing it to those books and authors is the best way to give you the feel of this novel in a way that will catch the attention of those readers who will enjoy it the most.
At the beginning of the book, author Ben Tripp purports only to be the editor of notes he found in a chest belonging to one of his ancestors. The story begins in an affected voice meant to sound like something from the eighteenth century, but laced with enough humor and snark that you feel the author is subtly looking at you from behind the words and shooting you an anachronistic wink. Tripp has mastered the balancing act of making the prose sound archaic while at the same time being palatable to modern readers. Take a gander at Tripp’s website—you can tell he’s something of a character.
So, yes, I recommend this book. Like I said to my editor, The Accidental Highwayman is “Delightful and charming. A swashbuckling adventure in the vein of Robert Louis Stevenson.”
Take a look at what other reviewers have said:
“Readers will root for star-crossed lovers, Kit and Morgana, and delight in their ‘opposites attract’ romance, drawn onward by a rollicking plot.... Fantasy readers, especially fans of Catherynne Valente’s work, will enjoy the author’s elegant turns of phrase. A first purchase for all fantasy collections.” —School Library Journal, Starred Review
“Spells, wishes and fantastical creatures aside, this rollicking yarn owes more to R.L. Stevenson than J.K. Rowling. Kit’s wry voice provides a fine pastiche of old-fashioned tale-telling... enlivened by breakneck pacing, colorful similes and a sly wit aimed at modern sensibilities.... Kit himself is as brave, clever and good-natured an orphan lad as ever buckled a swash. The promise of more adventures to come provides happily-ever-after enough. They can still write ’em like they used to; hurrah!” —Kirkus Reviews
“While the journey isn’t quick, it never grows tedious—danger, magic, and intrigue wait at every turn. Tripp infuses his story with whimsy, humor, and derring-do, and his miniature spot illustrations and handful of lovely full-page pieces add to the overall charm.” —Publishers Weekly
“Tripp builds a richly imagined fantasy world, captured both in Kit’s dry, witty first-person narrative and Tripp’s detailed illustrations. The complex political machinations... make for a compelling and quietly sinister background thrum that builds until the exciting concluding battle, which handily leaves room for more adventures in the planned trilogy. Fans of classic adventure will find plenty to like here.” —Booklist
Want to check out an excerpt? The first two chapters are on Amazon's "Look Inside" feature, and you can read chapters three through eight on Tor.com
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December 31, 2014I'm not rating it. So just calm down. I promised myself that I would move on from books that just don't cut it for me.
So....
I can only take so much info dumping-world building and I nut up.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
So....
I can only take so much info dumping-world building and I nut up.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2017
This is the story of Kit, a half-fairy princess, a highwayman, a tightrope walker, a man who's lost his memory and more.
The Accidental Highwayman is not a "swashbuckler." I listened to the digital audiobook and didn't see that description of this story until I came to its Goodread page. That's a positive thing because I may have felt cheated otherwise.
Though it has a large cast of characters, the pace is quite slow. This is a book that can be savored but I see how it could just as easily be put aside.
I confess, I nearly gave it up when I went nearly four chapters in a row with nothing happening other than the wagon moving onwards. But, I stuck with it to the end.
The style of storytelling feels more like a Victorian era book rather than a modern fairytale. I believe this was a purposeful choice on the part of Ben Tripp- to give it a faux-classic feel.
I feel like The Princess Bride could be an apt comparison if you slowed Bride's pacing way down and remove almost half of the adventure. The Accidental Highwayman has charm in my opinion, but not a lot of substance.
That being said, it contains one of the most over-the-top romantic lines I've ever heard in an audiobook: "If I don't kiss you, I shall perish." pg 269. If you like that kind of thing, you might enjoy this book very much. Think "slow burning wick" of a romance. Very slow. And not graphic but sweet.
Actually, The Accidental Highwayman was sort of like The Night Circus but with more goblins and less immersive descriptions. In that book, as in this, I felt like the story was reaching for more but never quite made it.
In conclusion, I recommend this book for readers with buckets of patience and a penchant for the fantastical and overly dramatic.
The Accidental Highwayman is not a "swashbuckler." I listened to the digital audiobook and didn't see that description of this story until I came to its Goodread page. That's a positive thing because I may have felt cheated otherwise.
Though it has a large cast of characters, the pace is quite slow. This is a book that can be savored but I see how it could just as easily be put aside.
I confess, I nearly gave it up when I went nearly four chapters in a row with nothing happening other than the wagon moving onwards. But, I stuck with it to the end.
The style of storytelling feels more like a Victorian era book rather than a modern fairytale. I believe this was a purposeful choice on the part of Ben Tripp- to give it a faux-classic feel.
I feel like The Princess Bride could be an apt comparison if you slowed Bride's pacing way down and remove almost half of the adventure. The Accidental Highwayman has charm in my opinion, but not a lot of substance.
That being said, it contains one of the most over-the-top romantic lines I've ever heard in an audiobook: "If I don't kiss you, I shall perish." pg 269. If you like that kind of thing, you might enjoy this book very much. Think "slow burning wick" of a romance. Very slow. And not graphic but sweet.
Actually, The Accidental Highwayman was sort of like The Night Circus but with more goblins and less immersive descriptions. In that book, as in this, I felt like the story was reaching for more but never quite made it.
In conclusion, I recommend this book for readers with buckets of patience and a penchant for the fantastical and overly dramatic.
June 27, 2022
once upon a time i tried to be someone who did readathons, and then i read one (1) book and it was this and it all came crashing down.
took me ages to finish, relatively speaking.
it is insane how boring and long this book is for not being that long. and for having instalove and bad characters. like what are we even doing?? those things don't take any time to establish!
anyway. really bad. good title, though.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
took me ages to finish, relatively speaking.
it is insane how boring and long this book is for not being that long. and for having instalove and bad characters. like what are we even doing?? those things don't take any time to establish!
anyway. really bad. good title, though.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
November 2, 2014
You, like me, might scoff and roll your eyes at how this book is being compared to The Princess Bride. It’s understandable to be wary considering what a masterpiece The Princess Bride was, but that said, don’t be. This book isn’t The Princess Bride but it’s definitely written in the fashion of it and that’s why I adored it so much. This book isn’t, at least to me, trying to be The Princess Bride but it instead is trying to invoke the same humor and the same fun adventurous feeling.
Obviously, they aren’t wrong in making that comparison because this book lived up to what you would expect when a book gets compared to a beloved book. It was funny, it had witty comments and it had fantastic characters.
Kit is a great main character and someone you cannot help but root for. He is also a bit of a stereotype but that ties back into the whole fact that this book may or may not be a satirization of a typical fantasy. That said, Kit isn’t really annoying, his fascination with a certain princess can be but that aside, he is a fun hero who is loyal to those he cares about and will fight for what he believes in. What else can you want from a hero?
Princess Morgana is fun too. She is a typical princess but with all her princessiness, she also manages to grow and become someone who thinks not just of herself and her selfish reasons for doing things but also thinks about the rest of her kingdom and what she could be doing to help them win this war.
What I really loved about this book was the secondary characters. They really did add to the story and made the already fun adventure a lot funnier, I do mean funnier and not funner since the adventure was already fun. You cannot imagine how many times I burst into laughter just by the actions of these bizarre secondary characters. My favorite character was in fact Lily’s uncle. His cluelessness always did me in. He had a way of messing things up but at the same time, if it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t have gotten as far as they had.
The romance was alright. I say alright because even though I know that there is a bit of satire involved in the book, instalove in this case wasn’t done as well as it could have. Remember the romance in The Princess Bride? That was fantastic. The romance here? Not so much. I loved some of the moments involving the two but other mushy ones did not work for me.
The plot on the other hand did. It was so all over the place and so exciting! It was definitely an adventure and there was a circus involved! CIRCUSES ARE AWESOME. There, that’s a selling point. A circus, one the characters formed. Why must I be so vague you ask? ‘tis because I am trying to sell this amazingly fun book and if I were to take away the mystery of what actually happens in the book, it wouldn’t be as intriguing would it?
What really works for the book is its quirkiness. I love the way the narrator inserts random tid bits in the notes as he tries to define the meanings of certain words that are ‘beyond our understanding’ and also manages to contribute to the world building aspect of the novel. It makes the book original and it also manages to separate it from The Princess Bride so that while it is written in the fashion of the great novel, it isn’t trying to copy it.
I am incredibly excited to see where Tripp will take us with the sequel and I only hope it’s to better places since there are two more books left in the trilogy.
I’d definitely recommend this book to lovers of The Princess Bride and really anyone who just wants to read a fun fantasy that involves the fae. If that isn’t reason enough, here is another one, the author is the son of the illustrator for Amelia Bedelia! That worked for me, I hope it'll be enough to convince you to pick up this fabulously fun book.
Obviously, they aren’t wrong in making that comparison because this book lived up to what you would expect when a book gets compared to a beloved book. It was funny, it had witty comments and it had fantastic characters.
Kit is a great main character and someone you cannot help but root for. He is also a bit of a stereotype but that ties back into the whole fact that this book may or may not be a satirization of a typical fantasy. That said, Kit isn’t really annoying, his fascination with a certain princess can be but that aside, he is a fun hero who is loyal to those he cares about and will fight for what he believes in. What else can you want from a hero?
Princess Morgana is fun too. She is a typical princess but with all her princessiness, she also manages to grow and become someone who thinks not just of herself and her selfish reasons for doing things but also thinks about the rest of her kingdom and what she could be doing to help them win this war.
What I really loved about this book was the secondary characters. They really did add to the story and made the already fun adventure a lot funnier, I do mean funnier and not funner since the adventure was already fun. You cannot imagine how many times I burst into laughter just by the actions of these bizarre secondary characters. My favorite character was in fact Lily’s uncle. His cluelessness always did me in. He had a way of messing things up but at the same time, if it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t have gotten as far as they had.
The romance was alright. I say alright because even though I know that there is a bit of satire involved in the book, instalove in this case wasn’t done as well as it could have. Remember the romance in The Princess Bride? That was fantastic. The romance here? Not so much. I loved some of the moments involving the two but other mushy ones did not work for me.
The plot on the other hand did. It was so all over the place and so exciting! It was definitely an adventure and there was a circus involved! CIRCUSES ARE AWESOME. There, that’s a selling point. A circus, one the characters formed. Why must I be so vague you ask? ‘tis because I am trying to sell this amazingly fun book and if I were to take away the mystery of what actually happens in the book, it wouldn’t be as intriguing would it?
What really works for the book is its quirkiness. I love the way the narrator inserts random tid bits in the notes as he tries to define the meanings of certain words that are ‘beyond our understanding’ and also manages to contribute to the world building aspect of the novel. It makes the book original and it also manages to separate it from The Princess Bride so that while it is written in the fashion of the great novel, it isn’t trying to copy it.
I am incredibly excited to see where Tripp will take us with the sequel and I only hope it’s to better places since there are two more books left in the trilogy.
I’d definitely recommend this book to lovers of The Princess Bride and really anyone who just wants to read a fun fantasy that involves the fae. If that isn’t reason enough, here is another one, the author is the son of the illustrator for Amelia Bedelia! That worked for me, I hope it'll be enough to convince you to pick up this fabulously fun book.
December 29, 2014
I'll keep this brief as I do not want to waste any more of my time on this book. It was a total bore. I did not care for either the characters or the happenings. Even the humor fell flat. I'm very disappointed as the synopsis and the title both made this sound like it would be a very fun read. It was a book that I fail to see appealing to either adults or younger young adults.
Rating: 2 stars.
Audio Note: This was narrated by Steve West. I was not really a fan. I'm not quite sure why as his accents were fairly accurate and his reading was competent.
Rating: 2 stars.
Audio Note: This was narrated by Steve West. I was not really a fan. I'm not quite sure why as his accents were fairly accurate and his reading was competent.
April 18, 2022
*** 3.25 ***
There is nothing really wrong with this book. It is actually pleasant and has a ton of potential, it is just missing that special spark, that would make it special... It checks all the boxes that, in theory, should make it perfect for me, but it just doesn't get quite there .. Maybe for an introduction read into Fantasy for younger folks, it would be just right 👍🙂
There is nothing really wrong with this book. It is actually pleasant and has a ton of potential, it is just missing that special spark, that would make it special... It checks all the boxes that, in theory, should make it perfect for me, but it just doesn't get quite there .. Maybe for an introduction read into Fantasy for younger folks, it would be just right 👍🙂
March 2, 2015
My opinion of this book wavered greatly while reading it. It started off amusing, but sank almost to boredom around a third through. Indeed, I let it sit for nearly a week and only cracked it open to retrieve my bookmark. That point happened to be particularly engaging, though, with a few laugh-out-loud moments that pulled me back into the story.
Indeed, that middle third is fantastic—a great deal of fun, lots of good humor, and a kind of light absurdity you find in the best YA. I lost myself fully in the motley crew, but particularly in Morgana and Kit's friendship. Their growing trust amidst their insecurities and fundamentally different natures was delightful and rewarding.
Come to think of it, that first third and the last third have them mostly apart. Kit on his own is alright, I suppose, but the real warmth, the real engagement (for me) was them together. Which is a shame because Ben Tripp is a talented author with a great feel for the place and history and for making those things fit snugly into his tale of adventure. So this may be my idiosyncratic reaction that I latched onto what little romance there was as my entre into the story...
Indeed, that middle third is fantastic—a great deal of fun, lots of good humor, and a kind of light absurdity you find in the best YA. I lost myself fully in the motley crew, but particularly in Morgana and Kit's friendship. Their growing trust amidst their insecurities and fundamentally different natures was delightful and rewarding.
Come to think of it, that first third and the last third have them mostly apart. Kit on his own is alright, I suppose, but the real warmth, the real engagement (for me) was them together. Which is a shame because Ben Tripp is a talented author with a great feel for the place and history and for making those things fit snugly into his tale of adventure. So this may be my idiosyncratic reaction that I latched onto what little romance there was as my entre into the story...
March 2, 2018
Overall, I really liked the book. I liked Kit and I liked that he remained honorable and all throughout the book. I don't feel that we got to know a lot of the things that made him really unique, but I did like him and think of him fondly. I felt that the story could have been developed a lot more in certain places, especially as regarded the details of the fairy revolution and magical realms and rules, but I enjoyed reading it and feel it was a good yarn with a fine tone for the time period while striking a fitting balance between gravity and humor. I was concerned it might be too dark or violent, but I didn't think it was either (well, I had to skip over the parts on the prison ship but that might not bother most people--I'm just really sensitive and find such things disturbing)
The blend of history and faerie magic was great -- and I really loved that Tripp created a fairy story that males (or anyone not into the typical Tinkerbell fairy types) could enjoy. I would consider reading more of the series and was sorry to see that the sequel hasn't been released.
The blend of history and faerie magic was great -- and I really loved that Tripp created a fairy story that males (or anyone not into the typical Tinkerbell fairy types) could enjoy. I would consider reading more of the series and was sorry to see that the sequel hasn't been released.
July 20, 2018
What a conundrum of a little gem! What was this? Who writes like this anymore?
Collecting thoughts in 3...2...1...
Okay. This book was essentially Stardust if the fantasy elements had tumbled over the wall.
So many of the book's elements were incredibly appealing. The premise was fantastic. The writing style was astounding. Like I said, who writes like this anymore? The vernacular does slow down the reading pace a bit, but the style is absolutely adorable. It's a blend of old English, nonsense, Eldritch, and almost a C.S. Lewis vibe. And some of the wording is laugh-out-loud rubbish in the best way possible (a few uses of "thee," "thou," and "gaol" instead of "jail"). Also, no big deal, but the use of words like "slubberdegullion," "kippage," and "tatterdemalion." Thank the stars above they were complete with a little *definition* at the bottom of the page, because dang...I can't say I've ever used them thar fancy words in a Scrabble game. But you better bet your sweet cheeks I will now.
I LOVED Willum and Gruntle. Their banter was hysterically precious.
"Why would a doctor hang a fellow? What sort of doctor would he be?"
"A Hippocratic oaf," said Gruntle. "I made a joke!"
To which I promptly spit out my water. Also...
"'Oo's got it!' Lily shouted.
"Got what?" Uncle Cornelious asked.
"My comb! My good tortoise comb!"
"You can't comb a tortoise," Gruntle said. "Bain't got no hairs on 'em."
"The manlings have a very famous story about a tortoise and hair," Willum pointed out.
To which I promptly choked on my Twizzler.
This kind of wit and dialogue made the whole book very endearing.
Also, the treasure trove of fantastic pictures was just delightful. I mean, come on, even us cold, calloused adults like pictures in books sometimes.
But I also had a few drawbacks. Earlier I said this book was like Stardust if the magical elements tumbled over the wall. But only a tad bit of the fantasy elements. Like...I wish, much like Jericho, the walls came tumbling down. Because it took a bit for me to even realize this was going to be a book with magic elements. And then they came slow at first. Eventually, it picked up speed a bit, but I really hope Ben Tripp capitalizes on this even more in the next book. Also, because of the writing style, the reading pace was slowed just a bit. A lot of people complained about the heavy romance element. I guess to me, it was what it was. It wasn't obnoxiously overdone in my opinion, but definitely a "get-the-girl" kind of story. My biggest drawback with this book was having a bit of difficulty getting into it, but to be totally fair to the author, this might have been due to me being pulled to night shift several times recently and being pretty tired.
I'll probably read the next book. I really appreciate an original, unique story and this was definitely different from anything I've read for a long time.
I'd rate this book a PG. Even the violence and moments of peril were mild enough I don't think a child would have issue with it. Although a good portion of the humor would go over a child's head, I believe.
Collecting thoughts in 3...2...1...
Okay. This book was essentially Stardust if the fantasy elements had tumbled over the wall.
So many of the book's elements were incredibly appealing. The premise was fantastic. The writing style was astounding. Like I said, who writes like this anymore? The vernacular does slow down the reading pace a bit, but the style is absolutely adorable. It's a blend of old English, nonsense, Eldritch, and almost a C.S. Lewis vibe. And some of the wording is laugh-out-loud rubbish in the best way possible (a few uses of "thee," "thou," and "gaol" instead of "jail"). Also, no big deal, but the use of words like "slubberdegullion," "kippage," and "tatterdemalion." Thank the stars above they were complete with a little *definition* at the bottom of the page, because dang...I can't say I've ever used them thar fancy words in a Scrabble game. But you better bet your sweet cheeks I will now.
I LOVED Willum and Gruntle. Their banter was hysterically precious.
"Why would a doctor hang a fellow? What sort of doctor would he be?"
"A Hippocratic oaf," said Gruntle. "I made a joke!"
To which I promptly spit out my water. Also...
"'Oo's got it!' Lily shouted.
"Got what?" Uncle Cornelious asked.
"My comb! My good tortoise comb!"
"You can't comb a tortoise," Gruntle said. "Bain't got no hairs on 'em."
"The manlings have a very famous story about a tortoise and hair," Willum pointed out.
To which I promptly choked on my Twizzler.
This kind of wit and dialogue made the whole book very endearing.
Also, the treasure trove of fantastic pictures was just delightful. I mean, come on, even us cold, calloused adults like pictures in books sometimes.
But I also had a few drawbacks. Earlier I said this book was like Stardust if the magical elements tumbled over the wall. But only a tad bit of the fantasy elements. Like...I wish, much like Jericho, the walls came tumbling down. Because it took a bit for me to even realize this was going to be a book with magic elements. And then they came slow at first. Eventually, it picked up speed a bit, but I really hope Ben Tripp capitalizes on this even more in the next book. Also, because of the writing style, the reading pace was slowed just a bit. A lot of people complained about the heavy romance element. I guess to me, it was what it was. It wasn't obnoxiously overdone in my opinion, but definitely a "get-the-girl" kind of story. My biggest drawback with this book was having a bit of difficulty getting into it, but to be totally fair to the author, this might have been due to me being pulled to night shift several times recently and being pretty tired.
I'll probably read the next book. I really appreciate an original, unique story and this was definitely different from anything I've read for a long time.
I'd rate this book a PG. Even the violence and moments of peril were mild enough I don't think a child would have issue with it. Although a good portion of the humor would go over a child's head, I believe.
May 28, 2015
I'd seen this book in a little indie book store sometime last year and I thought the cover (mine is black not red) was so beautiful. I loved the font and the title. I loved everything about it. So I had to get it right away. And even though it sat on my shelf for months, I never really forgot about it.
A few months ago I read Rise Again by Ben Tripp and I really enjoyed so I had fairly high hopes for this book. I assumed the writing style was going to be the same because why wouldn't I. However, I was extremely surprised to find that The Accidental Highwayman and Rise Again are nothing alike. Both books have vastly different styles. But, because of that, Ben Tripp is now one of my favorite authors. Each book had a writing style that fit perfectly with the main character. I'm not going to go into Rise Again but style of The Accidental Highwayman fit the main character really well and that's something that I never noticed or thought about until now. But Ben Tripp really showcases how each main character of a book needs their own writing style.
I don't know how Tripp did it, but he's such an amazing writer.
The concept of this book is really original and fun. I really liked how different it was. I did find it a little boring at times and I felt like if I had read this book in one sitting, I could have gotten into a lot more. I've seen that this book is compared to The Princess Bride but I've never seen that movie so I can't say if the comparison is accurate or not.
I felt like the world building could have been spread out a little more. At times I felt like as the reader, I was getting a lot of info all at once. This book is only 304 pages so maybe if it was a little longer, there could have been more times to spread out all the world building.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Accidental Highwayman. It was a fun, quick read. There were a few flaws for me but nothing major. I wish I could have sat down and read this book in one sitting because I think I would have liked it a lot more.
If you're looking for a quick fantasy read and that's different and original, I'd recommend The Accidental Highwayman.
A few months ago I read Rise Again by Ben Tripp and I really enjoyed so I had fairly high hopes for this book. I assumed the writing style was going to be the same because why wouldn't I. However, I was extremely surprised to find that The Accidental Highwayman and Rise Again are nothing alike. Both books have vastly different styles. But, because of that, Ben Tripp is now one of my favorite authors. Each book had a writing style that fit perfectly with the main character. I'm not going to go into Rise Again but style of The Accidental Highwayman fit the main character really well and that's something that I never noticed or thought about until now. But Ben Tripp really showcases how each main character of a book needs their own writing style.
I don't know how Tripp did it, but he's such an amazing writer.
The concept of this book is really original and fun. I really liked how different it was. I did find it a little boring at times and I felt like if I had read this book in one sitting, I could have gotten into a lot more. I've seen that this book is compared to The Princess Bride but I've never seen that movie so I can't say if the comparison is accurate or not.
I felt like the world building could have been spread out a little more. At times I felt like as the reader, I was getting a lot of info all at once. This book is only 304 pages so maybe if it was a little longer, there could have been more times to spread out all the world building.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Accidental Highwayman. It was a fun, quick read. There were a few flaws for me but nothing major. I wish I could have sat down and read this book in one sitting because I think I would have liked it a lot more.
If you're looking for a quick fantasy read and that's different and original, I'd recommend The Accidental Highwayman.
December 28, 2014
This was a very underwhelming book. Not sure I'll bother with a review. Perfect for 13-year-olds but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone older! A simplistic poet and characters and oh so boringly told.
I loved the narration though.
Rating:2.5 stars.
I loved the narration though.
Rating:2.5 stars.
March 6, 2018
I quite enjoyed this book and the main characters. It's a little bit fantasy, a little bit adventure, a little bit action, and a little historical. Author Ben Tripp melding the tone of all these different genres so seamlessly -- I was thoroughly impressed! (There are a few chapters in the third act that felt a little darker, I think because they dealt with more true aspects of history so the events had a bit of a somber/disturbing tone. Nothing too bad, but just a warning for sensitive readers. Here are a few warnings (though with spoilers):
The adventure kept me guessing and several "reveals" did surprise me. I thought the characters worked well together and I wanted to know more about them all. That said, I that was what kept me from giving this book five stars: I wanted more. I wanted to know more about Kit, about the fairy world and rules and realms. There seems such a rich world and I felt like the backstory existed (that the author had created it all) but that it never made it onto the page. I wanted to follow along with the fairy revolution and magical rules, but I never felt like I had enough information to do so or feel totally emotionally invested because of it. And the information we did get sometimes left me more confused.
That said, the book keeps up at a pretty quick pace and I was curious how it would end. I adored Midnight (the horse) and absolutely loved Kit's obvious connection with, not only Midnight, but his master's dog Demon. As an animal lover myself, I felt all this rang very true and honest.
If there's a sequel I will likely seek it out :)
The adventure kept me guessing and several "reveals" did surprise me. I thought the characters worked well together and I wanted to know more about them all. That said, I that was what kept me from giving this book five stars: I wanted more. I wanted to know more about Kit, about the fairy world and rules and realms. There seems such a rich world and I felt like the backstory existed (that the author had created it all) but that it never made it onto the page. I wanted to follow along with the fairy revolution and magical rules, but I never felt like I had enough information to do so or feel totally emotionally invested because of it. And the information we did get sometimes left me more confused.
That said, the book keeps up at a pretty quick pace and I was curious how it would end. I adored Midnight (the horse) and absolutely loved Kit's obvious connection with, not only Midnight, but his master's dog Demon. As an animal lover myself, I felt all this rang very true and honest.
If there's a sequel I will likely seek it out :)
May 20, 2014
Do you know why this will be one of the most important YA books of fall 2014? Because...it represents both a nod to literature and stories of days past and a wonderful example of breaking the mold of YA fiction.
A must-have for all YA collections and a great crossover for adults who've not lost the taste for a well-crafted adventure story with lots of magical creatures. Also recommended for AP literature (vocabulary) and teens in search of the contemporary classic.
The cumbersome title will ease you into this archaic and fresh adventure. Being this is the First Tale of Kit Bristol, His Various Accompaniments and Their Fantastical Adventures readers will be looking for book 2 soon enough.
I hope you've started writing it Ben, and not just "theoretically" planning it all out in a Disney-schemed plan-o-gram. No one likes to wait for a sequel(and then final book in a trilogy). Especially not one where the pauper vows to break the rule of law to seek his love and continue his life of accidental swashbuckling!
"'Destroy the phantoloroum' she wailed, and fell back, unconscious." (pg 185 of the unfinished proof)
A must-have for all YA collections and a great crossover for adults who've not lost the taste for a well-crafted adventure story with lots of magical creatures. Also recommended for AP literature (vocabulary) and teens in search of the contemporary classic.
The cumbersome title will ease you into this archaic and fresh adventure. Being this is the First Tale of Kit Bristol, His Various Accompaniments and Their Fantastical Adventures readers will be looking for book 2 soon enough.
I hope you've started writing it Ben, and not just "theoretically" planning it all out in a Disney-schemed plan-o-gram. No one likes to wait for a sequel(and then final book in a trilogy). Especially not one where the pauper vows to break the rule of law to seek his love and continue his life of accidental swashbuckling!
"'Destroy the phantoloroum' she wailed, and fell back, unconscious." (pg 185 of the unfinished proof)
November 25, 2014
This was cute and well-written, but I don't think I was in the right mood for it. I'm not sure I will be reading on in the series, but if I do, it will probably be by audiobook. If you like whimsical fairy-tales of a historical nature, this might work better for you than it did for me.
March 22, 2015
Great narrative reminiscent of The Princess Bride. A little tedious though.
abandoned
February 10, 2020This was just kind of fine. Gave it more than I usually would since it was an audio book but I never really gripped me. The narrative structure made me feel very removed from the action
September 17, 2013
I agree with the description of this tale of derring do as being reminiscent of The Princess Bride. It's also absolutely delightful! And the cliffhanger ending is perfect, with his Princess in danger and young Kit Bristol prepared to ride off again to rescue and be reunited with her. Kit's employer was Whistling Jack, the infamous Highwayman, who dies at the beginning of the novel, leaving young Kit to take his place on a quest to rescue a princess. Hence the Accidental Highwayman of the title. Unfortunately, his master, in his highwayman disguise, flirted with the fiancee of a British Officer. As a result, Captain Sterne makes it his personal quest to capture Whistling Jack, and even the speed of his master's noble steed, Midnight, who has transferred his loyalty to Kit, and the ingenuity of his young master might not be enough to keep Kit from dangling at the end of a rope. Lots of fast-paced action, lots of encounters with sundry magical persons, lots of last-minute escapes, lots of sparks flying between young Kit and his rescued Princess, lots of fun! I can't wait for their adventures to continue in the next installment!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2015
2.5 stars.
I detest writing reviews for in-between books. I don't hate them, nor even dislike them, so I can't properly rant about how much I disliked this and that. And I certainly harbor no love for them, so I can't even gush about what was so perfect to me. They simply exist and maybe I mostly enjoyed them and maybe they were a bit boring and maybe the characters were nearly like 80% of all characters from that genre^ and maybe I laughed a few times and maybe the writing was average and the romance was weak and mooning and melodramatic* and maybe I'll read the sequel but probably not and maybe that's exactly what this book was to me.
Okay, there's no maybes. That's what it was.
^ Except for the baboon Fred, who was undoubtedly my favorite, and the fairies, who reminded me of more mature versions of Cobweb, Mustardseed, Peaseblossum, and Moth from Eyes Like Stars
*"If you don't kiss me, I shall perish."
I detest writing reviews for in-between books. I don't hate them, nor even dislike them, so I can't properly rant about how much I disliked this and that. And I certainly harbor no love for them, so I can't even gush about what was so perfect to me. They simply exist and maybe I mostly enjoyed them and maybe they were a bit boring and maybe the characters were nearly like 80% of all characters from that genre^ and maybe I laughed a few times and maybe the writing was average and the romance was weak and mooning and melodramatic* and maybe I'll read the sequel but probably not and maybe that's exactly what this book was to me.
Okay, there's no maybes. That's what it was.
^ Except for the baboon Fred, who was undoubtedly my favorite, and the fairies, who reminded me of more mature versions of Cobweb, Mustardseed, Peaseblossum, and Moth from Eyes Like Stars
*"If you don't kiss me, I shall perish."
May 29, 2014
Rec'd ARC and meet-the-author dinner from Anderson's Bookshops. Kit is a good servant who has had a hard life. His master returns one night, shot, and Kit finds himself swept up in a quest to save a princess. Fairies and gypsies and royalty, oh my.
Well done but I knocked a star off because I think that meeting the very charming author biased me a bit. As usual with ya these days there are a few too many repetitious chapters shoved in but this looks like a promising series.
Well done but I knocked a star off because I think that meeting the very charming author biased me a bit. As usual with ya these days there are a few too many repetitious chapters shoved in but this looks like a promising series.
December 13, 2015
Disappointing read and another cover buy. The book wasn't very capturing and was more on the juvenile ya side than I had expected. Another faerie book letdown, maybe it's just not my kind of genre. I also thought the main characters Kit and Morgana had absolutely no chemistry and they may have been better off friends than be forced into insta-lovey doveyness.
January 7, 2015
This book had, quite literally everything you could want! Faeries, magic, adventure, danger, romance, humor...it was wonderful! A very fun and entertaining fantasy story! :)
August 3, 2023
hmmmmmm.
i don't know exactly what to think about this one.
on one hand, it was kind of entertaining and fun. there was a healthy dose of humor that i enjoyed. it was whimsical and dramatic and over-romantic and melodramatic and generally a pretty good time. kit bristol was a good protagonist -- sensible, practical, lightly self-deprecating, and rather hapless in most aspects of his life. the worldbuilding and the faerie laws and everything was pretty interesting.
but it was also... just not very good. i get the sense i'm going to completely forget this book exists in a couple months. it was light and fun but not quite substantial. most of the characters were 1-dimensional at best, and the female characters are disappointing caricatures of the "mysterious fairy princess" and the "emotional, heartbroken, too-trusting young woman" which weren't much fun to read about since they didn't feel real.
adding on to that - i get that the author was trying to make the story seem set in the 1700s in england, but bro did not have to add all the prejudiced comments. there's definitely some stuff in here that would not fly today and given that it was published in 2014, i don't really care if it was supposed to be set in the 1700s, nobody wants to read that in their whimsical found-family fantasy novel, mr. ben tripp!!
personally i do not ever want to read the phrase "feminine emotions" or "feminine misery" or "mysterious feminine ways" or "in that way women do" or anything like that for a long time. morgana didn't feel like a genuine person, she felt like another obstacle for kit. their romance was cheesy at best; hollow, repetitive, and worthless at worst. hetero romances don't work when the woman isn't developed beyond being super pretty, not enjoying being forced into marriage, and disobeying their fathers because of said oppressive marriages.
tl;dr: this was light and fun and mildly entertaining but on the whole pretty disappointing, especially the romance & the female characters, with a few uncomfortable dashes of bigotry.
i don't know exactly what to think about this one.
on one hand, it was kind of entertaining and fun. there was a healthy dose of humor that i enjoyed. it was whimsical and dramatic and over-romantic and melodramatic and generally a pretty good time. kit bristol was a good protagonist -- sensible, practical, lightly self-deprecating, and rather hapless in most aspects of his life. the worldbuilding and the faerie laws and everything was pretty interesting.
but it was also... just not very good. i get the sense i'm going to completely forget this book exists in a couple months. it was light and fun but not quite substantial. most of the characters were 1-dimensional at best, and the female characters are disappointing caricatures of the "mysterious fairy princess" and the "emotional, heartbroken, too-trusting young woman" which weren't much fun to read about since they didn't feel real.
adding on to that - i get that the author was trying to make the story seem set in the 1700s in england, but bro did not have to add all the prejudiced comments. there's definitely some stuff in here that would not fly today and given that it was published in 2014, i don't really care if it was supposed to be set in the 1700s, nobody wants to read that in their whimsical found-family fantasy novel, mr. ben tripp!!
personally i do not ever want to read the phrase "feminine emotions" or "feminine misery" or "mysterious feminine ways" or "in that way women do" or anything like that for a long time. morgana didn't feel like a genuine person, she felt like another obstacle for kit. their romance was cheesy at best; hollow, repetitive, and worthless at worst. hetero romances don't work when the woman isn't developed beyond being super pretty, not enjoying being forced into marriage, and disobeying their fathers because of said oppressive marriages.
tl;dr: this was light and fun and mildly entertaining but on the whole pretty disappointing, especially the romance & the female characters, with a few uncomfortable dashes of bigotry.
March 23, 2017
DNF at page 71(24%)
1.5 out of 5 Stars
I knew this book had mixed reviews, but I did not want that to affect my views going into this; I wanted to give this book a good chance. And from what I've read, it had the vibe or trying to One-Up The Monstrumologist series
Like the artwork.
1.5 out of 5 Stars
I knew this book had mixed reviews, but I did not want that to affect my views going into this; I wanted to give this book a good chance. And from what I've read, it had the vibe or trying to One-Up The Monstrumologist series
Like the artwork.
January 11, 2015
The fact that this book is described as a book for fans of The Princess Bride, was a reason why I couldn’t pass it up! I loved The Princess Bride! But can we first talk about this title? It is crazy long! So for the duration of this review, let’s just call it The Accidental Highwayman, shall we?
The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp took me on an adventure, that is for darn sure. Main character, Kit Bristol, was found by one James Rattle while performing at the circus. He takes him into his home, and makes him his servant. But apart from answering to his master’s beck and call, James Rattle teaches him skills that will serve him well. Skills such as defending himself and becoming a proficient swordsman.
Kit doesn’t question his master’s nightly excursions and stands up for him when others in the village inquire about it. But one night, he hears a ruckus in his home and finds his master severely injured who reveals his secret…that he is the sought after highwayman Whistling Jack, and not too far behind him is the villain of the story, Captain Sterne, who ends up being the thorn in Kit’s side. Kit must keep up the ruse that his master is well and resting.
Somehow, Kit accidently becomes the sought after highwayman, and his adventure begins! His travels lead him to a witch that tells him that it is now up to him to complete the quest that his master could not finish, as stated in magic law… a quest that includes a beautiful faerie princess (Princess Morgana) who is betrothed to a human king.
As the story unfolds, the lives of Morgana and Kit are both on the line…with Redcoats out to take down Whistling Jack (aka Kit), goblins, and dark fae, there is never a dull moment.
What I enjoyed the most about this book was the humour. It was everywhere in this books! Whether it’s found in the interaction between Kit and Morgana, to the crazy uncle you come across in the story, to the rebel faeries who help our twosome along the way. Even the evil Captain Sterne had his moments. It totally reminded me of the humour in The Princess Bride, but I also couldn’t help but have Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean pop in my head as well.
Most of the story in The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp was go, go go. One interaction closes and another incident opens up. It was the action and adventure in the story that kept me going. I will admit that there were times where the story slowed right down, and my attention was lost. It also frustrated me that Kit and Morgana had no idea how they felt about each other, even though it is so very obvious. I guess that’s an attraction for some readers, but for me, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. It was so obvious! There’s a reason someone gets jealous…why are you second guessing your feelings?
Because of some of the words or terms used in the book are from long ago, I liked that the author included footnotes to help the reader understand what is being said. I think if it weren’t for that, I would have been more lost. It also provided some interesting facts that make you go “hmmmm! I didn’t know that!” In fact, I’m pretty sure I said that exact phrase a few times while reading those footnotes. But on the other side of that spectrum, I was a little annoyed to have to stop what I’m reading to jump down to the footnote to find out what’s being said. At times, it would take away from the momentum of my reading experience.
What intrigued me at first was the author’s note in the beginning where the inspiration of the story came from…a chest belonging to an ancestor that hadn’t been opened in 150 years. Low and behold, the key for this chest is found in some random box of knickknacks with the discovery of old documents…and a story is born. What a great conversation starter.
Absolutely fans of The Princess Bride will love this book, as well as fans of the humour in Pirates of the Caribbean. If you’re looking for a book that will have you chuckling, while enjoying an adventure with unforgettable characters, The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp is one read you won’t want to pass up.
The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp took me on an adventure, that is for darn sure. Main character, Kit Bristol, was found by one James Rattle while performing at the circus. He takes him into his home, and makes him his servant. But apart from answering to his master’s beck and call, James Rattle teaches him skills that will serve him well. Skills such as defending himself and becoming a proficient swordsman.
Kit doesn’t question his master’s nightly excursions and stands up for him when others in the village inquire about it. But one night, he hears a ruckus in his home and finds his master severely injured who reveals his secret…that he is the sought after highwayman Whistling Jack, and not too far behind him is the villain of the story, Captain Sterne, who ends up being the thorn in Kit’s side. Kit must keep up the ruse that his master is well and resting.
Somehow, Kit accidently becomes the sought after highwayman, and his adventure begins! His travels lead him to a witch that tells him that it is now up to him to complete the quest that his master could not finish, as stated in magic law… a quest that includes a beautiful faerie princess (Princess Morgana) who is betrothed to a human king.
As the story unfolds, the lives of Morgana and Kit are both on the line…with Redcoats out to take down Whistling Jack (aka Kit), goblins, and dark fae, there is never a dull moment.
What I enjoyed the most about this book was the humour. It was everywhere in this books! Whether it’s found in the interaction between Kit and Morgana, to the crazy uncle you come across in the story, to the rebel faeries who help our twosome along the way. Even the evil Captain Sterne had his moments. It totally reminded me of the humour in The Princess Bride, but I also couldn’t help but have Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean pop in my head as well.
Most of the story in The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp was go, go go. One interaction closes and another incident opens up. It was the action and adventure in the story that kept me going. I will admit that there were times where the story slowed right down, and my attention was lost. It also frustrated me that Kit and Morgana had no idea how they felt about each other, even though it is so very obvious. I guess that’s an attraction for some readers, but for me, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. It was so obvious! There’s a reason someone gets jealous…why are you second guessing your feelings?
Because of some of the words or terms used in the book are from long ago, I liked that the author included footnotes to help the reader understand what is being said. I think if it weren’t for that, I would have been more lost. It also provided some interesting facts that make you go “hmmmm! I didn’t know that!” In fact, I’m pretty sure I said that exact phrase a few times while reading those footnotes. But on the other side of that spectrum, I was a little annoyed to have to stop what I’m reading to jump down to the footnote to find out what’s being said. At times, it would take away from the momentum of my reading experience.
What intrigued me at first was the author’s note in the beginning where the inspiration of the story came from…a chest belonging to an ancestor that hadn’t been opened in 150 years. Low and behold, the key for this chest is found in some random box of knickknacks with the discovery of old documents…and a story is born. What a great conversation starter.
Absolutely fans of The Princess Bride will love this book, as well as fans of the humour in Pirates of the Caribbean. If you’re looking for a book that will have you chuckling, while enjoying an adventure with unforgettable characters, The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp is one read you won’t want to pass up.
July 29, 2016
Faster, Younger, Magical Robert Louis Stevenson
I am a great fan of "Treasure Island" and "Kidnapped", and truly believe that both books have aged well and remain attractive to and rewarding for modern young readers. That said, I realize that some find them just too old-fashioned, slow or awkwardly written, (at least for a modern ear).
This book captures much of the excitement and adventure of those tales, with some pluses and minuses. On the minus side, this book feels less authentic and reality based than "Kidnapped" and "Treasure Island". Part of their appeal for me is that they seemed like they could actually and really happen, and that to me is a real touchstone of Boys Own adventures.
Balancing this negative, though, are a great number of positives. "Accidental Highwayman" is very fast paced, almost breathless in its action and intensity, and yet it does not seem shallow and it does not skip anything important to the story. It's sort of odd to describe a book as "efficient", but that's what I'm driving at. It has everything it needs to sketch in characters and drive the narrative, but rarely feels thin or incomplete.
A positive consequence of this is that the book feels like it would appeal to readers a bit younger than the "Treasure Island" crowd. It's just a little less demanding and a little more open to a less experienced reader, and that seems to be a good thing. Remember, this is not a quicky by-the-numbers cartoon adventure book, it has some depth and some feeling and some weight. It's nice to have a book like that for younger readers - a sort of "literary" middle grade adventure.
All of this is complemented by the magical angle, which adds a completely different dimension to the story and a whole different reader hook. I'm sure this is what fuels the comparison of this book to Gaiman's "Stardust", and anything that compares well to "Stardust" is doing something right. And since "Stardust" has a complicated plot and some sophisticated jokes, this book could be viewed as a "Stardust", again, for a slightly younger crowd.
All of this is good news, and I am happy to say that, for me, this book met or exceeded all of my expectations. It really is a ripping yarn.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
I am a great fan of "Treasure Island" and "Kidnapped", and truly believe that both books have aged well and remain attractive to and rewarding for modern young readers. That said, I realize that some find them just too old-fashioned, slow or awkwardly written, (at least for a modern ear).
This book captures much of the excitement and adventure of those tales, with some pluses and minuses. On the minus side, this book feels less authentic and reality based than "Kidnapped" and "Treasure Island". Part of their appeal for me is that they seemed like they could actually and really happen, and that to me is a real touchstone of Boys Own adventures.
Balancing this negative, though, are a great number of positives. "Accidental Highwayman" is very fast paced, almost breathless in its action and intensity, and yet it does not seem shallow and it does not skip anything important to the story. It's sort of odd to describe a book as "efficient", but that's what I'm driving at. It has everything it needs to sketch in characters and drive the narrative, but rarely feels thin or incomplete.
A positive consequence of this is that the book feels like it would appeal to readers a bit younger than the "Treasure Island" crowd. It's just a little less demanding and a little more open to a less experienced reader, and that seems to be a good thing. Remember, this is not a quicky by-the-numbers cartoon adventure book, it has some depth and some feeling and some weight. It's nice to have a book like that for younger readers - a sort of "literary" middle grade adventure.
All of this is complemented by the magical angle, which adds a completely different dimension to the story and a whole different reader hook. I'm sure this is what fuels the comparison of this book to Gaiman's "Stardust", and anything that compares well to "Stardust" is doing something right. And since "Stardust" has a complicated plot and some sophisticated jokes, this book could be viewed as a "Stardust", again, for a slightly younger crowd.
All of this is good news, and I am happy to say that, for me, this book met or exceeded all of my expectations. It really is a ripping yarn.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
October 21, 2014
3.5 Interesting Clouds!
Growing up as a kid, I would watch some classics with my sisters. It was our bonding time and I loved it. The fact that The Accidental Highwayman is compared to The Princess Bride grabbed my attention at once! I love that movie! And in a few ways, this novel is like that movie (sorry guys! Haven't read the book!). There's a ton of action, helping the story stay interesting and on point with the potential of never-ending danger. The different types of mythical creatures that Kit and his friends face are all creative and unique.
Despite how fun this novel is, The Accidental Highwayman has a lot of info-dumping that only drags out the story. I found myself skipping a bunch paragraphs because they went on and on and on about random crap. Kit, the protagonist is adorable, however, he sounded more like a ten-year old boy than a sixteen year old one.
Still, Kit and Morgana's relationship is beyond adorable. It's a roller coaster of emotion, them constantly getting angry with the other yet trying to move forward. I felt for them and their little crushes! In addition, the little notes in the margins are great and makes the story feel realistic because I don't know phrases and words used in the 19th century and getting summaries on them helped me understand. The illustrations are beautifully done. Tripp knows how to artfully draw readers in with his visuals. I kept skipping the pages, looking around for the pictures, the full ones that have so much detail and so much emotion, and then I would gawk at them all before returning to the page I was on.
The Accidental Highwayman isn't a bad book. It does have a few similarities to The Princess Bride with the action, the friends and foes and I loved it. Still, it does feel a bit odd with the abundance of information and the characters feeling too young and things working out just...too well in some cases. I recommend this story to anyone looking for something sweet and fun, with great illustrations, an old yet well described setting and love when the good guy wins! (Sort of). I'm so tempted to go watch every classic movie with villains in it now...hhmmm.
August 8, 2014
At first glance, this novel may come across as a typical teen read, albeit aimed at young men instead of young ladies. And while that would fall in with what the publisher would have you believe, I disagree.
Give Christopher 'Kit' Bristol a chance. He is a boy with nothing but a job working for the man who snatched him from poverty and certain death. Thrust into his master's role after a series of frightening yet believable (for a fantasy novel, let's not get too ahead of ourselves here) events, Kit grows up without getting old. Anyone who has read some of the longer fantasy series out there (not to be named because we fans need to stick together) knows that often these metamorphosis-based tropes can seem old before their time. Luckily, there is a Princess and some goblings (NOT goblins, don't call them that, goblins are stories, gob-LINGS are the real thing) to help Kit keep his head squarely on his shoulders.
By the time the book wraps, and it felt just right in length, Kit is a young man. Not an adolescent in anything but body, he has grown and figured some things out – about his master, his ward, and himself. This is not your typical fantasy. No wands to cast, no 'familiars' (but he does travel with a dog, Demon, who most assuredly would be a wonderful point of view for Tripp to write a companion novella in), just a group of people, working together to find the right path to finish their quest. For the time being, that is.
Tripp deserves to be shelved along with Piers Anthony, Robert Asprin and the like. The prose is tight yet flowing as needed. The story (which I shan't give away – you really should read the book) leaves off in, what is in my opinion, the perfect place for the first in a trilogy.
Kyo, the book-wench
PS – Seriously. We need a story from Demon's point of view!
Give Christopher 'Kit' Bristol a chance. He is a boy with nothing but a job working for the man who snatched him from poverty and certain death. Thrust into his master's role after a series of frightening yet believable (for a fantasy novel, let's not get too ahead of ourselves here) events, Kit grows up without getting old. Anyone who has read some of the longer fantasy series out there (not to be named because we fans need to stick together) knows that often these metamorphosis-based tropes can seem old before their time. Luckily, there is a Princess and some goblings (NOT goblins, don't call them that, goblins are stories, gob-LINGS are the real thing) to help Kit keep his head squarely on his shoulders.
By the time the book wraps, and it felt just right in length, Kit is a young man. Not an adolescent in anything but body, he has grown and figured some things out – about his master, his ward, and himself. This is not your typical fantasy. No wands to cast, no 'familiars' (but he does travel with a dog, Demon, who most assuredly would be a wonderful point of view for Tripp to write a companion novella in), just a group of people, working together to find the right path to finish their quest. For the time being, that is.
Tripp deserves to be shelved along with Piers Anthony, Robert Asprin and the like. The prose is tight yet flowing as needed. The story (which I shan't give away – you really should read the book) leaves off in, what is in my opinion, the perfect place for the first in a trilogy.
Kyo, the book-wench
PS – Seriously. We need a story from Demon's point of view!
December 19, 2014
An ARC of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. However, this review is for the audiobook version procured from my local library. My thoughts are my own.
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I initially added this book to my TBR because it was recommended for fans of The Princess Bride.
Things this book has in common with The Princess Bride:
- Assumed identities
- Swashbuckling
- Unbelievable feats
- A princess
Ways in which this book is not like The Princess Bride:
- Quotables are sorely lacking
- Banter is unimaginative
- The Accidental Highwayman is not a stand-alone
- No ROUSes...ha, kidding (there aren't, but why would there be?)
Now, I didn't expect this book to be exactly like The Princess Bride because where's the fun in that? But to compare it to my favorite movie ever gives it a lot to live up to. (The book ranks up there, but the movie is just plain better.) Marketing aside, it was a fun, jaunty little adventure full of faeries and magic and a runaway bride, and I'm very much interested in reading the next installment.
Also, the audio version of this book is fantastic. Steve West has such a great voice and I had zero trouble getting into the story thanks to his narration. Of course, I would probably enjoy his narration of the phone book, too. ;0)
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I initially added this book to my TBR because it was recommended for fans of The Princess Bride.
Things this book has in common with The Princess Bride:
- Assumed identities
- Swashbuckling
- Unbelievable feats
- A princess
Ways in which this book is not like The Princess Bride:
- Quotables are sorely lacking
- Banter is unimaginative
- The Accidental Highwayman is not a stand-alone
- No ROUSes...ha, kidding (there aren't, but why would there be?)
Now, I didn't expect this book to be exactly like The Princess Bride because where's the fun in that? But to compare it to my favorite movie ever gives it a lot to live up to. (The book ranks up there, but the movie is just plain better.) Marketing aside, it was a fun, jaunty little adventure full of faeries and magic and a runaway bride, and I'm very much interested in reading the next installment.
Also, the audio version of this book is fantastic. Steve West has such a great voice and I had zero trouble getting into the story thanks to his narration. Of course, I would probably enjoy his narration of the phone book, too. ;0)
December 12, 2014
When Kit Bristol finds his master bleeding to death in the kitchen, he discovers that his employer is in fact the notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. Kit bravely dons his master's coat and plunges into a wild night's ride, intending only to lead the law a merry chase to keep them from finding Whistling Jack. Instead Kit stumbles into a world of magic and fairies, where he finds himself bound to fulfill his master's promises.
Kit's fair-mindedness, boyish pride, and sense of humor make him a delightful, vivid narrator. The 18th-century language and humorous footnotes provide both setting and explanation for middle school readers; the whimsy of the magical characters, as well as the ink sketches woven throughout the text, create the light, charming tone of the book.
Kit's fair-mindedness, boyish pride, and sense of humor make him a delightful, vivid narrator. The 18th-century language and humorous footnotes provide both setting and explanation for middle school readers; the whimsy of the magical characters, as well as the ink sketches woven throughout the text, create the light, charming tone of the book.
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