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YouSpace #3
The Outsorcerer's Apprentice
A happy workforce is a productive workforce. At the moment, the Wizard's employees are neither. The goblins are upset with their working conditions, the dragonslayer has thrown a hissy fit over his medical insurance (or lack thereof) and everyone is upset about the terrible canteen coffee.
Yet the Wizard hasn't got time to worry about revolution in the workplace - he's about to see his brilliant business plan (based on entrepreneurial flair and involving one or two parallel worlds) disrupted by a clueless young man. Side effects may include a huge hole in the fabric of reality. This is almost certainly going to be a bad day at the office.
Yet the Wizard hasn't got time to worry about revolution in the workplace - he's about to see his brilliant business plan (based on entrepreneurial flair and involving one or two parallel worlds) disrupted by a clueless young man. Side effects may include a huge hole in the fabric of reality. This is almost certainly going to be a bad day at the office.
Paperback
First published July 15, 2014
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1819 people want to read
About the author
Tom Holt
98 books1,171 followersTom Holt (Thomas Charles Louis Holt) is a British novelist.
He was born in London, the son of novelist Hazel Holt, and was educated at Westminster School, Wadham College, Oxford, and The College of Law, London.
Holt's works include mythopoeic novels which parody or take as their theme various aspects of mythology, history or literature and develop them in new and often humorous ways. He has also produced a number of "straight" historical novels writing as Thomas Holt and fantasy novels writing as K.J. Parker.
He was born in London, the son of novelist Hazel Holt, and was educated at Westminster School, Wadham College, Oxford, and The College of Law, London.
Holt's works include mythopoeic novels which parody or take as their theme various aspects of mythology, history or literature and develop them in new and often humorous ways. He has also produced a number of "straight" historical novels writing as Thomas Holt and fantasy novels writing as K.J. Parker.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
February 5, 2017
First of - this is not a book for everybody.
If you love silly, crazy and over the top humor - then go for it! You'll love it as much as me! If you don't - keep clear of this one...
Scenes like this one, made me absolutely fall in love with the book:
“In order to fulfill your quest -"
"Would you please not use that word? It's so Robert E. Howard."
"Fine. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to travel to the far ends of the earth...?"
"What? In these shoes? You must be joking."
"Crossing arid desserts and steaming jungles," the unicorn continued grimly, "fording mighty rivers and climbing snow-capped mountains-"
"I take it scheduled public transport isn't an option."
"Until you reach the Cradle of All Goblins, interrupt just once more and I wash my hooves of you, where you will encounter three trials. You must uncover the great truth that was hidden, you must right the ancestral wrong, and you must throw the fire into the ring of power. Only when you have done that -"
"Excuse me-"
"I warned you. Only when you have done that will you -"
"Excuse me," Benny said firmly, "but I think you may have got the last one a bit turned round. Surely it should be throw the ring-”
If you enjoy such silliness, this is the right book for you. If you are looking for "serious epic fantasy" or something of the like - just back of slowly :P
Holt combines a magical fairytale with economics, lots and lots of humor and perfectly crazy characters.
Just my cup of tea!
If you love silly, crazy and over the top humor - then go for it! You'll love it as much as me! If you don't - keep clear of this one...
Scenes like this one, made me absolutely fall in love with the book:
“In order to fulfill your quest -"
"Would you please not use that word? It's so Robert E. Howard."
"Fine. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to travel to the far ends of the earth...?"
"What? In these shoes? You must be joking."
"Crossing arid desserts and steaming jungles," the unicorn continued grimly, "fording mighty rivers and climbing snow-capped mountains-"
"I take it scheduled public transport isn't an option."
"Until you reach the Cradle of All Goblins, interrupt just once more and I wash my hooves of you, where you will encounter three trials. You must uncover the great truth that was hidden, you must right the ancestral wrong, and you must throw the fire into the ring of power. Only when you have done that -"
"Excuse me-"
"I warned you. Only when you have done that will you -"
"Excuse me," Benny said firmly, "but I think you may have got the last one a bit turned round. Surely it should be throw the ring-”
If you enjoy such silliness, this is the right book for you. If you are looking for "serious epic fantasy" or something of the like - just back of slowly :P
Holt combines a magical fairytale with economics, lots and lots of humor and perfectly crazy characters.
Just my cup of tea!
November 7, 2020
I liked the opening of this book, with Buttercup the woodcutter's daughter turning all the fairy tale tropes on their heads. Unfortunately, that sense of whimsy didn't stick around for long. Though this is overall a fun story about Fantasyland expectations and a commentary on fairy tale economies, it's hampered by a "hero" who is not just gormless, but unpleasantly weak. Holt manages to convey the impression up front that he might be the romantic lead (he's not, thank goodness) and it took me a few chapters to mentally rearrange my assumptions along those lines, which is never fun.
I did like Buttercup, who is a steely-eyed heroine of admirable intestinal fortitude, as well as the dragon slayer who shares her growing awareness that their world has been tampered with. But in the end, I couldn't care about the main character (who is so very gormless I don't remember his name), and his ultimate fate didn't interest me. The YouSpace world is clever enough, but I haven't warmed to it the way I have to the J.W. Wells & Co. series, and between this and Doughnut I think I'll give others in this series a pass.
I did like Buttercup, who is a steely-eyed heroine of admirable intestinal fortitude, as well as the dragon slayer who shares her growing awareness that their world has been tampered with. But in the end, I couldn't care about the main character (who is so very gormless I don't remember his name), and his ultimate fate didn't interest me. The YouSpace world is clever enough, but I haven't warmed to it the way I have to the J.W. Wells & Co. series, and between this and Doughnut I think I'll give others in this series a pass.
July 25, 2022
The Outsorcerer's Apprentice commits one of my cardinal sins of writing right off the bat: nowhere does it say that this is part of a series. The synopsis on the back makes it sound like a completely standalone story, the list of other books by the author at the beginning does absolutely nothing to indicate that this is connected to any of them, and even the little intro paragraph makes it seem like this is a self-contained novel.
That said, it's going to be hard to review this, because (I sure as hell hope) some things that are confusing here, are explained in the first two books. So, for example, while the donuts-as-portals plot device is still an rather stupid idea attempting to be funny, maybe it's better-established in earlier volumes. Even so, I can't bring myself to rate this more than a 2.
Purely on the merits and flaws of its writing, The Outsorcerer's Apprentice is a very mixed bag. While there are some truly inventive turns of phrase sprinkled throughout, they're outweighed by dull characters who tend to all sound the same (King Mordak as a notable exception), and a plot that meanders around pontificating for far too long.
For the characters, we've got Benny (a well-meaning imbecile, except when the plot calls for him to be brilliant), his uncle Gordon (a real bastard, whose one attempt to justify his actions is laughable--and not in a good way), Buttercup (a Red Riding Hood-esque girl who spends FAR too much time unsuccessfully trying to convince wolves to stop attacking her), King Mordak (a goblin, who's really the only likable character), a stereotypical human attorney, a unicorn who used to be a man (explained in earlier books?), and a uncle/nephew pair of mercenaries, whose only defining characteristics are that the uncle is smug and knows everything, while the nephew eats all the time. Riveting pair, those two. The real problem is that you could take a random line of dialog from the book, and it could feasibly have come from any of them.
As for the plot, the bulk of it boils down to, "There are far too many dragons and wolves and woodcutters in this fantasy land, and nobody's wondering how this is sustainable." And that's pretty much the gist of it for most of the book, with some goblin/dwarf negotiations thrown in here and there. It's just...lacking, and the humor is far too hit or miss to shore up the tedium. It doesn't help that the book is riddled with spelling/grammatical errors.
Perhaps I would've liked The Outsorcerer's Apprentice more, if I'd read the first two books in the series, but if they're written at all like this, I somehow doubt it. I went into this, hoping to find the next Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams. Tom Holt is clearly trying to fill that void, but if anything, he's trying too hard; humor has to roll off the cuff naturally, and when you try to force it, it's painful.
That said, it's going to be hard to review this, because (I sure as hell hope) some things that are confusing here, are explained in the first two books. So, for example, while the donuts-as-portals plot device is still an rather stupid idea attempting to be funny, maybe it's better-established in earlier volumes. Even so, I can't bring myself to rate this more than a 2.
Purely on the merits and flaws of its writing, The Outsorcerer's Apprentice is a very mixed bag. While there are some truly inventive turns of phrase sprinkled throughout, they're outweighed by dull characters who tend to all sound the same (King Mordak as a notable exception), and a plot that meanders around pontificating for far too long.
For the characters, we've got Benny (a well-meaning imbecile, except when the plot calls for him to be brilliant), his uncle Gordon (a real bastard, whose one attempt to justify his actions is laughable--and not in a good way), Buttercup (a Red Riding Hood-esque girl who spends FAR too much time unsuccessfully trying to convince wolves to stop attacking her), King Mordak (a goblin, who's really the only likable character), a stereotypical human attorney, a unicorn who used to be a man (explained in earlier books?), and a uncle/nephew pair of mercenaries, whose only defining characteristics are that the uncle is smug and knows everything, while the nephew eats all the time. Riveting pair, those two. The real problem is that you could take a random line of dialog from the book, and it could feasibly have come from any of them.
As for the plot, the bulk of it boils down to, "There are far too many dragons and wolves and woodcutters in this fantasy land, and nobody's wondering how this is sustainable." And that's pretty much the gist of it for most of the book, with some goblin/dwarf negotiations thrown in here and there. It's just...lacking, and the humor is far too hit or miss to shore up the tedium. It doesn't help that the book is riddled with spelling/grammatical errors.
Perhaps I would've liked The Outsorcerer's Apprentice more, if I'd read the first two books in the series, but if they're written at all like this, I somehow doubt it. I went into this, hoping to find the next Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams. Tom Holt is clearly trying to fill that void, but if anything, he's trying too hard; humor has to roll off the cuff naturally, and when you try to force it, it's painful.
October 14, 2015
I picked up this book because I like clever wordplay, and the title amused me. And early on, I was consistently impressed by the cleverness of the writing, the snarky observational satire, and generally the wittiness. It reminded me a bit of Terry Pratchett, or A. Lee Martinez, or Douglas Adams. I had high hopes of finding a new fantasy humorist and a dozen book reading list to look forward to.
Only... it was readable but it wasn't all that engaging. Maybe it was the pacing. Maybe it was that there were too many forced elements of the plot. Maybe I was just tired when I was reading it. For whatever reason, the book felt like it was less than the sum of its part. For such clever writing, it was surprising how much I didn't look forward to reading it.
I'm going to give Tom Holt another chance - it's possible I stumbled across the dud in what is otherwise a collection of excellence. Certainly the potential is there (and many of his other books have witty titles too - I'm a sucker for that). But this one was just ok.
Only... it was readable but it wasn't all that engaging. Maybe it was the pacing. Maybe it was that there were too many forced elements of the plot. Maybe I was just tired when I was reading it. For whatever reason, the book felt like it was less than the sum of its part. For such clever writing, it was surprising how much I didn't look forward to reading it.
I'm going to give Tom Holt another chance - it's possible I stumbled across the dud in what is otherwise a collection of excellence. Certainly the potential is there (and many of his other books have witty titles too - I'm a sucker for that). But this one was just ok.
August 23, 2014
This was not a good book, despite an amazing premise. I so desperately wanted it to get good, but it stalled for hundreds of pages before a lame ending capped off a less than fun experience.
Final Recommendation: Don't bother.
Final Recommendation: Don't bother.
January 7, 2024
very enjoyable, definitely silly, i especially liked the chapter written by a soldier that used to be a tooth.
November 2, 2014
Just okay. I had fun reading it--but it was uncohesive. While the concept was wonderful--outsource menial work in this world to a parallel universe with lots of mythic familiarity for the reader--there was too much going on and it lacked a plot structure to pull together all the cleverness into a real story line. I actually liked the LOTR parody parts and I loved the very liberal snooty elves criticizing one another's "slim volumes." The simultaneous mockery of heartless corporate culture (ready to exploit all and sundry for the almighty dollar) meant that the parody was nicely even-handed across the spectrum of modern viewpoints.
May 2, 2019
This started out so well for me...sadly it just didn't last.
It is the first (and possibly only) Tom Holt that I have/will read.
My first complaint would be that there is absolutely nothing to indicate that this book is part of a series; so I'm guessing that I perhaps missed certain references that would have made more sense had I read the previous books.
Having said that, I cannot be 100% sure if some of the plot holes and character inconsistencies were written in purposefully, or if they were in fact inconsistencies. While I enjoyed most of the satirical humor, in some cases it fell a bit flat; and by the last 10% of the book it felt as though even the author had had enough and just wanted to be done.
It is the first (and possibly only) Tom Holt that I have/will read.
My first complaint would be that there is absolutely nothing to indicate that this book is part of a series; so I'm guessing that I perhaps missed certain references that would have made more sense had I read the previous books.
Having said that, I cannot be 100% sure if some of the plot holes and character inconsistencies were written in purposefully, or if they were in fact inconsistencies. While I enjoyed most of the satirical humor, in some cases it fell a bit flat; and by the last 10% of the book it felt as though even the author had had enough and just wanted to be done.
October 11, 2019
I like funny sf/fantasy books, and I like British humor, This book was amusing at times but it just didn't do it for me. Three stars for the funny parts and some cute premises, but otherwise, meh.
November 28, 2021
Every time I read on of Holt's books (often under his KJ Parker pen-name), I end up loving it. Since I was in the mood for light fantasy and he's known for that, I picked this one up from my TBR.
What to Expect
With a deft pen, Holt packs a lot into a fantasy novel - unique world-building, loveable characters, social commentary, humour. The novel starts as a twisty fairytale world, and progresses into the differential economics in fantasy and the real world.
What I liked
Absolutely loved the tone, with pop references and understated humour. Holt shows how fantasy can be, an excellent example of speculative fiction. This is simply a book you can enjoy at whichever way you like, but enjoy it you will.
What to be aware of
This isn't a grand epic, neither does it contain abysmal villains. This is a rather more intimate fantasy story, light on the surface but to deep enough to make you think about the fantasy worlds you read and your relationship to them.
Felix's Review
Felix did find the whole concept of fantasy economies bizarre, though he agrees about the importance of a happy workforce (that from a man coming from a society where slavery is the norm). He missed a bit of the 'big bad wolf' references, but that didn't prevent him from relating to the various characters.
Summary
A very enjoyable read, entertaining and not taxing. I found out Holt has other books in that world, which I intend to read soon (they don't seem too interrelated for the reading order to matter).
Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
What to Expect
With a deft pen, Holt packs a lot into a fantasy novel - unique world-building, loveable characters, social commentary, humour. The novel starts as a twisty fairytale world, and progresses into the differential economics in fantasy and the real world.
What I liked
Absolutely loved the tone, with pop references and understated humour. Holt shows how fantasy can be, an excellent example of speculative fiction. This is simply a book you can enjoy at whichever way you like, but enjoy it you will.
What to be aware of
This isn't a grand epic, neither does it contain abysmal villains. This is a rather more intimate fantasy story, light on the surface but to deep enough to make you think about the fantasy worlds you read and your relationship to them.
Felix's Review
Felix did find the whole concept of fantasy economies bizarre, though he agrees about the importance of a happy workforce (that from a man coming from a society where slavery is the norm). He missed a bit of the 'big bad wolf' references, but that didn't prevent him from relating to the various characters.
Summary
A very enjoyable read, entertaining and not taxing. I found out Holt has other books in that world, which I intend to read soon (they don't seem too interrelated for the reading order to matter).
Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
August 4, 2014
Writing is hard, writing comedy is harder, I think even harder than stand up comedy. The stand up comedian has the immediate feedback of audience reaction. He or she can tailor their material, shuffle the gags and decide if something needs to be cut. The writer of comedy sends their work beyond a veil and, beta-readers apart, gets feedback only once the work is complete, the jokes all told, the bid for funny made.
In my review of "Apocalypse Cow" I thought the humour a little strained with the effort of walking the borderline between ha ha and peculiar
"The Outsorcerer's Apprentice" by Tom Holt is another book that tries on the Terry Pratchett mantle of real world satire in a fantasy setting. However in Holt's work the links between reality and fantasy are more explicit than the chuckle inducing cross-references of the Discworld novels. This is a book revelling in a multiverse of parallel worlds with reality exploiting and distorting fantasy for the baldest of economic advantage.
That is the central joke of the book, the ultimate in outsourcing, forget call centres in Mumbai and sweatshops in Bangladesh, let's exploit a low paid fantasy workforce of elves, dwarves and goblins.
It's an interesting and clever idea and it sustains a lot of narrative thread. But a book needs more than one funny idea to sustain the reader interest. There are some smile inducing characters and some clever lines. Personally I liked "The other one when pulled is a campanological delight" For most of my reading I veered between thinking 3 stars and 4 stars.
The story was what kept me reading, the old questions of What will happen next? When will these two people meet up? Who is the strange man in a flat cap? Why would a unicorn do that? What is it with wolves and tea sets?
The story is the thing, and in the end I felt the story was just a bit messy for my taste. A tangled ball of interesting and colourful wool more than a fully knitted article. So I settled on three stars, I liked it but in the end I thought that there were too many loose ends that the story tripped over in its eagerness to cleverly amuse. .
In my review of "Apocalypse Cow" I thought the humour a little strained with the effort of walking the borderline between ha ha and peculiar
"The Outsorcerer's Apprentice" by Tom Holt is another book that tries on the Terry Pratchett mantle of real world satire in a fantasy setting. However in Holt's work the links between reality and fantasy are more explicit than the chuckle inducing cross-references of the Discworld novels. This is a book revelling in a multiverse of parallel worlds with reality exploiting and distorting fantasy for the baldest of economic advantage.
That is the central joke of the book, the ultimate in outsourcing, forget call centres in Mumbai and sweatshops in Bangladesh, let's exploit a low paid fantasy workforce of elves, dwarves and goblins.
It's an interesting and clever idea and it sustains a lot of narrative thread. But a book needs more than one funny idea to sustain the reader interest. There are some smile inducing characters and some clever lines. Personally I liked "The other one when pulled is a campanological delight" For most of my reading I veered between thinking 3 stars and 4 stars.
The story was what kept me reading, the old questions of What will happen next? When will these two people meet up? Who is the strange man in a flat cap? Why would a unicorn do that? What is it with wolves and tea sets?
The story is the thing, and in the end I felt the story was just a bit messy for my taste. A tangled ball of interesting and colourful wool more than a fully knitted article. So I settled on three stars, I liked it but in the end I thought that there were too many loose ends that the story tripped over in its eagerness to cleverly amuse. .
September 13, 2014
Once upon a time there was a really creative and innovative author by the name of Tom Holt. He wrote really interesting and funny books about ordinary people finding themselves in extraordinary worlds and having to learn how to deal with them. Usually they learnt something about themselves on the way, such as how brave or how clever they really were.
Then Tom Holt created the multiverse (well, started writing about it anyway) and his books got really boring and samey. Why? Probably because in the multiverse you can do anything or be anywhere just by looking through the hole in a doughnut. If that doesn't work then you use an old man and his tall but hungry nephew to solve the problem for you. It led to lazy and uninteresting writing with little drama and even less humour.
Please go back your roots, Tom. You're better than this.
For those of you who do want to read it, its about a man called Gordon who outsources work to an uses an alternative universe while making huge profits by exploiting the people of that universe. This would actually be a good morality tale if it wasn't so poorly told. Gordon's nephew Benny turns up (trying to escape the tedium of revision for his exams) and as a consequence some of the people of the world start to think about what is going on around them and realise it isn't quite right. Throw in some elves, dwarves and goblins and stir till the reader gets bored. You never do find out what happens to all the dead wolves. And they all live happily ever after, I suppose.
Then Tom Holt created the multiverse (well, started writing about it anyway) and his books got really boring and samey. Why? Probably because in the multiverse you can do anything or be anywhere just by looking through the hole in a doughnut. If that doesn't work then you use an old man and his tall but hungry nephew to solve the problem for you. It led to lazy and uninteresting writing with little drama and even less humour.
Please go back your roots, Tom. You're better than this.
For those of you who do want to read it, its about a man called Gordon who outsources work to an uses an alternative universe while making huge profits by exploiting the people of that universe. This would actually be a good morality tale if it wasn't so poorly told. Gordon's nephew Benny turns up (trying to escape the tedium of revision for his exams) and as a consequence some of the people of the world start to think about what is going on around them and realise it isn't quite right. Throw in some elves, dwarves and goblins and stir till the reader gets bored. You never do find out what happens to all the dead wolves. And they all live happily ever after, I suppose.
June 16, 2025
Macro or micro or magic economics meets Fantasyland meets parallel worlds travel meets doughnuts and/or circle shaped food consumption meets the (un)ethics of capitalism in The Outsorcerer's Apprentice, and it was just what the wizard DIDN'T order - and just the zany wake up call that the unsuspecting underlings needed.
Knew that this was the third in a series but it looked so intriguing and just spot on for the escapism I was seeking at the moment that I couldn't resist and plunged right in. Holt does a good job of giving you enough back story to previous books and the importance of doughnuts, not just generally but specially in this YouSpace setting where the physics of looking at the center of a doughnut can transport you to a parallel world.
Look I was bound to love this novel from the first five pages because of our feminist, intellectual heroine breaking out of the usual fairytale mold from the get go. Buttercup is on her usual path home to her father's house when she's greeted by yet another seemingly guileless little old lady eager to make her acquaintance and invite her back to her house for some tea and gingerbread cookies. Buttercup is not having any of it. She gives the wolf a chance, she really does, even counts up to five... and then pulls a hatchet out of her little basket and hurls it right between his eyes for a fatal blow. She did warn him. And then she plunders the little cottage and sells the clock to one of the three doltish wood cutters smitten with her and that always come calling to rescue / check on her, after she's done the dirty work and the plundering of course. Just another day in the forest. And yet... lately she's been perplexed with new and disconcerting thoughts. Where do all the wolves come from? Why are they acting in such a reckless way? That surely can't be conducive to the longevity of their pack? They aren't a renewable resource at this rate of self destruction... And what of all the well stocked cottages? Who makes all the clocks? Where and how do the wolves obtain them? And what about the tea? Where is it imported from? None of the other townspeople have access to tea, so how do the wolves get it? Or the silver spoons and tea service and the cutlery, and embroidered doilies and napkins? It's a whole industry... Where does the supply come from? And that's just the tip of the iceberg when she starts thinking about her father and his friends cutting timber all day every day - where does it go? Who can afford it and who's buying it? Is that sustainable for the forests? They claim the wizard sells it in market and the buyers come from neighboring towns... but they ALL live on the edge of forests, why would they travel so far? Why not just cut down their own wood? IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!
"Geopolitical entities, she thought, as she walked slowly down the path. Hectares. Sovereign debt. The word had bubbled up in her mind like silt from the bed of a stream, as soon as she'd thought of the idea that needed them to be expressed with. Had they been there all along, she wondered?"
And why do the wolves seem to self destruct when she changes tactics and tries to question them before killing them?! (By the by, we never get the answer to that question. Hope it gets addressed in the fourth and final book in the series because inquiring readers want to know what happens to the wolves!)
Then you've got Prince Florizel, new to these parts, lots of questions, not so bright. Buttercup is bracing herself to fall in love based on all the stories she heard about "one day your Prince will come" but so far she's just not impressed. Then you've got Sir Turquine Le Coeur Hardi of Outremer, who has had enough. He's fed up with killing dragons. They just keep on coming in for slaughter, stupid meatheads. And then he takes them to the processing plant and they just seem to disappear. Where do they all go? What's the point of it all? He decides to try his hand at killing giants instead, which doesn't work out too well when Buttercup kills it first, of course. She's lethal, and he's angry as he's just lost a commission for crying out loud!
Meanwhile King Mordak plays a dangerous game... of I spy with my little eye, in which hangs the balance of power for the goblin and dwarf kingdoms, every generation at war with one another for the ultimate dominion over the world under the Mountain, labyrinthine, complex, dark, filled with rich mineral deposits that they spend their lives mining. And yet... of late King Mordak has been consumed by new visions.
"The mines, he said, are holding us back. We work, we sweat, we die, but who gets all the profits? The wizard. We increase output; do we get paid more? No, we do not. We fight off a dwarf invasion of our galleries, but do we reap the benefits? No, the wizard does. And there's absolutely nothing we can do about that, because only the wizard wants the shining stones; and, so long as he can get them from the dwarves as well as us, he's in a perfect position to tell us how much he wants to pay for them. ... Stop, I beseech you, and think for a moment. We've never lost a war with the dwarves, but we've never really won one either. We can wipe them out, but we'll be wiped out, too. And for whose benefit? The wizard's. Is that what we really want? Don't let's give him the satisfaction."
And so he convinces the goblin kingdom to go ABOVE GROUND and try to make a living... basket weaving.
Goodness grief this book is just delightful. Of course it gets more complicated from there once the wizard realizes that his tightly controlled economic output is starting to unravel, and rather quickly at that. There are also unicorns and quests and Elven law firms and immortal henchmen just to add even more magic and mayhem to the mix. The wizard gets an interesting form of karmic justice in the finale, wondering if that will be revisited in the last book as well. Not sure if the first two books have quite as many fantasy elements as this one, but I will certainly be reading them soon to find out!
Knew that this was the third in a series but it looked so intriguing and just spot on for the escapism I was seeking at the moment that I couldn't resist and plunged right in. Holt does a good job of giving you enough back story to previous books and the importance of doughnuts, not just generally but specially in this YouSpace setting where the physics of looking at the center of a doughnut can transport you to a parallel world.
Look I was bound to love this novel from the first five pages because of our feminist, intellectual heroine breaking out of the usual fairytale mold from the get go. Buttercup is on her usual path home to her father's house when she's greeted by yet another seemingly guileless little old lady eager to make her acquaintance and invite her back to her house for some tea and gingerbread cookies. Buttercup is not having any of it. She gives the wolf a chance, she really does, even counts up to five... and then pulls a hatchet out of her little basket and hurls it right between his eyes for a fatal blow. She did warn him. And then she plunders the little cottage and sells the clock to one of the three doltish wood cutters smitten with her and that always come calling to rescue / check on her, after she's done the dirty work and the plundering of course. Just another day in the forest. And yet... lately she's been perplexed with new and disconcerting thoughts. Where do all the wolves come from? Why are they acting in such a reckless way? That surely can't be conducive to the longevity of their pack? They aren't a renewable resource at this rate of self destruction... And what of all the well stocked cottages? Who makes all the clocks? Where and how do the wolves obtain them? And what about the tea? Where is it imported from? None of the other townspeople have access to tea, so how do the wolves get it? Or the silver spoons and tea service and the cutlery, and embroidered doilies and napkins? It's a whole industry... Where does the supply come from? And that's just the tip of the iceberg when she starts thinking about her father and his friends cutting timber all day every day - where does it go? Who can afford it and who's buying it? Is that sustainable for the forests? They claim the wizard sells it in market and the buyers come from neighboring towns... but they ALL live on the edge of forests, why would they travel so far? Why not just cut down their own wood? IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!
"Geopolitical entities, she thought, as she walked slowly down the path. Hectares. Sovereign debt. The word had bubbled up in her mind like silt from the bed of a stream, as soon as she'd thought of the idea that needed them to be expressed with. Had they been there all along, she wondered?"
And why do the wolves seem to self destruct when she changes tactics and tries to question them before killing them?! (By the by, we never get the answer to that question. Hope it gets addressed in the fourth and final book in the series because inquiring readers want to know what happens to the wolves!)
Then you've got Prince Florizel, new to these parts, lots of questions, not so bright. Buttercup is bracing herself to fall in love based on all the stories she heard about "one day your Prince will come" but so far she's just not impressed. Then you've got Sir Turquine Le Coeur Hardi of Outremer, who has had enough. He's fed up with killing dragons. They just keep on coming in for slaughter, stupid meatheads. And then he takes them to the processing plant and they just seem to disappear. Where do they all go? What's the point of it all? He decides to try his hand at killing giants instead, which doesn't work out too well when Buttercup kills it first, of course. She's lethal, and he's angry as he's just lost a commission for crying out loud!
Meanwhile King Mordak plays a dangerous game... of I spy with my little eye, in which hangs the balance of power for the goblin and dwarf kingdoms, every generation at war with one another for the ultimate dominion over the world under the Mountain, labyrinthine, complex, dark, filled with rich mineral deposits that they spend their lives mining. And yet... of late King Mordak has been consumed by new visions.
"The mines, he said, are holding us back. We work, we sweat, we die, but who gets all the profits? The wizard. We increase output; do we get paid more? No, we do not. We fight off a dwarf invasion of our galleries, but do we reap the benefits? No, the wizard does. And there's absolutely nothing we can do about that, because only the wizard wants the shining stones; and, so long as he can get them from the dwarves as well as us, he's in a perfect position to tell us how much he wants to pay for them. ... Stop, I beseech you, and think for a moment. We've never lost a war with the dwarves, but we've never really won one either. We can wipe them out, but we'll be wiped out, too. And for whose benefit? The wizard's. Is that what we really want? Don't let's give him the satisfaction."
And so he convinces the goblin kingdom to go ABOVE GROUND and try to make a living... basket weaving.
Goodness grief this book is just delightful. Of course it gets more complicated from there once the wizard realizes that his tightly controlled economic output is starting to unravel, and rather quickly at that. There are also unicorns and quests and Elven law firms and immortal henchmen just to add even more magic and mayhem to the mix. The wizard gets an interesting form of karmic justice in the finale, wondering if that will be revisited in the last book as well. Not sure if the first two books have quite as many fantasy elements as this one, but I will certainly be reading them soon to find out!
February 26, 2023
A book to laugh out loud and forgetting your in public. Then sheepishly slide down in your seat and hide behind the book.
Picked this book up from my local library as a casual filler and reading the synopsis, it was the kind of quirky read that I would enjoy. Akin to Terry Pratchetts Discworld and Jasper Ffordes Nurery Crimes series.
I've gone back to my library both in person and the website for the district and I can't get any others from the series - gutted.
Its main plot is that our world is connected to a multiverse of dimensions through a device where the device tailors the universe to the person where anything is possible.
A greedy character tries to take advantage of this in order to maximise his business in this world, but there are unexpected consequences.
Be ready for a world where Little Red Riding Hood fights back, Wolves who can't divulge a secret, Elves playing on-hold music, talking Unicorns and much much more.
Picked this book up from my local library as a casual filler and reading the synopsis, it was the kind of quirky read that I would enjoy. Akin to Terry Pratchetts Discworld and Jasper Ffordes Nurery Crimes series.
I've gone back to my library both in person and the website for the district and I can't get any others from the series - gutted.
Its main plot is that our world is connected to a multiverse of dimensions through a device where the device tailors the universe to the person where anything is possible.
A greedy character tries to take advantage of this in order to maximise his business in this world, but there are unexpected consequences.
Be ready for a world where Little Red Riding Hood fights back, Wolves who can't divulge a secret, Elves playing on-hold music, talking Unicorns and much much more.
October 6, 2014
This is a fairly typical examples of Tom Holt's recent work. It starts off with an interesting setting but doesn't really deliver, and the silly aspects gradually become more central, while the more serious aspects get handwaved away and the plot gets a bit complex, with some odd loose ends. The characters start off as moderately interesting but don't really develop.
I do like Tom Holt's writing style and he can be an excellent writer, he could needs to control the urge to add silly things all the time. It feels like he includes at least one idea from a six year-old in every book.
I do like Tom Holt's writing style and he can be an excellent writer, he could needs to control the urge to add silly things all the time. It feels like he includes at least one idea from a six year-old in every book.
October 5, 2016
I felt the first chapters were lots of fun and filled with the merging of modern times and fairy tale stories. The re-surfacing of the doughnut and You Space is always welcome and the characters are fun too. It gets a bit crazy but that's how Tom writes and one of the reasons I enjoy his creative, sarcastic mind. All in all a fun read and one worth exploring.
August 20, 2014
Nope sorry.
I've tried to give this book a chance but I just can't keep it up anymore.
Bye, book, sorry we didn't understand each other. I certainly didn't understand what was happening and why was it worthy of writing about.
I've tried to give this book a chance but I just can't keep it up anymore.
Bye, book, sorry we didn't understand each other. I certainly didn't understand what was happening and why was it worthy of writing about.
June 2, 2016
I forgot how much I like Tom Holt! I accidentally picked up the third in this series first - need to go back and start from the beginning.
November 27, 2018
Some of Tom Holt's earlier books I've read I have found a little disappointing on account of the fact that I really liked the setting and the basic idea behind the plot, but somehow the books didn't truly deliver anyway. This one did. It's at times quite clever, and most of the time it's really quite funny. An enjoyable read.
A sample quote:
"Mordak [the goblin king] swallowed hard and went on. [...] He would like them to consider a few hard facts. Although output of shining rocks had risen steadily by at least 10 per cent every year for over a century, net income from shining rock sales had remained absolutely constant. Deaths from mining accidents had also risen, year on year; likewise, casualties in the dwarf wars. More goblins than ever were dying to produce more shining rocks than ever before, but they, the hard-working families of the United Hordes of Goblindom, weren’t seeing the benefit. [...] Here we go, he thought. There is, he said, a better way. It’s a way that leads us out of the mines. A way of prosperity, of security, of independence, of freedom for ever from the greed and oppression of the wizard. It’s the way, the only way, that goblins can be free and still be, to the very roots of their souls, goblins. It’s the way of basket-weaving."
A sample quote:
"Mordak [the goblin king] swallowed hard and went on. [...] He would like them to consider a few hard facts. Although output of shining rocks had risen steadily by at least 10 per cent every year for over a century, net income from shining rock sales had remained absolutely constant. Deaths from mining accidents had also risen, year on year; likewise, casualties in the dwarf wars. More goblins than ever were dying to produce more shining rocks than ever before, but they, the hard-working families of the United Hordes of Goblindom, weren’t seeing the benefit. [...] Here we go, he thought. There is, he said, a better way. It’s a way that leads us out of the mines. A way of prosperity, of security, of independence, of freedom for ever from the greed and oppression of the wizard. It’s the way, the only way, that goblins can be free and still be, to the very roots of their souls, goblins. It’s the way of basket-weaving."
January 3, 2019
A fun read. I've been sneaking and reading the reviews as I read this book (I keep telling myself to stay away from reviews until after a book, but sigh I never listen to my own advise) and I've noticed a recurring theme. Many reviews compare this book to Terry Pratchett's Discworld books and to Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Others say nope! Tom Holt tries but falls short. I have to agree with the later. Where Adams and Pratchett's humor and riff on life, culture, etc. is effortless, Holt's is more on-the-nose and in-your-face. I'd compare it more to the Shrek movies. That being said, it was still a fun read.
I did not read the first two book in the YouSpace series. I didn't even realize The Outsorcerer's Apprentice was part of a series and book THREE at that until adding it to Goodreads. By then, I already had the book in my hands and was reading it. :/ But there was no need for concern. This book stands quite well on its own and can be understood without ever reading the first two books. There might be some backstory I missed, but I think Holt did a good job with letting it be understood what was going on, how things came to be, and why certain pastries are forbidden to bake or even to speak of.
I did not read the first two book in the YouSpace series. I didn't even realize The Outsorcerer's Apprentice was part of a series and book THREE at that until adding it to Goodreads. By then, I already had the book in my hands and was reading it. :/ But there was no need for concern. This book stands quite well on its own and can be understood without ever reading the first two books. There might be some backstory I missed, but I think Holt did a good job with letting it be understood what was going on, how things came to be, and why certain pastries are forbidden to bake or even to speak of.
February 3, 2022
First complaint: nowhere on the copy I read does it indicate that this book is part of a series, or where it sits in the series. That said it largely holds up as a stand alone title. There is perhaps some assumed background knowledge but it isn't intrusive, the main giveaway being the loose plot ends that clearly require another book to resolve.
As for this book itself, it is an interesting twist on the old 'modern man transported to fantasy land' genre - think oldies such as Magic Kingdom For Sale (Sold), The Incompleat Enchanter, The Dragon And The George etc. It's easy reading, the story rolls along well and the humour is mostly pretty funny. Unfortunately the humour detracts from any sense of drama and the main character (Benny) is a complete loser and almost impossible to empathise with. The best characters are Buttercup, a 'Red Riding Hood' who realises there is something odd about the number of wolves, how they managed to dress themselves in granny clothes and how the woodsman always fortuitously appears, and King Mordack of the goblins who is so much smarter and better than most political leaders you know.
So in conclusion, not bad. I'm not sure I will be searching for the others in the series but if I stumble across them I will probably pick them up.
As for this book itself, it is an interesting twist on the old 'modern man transported to fantasy land' genre - think oldies such as Magic Kingdom For Sale (Sold), The Incompleat Enchanter, The Dragon And The George etc. It's easy reading, the story rolls along well and the humour is mostly pretty funny. Unfortunately the humour detracts from any sense of drama and the main character (Benny) is a complete loser and almost impossible to empathise with. The best characters are Buttercup, a 'Red Riding Hood' who realises there is something odd about the number of wolves, how they managed to dress themselves in granny clothes and how the woodsman always fortuitously appears, and King Mordack of the goblins who is so much smarter and better than most political leaders you know.
So in conclusion, not bad. I'm not sure I will be searching for the others in the series but if I stumble across them I will probably pick them up.
July 18, 2018
I'm still not really sure if this series is meant as a series of stand alone books or as a full on series. It doesn't ever mention it being part of a series. At the end there's even two previews for the previous books with a 'if you enjoyed this book you'll enjoy these'-message. So I guess they are stand alone? But then this book explains a lot of things I didn't get while I was reading The Good, The Bad and the Smug, so I'd say it would be smart to read this before that book. So it's a series? I dunno...
I really like the first 50-60% of this book. The characters are pretty fun, but a little bland. I mostly liked King Mordak who will always remain my favourite in this and The Good, The Bad and the Bold. I do however think the tie in with the real world wasn't as succesfull. It became a little preachy at times and less funny. While that does give this book a bit more of a story to tell, it felt a little tone deaf to me compared to the very humouristic start. Apart from that it's a pretty fun, easy read with a little bit of mystery. The last bit of the book didn't really work for me, but the majority was worth it.
I really like the first 50-60% of this book. The characters are pretty fun, but a little bland. I mostly liked King Mordak who will always remain my favourite in this and The Good, The Bad and the Bold. I do however think the tie in with the real world wasn't as succesfull. It became a little preachy at times and less funny. While that does give this book a bit more of a story to tell, it felt a little tone deaf to me compared to the very humouristic start. Apart from that it's a pretty fun, easy read with a little bit of mystery. The last bit of the book didn't really work for me, but the majority was worth it.
October 3, 2021
This one had a good idea to start with. A REALLY good idea.
I question the execution.
Idea = The world of fairytales and how unsustainable the clichés of it are... so why not use them to this world's advantage in the most capitalist way possible. Cheaper than outsourcing your call center to india!
Unfortunately though the execution gets hampered down by the meta aspect and stopping the story dead for a finance 101 class every few pages. Not to mention the grafting factor aka having a few fairy tale characters suddenly act like they are from this world for no reason what so ever except plot.
Sadly the last one tends to bring it down for me, no matter the setting the characters should fit or they feel like bad actors in a cheap movie removing all stakes.
Like with the others this is a world were puns and word play are forced into the narrative into their literal meaning BUT it makes more sense and is far more grounded in reality than the past two books from the series.
Again, we go for an epic ending which the author almost achieved. Seriously had he stopped writing only one chapter before the ending he would have stuck the landing... so close, but no cigar. Again.
I question the execution.
Idea = The world of fairytales and how unsustainable the clichés of it are... so why not use them to this world's advantage in the most capitalist way possible. Cheaper than outsourcing your call center to india!
Unfortunately though the execution gets hampered down by the meta aspect and stopping the story dead for a finance 101 class every few pages. Not to mention the grafting factor aka having a few fairy tale characters suddenly act like they are from this world for no reason what so ever except plot.
Sadly the last one tends to bring it down for me, no matter the setting the characters should fit or they feel like bad actors in a cheap movie removing all stakes.
Like with the others this is a world were puns and word play are forced into the narrative into their literal meaning BUT it makes more sense and is far more grounded in reality than the past two books from the series.
Again, we go for an epic ending which the author almost achieved. Seriously had he stopped writing only one chapter before the ending he would have stuck the landing... so close, but no cigar. Again.
September 10, 2022
There is a great tradition of writers using fantasy or sci-fi to explore complex topics. There is an equally rich tradition of those genres, plus humor, being used to explore real world issued. Some of my favorite books and authors are in this category (Terry Pratchett, Douglass Adams). So when I found this book I thought, "hey, that sounds like something I'd like", and I picked it up.
Hmmm.
There is humor here, and an interesting idea, but there is also so much that seems like a flat lesson in economics, with no variation in tone that I could not get into it. The humor was tossed in occasionally, but mostly this is characters who all sound the same, and who will not stop picking apart the holes in a magical economy. A funny and interesting idea, but it should have been edited a bunch more.
Also this is apparently the third book in a series. I had no idea about that when I picked it up. It didn't detract from this story (I didn't really feel that I was missing critical information), but this book has not inspired me to pick up the others.
Hmmm.
There is humor here, and an interesting idea, but there is also so much that seems like a flat lesson in economics, with no variation in tone that I could not get into it. The humor was tossed in occasionally, but mostly this is characters who all sound the same, and who will not stop picking apart the holes in a magical economy. A funny and interesting idea, but it should have been edited a bunch more.
Also this is apparently the third book in a series. I had no idea about that when I picked it up. It didn't detract from this story (I didn't really feel that I was missing critical information), but this book has not inspired me to pick up the others.
January 19, 2021
What happens when an unscrupulous entrepreneur, driven by a misguided sense of duty, finds a way to outsource mundane tasks to a world of fantastical beings? That's the main theme that Tom Holt's humorous novel builds upon, though it felt to me as if it only did so with a moderate degree of success. Maybe it was references to Pratchett and Adams in one of the reviews that set the expectations too high. In part, I think it takes too long to establish the characters, and the distinctions between our reality and the fantasy world, and then to understand what exactly is transpiring in the interactions between all of those. The characters were enjoyable, but maybe too many protagonists? An entertaining read, but not one that rises to the level of the best in the fantasy/sci-fi/humor genre.
November 8, 2017
I got this from the library because it looked light and funny and quick, and in those respects I was not disapponted.
However, nothing warned or prepared me for the fact that it was the third on a series, a fact I didn't know until I came to add it here, in fact.
It's technically fine to pick it up without reading the other two - from what I can tell, they take place on different parallel realities anyway - but there are many terms and short in-jokes that I'd shrugged off as just another part of the author's wink-knudge approach to humor.
There's really only one running joke that makes up the book, and it gets a little tired by the fourth iteration of it, but all I was looking for was a quick, light read for the laundromat, and it performed that function admirably.
However, nothing warned or prepared me for the fact that it was the third on a series, a fact I didn't know until I came to add it here, in fact.
It's technically fine to pick it up without reading the other two - from what I can tell, they take place on different parallel realities anyway - but there are many terms and short in-jokes that I'd shrugged off as just another part of the author's wink-knudge approach to humor.
There's really only one running joke that makes up the book, and it gets a little tired by the fourth iteration of it, but all I was looking for was a quick, light read for the laundromat, and it performed that function admirably.
April 8, 2018
I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. There are some funny bits and I kept reading trying to get into the story but unfortunately this book has a few issues. (small spoiler at end of review)
Almost all of the characters are male. Of the main characters only one is female. I'm sick of this sort of thing.
There is one female character who seems to be an important character for the first part of the book but she completely disappears. Apparently she was only there to get a male character involved in the story.
There's a major Deux ex Machina - an old man and his nephew - that come in at the end and tidy everything up (or most everything).
Almost all of the characters are male. Of the main characters only one is female. I'm sick of this sort of thing.
There is one female character who seems to be an important character for the first part of the book but she completely disappears. Apparently she was only there to get a male character involved in the story.
There's a major Deux ex Machina - an old man and his nephew - that come in at the end and tidy everything up (or most everything).
July 3, 2018
Ah... Only now, that I go to add this on goodreads, do I see that it's is in fact the third in a series...
Overall, Outsorcerer's Apprentice was a fun little "beach read" for people who like snarky fantasy. It went by quickly and was enjoyable, maybe even more so for the fact that I hadn't read these other ones. You did get the sense that some unexplained characters are meant to be call backs to other books, but other than that it was a good time. Some of the characters are a little one dimensional, but the main uncle/nephew pair were surprisingly great once I read to the end.
Probably an nice 3.5 stars.
Overall, Outsorcerer's Apprentice was a fun little "beach read" for people who like snarky fantasy. It went by quickly and was enjoyable, maybe even more so for the fact that I hadn't read these other ones. You did get the sense that some unexplained characters are meant to be call backs to other books, but other than that it was a good time. Some of the characters are a little one dimensional, but the main uncle/nephew pair were surprisingly great once I read to the end.
Probably an nice 3.5 stars.
July 17, 2019
Een verhaal in de YouSpace reeks, waarin geen en weer gesprongen kan worden tussen parallelle werelden door in het gat van een donut te kijken. In dit geval wordt dit gegeven benut door een handige zakenman die een fantasy wereld gebruikt voor outsourcing. In plaats van dat tandenstokers gemaakt worden door kinderen in Maleisië, worden ze gemaakt door houthakkers in Holt's versie van midden-Aarde. Monniken die eventjes en nulletjes mompelen vormen een serverpark en pratende bomen een helpdesk.
Het leest lekker weg en is grappig maar misschien iets te voorspelbaar. Niet één van zijn beste boeken maar zeker ook niet slecht.
Het leest lekker weg en is grappig maar misschien iets te voorspelbaar. Niet één van zijn beste boeken maar zeker ook niet slecht.
December 3, 2019
Funny, well-thought-out, and tightly plotted!!! I enjoyed myself greatly, and you can tell Holt cares deeply about his world and the fantasy genre as a whole. A hundred jokes a minute!
Technically, this book is the third novel set in the YouSpace universe (preceded by “Doughnut” and “When It’s A Jar”), but it stands alone. Holt tells you anything you need to know with efficient nuggets of exposition sprinkled throughout. Not a problem! If the plot summary piques your interest, you will probably like it–expectations met!
Technically, this book is the third novel set in the YouSpace universe (preceded by “Doughnut” and “When It’s A Jar”), but it stands alone. Holt tells you anything you need to know with efficient nuggets of exposition sprinkled throughout. Not a problem! If the plot summary piques your interest, you will probably like it–expectations met!
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