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The Murdstone Trilogy
How hard can it be to write a fantasy trilogy? From Carnegie Medalist Mal Peet comes an outrageously funny black comedy about an impoverished literary writer who makes a pact with the devil.
Award-winning YA author Philip Murdstone is in trouble. His star has waned. The world is leaving him behind. His agent, the ruthless Minerva Cinch, convinces him that his only hope is to write a sword-and-sorcery blockbuster. Unfortunately, Philip—allergic to the faintest trace of Tolkien—is utterly unsuited to the task. In a dark hour, a dwarfish stranger comes to his rescue. But the deal he makes with Pocket Wellfair turns out to have Faustian consequences. The Murdstone Trilogy is a richly dark comedy described by one U.K. reviewer as “totally insane in the best way possible.”
Award-winning YA author Philip Murdstone is in trouble. His star has waned. The world is leaving him behind. His agent, the ruthless Minerva Cinch, convinces him that his only hope is to write a sword-and-sorcery blockbuster. Unfortunately, Philip—allergic to the faintest trace of Tolkien—is utterly unsuited to the task. In a dark hour, a dwarfish stranger comes to his rescue. But the deal he makes with Pocket Wellfair turns out to have Faustian consequences. The Murdstone Trilogy is a richly dark comedy described by one U.K. reviewer as “totally insane in the best way possible.”
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2014
33 people are currently reading
1341 people want to read
About the author
Mal Peet
84 books119 followersMal Peet grew up in North Norfolk, and studied English and American Studies at the University of Warwick. Later he moved to southwest England and worked at a variety of jobs before turning full-time to writing and illustrating in the early 1990s. With his wife, Elspeth Graham, he had written and illustrated many educational picture books for young children, and his cartoons have appeared in a number of magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
November 17, 2014
This book was totally insane in the best way possible. I really really have no idea how to review it if I'm honest but I'll do my best and we will see how we go.
Wonderfully weird and terribly clever I don't think I've ever read a book like this one - Philip Murdstone, ex teacher, is encouraged to write a Phantasy ( Yes I can spell!) not his genre but hey its the fashion - but he really doesnt want to do that. So, erm well, other things occur. If I describe them I'll give away the sheer joy of this, it is witty, ironic, funny and sad in equal measure and takes apart the publishing industry in fine fashion with a wry eye and using a set of circumstances that are beyond my powers of speech.
The character names alone are enough to bring a smile - Minerva Cinch (ha) his agent is a wonderful character, the strange people who live near Philip, who resides in a mostly isolated cottage on Dartmoor, are brilliantly caricature but all the more believable for it and this is a beautiful, magical, bizarre and preposterous fantasy come black comedy that will have you tied up in reading knots but enjoying every last minute of it.
Loved the beginning, loved the middle and thought the ending was fabulous - it is all written in a unique style and with some eclectic prose that matches the tale being told perfectly. It defies description in a lot of ways but if you like a good fantasy story that takes things both extremely seriously and not seriously at all, you will adore this.
It is going to be a subjective novel for sure but I would absolutely say give it a go - it is the most fun I've had with a book for ages.
Happy Reading Folks!
Wonderfully weird and terribly clever I don't think I've ever read a book like this one - Philip Murdstone, ex teacher, is encouraged to write a Phantasy ( Yes I can spell!) not his genre but hey its the fashion - but he really doesnt want to do that. So, erm well, other things occur. If I describe them I'll give away the sheer joy of this, it is witty, ironic, funny and sad in equal measure and takes apart the publishing industry in fine fashion with a wry eye and using a set of circumstances that are beyond my powers of speech.
The character names alone are enough to bring a smile - Minerva Cinch (ha) his agent is a wonderful character, the strange people who live near Philip, who resides in a mostly isolated cottage on Dartmoor, are brilliantly caricature but all the more believable for it and this is a beautiful, magical, bizarre and preposterous fantasy come black comedy that will have you tied up in reading knots but enjoying every last minute of it.
Loved the beginning, loved the middle and thought the ending was fabulous - it is all written in a unique style and with some eclectic prose that matches the tale being told perfectly. It defies description in a lot of ways but if you like a good fantasy story that takes things both extremely seriously and not seriously at all, you will adore this.
It is going to be a subjective novel for sure but I would absolutely say give it a go - it is the most fun I've had with a book for ages.
Happy Reading Folks!
April 20, 2016
I regret not knowing about this author before he died.
Thankfully, there is plenty of his work for me still to read.
I see others have shelved this as horror and perhaps it is, though not traditionally so. It borders on literary as it pokes fun at the literary world. It satirizes authors and genres and the publishing industry. It's also a dark fantasy novel in a traditional pastoral setting peopled with all the quirky characters often found in British literature. And yet it's tongue-in-cheek as it plays with blending all these tropes while simultaneously reveling in them.
Until the end when it becomes a full-on tragedy and a slap upside the head.
I wish I'd have known of this author before he'd died.
I was bitter as I read the first page, worried the story was setting itself up to be a pretentious fantasy along the lines of Lev Grossman's Magicians Trilogy.
We start with an award-winning, word-loving, young-adult author/hermit moaning over not being able to publish his awkward-boy-Bildungsromans anymore and who has been told by his agent that he needs to start writing fantasy since that's what sells. He loathes the genre and balks at being forced to eke out a living by pandering to the masses.
My bitterness subsided when I came across this passage:
On the mantelpiece a small number of trophies gleam faintly. One is a slab of glass, or more probably acrylic, the accolade buried within it only readable from an oblique angle. Another is a rather kitsch statuette of a child sitting cross-legged, intent upon a book. There are three others, and all five are in need of dusting.
For some time now, since well before sunset, Philip Murdstone has been reciting a brutal phrase as if it were a mantra that might console him.
It is: I'm fucked.
It has failed to console him.
That was my first giggle.
Shortly thereafter, there's a jab at the Eragon novels:
"And what might they be?"
"Oh, come on, Philip! Even you must have heard of The Dragoneer Chronicles."
"Nope."
"My God, darling, have you been living in a cave or something? Well, yes, I suppose you have, more or less. The Dragoneer Chronicles is the biggest thing since Harry Potter. You have heard of Harry Potter, I take it? You have? Good. Well, The Dragoneer Chronicles is a six-hundred-page fantasy blockbuster written by a seventeen-year-old anorak called Virgil Peroni. American, obviously. Actually, his mother wrote it for him, but that's not the point."
I began to thoroughly enjoy this book.
After the librarian's description of Fantasy, I was absolutely roaring gleefully:
Yeah, that one's for the booknerds and librarians in the world.
The writing is whimsical but solid, building a subtle tension while humorously crafting a somewhat off-putting story. All the analogies, similes, and metaphors, I loved them.
He felt bad now. He had suddenly put on lots of weight, and there was that numbness at the top of his skull that would later turn into a lobster-shaped headache."
I've had lobster-shaped headaches before but never realized that's what they were until I read that line.
So he was peculiarly ill-equipped for understanding what had happened to him up on the moor. Back in his dusky parlor, he fumbled at the experience like an ape looking for the edible parts of a digital camera.
Why have I never thought of fumbling in such a manner before? It makes so much sense!
I had no idea what to expect from this book, going in, so I was happily surprised to enjoy it so well. It's a fun read with a hard end. If you're a fantasy reader, a librarian, a general booknerd, you'll probably like this. If you're a complainy old weirdo like I am, then you'll love it.
Thankfully, there is plenty of his work for me still to read.
I see others have shelved this as horror and perhaps it is, though not traditionally so. It borders on literary as it pokes fun at the literary world. It satirizes authors and genres and the publishing industry. It's also a dark fantasy novel in a traditional pastoral setting peopled with all the quirky characters often found in British literature. And yet it's tongue-in-cheek as it plays with blending all these tropes while simultaneously reveling in them.
Until the end when it becomes a full-on tragedy and a slap upside the head.
I wish I'd have known of this author before he'd died.
I was bitter as I read the first page, worried the story was setting itself up to be a pretentious fantasy along the lines of Lev Grossman's Magicians Trilogy.
We start with an award-winning, word-loving, young-adult author/hermit moaning over not being able to publish his awkward-boy-Bildungsromans anymore and who has been told by his agent that he needs to start writing fantasy since that's what sells. He loathes the genre and balks at being forced to eke out a living by pandering to the masses.
My bitterness subsided when I came across this passage:
On the mantelpiece a small number of trophies gleam faintly. One is a slab of glass, or more probably acrylic, the accolade buried within it only readable from an oblique angle. Another is a rather kitsch statuette of a child sitting cross-legged, intent upon a book. There are three others, and all five are in need of dusting.
For some time now, since well before sunset, Philip Murdstone has been reciting a brutal phrase as if it were a mantra that might console him.
It is: I'm fucked.
It has failed to console him.
That was my first giggle.
Shortly thereafter, there's a jab at the Eragon novels:
"And what might they be?"
"Oh, come on, Philip! Even you must have heard of The Dragoneer Chronicles."
"Nope."
"My God, darling, have you been living in a cave or something? Well, yes, I suppose you have, more or less. The Dragoneer Chronicles is the biggest thing since Harry Potter. You have heard of Harry Potter, I take it? You have? Good. Well, The Dragoneer Chronicles is a six-hundred-page fantasy blockbuster written by a seventeen-year-old anorak called Virgil Peroni. American, obviously. Actually, his mother wrote it for him, but that's not the point."
I began to thoroughly enjoy this book.
After the librarian's description of Fantasy, I was absolutely roaring gleefully:
"In answer to his query, Tania (her name was on a badge that rested on the gentle declension of her left breast) said, “Well, gosh, it depends what you mean by ‘Fantasy.’ I mean, it’s a broad-spectrum genre, as I’m sure you know. There’s Post-Tolkien Traditionalist Fantasy, obviously. That’s your goblins and wizards and so forth. Reliable. Then there’s Post-Tolkien Experimental, which has glam-rock angels and drugs and that sort of thing. Not to be confused, of course, with Mormon Vampire Fantasy, which is an entirely different thing. As is Steampunk.”
“Steampunk?”
“You know. Victorian time warp. Like Blade Runner directed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.”
“Ah, yes.” Philip’s brain scrambled for coordinates like a drowning spider clutching at the radials of a plughole.
“Then, of course, there’s Portal Fantasy, in which the central characters find their way through some gap or tunnel in the cosmic fabric and find themselves in a different dimension of the spacio-temporal continuum, although in my opinion” – here Tania sniffed disdainfully – “these are often just sexed-up historical novels. Very popular with children of single parents, though. I have absolutely no idea why. Let’s see. Right: Post-Apocalypse Fantasy. That’s boys’ stuff. Basically Post-Tolkien Experimental with continuous violence. Think computer games for the semiliterate. Tricky to tell the difference between that and Splatter SF, as often as not. It’s provoked some lively discussions as to cataloging, I can tell you. Baguettes have been thrown in the staff room more than once. Dystopian Fantasy is more or less the same thing, but with a girl as the main character because teenage girls are more miserable than teenage boys. What else? Philip Pullman. He’s another problem. The Dewey System just wasn’t designed with him in mind. Religious Fantasy, you might say, but that’s the same as Theology, isn’t it? Irene over there at the desk would call it Pretentious Fantasy, but then she only likes books about the SAS. There’s Terry Pratchett, of course, but he’s pretty sui generis.”
“Indeed,” Philip said knowledgeably.
“And needless to say there’s Harry Potter, but you’ll know those. No point you looking for them anyway. They’re all out and reserved for the next two years. In fact, the books that J. K. says she’s not going to write are reserved for the next two years.”
Yeah, that one's for the booknerds and librarians in the world.
The writing is whimsical but solid, building a subtle tension while humorously crafting a somewhat off-putting story. All the analogies, similes, and metaphors, I loved them.
He felt bad now. He had suddenly put on lots of weight, and there was that numbness at the top of his skull that would later turn into a lobster-shaped headache."
I've had lobster-shaped headaches before but never realized that's what they were until I read that line.
So he was peculiarly ill-equipped for understanding what had happened to him up on the moor. Back in his dusky parlor, he fumbled at the experience like an ape looking for the edible parts of a digital camera.
Why have I never thought of fumbling in such a manner before? It makes so much sense!
I had no idea what to expect from this book, going in, so I was happily surprised to enjoy it so well. It's a fun read with a hard end. If you're a fantasy reader, a librarian, a general booknerd, you'll probably like this. If you're a complainy old weirdo like I am, then you'll love it.
August 30, 2018
First, let me state the obvious: publishing this book as YA was definitely a mistake. It is extremely not YA: the subject matter is far too adult (and I don’t just mean all the drinking and masturbation, but the concerns of the characters) and the vocabulary would likely put 99% of YA readers off. This, for example, is the very first paragraph:
(I mean, what teen does not what to read about badgers ripe and rank with estrus?)
So the question becomes, is it worthwhile to ignore this poor publishing decision and treat this book as an adult novel? I was excited to read it and find out: as you can see from the above passage, the writing is very, very British (and once people start exchanging dialogue, becomes more so), and that’s a style of humor that I really enjoy. I am also myself an avid fantasy – and even YA fantasy – fan, while recognizing that both those genres are ripe for parody. I was looking forward to seeing them affectionately skewered.
Unfortunately, there is nothing affectionate about this book. It’s the story of Philip Murdstone, a once critically acclaimed, now washed-up author of sensitive, realistic books for teens (much like Peet himself wrote). His agent, Minerva, convinces him that the only way to salvage his career is to hop on the YA fantasy bandwagon. But Philip’s research into the genre leaves him disgusted, so he goes and gets tanked at the local pub, then passes out amongst an assembly of mysterious standing stones. There, he dreams the entire opening to a fantasy saga, narrated in the voice of a goblin-esque creature named Pocket. When Philip finishes transcribing this first part of the novel, he is visited by Pocket himself, who promises to provide Philip with the rest of the story – if Philip will retrieve a magical amulet in return.
This makes up the first third of Peet’s novel, and it’s a very enjoyable beginning. There are some incredibly sharp, clever sentences, and plenty of dry, English wit. Peet is quite brutal with his subjects – fantasy and YA literature, the publishing industry in general, and yokels of the English countryside – but so too can be, say, Kingsley Amis or David Lodge or Edward St. Aubyn. I never laughed out loud, but my lip curled in frequent amusement.
Philip’s channeled novel, Dark Entropy, is of course a monster success, and therefore, obviously, must become the first of a trilogy. To write the next two volumes, Philip enters into increasingly complicated and dangerous deals with Pocket – and what he’s writing begins to take on a sinister edge as well. At this point, also, Peet’s novel also becomes increasingly convoluted. There are passages from the points of view of the crazy, thumb-sucking sisters who run the local library and speak entirely in dialect. More and more of the fantasy world intrudes on the plot, and unfortunately – though possibly intentionally? – for something being hailed as “the next Harry Potter” AND winning literary awards, it sounds just dreadful. To a degree that I, who know perfectly well that utter dreck can hit it big, didn’t quite buy Dark Entropy’s success. (Also, like The Murdstone Trilogy itself, it is clearly NOT YA.) And most unfortunate, we start to see the dark side of a certain type of old-school British humor creep in: a bit of racism. Most certainly some classism. A really uncomfortable scene of (also just confusing) transphobia. And definitely a hearty dose of sexism.
When you get right down to it, the book just feels mean. Nasty. This is perhaps not the nicest thing to say, considering that the author is now deceased, but it reads like the work of a very, very bitter older writer who thinks the younger generation is producing nothing but trash. Kids these days!!! It also doesn’t have anything interesting or new to say about publishing – “agents are the worst!” – or about the genre at which it is poking fun. I think you have to know, and even like, a subject to really parody it well. It will mean you understand its conventions, its weak spots and strengths. The movie Galaxy Quest is a superior example of this. But from reading The Murdstone Trilogy, it seems to me that Peet has likely done little more exploration of fantasy than his protagonist—just enough to lance the giants of the genre. (Terry Pratchett, at least, he refrains from completely savaging.)
I began this book with excitement and finished it with a bad taste in my mouth. Instead of an affectionate parody, it's a novel about a terrible person having terrible things happen to him, while inflicting upon the world terrible books. What Peet never seems to have understood is that the world is terrible enough already. Good fantasy illuminates the bad, or allows you to envision something better. Even when it's sort of goofy, even when it's for kids, I'd so much rather read that.
The sun sinks, leaving tatty furbelows of crimson cloud in the Dartmoor sky. From somewhere in the bracken, tough invisible ponies huff and snicker. Final calls: rooks croaking homeward, a robin hoping for a last territorial dispute before bedtime. Voles scuttle to holes, their backs abristle with fear of Owl. It is early spring. Lambs plead for mothers. Below ground, badgers, ripe and rank with estrus, prepare themselves for the night’s business. A fox flames its ears and clears its throat.
(I mean, what teen does not what to read about badgers ripe and rank with estrus?)
So the question becomes, is it worthwhile to ignore this poor publishing decision and treat this book as an adult novel? I was excited to read it and find out: as you can see from the above passage, the writing is very, very British (and once people start exchanging dialogue, becomes more so), and that’s a style of humor that I really enjoy. I am also myself an avid fantasy – and even YA fantasy – fan, while recognizing that both those genres are ripe for parody. I was looking forward to seeing them affectionately skewered.
Unfortunately, there is nothing affectionate about this book. It’s the story of Philip Murdstone, a once critically acclaimed, now washed-up author of sensitive, realistic books for teens (much like Peet himself wrote). His agent, Minerva, convinces him that the only way to salvage his career is to hop on the YA fantasy bandwagon. But Philip’s research into the genre leaves him disgusted, so he goes and gets tanked at the local pub, then passes out amongst an assembly of mysterious standing stones. There, he dreams the entire opening to a fantasy saga, narrated in the voice of a goblin-esque creature named Pocket. When Philip finishes transcribing this first part of the novel, he is visited by Pocket himself, who promises to provide Philip with the rest of the story – if Philip will retrieve a magical amulet in return.
This makes up the first third of Peet’s novel, and it’s a very enjoyable beginning. There are some incredibly sharp, clever sentences, and plenty of dry, English wit. Peet is quite brutal with his subjects – fantasy and YA literature, the publishing industry in general, and yokels of the English countryside – but so too can be, say, Kingsley Amis or David Lodge or Edward St. Aubyn. I never laughed out loud, but my lip curled in frequent amusement.
Philip’s channeled novel, Dark Entropy, is of course a monster success, and therefore, obviously, must become the first of a trilogy. To write the next two volumes, Philip enters into increasingly complicated and dangerous deals with Pocket – and what he’s writing begins to take on a sinister edge as well. At this point, also, Peet’s novel also becomes increasingly convoluted. There are passages from the points of view of the crazy, thumb-sucking sisters who run the local library and speak entirely in dialect. More and more of the fantasy world intrudes on the plot, and unfortunately – though possibly intentionally? – for something being hailed as “the next Harry Potter” AND winning literary awards, it sounds just dreadful. To a degree that I, who know perfectly well that utter dreck can hit it big, didn’t quite buy Dark Entropy’s success. (Also, like The Murdstone Trilogy itself, it is clearly NOT YA.) And most unfortunate, we start to see the dark side of a certain type of old-school British humor creep in: a bit of racism. Most certainly some classism. A really uncomfortable scene of (also just confusing) transphobia. And definitely a hearty dose of sexism.
When you get right down to it, the book just feels mean. Nasty. This is perhaps not the nicest thing to say, considering that the author is now deceased, but it reads like the work of a very, very bitter older writer who thinks the younger generation is producing nothing but trash. Kids these days!!! It also doesn’t have anything interesting or new to say about publishing – “agents are the worst!” – or about the genre at which it is poking fun. I think you have to know, and even like, a subject to really parody it well. It will mean you understand its conventions, its weak spots and strengths. The movie Galaxy Quest is a superior example of this. But from reading The Murdstone Trilogy, it seems to me that Peet has likely done little more exploration of fantasy than his protagonist—just enough to lance the giants of the genre. (Terry Pratchett, at least, he refrains from completely savaging.)
I began this book with excitement and finished it with a bad taste in my mouth. Instead of an affectionate parody, it's a novel about a terrible person having terrible things happen to him, while inflicting upon the world terrible books. What Peet never seems to have understood is that the world is terrible enough already. Good fantasy illuminates the bad, or allows you to envision something better. Even when it's sort of goofy, even when it's for kids, I'd so much rather read that.
December 15, 2018
Brilliantly inventive, wonderfully funny, and a superb parody of the often ridiculous nature of high fantasy. An absolute treasure of a book with firm echoes of Pratchett in places ('sui generis', of course). I really did not want it to end and savoured the final few chapters, reading and re-reading them. Deeply saddened to learn of the author's death in 2015.
December 29, 2014
Brilliantly funny, superb writing and so very, very clever. Wish I'd thought of it.
Read
June 17, 2015This was kind of a guilty pleasure. He really is so terribly nasty to everyone; no one gets off lightly, and some of it does sort of make you uncomfortable in its nastiness. I'm not even talking about the "eeeew" factor, which is high, but basically just the way he sends-up every ethnic, cultural, national, local, religious, and sexual orientation that he mentions. And himself. He sends up himself in a big, big way.
But that was what I *loved* about this book - how screamingly true-to-life it was in its parody of the Young Adult Literary World. Particularly in the beginning, before the plot's (and the main character's) descent into extreme weirdness, there was just so much to make me laugh out loud, nodding my head and exclaiming aloud, "Yes! Yes!" And of course, I recognized all the mock figures. And of course, Mal Peet is of a time and of an intellectual level where there is quite a bit of subtle stuff going on, and knowing-what-the-subtle-narrator-is-talking-about has always been a source of intense reading pleasure for me.
So... Not sure who to recommend this to. If you're over 40, embroiled in the children's literature publication scene, and feeling either relieved or embittered about your career, you will probably enjoy it with the same guilty pleasure that I did. If you don't know much about publishing/writing for children from the inside, it may leave you going... "????" And if you're new to the children's writing underworld, or very politically aware and active, or have written a successful fantasy trilogy, or have not developed your own Sense of Self-Parody, it will probably offend you. Because you're going to be the target of his poison pen. Sorry.
But that was what I *loved* about this book - how screamingly true-to-life it was in its parody of the Young Adult Literary World. Particularly in the beginning, before the plot's (and the main character's) descent into extreme weirdness, there was just so much to make me laugh out loud, nodding my head and exclaiming aloud, "Yes! Yes!" And of course, I recognized all the mock figures. And of course, Mal Peet is of a time and of an intellectual level where there is quite a bit of subtle stuff going on, and knowing-what-the-subtle-narrator-is-talking-about has always been a source of intense reading pleasure for me.
So... Not sure who to recommend this to. If you're over 40, embroiled in the children's literature publication scene, and feeling either relieved or embittered about your career, you will probably enjoy it with the same guilty pleasure that I did. If you don't know much about publishing/writing for children from the inside, it may leave you going... "????" And if you're new to the children's writing underworld, or very politically aware and active, or have written a successful fantasy trilogy, or have not developed your own Sense of Self-Parody, it will probably offend you. Because you're going to be the target of his poison pen. Sorry.
September 12, 2015
The first few chapters of The Murdstone Trilogy are really not an indication of the book as a whole. I entered it and got something that looked like a smart satire on the publishing industry and fantasy writing and people's responses to the whole shebang. By the end I was just depressed and wallowing in this dread that I missed something really important - like 'The Point' - or that I didn't get it because it just got weird.
Another reviewer pointed out that the book gets dark in the second half. Unfortunately it never lightens once it goes there and starts to meander in strange directions. It's totally a modern-ish Faustian tale that becomes more obvious as the book progresses, but the odd things just keep stacking up. I don't mind magical realism when it works. The magical realism in The Murdstone Trilogy never worked for me and that was probably the biggest failing.
Note: ARC received via Amazon Vine in exchange for review.
Another reviewer pointed out that the book gets dark in the second half. Unfortunately it never lightens once it goes there and starts to meander in strange directions. It's totally a modern-ish Faustian tale that becomes more obvious as the book progresses, but the odd things just keep stacking up. I don't mind magical realism when it works. The magical realism in The Murdstone Trilogy never worked for me and that was probably the biggest failing.
Note: ARC received via Amazon Vine in exchange for review.
October 19, 2015
I just . . . what did I just read? I mean, seriously, what was this?
It was awesome, that's what it was.
A magnificent skewering of modern publishing and the fantasy genre in particular, I wouldn't put this down, and I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard. It also made me slightly uncomfortable because I started to scan back through my own books to see how many of these tropes I had used (and abused). This is perfection for anyone who's ever written a fantasy book, or for anyone who enjoys satire, or . . . just a really well-written book!
One note: I thought this was YA, but all the characters are adult, and there is quite a bit of swearing and sexuality, though none of that is graphic. Just FYI. I also think you'd need to be a bit older to get most of the jokes and references.
It was awesome, that's what it was.
A magnificent skewering of modern publishing and the fantasy genre in particular, I wouldn't put this down, and I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard. It also made me slightly uncomfortable because I started to scan back through my own books to see how many of these tropes I had used (and abused). This is perfection for anyone who's ever written a fantasy book, or for anyone who enjoys satire, or . . . just a really well-written book!
One note: I thought this was YA, but all the characters are adult, and there is quite a bit of swearing and sexuality, though none of that is graphic. Just FYI. I also think you'd need to be a bit older to get most of the jokes and references.
July 14, 2016
So, can you guess which book The Murdstone Trilogy was a read-along for? It's about an author of young adult books about tortured young men, whose oeuvre has gone out of oeuv. His agent convinces him that what needs to be written is a work of High Phantasy, a quest tale for the ages, or at least for the next few months. Murdstone hates the idea with a fiery passion, but has no money or other marketable skills, so what's an author to do?
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
July 31, 2019
This started out really promising, as a tongue in cheek poke at Fantasy writing. It devolved quickly into something mean and spiteful though, alas. I can't finish this.
October 19, 2015
It's a clever setup and there are some nice moments in the opening third.
And that's it.
Far too much of this falls over my threshold of humour and frequently appears spiteful. Digs are had at everything from mild, the writer for example, to excoriating, the fantasy genre and publishing in general.
I was disappointed with the much heralded dark ending. It's hard to pull off and he really doesn't make it. He pulls a few sleights of hand to tie everything up in a satisfactory fashion but they are either too late or jar too much to be effective.
Ultimately it's hard to care about any of the characters and without that there is very little to distract you from a series of well worn tropes. The same hackneyed elements that he takes a shot at early on.
It's a shame because, as I said, the general idea is a good one, but clumsily executed, muddying the waters with a number of plot elements that really don't hang well with the degree of vitriol poured on the targets of his scorn. Is it a parody in reaction to one question too many of "Where do your ideas come from?" A reaction to the excesses of the "next great thing" publishing pulls out from time to time? A Scoop for this generation's book mills? You really do wonder what some of these people have done to him.
With a gentler touch this would work better, in the vein of Pratchett (one of the few names he merely sniffs at rather than kicks) or even at full throttle, Robert Rankin perhaps.
And that's it.
Far too much of this falls over my threshold of humour and frequently appears spiteful. Digs are had at everything from mild, the writer for example, to excoriating, the fantasy genre and publishing in general.
I was disappointed with the much heralded dark ending. It's hard to pull off and he really doesn't make it. He pulls a few sleights of hand to tie everything up in a satisfactory fashion but they are either too late or jar too much to be effective.
Ultimately it's hard to care about any of the characters and without that there is very little to distract you from a series of well worn tropes. The same hackneyed elements that he takes a shot at early on.
It's a shame because, as I said, the general idea is a good one, but clumsily executed, muddying the waters with a number of plot elements that really don't hang well with the degree of vitriol poured on the targets of his scorn. Is it a parody in reaction to one question too many of "Where do your ideas come from?" A reaction to the excesses of the "next great thing" publishing pulls out from time to time? A Scoop for this generation's book mills? You really do wonder what some of these people have done to him.
With a gentler touch this would work better, in the vein of Pratchett (one of the few names he merely sniffs at rather than kicks) or even at full throttle, Robert Rankin perhaps.
January 15, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed Mal Peet's 'Murdstone Trilogy' even though it left me slightly baffled. It is a darkly humorous piece of satire about the fantasy genre and was a great deal of fun to read.
The book is split in to three sections, each corresponding to one of the books of the titular 'Murdstone Trilogy'. Sections one and two were utterly perfect. I almost wish I could have rated each section individually. The pacing was perfect, the characters recognisable as the caricatures of what they represent, and the novels, especially 'Dark Entropy' sounded wonderful in their own rights. The third section though, and therefore the end of the novel was a three star affair, descending ever too quickly in to the absurd. The end of the novel moved far too quickly and I found it difficult to follow, or indeed to separate reality from Murdstone's fiction.
'The Murdstone Trilogy' was a triumph of fantasy satire for the most part. I would certainly recommend it for a fun and exciting read with a literary bent.
The book is split in to three sections, each corresponding to one of the books of the titular 'Murdstone Trilogy'. Sections one and two were utterly perfect. I almost wish I could have rated each section individually. The pacing was perfect, the characters recognisable as the caricatures of what they represent, and the novels, especially 'Dark Entropy' sounded wonderful in their own rights. The third section though, and therefore the end of the novel was a three star affair, descending ever too quickly in to the absurd. The end of the novel moved far too quickly and I found it difficult to follow, or indeed to separate reality from Murdstone's fiction.
'The Murdstone Trilogy' was a triumph of fantasy satire for the most part. I would certainly recommend it for a fun and exciting read with a literary bent.
July 11, 2018
3.5 stars
Brilliant send-up of the fantasy genre but done with real warmth. The Murdstone Trilogy defies easy categorisation since there's tragedy and dark humour as well as the obvious fantasy. I loved that it's so very English, clever and definitely Pratchett-flavoured. The ending became rather foggy for me, though perhaps it's meant to be that way. A recommended read if you fancy something altogether different.
Brilliant send-up of the fantasy genre but done with real warmth. The Murdstone Trilogy defies easy categorisation since there's tragedy and dark humour as well as the obvious fantasy. I loved that it's so very English, clever and definitely Pratchett-flavoured. The ending became rather foggy for me, though perhaps it's meant to be that way. A recommended read if you fancy something altogether different.
February 19, 2016
A solid 4 stars! This book had a bit of everything in my opinion. I love books that take place in the U.K. because it's a different culture than my own and I love the way they speak. The slang and dialect from each region is all so unique and fascinating. I also find British humor hilarious.
Okay, The Murdstone Trilogy is about a man named Philip Murdstone. He is a YA author of depressing teen boy contemporary. He kind of started the niche of teen boys and their sad feelings and won plenty of awards for his contemporaries. It's been years now and his editor/publisher/agent I'm not really sure what she is to him...her name is Minerva and she has been there since the beginning. She unfortunately is in the business for the money and so decides to recreate her "client". She want's to revamp and rebrand Philip. She decides the best genre for this new and improved Phil is FANTASY!
Fantasy is all the rage right now and has been for a few years, what with Tolkein, George R.R Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, Terry Prachett, Robin Hobb and the almighty Brandon Sanderson. Everyone wants a piece of it whether it's middle grade, YA or adult fiction.
Unfortunately Philip knows almost nothing of Fantasy. He's never read Lord of the Rings and can't see himself writing that. Minerva gives him a outline or template. A guideline if you will and leaves him to it.
By accident, Philip ends up writing Dark Entropy. This becomes super popular and Minerva decides well FANTASY always comes in three's so Philip needs to get back on the wagon and get another one written pronto. This time however it is more difficult.
This book is a sarcastic and hilarious look on publishing/fandom/stardom. The ever inevitable limelight with a popular series and how with one win people can become money hungry and fame hungry for more. This is also a fantasy book so while it is partially like a contemporary there is the whole fantasy aspect of meeting characters that Philip talks about in his trilogy.
I loved Pocket! I loved his nature, the way he spoke and of course his way of sealing a deal with your hands on your orbs! :D
What I didn't like about the book. The ending. I didn't understand it. Was Philip mad the entire time? Did the books come from a brief session of genius to be then buried under the madness? Or was it the opposite. The sleep deprivation, alcoholism and obsession that drove Philip to madness. Or was it truly the fantastical? I'm not quite sure.
I also hated Minerva. She was a vampire. Keep the cash rolling in darling. I only like you because you make me rich. What a skank!
Okay, The Murdstone Trilogy is about a man named Philip Murdstone. He is a YA author of depressing teen boy contemporary. He kind of started the niche of teen boys and their sad feelings and won plenty of awards for his contemporaries. It's been years now and his editor/publisher/agent I'm not really sure what she is to him...her name is Minerva and she has been there since the beginning. She unfortunately is in the business for the money and so decides to recreate her "client". She want's to revamp and rebrand Philip. She decides the best genre for this new and improved Phil is FANTASY!
Fantasy is all the rage right now and has been for a few years, what with Tolkein, George R.R Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, Terry Prachett, Robin Hobb and the almighty Brandon Sanderson. Everyone wants a piece of it whether it's middle grade, YA or adult fiction.
Unfortunately Philip knows almost nothing of Fantasy. He's never read Lord of the Rings and can't see himself writing that. Minerva gives him a outline or template. A guideline if you will and leaves him to it.
By accident, Philip ends up writing Dark Entropy. This becomes super popular and Minerva decides well FANTASY always comes in three's so Philip needs to get back on the wagon and get another one written pronto. This time however it is more difficult.
This book is a sarcastic and hilarious look on publishing/fandom/stardom. The ever inevitable limelight with a popular series and how with one win people can become money hungry and fame hungry for more. This is also a fantasy book so while it is partially like a contemporary there is the whole fantasy aspect of meeting characters that Philip talks about in his trilogy.
I loved Pocket! I loved his nature, the way he spoke and of course his way of sealing a deal with your hands on your orbs! :D
What I didn't like about the book. The ending. I didn't understand it. Was Philip mad the entire time? Did the books come from a brief session of genius to be then buried under the madness? Or was it the opposite. The sleep deprivation, alcoholism and obsession that drove Philip to madness. Or was it truly the fantastical? I'm not quite sure.
I also hated Minerva. She was a vampire. Keep the cash rolling in darling. I only like you because you make me rich. What a skank!
April 29, 2018
This book was a bit bonkers in a kind of awesome way. Phillip Murdstone is a writer of sensitive novels about young boys. Apparently, these don't sell very well so his agent Minerva says he has to write something that sells and will actually make money before he can go back to writing what he likes. You know, she says to him, write about some poor orphaned farm boy who gets a sword and has a wizardly mentor and defeats a dark lord. It's all very in vogue darling, she says over a glass of wine. And she's right, of course - there's a very rigid fantasy template that this book pokes hilarious fun at and a particularly funny quip about the Eragon books.
So the good first chunk of this book is about Philip trying and failing to write some High Fantasy tosh whilst living in a run down shack in the middle of the countryside. So he turns to alcohol. One night, whilst completely bladdered, he's having a wee on some fancy rocks when he meets a rather curious gobliny creature who provides the inspiration for his book, Dark Entropy, lovingly named for the beer he was drinking. There's all sorts of interesting bits about writing and the publishing world mixed in as Phillip's world gets more and more mixed with the world of his book.
The second half kind of faltered for me a bit. Phillip spent all of his time drinking and going crazy, and whilst there were some great scenes and the idea behind it was really unlike much I've ever read before, alongside super insightful comments, I just got a bit bored. The ending was also completely wacky. Also, I picked this up thinking it would be suitable for children - it's not. Teenagers, sure, but not children - lots of swearing, excessive drunkeness, yada yada yada. I was actually really pleased to find it was more of an adult novel than I had expected.
Read more reviews on my blog: http://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co.uk
So the good first chunk of this book is about Philip trying and failing to write some High Fantasy tosh whilst living in a run down shack in the middle of the countryside. So he turns to alcohol. One night, whilst completely bladdered, he's having a wee on some fancy rocks when he meets a rather curious gobliny creature who provides the inspiration for his book, Dark Entropy, lovingly named for the beer he was drinking. There's all sorts of interesting bits about writing and the publishing world mixed in as Phillip's world gets more and more mixed with the world of his book.
The second half kind of faltered for me a bit. Phillip spent all of his time drinking and going crazy, and whilst there were some great scenes and the idea behind it was really unlike much I've ever read before, alongside super insightful comments, I just got a bit bored. The ending was also completely wacky. Also, I picked this up thinking it would be suitable for children - it's not. Teenagers, sure, but not children - lots of swearing, excessive drunkeness, yada yada yada. I was actually really pleased to find it was more of an adult novel than I had expected.
Read more reviews on my blog: http://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co.uk
January 19, 2016
Award winning author Phillip Murdstone has a problem - his YA books about 'sensitive young men' are no longer selling. When his agent, Minerva, tells him that his last book sold 313 copies, he knows he's in trouble. When she tells him that he has to change genres and write a 'high fantasy' novel to stay current, he really knows he's in trouble. After lamenting his fate at a local pub he falls asleep at Wringers, the area's stone circle, and in a dream a story is related to him by a Greme named Pocket about a realm in danger from an evil overlord named Morl. When he awakens and gets home, he realizes that he has his book which is somehow being fed to him by strange writing at the bottom of his computer screen. 'Dark Entrophy' becomes a huge hit receiving awards and movie deals and finally Phillip feels like he has it made....until he begins to wonder about where the story really came from and whether it really is a fantasy or something more.
The Murdstone Trilogy is funny weird and strange in all the best ways. It was obviously written by a British author and like many Americans I have a fondness for all things British. The tone of the book, the language used and the dark humor all made it very enjoyable for me. The agent's recipe for fantasy books is so spot on it's quite funny.
I hadn't heard of Mal Peet before - apparently he was an award winning YA author. He unfortunately died just around the time The Murdstone Trilogy was published
The Murdstone Trilogy is funny weird and strange in all the best ways. It was obviously written by a British author and like many Americans I have a fondness for all things British. The tone of the book, the language used and the dark humor all made it very enjoyable for me. The agent's recipe for fantasy books is so spot on it's quite funny.
I hadn't heard of Mal Peet before - apparently he was an award winning YA author. He unfortunately died just around the time The Murdstone Trilogy was published
August 9, 2015
A parody of the fantasy genre, which in fact turned out to be a satire of the publishing industry; resultantly read more like a bitter laceration of the author's own industry, instead of the light-touch, self-effacing romp I was expecting.
Some good jokes and well-constructed one-liners. Unfortunately a tad too much 'comedy' in racist/sexist/homophobic veins, which turned me off both the author and protagonist in a big way.
The protagonist, the rather whiney and self-serving Philip Murdstone, is no Arthur Dent and while the novel demonstrates some self-awareness, I got the feeling we were still meant to collude with the bitter and arrogant woes of its protagonist and his slightly problematic take on the world.
Peet's writing style entirely lacks the imaginative scope of Pratchett (hey, you slap the 'Pratchettian' comparison on the back cover, you invite me to judge against the greats) - the fantastical counter-narrative is barely fleshed out and skipped over in a fashion that smacks of sheer laziness, and Pratchett's compassion and satirical bite are entirely absent.
What can I say, I prefer my genre parodies driven by good-will. Now if you'll excuse me, gonna go watch 'Galaxy Quest.'
Some good jokes and well-constructed one-liners. Unfortunately a tad too much 'comedy' in racist/sexist/homophobic veins, which turned me off both the author and protagonist in a big way.
The protagonist, the rather whiney and self-serving Philip Murdstone, is no Arthur Dent and while the novel demonstrates some self-awareness, I got the feeling we were still meant to collude with the bitter and arrogant woes of its protagonist and his slightly problematic take on the world.
Peet's writing style entirely lacks the imaginative scope of Pratchett (hey, you slap the 'Pratchettian' comparison on the back cover, you invite me to judge against the greats) - the fantastical counter-narrative is barely fleshed out and skipped over in a fashion that smacks of sheer laziness, and Pratchett's compassion and satirical bite are entirely absent.
What can I say, I prefer my genre parodies driven by good-will. Now if you'll excuse me, gonna go watch 'Galaxy Quest.'
March 30, 2015
Kate de Goldi recommended this and as I have really enjoyed Mal Peet's books I bought it instantly. And I'm sooo pleased I did. It is bizarre, funny, odd and wonderful. A YA author called Phillip Murdstone is told by his agent that he needs to write something which will sell or will no longer be on the books. She suggests that the best thing to write is a fantasy as they sell like hot cakes and that it should include a journey, an amulet, an evil one, a good one and a list of other things. This horrifies him, he looks down on fantasy as rubbish and not worthy of even the word novel. But, he is broke, he is sinking and he is a bit desperate. Desperate men do desperate things. Then via a meeting with a character who dictates the book to him he becomes a very reluctant but hugely successful fantasy writer.
The book pokes fun at everyone in the literary world, festivals, librarians, booksellers, agents, publishers and of course writers. It is witty and clever and I loved it lots.
The book pokes fun at everyone in the literary world, festivals, librarians, booksellers, agents, publishers and of course writers. It is witty and clever and I loved it lots.
November 25, 2015
I received a copy of The Murdstone Trilogy from Scholastic New Zealand in exchange for an honest review. I’d never heard of this before it arrived at my door.
This book was pretty enjoyable even though it did leave me a little baffled at the end. It’s a dark and sometimes funny satire book about the fantasy genre and I love the fantasy genre.
The Murdstone Trilogy is split into three parts, each one corresponding with a book in the “Murdstone Trilogy.” The first part was, for me at least, the best. After that things started to get a little weird. By the third and final part it was really fast paced and at times difficult to follow. Sometimes it was even hard to tell what was reality and what was fiction in Murdstone’s book. But then, was it fiction? I don’t know.
Despite the confusion at the end it was a fun read. It was a really fast read and funny in places. The Murdstone Trilogy is a bizarre, odd and very good fantasy satire.
This book was pretty enjoyable even though it did leave me a little baffled at the end. It’s a dark and sometimes funny satire book about the fantasy genre and I love the fantasy genre.
The Murdstone Trilogy is split into three parts, each one corresponding with a book in the “Murdstone Trilogy.” The first part was, for me at least, the best. After that things started to get a little weird. By the third and final part it was really fast paced and at times difficult to follow. Sometimes it was even hard to tell what was reality and what was fiction in Murdstone’s book. But then, was it fiction? I don’t know.
Despite the confusion at the end it was a fun read. It was a really fast read and funny in places. The Murdstone Trilogy is a bizarre, odd and very good fantasy satire.
September 1, 2015
This book starts off so well but by the end had me screaming COP OUT. The plot line skims along at a decent pace but the the characters are not well rounded, or properly explored. The last third of the book is either a mish mash of an author who couldn't work out what to do next, or is so clever I am too dumb to understand the point of it.
Also, although the cover tells you again and again how witty the book is I am sorry to say I didn't think it was funny or witty at all.
Overall a poor mans Tom Holt.
Also, although the cover tells you again and again how witty the book is I am sorry to say I didn't think it was funny or witty at all.
Overall a poor mans Tom Holt.
June 22, 2020
Philip Murdstone write pretentious literature that's kind of niche. His agent wants him to try and write something that will sell, maybe something in the ever popular fantasy genre. When Murdstone wanders drunkenly into a ring of ancient stones, he passes out and finds himself in a realm at threat and being guided by a goblin-like creature who dictates a story to him. Instant bestseller but the pressure is on to create a trilogy. This was snortingly funny, a loving pisstake of writers, the literary world, the fantasy genre and the general mass of readers. An entertaining read.
August 30, 2014
This book is a real thinker. It has alot to say re the writing process, the publishing industry and the mindset of some authors. Very clever leaving me with lots to think about. I found myself chuckling a lot at the sheer cynicism of the main character when told he ought to be writing books in a genre he doesn't like because it is in fashion. Beautifully written and well worth a look.
August 16, 2015
Crude. Crass. Coarse. Bitter. Sarcastic. Wordy. Choppy. Snarky. Spiteful. Gross.
I like British humor, but not this kind. At least it was short.
I like British humor, but not this kind. At least it was short.
July 29, 2022
АААААААААА
December 8, 2015
Flights of fancy? Or insanity? Or merely fantasy?
What is going on with Philip Murdstone? He is visited (or is it all in his head?) by Pocket Wellfair, a Greme (an elf-like or gnome-like creature). Pocket helps Murdstone revive his ailing literary career by writing a fantasy novel for Murdstone, which Murdstone publishes under his own name. Of course, Pocket isn't doing this merely from the goodness of his own heart: in exchange for the fantasy novel, Murdstone must deliver a powerful amulet to Pocket.
* * *
The Murdstone Trilogy, which laughs at us with its title as it is a stand-alone book, is a bit of darkly whimsical, noirish magical (or, in keeping with the book, magickal) realism (or pseudo-realism).
There is nothing of great import in The Murdstone Trilogy; it's not one of the best books of the year, but it is certainly very good, and I cannot count the number of times I laughed out loud.
The Murdstone Trilogy is a delight--a nice bit of escapist fun, perfect light reading for the holidays.
What is going on with Philip Murdstone? He is visited (or is it all in his head?) by Pocket Wellfair, a Greme (an elf-like or gnome-like creature). Pocket helps Murdstone revive his ailing literary career by writing a fantasy novel for Murdstone, which Murdstone publishes under his own name. Of course, Pocket isn't doing this merely from the goodness of his own heart: in exchange for the fantasy novel, Murdstone must deliver a powerful amulet to Pocket.
* * *
The Murdstone Trilogy, which laughs at us with its title as it is a stand-alone book, is a bit of darkly whimsical, noirish magical (or, in keeping with the book, magickal) realism (or pseudo-realism).
There is nothing of great import in The Murdstone Trilogy; it's not one of the best books of the year, but it is certainly very good, and I cannot count the number of times I laughed out loud.
The Murdstone Trilogy is a delight--a nice bit of escapist fun, perfect light reading for the holidays.
June 22, 2015
Stylistically as simple as the children's books he is better known for, this is at least a quick and easy read.
It is an interesting idea, a massively successful book fed mysteriously to a mediocre writer.
There is some mild horror, some vaguely mucky bits and some very British middle class snootiness to all and sundry.
Despite all that I mainly enjoyed it. The end was a bit rubbish, there was a sentence that as an editor I would not have allowed and so prevents me from actually bring able to recommend the book. But it will certainly not put me off reading more Mal Peet as he can write and I'm sure has less flawed books out there.
It is an interesting idea, a massively successful book fed mysteriously to a mediocre writer.
There is some mild horror, some vaguely mucky bits and some very British middle class snootiness to all and sundry.
Despite all that I mainly enjoyed it. The end was a bit rubbish, there was a sentence that as an editor I would not have allowed and so prevents me from actually bring able to recommend the book. But it will certainly not put me off reading more Mal Peet as he can write and I'm sure has less flawed books out there.
August 18, 2016
This has been on my TBR for almost a year, I think. I loved the writing style and the dark, dry humor as well as some of the spoofy sort of stuff in reference to YA Fantasy lit. But then, the ending was like whuuuu...
This would be good for a SF/F book discussion group.
This would be good for a SF/F book discussion group.
May 12, 2022
Филипп Мердстоун - автор книг о Ранимых и Придурковатых Мальчиках. Живет в сельской глубинке, ненавидит фэнтези, безнадежно влюблен в свою роскошную литагентшу Минерву. Именно Минерва сообщает ему, что книги его больше не популярны. Читателю подавай фэнтези. Желательно трилогию с большим количеством заглавных букв и произвольно раскиданных апострофов. Филипп напивается, засыпает внутри местной достопримечательности - круга монолитов, и видит прекрасный структурированный сон, с прологом, путем героя и кульминацией, о волшебной стране, которую хочет поработить злобный некромант. Основную часть надиктовывает некий Покет Доброчест - циничный грем-летописец с той стороны. И фэнтези это такая вещь, понимаете - однажды начнешь переживать за какую-нибудь волшебную страну, и понеслось. Филипп заключит с Покетом соглашение, соберет всевозможные премии, а потом история, к��торую он пишет, поднимется на хвост и заглянет ему в глаза.
Это сатира на сельскую глубинку, на издательский бизнес, на фэнтези, конечно. Но с каждой из сторон это безупречно хорошо, и смешно, и печально. Я бы хотела отдельную книгу про повседневную жизнь местечка Флемуорти (с Великой Мухой, заседаниями клуба ротарианцев, и крестным ходом экзорцистов). Отдельную эту эпическую трилогию с комментариями Доброчеста (его "вот молодец, хорошая лошадка"), потому что я тоже из породы Ранимых и Придурковатых.
И еще это о невозможном зуде писательства. "Невзаправдашние Гроссбухи", как их называет Покет, найдут тебя и сожрут. Прожуют так, что в ситуациях, когда любой другой человек убежал бы с воплем, Филипп начинает торговаться - еще один том, а что было дальше, неужели вам самим неинтересно? Мне - интересно, но как любая хорошая книга эта, увы, закончилась очень быстро.
Это сатира на сельскую глубинку, на издательский бизнес, на фэнтези, конечно. Но с каждой из сторон это безупречно хорошо, и смешно, и печально. Я бы хотела отдельную книгу про повседневную жизнь местечка Флемуорти (с Великой Мухой, заседаниями клуба ротарианцев, и крестным ходом экзорцистов). Отдельную эту эпическую трилогию с комментариями Доброчеста (его "вот молодец, хорошая лошадка"), потому что я тоже из породы Ранимых и Придурковатых.
И еще это о невозможном зуде писательства. "Невзаправдашние Гроссбухи", как их называет Покет, найдут тебя и сожрут. Прожуют так, что в ситуациях, когда любой другой человек убежал бы с воплем, Филипп начинает торговаться - еще один том, а что было дальше, неужели вам самим неинтересно? Мне - интересно, но как любая хорошая книга эта, увы, закончилась очень быстро.
August 14, 2017
THE MURDSTONE TRILLOGY is marvellously funny, and true to the genres he satirizes. It is about a writer who has won great critical acclaim for writing sensitive, literary, YA novels, but who has lost his market. His agent informs him that his only hope to salvage his career is to write a high fantasy trilogy. The protagonist, Philip Murdstone, reluctantly mounts an effort to do that. And then things begin to get weird. Not only does Peet satirize high fantasy, he also satirizes all the children's and YA books he, himself, wrote prior to MURDSTONE. The book features broad, slapstick, humour, but also a deep insight into the nature of writing, what it means to be a writer, the importance of narrative to establish a world view.
August 14, 2017
OMG! Why is this book not -far- better known? Every fantasy author should be reading it and howling with laughter. I took it with me on a bus journey and annoyed the passengers terribly by bursting out into guffaws at intervals.
Is there an author in existence who would not sell his soul to the Dark Powers to be able to write a really acclaimed novel? But these Faustian bargains never end well, and this one doesn't either, oh no.
This should have been a cinch (as it were) for a Nebula nomination! Alas, I have read it far too late.
Is there an author in existence who would not sell his soul to the Dark Powers to be able to write a really acclaimed novel? But these Faustian bargains never end well, and this one doesn't either, oh no.
This should have been a cinch (as it were) for a Nebula nomination! Alas, I have read it far too late.
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