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Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters
"Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters is most highly recommended. Marvelous!"
- Readers' Favorite (5/5 STAR REVIEW)
Freddy Fumple's world is about to turn upside down, in this nail-biting, thought-bursting, hilarious and spectacular adventure that will enthrall you from beginning to end.
Freddy Fumple is not like most other people. For one, he sees things that others can't see. What is more, he likes to ponder upon a very special question: «How far is infinity?»
When he and the rest of his family move to an old house out in the country, everything is about to change. Soon Freddy is on the verge of discovering a world beyond his wildest dreams. A world that desperately needs his help. An adventurous place where he finally can get an answer to his giant question.
Providing, of course, his neighbor doesn't make stew out of him first.And that he manages to help the confused ghost which is poltergeisting his new room.And avoids being devoured by the terrifying mindmonsters.
- Readers' Favorite (5/5 STAR REVIEW)
Freddy Fumple's world is about to turn upside down, in this nail-biting, thought-bursting, hilarious and spectacular adventure that will enthrall you from beginning to end.
Freddy Fumple is not like most other people. For one, he sees things that others can't see. What is more, he likes to ponder upon a very special question: «How far is infinity?»
When he and the rest of his family move to an old house out in the country, everything is about to change. Soon Freddy is on the verge of discovering a world beyond his wildest dreams. A world that desperately needs his help. An adventurous place where he finally can get an answer to his giant question.
Providing, of course, his neighbor doesn't make stew out of him first.And that he manages to help the confused ghost which is poltergeisting his new room.And avoids being devoured by the terrifying mindmonsters.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2015
72 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Vegard Svingen
2 books2 followersVegard Svingen grew up in the deep, mysterious forests east in Norway, and developed from early on an awareness for worlds both visible and invisible. He daily ponders upon the question "how far is infinity?"
Besides that, he is an award-winning writer and TV producer who has developed, co-written and directed some of the biggest TV successes in Norway for both children and adults.
Vegard currently lives in Oslo (Norway).
Besides that, he is an award-winning writer and TV producer who has developed, co-written and directed some of the biggest TV successes in Norway for both children and adults.
Vegard currently lives in Oslo (Norway).
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 1, 2015
I received this book free for review from the author in exchange for an honest review. Despite the privilege of receiving a free book, I’m absolutely candid about it below because I believe authors and readers will benefit most from honest reviews rather than vacuous 5-star reviews.
The nutshell view on this book is that it lies closely along the lines of the movie “The Never-ending story” from a few decades back. It’s fairly standard youth escapism in which the protagonist has some exceptional ability that means only they can save some faraway world from the oncoming devastation caused by the unbelief of the rest of the world. That’s the general idea and telling you any more would constitute a spoiler so I’ll just leave it at that.
I believe this to be primarily YA literature so I judge it by my standard three rules for books intended for children. Firstly, I ask myself if there’s any reason I wouldn’t want my children to read this book. I have absolutely no tolerance for drug or sexual references and this book is clean in that regard. There is some mild violence but nothing that’s going to make the average child concerned. Language, however, could be a major problem. There is a LOT of profanity and some of it is used in somewhat abusive situations. There are several dam*s, a couple shi*s, one godda&m and dozens of a$$ because one of the villains name is, I kid you not, A$s so his name is used as a running joke in every puerile manner possible from dumba$s to half-a$s to every other thing you can imagine. So on these grounds if you don’t want your child exposed to profanity, there’s your warning.
The second question I ask myself is whether I would want my child to read this book for some positive reason. Usually this involves some good life lesson that children can benefit from. In this case, the lessons, if there are any, are pretty week. The crux of the whole thing revolves around belief in a mysterious Other world which… I’m not terribly concerned if my children believe in myths or not. There is a weak thread of sticking with your friends and building teamwork but it’s not a terribly central theme. So the book is rather weak in this regard.
The last question is whether the reader will enjoy it. In this case I’d say it’s a strong yes. For all the book lacks in moral fibre and age-appropriate language, it is surprisingly entertaining. Because of the way in which characters and monsters are named it comes across as very 7-9 year old though so it’s going to be hard to get kids who might appreciate it to look past the silliness of that.
In summary, the book is much better than its cover and its title. I had a fair amount of fun reading it though I did start to get the creeping feeling that this story wasn’t all that original. At its heart, it’s just The Never-ending Story in a different venue but it’s a fairly original venue and the characters are entertaining and fresh at least.
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
The nutshell view on this book is that it lies closely along the lines of the movie “The Never-ending story” from a few decades back. It’s fairly standard youth escapism in which the protagonist has some exceptional ability that means only they can save some faraway world from the oncoming devastation caused by the unbelief of the rest of the world. That’s the general idea and telling you any more would constitute a spoiler so I’ll just leave it at that.
I believe this to be primarily YA literature so I judge it by my standard three rules for books intended for children. Firstly, I ask myself if there’s any reason I wouldn’t want my children to read this book. I have absolutely no tolerance for drug or sexual references and this book is clean in that regard. There is some mild violence but nothing that’s going to make the average child concerned. Language, however, could be a major problem. There is a LOT of profanity and some of it is used in somewhat abusive situations. There are several dam*s, a couple shi*s, one godda&m and dozens of a$$ because one of the villains name is, I kid you not, A$s so his name is used as a running joke in every puerile manner possible from dumba$s to half-a$s to every other thing you can imagine. So on these grounds if you don’t want your child exposed to profanity, there’s your warning.
The second question I ask myself is whether I would want my child to read this book for some positive reason. Usually this involves some good life lesson that children can benefit from. In this case, the lessons, if there are any, are pretty week. The crux of the whole thing revolves around belief in a mysterious Other world which… I’m not terribly concerned if my children believe in myths or not. There is a weak thread of sticking with your friends and building teamwork but it’s not a terribly central theme. So the book is rather weak in this regard.
The last question is whether the reader will enjoy it. In this case I’d say it’s a strong yes. For all the book lacks in moral fibre and age-appropriate language, it is surprisingly entertaining. Because of the way in which characters and monsters are named it comes across as very 7-9 year old though so it’s going to be hard to get kids who might appreciate it to look past the silliness of that.
In summary, the book is much better than its cover and its title. I had a fair amount of fun reading it though I did start to get the creeping feeling that this story wasn’t all that original. At its heart, it’s just The Never-ending Story in a different venue but it’s a fairly original venue and the characters are entertaining and fresh at least.
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
June 20, 2015
Ever wonder about the origins of the legends of elves, dragons and trolls? Did such mythical creatures ever co-exist with man? If so, where did they go?
Prepare to get your questions answered.
Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters gets off to a slow start, packed with lengthy scene descriptions and introductions to Freddy and his family. The pacing changes, however, once Freddy enters a mysterious portal. From there on in it's an action-packed thrill ride in which Freddy has to step up his game in order to save a world that is falling apart.
This book is packed with ideas, and while its acceleration is agonizingly slow, once it picks up its speed, it's an unstoppable force 'til the very end. Worth the read!
Prepare to get your questions answered.
Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters gets off to a slow start, packed with lengthy scene descriptions and introductions to Freddy and his family. The pacing changes, however, once Freddy enters a mysterious portal. From there on in it's an action-packed thrill ride in which Freddy has to step up his game in order to save a world that is falling apart.
This book is packed with ideas, and while its acceleration is agonizingly slow, once it picks up its speed, it's an unstoppable force 'til the very end. Worth the read!
January 24, 2021
Enjoyed
This is the first book I've read in Norwegian. I enjoyed the story. The author was pretty good with characters and making an interesting setting. The plot was fun and ended in a satisfying way.
This is the first book I've read in Norwegian. I enjoyed the story. The author was pretty good with characters and making an interesting setting. The plot was fun and ended in a satisfying way.
January 7, 2016
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite (5/5 STAR REVIEW)
Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters is a fantasy for preteens and children of all ages written by Vegard Svingen. Freddy and his family have left the city and are moving to the country, where his parents have both found jobs. On their way to the new house, his parents drop Freddy and his sister, Daisy, at the local schoolyard where some kids are playing soccer. Daisy gets involved in the game right away, but Freddy's not really into that kind of thing. He prefers pondering concepts like 'infinity.' Freddy agrees to be goalie, but is soon distracted when he sees two very strange beings with long ears. No one else seems to be able to see them, however, nor can they see the ghostly boy who lives in Freddy's room.
Vegard Svingen's children's and preteen fantasy, Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters, is a metaphysical lark for fantasy lovers of all ages. Freddy and his ghostly roommate, Jonathan, are the perfect set of adventurers whose quest is to help Jonathan get to The Other Side, where he can rejoin his family. Assisting them is the somewhat frightening and curmudgeonly neighbor, the Widow Crapette. Svingen's story line and sense of humor had me thinking about Douglas Adams' zany style of writing, and I think Adams would have appreciated this story that works on so many different levels. There's plenty of action and adventure, and a host of mythological beings, including a wood nymph whose friendship with Freddy hints at a coming of age sequel. At least, I hope it does. I had a lot of fun reading about Freddy and his family, as well as those mythological beings who began to seem quite real to me by the end of the book. Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters is most highly recommended.
More praise for "Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters":
INDIEREADER
"The imaginative, immersive setting and the overall heartwarming message of the power of being brave and having faith give way to a memorable adventure."
- IndieReader
FOREWORD CLARION REVIEWS
"From the ominous front cover to the promise of further adventures in the final paragraph, this story is a pleasure."
- Foreword Clarion Reviews
KIRKUS REVIEWS
"...readers will undoubtedly appreciate the fast-paced narrative and high-stakes action scenes that are interspersed with moments of zany humor."
- Kirkus Reviews
AUTHORSREADING.COM
"...you will not put Freddy Fumple down. Great book!!!"
- AuthorsReading.com
Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters is a fantasy for preteens and children of all ages written by Vegard Svingen. Freddy and his family have left the city and are moving to the country, where his parents have both found jobs. On their way to the new house, his parents drop Freddy and his sister, Daisy, at the local schoolyard where some kids are playing soccer. Daisy gets involved in the game right away, but Freddy's not really into that kind of thing. He prefers pondering concepts like 'infinity.' Freddy agrees to be goalie, but is soon distracted when he sees two very strange beings with long ears. No one else seems to be able to see them, however, nor can they see the ghostly boy who lives in Freddy's room.
Vegard Svingen's children's and preteen fantasy, Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters, is a metaphysical lark for fantasy lovers of all ages. Freddy and his ghostly roommate, Jonathan, are the perfect set of adventurers whose quest is to help Jonathan get to The Other Side, where he can rejoin his family. Assisting them is the somewhat frightening and curmudgeonly neighbor, the Widow Crapette. Svingen's story line and sense of humor had me thinking about Douglas Adams' zany style of writing, and I think Adams would have appreciated this story that works on so many different levels. There's plenty of action and adventure, and a host of mythological beings, including a wood nymph whose friendship with Freddy hints at a coming of age sequel. At least, I hope it does. I had a lot of fun reading about Freddy and his family, as well as those mythological beings who began to seem quite real to me by the end of the book. Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters is most highly recommended.
More praise for "Freddy Fumple and the Mindmonsters":
INDIEREADER
"The imaginative, immersive setting and the overall heartwarming message of the power of being brave and having faith give way to a memorable adventure."
- IndieReader
FOREWORD CLARION REVIEWS
"From the ominous front cover to the promise of further adventures in the final paragraph, this story is a pleasure."
- Foreword Clarion Reviews
KIRKUS REVIEWS
"...readers will undoubtedly appreciate the fast-paced narrative and high-stakes action scenes that are interspersed with moments of zany humor."
- Kirkus Reviews
AUTHORSREADING.COM
"...you will not put Freddy Fumple down. Great book!!!"
- AuthorsReading.com
November 15, 2016
First let me say, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I put off writing this review, because I wanted so much to like this book... and I didn't. So let me put all the bad first. If you make it past it all and wonder why I'm so picky, the rest of the review is for you. The first thing that struck me, is that it felt like it was written by a child or someone with English as a second language. The more of it I read, I decided on the latter. This is good, as it is not painful to read, just awkward. Painful though, was the forced accent of some of the characters. Not only was it difficult to read (at least for me), but it did not feel consistent. That lack of consistency makes it harder for the brain to get the feel for a character's voice. The last bit that just struck me badly, were the name choices for the the villains. I understand the snicker value of certain words in children's books, I really do. (I remember convincing my fourth grade teacher to read Blubber to us just to get her to swear). But only the bawdiest child might still enjoy a book's worth of not even bothering to phrase Mr. Ass's name as a name, but simply calling him an ass because as long as it's capitalized it is technically his name, and not really naughty. Here and there it would have been humorous, but the gag was far overdone, in my opinion.
Those traits combined overruled the possibly interesting story.
The idea of a child contemplating big ideas, discovering things adults cannot, and going on an adventure are all wonderful. Finding out that mythical beings are real is hardly a new idea, but always fun. Flipping a few stereotypes and creating a new niche for them to fit in our world is also a welcome read.
I think to fully appreciate this story, I either need to hear it as the author playing the role of traditional storyteller, rather than the more rigid book (or audiobook) format... or better yet, learn his native tongue and read something in it. All in all, a child may well enjoy the heck out of it, but it doesn't feel to me to be one that carries as much over for the young at heart reader.
I put off writing this review, because I wanted so much to like this book... and I didn't. So let me put all the bad first. If you make it past it all and wonder why I'm so picky, the rest of the review is for you. The first thing that struck me, is that it felt like it was written by a child or someone with English as a second language. The more of it I read, I decided on the latter. This is good, as it is not painful to read, just awkward. Painful though, was the forced accent of some of the characters. Not only was it difficult to read (at least for me), but it did not feel consistent. That lack of consistency makes it harder for the brain to get the feel for a character's voice. The last bit that just struck me badly, were the name choices for the the villains. I understand the snicker value of certain words in children's books, I really do. (I remember convincing my fourth grade teacher to read Blubber to us just to get her to swear). But only the bawdiest child might still enjoy a book's worth of not even bothering to phrase Mr. Ass's name as a name, but simply calling him an ass because as long as it's capitalized it is technically his name, and not really naughty. Here and there it would have been humorous, but the gag was far overdone, in my opinion.
Those traits combined overruled the possibly interesting story.
The idea of a child contemplating big ideas, discovering things adults cannot, and going on an adventure are all wonderful. Finding out that mythical beings are real is hardly a new idea, but always fun. Flipping a few stereotypes and creating a new niche for them to fit in our world is also a welcome read.
I think to fully appreciate this story, I either need to hear it as the author playing the role of traditional storyteller, rather than the more rigid book (or audiobook) format... or better yet, learn his native tongue and read something in it. All in all, a child may well enjoy the heck out of it, but it doesn't feel to me to be one that carries as much over for the young at heart reader.
Read
March 31, 2016Mindmonster
Very interesting book to read. I like all the chapters in the book.
I'd give it a 3.5 stars
I would like my friends and family to read it.
Very interesting book to read. I like all the chapters in the book.
I'd give it a 3.5 stars
I would like my friends and family to read it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews