W900

by Tom McNulty

Hovis Monk had been decieved. Perhaps he always had been. His comfortable life in the Snowdonian bubble, provided by The Blue Yonder Mining Company, was ending.
As his world implodes Hovis spins into a realm of inner and outer realities, chance occurances, memories, music, luck and laughter.
This story describes the reunion of Hovis with his old Paisley Underground band, a little known group called The Festers, and his struggles with a very special Flame Red Time Trialing Onesey…..

255 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2019

Reviews

[Kelly Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hovis was one of the last employees of the now bankrupt Blue Yonder Mining Company. Since being given his 30 day notice from his employer of over thirty years, Hovis had begun to seriously think about his life. His future looked grim, without a home or employment, but at the same time, his past was quickly catching up to him thanks to the sudden radio resurgence of his old band’s one hit wonder. As it turns out, Hovis’s last days in the Welsh mountains held a good deal of excitement as he wondered- what about getting the band back together?
“W900” by Tom McNulty is the tale of Hovis’s last month on the Hill, the stretch of land that once held a vast collection of log cabins for employees of the BYMC. As he faces the task of packing up 30 years worth of his life, finding a new place to live, and worrying about his finances, Hovis also has to deal with his increasing isolation as eventually even the mail stops running. Cheech, his old dog, isn’t much for conversation so much of the book is comprised of Hovis’s talks with himself. Howver, McNulty does introduce us to enough of the other locals to keep things colorful and in doing so, prevents it from being too much of a one man show. “W900” begins as a fairly slow story, but it picks up drastically once Hovis hears his old band’s song again and starts to reminisce about his past, viewing those days with rose colored nostalgia. As the other members of the Festers are introduced and the locals continue to make appearances, McNulty weaves everyone’s story together into a seamless flow that travels at the perfect pace, once it gets past the initial slog. McNulty also peppers the narrative with occasional descriptions of the mountainous landscape that paint a sweeping picture of the natural beauty to be found in Wales. Ultimately, everything plays into a bigger picture that just gets more and more fun as it goes along.
As a character, Hovis is enjoyable because he’s so relatable. The overall theme of nostalgia, specifically in reliving memories of glory days and wondering about what could have been, is one that everyone experiences at some point or another in their lives. Likewise, everyone deals with some uncertainty about their future as well. Hovis’s plethora of spoken-aloud inner monologue could have been said by any number of middle aged adults. (Or adults of any age, honestly.) On the other side of the coin, Hovis’s stint as a rock star, however brief, stands as a kind of everyman dream come true, adding an exotic touch to an otherwise accessible life and bringing another layer to the story.
“W900” gets an easy 4 out of 5 stars. The slow start is almost a deterrent, but the rest of the book, especially its wild ending, more than makes up for that. It’s exciting to ride along with Hovis as he and Cheech seek out their future plans and try to recapture some of his former glory.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how chapter one started. The author posed a rhetorical question as the title of the chapter, making me interested in the text that I was about to read. We are introduced to Hovis as the book starts. I came to like Hovis because of his flexibility in his character traits. The conversation he had with Lee Kelso as Lee brought his delivery gave me an insight into the character whom I did not know could be my favorite at the end of the book. Hovis was so good that I failed to see his shortcomings in some instances. He knew how to keep a conversation going, was welcoming and did not judge those beneath him.
‘W900’ tells the story of Hovis Monk, a character I found perplexing even as a favorite. Cheech was another character that was interesting. I liked how witty he was and how he saw through situations. Cheech could analyze Hovis like no other could. I found it amazing that he understood Hovis too much, even creating the ‘Hovis Monk’ paradox. Hovis’ reunion with The Festers was the highlight of the book. I wished The Festers could be more famous as it was such a cool band. I had not foreseen the meeting between the band and Hovis Monk. That twist was a pleasant surprise by the author as the storyline became more intriguing after the meeting.
Tom McNulty’s sense of humor is one of the best things in the book. The author effortlessly made me laugh through most of the chapters because of the comical scenarios he wrote about. The text is not only amusing but also witty. You can easily fall in love with the author’s writing style as he is too talented. Every chapter has a paragraph or phrases that will tickle your funny bone. Some conversations seemed silly but humorous nonetheless. The author also used flashback, metaphors, and allusion to make the story more stirring.
‘W900’ is a fantastic book for readers who appreciate a good story that is filled with humor, creativity, and good diction. Every chapter has a unique heading which is either a rhetorical question or a continuous sentence. Reading the book was a wonderful experience as the writer was artistic, original and ingenious. One is also able to learn a few things from the conversations the characters had. The ending of ‘W900’ is commendable. Tom McNulty ended the last chapter on a high note, leaving the reader wishing for more.
The book has few characters who aced their roles. The character development in ‘W900’ is distinct with the author giving the main characters unconventional traits. One thing I discovered as I read the book was that the reader could fall in love with all the characters. I do not consider any of the major characters as villains as they were brilliant in almost everything.

[Moná · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all live a waking life and also envision the truest form of our lives we hope to one-day experience. What if you can go back to a moment in your life that allowed you to experience a level of happiness you haven’t phantom in a long time, would you? The best feeling is knowing that all though there may not be a do-over button, you can relive moments alone or in a group. It is never too late to try making corrections in the way you’re living and reconnecting with individuals you’ve lost touch with over the years. So many talented individuals will go unnoticed and unheard, but everyone holds a candle of their unique measured level of success.

In “W900,” author Tom McNulty showcases what a day in the life of Hovis Monk looks like, alongside his furry companion, Cheech. Going from a well-deserved hardworking life, that covered living expenses and provided housing, to becoming one of many former employees of Blue Yonder Mining, was something Hovis had to adjust to. This required him moving out his home and seeking a life outside of the mining gig he’s come to know and appreciate. As age sets in, there are moments of nostalgia, like outbidding and winning an item of what he thought to be the authentic Miguel Indurian Onesey, feeling accomplished. It’s interesting to note that he is a member of an alternative beat combo band that was unsuccessful starting out. Since Hovis has more time on his hands, he thought up a brilliant idea to link up with his old bandmates in hopes this journey can develop into something that would benefit all members. To recollect all that they went through together demonstrates that despite not being publicly recognized as successful, they lived up to their level of success. Cheech, his furry best friend tags along for the ride, living the best of his dog life and exploring the outdoors along the way. This also teaches us that nothing is long-lasting and if you have an opportunity to relive out the happiest moments of your life, with those you love, then aim to do it.

I found this book to shed some moments of humor, as the characters are unique in a very special way. Although it was a slow start, in the beginning, the skillful writing by the author gave the element of building up to the very moment of meeting his bandmates. From there, the encounters sparked even more elements in the book. I enjoyed seeing into the mind of an elder man, learning what he goes through at his age from his perspective, in hopes this encourages everyone to just do what they set their minds on, highly recommended for the humor.

[Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

W900 is the debut novel of author Tom McNulty. The book is the unique and imaginative journey of Hovis Monk, a unique and imaginative individual. Hovis’s life is completely turned upside down when he finds that his comfortable position at The Blue Yonder Mining Company has come to an end. Hovis takes this chance to reimagine life, explore his reality, and perhaps reunite with his old band The Festers.
What immediately caught my interest in this book was the voice of the story and the main character Hovis. There is a lot of description, witty banter, and interesting references. This style of the story gave it a very clear tone that I really enjoyed. I also loved when I understood the references, like in Hovis’s first conversation with his postman Lee where they manage to reference both Oliver Twist and Treasure Island. Hovis is an incredibly unique character with an interesting outlook on life. What this meant for me was that this book was an absolute joy to read, and nothing like I have ever read before. Going on this journey with Hovis means strange encounters, thought-provoking ideas, and a lot of laughter, both from the character and me.
The book moves at its own pace, or perhaps it is Hovis’s pace. I won’t call it slow, but it has a meaning nature that I really enjoyed. It really made me feel like I was along for the ride with Hovis. Alongside Hovis, there are plenty of other intriguing characters that we meet along the way, first with Lee, Cheech, and the rest of The Festers. They are all made into fully developed, odd, and intriguing characters.
I found this book to be enjoyable from beginning to end, and I was laughing the whole way. The book is a wonderful and odd adventure that makes for a delightful read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys fun adventures with strange but compelling characters. This is a great read, and I hope to see more from McNulty in the future.