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Pauper King
X
Snow White is dead.
IX
Someone has put a pickaxe through her head.
VIII
Her father, the disgraced King Johannes Wynpenny, vows to hunt down her murderer.
VII
But then others die—more beloved fairy tale characters—and now it's clear that a deranged killer is on the loose.
VI
Someone who leaves behind taunting clues and a cruel countdown.
V
Someone seeking revenge.
IV
As his town is swept by witch hunt hysteria, Johannes must stop the maniac before others fall victim...
III
...including himself.
II
E. Stuart Marlowe weaves a tale of magical realism and crime, where fantasy and horror bleed into historical fact.
I
And where the fables from our past speak to us across the centuries.
Snow White is dead.
IX
Someone has put a pickaxe through her head.
VIII
Her father, the disgraced King Johannes Wynpenny, vows to hunt down her murderer.
VII
But then others die—more beloved fairy tale characters—and now it's clear that a deranged killer is on the loose.
VI
Someone who leaves behind taunting clues and a cruel countdown.
V
Someone seeking revenge.
IV
As his town is swept by witch hunt hysteria, Johannes must stop the maniac before others fall victim...
III
...including himself.
II
E. Stuart Marlowe weaves a tale of magical realism and crime, where fantasy and horror bleed into historical fact.
I
And where the fables from our past speak to us across the centuries.
- GenresFantasyHorrorFairy Tales
467 pages, ebook
Published April 3, 2020
10 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
E. Stuart Marlowe
12 books8 followersE. Stuart Marlowe is the Amazon bestselling author of Menagerie and Call of the Kaiju. He is also an award-winning filmmaker, who has directed two features, Blood Rush and Horror House. Splatter is loosely based on his experiences producing these films. His third feature, Abruptio, stars Robert Englund, James Marsters, Sid Haig and Jordan Peele. He resides in Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 23, 2020
This is the spoiler free review of Pauper King by E Stuart Marlowe. If you would like to read the spoiler full review complete with even more examples of how this kind of literature harms the feminist movement please visit https://amanjareads.com/2020/09/23/pa...
Thank you to E Stuart Marlowe for providing me with a copy of Pauper King in exchange for this honest review. And know that my criticism about the book is about anti-feminist literature and not against him as a person.
Pauper King is the story of Johannes, Snow White's father and former King of un-named fairy tale land. Snow White has been brutally murdered, there will be 9 more, and Johannes puts together a rag tag team of misfits to solve the crime before more victims fall.
The story includes many references to popular story book characters such as Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, Bluebeard, etc. There are also witches, ogres, magic, and any number of dangerous journeys.
Unfortunately, it does not develop those characters past their name recognition. Most of the name drops are simply in place to count a victim. We're supposed to recognize the victim and care because we know the names, it takes out any effort of doing any actual characterization.
The pacing of the book is odd to say the least. The killer is revealed to the reader within the first third of the novel but the "heroes" don't discover it until near the end. This leads to a frustrating reading experience in which Johannes gathers clues but incompetently attempts to put them together in a futile attempt to save anyone's life.
The book reads like a Dungeon and Dragons campaign that includes too many side quests. The characters get distracted along the way to their goals but the "villain" conveniently pauses their carnage to wait for them to return. It's baffling.
You may have noticed that I've put "heroes" and "villain" in quotes. The characters that the book identifies as the heroes are incompetent and are completely incapable of saving anyone but themselves.
The "villain" in the book is who I honestly identify as the sole respectable character in the book. Read the spoiler full review for much much more on this. I can't get into why here without giving away the reveal.
Above all else, the book is sexist. My main complaint is that almost every female character in the book is a murder victim. Snow White was fridged right from the beginning.
[Fridging is when a, typically female, character is killed off for the sole purpose of driving the male heroes motivations.]
The main female character who isn't murdered is demoted from warrior princess to housekeeper sex object. Once again for the sole purpose of keeping our male hero happy.
And the other female characters are... giant huge spoilers please read the spoiler full review!
In addition to many problematic female characters there are several issues with the themes and morals that are portrayed through the story. Harmful stereotypes are plentiful and by the end it seems that the lesson is that women need to "know their place."
Look, I've said it before and I'll say it again, SMASH THE PATRIARCHY.
When I closed the last page of this book I set it down and just shook my head for a minute. I literally thought to myself, "this book stands for everything I'm against."
I'm very disappointed that I have to write a review like this about a book that was written so recently. It shows how far we still have to go to not only take down anti-feminist literature but to even recognize it. I see many positive reviews about this book, some from women, and am shocked that they either don't see it or don't care.
I'm begging all of you to think critically about what you read. Don't get lost in the easy comfort of fairy tale names and cliches, think about how it portrays people and how harmful that can be to society.
Clearly, I do not recommend this book.
Thank you to E Stuart Marlowe for providing me with a copy of Pauper King in exchange for this honest review. And know that my criticism about the book is about anti-feminist literature and not against him as a person.
Pauper King is the story of Johannes, Snow White's father and former King of un-named fairy tale land. Snow White has been brutally murdered, there will be 9 more, and Johannes puts together a rag tag team of misfits to solve the crime before more victims fall.
The story includes many references to popular story book characters such as Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, Bluebeard, etc. There are also witches, ogres, magic, and any number of dangerous journeys.
Unfortunately, it does not develop those characters past their name recognition. Most of the name drops are simply in place to count a victim. We're supposed to recognize the victim and care because we know the names, it takes out any effort of doing any actual characterization.
The pacing of the book is odd to say the least. The killer is revealed to the reader within the first third of the novel but the "heroes" don't discover it until near the end. This leads to a frustrating reading experience in which Johannes gathers clues but incompetently attempts to put them together in a futile attempt to save anyone's life.
The book reads like a Dungeon and Dragons campaign that includes too many side quests. The characters get distracted along the way to their goals but the "villain" conveniently pauses their carnage to wait for them to return. It's baffling.
You may have noticed that I've put "heroes" and "villain" in quotes. The characters that the book identifies as the heroes are incompetent and are completely incapable of saving anyone but themselves.
The "villain" in the book is who I honestly identify as the sole respectable character in the book. Read the spoiler full review for much much more on this. I can't get into why here without giving away the reveal.
Above all else, the book is sexist. My main complaint is that almost every female character in the book is a murder victim. Snow White was fridged right from the beginning.
[Fridging is when a, typically female, character is killed off for the sole purpose of driving the male heroes motivations.]
The main female character who isn't murdered is demoted from warrior princess to housekeeper sex object. Once again for the sole purpose of keeping our male hero happy.
And the other female characters are... giant huge spoilers please read the spoiler full review!
In addition to many problematic female characters there are several issues with the themes and morals that are portrayed through the story. Harmful stereotypes are plentiful and by the end it seems that the lesson is that women need to "know their place."
Look, I've said it before and I'll say it again, SMASH THE PATRIARCHY.
When I closed the last page of this book I set it down and just shook my head for a minute. I literally thought to myself, "this book stands for everything I'm against."
I'm very disappointed that I have to write a review like this about a book that was written so recently. It shows how far we still have to go to not only take down anti-feminist literature but to even recognize it. I see many positive reviews about this book, some from women, and am shocked that they either don't see it or don't care.
I'm begging all of you to think critically about what you read. Don't get lost in the easy comfort of fairy tale names and cliches, think about how it portrays people and how harmful that can be to society.
Clearly, I do not recommend this book.
May 22, 2020
I haven’t done much reading during COVID19. Just couldn’t settle into anything. Then I stumbled across Pauper King. Couldn’t make enough excuses to sit and read. Started in the morning and finished it late that night.
I loved the author’s ability to take us beyond the ‘happily ever after’ and show us Hansel & Gretel as teens, Snow White’s life after the wedding and many more.
It is a murder mystery, or should I say murder mysteries and a race against the clock. The pacing, at times, leaves you feeling as exhausted as Lord Johannes.
The clever use of POV ensure that the villain of the book’s motives are understood, and the character is given depth.
I would like to know more about the twins.
A really engaging read!
I received a free copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
I loved the author’s ability to take us beyond the ‘happily ever after’ and show us Hansel & Gretel as teens, Snow White’s life after the wedding and many more.
It is a murder mystery, or should I say murder mysteries and a race against the clock. The pacing, at times, leaves you feeling as exhausted as Lord Johannes.
The clever use of POV ensure that the villain of the book’s motives are understood, and the character is given depth.
I would like to know more about the twins.
A really engaging read!
I received a free copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
August 17, 2020
I really wanted to like this one, ... Very imaginative, ... But we found out the villain too early, and I never believed in the romance. Seemed like gore for gore's sake... Sadly, I couldn't wait for it to end.
July 17, 2021
I got a free copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
There is so much good stuff in E. Stuart Marlowe's "Pauper King" that I had fleeting thoughts of giving it a five-star rating; unfortunately there were too many small things that kept niggling at me, and I can't in good faith give it more than a four out of five.
The pauper king in question is one Johannes Wynpenny, the disgraced former king of an unnamed land filled with many of the characters from fairy tales we grew up with. He now lives in isolation in a hovel in the middle of the forest. His solitary existence is distressingly interrupted when he learns his daughter, Snow White, has been murdered. Overwhelmed with grief, he vows to track down her killer. After Hansel and Gretel are found dead, it quickly becomes apparent that there is a serial killer on the loose. Chillingly, the perpetrator of these crimes seems to be marking the crime scenes, counting down his victims from ten. Johannes finds himself teaming up with Emrich Glockner, the town burgermeister; Fennolla and Flann, twins with some unique capabilities; Norman, a talking goat, and a dwarf named Petir.
As I mentioned, there is so much I liked about this book! The familiarity of many of the characters - many of whom have fresh spins put on them - is a definite plus. Mix in some great newly created characters like Fenn, Norman and Burgermeister Glockner, and it's definitely relatable. In a perverse sort of way, I found myself looking forward to finding out which "famous" character would be the next victim. The descriptions of the crime scenes and some of the action are not for the faint of heart, but are very detailed. Think of a medieval "Saw" (the procedural part, not the specific traps) and you'll hit near the mark. The story flows well for the most part - more of which later - and even though it clocks in at almost 500 pages, it never felt overly long, and the reading just flew by. The reveal of the killer at first seemed a tad premature, but added much suspense to the overall feel of the book.
And yet ... and yet. Marlowe as an author is preternaturally verbose. And for the most part I loved it.
Incredibly descriptive, which brings so much life and flavour into the world he has created. However sometimes he seems to be trying to out-Dickens Dickens, using words for words sake - and a handful of those times it is a bit jarring. I found myself repeatedly quoting Inigo Montoya from "The Princess Bride": "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
The novel is told almost entirely from Johannes Wynpenny's point of view - with the exception of a couple of chapters in which we all of a sudden follow the moves of the killer. Although I found it interesting to see what this character was getting up to, we are so invested in Johannes' quest that it seemed - at least to me - a bit too much of a shift, especially as it happens for the first time about halfway through the book. Quite jarring, and in at least one case, not entirely necessary.
But those are mere quibbles. I don't want you to get the impression that I didn't like "Pauper King." I quite enjoyed it. The character development, the quest filled with multiple tribulations (and a few very distressing "trials"), the unique landscapes Johannes & co. traverse and the interesting people they meet. I went through all the emotions reading this book. It's not perfect, but if you're looking for a murder mystery starring your favourite fairy tale characters, you can't do much better than this.
8 perished princesses out of 10.
There is so much good stuff in E. Stuart Marlowe's "Pauper King" that I had fleeting thoughts of giving it a five-star rating; unfortunately there were too many small things that kept niggling at me, and I can't in good faith give it more than a four out of five.
The pauper king in question is one Johannes Wynpenny, the disgraced former king of an unnamed land filled with many of the characters from fairy tales we grew up with. He now lives in isolation in a hovel in the middle of the forest. His solitary existence is distressingly interrupted when he learns his daughter, Snow White, has been murdered. Overwhelmed with grief, he vows to track down her killer. After Hansel and Gretel are found dead, it quickly becomes apparent that there is a serial killer on the loose. Chillingly, the perpetrator of these crimes seems to be marking the crime scenes, counting down his victims from ten. Johannes finds himself teaming up with Emrich Glockner, the town burgermeister; Fennolla and Flann, twins with some unique capabilities; Norman, a talking goat, and a dwarf named Petir.
As I mentioned, there is so much I liked about this book! The familiarity of many of the characters - many of whom have fresh spins put on them - is a definite plus. Mix in some great newly created characters like Fenn, Norman and Burgermeister Glockner, and it's definitely relatable. In a perverse sort of way, I found myself looking forward to finding out which "famous" character would be the next victim. The descriptions of the crime scenes and some of the action are not for the faint of heart, but are very detailed. Think of a medieval "Saw" (the procedural part, not the specific traps) and you'll hit near the mark. The story flows well for the most part - more of which later - and even though it clocks in at almost 500 pages, it never felt overly long, and the reading just flew by. The reveal of the killer at first seemed a tad premature, but added much suspense to the overall feel of the book.
And yet ... and yet. Marlowe as an author is preternaturally verbose. And for the most part I loved it.
Incredibly descriptive, which brings so much life and flavour into the world he has created. However sometimes he seems to be trying to out-Dickens Dickens, using words for words sake - and a handful of those times it is a bit jarring. I found myself repeatedly quoting Inigo Montoya from "The Princess Bride": "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
The novel is told almost entirely from Johannes Wynpenny's point of view - with the exception of a couple of chapters in which we all of a sudden follow the moves of the killer. Although I found it interesting to see what this character was getting up to, we are so invested in Johannes' quest that it seemed - at least to me - a bit too much of a shift, especially as it happens for the first time about halfway through the book. Quite jarring, and in at least one case, not entirely necessary.
But those are mere quibbles. I don't want you to get the impression that I didn't like "Pauper King." I quite enjoyed it. The character development, the quest filled with multiple tribulations (and a few very distressing "trials"), the unique landscapes Johannes & co. traverse and the interesting people they meet. I went through all the emotions reading this book. It's not perfect, but if you're looking for a murder mystery starring your favourite fairy tale characters, you can't do much better than this.
8 perished princesses out of 10.
July 19, 2020
Provided with a free review copy in exchange for honest thoughts via VoraciousReadersOnly.com!
I had a few misgivings about this to begin with because I usually find high fantasy hit and miss, but I actually super enjoyed reading this. I thought it was fantastic.
The writing style was brilliant, managing to be just enough 'old-timey English' to keep up the illusion of fantasy, while also still being super easy to read for a modern audience. It also managed to not be incredibly pretentious, which I always find to be a trend in a lot of fantasy.
The plot itself was brilliant and although the major twist came a little early for the reader, there were still plenty of things left unexplained, so it didn't feel like suddenly all the intrigue had vanished. The worldbuilding alongside that was fantastic too, entirely immersive, following similar patterns to other high fantasy epics, but with its own unique take. I especially enjoyed the more folklore-esque way the elves were integrated, rather than the usual 'above-it-all', consistently graceful and otherworldly interpretations of them.
My main and really only fault with it, is how the female characters fall a little too much into the same tropes and archetypes they do in every fantasy novel. They're mostly all submissive and waifish, used to further the plot line or to enable male character development. The two named women I can think of who weren't were slated as the villain, and as a supposed sellsword who didn't actually engage in any fighting we saw and instead cooked for and had sex with the protagonist and not much else.
That being said, there are many cases of this being done way worse, and there was a significant attempt to round out the characters like this, and even if I have problems with her, I did like Fenn and I thought her affinity for magic and familial ties with her brother were really intriguing and endearing.
I would one hundred percent recommend giving this a read.
I had a few misgivings about this to begin with because I usually find high fantasy hit and miss, but I actually super enjoyed reading this. I thought it was fantastic.
The writing style was brilliant, managing to be just enough 'old-timey English' to keep up the illusion of fantasy, while also still being super easy to read for a modern audience. It also managed to not be incredibly pretentious, which I always find to be a trend in a lot of fantasy.
The plot itself was brilliant and although the major twist came a little early for the reader, there were still plenty of things left unexplained, so it didn't feel like suddenly all the intrigue had vanished. The worldbuilding alongside that was fantastic too, entirely immersive, following similar patterns to other high fantasy epics, but with its own unique take. I especially enjoyed the more folklore-esque way the elves were integrated, rather than the usual 'above-it-all', consistently graceful and otherworldly interpretations of them.
My main and really only fault with it, is how the female characters fall a little too much into the same tropes and archetypes they do in every fantasy novel. They're mostly all submissive and waifish, used to further the plot line or to enable male character development. The two named women I can think of who weren't were slated as the villain, and as a supposed sellsword who didn't actually engage in any fighting we saw and instead cooked for and had sex with the protagonist and not much else.
That being said, there are many cases of this being done way worse, and there was a significant attempt to round out the characters like this, and even if I have problems with her, I did like Fenn and I thought her affinity for magic and familial ties with her brother were really intriguing and endearing.
I would one hundred percent recommend giving this a read.
May 27, 2020
After the grisly and painful death of his wife for her misdeeds against Snow-white, King Johannes Wynpenny abdicates the throne and chooses to live a life of poverty and solitude.When his daughter, Snow-white is brutally murdered by an unknown person, he leaves his solitude to track down the murderer and exact vengeance on him or her. Snow-white's murder was just the first in a string of serial killings counting down from the Roman numeral VIII. As we follow Johannes in his quest to catch the killer and stop any further murders, we are introduced to myriad characters from Fairy Tales and mythology. I found this book to be totally fascinating and loved all the plot twists. Though the increasingly gruesome murders make this a book not suited for the young and impressionable, it is a great read for those of us who still cherish the fantastical, quirky world of Fairy Tales. I received this book from Voracious Readers Only,
July 7, 2020
Trigger Warning: Graphic and grisly violence, graphic sexual content, other adult content
In this dark murder mystery, Marlowe brings our fairytales into a whole new light. All residing in the same world, the stories we were told as children are not quite what they seem... In this world, Snow White, Goldilocks, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, all are recreated into something that the stories hadn't told us. A serial killer has been on a rampage in this world, destroying all that is good. Johannes--the former King--and his friends must find the killer and bring him--or her--to justice before the work is done. Luckily, they have clues to help them along the way. It seems that the killer is counting down from 10, meaning that Johannes and his crew know how many are left to save.
First off, this book is extremely graphic. It contains many instances of overly twisted and grisly violence, where humans are incinerated, exploded, turned to mush, etc. Be prepared for lots of blood and intestines flying your way. Personally, I do not mind the gore, and so I thought it added a bit of an edge to the otherwise lovely fantasy stories and characters that we have come to know so well. I enjoyed that there was a much darker twist to the stories--things that we never see as children. I have to admit it was a bit exciting.
Unfortunately, I found both the mystery/suspense element of the novel as well as its characters to be lacking. There was barely any mystery to the novel. The characters were on the hunt for the killer, but even with clues landing right in front of their faces, they were unable to do any actual investigating on their own. I do not want to spoil the story, but in the end, they had to have the answer blatantly shoved into their faces in order to actually do something. Rather than being a mystery, this novel felt more like a series of short adventure stories. I was severely disappointed with how unnecessary and pointless their "missions" were. Johannes and his crew went on several mini missions, each acting almost like a series of shorts in isolation from the rest. If this book were visual media, it would make a much better TV show than movie.
As for the characters, I was unable to attach any personal emotion or connection to any of them. I did not care whether they lived or died, or what choices they made. This most likely tainted the story the most for me, as I want to be able to feel my characters. I want to live the story with them. Since I was unable to do this, as none struck any sort of empathy or other emotion from me, I did not fully immerse myself in the story.
I also want to note that this is a rather large novel. The pacing seemed extremely slow for its length, and each little mission seemed to be pointless. I would have much rather the novel have been halved to make it more engaging for my own reading.
I did really enjoy the writing style, however. It was obviously written from a fairytale point of view. The language and writing itself was very reminiscent to a traditional fairytale. The comedic relief character also uttered several snappy one-liners that tended to make me laugh.
Overall, this was an interesting book, and one that I recommend to those who enjoy long novels, blood and gore, and a slow burn in a fairytale world. It was not quite engaging enough for me, but I was still able to finish it in only a few days!
See this and other book reviews at thebookdragondotblog.wordpress.com
In this dark murder mystery, Marlowe brings our fairytales into a whole new light. All residing in the same world, the stories we were told as children are not quite what they seem... In this world, Snow White, Goldilocks, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, all are recreated into something that the stories hadn't told us. A serial killer has been on a rampage in this world, destroying all that is good. Johannes--the former King--and his friends must find the killer and bring him--or her--to justice before the work is done. Luckily, they have clues to help them along the way. It seems that the killer is counting down from 10, meaning that Johannes and his crew know how many are left to save.
First off, this book is extremely graphic. It contains many instances of overly twisted and grisly violence, where humans are incinerated, exploded, turned to mush, etc. Be prepared for lots of blood and intestines flying your way. Personally, I do not mind the gore, and so I thought it added a bit of an edge to the otherwise lovely fantasy stories and characters that we have come to know so well. I enjoyed that there was a much darker twist to the stories--things that we never see as children. I have to admit it was a bit exciting.
Unfortunately, I found both the mystery/suspense element of the novel as well as its characters to be lacking. There was barely any mystery to the novel. The characters were on the hunt for the killer, but even with clues landing right in front of their faces, they were unable to do any actual investigating on their own. I do not want to spoil the story, but in the end, they had to have the answer blatantly shoved into their faces in order to actually do something. Rather than being a mystery, this novel felt more like a series of short adventure stories. I was severely disappointed with how unnecessary and pointless their "missions" were. Johannes and his crew went on several mini missions, each acting almost like a series of shorts in isolation from the rest. If this book were visual media, it would make a much better TV show than movie.
As for the characters, I was unable to attach any personal emotion or connection to any of them. I did not care whether they lived or died, or what choices they made. This most likely tainted the story the most for me, as I want to be able to feel my characters. I want to live the story with them. Since I was unable to do this, as none struck any sort of empathy or other emotion from me, I did not fully immerse myself in the story.
I also want to note that this is a rather large novel. The pacing seemed extremely slow for its length, and each little mission seemed to be pointless. I would have much rather the novel have been halved to make it more engaging for my own reading.
I did really enjoy the writing style, however. It was obviously written from a fairytale point of view. The language and writing itself was very reminiscent to a traditional fairytale. The comedic relief character also uttered several snappy one-liners that tended to make me laugh.
Overall, this was an interesting book, and one that I recommend to those who enjoy long novels, blood and gore, and a slow burn in a fairytale world. It was not quite engaging enough for me, but I was still able to finish it in only a few days!
See this and other book reviews at thebookdragondotblog.wordpress.com
March 30, 2021
E. Stuart Marlowe takes us on the desperate hunt for a serial killer who is killing fairy tale characters in Pauper King! Snow White has been brutally murdered, and now her father Johannes seeks to find the killer. But when more fairy tale characters show up dead, his quest becomes about more than just revenge. Marlowe does an amazing job of blending the gritty horror feel of crime fiction with the magic of fairy tales! It was the realism that drew me into this one so much. This felt like a world that could be lived in and people you could actually meet. It was a really fun take on the fairytale genre that pleasantly reminded me of Seven or The Bone Collector. If you love crime fiction or darker fairytales, definitely come be enchanted by the dark tale of Pauper King!
May 30, 2020
10 fairy tale characters are set to die and who ever is killing them is leaving a calling card. The killer is bent on poetic justice and is not going to stop until the final deed is complete.
The fairy tale world is woven seamlessly into a medieval mystery with a well designed serial killer. It had exquisite detail and was a madcap dash to the final word.
I received a free copy from Hidden Gems Books and Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.
The fairy tale world is woven seamlessly into a medieval mystery with a well designed serial killer. It had exquisite detail and was a madcap dash to the final word.
I received a free copy from Hidden Gems Books and Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.
August 7, 2020
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for a review.
This isn't a genre I would typically read but I am so glad that I did! It pulled me in from the start and had me captivated throughout the entire book. We've all heard of these fairy tales and this book continues their stories after the "happy ever after" we've all come to know. Mixing these characters with horror brought a new version of them that worked really well!
This book is really graphic. There's a lot of blood, and detailed descriptions of some of the more violent scenes. I personally didn't mind it, I found that it added to the horror of the book and to the darker retelling of these characters. Throughout the book there are a lot of unexpected twists, humor, and banter between characters that help balance out the violence and kept me glued to my seat as I read it.
I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for more books written by this author. I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy with mystery, and horror mixed in.
This isn't a genre I would typically read but I am so glad that I did! It pulled me in from the start and had me captivated throughout the entire book. We've all heard of these fairy tales and this book continues their stories after the "happy ever after" we've all come to know. Mixing these characters with horror brought a new version of them that worked really well!
This book is really graphic. There's a lot of blood, and detailed descriptions of some of the more violent scenes. I personally didn't mind it, I found that it added to the horror of the book and to the darker retelling of these characters. Throughout the book there are a lot of unexpected twists, humor, and banter between characters that help balance out the violence and kept me glued to my seat as I read it.
I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for more books written by this author. I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy with mystery, and horror mixed in.
August 17, 2020
What a ride! A creative play on fairy tale characters, history, and horror. The unique world Marlowe generated here was entrancing. I loved the interplay between actual past events, fairy tale stories, and an invented reality mingling amid both elements. There is a darkness here, but an authentic one - not a forced horror for horror's sake, but horror to invoke a story, horror all too real, and the best of sit on the edge of your seat anticipation at what comes next.
June 7, 2020
A dark, twisted tale about fairy tale characters we know and love.
It starts with the murder of Snow White and her father's search for her killer. Other characters are killed in twisted ways, counting down to the finale. There's a dark side to the characters and it's not all sweetness and light.
A pure, twisted story of revenge with a who dunnit feel.
I love murder thrillers so this was right in my wheelhouse. I have already suggested it to friends. This is definitely a book I would read again.
I received a copy from voracious readers for an honest review.
It starts with the murder of Snow White and her father's search for her killer. Other characters are killed in twisted ways, counting down to the finale. There's a dark side to the characters and it's not all sweetness and light.
A pure, twisted story of revenge with a who dunnit feel.
I love murder thrillers so this was right in my wheelhouse. I have already suggested it to friends. This is definitely a book I would read again.
I received a copy from voracious readers for an honest review.
August 1, 2020
Fantastic book! It kept me up all night. Dark, morbid, fantastical, and full of twists and turns, with a twist of fairy tale. The author is a wordsmith and paints the scene quite vividly. It also touches on the darkness that can lie hidden in our human souls. Highly recommend!
September 23, 2020
Excellent read!!!! Part detective story, part fairytale. Great characters, a brisk and well crafted plot. I really enjoyed this. Will be looking for other books by this author, definitely.
I received a copy of this through voracious readers only.
I received a copy of this through voracious readers only.
June 29, 2021
This was SUCH an entertaining read! The characters were well developed and the clever story line was rich with details. Marlowe effortlessly navigates from whimsical folklore to the gruesome history of witch trials, and brings his reader along for a compelling and emotional ride.
June 3, 2021
This was a really good read, fast paced murder mystery with fairy tale characters. I really enjoyed it.
July 31, 2020
Amazing read! So enjoyable! Absolutely captivating!
August 29, 2020
A unique twist on fairy tales that goes well beyond the “happily ever after” phase. The father of Snow White has abdicated his kingdom to his son after the gruesome execution of his queen for her attempts to kill his daughter. Living alone in the forest, he is called back to affairs in his former kingdom when Snow White, who has left her prince to return to the house of the seven dwarves, is murdered with a pickaxe to the skull. And so it begins.
Other fairy tale characters are murdered; teenage Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Tom Thumb, Cinderella, and others. Each murder is marked with a Roman numeral counting down from X. It’s the duty of the Pauper King and the Burgermeister to solve the mystery and stop the murders.
The introduction of the Inquisition into the investigation only brings out the worst in the villagers. The cruelty and double-dealing of the inquisitors turn the people against each other, with everyone willing to sell out their neighbors to keep their own necks out of the noose.
The fairy tales all have sordid endings and the people hardly seem worth saving, but the Pauper King is determined to bring the culprit to justice. A fascinating novel about the dark side of happily ever after, this is a fascinating read.
Other fairy tale characters are murdered; teenage Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Tom Thumb, Cinderella, and others. Each murder is marked with a Roman numeral counting down from X. It’s the duty of the Pauper King and the Burgermeister to solve the mystery and stop the murders.
The introduction of the Inquisition into the investigation only brings out the worst in the villagers. The cruelty and double-dealing of the inquisitors turn the people against each other, with everyone willing to sell out their neighbors to keep their own necks out of the noose.
The fairy tales all have sordid endings and the people hardly seem worth saving, but the Pauper King is determined to bring the culprit to justice. A fascinating novel about the dark side of happily ever after, this is a fascinating read.
May 27, 2020
It was a very good book with a great take on the various fairy tales.
December 28, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and Voracious Readers Only for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in April 2020.
"Pauper King" by E. Stuart Marlowe qualifies as the ugliest book I've had the misfortune to stumble upon this year, and probably one of the worst I've read in my whole life.
It's not the gore I object to: I love a good splatter scene as much as the next genre aficionado.
It's the disjointed style, the purple prose, the bad grammar that I really couldn't stomach. Not to mention the misogynistic subtext, the victim-blaming liberally thrown about when the subject of domestic abuse is handled like a joke, the repeated mockery and bullying of disabled and mentally ill people, the defence of paedophilia and the repeated misrepresentation of violent sexual assault as “true love”. These awful deeds are perpetrated by the alleged heroes. Not one of them lifts a finger to stop the abuse, or even speaks up against it.
There’s no redeeming quality in this work, none whatsoever: the prose is wordy and convoluted, the punctuation mistakes sprinkled throughout the text distract from the reading. The very first paragraph of the book contains a grammar slipup that should have given me the heads up about the value of the novel I was just starting reading, but I decided to give the book a chance and keep reading. Now I wish that I hadn’t. Did anybody even bother to proofread this before it got published? It surely doesn’t feel reader-friendly.
At one point, a secondary character tells one of the heroes: “Words, words, words. Please spare me. Shut up. Will you shut up?” I wish the author had taken this advice.
The shameless mauling of Latin is enough to set my teeth on edge. Why must an author who doesn't know any Latin use Latin-sounding gibberish when writing magical spells? You're making a fool of yourself, pal. Couldn’t you have at least researched it?
Overall, this book feels awfully childish in its naïve lack of research, almost as though the author decided to skip it, in the hope that nobody would catch him out. At some point, there’s a very awkward simile where the protagonist senses “some odd feeling, like a fox burrowing into his chest, hollowing it out as if preparing to hibernate”. What?! I knew I was supposed to empathize with the poor grieving father here, but instead, I burst out laughing. Foxes DON’T hibernate. Do your research, man!
The characterization is equally half-baked, unpolished, even preposterous at times. The characters’ actions and reactions are completely unbelievable. They all behave in ways that no one in their right mind would and are therefore unrelatable. As a reader, I found myself not caring whether they lived or died in some horrific, gory way. This makes the very act of reading pointless in my opinion. If no connection is built between the characters and the reader, then what does it matter to me what happens to them?
Another thing that prevented me from enjoying this is, the characters have no distinct voice, they all sound the same. A fantasy novel is supposed to be imaginative, with all the different races having their specific characteristics and quirks; instead, everybody here sounds exactly the same: kings and dwarves, warriors and mayors, witches and elves… Boring!
The plot itself feels inconclusive, there's no cohesion at all. All the mini side quests the characters embark on are of no consequence to the story and could have been expunged from the book. At some point, a character tells the king: “We better find what we are after.” To which, the king replies: “I have almost forgotten what that is, exactly.” Is this supposed to be the protagonist of the story? Meh. If not even the main character is interested enough in his own quest to even remember what he's looking for, what should I as the reader care?
Also, why on earth should I be entertained reading about incompetent investigators blundering around, pointlessly collecting clues they’re then completely incapable of putting together, unsuccessfully trying to identify a killer that has been revealed to me way too early in the story? These guys are so thick they only find out the villain’s identity thanks to a deux ex machina at the very end of the story, thus making the previous clue-collecting quest completely pointless.
And why should I empathise with the crocodile tears of a man who took no interest at all in his own daughter for as long as she lived, and now that she’s dead he grieves her like he cared? He let his seven-year-old little girl be abused and almost murdered by his own wife, then didn't even care when she ran away from home just to fall into the hands of a self-confessed paedophile who spent years grooming her until she convinced herself that what they had was “true love” and consented to marry him!
Snow-white (for some reason her name is spelt like this throughout the book) is said to have been in love (*true* love) with one of the dwarves, who shamelessly admits that he’s loved her ever since he first met her as a seven-year-old girl: “A love which I had thought paternal at first, but which evolved into something entirely else as she blossomed before me.” It sounds like a paedophile grooming a prepubescent girl to me, and that is not okay. In no case can paedophilia be condoned or misconstrued as “love”. Even the other dwarves are not safe: it is said “they must have stared slobberingly at his nubile young daughter whilst she slumbered. […] Here was no place for a girl of pure heart such as Snow-white.” That's pretty disgusting. And demeaning. And did I mention disgusting?
Demeaning women and objectifying them seems to be the only coherent thing in this jumbled up book: Rapunzel, who is a murder victim, is constantly referred to as “the wh*re”, “the h@rlot” and so on… The little mermaid is called “this idiot of idiots” just because she fell in love with the Prince. Her story also serves an excuse to insert in the text some excellent pieces of advice for women of every time and age, such as “a maiden should never surrender her tail to the wrong man” and “some folk are much improved without [a tongue], anyway.” Some folk meaning women, obviously, not men. For the record, this sentence is spoken by Petir, the paedophile dwarf who groomed Snow-white, one of the supposedly good guys. Even Beauty (from Beauty and the Beast) gets her own brand of bullying and name-calling: everybody admits to her being dear, sweet and kind, still, they all constantly ridicule her for being intellectually challenged. The alleged heroes call her stupid, dim-witted, feeble-minded, dumb, “oblivious as usual”; the third-person narrator even comments that “she remained in a virtual stupor, contributing nothing to their progress but a stream of incessant prattle”. Nice way of bullying the mentally ill, saying they don’t contribute to the group’s progress. Sounds just like the Nazis to me, but this is the kind of book this is.
The objectification of women for men’s sexual pleasure goes so far that Beauty is repeatedly referred to in terms of sex appeal, even after she has developed serious mental issues due to a brain-scrambling spell who left her unable to speak and care for herself. First, the protagonist describes her mouth as “luscious”, then a lewd sorcerer forces himself on her with the pretext of performing some brain-healing spell which couldn’t have been done in any other way than by forcefully French-kissing a catatonic girl unable to defend herself. Is sexual assault against the mentally ill okay? It seems to be in this awful book, because Beauty does get cured of her mental illness thanks to the forceful French-kissing. Furthermore, the lewd sorcerer calls this repulsive act of violence an act of “compassion” and an expression of “love”, “the bonding of two souls”… and nobody accuses him of bulls*it or – you know – of sexual assault.
To top it all off, the ending of the book (or more appropriately, its entirety) seems to promote the message that women need to stay in their place because bad things happen when they don’t. I’m really disappointed that something this awful got published in the third millennium.
Overall, I can definitely recommend this book if you think that victims of domestic abuse are to be blamed for their situation, that paedophilia is true love, that mocking and abusing disabled and mentally ill people is funny and that sexually liberated women should be punished for not staying in their place. If you think otherwise, go read something else.
"Pauper King" by E. Stuart Marlowe qualifies as the ugliest book I've had the misfortune to stumble upon this year, and probably one of the worst I've read in my whole life.
It's not the gore I object to: I love a good splatter scene as much as the next genre aficionado.
It's the disjointed style, the purple prose, the bad grammar that I really couldn't stomach. Not to mention the misogynistic subtext, the victim-blaming liberally thrown about when the subject of domestic abuse is handled like a joke, the repeated mockery and bullying of disabled and mentally ill people, the defence of paedophilia and the repeated misrepresentation of violent sexual assault as “true love”. These awful deeds are perpetrated by the alleged heroes. Not one of them lifts a finger to stop the abuse, or even speaks up against it.
There’s no redeeming quality in this work, none whatsoever: the prose is wordy and convoluted, the punctuation mistakes sprinkled throughout the text distract from the reading. The very first paragraph of the book contains a grammar slipup that should have given me the heads up about the value of the novel I was just starting reading, but I decided to give the book a chance and keep reading. Now I wish that I hadn’t. Did anybody even bother to proofread this before it got published? It surely doesn’t feel reader-friendly.
At one point, a secondary character tells one of the heroes: “Words, words, words. Please spare me. Shut up. Will you shut up?” I wish the author had taken this advice.
The shameless mauling of Latin is enough to set my teeth on edge. Why must an author who doesn't know any Latin use Latin-sounding gibberish when writing magical spells? You're making a fool of yourself, pal. Couldn’t you have at least researched it?
Overall, this book feels awfully childish in its naïve lack of research, almost as though the author decided to skip it, in the hope that nobody would catch him out. At some point, there’s a very awkward simile where the protagonist senses “some odd feeling, like a fox burrowing into his chest, hollowing it out as if preparing to hibernate”. What?! I knew I was supposed to empathize with the poor grieving father here, but instead, I burst out laughing. Foxes DON’T hibernate. Do your research, man!
The characterization is equally half-baked, unpolished, even preposterous at times. The characters’ actions and reactions are completely unbelievable. They all behave in ways that no one in their right mind would and are therefore unrelatable. As a reader, I found myself not caring whether they lived or died in some horrific, gory way. This makes the very act of reading pointless in my opinion. If no connection is built between the characters and the reader, then what does it matter to me what happens to them?
Another thing that prevented me from enjoying this is, the characters have no distinct voice, they all sound the same. A fantasy novel is supposed to be imaginative, with all the different races having their specific characteristics and quirks; instead, everybody here sounds exactly the same: kings and dwarves, warriors and mayors, witches and elves… Boring!
The plot itself feels inconclusive, there's no cohesion at all. All the mini side quests the characters embark on are of no consequence to the story and could have been expunged from the book. At some point, a character tells the king: “We better find what we are after.” To which, the king replies: “I have almost forgotten what that is, exactly.” Is this supposed to be the protagonist of the story? Meh. If not even the main character is interested enough in his own quest to even remember what he's looking for, what should I as the reader care?
Also, why on earth should I be entertained reading about incompetent investigators blundering around, pointlessly collecting clues they’re then completely incapable of putting together, unsuccessfully trying to identify a killer that has been revealed to me way too early in the story? These guys are so thick they only find out the villain’s identity thanks to a deux ex machina at the very end of the story, thus making the previous clue-collecting quest completely pointless.
And why should I empathise with the crocodile tears of a man who took no interest at all in his own daughter for as long as she lived, and now that she’s dead he grieves her like he cared? He let his seven-year-old little girl be abused and almost murdered by his own wife, then didn't even care when she ran away from home just to fall into the hands of a self-confessed paedophile who spent years grooming her until she convinced herself that what they had was “true love” and consented to marry him!
Snow-white (for some reason her name is spelt like this throughout the book) is said to have been in love (*true* love) with one of the dwarves, who shamelessly admits that he’s loved her ever since he first met her as a seven-year-old girl: “A love which I had thought paternal at first, but which evolved into something entirely else as she blossomed before me.” It sounds like a paedophile grooming a prepubescent girl to me, and that is not okay. In no case can paedophilia be condoned or misconstrued as “love”. Even the other dwarves are not safe: it is said “they must have stared slobberingly at his nubile young daughter whilst she slumbered. […] Here was no place for a girl of pure heart such as Snow-white.” That's pretty disgusting. And demeaning. And did I mention disgusting?
Demeaning women and objectifying them seems to be the only coherent thing in this jumbled up book: Rapunzel, who is a murder victim, is constantly referred to as “the wh*re”, “the h@rlot” and so on… The little mermaid is called “this idiot of idiots” just because she fell in love with the Prince. Her story also serves an excuse to insert in the text some excellent pieces of advice for women of every time and age, such as “a maiden should never surrender her tail to the wrong man” and “some folk are much improved without [a tongue], anyway.” Some folk meaning women, obviously, not men. For the record, this sentence is spoken by Petir, the paedophile dwarf who groomed Snow-white, one of the supposedly good guys. Even Beauty (from Beauty and the Beast) gets her own brand of bullying and name-calling: everybody admits to her being dear, sweet and kind, still, they all constantly ridicule her for being intellectually challenged. The alleged heroes call her stupid, dim-witted, feeble-minded, dumb, “oblivious as usual”; the third-person narrator even comments that “she remained in a virtual stupor, contributing nothing to their progress but a stream of incessant prattle”. Nice way of bullying the mentally ill, saying they don’t contribute to the group’s progress. Sounds just like the Nazis to me, but this is the kind of book this is.
The objectification of women for men’s sexual pleasure goes so far that Beauty is repeatedly referred to in terms of sex appeal, even after she has developed serious mental issues due to a brain-scrambling spell who left her unable to speak and care for herself. First, the protagonist describes her mouth as “luscious”, then a lewd sorcerer forces himself on her with the pretext of performing some brain-healing spell which couldn’t have been done in any other way than by forcefully French-kissing a catatonic girl unable to defend herself. Is sexual assault against the mentally ill okay? It seems to be in this awful book, because Beauty does get cured of her mental illness thanks to the forceful French-kissing. Furthermore, the lewd sorcerer calls this repulsive act of violence an act of “compassion” and an expression of “love”, “the bonding of two souls”… and nobody accuses him of bulls*it or – you know – of sexual assault.
To top it all off, the ending of the book (or more appropriately, its entirety) seems to promote the message that women need to stay in their place because bad things happen when they don’t. I’m really disappointed that something this awful got published in the third millennium.
Overall, I can definitely recommend this book if you think that victims of domestic abuse are to be blamed for their situation, that paedophilia is true love, that mocking and abusing disabled and mentally ill people is funny and that sexually liberated women should be punished for not staying in their place. If you think otherwise, go read something else.
August 29, 2020
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from voraciousreaders.com
Pauper King twists classic fairytales into a dark and frequently greusome fantasy thriller. I loved the way that well-known stories were given compelling, believable new perspectives and combined seamlessly into the world that Marlowe created.
I agree with other reviewers that the female characters could have done with further development and that the book is a little lengthy. I also didn't feel the suspense that I'd hoped for, perhaps because the most gripping murder, that of Snow White, happened first and for me the stakes couldn't really rise from there. Still, the protagonist's grief over his daughter throughout the book is gut-wrenching and extremely well-written. The family dynamics are complex and relatable which given the fantastical setting is a great accomplishment.
While not for the weak of stomach, Pauper King is an enjoyable read with a lot of heart.
Pauper King twists classic fairytales into a dark and frequently greusome fantasy thriller. I loved the way that well-known stories were given compelling, believable new perspectives and combined seamlessly into the world that Marlowe created.
I agree with other reviewers that the female characters could have done with further development and that the book is a little lengthy. I also didn't feel the suspense that I'd hoped for, perhaps because the most gripping murder, that of Snow White, happened first and for me the stakes couldn't really rise from there. Still, the protagonist's grief over his daughter throughout the book is gut-wrenching and extremely well-written. The family dynamics are complex and relatable which given the fantastical setting is a great accomplishment.
While not for the weak of stomach, Pauper King is an enjoyable read with a lot of heart.
October 20, 2020
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't sure I was going to like it at first based on the old English dialect used, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. The concept of the story was really interesting. I like retellings of classic fairy tales, so this book was right up my alley even though it isn't a retelling. The story uses classic characters in a serial murder "mystery". The murders were inventive (and gruesome). The search for the killer was a series of mini-adventures tying in other fairytale characters/creatures. The characters were generally likeable (Norman being one of my favorites) and it was interesting to see the personalities and lives they were given in the context of the story.
Two issues kept it from 5 stars. The parts with Inquisitors seems a little rushed. The end feels a little forced. It doesn't quite come out of nowhere, but the antagonist could have used a little more development to make it seem like a realistic outcome. The second issue I guess is just personal preference. The love scenes seemed weird to me. They are on a hunt for a murderer, super upset about the deaths happening around them, and making exhausting journeys, but somehow can't keep their hands off of each other. Maybe I'm missing a character reference, but it broke my suspension of disbelief in places and was kind of annoying in others. I understood it as a plot mechanic, but it seemed over done.
That said, those two things are definitely not things that would/should keep you from reading the book. It was an interesting and fun read with new takes on classic characters and great world-building.
I wasn't sure I was going to like it at first based on the old English dialect used, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. The concept of the story was really interesting. I like retellings of classic fairy tales, so this book was right up my alley even though it isn't a retelling. The story uses classic characters in a serial murder "mystery". The murders were inventive (and gruesome). The search for the killer was a series of mini-adventures tying in other fairytale characters/creatures. The characters were generally likeable (Norman being one of my favorites) and it was interesting to see the personalities and lives they were given in the context of the story.
Two issues kept it from 5 stars. The parts with Inquisitors seems a little rushed. The end feels a little forced. It doesn't quite come out of nowhere, but the antagonist could have used a little more development to make it seem like a realistic outcome. The second issue I guess is just personal preference. The love scenes seemed weird to me. They are on a hunt for a murderer, super upset about the deaths happening around them, and making exhausting journeys, but somehow can't keep their hands off of each other. Maybe I'm missing a character reference, but it broke my suspension of disbelief in places and was kind of annoying in others. I understood it as a plot mechanic, but it seemed over done.
That said, those two things are definitely not things that would/should keep you from reading the book. It was an interesting and fun read with new takes on classic characters and great world-building.
August 15, 2022
Thanks to VoraciousReadersOnly for this book
I liked Part One best. Snow White's death is the main motivator for Johannes to move forward, to look for the murderer (Disposable Woman trope at work here). Descriptions of violence and gore were great. I felt a bit off about Rapunzel's death (mainly because of how she was portrayed). I liked the Petir/Snow White part; that was new and interesting. The plot twist at the end was surprising, but I did have a couple of suspicions earlier. The dead characters don't have any characterisation, but the names seem to be enough to inspire emotions in the reader maybe because they're characters we grew up with.
Part Two had more of an adventure theme than horror. Fenn's characterisation took a slow dive. She turned from an independent warrior to a mere sex object who took care of Johannes' house while he was away. Still, the plot was interesting enough. They go to look for cures and answers from the wizard/sorcerer Zeki and then return home. I skipped over the lengthy descriptions and only read the dialogues as the story was getting boring.
Part Three slowly brought us towards the climax of the novel. We already knew who the murderer was, but watching the others flail around for clues was a whole other experience. A lot of reviews say that finding out the truth about the killer was boring as it happened in the first part of the book. But for me, it was exciting because it gave off police procedural show vibes where no one, except for the viewers, knows who the criminal is.
I liked Part One best. Snow White's death is the main motivator for Johannes to move forward, to look for the murderer (Disposable Woman trope at work here). Descriptions of violence and gore were great. I felt a bit off about Rapunzel's death (mainly because of how she was portrayed). I liked the Petir/Snow White part; that was new and interesting. The plot twist at the end was surprising, but I did have a couple of suspicions earlier. The dead characters don't have any characterisation, but the names seem to be enough to inspire emotions in the reader maybe because they're characters we grew up with.
Part Two had more of an adventure theme than horror. Fenn's characterisation took a slow dive. She turned from an independent warrior to a mere sex object who took care of Johannes' house while he was away. Still, the plot was interesting enough. They go to look for cures and answers from the wizard/sorcerer Zeki and then return home. I skipped over the lengthy descriptions and only read the dialogues as the story was getting boring.
Part Three slowly brought us towards the climax of the novel. We already knew who the murderer was, but watching the others flail around for clues was a whole other experience. A lot of reviews say that finding out the truth about the killer was boring as it happened in the first part of the book. But for me, it was exciting because it gave off police procedural show vibes where no one, except for the viewers, knows who the criminal is.
Read
September 22, 2021The Pauper King was not what I was expecting. Okay - I did expect dark and mysterious, but I did not expect gruesome and so much violence towards female characters. While male characters were also victims, they didn't seem to suffer the level of degradation and character assassination that the females did. And, believe me, I've never been a princess fan, so making them have a bit more human frailty would have been okay with me, but Marlowe's princess chose pretty extreme paths.)
I liked the plot line, but it was a little predictable at times. The writing was easy to follow and well paced for the most part. However, there seemed to be a lot of detail spent in areas where a bit of economy would have helped move the story along. I understand that this is the first part of a two book series, so that may explain the amount of time spent on the development of some of the main characters, but it was a bit over-detailed in places.
I wish the surviving characters well, but I don't think this book was written for readers like me. I do want to thank E. Stuart Marlowe for the free copy of the Pauper King and the opportunity to review it. For those of you who enjoy fantasy, gruesome mysteries, and the dismantling of fairytale characters, this might just be up something to add to your TBR stack.
I liked the plot line, but it was a little predictable at times. The writing was easy to follow and well paced for the most part. However, there seemed to be a lot of detail spent in areas where a bit of economy would have helped move the story along. I understand that this is the first part of a two book series, so that may explain the amount of time spent on the development of some of the main characters, but it was a bit over-detailed in places.
I wish the surviving characters well, but I don't think this book was written for readers like me. I do want to thank E. Stuart Marlowe for the free copy of the Pauper King and the opportunity to review it. For those of you who enjoy fantasy, gruesome mysteries, and the dismantling of fairytale characters, this might just be up something to add to your TBR stack.
July 9, 2021
Snow White is found murdered and her father begins to search for her murderer. As he does so more fairytale characters are found murdered. Can the retired king Johannes find the killer before they finish their hit list?
These fairytale characters are the same but different to the ones that we know from fables. I really liked the cleverness behind how they are represented. It was well written, however I still found parts moved quite slowly and lacked any real suspense. This book is dark and features torture and a lot of murder, so if you want light and fluffy, this book is not for you. Saying that, it wasn’t gruesome for the sake of it and I think it all worked well within the ‘rules’ of the realm created by Marlowe. I wish the characters were fleshed out a bit more so I could further invest but the reader was given enough to understand what motivates them. I would recommend this book to readers who want something a bit different than a black and white good vs evil fairytale.
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers in exchange for an honest review.
These fairytale characters are the same but different to the ones that we know from fables. I really liked the cleverness behind how they are represented. It was well written, however I still found parts moved quite slowly and lacked any real suspense. This book is dark and features torture and a lot of murder, so if you want light and fluffy, this book is not for you. Saying that, it wasn’t gruesome for the sake of it and I think it all worked well within the ‘rules’ of the realm created by Marlowe. I wish the characters were fleshed out a bit more so I could further invest but the reader was given enough to understand what motivates them. I would recommend this book to readers who want something a bit different than a black and white good vs evil fairytale.
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2020
If you ever wondered ‘what if there was no happily ever after’ to those fairytales we all grew up on, then this one is for you. Time is ticking to stop a twisted tale of revenge in its tracks and it all begins with the beloved Snow White, while all is not as it seems.
I enjoyed the different perspective taken on the traditional characters and liked finding out what became of them past the end of their tale. Though I think I would have liked to have seen them involved in the story more, rather than just getting a synopsis of their life from other characters.
The story felt familiar while still being totally surprising and unfamiliar; a perfect contradiction, just like some of the characters. An enjoyable read with just a little bit of everything to keep you drawn in.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only, but this in no way influenced my review.
I enjoyed the different perspective taken on the traditional characters and liked finding out what became of them past the end of their tale. Though I think I would have liked to have seen them involved in the story more, rather than just getting a synopsis of their life from other characters.
The story felt familiar while still being totally surprising and unfamiliar; a perfect contradiction, just like some of the characters. An enjoyable read with just a little bit of everything to keep you drawn in.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only, but this in no way influenced my review.
July 28, 2020
My thanks to the author and Voracious Readers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Disney would disapprove as a serial-killer stalks our favourite (and not so favourite) fairytale characters, all living far beyond the classic ‘happily ever after’.
The set up is strong and I enjoyed the instant camaraderie and banter of our murder investigators. Roughly mid-way, the deaths begin to pile at a rate much higher than the intended count, and a number of side-scenes left me a bit muddled as to whether they were really necessary. By the end I was tapping my foot, a bit tired of the deaths, and just wanting to find out whether anyone has any energy left to actually confront the murderer.
Overall it’s a clever albeit gruesome, dirty take on the classic characters a lot of us have grown up with. Caution shared, read at your own behest.
Disney would disapprove as a serial-killer stalks our favourite (and not so favourite) fairytale characters, all living far beyond the classic ‘happily ever after’.
The set up is strong and I enjoyed the instant camaraderie and banter of our murder investigators. Roughly mid-way, the deaths begin to pile at a rate much higher than the intended count, and a number of side-scenes left me a bit muddled as to whether they were really necessary. By the end I was tapping my foot, a bit tired of the deaths, and just wanting to find out whether anyone has any energy left to actually confront the murderer.
Overall it’s a clever albeit gruesome, dirty take on the classic characters a lot of us have grown up with. Caution shared, read at your own behest.
May 30, 2021
Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
Although filled with mention of fairytale characters galore, not everyone’s tale ends happily ever after.
I enjoyed the sheer number of fairytale characters included in this dark story, even if most get very little time to shine. Their views and judgements of each other, alongside clever little details (such as Hansel and Gretel’s association with pearls and breadcrumbs) were the highlights of this book. (Upon discovering the culprit, however, it was not quite as apparent to me why they would find these details of such importance.)
Another aspect of the book I enjoyed was the characters’ lightly archaic turn of phrase, reminiscent of stereotypical ‘olde English’ without becoming tedious or immensely jarring (although a few less ‘dearies’ would’ve been welcomed).
The Pauper King is a very dark tale in nature. While I was mostly fine with reading the gorier descriptions, some of the scenarios in the story were a little disturbing for my liking - especially Snow White’s time growing up with the dwarves. Between this issue and an overall lack of strong female characters (or even those with more agency), I have rated this book 2.5 stars.
Although filled with mention of fairytale characters galore, not everyone’s tale ends happily ever after.
I enjoyed the sheer number of fairytale characters included in this dark story, even if most get very little time to shine. Their views and judgements of each other, alongside clever little details (such as Hansel and Gretel’s association with pearls and breadcrumbs) were the highlights of this book. (Upon discovering the culprit, however, it was not quite as apparent to me why they would find these details of such importance.)
Another aspect of the book I enjoyed was the characters’ lightly archaic turn of phrase, reminiscent of stereotypical ‘olde English’ without becoming tedious or immensely jarring (although a few less ‘dearies’ would’ve been welcomed).
The Pauper King is a very dark tale in nature. While I was mostly fine with reading the gorier descriptions, some of the scenarios in the story were a little disturbing for my liking - especially Snow White’s time growing up with the dwarves. Between this issue and an overall lack of strong female characters (or even those with more agency), I have rated this book 2.5 stars.
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July 17, 2020Thank you to the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A serial killer is loose in the world of the Brothers Grimm and it is up to Snow White’s father to stop them.
I like reading retellings of classic stories and Pauper King had me hooked from the very beginning. Although not necessary to read the Brothers Grimm fairy tales before Pauper King, you will gain a better appreciation for the elements that Marlowe weaves into his own tale.
There are a few scenes in the book that are too graphic for me, but overall, I like the blend of fairy tale, fantasy, and crime novel that Pauper King has to offer!
A serial killer is loose in the world of the Brothers Grimm and it is up to Snow White’s father to stop them.
I like reading retellings of classic stories and Pauper King had me hooked from the very beginning. Although not necessary to read the Brothers Grimm fairy tales before Pauper King, you will gain a better appreciation for the elements that Marlowe weaves into his own tale.
There are a few scenes in the book that are too graphic for me, but overall, I like the blend of fairy tale, fantasy, and crime novel that Pauper King has to offer!
October 19, 2020
The Pauper King is a fast paced murder mystery book that incorporates a multitude of fairy tale characters we all know and love. I was hooked as of the first chapter and couldn't put the book down. Marlowe brings together a world in which princesses, dwarves, elves, witches and more live together in unison, until fairy tale characters start being murdered in gruesome ways. A must read for all fans of dark fantasy and mystery!
I received this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
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