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The Vagabond King: A Coming of Age Novel
Do you love powerfully written, lyrical prose? Do you love detailed description and clever turns of phrase?
Then you'll love the coming of age story, The Vagabond King. When his mother dies and he discovers that the man he was raised to believe was his father is not, sixteen-year-old Chris is haunted by a mysterious apparition and flees his affluent surroundings and embarks upon a quest to find himself. Hoping she will “make a man of him” he seeks sanctuary in the home of Magda, a middle aged waitress with a penchant for sex, only to discover that she lives with her father, a cigarette smoking, beer swilling immigrant. Chris hates his shabby new surroundings at the end of the street and the shabby old man at the end of his life who spends his days listening to old blues records and making Chris fetch him fresh cans of beer. But, when the old man tells tales of Communist Hungary, torture, escape and the mysterious medallion he wears, Chris learns that, like the old man’s skipping records, history repeats itself and the roles we play have been played many times before. If you’ve ever wondered “what it’s all about” or, if you like mythological fiction like American Gods by Neil Gaiman, or visionary fiction like The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield or The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, then this book is for you. The Vagabond King blends ancient mythology and modern cosmology in a lyrically told tale that will leave you thinking long after the last page is turned. AUTHOR INTERVIEW It is a coming of age story definitely but, because the main character is questioning his life at a deeper level than he had before, it is much more than a run of the mill coming of age book. Because I love for mythology and philosophy, I used those two interests to develop a number of the themes in the book. Mythology is an essential part of the plot as it is in American Gods by Neil Gaiman. But, it is a much more contemplative book than American Gods. It is more like The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo or The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield in that it is seeking answers to life at a deeper level. So I would call it a work of metaphysical or visionary fiction. The main character, Chris, is at a point in his life where he is questioning his very reason for being. So, this lends itself to philosophical contemplation. At this same time he meets Magda who is very well read in the fields of mythology and philosophy. As Chris questions his life and the world around him, Magda is able to use her knowledge of mythology and philosophy to advise him. In The Alchemist Paulo Coehlo uses the quest to reveal some internal realizations about our place in the universe. While The Vagabond King portrays Chris’s quest to find himself, it’s more of a mystery. In The Celestine Prophecy James Redfield does the same thing. Both books are adventure based. Those books address similar themes differently and, if you like them, you’ll like The Vagabond King.
Then you'll love the coming of age story, The Vagabond King. When his mother dies and he discovers that the man he was raised to believe was his father is not, sixteen-year-old Chris is haunted by a mysterious apparition and flees his affluent surroundings and embarks upon a quest to find himself. Hoping she will “make a man of him” he seeks sanctuary in the home of Magda, a middle aged waitress with a penchant for sex, only to discover that she lives with her father, a cigarette smoking, beer swilling immigrant. Chris hates his shabby new surroundings at the end of the street and the shabby old man at the end of his life who spends his days listening to old blues records and making Chris fetch him fresh cans of beer. But, when the old man tells tales of Communist Hungary, torture, escape and the mysterious medallion he wears, Chris learns that, like the old man’s skipping records, history repeats itself and the roles we play have been played many times before. If you’ve ever wondered “what it’s all about” or, if you like mythological fiction like American Gods by Neil Gaiman, or visionary fiction like The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield or The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, then this book is for you. The Vagabond King blends ancient mythology and modern cosmology in a lyrically told tale that will leave you thinking long after the last page is turned. AUTHOR INTERVIEW It is a coming of age story definitely but, because the main character is questioning his life at a deeper level than he had before, it is much more than a run of the mill coming of age book. Because I love for mythology and philosophy, I used those two interests to develop a number of the themes in the book. Mythology is an essential part of the plot as it is in American Gods by Neil Gaiman. But, it is a much more contemplative book than American Gods. It is more like The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo or The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield in that it is seeking answers to life at a deeper level. So I would call it a work of metaphysical or visionary fiction. The main character, Chris, is at a point in his life where he is questioning his very reason for being. So, this lends itself to philosophical contemplation. At this same time he meets Magda who is very well read in the fields of mythology and philosophy. As Chris questions his life and the world around him, Magda is able to use her knowledge of mythology and philosophy to advise him. In The Alchemist Paulo Coehlo uses the quest to reveal some internal realizations about our place in the universe. While The Vagabond King portrays Chris’s quest to find himself, it’s more of a mystery. In The Celestine Prophecy James Redfield does the same thing. Both books are adventure based. Those books address similar themes differently and, if you like them, you’ll like The Vagabond King.
261 pages, Paperback
Published September 10, 2011
1 person is currently reading
915 people want to read
About the author
James Campion Conway
3 books26 followersJames Campion Conway is the author of the literary coming of age novel called The Vagabond King.
"There were times I had to put the book down and simply reflect on how talented this author is." Underground Book Reviews
"...if the world and literature survive into the next age, The Vagabond King will probably be a classic." TM Romero, Goodreads.com
“Thought-provoking and absorbing…a soulful and soul-searching novel of a young man’s coming of age.” Star, Goodreads.Com
If you’ve ever wondered “what it’s all about” or, if you like mythological fiction like American Gods by Neil Gaiman, or visionary fiction like The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield or The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, then this book is for you.
His influences are Tolkien, Kafka, Dinesen, Garcia-Marquez, Calvino, and Chandler. He is also deeply influenced by the historical writings of Winston Churchill and the mythological studies of Joseph Campbell. His favorite poets are Yeats, Keats and Bukowski.
Conway's character's do not exist in a vacuum. They exist within the historical, metaphysical and philosophical contexts that we all exist within whether we are aware of it or not. His work frequently blends mythology, cosmology, history and modern science to reveal a deeper, more complex understanding of the world we inhabit.
He's currently working on a second novel called The House of Smoke Mirrors which follows three different plot lines. Set against the background of 9/11 and the years that follow until the housing crash of 2008. The first plot line follows the adventures of a 10 year old girl without a name who believes she must truly be a fairy tale princess and not just a runaway from the foster care system. She has convinced a conman to take her to find her Godmother so she can learn her real identity, only to realize she had really been abducted.
The second plot line follows her parents, the King and Queen, as they leave their fairy tale kingdom to search for their missing daughter in this strange and foreign world of ours.
The third plot line portrays the real history of the United States, a history that has been purposely erased as successfully as it was in Winston Smith's 1984.
The book blends semantics with a deeper understanding of how our legal and banking systems really work to reveal how reality is not a solid thing but very flexible and that nothing we see is as it appears to be. Through the Looking-Glass meets 1984.
You can find out more and receive updates by joining his mailing list. https://jamescampionconway.com/
"There were times I had to put the book down and simply reflect on how talented this author is." Underground Book Reviews
"...if the world and literature survive into the next age, The Vagabond King will probably be a classic." TM Romero, Goodreads.com
“Thought-provoking and absorbing…a soulful and soul-searching novel of a young man’s coming of age.” Star, Goodreads.Com
If you’ve ever wondered “what it’s all about” or, if you like mythological fiction like American Gods by Neil Gaiman, or visionary fiction like The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield or The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, then this book is for you.
His influences are Tolkien, Kafka, Dinesen, Garcia-Marquez, Calvino, and Chandler. He is also deeply influenced by the historical writings of Winston Churchill and the mythological studies of Joseph Campbell. His favorite poets are Yeats, Keats and Bukowski.
Conway's character's do not exist in a vacuum. They exist within the historical, metaphysical and philosophical contexts that we all exist within whether we are aware of it or not. His work frequently blends mythology, cosmology, history and modern science to reveal a deeper, more complex understanding of the world we inhabit.
He's currently working on a second novel called The House of Smoke Mirrors which follows three different plot lines. Set against the background of 9/11 and the years that follow until the housing crash of 2008. The first plot line follows the adventures of a 10 year old girl without a name who believes she must truly be a fairy tale princess and not just a runaway from the foster care system. She has convinced a conman to take her to find her Godmother so she can learn her real identity, only to realize she had really been abducted.
The second plot line follows her parents, the King and Queen, as they leave their fairy tale kingdom to search for their missing daughter in this strange and foreign world of ours.
The third plot line portrays the real history of the United States, a history that has been purposely erased as successfully as it was in Winston Smith's 1984.
The book blends semantics with a deeper understanding of how our legal and banking systems really work to reveal how reality is not a solid thing but very flexible and that nothing we see is as it appears to be. Through the Looking-Glass meets 1984.
You can find out more and receive updates by joining his mailing list. https://jamescampionconway.com/
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 25, 2021
I won this book through goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review. Thank you James Campion Conway for the book! I am amazed with this author’s in-depth knowledge and fascinating imagination. This well-written book is about Christopher’s coming of age and searching for his niche in this world. It is a page-turner book that got me hooked at the ending! It made me contemplate about my current life and how fortunate we are compared to Christopher. This book deserves 5⭐️. A must read and highly recommending this book!
July 6, 2021
The Vagabond King is a beautifully written story about a teen age boy trying to find the meaning of life. His mother has just died leaving him adrift in a world he doesn’t know how to cope with. With an indifferent step father and more questions than answers he runs away from home. Infatuated with a friendly older woman, who is a waitress in a diner, he showed up one night on her doorstep. And so the story begins, the boy, the waitress and her aging father from Hungary. Chris is in love with the waitress Magda, and hates the old man who drinks beer and listens to old Blues records. but in this unlikely home he starts to learn about life and suffering, God and religion, that life is hard and you can’t always get what you want no matter how hard you want it. Through Magda’s philosophy of life and her fathers stories of the terror in Hungary under the Russians. The story touches your soul first with unthought of questions and in the imagery of words answers the age old question. What is the meaning of Life?
August 12, 2021
The Vagabond King is nothing like I expected. It took me back to my teenage years, when (like everyone else at that age) I thought I knew everything and constantly wondered ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ The story reminds the reader that things are rarely as bad as you think they are, and there’s always someone worse off that you.
In addition to being a good tale with a moral or two, The Vagabond King also has an educational aspect to it, covering subjects from African history, the similarities of World religions, and the origins of The Blues. While I found all this very interesting, it did get a little repetitive at times, and I found myself thinking the whole book could have been condensed somewhat.
In addition to being a good tale with a moral or two, The Vagabond King also has an educational aspect to it, covering subjects from African history, the similarities of World religions, and the origins of The Blues. While I found all this very interesting, it did get a little repetitive at times, and I found myself thinking the whole book could have been condensed somewhat.
September 7, 2021
A haunting tale of a boy who loses his mother and finds out his father is not his real father. It is his adventures with Magda, the sexy older waitress, and her Hungarian father who he goes to live with that is the focus of the story. It made me reflect at times and feel for the boy who was sad and finding his way. I would recommend this book.
August 19, 2022
If you a get chance to read this one, Don't miss it
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews