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A Most Irregular Prophecy
“I didn’t have anything left to do except to die. I would do it nobly. With dignity. Preferably after a moving speech.”
A monstrous Natterdash is waking, the dread Wizard Tig is stalking Planet Ora, and a new Prophecy regarding their destruction has been announced. In the central role? A Human abducted from 21st century England and cast as The Foretold One.
Long time captive and full time Suffragist, Victorian Primula ‘Vi’ Ravensbourne is dragged into the mix to act as translator and Thrawk keeper. With unseen enemies, reluctant Foretold Ones, and a gift that is Most Unexpected, she’ll soon find that all is not as it seems.
Vi may want the populace to have a Voice, but one must be alive in order to speak. Can Vi help fulfil a Prophecy that is rapidly running off track, and off script?
A monstrous Natterdash is waking, the dread Wizard Tig is stalking Planet Ora, and a new Prophecy regarding their destruction has been announced. In the central role? A Human abducted from 21st century England and cast as The Foretold One.
Long time captive and full time Suffragist, Victorian Primula ‘Vi’ Ravensbourne is dragged into the mix to act as translator and Thrawk keeper. With unseen enemies, reluctant Foretold Ones, and a gift that is Most Unexpected, she’ll soon find that all is not as it seems.
Vi may want the populace to have a Voice, but one must be alive in order to speak. Can Vi help fulfil a Prophecy that is rapidly running off track, and off script?
326 pages, Paperback
Published July 29, 2021
4 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Ness Kingsley
4 books39 followersNess Kingsley is a writer, a reader and a blogger (amongst other things). She enjoys spending a preposterous amount of time discussing the weather.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 21, 2022
WHAT DID I JUST READ? I haven't the faintest notion, to be honest, but I do know that it was GLORIOUS and a smashing good time! And yes, I do intend to talk in a faintly posh manner this entire review -- blame it on the book, why don't you! (You should. The book is entirely at fault. Fabulously so.)
At any rate, here are my discombobulated flailings and/or pterodactyl shrieks about exactly WHY you should find a copy of this book somewhere and devour it post-haste!
Firstly, we must discuss the genre. Genre? WHAT IS GENRE, I ASK! *unhinged laughter* (Ahem. This is . . . I suppose . . . fantasy, on a foreign planet, with a Victorian-era heroine and a character from modern day too. Essentially planetary fantasy with dashes of portal fantasy, but throughout time?? What does genre matter when it's this delightful is all I'd like to know.)
Secondly, as to the matter of my favorite character: What a ridiculous question. Who's asking these questions, anyway? (Oh, wait, that would be me.) Oh, all right, my favorite is MR SORROW, naturally (he and his -- well, green eyes but with, like, the spirit of a grey-eyed Heyer hero, are superb), but Vi and Rugby are also fabulous.
Now that these important questions have been addressed, I find myself QUITE AT A LOSS as to how to discuss this wondrous and unusual tale. This is a sort of Georgette-Heyer-meets-Enchanted-Forest-Chronicles-on-a-fantasy-planet-with-a-dash-of-Diana-Wynne-Jones book, and it's just as delightful as that makes it sound.
From our heroine, Vi, who narrates the book in a deliciously dry and amusing fashion (I tell you, Ness Kingsley's writing is SHEER BRILLIANCE and every sentence is a JOY to read), to the Thrawk characters (which are sort of Pegasus-type creatures with telepathy and Rugby especially is my favorite, but also THEY HAVE GREAT NAMES like Tennis), to Mr Sorrow who is a surprising sort of scholar and somewhat drily amused and scathing in the best possible way . . . these pages are inhabited by stupendous characters whose witty banter absolutely makes my day.
Throw in an almost dystopic sci-fi-fantasy society which one loves to hate, a prophecy that goes haywire, some screaming rain, several mishaps gallivanting all over the place, numerous ridiculous characters who are alarming with their ineptitude and simultaneous ability to make things Truly Horrendous for our heroes, as well as some depressed unicorn-pegasus creatures, a dash of monsters such as the Natterdash *ominous music*, and did I mention the screaming rain? Also TWISTS GALORE. You may gasp. Several times. I know I did.
The plot is at turns whimsical, hilarious, intense, and surprisingly dark later on, in fact, and yet I was glued to the page for the entire tale! (Not literally glued. That would be rather inconvenient for turning pages.) It is at times not for the faint of heart due to some truly horrendous characters, as noted, but it's absolutely worth it and I was Supremely Attached to these heroic characters such as Vi and Mr Sorrow and Rugby. (Supremely Attached as opposed to glued-not-literally. There we are.)
My ability to express the sheer enjoyment level of this bafflingly strange and yet hilarious and brilliant book is simply not adequate. I can only say that I ABSOLUTELY ADORED IT and hope that gets across somewhat my love for this book and how unexpected and unique it is. And so funny, too! I ADORE books that make me laugh, and this one absolutely did. The lovable characters and genre-bending suspense are the icing on the cake. But you really must discover it for yourself!
It must be confessed that I committed the nearly-unforgivable bookish atrocity of dogearing several of this book's pages to mark my favorite hilarious bits. And by "several" I here mean "approximately half of the total pages in the book." (YOU THINK I'M JOKING? Ha. Far from it. It's simply SO QUOTABLE and had me rolling with laughter or at the very least internal chuckles for most of the book.)
To save me the trouble (and the questionable legality) of sharing approximately half of the book here in quote form, the reader is recommended to immediately acquire a copy of A Most Irregular Prophecy and to experience the zany delight of this book at once.
I received a free e-book ARC of this book from the author (with, let it be noted, ZERO PRESSURE to review it, positively or otherwise). (I also, it must be admitted, later snagged a paperback off Amazon and actually mostly read that copy, but DETAILS.) At any rate, all opinions are my own, so there.
At any rate, here are my discombobulated flailings and/or pterodactyl shrieks about exactly WHY you should find a copy of this book somewhere and devour it post-haste!
Firstly, we must discuss the genre. Genre? WHAT IS GENRE, I ASK! *unhinged laughter* (Ahem. This is . . . I suppose . . . fantasy, on a foreign planet, with a Victorian-era heroine and a character from modern day too. Essentially planetary fantasy with dashes of portal fantasy, but throughout time?? What does genre matter when it's this delightful is all I'd like to know.)
Secondly, as to the matter of my favorite character: What a ridiculous question. Who's asking these questions, anyway? (Oh, wait, that would be me.) Oh, all right, my favorite is MR SORROW, naturally (he and his -- well, green eyes but with, like, the spirit of a grey-eyed Heyer hero, are superb), but Vi and Rugby are also fabulous.
Now that these important questions have been addressed, I find myself QUITE AT A LOSS as to how to discuss this wondrous and unusual tale. This is a sort of Georgette-Heyer-meets-Enchanted-Forest-Chronicles-on-a-fantasy-planet-with-a-dash-of-Diana-Wynne-Jones book, and it's just as delightful as that makes it sound.
From our heroine, Vi, who narrates the book in a deliciously dry and amusing fashion (I tell you, Ness Kingsley's writing is SHEER BRILLIANCE and every sentence is a JOY to read), to the Thrawk characters (which are sort of Pegasus-type creatures with telepathy and Rugby especially is my favorite, but also THEY HAVE GREAT NAMES like Tennis), to Mr Sorrow who is a surprising sort of scholar and somewhat drily amused and scathing in the best possible way . . . these pages are inhabited by stupendous characters whose witty banter absolutely makes my day.
Throw in an almost dystopic sci-fi-fantasy society which one loves to hate, a prophecy that goes haywire, some screaming rain, several mishaps gallivanting all over the place, numerous ridiculous characters who are alarming with their ineptitude and simultaneous ability to make things Truly Horrendous for our heroes, as well as some depressed unicorn-pegasus creatures, a dash of monsters such as the Natterdash *ominous music*, and did I mention the screaming rain? Also TWISTS GALORE. You may gasp. Several times. I know I did.
The plot is at turns whimsical, hilarious, intense, and surprisingly dark later on, in fact, and yet I was glued to the page for the entire tale! (Not literally glued. That would be rather inconvenient for turning pages.) It is at times not for the faint of heart due to some truly horrendous characters, as noted, but it's absolutely worth it and I was Supremely Attached to these heroic characters such as Vi and Mr Sorrow and Rugby. (Supremely Attached as opposed to glued-not-literally. There we are.)
My ability to express the sheer enjoyment level of this bafflingly strange and yet hilarious and brilliant book is simply not adequate. I can only say that I ABSOLUTELY ADORED IT and hope that gets across somewhat my love for this book and how unexpected and unique it is. And so funny, too! I ADORE books that make me laugh, and this one absolutely did. The lovable characters and genre-bending suspense are the icing on the cake. But you really must discover it for yourself!
It must be confessed that I committed the nearly-unforgivable bookish atrocity of dogearing several of this book's pages to mark my favorite hilarious bits. And by "several" I here mean "approximately half of the total pages in the book." (YOU THINK I'M JOKING? Ha. Far from it. It's simply SO QUOTABLE and had me rolling with laughter or at the very least internal chuckles for most of the book.)
To save me the trouble (and the questionable legality) of sharing approximately half of the book here in quote form, the reader is recommended to immediately acquire a copy of A Most Irregular Prophecy and to experience the zany delight of this book at once.
I received a free e-book ARC of this book from the author (with, let it be noted, ZERO PRESSURE to review it, positively or otherwise). (I also, it must be admitted, later snagged a paperback off Amazon and actually mostly read that copy, but DETAILS.) At any rate, all opinions are my own, so there.
August 13, 2021
One of my favorite reads so far this year. Vi is a charmingly resilient narrator with a believable "1800s girl adapted to a fantasy world" voice, there's a lovely balance between humor and gravity where needed, and Rugby is the best murder-fantasizing herbivore alicorn I've ever read (to be fair she's the ONLY one I've ever read but I don't think it could be done better). Also I love Barnacle Sorrow with all my heart .
October 27, 2021
Disclaimer: this book is weird
But it's the sort of weird that I would categorize Howl's Moving Castle, W.R. Gingell's books, and assorted others under and that is really, a very good thing.
Here are some thoughts:
--Ms. Ravensbourne is the sort of woman who tries to do things even when she's not DOING things. She's very practical and altogether a wonderful character.
--I did not expect Mr. Sorrow to be as delightful as he was. Mostly because I first envisioned him as Puddleglum from Narnia, but I blame that on the name.
-- Let me be allowed to say that relationships that form in the margins of a story are almost the best kind because a touch here and word there mean all the much more and it's those tiny meanings that build to what will be an excellent relationship when fully realized.
--In addition, angry characters who carry their anger as a shield are lovely, especially when you get to peek behind it a bit.
I nearly expect a sequel. As much as they disgusted me, I want to know how the Orians end up. I want to know whether they can be saved.
Reader, I loved it.
But it's the sort of weird that I would categorize Howl's Moving Castle, W.R. Gingell's books, and assorted others under and that is really, a very good thing.
Here are some thoughts:
--Ms. Ravensbourne is the sort of woman who tries to do things even when she's not DOING things. She's very practical and altogether a wonderful character.
--I did not expect Mr. Sorrow to be as delightful as he was. Mostly because I first envisioned him as Puddleglum from Narnia, but I blame that on the name.
-- Let me be allowed to say that relationships that form in the margins of a story are almost the best kind because a touch here and word there mean all the much more and it's those tiny meanings that build to what will be an excellent relationship when fully realized.
--In addition, angry characters who carry their anger as a shield are lovely, especially when you get to peek behind it a bit.
I nearly expect a sequel. As much as they disgusted me, I want to know how the Orians end up. I want to know whether they can be saved.
Reader, I loved it.
December 17, 2022
A delightful and off-beat comedy sending up portal and "chosen one" fantasy that manages to be both funny and clean (apart from the frequent manure references, since our MC keeps a stable of magical creatures...).
The standout aspect is the first-person narrative voice of Primula Vesuvius Ravensbourne - a sort of love letter to Victorian English, the Suffragists, and a jolly good piece of character work in her own right. Bringing about by turns humour, pathos and infodump cunningly concealed in her locquatious narration, she handily tows us through a rather odd plot with a whiff of Lewis Carroll and even a hint of fever dream through to a fairly logical ending.
The supporting cast are adorable too even if there is limited space to actually develop them. Only the modern human character felt underused and underdeveloped, though she and Vi do have one pointed conversation about women's suffrage. There isn't an obvious hook for a sequel but I will keep an eye on this author for further work.
The standout aspect is the first-person narrative voice of Primula Vesuvius Ravensbourne - a sort of love letter to Victorian English, the Suffragists, and a jolly good piece of character work in her own right. Bringing about by turns humour, pathos and infodump cunningly concealed in her locquatious narration, she handily tows us through a rather odd plot with a whiff of Lewis Carroll and even a hint of fever dream through to a fairly logical ending.
The supporting cast are adorable too even if there is limited space to actually develop them. Only the modern human character felt underused and underdeveloped, though she and Vi do have one pointed conversation about women's suffrage. There isn't an obvious hook for a sequel but I will keep an eye on this author for further work.
Read
August 25, 2021All right, so I am VERY biased on this one, since it was written by one of my dear friends. But I can honestly say this one is a HOOT but also doesn’t pull its punches when it comes to the hard stuff. If you like your fantasy with a good helping of Wodehouse-esque humor then this will be EXACTLY your cup of tea.
(also, my FAVORITE character is Mr. Sorrow. I love him so much)
Content caution: some mild language.
(also, my FAVORITE character is Mr. Sorrow. I love him so much)
Content caution: some mild language.
January 29, 2023
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. This is quite the romp. Fits into a category with Jasper Fforde's Kazam books, and maybe Catherynne Valente, with a bit of Georgette Heyer and Douglas Adams in there. Soooooo crazy, and it took me a bit to "get" the world and characters, but then it takes off on a wild, delightful ride and you'll surely be rooting for Vi (and Mr. Sorrow) all along the way.
There's points made here about fake news and propaganda and choice and freedom. I also like that the dash of romance is very long-standing and natural and not overplayed.
I would definitely read more from this author!
There's points made here about fake news and propaganda and choice and freedom. I also like that the dash of romance is very long-standing and natural and not overplayed.
I would definitely read more from this author!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews