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Ser Ghostwriter
Heraclia is a land of poets, whose haikus and sonnets build towers, grow grain, and sail ships. Ed is a scribe to one of these poets, and when his master is murdered by highwaymen, he takes up his quill and becomes a ghostwriter, a masterless poet. Broad-shouldered and strong, Ed does not exactly have the makings of a master poet, but enters his names into the rolls at a poetry slam tournament among the great nobles of the realm: Frost, Yates, Keats and many others. Though his poems are little more than scratchings of a quill, Ed's good heart soon lands him in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens the safety of the realm itself.
157 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 5, 2022
This is fantasy with interesting ideas in the field of poetry.
Plot. Rating 4
The book has one storyline, but it is branched enough for a small number of pages. I liked how dangerous the art of poetry can be in this world, and how difficult it is for poets to improvise and find the right words. This is shown well and realistically, in my opinion. Political intrigues, personal likes and dislikes, as well as personality traits of the hero introduce unexpected twists into the progressive development of the plot.
Characters. Rating 4
The main character of the book is well portrayed. His lack of confidence in his skills is clearly visible on the pages of the book. In his adventures, he bravely overcomes various temptations and remains true to the poetic tradition. It's good that he thinks about his teacher quite a lot, and it seemed to me that their joint wanderings influenced his upbringing based on the way he is shown in the book.
Some of the secondary characters are well developed for such a short book. Kip and his mother, Elizabeth, and her father, Hercopius, have personalities of their own. Other male characters that Ed met somewhat merge together; perhaps they lacked more expressive external features and a focused assessment of their personalities and actions on behalf of the protagonist.
Dialogues. Rating 5
I enjoyed the dialogues in the book. Many of them are written with good humor, such as those in the second chapter, and during the first competitions.
Writing style. Rating 5
The style of the book contains good specific descriptions, beautiful comparisons, and accurate descriptions of actions. The descriptions often deepen and clarify some concepts in the book without leaving them static, which corresponds to real life.
Worldbuilding. Rating 5
The peculiarity of this world, which is described in the annotation, makes it bizarre. The book has detailed worldbuilding from both the areas of religion, history, and old legends, and from the side of various small details of the Middle Ages. There is also a lot of thinking about poetry and how to create it. Various poems seemed interesting to me; although, I am not experienced in poetry. The names of many heroes are consistent with earthly poets, but I did not catch what this was done for, because I am not very familiar with their biographies and poetry.
Conclusion. Overall rating 5
This is an excellent book with an original idea that will be of interest to fantasy lovers, especially those who are versed in poetry.
Plot. Rating 4
The book has one storyline, but it is branched enough for a small number of pages. I liked how dangerous the art of poetry can be in this world, and how difficult it is for poets to improvise and find the right words. This is shown well and realistically, in my opinion. Political intrigues, personal likes and dislikes, as well as personality traits of the hero introduce unexpected twists into the progressive development of the plot.
Characters. Rating 4
The main character of the book is well portrayed. His lack of confidence in his skills is clearly visible on the pages of the book. In his adventures, he bravely overcomes various temptations and remains true to the poetic tradition. It's good that he thinks about his teacher quite a lot, and it seemed to me that their joint wanderings influenced his upbringing based on the way he is shown in the book.
Some of the secondary characters are well developed for such a short book. Kip and his mother, Elizabeth, and her father, Hercopius, have personalities of their own. Other male characters that Ed met somewhat merge together; perhaps they lacked more expressive external features and a focused assessment of their personalities and actions on behalf of the protagonist.
Dialogues. Rating 5
I enjoyed the dialogues in the book. Many of them are written with good humor, such as those in the second chapter, and during the first competitions.
Writing style. Rating 5
The style of the book contains good specific descriptions, beautiful comparisons, and accurate descriptions of actions. The descriptions often deepen and clarify some concepts in the book without leaving them static, which corresponds to real life.
Worldbuilding. Rating 5
The peculiarity of this world, which is described in the annotation, makes it bizarre. The book has detailed worldbuilding from both the areas of religion, history, and old legends, and from the side of various small details of the Middle Ages. There is also a lot of thinking about poetry and how to create it. Various poems seemed interesting to me; although, I am not experienced in poetry. The names of many heroes are consistent with earthly poets, but I did not catch what this was done for, because I am not very familiar with their biographies and poetry.
Conclusion. Overall rating 5
This is an excellent book with an original idea that will be of interest to fantasy lovers, especially those who are versed in poetry.
March 1, 2022
Imaginative, original fantasy.
What an inventive, fun, exciting book!
Set in a world where words have power - actual magical power, so that poems can hurt or heal when spoken by someone with training - poets (or Po) are people of much importance and hold tournaments (or slams) where they joust with words.
I loved the idea of poems playing such an important part in this world. While I chuckled at the references to real poems and poets, the author has taken the idea and developed it into a three dimensional fantasy world that worked and made sense beyond the superficial fun of muses, pos and literary name dropping.
Ed, the scribe of a wandering ghostwriter turned poet in his own right, is a likable and compelling character. The rest of the characters are also great, although I did sometimes get confused between the Yates and Frost families.
Along with the setting and characters, the plot is a classic fantasy story about truth and honor. I liked the mystery elements as Ed tries to navigate the muses web of manipulations.
This is a rich world that I would love to explore further with the characters.
What an inventive, fun, exciting book!
Set in a world where words have power - actual magical power, so that poems can hurt or heal when spoken by someone with training - poets (or Po) are people of much importance and hold tournaments (or slams) where they joust with words.
I loved the idea of poems playing such an important part in this world. While I chuckled at the references to real poems and poets, the author has taken the idea and developed it into a three dimensional fantasy world that worked and made sense beyond the superficial fun of muses, pos and literary name dropping.
Ed, the scribe of a wandering ghostwriter turned poet in his own right, is a likable and compelling character. The rest of the characters are also great, although I did sometimes get confused between the Yates and Frost families.
Along with the setting and characters, the plot is a classic fantasy story about truth and honor. I liked the mystery elements as Ed tries to navigate the muses web of manipulations.
This is a rich world that I would love to explore further with the characters.
April 1, 2022
Poetry on another level
The whole premise of this book was really cool. Poetry used as a magic form isn't something I read a lot in books. I liked seeing all the familiar poets woven into the story in such an imaginative way. I also got the sense that the author had a thing against Robert Frost. There were several good lines I highlighted that stood out to me. At times it was hard to keep track of all the different people and the titles, like the differences between the pos and the muses. Some of the lore was unclear to me at times. Ed sometimes got lost in the mix and it was difficult to connect with his motives and why he wanted to go to the slam in the first place. I would have loved to see more uses of slam and some other poetry powers. The beginning was a bit slow for me because there was a chunk of information that interrupted the beginning action and I almost couldn't find it again. If this had been a longer book, I still would have enjoyed it because there would have more chances for Ed to improve his poetry and other characters showing of their skills. If you have no background in poetry, it might be a bit difficult to follow along with the different forms and terms, but Google can help with that.
The whole premise of this book was really cool. Poetry used as a magic form isn't something I read a lot in books. I liked seeing all the familiar poets woven into the story in such an imaginative way. I also got the sense that the author had a thing against Robert Frost. There were several good lines I highlighted that stood out to me. At times it was hard to keep track of all the different people and the titles, like the differences between the pos and the muses. Some of the lore was unclear to me at times. Ed sometimes got lost in the mix and it was difficult to connect with his motives and why he wanted to go to the slam in the first place. I would have loved to see more uses of slam and some other poetry powers. The beginning was a bit slow for me because there was a chunk of information that interrupted the beginning action and I almost couldn't find it again. If this had been a longer book, I still would have enjoyed it because there would have more chances for Ed to improve his poetry and other characters showing of their skills. If you have no background in poetry, it might be a bit difficult to follow along with the different forms and terms, but Google can help with that.
February 27, 2022
This is an interesting concept. I found the story unwieldy at first, difficult to get into. I struggled to connect with the character of Ed. I struggled to find why I should care about him and his plot. I was very much just plopped into a sad scene with little or no context.
That being said, I think this is a very interesting concept. I loved the idea of these magical writers, riding around the world, changing things with sonnets, poems, and haikus.
We learn his master has died of a bandit attack, leaving our main character with a surprising number of supplies and gold. Ed stands at a literal crossroads and must decide what path to take.
We first see the very real magic when Ed composes a haiku to his dead master, and a gravestone appears. We see it fail at the inn when he overreaches his skills and causes destruction instead of creation.
This is a lot of information thrown at the reader in a short time, and I think that this is what caused the initial disconnect with the story. However I did like the concept, so I soldiered on.
We learn that Ed is going to enter his name into the roles. Along the way, he meets Kip and Wallace, who are on their own journey. Apparently, the magic of poems and words can create things in this world. The power of poetry can bring very real things into the actual world.
The land is ruled by muses and the pos serve them, writing their poetry to change the world.
We set up some religious conflicts, and we can see that this will play a role later in the book.
I don't want to spoil too much, but this is a solid book, once you get into the meat of it, with creative world-building and likable characters. I would recommend giving this a try.
That being said, I think this is a very interesting concept. I loved the idea of these magical writers, riding around the world, changing things with sonnets, poems, and haikus.
We learn his master has died of a bandit attack, leaving our main character with a surprising number of supplies and gold. Ed stands at a literal crossroads and must decide what path to take.
We first see the very real magic when Ed composes a haiku to his dead master, and a gravestone appears. We see it fail at the inn when he overreaches his skills and causes destruction instead of creation.
This is a lot of information thrown at the reader in a short time, and I think that this is what caused the initial disconnect with the story. However I did like the concept, so I soldiered on.
We learn that Ed is going to enter his name into the roles. Along the way, he meets Kip and Wallace, who are on their own journey. Apparently, the magic of poems and words can create things in this world. The power of poetry can bring very real things into the actual world.
The land is ruled by muses and the pos serve them, writing their poetry to change the world.
We set up some religious conflicts, and we can see that this will play a role later in the book.
I don't want to spoil too much, but this is a solid book, once you get into the meat of it, with creative world-building and likable characters. I would recommend giving this a try.
May 10, 2022
I loved this original fantasy story. The idea of using poems, elegies, limericks, haikus, etc to weave magic really appeals to me. Instead of jousting, there are poetry slams. I loved the scenes where the opposing poets tried to out-rhyme each other, literally demonstrating the power of words. The world-building is really good, and the story had a strong medieval/heraldic vibe to it which I loved.
The protagonist, Ed, Ser Ghostwriter, is a likeable character, determined to be honest and do the right thing regardless of the cost. I really felt for him every step of the way, and cheered on his minor successes. It was a nice touch having Ed so large that everyone thought he should be fighting far-off wars, while at the same time Ed is determined not to use his strength to his advantage. I liked the other characters too, especially Kip who longed to be a poet as well, and Ed’s travelling companions, Eulalie and Patches. The history and politics are given in enough detailed to give depth to the world, and of course adds some subterfuge to the storyline. I enjoyed the nods to poets, it was fun spotting them during the course of the story.
Overall a fun, engaging fantasy that I highly recommend.
The protagonist, Ed, Ser Ghostwriter, is a likeable character, determined to be honest and do the right thing regardless of the cost. I really felt for him every step of the way, and cheered on his minor successes. It was a nice touch having Ed so large that everyone thought he should be fighting far-off wars, while at the same time Ed is determined not to use his strength to his advantage. I liked the other characters too, especially Kip who longed to be a poet as well, and Ed’s travelling companions, Eulalie and Patches. The history and politics are given in enough detailed to give depth to the world, and of course adds some subterfuge to the storyline. I enjoyed the nods to poets, it was fun spotting them during the course of the story.
Overall a fun, engaging fantasy that I highly recommend.
May 31, 2022
Ser Ghostwriter by Joshua Derrick Review
I can’t say enough good things about this story. I was pleasantly intrigued and hooked throughout the novel. I found it unique and the prose beautifully written. It was a pleasing combination of prose and poetry. The plot moved at a pace that made this a story easily read in one setting as it’s hard to put down once you start.
The themes of honor, wisdom, and valor are prevalent throughout the book. There was a great world built around these and several other themes that were well fleshed out. Po Ed is one of the best characters I’ve read in awhile. He was likable, believable, flawed, and I found myself rooting for him every step of the way. I look forward to reading more about his journey. *Fingers crossed* Joshua Derrick showed great promise and skill with his writing. It flowed along smoothly and his voice is vibrant.
I look forward to following along with this story and reading more from Joshua Derrick. He took a unique and exciting spin on the fantasy genre and the result is a must read.
I can’t say enough good things about this story. I was pleasantly intrigued and hooked throughout the novel. I found it unique and the prose beautifully written. It was a pleasing combination of prose and poetry. The plot moved at a pace that made this a story easily read in one setting as it’s hard to put down once you start.
The themes of honor, wisdom, and valor are prevalent throughout the book. There was a great world built around these and several other themes that were well fleshed out. Po Ed is one of the best characters I’ve read in awhile. He was likable, believable, flawed, and I found myself rooting for him every step of the way. I look forward to reading more about his journey. *Fingers crossed* Joshua Derrick showed great promise and skill with his writing. It flowed along smoothly and his voice is vibrant.
I look forward to following along with this story and reading more from Joshua Derrick. He took a unique and exciting spin on the fantasy genre and the result is a must read.
April 12, 2022
Subtly Brilliant: a diamond in the rough
Ser Ghostwriter is a short but wonderful read. It is quietly brilliant, quick in pace, the poetry within the prose elegant and in some places quite moving.
Ser Ghostwriter has all of the trimmings of an Arthurian tale or a chapter of Don Quixote, yet is completely accessible to the green or casual reader. Derrick has created a world and mythology from our own history of poets and their craft, and it was deeply satisfying to recognise references to poets like Keats or Plath - even the odes and cameos that eluded me felt authentic and informed.
As mentioned before, the poetry, even in instances when it is intentionally presented as 'not the best' is quite striking, as if the lines and rhymes were themselves authentic sub-creations of Derrick's characters. A personal favourite that stuck with me was the 'vilanelle for valour' (I burried a man in the rain / Who will carry his refrain?). I have perhaps a rudimentary (being generous) knowledge of the poetic arts or particular liking of poetry at all, but these little limericks, haikus and a deadly little sonnet felt quietly brilliant; clear, clever, and modest.
I must admit I have been a little generous in giving Ser Ghostwriter 5 stars. I called this book 'a diamond in the rough' as I feel that it sums up my feelings best. While I admire the fantastic concept and accessibility of the story, the formatting (at least of the ebook) and editing need some attention. While a misspelling or missing quotation mark here or there can be forgiven, some words seem to be missing in places: actions or dialogue attributed a little too vaguely to follow, resulting in small jumps in the prose that are jarring.
This said, I do feel that if this book was given a proper edit it would be a fantastic piece of work. I have been reading more indie works over the last year and rarely feel moved to consider a sequel (in some cases I resent coming to the end of a book and finding there is nothing but a cliffhanger, discovering what I had did not even conclude a complete arc, let alone a story). However, I very much liked where this story ended and approached the end quietly hoping there might be more, similarly sized installments in the future. I can certainly see a collection of tales about Po Edgar in volumes having wide appeal - though I would hope that Derrick might find a good editor to work with to truly make the best of these stories.
Ser Ghostwriter is a short but wonderful read. It is quietly brilliant, quick in pace, the poetry within the prose elegant and in some places quite moving.
Ser Ghostwriter has all of the trimmings of an Arthurian tale or a chapter of Don Quixote, yet is completely accessible to the green or casual reader. Derrick has created a world and mythology from our own history of poets and their craft, and it was deeply satisfying to recognise references to poets like Keats or Plath - even the odes and cameos that eluded me felt authentic and informed.
As mentioned before, the poetry, even in instances when it is intentionally presented as 'not the best' is quite striking, as if the lines and rhymes were themselves authentic sub-creations of Derrick's characters. A personal favourite that stuck with me was the 'vilanelle for valour' (I burried a man in the rain / Who will carry his refrain?). I have perhaps a rudimentary (being generous) knowledge of the poetic arts or particular liking of poetry at all, but these little limericks, haikus and a deadly little sonnet felt quietly brilliant; clear, clever, and modest.
I must admit I have been a little generous in giving Ser Ghostwriter 5 stars. I called this book 'a diamond in the rough' as I feel that it sums up my feelings best. While I admire the fantastic concept and accessibility of the story, the formatting (at least of the ebook) and editing need some attention. While a misspelling or missing quotation mark here or there can be forgiven, some words seem to be missing in places: actions or dialogue attributed a little too vaguely to follow, resulting in small jumps in the prose that are jarring.
This said, I do feel that if this book was given a proper edit it would be a fantastic piece of work. I have been reading more indie works over the last year and rarely feel moved to consider a sequel (in some cases I resent coming to the end of a book and finding there is nothing but a cliffhanger, discovering what I had did not even conclude a complete arc, let alone a story). However, I very much liked where this story ended and approached the end quietly hoping there might be more, similarly sized installments in the future. I can certainly see a collection of tales about Po Edgar in volumes having wide appeal - though I would hope that Derrick might find a good editor to work with to truly make the best of these stories.
May 18, 2024
When I read the blurb on Ser Ghostwriter, that was me sold. A magic system using poetry? Verse and prose instead of stupid fake Latin phrases? Yes, please! Of course, everything could still fail if the book dwelled on world building, the characters failed to ignite, or the poetry Joshua Derrick provided sucked. World building came sprinkled throughout the story (apart from a couple of paragraphs early on), giving just enough information to understand each point in time. A lot of thought went into the structure and society of this world. The main character, Edgar, is a dreary man, who reminded me of an emo, all caught up in who he could be, instead of looking at who he is. Part of this stems from losing his poet before page one, taking on the poet’s mantle before being ready for it. The people he meets along the way are interesting, and I wish Edgar had considered Elizabeth a little more. She brought out a different side of him, but that would have made for a different book! As it stands, this book is a well-rounded, easy-read with a nice plot to explore this world Joshua has created in enough detail to make you want to see more. I’m no poetry afficionado, but I found the poetry charming, with the author having a flair for it. In an author’s note, I discovered why. Joshua gives a little information about himself and references to Keats, Wordsworth and Poe and how they influenced this work, which made me smile. I enjoyed this one.
November 14, 2023
The premise of this book intrigued me as I was interested to see how poetry would fit into a fantasy world. The first few pages started with quite an info dump in the form of tell not show. In the fantasy land of Heraclia, poetry was used to solve conflicts. Despite the large amount of exposition in the opening, it was not explained how the inhabitants of Heraclia came to learn haiku, derived from the ancient Japanese art form of tanka. Better world-building could have factored this in: for a start, was Heraclia on earth? Whereabouts in the world? How did they come to have knowledge of Japanese haiku, since the whole first chapter was dedicated to it? Likewise, how did the inhabitants know sonnets, or limericks? Was Shakespeare a part of this world - or Ireland? Another problem with this book was how modern day poetry "slams" factored into a land that seemed vaguely medieval. Poor world-building left much to be desired, unfortunately. If the author had explained whether Heraclia was set in a parallel world, for example, this would've been helpful.
There were other unfortunate issues too. Tense inconsistencies tripped me up and I found myself having to reread some lines, as in: Compared to the press of bodies outside, the stands were nearly empty. Yet Ed would have rather been out there. People’s eyes just slide over him, as if they did not want to acknowledge the presence of soaking and dirty ghostwriter in their midst. The change from past to present tense here was jarring, unless the use of "slide" was a typo that should have been "slid". Either way, it could have benefitted from having a proofreader.
There were also clunky sentences like this one: As the innkeep ejected four men who were throwing dice, trying and failing to haiku the wooden things fall how they wished, one of the muselings turned his face towards the bar. This could seriously do with an edit.
Overall I really found the story quite bland and the ending rushed and dull.
There were other unfortunate issues too. Tense inconsistencies tripped me up and I found myself having to reread some lines, as in: Compared to the press of bodies outside, the stands were nearly empty. Yet Ed would have rather been out there. People’s eyes just slide over him, as if they did not want to acknowledge the presence of soaking and dirty ghostwriter in their midst. The change from past to present tense here was jarring, unless the use of "slide" was a typo that should have been "slid". Either way, it could have benefitted from having a proofreader.
There were also clunky sentences like this one: As the innkeep ejected four men who were throwing dice, trying and failing to haiku the wooden things fall how they wished, one of the muselings turned his face towards the bar. This could seriously do with an edit.
Overall I really found the story quite bland and the ending rushed and dull.
June 9, 2024
Ser Ghostwriter offers a delightful and imaginative journey into the land of Heraclia, where poetry holds literal magical power. The premise of a world where haikus and sonnets can build towers and sail ships is both inventive and intriguing, drawing readers into a unique fantasy realm. Ed, the protagonist, steps into the role of a ghostwriter after the tragic murder of his master. His journey from a simple scribe to a participant in poetry slam tournaments is compelling, even if he doesn't initially seem cut out for the role of a master poet. Derrick's world-building is rich and detailed, immersing readers in a setting where words wield extraordinary power. The integration of real poems and poets into the story adds a delightful touch of literary homage, enhancing the overall experience.
The supporting characters are well-crafted, though at times the distinctions between different families and their roles can be confusing. The pacing can be uneven, particularly at the beginning, where a significant amount of exposition can feel overwhelming. Some of the lore and terminology might be challenging for readers without a background in poetry, though this is a minor hurdle that can be overcome with a bit of external research. The ending, while satisfying, feels somewhat rushed and leaves a few loose ends unresolved. A longer narrative could have allowed for deeper exploration of Ed's growth and the intricate use of poetry as a magical tool.
Overall, the book is a witty and clever novel that successfully blends fantasy with the art of poetry. Despite its minor shortcomings, it deserves four stars for its originality and the captivating world it creates.
The supporting characters are well-crafted, though at times the distinctions between different families and their roles can be confusing. The pacing can be uneven, particularly at the beginning, where a significant amount of exposition can feel overwhelming. Some of the lore and terminology might be challenging for readers without a background in poetry, though this is a minor hurdle that can be overcome with a bit of external research. The ending, while satisfying, feels somewhat rushed and leaves a few loose ends unresolved. A longer narrative could have allowed for deeper exploration of Ed's growth and the intricate use of poetry as a magical tool.
Overall, the book is a witty and clever novel that successfully blends fantasy with the art of poetry. Despite its minor shortcomings, it deserves four stars for its originality and the captivating world it creates.
June 20, 2023
Something different!
Ser Ghostwriter by Joshua Derrick is a witty and clever novel that explores the life of a ghostwriter but the poems that Ed creates have some dire consequences behind them The protagonist, Ser, is a talented but insecure writer who struggles with his own identity and creativity. After Po Alonne dies Ser must decide whether to continue his ghostwriting job and stay true to his abilities or do as everything thinks he should do because of his size and become a warrior. The novel is full of humor, suspense and literary references that will delight readers who enjoy books that include poetry. Derrick's writing style is engaging and smooth, and he creates memorable characters and situations. The plot is well-paced and has some surprising twists and turns. The only drawback is that the ending feels a bit rushed and anticlimactic, leaving some loose ends unresolved. Overall, Ser Ghostwriter is a fun and enjoyable read that deserves four stars out of five. I highly recommend.
Ser Ghostwriter by Joshua Derrick is a witty and clever novel that explores the life of a ghostwriter but the poems that Ed creates have some dire consequences behind them The protagonist, Ser, is a talented but insecure writer who struggles with his own identity and creativity. After Po Alonne dies Ser must decide whether to continue his ghostwriting job and stay true to his abilities or do as everything thinks he should do because of his size and become a warrior. The novel is full of humor, suspense and literary references that will delight readers who enjoy books that include poetry. Derrick's writing style is engaging and smooth, and he creates memorable characters and situations. The plot is well-paced and has some surprising twists and turns. The only drawback is that the ending feels a bit rushed and anticlimactic, leaving some loose ends unresolved. Overall, Ser Ghostwriter is a fun and enjoyable read that deserves four stars out of five. I highly recommend.
December 18, 2021
My Creative Writing Thesis from college. Pretty good if I say so myself. Hopefully contains no typos.
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