What do you think?
Rate this book
Hawthorne Saga #1
Act of Will
Act of Will is a boisterous fantasy adventure that introduces us to Will Hawthorne, a medieval actor and playwright who flees the authorities only to find himself inextricably bound to a group of high-minded adventurers on a deadly mission. Will travels with them to a distant land where they are charged with the investigation and defeat of a ruthless army of mystical horsemen, who appear out of the mist leaving death and devastation in their wake.
In the course of Will’s uneasy alliance with his new protectors, he has to get his pragmatic mind to accept selfless heroism (which he thinks is absurd) and magic (which he doesn’t believe in). Will must eventually decide where his loyalties really lie and how much he is prepared to do--and believe--to stand up for them.
In the course of Will’s uneasy alliance with his new protectors, he has to get his pragmatic mind to accept selfless heroism (which he thinks is absurd) and magic (which he doesn’t believe in). Will must eventually decide where his loyalties really lie and how much he is prepared to do--and believe--to stand up for them.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2009
21 people are currently reading
424 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
March 20, 2009
Best fantasy book I've read in a LONG time, and a real breath of fresh air after all the pompous and self-indulgent High Fantasy I've read lately. Act of Will is fun (imagine that!) while still being exciting and better written than books with more literary aspirations. The story follows an apprentice actor, Will Hawthorne--the story's narrator--who is fleeing from the authorities when he has to throw his lot in with a band of noble adventurers who are out to investigate an army of horsemen who appear out of the mist and vanish again. A lot of the book's strength is in Will himself, who feels like he fell out of a different genre: he's street smart and full of actor's tricks but he's also cynical and values little beyond his own skin. He makes a great foil to the more conventional fantasy characters he gets stuck with and it's wonderful to hear a real contemporary voice as he deals with them and their values. I'll bet some readers will find him hard to take--even a critique of more conventional fantasy--but it works while still delivering lots of thrills and spills. Maybe other writers are doing similar things, but I wouldn't be surprised if this created an entire subgenre. Can't wait for a second book in this series.
September 3, 2009
Definitely check this one out.
The setting is roughly Elizabethan, with some question as to whether magic exists or not. The story follows William, an 18 year old actor with no particular scruples, no particular morals, and no particular aptitude for anything other than pretending to be someone else. Through the unfortunate combination of a momentary political shift and having just cheated the wrong man at cards, Will is placed on a list of undesirables and dissidents; he then offends the local constabulary and finds himself chased from his theater and his city.
Through one of those happenstances of plot device, Will falls in with a notorious group of criminals and malcontents. They assure him they are good people dedicated to some noble and honorable cause at odds with the current government. Will doesn't care, though, so he never asks them what that might be.
And so we set out on the adventure: Will's group of honorable thieves have to sneak out of the country and meet up with their leader, who has taken a commission to have them head into yet another country and resolve a local bandit problem. Yes: they are hunted as criminals and they claim to be revolutionaries but they are acting as mercenaries. There are no messy politics underlying their purpose.
It is refreshing to see a book that doesn't have to sneak in a noble and heroic quest behind every day-to-day activity.
Will happens along with them, largely because they're heading further away from the places where he's a wanted man, but also because he is attracted to one of the band and becoming friends with another. He isn't a fighter (well, he can pretend to be one, if waving a sword around on like he's stage is convincing enough), he isn't a spy or a scout, and he isn't any good at logistics, cooking, or anything else they need; it's up to him to show them that a sharp memory, a wicked wit, and the ability to lie through his teeth are useful.
Our group of adventurers spend the book trekking back and forth across three small countries trying to trace down some raiders who are destroying their (already shaky) economies. The politics, tactics, and economics are fun and well-thought-out.
Will's character growth comes in his learning both how useless he is and how to make what he already knows useful, in learning to form mature relationships with the people in the group--especially with a woman he is growing fond of but who finds him immature and untrustworthy--and in revisiting his oft-repeated notion that heroes only exist in stories and noble sacrifice is just a way to feel good about being dead.
This is a very fun, very readable book. I hope I can look forward to a sequel.
Oh, best bit: a brief interlude where Will compares the hero and the comic relief. I hadn't ever though about it before, but really, it's the comic relief we're all quoting years after a show. I can see why he'd rather cast himself in that role.
The setting is roughly Elizabethan, with some question as to whether magic exists or not. The story follows William, an 18 year old actor with no particular scruples, no particular morals, and no particular aptitude for anything other than pretending to be someone else. Through the unfortunate combination of a momentary political shift and having just cheated the wrong man at cards, Will is placed on a list of undesirables and dissidents; he then offends the local constabulary and finds himself chased from his theater and his city.
Through one of those happenstances of plot device, Will falls in with a notorious group of criminals and malcontents. They assure him they are good people dedicated to some noble and honorable cause at odds with the current government. Will doesn't care, though, so he never asks them what that might be.
And so we set out on the adventure: Will's group of honorable thieves have to sneak out of the country and meet up with their leader, who has taken a commission to have them head into yet another country and resolve a local bandit problem. Yes: they are hunted as criminals and they claim to be revolutionaries but they are acting as mercenaries. There are no messy politics underlying their purpose.
It is refreshing to see a book that doesn't have to sneak in a noble and heroic quest behind every day-to-day activity.
Will happens along with them, largely because they're heading further away from the places where he's a wanted man, but also because he is attracted to one of the band and becoming friends with another. He isn't a fighter (well, he can pretend to be one, if waving a sword around on like he's stage is convincing enough), he isn't a spy or a scout, and he isn't any good at logistics, cooking, or anything else they need; it's up to him to show them that a sharp memory, a wicked wit, and the ability to lie through his teeth are useful.
Our group of adventurers spend the book trekking back and forth across three small countries trying to trace down some raiders who are destroying their (already shaky) economies. The politics, tactics, and economics are fun and well-thought-out.
Will's character growth comes in his learning both how useless he is and how to make what he already knows useful, in learning to form mature relationships with the people in the group--especially with a woman he is growing fond of but who finds him immature and untrustworthy--and in revisiting his oft-repeated notion that heroes only exist in stories and noble sacrifice is just a way to feel good about being dead.
This is a very fun, very readable book. I hope I can look forward to a sequel.
Oh, best bit: a brief interlude where Will compares the hero and the comic relief. I hadn't ever though about it before, but really, it's the comic relief we're all quoting years after a show. I can see why he'd rather cast himself in that role.
July 17, 2013
It's very rare for me to give 5 stars to a book but this one definitely qualifies. Great plot, wonderful characters, clever prose. This has it all.
Told from the point of view of the main character, his voice has a wonderful reality albeit in a fantasy setting. He has a great sense of humour and a gift for words that saved his life on several occasions. I was reminded of "I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him' a couple of times. Very cleverly written and a joy to read.
Told from the point of view of the main character, his voice has a wonderful reality albeit in a fantasy setting. He has a great sense of humour and a gift for words that saved his life on several occasions. I was reminded of "I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him' a couple of times. Very cleverly written and a joy to read.
September 23, 2009
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
A.J. Hartley is best known as a writer of best-selling mystery-thriller novels, as a distinguished professor of Shakespeare in the English Department at University of North Carolina, and as editor of the Shakespeare Bulletin published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Dr. Hartley’s theater expertise is readily apparent in Act of Will, the first book of his first fantasy series.
It’s Will Hawthorne’s 18th birthday and he is finally a man. Today he hopes to be promoted to playing male parts and penning plays for his acting company. But, O how full of briars is this working-day world! Will instead finds himself on the run from The Empire, dashing across rooftops in a dress and blond curly wig with an arrow stuck in his thigh. As good luck would have it, he’s rescued by a strange troop of a different type, and off he goes to have adventures, to (reluctantly) fight evil, and to learn that all the world is not a stage.
I liked Act of Will from the very first paragraph. That’s kind of surprising because Will Hawthorne is not my kind of hero. Not only does he have no heroic qualities, but he has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever: he’s arrogant, selfish, unscrupulous, lazy, immature, thin, weak, and cowardly. He is true only to his own self. The only things he does well are to BS his way out of tight spots and to run like hell when he can’t talk his way out. When a hero is called for, Will’s first concern is how to remove himself from the situation in order to save his own skin. Will Hawthorne is, quite simply, not a likeable person. It’s no wonder he has no friends, and not much of a life either.
But Will is so open, blunt, and unapologetic about his inglorious personality that he somehow ends up being kind of disarmingly charming and you’re always hoping that perhaps he’s got just a scrap of mettle deep inside that might find its way to the surface. Occasionally he manages to screw his courage to the sticking place, but for every time he does something remotely heroic, he does something equally cowardly.
But what really kept me reading Act of Will is that the writing is altogether perfect. I would expect no less from an English/Shakespeare professor, but it’s so rarely that I can say this that I feel the need to point it out. The prose flows trippingly along and it’s funny. I liked Will’s cynical and sarcastic voice (it’s written in the first person). This could have been so easily overdone, but I found that I didn’t tire of it. The dialogue, both internal and external, is crisp and believable.
I took my mug, sauntered over to the table where the others sat, swinging the crossbow roguishly by its strap, and cast Renthrette an easy smile. She might as well have been wearing her armor, because it glanced off and fell in some dustless corner.
The writing style is clearly Dr. Hartley’s greatest talent. So for this reason, I found Act of Will to be delightful and entertaining and worth my time. However, there was a problem with Act of Will which I have seen before in first fantasy novels written by authors who are popular in other genres: too many plot points wouldn’t hold up to high scrutiny. For example, it is never explained (nor does Will ever wonder) why the magic sword and staff that have gotten them out of some tricky spots before can’t be used the same way in similar tricky spots. We get several clues about the origin and powers of the evil raiders who are terrorizing three countries, but never a full disclosure. And how is it that Will’s otherwise normal horse could have, according to the map in the front of the book, carried him nearly 300 miles in 24 hours … with a full night’s sleep in the middle, and apparently without any ill effects on either Will or the horse.
There are a few other sloppy spots that the editor should have noticed: in one scene Will gets down from a wagon that he had already dismounted two pages previously, there were times when characters with no magical powers seemed to suddenly and unnaturally translocate, and the maneuvers and proceedings of the last battle scene were an improbable fiction. I have no idea why authors who are popular in other genres might fall guilty to the Sloppy Fantasy Plot Syndrome. It troubles me to speculate, so I’ll choose to believe it’s just coincidence.
So. … To read, or not to read; that is the question… And this is the short and the long of it: Act of Will is like a Shakespearean comedy — really entertaining, very funny in places, contains an occasional cheesy monologue, and uses several unbelievable plot devices. Act of Will is a bit clumsy, but I found its style appealing. So far I like this series and willingly could waste my time in it.
A.J. Hartley is best known as a writer of best-selling mystery-thriller novels, as a distinguished professor of Shakespeare in the English Department at University of North Carolina, and as editor of the Shakespeare Bulletin published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Dr. Hartley’s theater expertise is readily apparent in Act of Will, the first book of his first fantasy series.
It’s Will Hawthorne’s 18th birthday and he is finally a man. Today he hopes to be promoted to playing male parts and penning plays for his acting company. But, O how full of briars is this working-day world! Will instead finds himself on the run from The Empire, dashing across rooftops in a dress and blond curly wig with an arrow stuck in his thigh. As good luck would have it, he’s rescued by a strange troop of a different type, and off he goes to have adventures, to (reluctantly) fight evil, and to learn that all the world is not a stage.
I liked Act of Will from the very first paragraph. That’s kind of surprising because Will Hawthorne is not my kind of hero. Not only does he have no heroic qualities, but he has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever: he’s arrogant, selfish, unscrupulous, lazy, immature, thin, weak, and cowardly. He is true only to his own self. The only things he does well are to BS his way out of tight spots and to run like hell when he can’t talk his way out. When a hero is called for, Will’s first concern is how to remove himself from the situation in order to save his own skin. Will Hawthorne is, quite simply, not a likeable person. It’s no wonder he has no friends, and not much of a life either.
But Will is so open, blunt, and unapologetic about his inglorious personality that he somehow ends up being kind of disarmingly charming and you’re always hoping that perhaps he’s got just a scrap of mettle deep inside that might find its way to the surface. Occasionally he manages to screw his courage to the sticking place, but for every time he does something remotely heroic, he does something equally cowardly.
But what really kept me reading Act of Will is that the writing is altogether perfect. I would expect no less from an English/Shakespeare professor, but it’s so rarely that I can say this that I feel the need to point it out. The prose flows trippingly along and it’s funny. I liked Will’s cynical and sarcastic voice (it’s written in the first person). This could have been so easily overdone, but I found that I didn’t tire of it. The dialogue, both internal and external, is crisp and believable.
I took my mug, sauntered over to the table where the others sat, swinging the crossbow roguishly by its strap, and cast Renthrette an easy smile. She might as well have been wearing her armor, because it glanced off and fell in some dustless corner.
The writing style is clearly Dr. Hartley’s greatest talent. So for this reason, I found Act of Will to be delightful and entertaining and worth my time. However, there was a problem with Act of Will which I have seen before in first fantasy novels written by authors who are popular in other genres: too many plot points wouldn’t hold up to high scrutiny. For example, it is never explained (nor does Will ever wonder) why the magic sword and staff that have gotten them out of some tricky spots before can’t be used the same way in similar tricky spots. We get several clues about the origin and powers of the evil raiders who are terrorizing three countries, but never a full disclosure. And how is it that Will’s otherwise normal horse could have, according to the map in the front of the book, carried him nearly 300 miles in 24 hours … with a full night’s sleep in the middle, and apparently without any ill effects on either Will or the horse.
There are a few other sloppy spots that the editor should have noticed: in one scene Will gets down from a wagon that he had already dismounted two pages previously, there were times when characters with no magical powers seemed to suddenly and unnaturally translocate, and the maneuvers and proceedings of the last battle scene were an improbable fiction. I have no idea why authors who are popular in other genres might fall guilty to the Sloppy Fantasy Plot Syndrome. It troubles me to speculate, so I’ll choose to believe it’s just coincidence.
So. … To read, or not to read; that is the question… And this is the short and the long of it: Act of Will is like a Shakespearean comedy — really entertaining, very funny in places, contains an occasional cheesy monologue, and uses several unbelievable plot devices. Act of Will is a bit clumsy, but I found its style appealing. So far I like this series and willingly could waste my time in it.
March 14, 2014
The first book in A.J. Hartley’s Hawthorne Saga, Act of Will, is a smart and refreshing fantasy book that delivers excitement and fun. The atypical hero, Will, is taken from his comfort zone as an actor and is placed in the middle of an actual adventure. The 18-year-old that possesses no hint of moral or skill other than just being an actor is only out for himself. As he runs from The Empire, he ends up in the rescuing hands of another group where he learns that the adventures he plays as an actor are very much real.
The one magnetic appeal that readers will get from this book is how Will does not fall in line with the standards of what a hero should be. He certainly does not showcase any sort of heroic qualities. To make him even farther away from the word “hero”, when a hero is needed, he’ll quickly sneak out of the situation only to save himself. Although all of these attributes can be used for nomination for “Worst Person Ever”, there is a side to Will that appeals to readers. He’s blunt and says what is on his mind. This bold personality overshadows most of the bad and comes off as amiable.
The writing for Act of Will is in Will’s point of view. Hartley’s writing approach enables readers to fully grasp the thinking process of this very interesting young man. Aside from developing such a strong character, the story flows flawlessly and I never found myself yawning between paragraphs. Dialogue and story development are clear and precise that follows its own beat of the drum. Highly appealing and hilarious, this series will certainly make your reading time worth it.
The one magnetic appeal that readers will get from this book is how Will does not fall in line with the standards of what a hero should be. He certainly does not showcase any sort of heroic qualities. To make him even farther away from the word “hero”, when a hero is needed, he’ll quickly sneak out of the situation only to save himself. Although all of these attributes can be used for nomination for “Worst Person Ever”, there is a side to Will that appeals to readers. He’s blunt and says what is on his mind. This bold personality overshadows most of the bad and comes off as amiable.
The writing for Act of Will is in Will’s point of view. Hartley’s writing approach enables readers to fully grasp the thinking process of this very interesting young man. Aside from developing such a strong character, the story flows flawlessly and I never found myself yawning between paragraphs. Dialogue and story development are clear and precise that follows its own beat of the drum. Highly appealing and hilarious, this series will certainly make your reading time worth it.
July 24, 2010
I wanted to like this book but the author clearly is too clever to rely upon an editor to fix up the silly slang expressions which clutter the text. Even a faux translation would not flush out the use of "like" as a conjunction in the awful American slang use. I was put off on the very first page by the sentence "the collection of manuscripts now known as the Hawthorne Saga had been sitting in a climate controlled case in an obscure English library for over a century". The concept of using such a case is very new-this may be pedantic, but it was either poorly written or careless. The behaviour of the other players sound more like prim middle class Americans than characters from a fantasy novel, and I suspect the main character is the personal fantasy of the writer, who appears to know little about the real effect of a pint of beer-one character gets drunk on one pint of beer. Even a novice drinker would be unlikely to do so. I could go on. I suspect this book comes out of a college creative writing course, and the writer conscientiously ticks off items which he has been told make a plot. There were some good ideas but the author forgets to make the characters act consistently like medieval fantasy people and the plot was a little obvious. Even the magic was rather uninteresting.
February 17, 2011
A fun adventure-fantasy book, complete with a main character who's only out for number one - himself. Yet, Will can't help but make a lot of sense to readers. Why would he want show heroism and go against an army when their group only numbered five or six? Nope. He's heading out the back. Will's the realist in this fantasy book and I found myself smiling every time Will did something that made sense. I found myself turning the pages to see how he was going to talk himself out of this situation. Oh, and I should also mention he's an actor, but an actor who'd only played female roles.
By the end of the book, Will's grown up a little, learned more about the others and why they were fighting these hopeless battles, and his attitude changes. He's still the same sarcastic Will, but he goes through a personal journey. The story is very much focused on Will and the new life he's thrust into. You're not going to find any magical artifact quests or the like, but you will find a wonderful story with a great external conflict and a story driven primarily by the main character.
By the end of the book, Will's grown up a little, learned more about the others and why they were fighting these hopeless battles, and his attitude changes. He's still the same sarcastic Will, but he goes through a personal journey. The story is very much focused on Will and the new life he's thrust into. You're not going to find any magical artifact quests or the like, but you will find a wonderful story with a great external conflict and a story driven primarily by the main character.
January 31, 2014
I was intrigued by the second book in the series, so I decided to grab the first one. No sense in reading the second book without reading the first.
The plot picks up right away and it never stops. Will is one step away from breaking the fourth wall and sometimes he does break it. I like the story because it's funny and it's as if Will himself wrote it.
He's a thespian wimp who is framed as a rebel by his other people and because of that, he's on the run. Except that he can't leave the city he's in and by a twist of fate, he ends up with a real band of rebels/mercenaries. He joins them as a last resort. And because he's a coward, he's afraid that his new "friends" will eventually get him captured by the soldiers or killed. Or they will simply slit his throat in his sleep.
As things turn out, though, none of those things happen. Despite being the wimpiest main character ever, he does good and saves his friends when they need saving. Overall, this was a good read and at the time I was looking forward to getting my hands on the second book.
The plot picks up right away and it never stops. Will is one step away from breaking the fourth wall and sometimes he does break it. I like the story because it's funny and it's as if Will himself wrote it.
He's a thespian wimp who is framed as a rebel by his other people and because of that, he's on the run. Except that he can't leave the city he's in and by a twist of fate, he ends up with a real band of rebels/mercenaries. He joins them as a last resort. And because he's a coward, he's afraid that his new "friends" will eventually get him captured by the soldiers or killed. Or they will simply slit his throat in his sleep.
As things turn out, though, none of those things happen. Despite being the wimpiest main character ever, he does good and saves his friends when they need saving. Overall, this was a good read and at the time I was looking forward to getting my hands on the second book.
January 20, 2015
I shoulda known better by now typed my little heart out, only I was in comments and it only saves 420 characters. Then I managed to lose that before I could edit down. I'm not rewriting the review.
In short it was ok. Very transparent. Big print.
Both conditions I need because my eyes have been malfunctioning for four months. I have new glasses ordered but it's almost three weeks now and I've decided to either read books that are transparent enough that I don't need to see them very well or give up till i get new glasses.
Since I'm on a minor rant why is Amazon giving me book plugs I haven't asked for or can't refuse or turn off. I've got over 130 ideas of my own that I've listed here and hundreds more rattling around in my head that I don't need a reminder for. I'm not crazy for the book carousel that shows my currently reading books. Clever programming, but Un asked for and unwanted. Can you just imagine your whole to read list circulating across your screen like some annoying fury buzzing in your subconscious.
I need to stop reading and write my own. Bah!
In short it was ok. Very transparent. Big print.
Both conditions I need because my eyes have been malfunctioning for four months. I have new glasses ordered but it's almost three weeks now and I've decided to either read books that are transparent enough that I don't need to see them very well or give up till i get new glasses.
Since I'm on a minor rant why is Amazon giving me book plugs I haven't asked for or can't refuse or turn off. I've got over 130 ideas of my own that I've listed here and hundreds more rattling around in my head that I don't need a reminder for. I'm not crazy for the book carousel that shows my currently reading books. Clever programming, but Un asked for and unwanted. Can you just imagine your whole to read list circulating across your screen like some annoying fury buzzing in your subconscious.
I need to stop reading and write my own. Bah!
September 23, 2013
I enjoyed Act of Will, by A. J. Hartley, immensely. Will, the lead character is a young and not very honest actor. Through some strange happenstance, he is accused of being a rebel and by luck, succeeds in escaping. He is many things but a rebel, no.
He leaves with a group that is in a mission and he has, really, not choice but to tag a long.
He, for some reason thinks that he can charm Renthrette, a beautiful and serious member of the group. No way, he is to foolish and emotional for her and she constantly ridicules him.
Will, as the story progresses, grows up, but in spurts and steps backwards too. The journey through adventures, magic, and horror of war is an entertaining ride and thoroughly worth the time spent.
He leaves with a group that is in a mission and he has, really, not choice but to tag a long.
He, for some reason thinks that he can charm Renthrette, a beautiful and serious member of the group. No way, he is to foolish and emotional for her and she constantly ridicules him.
Will, as the story progresses, grows up, but in spurts and steps backwards too. The journey through adventures, magic, and horror of war is an entertaining ride and thoroughly worth the time spent.
May 16, 2017
If a Professor of Shakespeare studies at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, who also specializes in the performance history, theory and criticism of Renaissance English drama, and works as a director and dramaturg, were to write a fantasy novel, this book might be what he would write. Oh, wait.
Nice job, sir. A fun romp through a world that might be kissing cousins with ours, with a touch of magic thrown in. And, there's a sequel. Huzzah!
Just recently went to a reading of HArtley's and I asked him about the genre hopping he does in his writing. He said that he likes to read all sorts of things, so why not write all sorts? Luckily, he's good enough that he can do that. I look forward to reading more in this series, in other series, and other genres.
Nice job, sir. A fun romp through a world that might be kissing cousins with ours, with a touch of magic thrown in. And, there's a sequel. Huzzah!
Just recently went to a reading of HArtley's and I asked him about the genre hopping he does in his writing. He said that he likes to read all sorts of things, so why not write all sorts? Luckily, he's good enough that he can do that. I look forward to reading more in this series, in other series, and other genres.
July 16, 2016
4 1/2 stars
Truly a rollicking romp.
Will is constantly getting out of one scrape and getting into another. The fact that he often gets himself into situations is balanced by the fact that sometimes his wit and storytelling skills get him out.
The theme of the book, as expressed in the last chapter: "Words, like swords, have a way of getting people into and out of trouble."
There is plenty of swordplay, battle scenes, frustrated circumstances, and amazing friendships. Not to mention magic. Highly recommended fantasy world with real-life lessons.
I'm looking forward to the sequel. (After I finish the books I checked out from the public library.)
Truly a rollicking romp.
Will is constantly getting out of one scrape and getting into another. The fact that he often gets himself into situations is balanced by the fact that sometimes his wit and storytelling skills get him out.
The theme of the book, as expressed in the last chapter: "Words, like swords, have a way of getting people into and out of trouble."
There is plenty of swordplay, battle scenes, frustrated circumstances, and amazing friendships. Not to mention magic. Highly recommended fantasy world with real-life lessons.
I'm looking forward to the sequel. (After I finish the books I checked out from the public library.)
March 15, 2009
This is a truly pointless book - maybe 1 1/2 stars since it is readable, but otherwise it's a complete waste of time.
There is a passage toward the end where the narrator says something like "I could not believe this was happening; if it were in a book or a play it would have been truly bad fiction" - not exactly the words but pretty much the meaning, and I completely agree; it's in a book and it's truly bad fiction
February 4, 2019
This is a swords and mercenary fantasy, as told by a character actor (think Shakespearean player.) Will's no hero, and is quite honest about that, both with himself and the reader. It makes him really likable, and it doesn't hurt that he's funny. I really enjoyed this book and I'll go on to the next in the series.
August 16, 2016
Part adventure, part journey of self-discovery and part no romance, Act of Will was a fun read. Loads of action and witty lines keep the pages turning.
January 24, 2017
Loved this book! It is a real page-turner written by someone who obviously has a love for and a command of the language as well as a deep-seated belief in the power of a great story.
I found myself fully engaged in the goings-on from the very first page and devoured every page after that. It is a refreshing treatment of the fantasy genre and I believe that there is something here for every one whether you are a fan of fantasy fiction or not.
One of the most enticing things about the story was the real growth you saw in the main character--the hilarious--Will Hawthorne, a man we can all identify with on some level. It's like a story of noble heroes being told from the point of view of someone just like you and me bringing an insight into the events that make it easier to engage and delight in the story.
I highly recommend this book.
I found myself fully engaged in the goings-on from the very first page and devoured every page after that. It is a refreshing treatment of the fantasy genre and I believe that there is something here for every one whether you are a fan of fantasy fiction or not.
One of the most enticing things about the story was the real growth you saw in the main character--the hilarious--Will Hawthorne, a man we can all identify with on some level. It's like a story of noble heroes being told from the point of view of someone just like you and me bringing an insight into the events that make it easier to engage and delight in the story.
I highly recommend this book.
June 21, 2023
Not knowing anything about this book led me to be pleasantly surprised by this adventure. Will is a young theater actor who has never had to test his beliefs before, so when the government comes after him and he is forced to accept the friendship and protection of total strangers, all of his previously held beliefs must be examined and either cemented or altered to accommodate all the attributes he sees in his new friends and in their mutual enemies.
May 19, 2020
A unique fantasy that relies not in nostalgia or cliche, but something new that hasn't been done before.
For a fantasy, that is required.
This is not reminiscent of Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones or Harry Potter, in the same way when these were released they were not like any fantasy that had cone before.
For a fantasy, that is required.
This is not reminiscent of Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones or Harry Potter, in the same way when these were released they were not like any fantasy that had cone before.
August 14, 2018
He was whiny and I was happy to be done with the book. It is a easy read as far as language and style. I just did not care for the main character. I still finished the book so that should attest that the writing is good.
March 16, 2023
Great book that is interesting from the start, and builds to be even more intense (and stranger) as it progresses. A wild ride from start to finish, with interesting characters, locations and tales of adventure
December 15, 2023
Interesting and amusing premise: an actor joining a party of adventurers and his gift for gab and impersonation coming in very handy. Will starts out as a callow youth and gradually starts to grow up over the course of the book.
March 30, 2019
Fun adventure with humor, action, and a touch of mystery. If you're a fan of the monkey island games, this book basically has the same protagonist
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
November 9, 2021
weak end.
Lots of threads were not resolved. Not sure what the magic was, and who was after the whole plot, and why the Duke did like that.
Lots of threads were not resolved. Not sure what the magic was, and who was after the whole plot, and why the Duke did like that.
December 28, 2025
I picked this up randomly in a thrift and was utterly charmed and surprised. I'm not much of a high fantasy person but this story was so refreshing and I love our cast of characters so much.
April 15, 2023
This book was - pretty good, actually. I really enjoyed Will! The world is 'Elizabethan England' but with magic and mercenaries and no actual Elizabeth or England.
Complicated political shenanigans, wars and alarums, secrets, spies, also magic and witches or wizards or something and Will is 18 and can't get a date. Also he's wanted for treason, of which he is, actually, innocent.
He is not, actually, innocent of anything ELSE and he also has a lot of growing up to do - if he survives.
I liked it. I didn't think it was blow your socks off amazing, but I liked Act of Will very well, and I hope to see more of him.
Also his - ahem - companions:
"I had thought people went into adventuring for romance (sex) and excitement (sex). It was just my luck to hitch up with the only celibate mercenaries in Thrusia."
Complicated political shenanigans, wars and alarums, secrets, spies, also magic and witches or wizards or something and Will is 18 and can't get a date. Also he's wanted for treason, of which he is, actually, innocent.
He is not, actually, innocent of anything ELSE and he also has a lot of growing up to do - if he survives.
I liked it. I didn't think it was blow your socks off amazing, but I liked Act of Will very well, and I hope to see more of him.
Also his - ahem - companions:
"I had thought people went into adventuring for romance (sex) and excitement (sex). It was just my luck to hitch up with the only celibate mercenaries in Thrusia."
February 5, 2022
Rollicking. Yes, that would be a fitting description of this “translated” manuscript that conveys the adventures of eighteen year old William Hawthorne who becomes a fugitive from the Empire for his seditious acts of writing plays and acting them out with a company of deplorable actors and through circumstances is adopted by a band of assassins.
Imagine a young Will Ferrell running with a group of noble mercenaries. Will is an admitted coward who can’t shoot an arrow straight or ride a horse without falling off. He also has no luck with his attempts to woo the striking Rennette who would rather strike him than talk to him.
This merry band, plus Will the homeless actor on the run, are hired to take on an army of mysterious raiders destroying the land. Will comically narrates his attempts to achieve heroism and along the way there are some awesome battle scenes.
For those who relish Monty Python humor or like medieval adventures that have a mix of humor and action, then Will and his crew are suggested for your reading pleasure.
Imagine a young Will Ferrell running with a group of noble mercenaries. Will is an admitted coward who can’t shoot an arrow straight or ride a horse without falling off. He also has no luck with his attempts to woo the striking Rennette who would rather strike him than talk to him.
This merry band, plus Will the homeless actor on the run, are hired to take on an army of mysterious raiders destroying the land. Will comically narrates his attempts to achieve heroism and along the way there are some awesome battle scenes.
For those who relish Monty Python humor or like medieval adventures that have a mix of humor and action, then Will and his crew are suggested for your reading pleasure.
August 12, 2009
This is an interesting book about a young actor name Will Hawthorne. It takes place in a mythical world that uses magical artifacts. On Will's eighteen birthday, the army tires to arrest him for unknown reasons and has to escape from the theater by climbing through the roof. By accident, he falls in with a gang of rogues and leaves the city with them. To his chagrin, the rogues are off to meet their leader who has hired them out to a group of nobles who want them to stop a series of devastating raids by a mysterious band of soldiers. The plot gets complicated when the treacherous nobles double cross each other. In a few episodes, Will is reminiscent of George Frasier MacDonald's anti-hero Harry Flashman. When Will commits an act of cowardice, it turns into a tactical masterpiece and saves the day.
At the end of the novel, the group of likable rogues defeat all the bad guys despite their overwhelming numbers.
While the book ends on a positive note, the plot leaves a number of threads unresolved. The mystery behind the mysterious band of soldiers is never satisfactory explained. We don't find out who hired them, where they come from or how they got their mysterious magical powers. Nor does the reader get an explanation on why these soldiers, who appear almost invinceable throughout the book, suddenly turn into ordinary, vulnerable troops at the big finale.
Despite these drawbacks, the book is entertaning and Will is pleasant enough lead character.
At the end of the novel, the group of likable rogues defeat all the bad guys despite their overwhelming numbers.
While the book ends on a positive note, the plot leaves a number of threads unresolved. The mystery behind the mysterious band of soldiers is never satisfactory explained. We don't find out who hired them, where they come from or how they got their mysterious magical powers. Nor does the reader get an explanation on why these soldiers, who appear almost invinceable throughout the book, suddenly turn into ordinary, vulnerable troops at the big finale.
Despite these drawbacks, the book is entertaning and Will is pleasant enough lead character.
September 8, 2010
Very little magic. Weak ending. Left some threads unresolved:
1. The main magic user villain is unknown at the end - unless it is the Duke but it wasn't obvious or connected. And if so why wasn't he recognized earlier.
2. The Empire just runs away? We never find out who is behind the Empire. We never find out who from the Empire was targeting Will. Why even have the Empire at all if there is no resolution to the situation with the Empire.
3. No romance for Will at the end or solid prospects?
4. Missing/unresolved back story for each of the band character except the one.
5. Lisha is the band leader? Why? We never find out why she is so important. She doesn't seem to be that good all in. She trusts Will at times but why? Does she have some supernatural/magical intuitive sense.
6. What is the nature of the magic of this world? The mist magic is cool but the other gems are lame and largely unexplained. Why are gems magical? Where did they come from?
7. Will gets to do magic at the end but is he a Harry Potter or what?
1. The main magic user villain is unknown at the end - unless it is the Duke but it wasn't obvious or connected. And if so why wasn't he recognized earlier.
2. The Empire just runs away? We never find out who is behind the Empire. We never find out who from the Empire was targeting Will. Why even have the Empire at all if there is no resolution to the situation with the Empire.
3. No romance for Will at the end or solid prospects?
4. Missing/unresolved back story for each of the band character except the one.
5. Lisha is the band leader? Why? We never find out why she is so important. She doesn't seem to be that good all in. She trusts Will at times but why? Does she have some supernatural/magical intuitive sense.
6. What is the nature of the magic of this world? The mist magic is cool but the other gems are lame and largely unexplained. Why are gems magical? Where did they come from?
7. Will gets to do magic at the end but is he a Harry Potter or what?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2011
A fairly light fantasy, Act of Will manages to toe the fine line of humor without degrading into outright parody. It tells the story of a young, brash actor who finds himself at run from the law and ensconced with a band of (*shudder*) adventurers. Even worse their do-good'ly ways starts to rub off on him, despite his worst best intentions.
The book is a pleasant enough read, although lacks a a bit of depth. Other than Will, most of the characters are pretty flat, without much nuance or growth. The plot is reasonably straightforward, although there are a number of threads simply left unanswered (and probably not left for future books) and the background/history of the world and magic within it is underdeveloped.
The book is a pleasant enough read, although lacks a a bit of depth. Other than Will, most of the characters are pretty flat, without much nuance or growth. The plot is reasonably straightforward, although there are a number of threads simply left unanswered (and probably not left for future books) and the background/history of the world and magic within it is underdeveloped.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews