Jack of All Trades

by K.C. Shaw

Jack Bywater is loved by the entire town. Handy with a hammer, able to drive a coach, great at getting wasps out of an orchard, he truly is a Jack of all Trades. And he's just the man that Helen's been looking for as well. Jack couldn't agree with her more. The cozy village is the perfect spot and Jack would love nothing better than to settle down, marry Helen and raise a family. But the Sultan is angry at Jack for having stolen his pet dragon, Pepper, and has sent a nasty curse winging around the world after him. Jack can flee the curse and lose Helen, or marry her and lose his life. And to make matters worse, something has the local faeries in an uproar, and only Jack can fix it. Jack of all trades is a light hearted romance set in a fantasy version of England. Suitable for ages 13 and up.

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

K.C. Shaw lives in East Tennessee and writes fantasy, YA, and furry fiction. As Kate Shaw, she produces Strange Animals Podcast and writes nonfiction.

Reviews

[Cate Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack of All Trades is a most wonderful fantasy tale set in Merry Olde England.

God, I love this book. I've read many fantastic books this year including Unwind by Neil Shusterman, Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, and The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan to name a few. These are the books I couldn't put down, the ones that made me wish my favourite tv show would end or would pull me away from the internet, the ones I had to finish and when I did, I regretted rushing through them as I didn't want to leave the worlds they'd created, Kate's book did that.

I love her characters, but most of all I love Pepper, an Emperor Dragon with a personality that just leaps from the page. It's a lightish tale, not too dark at all (I normally like my tales almost pitch black) despite harbouring a man made of bees and a curse that could destroy our hero, that would be Mr. Jack Bywater, a man of many talents. There's mystery, evil doings, unicorns, fairies, and a budding romance. You're a fool if you don't treat yourself to this book, and I know none of you are fools.

[Sheri Gormley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after "Weaver's Shroud," and I continue to be impressed with K.C. Shaw's imagination and writing skill. It is hard to believe she only has two books published! This is a delightful book, and like "Weaver's Shroud," it is clear that K.C. Shaw is willing to do the research necessary to make her characters and their stories as authentic as possible. These are not the tales of kings and queens and noblemen, but exciting stories about humble, everyday people trying to make a living in a fantastic fantasy world. Best of all, she weaves this knowledge about how people worked long ago into an intriguing story that gives you a pleasant escape from today's world and a history lesson at the same time. Jack is an English handyman with a pet dragon, always on the lookout for an odd job that needs doing. He is also haunted by an Emperor's curse, so falling in love with the mayor's daughter in his new village may not be the brightest idea under the circumstances. But love comes when it's least expected, and Jack will soon have to choose between facing the curse or losing the lady, town and people he has come to love.

[J.B. Rockwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable read from end-to-end Jack Bywater is (as the title implies) a man who can do a little bit of everything. He's also a man running from a curse with an adorable, clever and extremely protective dragon named Pepper. He's content with his life, curse and all, mostly because he's got Pepper. After all, what more could a man want than a loyal, lovable dragon. And then along comes Helen-the girl of his dreams-and suddenly life on the run seems terribly unfair. Wizards and fairies, ghosts and fleecy unicorns, even a magical crown that can grant the bearer the power to control a kingdom - this story has it all. Part mystery, part adventure, part humorous love story, this book kept me reading the day through and I'm already planning to go back and read it again. :)

[Greg Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful and engaging tale. I encouraged my daughter to read it and she did not want the tale to end. This author is a clever weaver of magic.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come.