Booklog 42/2020: H.G. Parry: The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep

[jacey]

I was supposed to visit New Zealand this summer (2020) for the World Science Fiction Convention, but Covid 19 pus a stop to that. Therefore when I realised this book is set in NZ, in Wellington where the con was to have taken place, I was interested to read it. And I'm glad I did because this is one of the most original and unusual books I've read this year. It's a story about story and about the relationship between two brothers. Brotherly love versus sibling rivalry. It's mostly told through the first person narrative of successful lawyer, Rob Sutherland, the older brother, and Charley, the genius younger one who has the incredible ability to pull living, breathing characters out of books. Charley's ability has always tested Rob's patience, since he's the one who always feels obliged to clean up any mess Charley or his character creations leave behind. Charley's been away studying at Oxford (England) but now he's arrived back in Wellington to teach English Literature at the university, which has brought him back into Rob's orbit. After a run in with Uriah Heep and the Hound of the Baskervilles it becomes obvious that not all is well in the world of fictional characters. It's a good job, then, that they have the wisdom of Sherlock Holmes to call on, and the jolly-good, what-ho enthusiasm of Millie Radcliffe-Dix, girl detective. There's another summoner trying to bring about the end of the world as we know it. Expect to meet a whole host of characters, from Heathcliffe and Dorian Grey to Miss Matty, the White Witch, and five slightly different Mr Darcys. I really enjoyed the novelty of this. It's a love letter to literature. Highly recommended.

Review copy supplied by Netgalley.

Comments

[watervole]

That does sound rather intriguing.

[jacey]

Yes. I enjoyed it. I'm trying to dip into new authors rather than sticking to tried and tested ones, so the review copies from Netgally inject a level of randomness into my reading which keeps me on my toes.

[watervole]

I must admit to being very bad on that score.
Pain from sciatica is limiting my reading ability, so I'm very much sticking to tried and tested at the moment, or friend's recommendations. I've added a couple of your recs to my list of ones to try.

[jacey]

There's a lot to be said for comfort reading, especially if you're under the weather. My best comfort read is The Curse of Chalon (Lois McMaster Bujold), and Modesty Blaise - the first one - (Peter O'Donnell), or even one of my old children's books by Monica Edwards, maybe Storm Ahead which includes a fictionalised version of a lifeboat disaster similar to the Mary Stanford of Rye capsizing. If you're looking for something out of my recs list I heartily recommend both the Clocktaur Wars duo, or Swordheart (both) by T. Kingfisher, or Six of Crows (duology) by Leigh Bardugo. (The Bardugo might be a bit grim for you, but it's excellently written.) Or if you want something to really get your teeth into, the four volume Greatcoats set by Sebastien de Castell.

[watervole]

I love that one, though I think Paladin of Souls is even better.

I read both Clocktaur Wars books after you recc'd them and really enjoyed them.

It may have been you (was certainly some one on DW) who got me to buy Swordheart.

I shall therefore have to add Traitor's Blade to my wish list!

[jacey]

Traitor's Blade is the first of a sequence of four. I read them all, back to back.

I like Paladin of Souls, but I still prefer Curse of Chalion. I think I fell in love with Cazaril. I certainly fell in sympathy with him, if not in lust.

We seem to have similar tastes, so I recommend you look at Six of Crows. It's a bit grimdark (for the YA market) but fascinating. It's a heist, but so much more. However all the characters have huge flaws and Bardugo takes time to dig deep.