- Paperback: 287 pages
- Publisher: Greenleaves Books; 1st edition (27 July 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0956297900
- ISBN-13: 978-0956297907
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 891,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Rude Awakenings: A Tale of Terra Infirma
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Product Description
Review
Jonathan's (book) is full of humour. If you Like Terry Pratchett you will like Rude Awakenings. --Joseph Delaney, Author of the Wardstone Chronicles
This was a really great read! The plot is imaginative, the characters well described and the language is very clever and funny. I loved the whole Treklodge scene.... If you want to spend an afternoon laughing out loud - then this is the book for you. --Samantha from Edleston book group
Sir Terry Pratchett is, without doubt, the undisputed master of Comic Fantasy. In fact the literary knight has cornered the market so much that it is now practically a one-author genre. Eaves, with his RUDE AWAKENINGS, A TALE OF TERRA INFIRMA, is the latest in a long line of authors attempting to break the monopoly; so how has he fared? Actually, pretty well. We are introduced to Terra Infirma (so-called sue to its weak constitution), an empire which has not so much fallen as swallow-dived, and to an unlikely hero, Anyx Abychson, a dwarf who is smart and street-wise. Unfortunately he is also cynical, lazy and harbours a dangerous fondness for drink. Somehow Anyx is mistaken for the legendary Awakener and finds himself involved in a madcap quest to resurrect the God of Mirth and Merriment. As a writer of Comic Fantasy Eaves has definitely leaned more towards the comic than the fantasy and if you want a book that makes you laugh from prologue to epilogue then look no further. As far as the humour is concerned it owes less to Pratchett (although the book is occasionally reminiscent of the earliest of the discworld novels) and more to Pythonesque silliness, with lots of quick-witted (or downright daft) dialogue and amusing word-play. Regarding the fantasy Eaves has unashamedly followed the Pratchett model insomuch as he uses his own fantasy world in order to satirise and, quite frankly, take the mickey out of our own. There is little magic, no wizards, no dragons, and no huge battle scene. There are, however, lots of clever little references to other fantasy works with nods towards Pratchett (of course!), Tolkein, Lewis amongst others. What prevents what is a good book from being a very good book is that Eaves tends to let the story run away from him. Reading the last forty pages or so feels a little bit like riding a runaway train and the denouement, like the end of the line, arrives far too quickly. This, along with the fact that there is the occasional typo, and that one or two characters are woefully underdeveloped, suggests to me that Eaves lacked the steadying hand of a good editor, an oversight which must not be repeated with the second Tale of Terra Infirma, I, MAGE, which is due out next year. If Eaves does take away some of the learning from this, his debut novel, then maybe one day he might just be talked about in the same breath as Sir Terry, but for the time being he remains merely a pretender to the throne. --Comic Fantasy Forum
This was a really great read! The plot is imaginative, the characters well described and the language is very clever and funny. I loved the whole Treklodge scene.... If you want to spend an afternoon laughing out loud - then this is the book for you. --Samantha from Edleston book group
Sir Terry Pratchett is, without doubt, the undisputed master of Comic Fantasy. In fact the literary knight has cornered the market so much that it is now practically a one-author genre. Eaves, with his RUDE AWAKENINGS, A TALE OF TERRA INFIRMA, is the latest in a long line of authors attempting to break the monopoly; so how has he fared? Actually, pretty well. We are introduced to Terra Infirma (so-called sue to its weak constitution), an empire which has not so much fallen as swallow-dived, and to an unlikely hero, Anyx Abychson, a dwarf who is smart and street-wise. Unfortunately he is also cynical, lazy and harbours a dangerous fondness for drink. Somehow Anyx is mistaken for the legendary Awakener and finds himself involved in a madcap quest to resurrect the God of Mirth and Merriment. As a writer of Comic Fantasy Eaves has definitely leaned more towards the comic than the fantasy and if you want a book that makes you laugh from prologue to epilogue then look no further. As far as the humour is concerned it owes less to Pratchett (although the book is occasionally reminiscent of the earliest of the discworld novels) and more to Pythonesque silliness, with lots of quick-witted (or downright daft) dialogue and amusing word-play. Regarding the fantasy Eaves has unashamedly followed the Pratchett model insomuch as he uses his own fantasy world in order to satirise and, quite frankly, take the mickey out of our own. There is little magic, no wizards, no dragons, and no huge battle scene. There are, however, lots of clever little references to other fantasy works with nods towards Pratchett (of course!), Tolkein, Lewis amongst others. What prevents what is a good book from being a very good book is that Eaves tends to let the story run away from him. Reading the last forty pages or so feels a little bit like riding a runaway train and the denouement, like the end of the line, arrives far too quickly. This, along with the fact that there is the occasional typo, and that one or two characters are woefully underdeveloped, suggests to me that Eaves lacked the steadying hand of a good editor, an oversight which must not be repeated with the second Tale of Terra Infirma, I, MAGE, which is due out next year. If Eaves does take away some of the learning from this, his debut novel, then maybe one day he might just be talked about in the same breath as Sir Terry, but for the time being he remains merely a pretender to the throne. --Comic Fantasy Forum
Product Description
IN the land known as TERRA INFIRMA (so-called due to its weak constitution), in the once gay and vibrant city of MARASMUS, the Trollian Conquest is complete and an authoritarian and oppressive regime holds sway. Religion is banned and consequently the city's patron God, WACCHUS, finds Himself forcibly retired. However, by devious means, He discovers that resurrection is possible, though only through the person of the Awakener. Unfortunately, the only being who remotely fits the bill is a world-weary, drunken dwarf called ANYX ABYCHSON. Can Anyx really be the Awakener? And can he (with the assistance of, amongst others, a down on his luck leper, a bunch of half-crazed pirates, an extra large medium, and some blokes in tights) evade the clutches of the tyrannical trolls long enough to save the day?
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Got this on the recommendation of a friend and was really pleased I gave it a go - some real laugh out loud moments and, whilst some fantasy books can be a bit generic, I thought this was very original - yes, it's a quest book but the humour makes a real difference. The characterisation was strong throughout and the plot moved at a good pace. Also really liked the taster for the next book, will be watching out for it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
With words of praise from Terry Pratchett(from Crewe) on the back I thought this was going to be a good read, but I was very disappointed. Not only was the plot very predictable but I found a lot of the characters very familiar...where have I seen them before?Oh yes in the real Terry Prachett's novels, where the characters are a lot better developed and credible. I was also very unimpressed with the editing of the book, I found quite a few spelling mistakes and even characters being called the wrong name (cousin Henry suddenly became Harry, Grantt became Grant)If you are a new comer to the fantasy genre I recommend you leave this book well alone and purchase the real thing - any of Terry Prachett's novels.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a book which will divide Pratchett fans, I'm sure. Those who love Pratchett but are also constantly scouting out for other books in a similar vein will, no doubt, enjoy this book, for it very funny with clever wordplay and great Pratchett-like footnotes. However Pratchett 'purists' will say it's derivative at best... for Discworld read Terra Infirma, for Ankh Morpork read Marasmus etc. But how many conspiracy thriller authors are derivative of Dan Brown, for example. So I would simply say enjoy this book for what its is, a funny, easy to read comic fantasy romp, with some good characters (Anyx is great), and a 'quest' plot that works for most of the time. Eaves is not Pratchett, but he has promise, and the promised sequel which is previewed at the end of this book and appears to poke fun at the X Factor (with the Hex Factor) looks as if it should be equally as much fun.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Great Read
I came across this by chance after borrowing it from my 13 year old son. It was a great read very funny with a really good plot. Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2009 by Brian Bagnall
This is a really great read...
This book is a really excellent read. It's pacey, clever and very very funny. I have not read a book for ages that made me laugh out loud like this one does and whilst reading it I... Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2009 by Silver Sam
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