Rating: 
Summary: A new favorite book
Review: Sure, the other reviews have said a lot of very true things about this book, but they fail to mention one of the things that made "Fool's Errand" a top-notch read for me. Lots of novels out there, especially gay novels, are so predictable -- you know exactly where everything is going from the outset. Bayard manages to keep you surprised up through the last page. Just when you think you know what a character is all about, he turns around and does something completely unexpected, but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense.Beyond that, there were many times that I caught myself breaking into a big grin, or laughing out loud. "Fool's Errand" is light-hearted, well-written, funny. It's also, quite refreshingly, the first "gay" novel I've read in some time which is not hung up on AIDS, or soap-boxing gay issues on a universal level. Nobody dies; there's not even any graphic sex. It's just about this immensely interesting, likeable guy, who's on a journey, at once very simple, yet one that digs to the bottom of his soul. It's the kind of book that makes you say, gosh, this author would probably be a great guy to have as a friend.
Rating: 
Summary: Utterly Charming
Review: The premise behind Fool's Errand is that perennial search for Mr Right, and Bayard's question to us really is whether Mr Right is really an illusion, something that exists only in our minds. Our protagonist, Patrick Beaton, catches a nap in a friend's house, and is surprised by a handsome man in a cranberry sweater. But, much to his later chagrin and regret, Patrick is too groggy from sleep to do more say a few words, or to find out his name or number. Patrick's relationship is on the rocks, and when it breaks up shortly after his mysterious encounter, Patrick resolves to find the man in the cranberry sweater. The rest of the novel revolves around this quest, and Patrick is aided by Seth, whose ex- had recently broken up with him to be with Patrick's ex-, giving him reasons of his own for helping Patrick. Along the way, the novel takes on some highly novel, and comedic turns, as Seth and Patrick go through some highly ludicrous methods to locate this erstwhile Mr Right, and proving ultimately that love can be found in the most unexpected places. I was utterly charmed by Bayard's book and its underlying premise. The pacing was generally right, and the characterisation strong. He has a disarming, almost oblique style with an eye for detail. And the dry, almost deadpan, way he tells his story adds to the humour of the situations Patrick finds himself in. The people he describes are funny, but not quite caricatures: there is the hopeless father, the ... hag, the rich couple. He skewers a number of people, types and behaviours along the way, but beneath the cynicism there was the sense that Bayard loves the whole circus. And ultimately that what makes the book's cynicism and humour work: the underlying fondness that leavens it. There are a lot of novels out there dealing with the theme of finding love, but too many catering (rather tiringly) to the stereotype of the hunky, handsome Mr Right, and few as charmingly and disarmingly written as this. My Personal Rating Scale:
5 stars: Engaging, well-written, highly entertaining or informative, thought provoking, pushes the envelope in one or more ways, a classic.
4 stars: Engaging, well-written, highly entertaining or informative. Book that delivers well in terms of its specific genre or type, but does not do more than that.
3 stars: Competent. Does what it sets out to do competently, either on its own terms on within the genre, but is nothing special. May be clichéd but is still entertaining.
2 stars: Fails to deliver in various respects. Significantly clichéd. Writing is poor or pedestrian. Failed to hold my attention.
1 star: Abysmal. Fails in all respects.
Rating:
Summary: A sweet story
Review: What an enjoyable read! I found myself instantly taken by the original way in which the author couches his "message." Very identifiable characters. Two minor complaints: the style in which the dialog is written gets to be a little old. Many characters start sentences then stop abruptly, leaving the reader to fill in the blanks. Bayard sort of overuses this device, making for a rather choppy "flow" in places. Second, towards the end of the book one character is telling another about seeing someone walk down the street. Then, on the next page he says the person was in a cab. Very odd. Not a pivotal plot point, but a glaring error nonetheless. Those two things aside, this is a quick, ultimately satisfying read with a highly endearing, exceptionally upbeat and very sweet ending. Well worth the time and money. BEGS FOR A SEQUEL!
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