Rating: 
Summary: If I hear "The little librarian..."
Review: ...one more time, I'm going to vomit.Okay, so I'm a grammar geek. I admit it. And I didn't make it all the way through this book. I admit that too. (I have two reliable sources giving reviews of opposite polarity, so it appears to be a matter of taste.) The premise isn't bad, although somewhat lacking in imagination since it seems to build on The Hobbit without giving credit in that direction. I was actually disappointed that I couldn't finish it --- but I just couldn't get beyond the author's mental stutter. Future Reader, may you avoid the curse to count the number of times this phrase appears. On average, Odom uses "the little librarian" three times per PAGE. That's about every other paragraph. Mel, man! Find a different phrase to describe your hero, or at the very least, just call him Wick! And what was your EDITOR, Brian M. Thomsen, smoking? You both flunk my English class!
Rating:
Summary: If I hear "The little librarian..."
Review: ...one more time, I'm going to vomit. Okay, so I'm a grammar geek. I admit it. And I didn't make it all the way through this book. I admit that too. (I have two reliable sources giving reviews of opposite polarity, so it appears to be a matter of taste.) The premise isn't bad, although somewhat lacking in imagination since it seems to build on The Hobbit without giving credit in that direction. I was actually disappointed that I couldn't finish it --- but I just couldn't get beyond the author's mental stutter. Future Reader, may you avoid the curse to count the number of times this phrase appears. On average, Odom uses "the little librarian" three times per PAGE. That's about every other paragraph. Mel, man! Find a different phrase to describe your hero, or at the very least, just call him Wick! And what was your EDITOR, Brian M. Thomsen, smoking? You both flunk my English class!
Rating: 
Summary: Nice
Review: A pint-sized hero, from a race with a horror of adventures, ends up on a dangerous quest involving wizards, dwarves, elves, goblins, a really nasty dragon... "Lord of the Rings"? "The Hobbit"? Wrong, in this case it's Candlewick Lamplighter, the "Rover," written by popular media-tie-in writer Mel Odom. Wick Lamplighter is a dweller, one of a race of pint-sized timid unadventurous folk, and a Third Librarion in the Great Library, the Vault of All Knowledge (essentially a giant repository for all the stories and knowledge). Though he fantasizes about adventures and derring-do (unusual for a dweller, and regarded as weird and dangerous), Wick is actually very timid and easily frightened. All that has to change when he is attacked by vicious undead Boneblights, and inadvertantly gets picked up by a band of pirates on the One-Eyed Peggie. Though they initially view him as bad luck, he becomes a valued member of the crew - only to be taken by goblin traders to Hanged Elf's Point, and then into a very strange, twisty situation with a band of thieves and a mercenary elf queen... I was prepared to really hate this book, after seeing the cover art where a pair of apparently barefoot halflings meet a guy in full Robin Hood gear. Having recently suffered through alternate interpretations of hobbits and "wee" folk, I assumed that this book was essentially a ripoff of the Hobbit. There are some notable similarities, but somehow they didn't grate on me. Partly because the circumstances and internal journeys of Wick and Bilbo are immensely dissimilar - Wick has no one watching after him, no band of dwarves to lean on, and no choice at all in whether he goes or not. The dwarves and elves are fairly generic, as are humans Brant and Sonne who are toughie heart-of-gold thieves. I was glad that the pirates weren't 2-D baddies, but a tight-knit group with their own code of ethics and a never-leave-a-man-behind mentality. His original creatures like Embyrs and Boneblights are very cool. And his wizards range from the wise scrying-bowl types to the sword-wielding Purple Cloaks. He also provides a backstory concerning the "Cataclysm", the evil Lord Kharrion (say it out loud), and Kharrion's evil creatures that leaves the reader wanting more. Character development is also quite different. Wick essentially must deal with his deep-rooted timidity and the acknowledgement that the sort of adventures he loves can be much messier than he expected. Such moments as going into the wizards' tombs or dealing with the fiery, degenerated Embyr are well-done, as is the confrontation with the dragon, which hits at all of Wick's weak spots. ("I make beautiful Qs!") Problems? Occasionally the world of the Rover lapses into a mildly Middle-Earthish feel (such as certain kinds of Elves being gone). Occasionally statements by Wick sound a little too hobbitish, as does the treatment of "halfers"; and the humor sometimes feels a little strained. A couple of the cover quotes strike me as a little strange -- and anyone who thinks that Wick surpasses Tolkien Frodo and Bilbo has a screw loose. In addition, there are about a million loose ends at the end, though this appears to be deliberate. If Mr. Odom writes a sequel -- or even a prequel -- in this universe, I will read with pleasure. (My remaining questions are -- who is the other halfer with Wick on the cover, why isn't that scene in the book, and why are Wick's hands dramatically different sizes?)
Rating: 
Summary: The Next Terry Brooks? NO!
Review: Although this book was entertaining, I found that I could not get attatched to the main character, Wick. He lacked in qualities that are important in a fantasy character. His shallow personality forced the reader to look toward other characters for entertainment. I also found that, while the book took its time to get going, once it did, it hurled by some of its most promising characters, such as Hallekk. I did become very interested in the book when Wick first encountered "the man in black" whose humorous sarcasm kept the book alive. The elven, also holding promise in her love for conversation, is also an anchoring point in the book.
HOWEVER, though entertaining, this book is in a different arena from Terry Brooks, whose characters are depthless. I strongly recommend that ANYONE who likes fantasy, read every Terry Brooks book, especially the ones in the different Shannara Series': The First King, The Sword, The Elfstones, The Wishsong... then the other four of the Heritage of Shannara, immediately followed by the The Voyage of the Jerle of Shannara.
Rating: 
Summary: Fast Paced and Entertaining
Review: As a librarian myself, I really enjoyed this book. Edgewick Lamplighter, third-level librarian at the Vault of All Known Knowledge, has a reputation for his absent-mindedness and for having his head up in the clouds, thanks to the thrilling adventures he is always reading about. And READING about them is what he is comfortable doing, thank you very much. As a halfling (think Bilbo Baggins) he enjoyes a quiet life away from danger and adventure. But one day, danger and adventure drag him away from his home! One day, he is ordered to bring a mysterious package down to the post office. His curiosity gets the better of him, and he follows a cloaked stranger down to the docks. The next thing he knows, he is being chased by evil wraiths, bent on his destruction! This is only the beginning of an epic adventure that will see Wick shanghaid by pirates, sold into slavery, and adopted by a band of thieves. This adventure is well paced and fun. In addition, it poses some interesting philosophical questions about the role and mission of libraries in society, as well as open access to information. I enjoyed Mr. Odom's writing style and story line. The events and characters were well developed and believable. I would have liked to have known more about the mysterious stranger in the first couple of chapters of the book, however. Maybe there will be a sequel? All in all, an entertaining piece of fantasy literature. If you enjoyed THE HOBBIT, you will like this.
Rating:
Summary: A great book!
Review: Edgewick "Wick" Lamplighter, Third Level Librarian and (Hobbit-like) Dweller, spends all of his life in the service of the Vault of All Known Knowledge. However, though the library is his job, his mind rests on the adventure novels that form a small corner of it. He dreams of adventure, until one day, much to his dismay, his dreams come true. Shanghaied at the docks, he finds himself amongst pirates, slavers, thieves, mercenaries, goblins, wizards, and a whole horde of nasties! This is the roller coaster-ride story of a little man in a big world! This book started out somewhat slow, and I began to fear that the whole thing would be too slow and verbose. However, once Wick's adventures began, the whole story took off! In this book, Mel Odem paints a picture of a fascinating world, which he populates with interesting characters, and fills with gripping adventure. Unlike many other Fantasy books, which focus on an era of climactic struggle between good and evil, this one looks at such a world some hundreds of years later. The pieces were not put back together, but instead a Dark Age descended. This is a great book, one that I highly recommend to all Fantasy readers (especially fans of Dungeons and Dragons).
Rating:
Summary: The rover, a wonderful novel of adventure and suspense.
Review: Everyone else has very nicely outlined the plot of this book, so I won't go there. I will just say that once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down. The little librarian hero, Wick, careens from adventure to adventure with almost nonstop action. Yet the author does not neglect the characters. Wick is wonderful to read about, and he is surrounded by a cast of equally colorful characters. A warning, though, this book only gives hints at the huge backstory of the world Wick travels. Some readers may find this to be frustrating, as they are used to the current fad in fantasy of massive books telling every detail of a world from every possible point of view. I, however, enjoy a bit of mystery and puzzle to my stories and enjoyed trying to figure out things along with Wick! I do hope Mel Odom writes more about Wick and his world. This book, while nicely wrapped up at the end, left me longing to know more of this world!
Rating:
Summary: I coouldn't put it down!
Review: Everyone else has very nicely outlined the plot of this book, so I won't go there. I will just say that once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down. The little librarian hero, Wick, careens from adventure to adventure with almost nonstop action. Yet the author does not neglect the characters. Wick is wonderful to read about, and he is surrounded by a cast of equally colorful characters. A warning, though, this book only gives hints at the huge backstory of the world Wick travels. Some readers may find this to be frustrating, as they are used to the current fad in fantasy of massive books telling every detail of a world from every possible point of view. I, however, enjoy a bit of mystery and puzzle to my stories and enjoyed trying to figure out things along with Wick! I do hope Mel Odom writes more about Wick and his world. This book, while nicely wrapped up at the end, left me longing to know more of this world!
Rating:
Summary: A tale pulled out of his...
Review: I didn't enjoy this book much at all... What bothered me most was the seeming lack of a planned plot. The whole book felt like someone making up a story as they went along. For example, one of the characters in the book is introduced on the second to the last page! (actually on the last full page of the book) There is no forshadowing, the only thing the reader can figure out ahead of time is that the main character will eventually get back home. The scene on the cover never even takes place in the book - maybe the author didn't even have any idea what was going to happen in the book when the cover was commissioned. The humor was only so-so (I'm not a pratchett fan) and most all of the details were lifted straight from tolkien. (watered down a bit, of course) I did like the main character, Wick. I also actually finished the book - I felt it was an accomplishment considering how boring the book could get, especially when the world's history was being revealed. I felt like was in high school, the revelation of facts put me to sleep... Anyway, if you're at the library and there's nothing else on the new shelf, maybe pick this up. Otherwise do yourself a favor and give it a miss. Check the young adult/children's section for tons of fantasy you've probably overlooked: Philip Pullman, Tamora Pierce, Diana Wynne Jones....
Rating:
Summary: This book is the Dragonheart of any dragon's hoarde
Review: I ravenously devoured this 400 page novel and absolutely absorbed the story with such intensity I was instantly addicted. As a writer I love to read for inspiration, and after reading this I'm ready to start my next novel! The Rover's main character, a timid librarian who oozes frailty, brings us with him on his adventure. I'm not saying "takes us with him" because the reader willingly follows him. As Wick witnesses the events between the fingers held over his eyes, the readers will feel themselves wanting to pull them apart so we can see more. And what makes this book so great is that we DO get to see more. Mel Odom tantalizes the reader with every paragraph and gives us just enough of a taste to want more but doesn't allow us to gorge ourselves until we're full. The characters are full of life, the story is sooooo well-paced, the world is mysterious, and you can almost "feel" Wick's experience as he travels and sometimes trips into his next encounters. I hope there is another adventure for Wick in the near future because I haven't thoroughly enjoyed reading this much since I discovered The Sword of Shannara 15 years ago. Please, this is to books as "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is to movies. It is truly an ADVENTURE. If you like to read - treat yourself to a book you'll want to read again and again. I know I will!
| 
