Fisher of Devils

Rating:
Summary: A Devilish Catch
Review: As a knockabout comic fantasy with a cheeky sense of fun, `Fisher of Devils' is an absolute success. But those dismissing it as little more than this are sorely mistaken.
The book is, I would have to concur with Rhys Hughes' perceptive and informed introduction, a classic, whether or not it finds the commercial success it rightfully deserves. It is literate, wise, intelligent, warm and absolutely leaking humanity. The only groups with any right to claim offence at its content are zealots and fanatics.

The prose is not forced or flowery or difficult but unexpectedly perfect. It is a long time since I've been swallowed up by a book and been sucked straight into the story, able to ignore the means the teller uses to relate it due to such skilled craftsmanship as Redwood displays.

Steve Redwood's voice is friendlier than Robert Rankin's and far fresher than Tom Holt's. The only popular point of reference in the surprisingly large sub-genre of comic fantasy treatments of the Apocalypse I can happily compare Fisher of Devils to is the successful pairing of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. This culminated in the highly acclaimed Good Omens, but even judged against this titan in the field, Redwood easily comes out on top: his treatment is handled with far more tenderness and respect for the reader, and if I didn't know any better I might suspect that Gaiman and Pratchett had got wind of Redwood's work-in-progress (it took him almost four decades to finish and find a publisher) and attempted to bamboozle him.

Suffice it to say that Fisher of Devils is hands and forked tails above any other contenders for the crown of thorns for best in show. It is a travesty that no major publisher has yet signed him to its stable.

For a funny, enlightening, down-to-earth/heaven/hell/purgatory read, look no further. The only other thing I can add to this glowing report is BUY THIS BOOK!

Rating:
Summary: Powerfully written - humour is only one aspect
Review: Fisher of Devils by Steve Redwood is a book to avoid. While the back cover sounds interesting, the book itself is not enjoyable to read.

Fisher of Devils reinvents the bible as seen through Steve Redwood's mind. God created Adam with a dangly and wobblies. Adam questions God about this appendage and God shows Adam how to `pleasure' himself. The Adam from the Fisher of Devils is not the Adam of the Bible. He is whinny, self-centered, and very jealous of the Angels.

After much complaining from Adam, God created Eve. Eve was God's epiphany. He created her with a snuggly similar to what the Angels saw when they visited the world corrupted by Satan.

Fisher of Devils continues on with its interpretation of the Bible all the way to the Apocalypse. While some of the stories are humorous - most are difficult to read. I did not enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book!
Review: It's been months since I read the book, but I felt that I had to defend this book from the avid reader below. I myself am an avid reader, (though not so avid a reviewer, for reasons that will be clear to anyone who reads this one) and I thought FISHER OF DEVILS was wonderful. It's true, the first segment, set in the Garden of Eden around the time of creation, can be something of a chore or even offensive if more slapstick humor -- especially humor poking fun at religion -- is not your thing. But after that short opening bit, the book goes in a different direction entirely. It's still humorous fantasy -- at times extraordinarily funny -- but it's got depth, also. It is a love story, or even many of them. An adventure. A quest. A mystery. And armageddon. FISHER OF DEVILS is a fun, funny, thoughtful, memorable book that will most likely stick with you long after you've read it, and deserves a place beside GOOD OMENS in your collection of Apocalyptic Comedic Fantasy -- though as far as I'm concerned, FISHER is a far better and funnier novel than OMENS. I read literally hundreds of books each year, and last year, FISHER OF DEVILS made my 10 Favorites list. Take that as you will.

And read the book. Steve Redwood is a writer to keep an eye on.