Rating: 
Summary: What a book should be
Review: I read this book as a kid and I loved it. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood the book became lost and I searched and searched for it. It is one of the greatest young adult books I've ever read and when I reread it I was compleatly enraptured. Not often has a book meant for children been so vivid in it's descriptions and it's settings. The plot has so many twists and turns that I was kept entertained the whole time while reading it. I felt like the Goon was at my kitchen table and he wouldn't leave until I finished the book.
Rating:
Summary: Hare today, goon tomorrow
Review: I'm not gonna lie to you. This book is about a Goon belonging to Archer. To be exact, it is about the repercussions of living with a Goon for an extended amount of time. I've slowly been devouring the collected works of Diana Wynne Jones and so far I haven't been disappointed by a single one of her titles. Each book is even odder and more bizarre than the last, often causing the reader to clasp his or her head from time to time and shout, "How does she think this stuff up?". "Arthur's Goon" is no exception to this rule. A brilliantly warped view of absolute power corrupting absolutely and the power plays that go on between siblings (no matter what their age), this book deserves to be remembered as one of the best children's novels out there today.
Walter comes home one day to discover a Goon sitting in his family's kitchen. Your typical hired heavy, the Goon has been sent by the mysterious Archer to collect from Walter's dad about 2000 words. It seems that for the last 13 years Walter's father (Howard) has been writing 2000 words a month and sending them off to a mysterious somebody. Now the words have become misplaced and the Goon has been sent to collect. As Howard steadfastly refuses to type any more, things start to go a little crazy. It isn't long before Walter and his family come to realize that their town is run by seven power mad sibling wizards. These wizards have been trapped in the town and each one runs a different part of it. For example, Dillian farms (that means runs) the police force while Shine farms crime. Now it's up to Walter to solve the mystery of the seven mysterious beings and to figure out who exactly is behind their entrapment within the town.
Author Jones is equally a master at engaging peculiar characters as she is creating complex multi-layered plots. You grow to love the Goon as he grows horribly lovesick for a young college student staying with Walter and his family. And who wouldn't identify with Walter when he has to deal with his appropriately nicknamed little sister Awful. I would venture to guess that she's the worst little sister character I have ever encountered in a kid's book, and that's saying a lot. Then there's the mystery to contend with. As Walter meets more and more of the seven the reader slowly is given clues to understand who's behind it all. Not since Raskin's, "The Westing Game" did I have this much fun with a mysterious kid's book. And to be honest, I never guessed the ending until I was told. The surprise twist this book carries is a doozy. If you figure out who's behind it all before they tell you then you're probably the kind of person who downs Agatha Christie novels like pop tarts.
Unfortunately, I have a bone to pick with this book. Sad to say, either I wasn't bright enough for some of the loose ends here or they were just too darn loose. The ending of this story is never fully explained and (to be frank) I don't believe we ever do find out EXACTLY how the seven brothers and sisters were trapped in the town at all. Some of these points are glossed over so beautifully that it takes a full three hours after putting the book down to realize what it is that you have missed. Now I'm 26 years of age and if I can't understand parts of this tale it's probably a fair guess that your average 10 year-old reader with have similar problems.
Still, that's my only quarrel. There's so much to love here that I feel a little dour making these kinds of comments. I mean, how can you dislike a book where a character like Awful is constantly asking the seven wizards where they come in order of birth so that she can better understand the pecking order in the family? It's a delightful tale about family fights and what it is that exactly makes up a family at all. And then of course there's the goon. Last of all I display for you the fabulous goon that starts this book rolling and, quite possibly, ends it. Here's to goons, ladies and gentlemen! May they grace the pages of more and more children's books in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Hare today, goon tomorrow
Review: I'm not gonna lie to you. This book is about a Goon belonging to Archer. To be exact, it is about the repercussions of living with a Goon for an extended amount of time. I've slowly been devouring the collected works of Diana Wynne Jones and so far I haven't been disappointed by a single one of her titles. Each book is even odder and more bizarre than the last, often causing the reader to clasp his or her head from time to time and shout, "How does she think this stuff up?". "Arthur's Goon" is no exception to this rule. A brilliantly warped view of absolute power corrupting absolutely and the power plays that go on between siblings (no matter what their age), this book deserves to be remembered as one of the best children's novels out there today.
Walter comes home one day to discover a Goon sitting in his family's kitchen. Your typical hired heavy, the Goon has been sent by the mysterious Archer to collect from Walter's dad about 2000 words. It seems that for the last 13 years Walter's father (Howard) has been writing 2000 words a month and sending them off to a mysterious somebody. Now the words have become misplaced and the Goon has been sent to collect. As Howard steadfastly refuses to type any more, things start to go a little crazy. It isn't long before Walter and his family come to realize that their town is run by seven power mad sibling wizards. These wizards have been trapped in the town and each one runs a different part of it. For example, Dillian farms (that means runs) the police force while Shine farms crime. Now it's up to Walter to solve the mystery of the seven mysterious beings and to figure out who exactly is behind their entrapment within the town.
Author Jones is equally a master at engaging peculiar characters as she is creating complex multi-layered plots. You grow to love the Goon as he grows horribly lovesick for a young college student staying with Walter and his family. And who wouldn't identify with Walter when he has to deal with his appropriately nicknamed little sister Awful. I would venture to guess that she's the worst little sister character I have ever encountered in a kid's book, and that's saying a lot. Then there's the mystery to contend with. As Walter meets more and more of the seven the reader slowly is given clues to understand who's behind it all. Not since Raskin's, "The Westing Game" did I have this much fun with a mysterious kid's book. And to be honest, I never guessed the ending until I was told. The surprise twist this book carries is a doozy. If you figure out who's behind it all before they tell you then you're probably the kind of person who downs Agatha Christie novels like pop tarts.
Unfortunately, I have a bone to pick with this book. Sad to say, either I wasn't bright enough for some of the loose ends here or they were just too darn loose. The ending of this story is never fully explained and (to be frank) I don't believe we ever do find out EXACTLY how the seven brothers and sisters were trapped in the town at all. Some of these points are glossed over so beautifully that it takes a full three hours after putting the book down to realize what it is that you have missed. Now I'm 26 years of age and if I can't understand parts of this tale it's probably a fair guess that your average 10 year-old reader with have similar problems.
Still, that's my only quarrel. There's so much to love here that I feel a little dour making these kinds of comments. I mean, how can you dislike a book where a character like Awful is constantly asking the seven wizards where they come in order of birth so that she can better understand the pecking order in the family? It's a delightful tale about family fights and what it is that exactly makes up a family at all. And then of course there's the goon. Last of all I display for you the fabulous goon that starts this book rolling and, quite possibly, ends it. Here's to goons, ladies and gentlemen! May they grace the pages of more and more children's books in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Everyone should read this book!
Review: In this book, Diana Wynne Jones makes you believe one thing, then reveals something that says it's not true. She drops subtle hints all along the way, so when you finally reach the end of the book, you are amazed at how it all fits together so well. Diana has really outdone herself.
Rating:
Summary: Totally fun (and not outta print anymore!)
Review: This book was way fun to read, full of humor, magic and character. Amazing to think that when Diana Wynne Jones wrote this even SHE didn't know what was going to happen.
Howard Sykes comes home one day to find a goon- a huge dirty guy, anyway- sitting in his kitchen, saying that he comes from Archer, and refusing to move until he gets the 2000 words Howard's father owes him.
But the words got misplaced by Fifi, a college student who stays at the Sykes's house. So Fifi, Howard and Howard's little sister, Awful (who can live up to her name at times) go to find it.
Well, one thing leads to another and they soon find out that the whole town is run by 7 wizards (who are all related).
For me to give you a play by play here would take too long, but if you're thinking of reading this or just looking for a great book to read, I HIGHLY recommend this.
Rating:
Summary: Jones' outrageous best!
Review: This is far from a typical children's book! It is a fabulous, funny, wildly imaginative coming-of-age tale about a family (or two families) and ... wars. Parental wars, sibling wars, wizard wars, gang wars!
It is impossible to convey the feel of the wacky, warm, confused and confusing bunch of characters that Jones created in this amazing yarn. Successive versions of reality are revealed and then peeled away to reveal another below, like an onion. She has created many wonderful and wildly differing worlds in her many books; this may just be the best and most original.
Rating:
Summary: best example
Review: This is my favorite of all her books that I've read (that being most of them). It's absolutely excellent, and the best example of her juxtapositions of mundane and esoteric reality there is. This trick of hers is something other authors try in vain to do - a very difficult trick indeed!
Rating: 
Summary: Things are never what they seem
Review: This is one of Diana Wynne-Jones's early books, and you can tell. The prose is a bit plain and not very descriptive, but the plot and the sparkling characters are, as always, absolutely stunning. It's a weird little mystery involving wizards, writers, and spaceships. Howard Sykes comes home one day to discover that an enormous Goon (small brain, big feet, limited vocabulary) is sitting in his kitchen, claiming that unless his dad Quentin produces two thousand words to "Archer," they will be in serious trouble. Turns out that Quentin promised a mysterious man two thousand words every three months, in exchange for no more writers' block. And the problem is, when the Goon shows up again and announces that the words didn't get through. Quentin swears he won't write another word, and the Goon remains in their house (he's not supposed to leave without the words). Things immediately go haywire: Howard and his sister Awful soon discover that Archer is one of seven very pushy, devious wizards that "farm" the town they live in -- there's criminal Shine, tantrum-throwing Torquil, sewer-ruling Erskine, and a bunch of others. If Archer gets the two thousand words, he'll rule the world (or "farm" it, as they say it), but if he doesn't then any of his siblings could. What do they need the words for? And how can a pair of kids defeat a bunch of very determined wizards -- especially when some people aren't quite who they seem? Diana Wynne-Jones is one of the best fantasy authors out there (well, she bumped into Lewis and Tolkien -- that has to be a sign!), and while "Archer's Goon" is not her best, it's pretty high on the list. It's funny, cute, and seems very simple at first, but rapidly becomes very, very complex. The biggest problem is that in this book -- especially in the opening chapters, the writing is very stark and undescriptive, although it becomes much more descriptive later in the book. But the dialogue is still that great humorous Brit style, especially whenever someone talks to the Goon. Howard is a nice (slightly bland) hero, very like a real adolescent boy in that he botches things and isn't sure what to do when his parents fight. Awful seems that way at first, but behind the insane shrieking she has a brain. The Goon is the biggest triumph of this book -- he initially seems like a simple lunkhead troll-type, but he's really a nice guy. The wizards are almost as good -- some are faking, and some are honest, and heaven help you if you try to figure it out. Fans of good fantasy (adults and kids alike) will enjoy "Archer's Goon," especially as the simple plot rapidly starts spinning off into greater complexity. Very cute, funny, and occasionally chilling.
Rating:
Summary: How can this be? How CAN this be?
Review: This is one of Jones's best. With an incredibly surprising ending--and its anticlimax that is almost as good. One of the best and most captivating beginnings in existence. Incredible characters, from stubborn Quentin Sykes to the Goon himself to our minor but no less valuable and amusing Fifi. Awful is one of the best children I have ever read (the way she's portrayed, not the way she behaves) and Howard is an incredibly simple, yet complicated character. DIANA WYNNE JONES IS ONE OF THE BEST AUTHORS IN EXISTENCE. READ ALL HER BOOKS--NO FOOLING< NO JOKING< NO LIES--THEN BUY THEM ALL--DITTO.
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