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morwen's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
kpjt_books's review
1.0
I tried to like this one but found myself wanting to relegate it to my dnf pile. I get what the author was trying to do - if you've read The Princess Bride you will see what this author was trying emulate - it just didn't get there and the reader is left trying to weed through too many over fantastic plot lines, characters and fourth wall breaks. I think there is possibly a YA audience who would enjoy this and would be able to follow the author's train of thougjt, but it missed mark for me.
roseannmvp's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good, but not my type of read....great for younger teen guys, maybe, who really like fantasy.
missprint_'s review against another edition
1.0
I feel like a book that promises exploding bunnies really has an obligation to deliver said bunnies in the first 50 pages. This book did not. The whole venture also got off to a slow start but I suspect that was to be expected since the first part of the novel is called "Boring (But Important)." This book is fun and has a lot going on to draw readers in and keep them engaged--just not this particular reader I guess.
namaenani's review against another edition
2.0
This book had less of a Dungeons and Dragons feel and more that of a fairy tale mash-up. It also feels like it was written by the guys at school who get into arguments about who a 'real fan' is, don't think girls play D&D, and think the best way to end an argument is to punch someone.
Then there was the weird, vaguely incestuous creep factor, with the middle-aged aunt stripping off the teenage boy's clothes, the too-long fixation on the naked fairy's breasts, and a foray into mud-wrestling. Could have done without all of that.
Then there was the weird, vaguely incestuous creep factor, with the middle-aged aunt stripping off the teenage boy's clothes, the too-long fixation on the naked fairy's breasts, and a foray into mud-wrestling. Could have done without all of that.
vivireadsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. It seemed to have all of the geekery stuff I love. And the beginning was really fun but it quickly became tedious. Maybe I'm too old for this book...
bookishbethie's review against another edition
3.0
This book is not AT ALL what I expected. I thought it was going to be a cute little foray into geek culture, (with which I am very well-acquainted) a romp through a world full of comic book in-jokes and World of Warcraft references. While Geek Fantasy Novel has those, as well as fire-burping bunnies, the book is soooo much more than that--it's smart and meta and inventive and full of SAT words and freakin' layered--there are TWO narrators! Not that it's a hard book to read; it's definitely not that. It's just, well, to be completely honest, waaaay better than I thought it would be.
The main plot is that Ralph, a super geeky kid living in New Jersey whose parents are anti-wishing, is recruited by his aunt to come to England for the summer to help set up their WiFi network. While there, he reconnects with his cousins, Cecil and Daphne, and his step-cousin (is that a thing?) Beatrice. He also meets his other aunt, Chessie, who, as it turns out, has the power to grant wishes. However, these wishes have to be acted out via a quest that the wishee must complete.
Sounds simple enough, right?
Well, as is normally the case with magic, not everything is what it appears to be, and loopholes are abundant. With Ralph attempting to save each of his cousins from their careless wishing and terrifying quests, he wreaks havoc on the age-old profession of narrating quests and causes quite the stir in his family's otherwise quiet life.
I definitely recommend this one--it'll throw you for a loop in a couple different ways, and all the while keep you laughing. If you like fairy tales, geek stories, or books that have a very, very dry sense of humor, Geek Fantasy Novel is absolutely up your alley. And if you feel like you just want to read this book because you are a curious sort, that is an even better reason to read it!
The main plot is that Ralph, a super geeky kid living in New Jersey whose parents are anti-wishing, is recruited by his aunt to come to England for the summer to help set up their WiFi network. While there, he reconnects with his cousins, Cecil and Daphne, and his step-cousin (is that a thing?) Beatrice. He also meets his other aunt, Chessie, who, as it turns out, has the power to grant wishes. However, these wishes have to be acted out via a quest that the wishee must complete.
Sounds simple enough, right?
Well, as is normally the case with magic, not everything is what it appears to be, and loopholes are abundant. With Ralph attempting to save each of his cousins from their careless wishing and terrifying quests, he wreaks havoc on the age-old profession of narrating quests and causes quite the stir in his family's otherwise quiet life.
I definitely recommend this one--it'll throw you for a loop in a couple different ways, and all the while keep you laughing. If you like fairy tales, geek stories, or books that have a very, very dry sense of humor, Geek Fantasy Novel is absolutely up your alley. And if you feel like you just want to read this book because you are a curious sort, that is an even better reason to read it!
ravencrantz's review against another edition
I can't do it. The writing is just so awful, I cannot go on. It has potential to be hilarious, but the writing just is so horrid I can't bring myself to finish. I really don't care about the characters, the narrator is an actual entity that interacts with the reader and that I do like, but the execution just ruined it. I think if it was handled better I'd have enjoyed it. Perhaps this should be targeted to younger readers and not young adults? I don't know, it just didn't do it for me at all and I can't bring myself to read and slug through the last hundred pages.