Fools Errant

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Filidor Vesh, the prodigal nephew and sole heir to the all-powerful Archonate, is sent on an errand: to track down his traveling uncle and deliver unto him a small wooden box. His companion is a wizened and mysterious dwarf who hustles him off down the trail of his elusive patriarch.

The adventuring duo encounters all manner of bizarre and extreme societies, as well as angry mobs, a menacing wizard, and other dangerous species of vermin. They are inventively equipped with a device called a "traveler's aid" -- a walking staff engineered to function like something between a deluxe Swiss Army knife and Batman's utility belt.

Fools Errant is a wonderfully strange and funny first novel from Canadian speechwriter and author Matthew Hughes. It's full of witty dialogue, memorable characters, wry observations and a hilarious marbling of absurd morality fables, where expectations are dashed and lessons are turned on their heads. (Peter Russo)

Publishers Weekly

The individual cultures are well-conceived and enjoyable, and the images that Hughes conjures will stick with the reader long after the plot is forgotten...

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Combining many of the elements of a good fantasy (quest, magic, strange lands and memorable characters), Hughes's rollicking debut details the coming-of-age of young Filidor Vesh, nephew to the Archon of Old Earth. The journey begins when Filidor and his aging mentor, Gaskarth, agree to deliver a package to the Archon. En route, they encounter weird and often humorous lands and people whose lives revolve around a distinct value (such as the Jampions who care only about competition, or the Zeelotes who prize innovation). Readers may be disappointed, however, by the novel's rather episodic structure. Filidor's odyssey swiftly falls into a pattern in which Filidor travels to a new land, faces some mortal peril at the hands of an extremist community, overcomes his peril and then travels to the next land. Hughes thankfully breaks from this cycle toward the end of the book when the true nature of Filidor's quest is revealed. Despite the plot's predictability, Hughes has crafted a worthwhile tale reminiscent of Gulliver's Travels. The individual cultures are well-conceived and enjoyable, and the images that Hughes conjures will stick with the reader long after the plot is forgotten. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

VOYA

If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, then author Jack Vance should feel extremely flattered by this book. In his debut novel, Hughes imitates both Vance's writing style and his usual "hero's journey" plot quite well, using the wry wit for which Vance is so well known. Readers are introduced to Filidor Vesh, the underachieving nephew of the Archon (absolute ruler) of old Earth. Filidor is summoned by his uncle to join him in a distant principality. Accompanied by a mysterious dwarf, the social butterfly Filidor embarks upon his travels totally unprepared. As they journey from land to land in pursuit of the Archon, Filidor is exposed to perils and concepts foreign to his life in Olkney. In meeting the challenges of the trip, including ravenous beasts, raging mobs, and an evil wizard, Filidor hones both mind and body—recognizing "himself an entirely improved version of the original Filidor." Fools Errant is truly in the picaresque tradition of the classic Lazarillo de Tormes and Tristram Shandy, but the author's greatest debt is to Vance, a fantasy grandmaster whose literate works prove worthy inspiration. This first novel will do very well in any collection where literate fantasy is enjoyed. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 2001, Warner, 283p, pb. Ages 16 to Adult. Reviewer: Marsha Valance SOURCE: VOYA, April 2001 (Vol. 24, No.1)

From The Critics

In Olkney, Filidor Vesh enjoys his hedonistic life, as one would expect from a young heir to the Archon, of Old Earth's human inhabitants. However, his fun time at the Logodaedalian Club ends when a dwarf Gaskarth informs Filidor that his Uncle Dezendah the Archon summons him. The lad tries to sneak away, but the persistent guide forces Filidor to accompany him on what is surely a Fools Errant. Gaskarth escorts Filidor out of the city to the lands of Binch, Ektop, Zeel, and Jamb. At each site, Filidor learns that he just missed his uncle and where he is expected to go next. Also at each locale, Filidor learns first hand about different behaviors by always landing in trouble. As he treks from one location to another, Filidor begins to enjoy his travels, but wonders when he will finally catch up to his elusive relative and just who is his guide anyway? Fools Errant is a wonderful science fiction novel that combines a coming of age relationship tale with a satirical look at the extremes of society. For example, the uncompromising members of the environmentalists and the industrial developers are swiftly ridiculed for failing to seek a modest proposal for the betterment of society as a whole. Other humorous bashing highlight that Matthew Hughes has written a wonderful tale that will find genre fans wanting more adventures of the interesting lead characters in the near future.