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katreader's review
5.0
BARNABAS TEW AND THE CASE OF THE HELLENIC ABDUCTION
By Columbkill Noonan
The Fifth Barnabas Tew Mystery
While practicing their yoga on the banks on the Ganges, Victorian private investigator Barnabas Tew and his assistant, Wilfred, are unceremoniously whisked away and deposited in Ancient Greece. Upon Odin's recommendation Zeus has summoned the duo to help him rescue a princess. Barnabas and Wilfred undertake the mission, but find Zeus's intentions not entirely honorable and are unsure if they should indeed find the woman for him. Running into various deities and other mythological beings from Ancient Greece Barnabas and Wilfred will have to keep on their toes or risk death...again!
I absolutely love Barnabas Tew and was happy to have him and Wilfred enter another realm with which I am quite familiar, that of Greek Mythology. I couldn't help but smile as Barnabas compared the Greek and Roman pantheon. I also love how he incorporates the meditation and yoga he learned from the Hindu pantheon.
In fact, so many things made me smile in this, the fifth Barnabas Tew adventure. The rapport between Barnabas and Wilfred, the bemusement of the various gods and other mythological characters by their antics, and the fact that the bumbling duo do always, somehow, manage to solve the case...even if they die in the process. Perhaps my favorite joy comes from seeing mythological characters in a new light. My favorite aspect of that here was with Minnie the minotaur.
Throughout the series, there have been serious moments and introspective moments as well as adventure and laughs, most notably concerning the lost loves of each of the heroes. Therefore, I was much pleased with the chain of events leading up to the mystery's conclusion. I am, however, greatly concerned that the fifth Barnabas Tew Mystery may be the last book in this delightfully unique series.
BARNABAS TEW AND THE CASE OF THE HELLENIC ABDUCTION is a rip-roaring good time twining Greek mythology and Victorian sensibilities in a laugh out loud story.
By Columbkill Noonan
The Fifth Barnabas Tew Mystery
While practicing their yoga on the banks on the Ganges, Victorian private investigator Barnabas Tew and his assistant, Wilfred, are unceremoniously whisked away and deposited in Ancient Greece. Upon Odin's recommendation Zeus has summoned the duo to help him rescue a princess. Barnabas and Wilfred undertake the mission, but find Zeus's intentions not entirely honorable and are unsure if they should indeed find the woman for him. Running into various deities and other mythological beings from Ancient Greece Barnabas and Wilfred will have to keep on their toes or risk death...again!
I absolutely love Barnabas Tew and was happy to have him and Wilfred enter another realm with which I am quite familiar, that of Greek Mythology. I couldn't help but smile as Barnabas compared the Greek and Roman pantheon. I also love how he incorporates the meditation and yoga he learned from the Hindu pantheon.
In fact, so many things made me smile in this, the fifth Barnabas Tew adventure. The rapport between Barnabas and Wilfred, the bemusement of the various gods and other mythological characters by their antics, and the fact that the bumbling duo do always, somehow, manage to solve the case...even if they die in the process. Perhaps my favorite joy comes from seeing mythological characters in a new light. My favorite aspect of that here was with Minnie the minotaur.
Throughout the series, there have been serious moments and introspective moments as well as adventure and laughs, most notably concerning the lost loves of each of the heroes. Therefore, I was much pleased with the chain of events leading up to the mystery's conclusion. I am, however, greatly concerned that the fifth Barnabas Tew Mystery may be the last book in this delightfully unique series.
BARNABAS TEW AND THE CASE OF THE HELLENIC ABDUCTION is a rip-roaring good time twining Greek mythology and Victorian sensibilities in a laugh out loud story.
btpbookclub's review
4.0
I came into this series very late so I had no background of the characters or what had happened before this, read well as a standalone but I think the previous books makes a huge difference and perspective. I would love to go back and read the previous books if I have time.
Barnabas Tew and the case of the Hellenic Abduction is book five in the series I believe. The two main characters Barnabas and Wilfred are both detectives and are the perfect, funny duo act. It's a story full of adventure, the unexpected and a little bit of comedy I would say between the two detectives, they're lovable. Can never be bored while reading this story. It set my imagination on fire. Brilliantly written.
Now I must admit this is something I wouldn't have picked up for myself to read but I really did enjoy it. The story contains many gods and goddesses including Zeus, Aphrodite and Hades to name a few. A well deserved four stars from me and I would recommend!
Barnabas Tew and the case of the Hellenic Abduction is book five in the series I believe. The two main characters Barnabas and Wilfred are both detectives and are the perfect, funny duo act. It's a story full of adventure, the unexpected and a little bit of comedy I would say between the two detectives, they're lovable. Can never be bored while reading this story. It set my imagination on fire. Brilliantly written.
Now I must admit this is something I wouldn't have picked up for myself to read but I really did enjoy it. The story contains many gods and goddesses including Zeus, Aphrodite and Hades to name a few. A well deserved four stars from me and I would recommend!
jessbookishlife's review
Barnie and Willie are back!
If you don't know this series and didn't read my previous reviews about these books, then you are missing out on some funny moments. Barnabas and Wilfred, the most awesome detectives ever, go on a new adventure, this time to ancient Greece, and are going to deal with the Greek Gods.
Honestly, at this point I have no idea what to say. I always have fun with the books in this series. Barnie and Willie (as I have come to call them) are the best, with all the unlucky moments and crazy situations. When I think that nothing else is going to surprise me Columbkil Noonan comes up with another adventure for them.
The interesting thing about this novel, as with all the others, is that it picks our curiosity about different cultures and times, as well as mythologies. Plus there is this opening to talk about certain sociological aspects, and moral issues. By having Zeus be the one demanding them to solve a case, it already let us wondering about the truth.
As we go on this journey with Barnie and Willie, we are taken through some hilarious moments and while the plot thickens, we are reminded of the way Barnabas and Wilfred act, their roles, their personalities and the way they interact.
Overall, it was yet another great story, that took me on a fun journey. Can't wait to see what God or Goddess will call Barnie and Willie next. They seem to never have a lot of vacation time. The divine world is a crazy place, don't you think?
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Columbkill Noonan for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
If you don't know this series and didn't read my previous reviews about these books, then you are missing out on some funny moments. Barnabas and Wilfred, the most awesome detectives ever, go on a new adventure, this time to ancient Greece, and are going to deal with the Greek Gods.
Honestly, at this point I have no idea what to say. I always have fun with the books in this series. Barnie and Willie (as I have come to call them) are the best, with all the unlucky moments and crazy situations. When I think that nothing else is going to surprise me Columbkil Noonan comes up with another adventure for them.
The interesting thing about this novel, as with all the others, is that it picks our curiosity about different cultures and times, as well as mythologies. Plus there is this opening to talk about certain sociological aspects, and moral issues. By having Zeus be the one demanding them to solve a case, it already let us wondering about the truth.
As we go on this journey with Barnie and Willie, we are taken through some hilarious moments and while the plot thickens, we are reminded of the way Barnabas and Wilfred act, their roles, their personalities and the way they interact.
Overall, it was yet another great story, that took me on a fun journey. Can't wait to see what God or Goddess will call Barnie and Willie next. They seem to never have a lot of vacation time. The divine world is a crazy place, don't you think?
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Columbkill Noonan for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
coffeedogsbooks's review
4.0
This is Book 5 in the series, you can read it as a standalone although there are references to past occurances/characters but they don’t take away from the story.
Barnabus Tew and his former assistant, turned partner Wilfred, are detectives to the Gods. Yes, mythological Greek Gods. This was an interesting genre I had never experienced before, a combination of fantasy, mythology and detective story. Although they are very unlucky detectives and a comedy of errors. This makes for a humorous and entertaining story. In this story, Barnabus and Wilfred are hired by Zeus because he is worried that a mortal princess he lusts after is in trouble. The problem lies in the fact that no one has asked the princess what she wants. This leaves Barnabus very conflicted as he considers himself a proper gentleman (and uses phrases like nincompoop and poppycock). This was a fun book and a fairly quick read. I am one for sarcastic humor and this definitely fit that bill. I will have to go back and read the rest of the story because I have a feeling the adventures they get in will be both interesting and comical.
I give this 4 of 5 stars and thank Rachel's Random Resources Book Tours and author Columbkill Noonan for the review copy of this book and including me in the tour.
Barnabus Tew and his former assistant, turned partner Wilfred, are detectives to the Gods. Yes, mythological Greek Gods. This was an interesting genre I had never experienced before, a combination of fantasy, mythology and detective story. Although they are very unlucky detectives and a comedy of errors. This makes for a humorous and entertaining story. In this story, Barnabus and Wilfred are hired by Zeus because he is worried that a mortal princess he lusts after is in trouble. The problem lies in the fact that no one has asked the princess what she wants. This leaves Barnabus very conflicted as he considers himself a proper gentleman (and uses phrases like nincompoop and poppycock). This was a fun book and a fairly quick read. I am one for sarcastic humor and this definitely fit that bill. I will have to go back and read the rest of the story because I have a feeling the adventures they get in will be both interesting and comical.
I give this 4 of 5 stars and thank Rachel's Random Resources Book Tours and author Columbkill Noonan for the review copy of this book and including me in the tour.
dazyden's review
3.0
*I was given a free copy of this novel in exchange for a review*
This was a very hard one for me to rate because, by while no means was it bad, I thoroughly did not enjoy it. I’ll probably be re-writing this review when I have more time to formulate a more eloquent response but for now:
Two Victorian detectives (a parody of Sherlock and Watson) bumble their way through Greek myths and respect women.
The characters were all outrageous and brilliant in their own way
The settings were fun and I adored Noonan’s take on Greek mythology and the ways in which they adapted the stories
The plot was fun- always bouncing on to the next adventure
It was absolutely hilarious in its jokes and references
Just something about the purposefully stilted writing kept me from enjoying it to its extent. Also the characters, while fun, were very one dimensional. I would absolutely try another book in this series if there were an audiobook
Overall: I’d absolutely recommend it if clunky writing style doesn’t bother you. More for a middle grade audience, specifically someone who prefers plot over characterization.
This was a very hard one for me to rate because, by while no means was it bad, I thoroughly did not enjoy it. I’ll probably be re-writing this review when I have more time to formulate a more eloquent response but for now:
Two Victorian detectives (a parody of Sherlock and Watson) bumble their way through Greek myths and respect women.
The characters were all outrageous and brilliant in their own way
The settings were fun and I adored Noonan’s take on Greek mythology and the ways in which they adapted the stories
The plot was fun- always bouncing on to the next adventure
It was absolutely hilarious in its jokes and references
Just something about the purposefully stilted writing kept me from enjoying it to its extent. Also the characters, while fun, were very one dimensional. I would absolutely try another book in this series if there were an audiobook
Overall: I’d absolutely recommend it if clunky writing style doesn’t bother you. More for a middle grade audience, specifically someone who prefers plot over characterization.
tessa_talks_books's review
4.0
Barnabas Tew and his partner, Wilfred Colby, are detectives to the gods. Crossing cultural mythological gods and creatures' boundaries, they solve a series of cases set up like a line of dominoes that demanded patience and precision for success.
I adored the premise and the plot that blends my two favorite genres of fantasy and mystery. Most of the mysteries are finding lost objects or lost people, and through a great deal of bungling and little taps of luck when needed, they manage to solve their case. In this story, they are hired by none other than the Greek head god himself, Zeus, who fears the mortal princess he is lusting after is kidnapped. Barnabas isn't sure he wants to help Zeus, though, because he recognizes that this situation is not going to work out well for the princess and the gallant man he is – he cannot justify doing that to her.
Barnabas Tew reminded me of a Victorian age Don Quixote of the PI world. He has this ideal version of himself that exists solely in his head. He imagines himself as a Sherlock Holmes and the model of everything valued in Victorian England. But, what everyone else sees is a bungling, round little man who manages to mess everything up and make everybody angry at some point. Wilfred is the one who tries to bring Barnabas back to reality and kicks or hits him to warn him when he is crossing a line. He has to do that quite often.
But deep inside, Barnabas has a great deal of love for Wilfred, and their lady loves, Bindi and Brynhild. It is hard to see as he continuously builds himself up by knocking everyone around him down, but when push comes to shove, Barnabas will show his true feelings. My only concern is that, even though the writing flows beautifully and naturally, the dialogue, of which there is a considerable amount, is challenging to read with Barnabas's attempts to show his intelligence through the way he speaks. The words become dense, and I struggled to get through them and keep pace.
This is a fun read with its blend of fantasy and mystery, and I found it a remarkable story from start to finish.
I adored the premise and the plot that blends my two favorite genres of fantasy and mystery. Most of the mysteries are finding lost objects or lost people, and through a great deal of bungling and little taps of luck when needed, they manage to solve their case. In this story, they are hired by none other than the Greek head god himself, Zeus, who fears the mortal princess he is lusting after is kidnapped. Barnabas isn't sure he wants to help Zeus, though, because he recognizes that this situation is not going to work out well for the princess and the gallant man he is – he cannot justify doing that to her.
Barnabas Tew reminded me of a Victorian age Don Quixote of the PI world. He has this ideal version of himself that exists solely in his head. He imagines himself as a Sherlock Holmes and the model of everything valued in Victorian England. But, what everyone else sees is a bungling, round little man who manages to mess everything up and make everybody angry at some point. Wilfred is the one who tries to bring Barnabas back to reality and kicks or hits him to warn him when he is crossing a line. He has to do that quite often.
But deep inside, Barnabas has a great deal of love for Wilfred, and their lady loves, Bindi and Brynhild. It is hard to see as he continuously builds himself up by knocking everyone around him down, but when push comes to shove, Barnabas will show his true feelings. My only concern is that, even though the writing flows beautifully and naturally, the dialogue, of which there is a considerable amount, is challenging to read with Barnabas's attempts to show his intelligence through the way he speaks. The words become dense, and I struggled to get through them and keep pace.
This is a fun read with its blend of fantasy and mystery, and I found it a remarkable story from start to finish.
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