Scan barcode
_b_a_l_'s review
3.0
Reads like the DnD campaign you and your friends would have if you were all half as dashing and witty as you think you are and that jerk Gary didn't always show up drunk.
Lots of fun :)
Lots of fun :)
reneeisalwaysreading's review
5.0
Fun! Pip, pip, and all that. The introduction of Rappy about 3/4 through was a good choice.
“Bards don’t believe in goodbyes—we know that the roads we walk are winding, and we generally tend to come back to people and places we’ve known and been before, and often at just the right time.”
“Bards don’t believe in goodbyes—we know that the roads we walk are winding, and we generally tend to come back to people and places we’ve known and been before, and often at just the right time.”
erat's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A quick, goofy read.
winterpirate's review
4.0
When describing The Chronicles of Heloise & Grimple, the first words that come to my mind are "shamelessly fun". But that might be because I've been watching a lot of Shameless lately. Sean Gibson, in turn, seems to have been watching a lot of Scooby-Doo and reading a lot of Terry Pratchett, which, on top of having a natural gift for humour, has created a unique sort of comedy-fantasy.
Meet Heloise- bard and adventurer, self-touted as beautiful and talented, and her adventuring partner Grimple. Grimple, a hill giant lacking slightly in both class and intelligence, has been "illusioned" into looking like a sickly gnome. Somewhere along the way, and to Heloise's misfortune, Grimple has also developed a posh accent. Heloise takes us on the journey to restore his appearance, encountering the not-evil wizard Kevil (my favourite character), and Rappy, a dwarf with well-shaped buttocks.
Gibson uses parentheses in a similar fashion to the way Pratchett uses footnotes, often offering the reader humorous insight into Heloise's knowledge of places, things, and circumstances. While the style of the novel is loose, having been published in episodic form elsewhere before being combined into one volume, the raw humour is undeniable. I think that removing the brackets and working some of Heloise's side thoughts into the main paragraph structure in places might make their contents funnier, as they wouldn't have set the reader up for the expectation of comedy. At other times I liked them that way!
I'm friends with the author on Goodreads, but it should be noted that I discovered book without knowing that he had written it. I also promised Sean that if I thought this was pig shit that I'd review his book with scathing wit. To my relief, this is was quite an amusing cast of characters with an entertaining adventure, so Sean's wit has gotten me out of having to use my own.
Okay I had to edit this to add just a few of my favourite quotes because when I reread them just now I snorted tea up my nose:
"Kevil’s question was cut off by a roar that shook the walls of the Well, all of the trees in the surrounding area, and a little bit of pee from my bladder."
"[...]it uttered arcane syllables, pointed a wand at me, and, well, ‘poof,’ I believe, is the technical term."
"There’s something about an ancient wood that calls out to elves; the trees almost seem palpably indifferent to anyone who passes beneath them. They had been there long before our passing and knew they would be there long after, and so they benevolently suffered us to walk among them, caring as much about us as we would for an ant crawling across our path. Ancient trees are majestic, no doubt, but they’re also kind of assholes."
Meet Heloise- bard and adventurer, self-touted as beautiful and talented, and her adventuring partner Grimple. Grimple, a hill giant lacking slightly in both class and intelligence, has been "illusioned" into looking like a sickly gnome. Somewhere along the way, and to Heloise's misfortune, Grimple has also developed a posh accent. Heloise takes us on the journey to restore his appearance, encountering the not-evil wizard Kevil (my favourite character), and Rappy, a dwarf with well-shaped buttocks.
Gibson uses parentheses in a similar fashion to the way Pratchett uses footnotes, often offering the reader humorous insight into Heloise's knowledge of places, things, and circumstances. While the style of the novel is loose, having been published in episodic form elsewhere before being combined into one volume, the raw humour is undeniable. I think that removing the brackets and working some of Heloise's side thoughts into the main paragraph structure in places might make their contents funnier, as they wouldn't have set the reader up for the expectation of comedy. At other times I liked them that way!
I'm friends with the author on Goodreads, but it should be noted that I discovered book without knowing that he had written it. I also promised Sean that if I thought this was pig shit that I'd review his book with scathing wit. To my relief, this is was quite an amusing cast of characters with an entertaining adventure, so Sean's wit has gotten me out of having to use my own.
Okay I had to edit this to add just a few of my favourite quotes because when I reread them just now I snorted tea up my nose:
"Kevil’s question was cut off by a roar that shook the walls of the Well, all of the trees in the surrounding area, and a little bit of pee from my bladder."
"[...]it uttered arcane syllables, pointed a wand at me, and, well, ‘poof,’ I believe, is the technical term."
"There’s something about an ancient wood that calls out to elves; the trees almost seem palpably indifferent to anyone who passes beneath them. They had been there long before our passing and knew they would be there long after, and so they benevolently suffered us to walk among them, caring as much about us as we would for an ant crawling across our path. Ancient trees are majestic, no doubt, but they’re also kind of assholes."
paperbackstash's review
3.0
Genuinely hilarious - I don't think the English accent and Pip-Pip exchange from Grimble ever grew old. Creative, well written and definitely different. One of my favorite things was the end of each chapter feeling like the sarcastic narrator from Danger Mouse. Each chapter is part of a larger adventure, and sometimes completes or takes place in a mini adventure - hard to explain, you'd have to read the book to get what I mean. Full review to come
amanda31's review
5.0
This book was so much damn fun! What a cast of characters and incredibly fun interaction between all of them. A fun, light read that was a barrel of laughs and full of quitty wips!
I am so looking forward to the next installment, what might Heloise (or, well, Grimple actually) get herself into next time?
(And the nod to Scooby had me grinning from ear to ear for the longest time!)
I am so looking forward to the next installment, what might Heloise (or, well, Grimple actually) get herself into next time?
(And the nod to Scooby had me grinning from ear to ear for the longest time!)
krisstareads's review
5.0
I enjoyed reading this so much. The characters were great, and there were shenanigan aplenty. Here's hoping for a sequel.
mistled's review
4.0
Ancient trees are majestic, no doubt, but they’re also kind of assholes.
We're not talking about Ents or anything... just the normal sort of non-moving non-speaking non-boulder-throwing trees. Anyway...
What we have here is a 14 part fantasy serial about a bard and a hill troll and Kevil... collected together for your reading convenience. It's funny and ridiculous and completely over the top. Do you/have you read the comic Order of the Stick? If you liked that, and you should because it's amazing, I imagine you'll enjoy this as well. As you should, because it's great. Give the Amazons, and by extension Sean, your $3. Or read it for free on Kindle Unlimited. However you like. You do you.
For full disclosure, I'm GR friends with Sean. I'm not sure that's relevant since I bought my copy like the common rabble and I've never actually met the man, but some of you might think so.
-----
This is what happens when I don't read books and am not on GR for a few months. I miss that Sean collected this bit of awesome and put it up on the amazons. Now I'm wondering what else I missed that I need to go buy.
Give the man your $3.
gingerbookaddict's review
5.0
This little ditty has been brightening my day for months as it was slowly released series style here on GR.
It's got action, comedy, innuendo and more!
Now it has pictures?!
More later when I have a moment to read through it in it completed form, but I already know I loved the journey!
A free copy was provided to me by the author. This did not affect my rating or increase the gushing love I have for Heloise and Grimple.
And yes, I probably need to see a doctor about that 'gushing love' bit.
It's got action, comedy, innuendo and more!
Now it has pictures?!
More later when I have a moment to read through it in it completed form, but I already know I loved the journey!
A free copy was provided to me by the author. This did not affect my rating or increase the gushing love I have for Heloise and Grimple.
And yes, I probably need to see a doctor about that 'gushing love' bit.