Thomas the Rhymer
Book Review by
Sally Cronin
Challenge your senses with a rival to Harry Potter
After 60 odd years of reading it is easy to get into bad habits. By this I mean sticking to the tried and tested with regard to genres and authors. This is not healthy when you are a writer yourself, as I have discovered when reading Thomas the Rhymer by Paul Andruss.
I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling when it was released. Whilst I enjoyed it as a children’s story, I really did not find myself engaged or inspired to read the other seven books or watch the movies. I felt excluded from the millions who did and usually keep my silence in the face of fans.
However, Thomas the Rhymer had me hooked from page one and continued to keep me engaged the entire 319 pages.
This is an ensemble piece with a cast of characters that would be happy in starring roles in Alice in Wonderland or any Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. Jack Hughes, Ken, Catherine and the delightful Rosie, along with Thomas with his foot in this world and that of the Fairies; draw you into their inner circle and hold you fast.
Each of these wonderfully drawn characters face challenges in their past or present that make them feel isolated until they join forces to protect the most vulnerable amongst them and bring a brother home.
The story will challenge your beliefs in spectacular fashion. Is there another world or worlds running parallel with ours, are fairies sweet and delicate creatures or demons; is that tramp outside the Post Office real or an illusion? As you travel with Jack, Ken and Catherine on their quest, hurtling along ley lines and battling fantastic monsters and evil temptresses, you will find your heart beating a little bit faster. And probably checking under your bed at night!
The scenes set in London that criss cross centuries are filled with historical facts distorted with fairy dust. Next time you are in the city and walking the streets you will be looking into dark doorways and wondering if behind that old oak door with chipped paint lies a nest of elfin waiting to rob you of your senses.
The writing is superb with wit, humour and an edge that turns this from a children’s fairy story into a multi-generational adventurous fantasy that I believe knocks Harry Potter into a cocked hat!
I recommend reading Thomas the Rhymer and at £1.22 it is a steal worthy of the elfin themselves with a value of very much more in my opinion. There are more books to come in the Jack Hughes series and I would love to see the movies.
Challenge your senses and pick up a copy today
My thanks to Sally Cronin for such a beautiful review.
Check out her hugely popular & brilliantly eclectic website: Smorgasbord: Variety is the Spice of Life
Thomas the Rhymer be download for free for a limited period from Jack Hughes Books
Options include E-pub PDF & Mobi files (for Kindle). You can also download a free version from Kobo and Nook. Unfortunately Amazon Kindle does not offer a free option (I have found).
Further reviews would be appreciated.
Read The Story of Thomas the Rhymer
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Paul Andruss 
A truly thorough and articulate review certain to intrigue prospective readers.
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Dear Stephen, that is a lovely thing to say. Sally did a great job and I am really pleased by her review. Thanks for commenting. Best Paul
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Given a blast on the airways Paul.. I do hope that your very generous offer for the free downloaded is taken advantage of and that Thomas finds even more fans.
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Thanks Sally and thank you for making the post possible with your brilliant review.
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Paul, I have a copy and am looking forward to reading x
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Looking at what you do. I am distinctly flattered and a little humbled.
Thank you.
Love Paul X
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I read this review earlier (maybe on Sally’s site?) – and it encouraged me to move ‘Rhymer’ up on my TBR list. Now that I have read it, I agree with every single word of this review — except for the Harry Potter books comments.
Those I have NOT been intrigued enough to read (even tho’ I saw part of one of the movies in the TV dept. of one of the big box stores, waiting for a shopaholic friend to finally be ready to leave) – tho’ I did download a freebie to my Kindle while I was trying to figure out how the darned thing worked. It languishes still, since I don’t read much fantasy, not even on my TBR list right now.
I am SO looking forward to more in YOUR series, however. Get thee to thy typewriter. 🙂
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to transform a world!”
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Thank you, thank you, thank you. The Harry Potter thing is true. I saw the first film on television and through what a classic formula. Now at the risk of Getting myself blasted by some wizard and witch fans of Harry the Great and Good. I did not like certain things, like the way Harry was the star all the time. I wanted them all to share the limelight. When I read books 2 and 3 (someone lent me) I didn’t like the pacing. The structure was the adventure takes place over the academic year… I remembered being much more impatient and impulsive as a kid… and an as an adult come to think of it (Damnit! that’s where I went wrong!) so wanted to keep it very breathless, which I think gave Catherine her character as the voice of reason. Another homage – Hermione in the HP books. Finally I will get thee to my type writer especially after all this smashing encouragement from Peers I deeply respect. Love Paul X
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