- Simon R. Green, The Man With the Golden Torc
I realize that I read a lot of girly books, so I decided to read a book for all the manly nerds out there. My friend suggested this book to me because he reads a lot, and this book series was one of his favorites. My friend is a total nerd (which I love); however, when the term "elf lord" was used on page 2, I should have realized I was crossing over to the dork side -- hardcore.
To the average world, he was Shaman Bond, but in reality, he was Eddie Drood. Eddie fought all of the things that we think aren't real: ghosts, demons, witches, magic, etc. There is a whole other world that the average eye cannot see, and Eddie, along with the entire Drood family intend to keep it that way.
Eddie has been trained his whole life to do as the family said: protect the world and fight for good. Or so he thought. Suddenly, Eddie was declared as rogue, and he didn't know why. He had done everything the family said. Sure, he did it in a different way than the family would typically do things, but he always did what they wanted him to do. So why were they shutting him out, saying he was a threat, and trying to kill him? With all of the training Eddie has had, he knew he could stay alive, at least long enough to figure out what was going on.
The plot was incredibly interesting, and it intrigued me from the start. Simon Green's imagination shines on each page. There are countless characters, gadgets, spells, magic, and action throughout the entire story. Green added humor in odd places, which made for some good laughs. A lot of the humor was sexual, which I didn't particularly appreciate, because it was unnecessary and irrelevant in most cases. I guess since this is technically a dude book, the sexual humor works for that demographic.
As much as I enjoyed the plot as a whole, I really had to force myself to read the book. I think the plot could have been twisted and turned a little more. Nothing kept me guessing. Some events were random and just really out there. I found myself setting the book down in the middle of a chapter, just to take a break from the "whaaaaaa???" I was constantly thinking.
Because the book is mainly targeting a male audience there isn't much romance, but there is just enough of a hint of a love story to to keep things interesting. There is, however, a lot of fighting and action, so there's that.
Green is English, so his flare of writing is refreshing and colorful. The way he described the world and the situations surrounding the characters is different from the books I am accustomed to reading. It's a great read for the style of writing.
So, for all the male nerds that may stumble across this review, you may enjoy this type of book. If that is you, there are several more that remain in the series. If you are a special type of female nerd that stumbles across this review, go for it: read the book. But if you typically agree with my reviews: just say no.
For the brave souls that decide to delve into the world of The Man With the Golden Torc, I would say that this book is for anyone 13 and older. There isn't much profanity, and the sexual humor isn't too extreme, but it's not something that anyone under 13 needs to read. I would imagine the book is targeted for those 18 and older, but a younger audience may enjoy it, as well.
Overall, the book gave me mixed feelings, as you can tell. I did the best I could, guys. Maybe some of you can tell me your thoughts on this. Happy reading, folks..maybe..
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