Reviews for Fiddler's Green
Review - Fiddler's Green
Why I read the book: It’s number five in the chronicles of the Moosepath League.
What the book was about: Tobias Walton, chairman of the Moosepath League, marries Phileda McCannon. They head off to Halifax for their honeymoon and to pick up Walton’s nephew, recently orphaned.
That evening, Sundry Moss, Walton’s friend and assistant, goes to a fancy ball with the other members of the league and spends much of the evening dancing and talking with Priscilla Morningside (cousin of Cordelia Underwood), to the chagrin of her mother.
Meanwhile, at the neighborhood tavern, Mrs. and Mr. Spark determine to adopt six-year old Melanie Ring to rescue her from her drunken father. But Burne Ring has other plans and takes his daughter off to visit relatives in northern Maine. Sundry, disappointed that Priscilla has been spirited off by her mother, volunteers to go along with them. He’s accompanied by the half-witted Maven Flyce. On the way, they meet two interesting fellows, Robin Oig, a sailor who is searching for Fiddler’s Green (the sailor’s paradise) and a Mr. Normell, who seems nice enough on the surface. But as soon as Sundry steps away for a moment, Normell takes Burne and his daughter off the train.
Sundry and Maven follow and find themselves in the middle of a bizarre situation in which two clans, the Normells and the Droones are trying to reclaim mysterious powers they think they’ve lost. Sundry is in danger, but Robin Oig shows up at the crucial moment and saves the day.
Burne Ring dies, and his daughter ends up back with the Sparks. And the setting is ready for the next adventure.
What I liked about the book: I like Sundry. He’s always been my favorite character in the books, and he was the featured character in this one. It had the same mix of New England folklore and humor of the other books.
What I didn’t like about the book: The whole Normell/Droone thing was just too weird, and the whole wedding sequence that started the book got things off to a slow start.
Recommendation: I gave it a 7, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend reading this one before you read the first four.
What the book was about: Tobias Walton, chairman of the Moosepath League, marries Phileda McCannon. They head off to Halifax for their honeymoon and to pick up Walton’s nephew, recently orphaned.
That evening, Sundry Moss, Walton’s friend and assistant, goes to a fancy ball with the other members of the league and spends much of the evening dancing and talking with Priscilla Morningside (cousin of Cordelia Underwood), to the chagrin of her mother.
Meanwhile, at the neighborhood tavern, Mrs. and Mr. Spark determine to adopt six-year old Melanie Ring to rescue her from her drunken father. But Burne Ring has other plans and takes his daughter off to visit relatives in northern Maine. Sundry, disappointed that Priscilla has been spirited off by her mother, volunteers to go along with them. He’s accompanied by the half-witted Maven Flyce. On the way, they meet two interesting fellows, Robin Oig, a sailor who is searching for Fiddler’s Green (the sailor’s paradise) and a Mr. Normell, who seems nice enough on the surface. But as soon as Sundry steps away for a moment, Normell takes Burne and his daughter off the train.
Sundry and Maven follow and find themselves in the middle of a bizarre situation in which two clans, the Normells and the Droones are trying to reclaim mysterious powers they think they’ve lost. Sundry is in danger, but Robin Oig shows up at the crucial moment and saves the day.
Burne Ring dies, and his daughter ends up back with the Sparks. And the setting is ready for the next adventure.
What I liked about the book: I like Sundry. He’s always been my favorite character in the books, and he was the featured character in this one. It had the same mix of New England folklore and humor of the other books.
What I didn’t like about the book: The whole Normell/Droone thing was just too weird, and the whole wedding sequence that started the book got things off to a slow start.
Recommendation: I gave it a 7, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend reading this one before you read the first four.
Reviewed by Roger on 2006-07-26 15:43:20