Category Archives: Tom Holt

The Mistress of Misdirection

Posted on November 8, 2022 by Nathan

In my Oziana reread, I thought I might say a bit more about the 2012 issue, made up of a round robin story based on the brief fragment known only as “An Oz Book.” Robert Stanton Baum credited it to … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Art, Atticus Gannaway, Authors, Characters, Chris Dulabone, Dennis Anfuso, Dick Martin, Jared Davis, Jeff Rester, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Magic Items, Maps, March Laumer, Marcus Mebes, Music, Names, Oz, Oz Authors, Phyllis Ann Karr, Places, Plays, Poetry, Rachel Cosgrove Payes, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tell Me About the Dragons, George

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Nathan

I had a few other things I wanted to write about, but since I found out Saturday was St. George’s Day, I thought he might be worth looking into. As someone who didn’t attend a church where saints were really … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglicanism, Authors, Catholicism, Christianity, Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Crusades, Diana Wynne Jones, Eastern Orthodox, England, Greek Mythology, History, Holidays, Humor, Islam, J.R.R. Tolkien, L. Frank Baum, Monsters, Mythology, Oz, Oz Authors, Religion, Roman, Roman Empire, Stan Freberg, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Last Exit from Reality

Posted on October 20, 2019 by Nathan

The Tyrant’s Tomb, by Rick Riordan – In the fourth book in the Trials of Apollo series, Apollo and Meg McCaffrey reach Camp Jupiter in California, which has recently been the site of a deadly battle, and another one is … Continue reading →

Posted in African, Authors, Book Reviews, Egyptian, Greek Mythology, Humor, J.R.R. Tolkien, Magic, Monsters, Mythology, Rick Riordan, Roman, Tom Holt, Trials of Apollo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hell-thy, Wealthy, and Dead

Posted on January 23, 2018 by Nathan

The expression “you can’t take it with you” apparently dates back to the first half of the nineteenth century, but the idea is older than that. Not all cultures have believed this, however. We know that the tombs of wealthy … Continue reading →

Posted in African, Authors, Buddhism, Chinese, Christianity, Egyptian, Greek Mythology, Mythology, Norse, Religion, Taoism, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Wages of Sin

Posted on September 19, 2017 by Nathan

Snuff Fiction, by Robert Rankin – While Rankin often employs dark humor, this one is even darker than most, focusing on the narrator’s unfortunate friendship with tobacco magnate, terrorist, and generally underhanded guy Doveston. He’s constantly helping out Doveston with … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Characters, Chinese, Conspiracy Theories, Humor, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Mythology, Oz, Oz Authors, Religion, Robert Rankin, Roman, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meer Adventure

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Nathan

Barking, by Tom Holt – This was the last of Holt’s comic fantasies that I had to read, and it’s pretty typical of him in many ways. The main protagonist is a lawyer who, when fired from his firm, joins … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Magic, Marcus Mebes, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Resident Jinn, Number Seventy St Mary Axe

Posted on June 11, 2016 by Nathan

I’ve now finished with Tom Holt’s series of books centered around J.W. Wells and Company, the magical firm from Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Sorcerer. I had previously read The Portable Door, In Your Dreams, and The Better Mousetrap. The first … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Humor, Magic, Mythology, Norse, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Everybody Poops Genius Pieces

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Nathan

Little People, by Tom Holt – This fantasy story, rather less epic than many of Holt’s works, is narrated by a boy who sees elves in his garden. After being sent away to boarding school by his stepfather, he falls … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Greek Mythology, Greek Philosophy, History, Humor, Mythology, Oz, Philosophy, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

It’s Just a Fantasy

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Nathan

The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home, by Catherynne Valente – I believe this is officially the last book in the Fairyland series, but who knows what the future will bring? Well, maybe the marids do. Anyway, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Chinese, Comics, Fairy Tales, Humor, Mythology, Norse, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reading About Adventures, Rather Than Having Them

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Nathan

Wish You Were Here, by Tom Holt – Somewhat unusually for a Holt book, this one is set in America, specifically Lake Chicopee in Iowa. (There’s a lake of that name is Massachusetts, but not really in Iowa, as far … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Book Reviews, Greek Mythology, Humor, Mythology, Religion, Roman, Tom Holt | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments