The Better Mousetrap
Take what you know about monsters of myth and creatures of legend. Now, let this story and Mr. Holt expand that to a modern setting. We all know Dragons love gold, but did you know they also have inbuilt, organic modems that scour the internet for the latest exchange rates, to see just exactly how valuable their hoard is? That’s not the only great thing about this book. The hero has a magic door which he can put up against any surface, not simply to make a way through to the other side of the surface, but it can traverse time and space. And he uses this magnificent tool to help Insurance Companies save money. Genius. Even though I, as a first-time reader of one of Mr. Holt’s books, felt I was coming in mid-way through a party, it did not detract from the story. Part of an ongoing tale, but stand-alone. Very good.
Wish You Were Here
A magical lake, which grants your greatest desire when you bathe in it. In order for you to realise your greatest desire, you must go on an adventure. A lake guarded by an ancient, mystical, mischievous being capable of shape-shifting, who also acts as a guide through your adventure. There’s an awful lot of repetition in this book, which I did not enjoy. Having four protagonists that each have (for the most part, until nearer the end) separate adventures which are carefully structured to be identical by the guide made me feel I was reading the same thing over and over again, only with a slightly different outcome. It was an enjoyable read, but by no means my favourite Tom Holt book.
Djinn Rummy
Now this one really fired my creative synapses. By the end of the book, I longed to sketch and draw the Djinn and the many other mystical beasts myself, so expertly brought to life in my mind by the authors descriptive words. I didn’t think a genie would actually allow anyone to wish for an unlimited amount of wishes, but apparently everyone thinks that, which is why if anyone did wish for unlimited amounts of wishes, it would be granted. I’ve never encountered a Genie so fleshed out as Kayaguchiya Integrated Circuits III (shortened to Kiss, but only by his friends), in fact, the whole universe that Mr. Holt has created for his books is incredibly detailed, and as such, believable.
I most definitely recommend that any fans of fantasy fiction pick up Djinn Rummy and The Better Mousetrap, they are so full of wondrous ideas and are generally great stories.
