Fool Errant: A Benbow Smith Mystery: 1 (The Benbow Smith Mysteries)

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A fun and humorous picaresque tale set on Old Earth concerning a spoiled young man and his older and no-nonsense travelling companion. I have read many of Wentworth's "Miss Silver mysteries" and this was my first encounter with Benboe Smith. Ultimately she redeems herself at the end, as during the middle of the book I think both me and Ross wanted to slap her, as she finds him too dictatorial when he advises sensible decisions e. Smith predicts that a theft will be arranged which will allow the plans to be sold without tarnishing the culprit’s reputation. So begins Filidor's reluctant odyssey through peculiar provinces peopled with odious denizens, including such road killers as mutant rodents, alien ants, and a vengeful thamaturge.

As the two main characters travel Old Earth, we are introduced to many strange and wonderous towns, cities and especially societies, and the pair never fail to get into some kind of trouble. When it wanes the rules of logic take over resulting in a world not so unlike ours today where magic may not be used at all, or only rumors are left. As I've already said, I am a huge fan of this author so I am more likely to overlook some deficiencies in plotting than a brand new reader might be. Here are such numbers, I will not say of arrant thieves, but of errant knights and errant squires, errant monks and errant minstrels, errant jugglers and errant jesters, that a man with a single merk would be in danger, much more a poor swineherd with a whole bagful of zecchins. As our runaway makes a final dash to her train she learns that Ross is to apply for a job at Meade House, a piece of information which makes her shout from the carriage that he must stay away from there.He is hired as a secretary to a inventor, because they think he is a fool and can take the fall for stealing plans. Sometimes I feel like the errant child who is chided to do what he is told and not ask so many questions. She shows initiative at points, but undercuts it by pausing to play out love scenes when the situation is most dire. If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, then author Jack Vance should feel incredibly flattered by Matthew Hughes' "Fools errant: a fantasy picaresque".

Each chapter is headed by a story fragment which relates a tale set in Old Earth's history and is great fun in itself. As magic was introduced into the story there were few boundaries on what could happen (the proverbial "tennis without a net") - so I felt little emotional involvement.It was a fairly typical "immature youth grows up throughout an adventure" with a touch (i felt) of a Gulliver's Travels type of vibe. Uumlber den AutorrnrnPatricia Wentworth was born Dora Amy Elles in India in 1877 (not 1878 as has sometimes been stated). Of course Ross does no such thing and he is chuffed when he lands the secretarial job, a feelin which is not appreciably diminished by Minstrel’s bossiness or outbursts of temper. As with many of her novels, Wentworth has intermingled suspense and romance with a dash of between-the-great-wars political intrigue thrown in for good measure! The general tuckermanities are arrant Bubbles - ephemeral and so transparent - But this is, now, - you may depend upon it - Stable, opaque, immortal - all by dint Of the dear names that lie concealed within 't.