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Heraclix & Pomp
Heraclix was dead and Pomp was immortal. That was before Heraclix’s reanimation (along with the sewn-together pieces and parts of many other dead people) and Pomp’s near murder at the hands of an evil necromancer. As they travel from Vienna to Prague to Istanbul and back again (with a side-trip to Hell), they struggle to understand who and what they are: Heraclix seeks to know the life he had before his death and rebirth, and Pomp wrestles with the language and meaning of mortality. As they journey across a land rife with revolution and unrest, they discover the evil necromancer they thought dead might not be so dead after all. In fact, he might be making a pact to ensure his own immortality . . .
280 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2014
About the author
Forrest Aguirre
46 books811 followersForrest's short fiction has appeared in over fifty venues, including Asimov's, Gargoyle, Apex, and Vasterien. He is a World Fantasy Award winner for his editorial work, with Jeff VanderMeer, on the Leviathan 3 anthology. His novel, Heraclix & Pomp was published October, 2014 by the Underland Press imprint of Resurrection House press. His shorter work has been collected in Fugue XXIX (Raw Dog Screaming Press), and is also available at the Kindle store or on Smashwords at:
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September 22, 2022
…what were the origins of the many pieces of Heraclix? He was like a puzzle to himself, an unknown being or beings, self-aware, yet unaware of the individuals from whom he had been constructed.Where do we come from? Of what are we made? Who are we? How did we get to be who we are? Can we change? In the case of Heraclix, of the title, all the above apply. H is a big guy. Think Shrek with a bit less green. Usually the golem is a clay creature, but H is more of a group effort, being comprised of parts, a Frankenstein monster with better (than the film) motor skills, and a makeover. Heraclix is riven, as so many of us are, with a complicated nature. His is more physical in it’s manifestation, though. With one arm in particular eager for action, he reminded me a bit of Doctor Strangelove . In a nifty opening, he breaks out of a womb-like vat of liquid (not the last birth event in the book), and does what any newborn might do. He reads everything he can get his paws on. Doesn’t know where the ability came from, but really, really wants to get a handle on his world, and comes across
Mattatheus Mowler is not your garden variety sorcerer. Sure he’s a few hundred years old, and is educated enough to animate dead parts, among other nifty tricks, but the boy has some serious ambition, not to mention an issue with aging, and is not to be messed with. That brimstone aroma that may be wrinkling your nose emanates the Faustian bargain he has made. He has a client list that would be the envy of any K Street operative. Of course, evil, connected genius or not, he is still human, more or less, and makes mistakes enough to allow for an actual contest. Not exactly your ideal re-animator, (or would that be assembler?) as daddy dearest rains blows and other abuse down on Heraclix’s large frame with abandon. But one day MM brings a sweet young thing to the lab, in a jar.
The author - please note the shooter on his sleeve
Pomp is a pixie with moxie. She encourages H to stand up for himself, and overcome the self-loathing that accompanies his beatings. Mowler has dark plans for her of the sacrificial sort, but the plan flies to pieces, the premises succumb to fire (always a risk when dealing with hellspawn), and a dynamic dimorphic duo is made.
The motive force here is Heraclix trying to find out who he actually is. With information gleaned from Mowler’s premises, he and Pomp set off on a classic journey of self-discovery. They cover a fair piece of European landscape, beginning in Vienna, with stops in Prague, Istanbul, Budapest, and sundry locales in between. Along the way they pick up pieces of the puzzle, as in a video game, that lead them from place to place. The information is sometimes in the form of clues, in Mowler’s papers, say, or in writing along the side of a coin. More often it is in the form of stories told by Gypsies, Cossacks, wizards, an old man in an obscure town, sundry characters they encounter in their quest. As the pair travel, together and separately, they gain
Heraclix comes across as a likeable hulk. He has a pure heart (whomever it might once have belonged to) and is an honest seeker after truth. In trying to discover his true identity he learns a thing or two
…there was something in the quality of sorrow suffered at the hands of another that was different than the sorrow that one brought on others, whether through one’s own stupidity and neglect or by intentional acts of hatred. The latter carried the sharpest stings of guilt, regret, self-berating…Pomp, while a very valuable partner, is not so much seeking truth herself as she is eager to help Heraclix. Hey, the big lug saved her, so she owes him. But she finds that she, as well, is challenged to consider her view of herself and the world.
Her life isn’t now about playing pranks all day every day. It isn’t about not caring. All this playing pranks and not caring isn’t fun any more. If she goes on like this, her life stays immortally, eternally…boring. Death is sad, but death makes life more worth living.In addition to H&P there is a parallel story involving Holy Roman Empire royalty, a young lass, and a fair bit of intrigue.
There are some images and themes that run throughout. Birth is addressed multiple times, in both a biological and baptismal way. Heraclix is very clearly being born by breaking out of a watery enclosure in an early scene. There is what might be seen as a baptism by fire, and later in the book, he has what seems another aqueous bursting through or two. History figures large here. Pomp, when we meet her, has no notion of it, not understanding the concept of memory. Heraclix cannot remember anything and wants to find out who he is. The tale is told in a historical context, offering a look at the feel, if not much of the detail, of tension between the Holy Roman Empire and its foreign enemies. Eternal life is addressed in the wizard’s desire for it and in how Pomp, who has it, copes with and gives a lot of thought to the implications of life without end. Changing one’s life is also addressed on multiple fronts. A killer becomes a healer. Pomp is faced with potentially changing her orientation as well, getting to see in person the questionable wages of all-fun-all –the-time.
I am sure there are many references to folk tales I missed in here, but a visit to hell itself surely must conjure Dante. So be on the lookout for references to The Inferno. And heading to the basement certainly seems in synch with a Campbellian structure.
One of the things that most impressed me was the diversity and creativity of Aguirre’s imagination. Heraclix alone is a marvelous concoction, but there are many more. Phantoms haunting the one who killed them, demonflies from Hell, a Godzilla-like Beelzebub, some carnivorous clover, fairies up to no good, a demonized crow, some magic mirrors, a telescope for seeing magic. The list is considerable and the creations quite fun. While some echo familiar elements of fantasy fiction, there is an added layer of the new that gives it all some real sparkle.
Gripes were few. There are a fair number of characters, and it can be a bit tough at times keeping them straight. The ARC I read did not have a list of characters in it. I do not know if the final version might. I find it useful to make my own list as I read to help keep everyone straight. Also there was one escape I had a problem with. .
Aguirre has established himself as a top-drawer, award-winning editor of speculative fiction, and a seasoned writer of sci-fi as well. Heraclix and Pomp demonstrates that he is also a confident, creative and imaginative novelist. The journey on which Heraclix and Pomp set out is a consistently interesting and engaging one, offering not only a look at a fantastical world, but adult consideration of eternal, real-world, existential issues. I am sure they would love for you to tag along.
Heraclix and Pomp was sent along by the author, a GR friend, in return for an honest review
Review first posted – 9/12/14
Publication date – 10/14/14
This review has also been posted at CootsReviews
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Twitter, Google+ and FB pages
Aguirre’s blogspot page, Forrest for the Trees, includes a 24:47 sample of the audio book. Some items in the archives are worth a look, including a three-part sneak peek at the second adventure of H&P, and a piece on his writing process (no necromancy involved).
An interesting interview with Forrest on Shelf Inflicted, in which, among other things, he talks about how H&P came to be.
October 4, 2019
”He remembered nothing of what came before the womb, though he felt intimations from that pre-existent time that he wouldn’t quite form into full realizations. As the will to live slowly fused with his nascent consciousness, his heart, brain, and eyes awakened. Immediately, questions, and his awareness grew:
Most of us after the inconvenience of being squeezed out of the womb, kicking and screaming, do find that we now have to cry (sing) for our food. We have, as a bonus though, inherited at least one rather large servant and possibly two that seem inordinately concerned about our well being. They slave away for us for many years and then slowly ease us into wiping our own arse, finding our own food, and in extreme cases they actually send us out to earn a living and to pay our own bills.
This was not the case for Heraclix.
He was conceived through necromancy. He is not a baby, but a massive man standing head and shoulders above the tallest man. One look in a mirror or a pool of stagnant water would show him that he is not by any stretch of the imagination going to get by on his looks. He is a golem, a stitched together creature, ”a calico quilt of flesh”.
He is Mowler’s Monster.
”Think that you are not yet begotten, that you are in the womb, that you are young, that you are old, that you have died, that you are in the world beyond the grave; grasp in your thought all of this at once...then you can apprehend God.” Hermes Trismegistus, Hermetica
Heraclix has a lot of questions, but God never enters the equation. Now the door to Hell, well, it was wide open.
”Beelzebub, Lord of Flies. Below the neck, it was dressed sharply---all frills and gaudy lace under a dark purple riding coat. ITs claws showed from under the sleeves, needle-like and dripping green venom. The insectile demonic eyes confused the onlookers, so that everyone in the room--Heraclix, Pomp, and the sorcerer--thought that the demon was looking his, her, and his way, respectively. The demon’s proboscis, however, pointed directly at the sorcerer.”
For most of us when we are first born we aren’t promptly introduced to the Lord of the Underworld. Heraclix makes his acquaintance even before the blood and the other juices of the womb can be shaken from his body.
Anybody ever been trying to read and had a fly buzzing in the window behind your head? Take that times a thousand and you’ll have an idea of the level of annoying noise that Beelzebub is capable of.
Now as Heraclix is flopping around trying to get his bearings there is also Pomp, a fairy, whose special blood is necessary to complete whatever insidious plans Mowler has for Heraclix.
”Instantaneous invisibility, dragonfly wings, and a quiver full of potent arrows--along with a charming personality--are her assurances of everlasting life.”
She is gullible, and easily tricked by the nice old man into becoming part of his experiment. She has no sense of time, only the present exists, and because that is probably one of the best gifts a person can receive, especially if they are happy by nature, she doesn’t have to worry about a future because it stretches before her over hill and dale further than the eye can see. She can never possibly catch up with it.
Mowler is left howling on his way to hell, after the Golem, through some spark of compassion, rescues Pomp from his clutches.
It is tough, exasperating work being an Evil Genius.
”Mowler, frustrated by the people’z continued willful ignorance and their lack of recognition at his genius, left Prague for Vienna, ranting and raving about how he would call up the very powerz of Hell and rule the world if he had to sacrifice every living soul in the Holy Roman Empire to do it.” The mayor paused for a moment. “They don’t have much imagination, these sorcerers. They can be a bother.”
Heraclix and Pomp become unlikely travelling companions as they try to read the map of his body, the conglomeration of human parts, and discover who they once belonged to. In particular he is worried about the big blue hand that keeps trying to kill anyone that poses any level of threat to Heraclix. HANDY, but making more enemies than friends.
Forrest Aguirre takes us on a journey through some of my favorite parts of the world, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, and Istanbul. He also takes us to my least favorite place to visit…HELL.
”He noticed that the worms were hauntingly familiar and peculiarly abnormal--not your normal annelids. They were, he realized, Hellspawn larvae, Lumbricus Hades, the souls of the damned beginning their migration through eternal torment. He saw their visages, millions of them bearing the face of their former selves, though the condemned wouldn’t recognize themselves if held to a mirror, not at this stage. And even after they had grown back into an understanding of their past lives and sins, they would be unable to recognize their own reflections, having been so twisted and mangled by the mutations and excruciating torture inflicted on them by other souls further along in their ‘progression’ that their appearance and voices would only remain as a pathetic mockery, a caricature of the person they had chosen to become in mortality.”
I’m marking HELL off my tour route. Forrest already took me there, luckily while still safely ensconced in my favorite reading chair. I was scorched around the edges, but relatively unharmed. I may have worms with the faces of the tormented in my next nightmare, but that will just give me more incentive to tread lightly in deepening my own bucket of sin.
Aguirre is a lyrical writer who made a genre I rarely read into a surprisingly literate endeavor. Through the mismatched eyes of a Golem and the purity of a fairy we are able to look at the absurdity and the misguided wants and desires of what we do with our lives. The jadedness we acquire and nurture steals the innocence of others. We do this out of love, out of animosity, and the world each time loses a bit more luminous... splendor.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
Who am I?
I am I.
Where am I?
I am here.
What is here?
It is where I am.
What is where?
And so forth.”
Most of us after the inconvenience of being squeezed out of the womb, kicking and screaming, do find that we now have to cry (sing) for our food. We have, as a bonus though, inherited at least one rather large servant and possibly two that seem inordinately concerned about our well being. They slave away for us for many years and then slowly ease us into wiping our own arse, finding our own food, and in extreme cases they actually send us out to earn a living and to pay our own bills.
This was not the case for Heraclix.
He was conceived through necromancy. He is not a baby, but a massive man standing head and shoulders above the tallest man. One look in a mirror or a pool of stagnant water would show him that he is not by any stretch of the imagination going to get by on his looks. He is a golem, a stitched together creature, ”a calico quilt of flesh”.
He is Mowler’s Monster.
”Think that you are not yet begotten, that you are in the womb, that you are young, that you are old, that you have died, that you are in the world beyond the grave; grasp in your thought all of this at once...then you can apprehend God.” Hermes Trismegistus, Hermetica
Heraclix has a lot of questions, but God never enters the equation. Now the door to Hell, well, it was wide open.
”Beelzebub, Lord of Flies. Below the neck, it was dressed sharply---all frills and gaudy lace under a dark purple riding coat. ITs claws showed from under the sleeves, needle-like and dripping green venom. The insectile demonic eyes confused the onlookers, so that everyone in the room--Heraclix, Pomp, and the sorcerer--thought that the demon was looking his, her, and his way, respectively. The demon’s proboscis, however, pointed directly at the sorcerer.”
For most of us when we are first born we aren’t promptly introduced to the Lord of the Underworld. Heraclix makes his acquaintance even before the blood and the other juices of the womb can be shaken from his body.
Anybody ever been trying to read and had a fly buzzing in the window behind your head? Take that times a thousand and you’ll have an idea of the level of annoying noise that Beelzebub is capable of.
Now as Heraclix is flopping around trying to get his bearings there is also Pomp, a fairy, whose special blood is necessary to complete whatever insidious plans Mowler has for Heraclix.
”Instantaneous invisibility, dragonfly wings, and a quiver full of potent arrows--along with a charming personality--are her assurances of everlasting life.”
She is gullible, and easily tricked by the nice old man into becoming part of his experiment. She has no sense of time, only the present exists, and because that is probably one of the best gifts a person can receive, especially if they are happy by nature, she doesn’t have to worry about a future because it stretches before her over hill and dale further than the eye can see. She can never possibly catch up with it.
Mowler is left howling on his way to hell, after the Golem, through some spark of compassion, rescues Pomp from his clutches.
It is tough, exasperating work being an Evil Genius.
”Mowler, frustrated by the people’z continued willful ignorance and their lack of recognition at his genius, left Prague for Vienna, ranting and raving about how he would call up the very powerz of Hell and rule the world if he had to sacrifice every living soul in the Holy Roman Empire to do it.” The mayor paused for a moment. “They don’t have much imagination, these sorcerers. They can be a bother.”
Heraclix and Pomp become unlikely travelling companions as they try to read the map of his body, the conglomeration of human parts, and discover who they once belonged to. In particular he is worried about the big blue hand that keeps trying to kill anyone that poses any level of threat to Heraclix. HANDY, but making more enemies than friends.
Forrest Aguirre takes us on a journey through some of my favorite parts of the world, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, and Istanbul. He also takes us to my least favorite place to visit…HELL.
”He noticed that the worms were hauntingly familiar and peculiarly abnormal--not your normal annelids. They were, he realized, Hellspawn larvae, Lumbricus Hades, the souls of the damned beginning their migration through eternal torment. He saw their visages, millions of them bearing the face of their former selves, though the condemned wouldn’t recognize themselves if held to a mirror, not at this stage. And even after they had grown back into an understanding of their past lives and sins, they would be unable to recognize their own reflections, having been so twisted and mangled by the mutations and excruciating torture inflicted on them by other souls further along in their ‘progression’ that their appearance and voices would only remain as a pathetic mockery, a caricature of the person they had chosen to become in mortality.”
I’m marking HELL off my tour route. Forrest already took me there, luckily while still safely ensconced in my favorite reading chair. I was scorched around the edges, but relatively unharmed. I may have worms with the faces of the tormented in my next nightmare, but that will just give me more incentive to tread lightly in deepening my own bucket of sin.
Aguirre is a lyrical writer who made a genre I rarely read into a surprisingly literate endeavor. Through the mismatched eyes of a Golem and the purity of a fairy we are able to look at the absurdity and the misguided wants and desires of what we do with our lives. The jadedness we acquire and nurture steals the innocence of others. We do this out of love, out of animosity, and the world each time loses a bit more luminous... splendor.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
May 23, 2019
I’ll begin my review before page one. Let me comment first on the dedication page, which I have copied here:
“To Stepan Chapman, Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Dave Trampier and Ronnie James Dio for keeping this kid’s dreams alive.”
That made me smile, God bless you, sir.
Heraclix & Pomp is really an amazing book, for a lot of reasons. First of all, it is more than I expected. I read some reviews, got an idea what it was about, a golem and a fairy, OK that sounds interesting, some Eastern European adventures, some occult flavor, all sounds good. But how many books do we pick up that have all the right ingredients, but somebody left it in the oven too long or jibbed when they should have jabbed, or it’s just boring as hell. Or just dumb.
Author Forrest Aguirre has done a Babe Ruth: he called his shot and then delivered.
I always like to give props for originality and Aguirre has come up with an Odd couple adventure unlike any other. Heraclix is a Frankenstein’s monster with a mysterious past and Pomp is a Tinkerbell with growing pains. The world building is based upon historical Central Europe in the 1800s centered around Vienna and Prague and there is a mature but playful occult shadow to the entire narrative.
Told with a shifting perspective and with a sometimes fable-like simplicity and a constant storyteller wink and nod comparable to Gaiman or Mieville, Heraclix and Pomp is a unique, creative, imaginative and well put together fantasy that was an enjoyable read.
“To Stepan Chapman, Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Dave Trampier and Ronnie James Dio for keeping this kid’s dreams alive.”
That made me smile, God bless you, sir.
Heraclix & Pomp is really an amazing book, for a lot of reasons. First of all, it is more than I expected. I read some reviews, got an idea what it was about, a golem and a fairy, OK that sounds interesting, some Eastern European adventures, some occult flavor, all sounds good. But how many books do we pick up that have all the right ingredients, but somebody left it in the oven too long or jibbed when they should have jabbed, or it’s just boring as hell. Or just dumb.
Author Forrest Aguirre has done a Babe Ruth: he called his shot and then delivered.
I always like to give props for originality and Aguirre has come up with an Odd couple adventure unlike any other. Heraclix is a Frankenstein’s monster with a mysterious past and Pomp is a Tinkerbell with growing pains. The world building is based upon historical Central Europe in the 1800s centered around Vienna and Prague and there is a mature but playful occult shadow to the entire narrative.
Told with a shifting perspective and with a sometimes fable-like simplicity and a constant storyteller wink and nod comparable to Gaiman or Mieville, Heraclix and Pomp is a unique, creative, imaginative and well put together fantasy that was an enjoyable read.
September 16, 2014
Heraclix is a golem...golem...
No, not Gollum. A golem is more like one of these...
Pomp is a fairy...
COME ON, MAN!
Yes, that's what I meant.
Together Heraclix and Pomp make quite the couple, an odd couple to be sure, but definitely a dynamic duo that brings the heart and soul to this fantastical novel!
Heraclix & Pomp is the sort of fantasy I've always expected, but never received from the likes of Neil Gaiman. If Gaiman had written this, our main character would've had a modern, slacker's sensibility. Instead, Forrest Aguirre has molded a hero out of the finest clay.
Heraclix the golem is created by a particularly nasty sorcerer to be used for his most heinous desires. Heraclix soon discovers what he is and then spends the rest of the book trying to find out who he is. In the process he shows his true, heroic colors.
Pomp comes from the Northern European fanciful notion of the pixie, the sprite, the forest nymph. But Aguirre doesn't just use this trope, he damn near reinvents it! He breathes new life into the fairy by inhabiting its skin. Want to know what it might be like to smurf about in a fairy's mind? Aguirre bestows that gift upon his readers. Once established he forces the outside world on Pomp and she responds like a champ.
Now and again I was surprised by the places Aguirre was taking me. In his capable hands the reader is transported to lands both corporeal and ethereal. Scene descriptions absolutely sparkle. Fantasy fans will drool over the lavish descriptions of demons and magic. This is not to say H&P is cover-to-cover perfection. There is the occasional stiff phrasing or overly chatty character acting like an exposition machine, but those instances hardly tarnish the overall affect.
And, yes, this book is affecting! I seldom become attached to characters within a single book. It usually takes a series. However, there were times towards the end that I was seriously pulling for these guys.
Sure, this is a fairytale, but it's not for kids. This is for kids-at-heart, full grown-ass adults that long for a real world filled with magic and all the horrors and happiness it can bring.
No, not Gollum. A golem is more like one of these...
Pomp is a fairy...
COME ON, MAN!
Yes, that's what I meant.
Together Heraclix and Pomp make quite the couple, an odd couple to be sure, but definitely a dynamic duo that brings the heart and soul to this fantastical novel!
Heraclix & Pomp is the sort of fantasy I've always expected, but never received from the likes of Neil Gaiman. If Gaiman had written this, our main character would've had a modern, slacker's sensibility. Instead, Forrest Aguirre has molded a hero out of the finest clay.
Heraclix the golem is created by a particularly nasty sorcerer to be used for his most heinous desires. Heraclix soon discovers what he is and then spends the rest of the book trying to find out who he is. In the process he shows his true, heroic colors.
Pomp comes from the Northern European fanciful notion of the pixie, the sprite, the forest nymph. But Aguirre doesn't just use this trope, he damn near reinvents it! He breathes new life into the fairy by inhabiting its skin. Want to know what it might be like to smurf about in a fairy's mind? Aguirre bestows that gift upon his readers. Once established he forces the outside world on Pomp and she responds like a champ.
Now and again I was surprised by the places Aguirre was taking me. In his capable hands the reader is transported to lands both corporeal and ethereal. Scene descriptions absolutely sparkle. Fantasy fans will drool over the lavish descriptions of demons and magic. This is not to say H&P is cover-to-cover perfection. There is the occasional stiff phrasing or overly chatty character acting like an exposition machine, but those instances hardly tarnish the overall affect.
And, yes, this book is affecting! I seldom become attached to characters within a single book. It usually takes a series. However, there were times towards the end that I was seriously pulling for these guys.
Sure, this is a fairytale, but it's not for kids. This is for kids-at-heart, full grown-ass adults that long for a real world filled with magic and all the horrors and happiness it can bring.
June 12, 2014
When his creator is killed, a golem named Heraclix leaves Vienna with a fairy named Pomp in tow in search of answers. Heraclix seeks the former life (or lives) of his constituent body parts and Pomp wants only to understand the human way of life. They travel to the Near East and back again with a short detour to hell. Will they ever find the answers they seek and will they like the answers they get?
Forrest Aguirre has proven himself to be a hoopy frood in recent years so when he asked if I'd read an ARC of his first novel, I could hardly say no.
Heraclix and Pomp brings a lot of different elements to the table. It's part historical fiction, part fantasy, with some political intrigue thrown in. Forrest Aguirre's prose feels like a mix of Peter S. Beagle and Gene Wolfe to me, dense but with a certain poetic beauty to it.
Heraclix, the dour golem, and Pomp, the curious fairy, go from one European locale to the next in their search for answers, encountering ghosts, demons, Turks, Romani, necromancers, as Heraclix slowly pieces together who his body parts used to belong to. Intrigued yet?
Forrest's depiction of Hell was one of my favorite parts of the book. The Lord of the Flies and his minions were pretty grotesque. I wasn't a fan of the political intrigue at first but I was sucked in eventually.
If you're looking for some beautifully-written fantasy that doesn't trod along all the familiar paths, you'll enjoy Heraclix and Pomp. Four out of five stars.
Forrest Aguirre has proven himself to be a hoopy frood in recent years so when he asked if I'd read an ARC of his first novel, I could hardly say no.
Heraclix and Pomp brings a lot of different elements to the table. It's part historical fiction, part fantasy, with some political intrigue thrown in. Forrest Aguirre's prose feels like a mix of Peter S. Beagle and Gene Wolfe to me, dense but with a certain poetic beauty to it.
Heraclix, the dour golem, and Pomp, the curious fairy, go from one European locale to the next in their search for answers, encountering ghosts, demons, Turks, Romani, necromancers, as Heraclix slowly pieces together who his body parts used to belong to. Intrigued yet?
Forrest's depiction of Hell was one of my favorite parts of the book. The Lord of the Flies and his minions were pretty grotesque. I wasn't a fan of the political intrigue at first but I was sucked in eventually.
If you're looking for some beautifully-written fantasy that doesn't trod along all the familiar paths, you'll enjoy Heraclix and Pomp. Four out of five stars.
August 14, 2014
a charming and swiftly-paced romp through 18th century Europe, featuring a fearsome but sweet golem and his skittish but brave fairy companion. painted with bright, vibrant colors with the not infrequent splash of darkness and blood. part picaresque and part uncertain quest. quest for a soul, quest for the meaning of existence? perhaps. and hey, they also visit Hell. yay for traveling and yay for unusual destinations!
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 3 Stars for the writing. I liked it. Aguirre is a talented writer who is quite at home when detailing the odd and the strange in prose that is often equally odd and strange. I quite enjoyed the off-kilter directions that sentences sometimes went, the unusual phrasings, the quirky quality to the prose. the chapters from the fairy Pomp's perspective are in the present tense, which is a clever way to illustrate her unique view of the world. the writing is not perfect: there was some clumsiness here and there and a rather rushed feeling at the end - things that might have been fixed by a harsh taskmaster of an editor. but I'm not sure I would have wanted them fixed because the clumsiness blends in with the delightfulness in a way that is all of a piece. Aguirre is an idiosyncratic and stylish writer; I was pleasantly reminded of other smart, quirky, and sometimes flawed authors I've enjoyed. I admire those sorts of writers.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ 4 Stars for the story. I really liked it. I haven't read any other books with this setting and it completely fascinated me. at times it felt like the best sort of travelogue - one from the distant past, set in places I've read about but have never actually immersed myself into when reading fiction. Aguirre has a certain way of describing places like old Prague, Vienna, and Istanbul... a light touch with the description, using just enough for me to feel like I was in the actual place. but the story is not only a travelogue - it has deeper, more emotional goals. Heraclix & Pomp is about two completely different people trying to figure out who they are and what they can be. there was such a tenderness in the depiction of Pomp and the golem Heraclix's journeys and their frequent soul-searching, their need to be good and kind and just. this is a book for adults, definitely, but there was a lovely purity to the underlying theme of the book that often made me feel like I was reading a fable for children.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 Stars for Forrest Aguirre! I met this gent on Goodreads. I think he's the bee's knees. quite a charming fellow, and check out those stylish shoes. charming and stylish, just like his novel. I'm looking forward to reading more from him.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 3 Stars for the writing. I liked it. Aguirre is a talented writer who is quite at home when detailing the odd and the strange in prose that is often equally odd and strange. I quite enjoyed the off-kilter directions that sentences sometimes went, the unusual phrasings, the quirky quality to the prose. the chapters from the fairy Pomp's perspective are in the present tense, which is a clever way to illustrate her unique view of the world. the writing is not perfect: there was some clumsiness here and there and a rather rushed feeling at the end - things that might have been fixed by a harsh taskmaster of an editor. but I'm not sure I would have wanted them fixed because the clumsiness blends in with the delightfulness in a way that is all of a piece. Aguirre is an idiosyncratic and stylish writer; I was pleasantly reminded of other smart, quirky, and sometimes flawed authors I've enjoyed. I admire those sorts of writers.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ 4 Stars for the story. I really liked it. I haven't read any other books with this setting and it completely fascinated me. at times it felt like the best sort of travelogue - one from the distant past, set in places I've read about but have never actually immersed myself into when reading fiction. Aguirre has a certain way of describing places like old Prague, Vienna, and Istanbul... a light touch with the description, using just enough for me to feel like I was in the actual place. but the story is not only a travelogue - it has deeper, more emotional goals. Heraclix & Pomp is about two completely different people trying to figure out who they are and what they can be. there was such a tenderness in the depiction of Pomp and the golem Heraclix's journeys and their frequent soul-searching, their need to be good and kind and just. this is a book for adults, definitely, but there was a lovely purity to the underlying theme of the book that often made me feel like I was reading a fable for children.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 Stars for Forrest Aguirre! I met this gent on Goodreads. I think he's the bee's knees. quite a charming fellow, and check out those stylish shoes. charming and stylish, just like his novel. I'm looking forward to reading more from him.
August 13, 2015
[Edit: trade paperback now available]
Heraclix used to be human.
In fact, he used to be several humans. Now he's a stitched-together monstrosity. He doesn't have many memories, but he's pretty sure he did something wrong... and figuring out what it was appears to be increasingly urgent.
Pomp was never human.
Pomp is a fairy, invisible and otherworldly. Like all her kind, she knew nothing of morality or mortality until Mowler the necromancer introduced her to pain and fear. Now she feels compelled to change and grow.
Neither Heraclix nor Pomp set out to be anything at all, much less heroes.
Although the dedications included Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, the vibe here is not Dungeons and Dragons but allegorical fiction. It reminded me less of contemporary American fantasy than of 17th century novels such as Simplicissimus or The Faerie Queene. (But don't worry, it is not written in Ye Olde-Fashionyed language.) The historical setting seemed well-researched and the visual language consistent.
Lastly, dig that cover.
(See, the i09 peeps liked it too! You don't have to take my word for it. http://io9.com/no-kidding-this-month-...)
July 17, 2017
Rating: 6* of five, 2015's very best read
2017 UPDATE! The Kindle edition is a measly $4.61, worth it at three times the price! Go forth and procure!
My review is live at Medium. Much musing, copious soul-searching, some vows to amend my prejudices...you were warned.
2017 UPDATE! The Kindle edition is a measly $4.61, worth it at three times the price! Go forth and procure!
My review is live at Medium. Much musing, copious soul-searching, some vows to amend my prejudices...you were warned.
February 1, 2015
A Novel of the Fabricated and the Fey
That's what this little book is being marketed as. Heraclix is a Golem. Who for the life of me I pictured as a cross between Frankenstein's monster and Shrek.
Pomp (my favorite character) is a fairy who Heraclix saves as his creator tries to kill her.
They begin their journey to find out their real life stories. Forrest Aguirre writes beautifully-bringing alive all the destinations that these two characters take you to.
My favorite site in the story and one he writes well is our heroes trip to hell.
They walked up out of the sharp-ridged maze that they had been in since their introduction to Hell, up a smoldering mountainside, black with ash and white with smoke. An occasional burnt skeletal hand emerged, groped around, then disappeared again under the ash.
Yeah..I don't think I want a trip there anytime soon.
I'm giving it a three star because I did get lost at times in the politics of the story.
I did receive an arc copy of this book from the author-who is my Goodreads friend. In no way did that affect my review of this book. An honest review was done.
That's what this little book is being marketed as. Heraclix is a Golem. Who for the life of me I pictured as a cross between Frankenstein's monster and Shrek.
Pomp (my favorite character) is a fairy who Heraclix saves as his creator tries to kill her.
They begin their journey to find out their real life stories. Forrest Aguirre writes beautifully-bringing alive all the destinations that these two characters take you to.
My favorite site in the story and one he writes well is our heroes trip to hell.
They walked up out of the sharp-ridged maze that they had been in since their introduction to Hell, up a smoldering mountainside, black with ash and white with smoke. An occasional burnt skeletal hand emerged, groped around, then disappeared again under the ash.
Yeah..I don't think I want a trip there anytime soon.
I'm giving it a three star because I did get lost at times in the politics of the story.
I did receive an arc copy of this book from the author-who is my Goodreads friend. In no way did that affect my review of this book. An honest review was done.
December 5, 2014
There are some books that are just magical, that are written in such a way that you can't help but be drawn into a new world even if it's set against our own. Neil Gaiman writes this way and so does Susanna Clark in Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
Forrest Aguirre, World Fantasy Award winner for his editorial work in the Leviathan 3 anthology, has created such a tale. The story of Heraclix and Pomp is magical before the magic even begins, or possibly just at the same time.
Because this is the story about a golem, who has been fabricated by a magician, and Pomp, a faery.
They go on a journey to find out what exactly Heraclix is made of ... in more ways than one. Being a golem, he's been formed from different parts of various bodies and some behave abnormally to say the least.
I knew I would enjoy this tale right away, however, my main problem actually has nothing to do with the writing or the story itself, it's the audio narration.
I almost put the book down because the narration was just plain hard to listen to. Brandon Massey's narration was dull and monotone, almost robotic even, with words over-pronounced so that each letter is sounded out. I don't like listening to audiobooks on faster speeds, because I like to appreciate the acting and the reading itself, but 1.75 speed actually made this much better to listen to. At least there was a reason for the robot-sounding voice.
As much as I wanted to love every moment of the book, I was so off-put by the narration that it made it really hard to enjoy the story. I didn't look forward to my car rides and sadly I don't have the time to go back and read, which I'm sure I will enjoy much more.
Despite these facts, I could still see the glimmer of lyrical beauty in the narrative. It's a great story and wonderfully written and my reduced rating is mainly a factor of the audio presentation.
3.5 out of 5 Stars (recommended, but not on audio)
Forrest Aguirre, World Fantasy Award winner for his editorial work in the Leviathan 3 anthology, has created such a tale. The story of Heraclix and Pomp is magical before the magic even begins, or possibly just at the same time.
Because this is the story about a golem, who has been fabricated by a magician, and Pomp, a faery.
They go on a journey to find out what exactly Heraclix is made of ... in more ways than one. Being a golem, he's been formed from different parts of various bodies and some behave abnormally to say the least.
I knew I would enjoy this tale right away, however, my main problem actually has nothing to do with the writing or the story itself, it's the audio narration.
I almost put the book down because the narration was just plain hard to listen to. Brandon Massey's narration was dull and monotone, almost robotic even, with words over-pronounced so that each letter is sounded out. I don't like listening to audiobooks on faster speeds, because I like to appreciate the acting and the reading itself, but 1.75 speed actually made this much better to listen to. At least there was a reason for the robot-sounding voice.
As much as I wanted to love every moment of the book, I was so off-put by the narration that it made it really hard to enjoy the story. I didn't look forward to my car rides and sadly I don't have the time to go back and read, which I'm sure I will enjoy much more.
Despite these facts, I could still see the glimmer of lyrical beauty in the narrative. It's a great story and wonderfully written and my reduced rating is mainly a factor of the audio presentation.
3.5 out of 5 Stars (recommended, but not on audio)
September 29, 2014
Beware the Death’s Head Fez in this is Weird, Mystery Adventure
In brief, Heraclix & Pomp is a fun, well-constructed fairy tale that will appeal to fans of historical and speculative fiction.
MYSTERY ADVENTURE: As the Book Summary indicates (copied below), Heraclix & Pomp tracks an undead man (recently raised) and a magical sprite as they hunt down a necromancer. The amnesiac, Frankenstein-like-golem ‘Heraclix’ rediscovers himself (and the history of his subparts which maintain their own volition) while the mischievous, chronologically-challenged fairy ‘Pomp’ learns human concepts. As the title suggests, this book is really about their plight, but they serve well as proxies for any introspective reader who questions “Who am I?” and “Where is my life going?” Don’t worry, the adventure is more comedic than philosophical. The unique duo navigates the Austrian & Ottoman Empires of 18th century Europe (with sorties into Hell); the below Dialogue Excerpt captures their collective voice.
With a story that hinges on two characters not knowing where they are going, or who they are, the reader should expect dealing with some uncertainty. There is also an implicit promise that Heraclix’s mysterious history will be explained, and it is. Whereas the dosing of information seemed spot on for the first half, the latter suffers from some disjointed/unexpected transitions and reveals. In all, Aguirre artfully unveils Heraclix’s past(s) well enough, even if his geographical trajectory cannot be predicted. The real strength of Aguirre’s writing is his weird style and eye for design:
WEIRD STYLE: Aguirre’s prose is steeped with entertaining weirdness (see Weird Excerpt), but could hardly be classified as horror despite the key word “necromancy” tagging it. As done for the novella Swans Over the Moon, Aguirre’s meticulous character design is again brilliant. Foremost, the appearance of the death's-head-Fez caps must be highlighted. The juxtaposition of skull-and-crossbones on the timely headpiece (popular in the 18th century) represents the necromancer, indeed the entire book, well. If this was a Sword & Sorcery tale, we’d expect to encounter a grimmer skull helmet akin to the head of Frazetta’s Deathdealer; but this book is more of historical fantasy that delivers weird myth under more inviting flare.
The elegant cover (credit artist Claudia Noble) and introductory quote from the esteemed alchemist Hermes Trismegistus, promise readers an intellectual narrative. My knowledge of history is terrible, so I undoubtedly missed many historical references, but the inclusions of real curiosities are enjoyable: for instance, the winged hussar cavalry units that appeared in angelic-costume on the battlefield make a cameo here. Historical and speculative fiction fans will enjoy this unique tale.
Weird Excerpt:
Dialogue Excerpt
Book Summary:
In brief, Heraclix & Pomp is a fun, well-constructed fairy tale that will appeal to fans of historical and speculative fiction.
MYSTERY ADVENTURE: As the Book Summary indicates (copied below), Heraclix & Pomp tracks an undead man (recently raised) and a magical sprite as they hunt down a necromancer. The amnesiac, Frankenstein-like-golem ‘Heraclix’ rediscovers himself (and the history of his subparts which maintain their own volition) while the mischievous, chronologically-challenged fairy ‘Pomp’ learns human concepts. As the title suggests, this book is really about their plight, but they serve well as proxies for any introspective reader who questions “Who am I?” and “Where is my life going?” Don’t worry, the adventure is more comedic than philosophical. The unique duo navigates the Austrian & Ottoman Empires of 18th century Europe (with sorties into Hell); the below Dialogue Excerpt captures their collective voice.
With a story that hinges on two characters not knowing where they are going, or who they are, the reader should expect dealing with some uncertainty. There is also an implicit promise that Heraclix’s mysterious history will be explained, and it is. Whereas the dosing of information seemed spot on for the first half, the latter suffers from some disjointed/unexpected transitions and reveals. In all, Aguirre artfully unveils Heraclix’s past(s) well enough, even if his geographical trajectory cannot be predicted. The real strength of Aguirre’s writing is his weird style and eye for design:
WEIRD STYLE: Aguirre’s prose is steeped with entertaining weirdness (see Weird Excerpt), but could hardly be classified as horror despite the key word “necromancy” tagging it. As done for the novella Swans Over the Moon, Aguirre’s meticulous character design is again brilliant. Foremost, the appearance of the death's-head-Fez caps must be highlighted. The juxtaposition of skull-and-crossbones on the timely headpiece (popular in the 18th century) represents the necromancer, indeed the entire book, well. If this was a Sword & Sorcery tale, we’d expect to encounter a grimmer skull helmet akin to the head of Frazetta’s Deathdealer; but this book is more of historical fantasy that delivers weird myth under more inviting flare.
The elegant cover (credit artist Claudia Noble) and introductory quote from the esteemed alchemist Hermes Trismegistus, promise readers an intellectual narrative. My knowledge of history is terrible, so I undoubtedly missed many historical references, but the inclusions of real curiosities are enjoyable: for instance, the winged hussar cavalry units that appeared in angelic-costume on the battlefield make a cameo here. Historical and speculative fiction fans will enjoy this unique tale.
Weird Excerpt:
“Around, above, and through—yes, even through them—flowed a gathering of spectral beings, close to a hundred strong, their ecto-plasmic strands in tatters behind them as they floated up and down the stone stairway and the great, empty, circular shaft around which it spiraled. The specters were loathsome, every one of them crippled in some way. Many were missing limbs, several sported gunshot wounds, a few were altogether decapitated. But the mere sight of the apparitions, strangely, did little to affect Heraclix who was himself, after all, caught in some kind of state between life and death. Rather, it was the soft crying and plaintive weeping (of those who still had mouths, tongues, and heads with which to weep), the faintly echoed pleas that caused him to shiver…”
Dialogue Excerpt
“What do you see?” Pomp asks.
“The past. Or at least a part of it.”
“What is ‘past’?”
“It’s what happened before now.”
Pomp looks up at Heraclix with a skeptical squint.
“I met you in Mowler’s apartment. You came there in a jar. Before, you were free. And I have a hunch that I might have once been free.”
“But Mowler pushes you around.”
“That’s precisely it. What did I have to fear from him? I am physically superior to him in every way: stronger, faster. Yet I didn’t fight back.”
“You should.”
“But I didn’t. Something held me back.”
“What holds you back?”
“Guilt.”
“What is ‘guilt’?”
“’Guilt’ is feeling bad for something you’ve done.”
“Why do you have guilt?” Pomp asks.
“I don’t know, exactly. But I think it might have something to do with . . .” Heraclix stops.
“With what?”
“With whatever happened to me before I awoke in the cauldron of blood.”
Book Summary:
Heraclix was dead and Pomp was immortal. That was before Heraclix’s reanimation (along with the sewn-together pieces and parts of many other dead people) and Pomp’s near murder at the hands of an evil necromancer. As they travel from Vienna to Prague to Istanbul and back again (with a side-trip to Hell), they struggle to understand who and what they are: Heraclix seeks to know the life he had before his death and rebirth, and Pomp wrestles with the language and meaning of mortality. As they journey across a land rife with revolution and unrest, they discover that the evil necromancer they thought dead might not be so dead after all. In fact, he might be making a pact to ensure his own immortality . . .
November 2, 2014
Audiobook from Audible Studios
Narrated by Brandon Massey
Length: just over 11 hours
Heraclix and Pomp: A Novel of the Fabricated and the Fey is a story about mortality, at the end of the day. It has horror and fantasy trappings, but at its core, it deals with finding oneself and dealing with mortal matters. The story is told through the guise of Heraclix, a golem, pieced together from many beings, and Pomp, a fairy faced with mortality. I think this book is probably a 2.5-star book...on the one hand, I liked the characters and the world and the idea. But on the other, I was bored a lot of the time when listening, and the book felt repetitive.
The book seems to do a lot of moral speaking, all from the frame of Heraclix or Pomp. Brought together when a sorcerer's attempt at a spell goes haywire, Heraclix suffers a re-birth of sorts, while Pomp is nearly killed in the doing of the magic. Bound by their shared experience, they set off to first escape the sorcerer and then to learn more about Heraclix's past. As he travels Europe and The Middle East, Heraclix learns whose parts literally make up his whole--he is a golem of patched together parts from people, most of whom he learns about in his travels. Pomp, meanwhile, is from the land of the Fey, used to being a prankster and not having to worry about a thing. However, the sorcerer almost killed her, brining her face to face with her on mortality, so she learns more of what it is to be human (or at least, human-like) while helping Heraclix learn about himself.
I enjoyed the world that Aguirre developed, and I enjoyed the characters. The book takes place in the time shortly after The Crusades, in parts of the world I don't often see come up in books. Heraclix and Pomp run into vagabonds, sorcerers, gypsies, kings, nomads, and a host of other characters as they search between Vienna and Instanbul--and a variety of places in between, including a trip to Hell. The telling of the various stories of the lives that Heraclix was a part of was charming and not like most things I've read.
But...somehow, it wasn't enough. I repeatedly found my mind wandering during the narration, found myself having to go back to the beginnings of chapters to see what I'd missed. The book seemed to work very well one chapter at a time...at first, but even then, I was finding other things to read. Some of the language used seemed purposefully obscure, and a lot of the scenes felt like repeats--Heraclix and Pomp enter a setting, they find some part of Heraclix's past, they are chased out into another setting, rinse, repeat. I think if the book had been shorter, it might have helped. It's not that it was bad (it certainly wasn't), but I think more might have been left on the editor's desk.
The narration, performed by Brandon Massey, was decent. HIs voice is strong, good for an audiobook, if a little droning at times. The biggest "problem" with the narration might be more due to the story itself. It was sometimes hard to keep track of characters, of who was who. This was especially problematic when characters from the early parts of the book would be re-introduced at the end of the book. Audiobooks are much harder to flip back through to refresh your memory, after all. Massey's voice sounded familiar to me, though looking through my library, he hasn't narrated anything else that I've read. His voice would be good in a mystery or other novel when there are only a few characters.
All in all, I liked this book, but wished that it had been a little less obscure and a little less repetitive. That doesn't mean, though, that you shouldn't give it a try if it sounds interesting. But maybe try it out in a print format.
Narrated by Brandon Massey
Length: just over 11 hours
Heraclix and Pomp: A Novel of the Fabricated and the Fey is a story about mortality, at the end of the day. It has horror and fantasy trappings, but at its core, it deals with finding oneself and dealing with mortal matters. The story is told through the guise of Heraclix, a golem, pieced together from many beings, and Pomp, a fairy faced with mortality. I think this book is probably a 2.5-star book...on the one hand, I liked the characters and the world and the idea. But on the other, I was bored a lot of the time when listening, and the book felt repetitive.
The book seems to do a lot of moral speaking, all from the frame of Heraclix or Pomp. Brought together when a sorcerer's attempt at a spell goes haywire, Heraclix suffers a re-birth of sorts, while Pomp is nearly killed in the doing of the magic. Bound by their shared experience, they set off to first escape the sorcerer and then to learn more about Heraclix's past. As he travels Europe and The Middle East, Heraclix learns whose parts literally make up his whole--he is a golem of patched together parts from people, most of whom he learns about in his travels. Pomp, meanwhile, is from the land of the Fey, used to being a prankster and not having to worry about a thing. However, the sorcerer almost killed her, brining her face to face with her on mortality, so she learns more of what it is to be human (or at least, human-like) while helping Heraclix learn about himself.
I enjoyed the world that Aguirre developed, and I enjoyed the characters. The book takes place in the time shortly after The Crusades, in parts of the world I don't often see come up in books. Heraclix and Pomp run into vagabonds, sorcerers, gypsies, kings, nomads, and a host of other characters as they search between Vienna and Instanbul--and a variety of places in between, including a trip to Hell. The telling of the various stories of the lives that Heraclix was a part of was charming and not like most things I've read.
But...somehow, it wasn't enough. I repeatedly found my mind wandering during the narration, found myself having to go back to the beginnings of chapters to see what I'd missed. The book seemed to work very well one chapter at a time...at first, but even then, I was finding other things to read. Some of the language used seemed purposefully obscure, and a lot of the scenes felt like repeats--Heraclix and Pomp enter a setting, they find some part of Heraclix's past, they are chased out into another setting, rinse, repeat. I think if the book had been shorter, it might have helped. It's not that it was bad (it certainly wasn't), but I think more might have been left on the editor's desk.
The narration, performed by Brandon Massey, was decent. HIs voice is strong, good for an audiobook, if a little droning at times. The biggest "problem" with the narration might be more due to the story itself. It was sometimes hard to keep track of characters, of who was who. This was especially problematic when characters from the early parts of the book would be re-introduced at the end of the book. Audiobooks are much harder to flip back through to refresh your memory, after all. Massey's voice sounded familiar to me, though looking through my library, he hasn't narrated anything else that I've read. His voice would be good in a mystery or other novel when there are only a few characters.
All in all, I liked this book, but wished that it had been a little less obscure and a little less repetitive. That doesn't mean, though, that you shouldn't give it a try if it sounds interesting. But maybe try it out in a print format.
October 20, 2014
***I won a copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway***
Wow, Heraclix & Pomp... such great timing reading this book, just when I though I had no Hallowe'en type books to read this year!
Heraclix is a golem. A creature with body parts from different people sown together, and magically reanimated. Pomp is a fairy of the tallest definition; she likes pranks and doesn't really understand wrong from right, or even what the concept of being mortal means.
They are brought together by a wizard, who requires Pomp for a complicated spell. Heraclix, freshly reborn, and terrified of his maker, seizes his chance when the wizard is most vulnerable, and rescues Pomp. The wizards wayward spell attracts a lot of attention from the public outside, and soon Heraclix and Pomp are running for their lives.
The new friends set off on an adventure; where does Heraclix come from? Well, where do parts of Heralix come from? They managed to save a few of the wizards documents that gets them going on this little adventure, which takes us across middle Europe and even to the depths of Hell itself. (That chapter, not gonna lie, made me lose my appetite for a bit. And want to sleep with the lights on....)
I loved this book! Both Heraclix and Pomp are great characters that you love right from the get-go, something that doesn't happen to me all that much. Even though both of them have a lot of growing to do (ahem, mostly Pomp) their loyalty to one another is so endearing, you almost forget why they are together.
There are not a lot of books like this out there, and that's a shame. Books of this particular style usually end up being a little too intense for me, and little too Olde English. For me this book was a great story, beautifully written, and everyone needs to check it out!
Wow, Heraclix & Pomp... such great timing reading this book, just when I though I had no Hallowe'en type books to read this year!
Heraclix is a golem. A creature with body parts from different people sown together, and magically reanimated. Pomp is a fairy of the tallest definition; she likes pranks and doesn't really understand wrong from right, or even what the concept of being mortal means.
They are brought together by a wizard, who requires Pomp for a complicated spell. Heraclix, freshly reborn, and terrified of his maker, seizes his chance when the wizard is most vulnerable, and rescues Pomp. The wizards wayward spell attracts a lot of attention from the public outside, and soon Heraclix and Pomp are running for their lives.
The new friends set off on an adventure; where does Heraclix come from? Well, where do parts of Heralix come from? They managed to save a few of the wizards documents that gets them going on this little adventure, which takes us across middle Europe and even to the depths of Hell itself. (That chapter, not gonna lie, made me lose my appetite for a bit. And want to sleep with the lights on....)
I loved this book! Both Heraclix and Pomp are great characters that you love right from the get-go, something that doesn't happen to me all that much. Even though both of them have a lot of growing to do (ahem, mostly Pomp) their loyalty to one another is so endearing, you almost forget why they are together.
There are not a lot of books like this out there, and that's a shame. Books of this particular style usually end up being a little too intense for me, and little too Olde English. For me this book was a great story, beautifully written, and everyone needs to check it out!
January 12, 2015
One of the strongest start I have read up to now. I really got into it fast. Story of a golem and a fairy walking through hell to get answers to their existences. At first sight, it made me think of 'The beauty and the beast', but it has something more intriguing and mystic. The author has very well mixed medieval time and fiction. Heraclix is like a big teddy bear lost in a world he reminds being in, but he wants to find why and when he came into it.
I got to say I loved the first 150 pages, but I got lost a little bit in the last 150 with all the names and the places. The story of Heraclix and Pomp really touched me to the hearth, but it was a little bit to fantastic in my opinion to deserve a 5/5.
Thanks to Forrest Aguirre and Resurrection House for this book I got through Goodreads Giveaways.
Yannick Serres
I got to say I loved the first 150 pages, but I got lost a little bit in the last 150 with all the names and the places. The story of Heraclix and Pomp really touched me to the hearth, but it was a little bit to fantastic in my opinion to deserve a 5/5.
Thanks to Forrest Aguirre and Resurrection House for this book I got through Goodreads Giveaways.
Yannick Serres
October 20, 2014
www.shelfnotes.com review
Dear Reader,
How did I come across this book? Well, a recent "Goodreads" friend of mine wrote this book. I'm grateful I found him on goodreads because he writes some fantastic reviews and so far his presence on my Goodreads homepage has greatly entertained me. So when I realized this new "Goodreads" buddy has written a book, I had to jump at the chance to read it. Boy, was I glad I did, this man can write! Not only write but he can tell a great story. Forrest should be placed in that pool of Authors with the capability to envelop us in a new world, essentially creating a new fairy tale, which is always refreshing from the mash-ups we've been inundated with lately. Heraclix & Pomp certainly stands on two solid legs (maybe flying with wings would be a better analogy).
After the first few chapters I fell in love with both Heraclix (the enormously adorable golem) and Pomp (the first introspective fairy I've encountered). Heraclix meets Pomp during the beginning chapters where they team up and travel together to solve the mystery of existence (on an individual level and as a whole). Those are some BIG themes for a fairy tale, which is the perfect way to bring that magic to adults. Unsure about life? Don't know why people do the things they do? Just read this book and you can be taken through the mind of a fairy who is learning about mortality for the first time, or stand beside the golem as he reflects on what makes him human (or not). The depth of each character struggling to find themselves is pretty fascinating when set within a fantasy world.
Reading this gave me that same feeling of elation I used to get while watching The Dark Crystal as a child. If only Jim Henson could rise from the grave, read this book and option it for a movie! How great would that be? The adult language and some situations would probably have to be altered a bit or maybe just target that audience who grew up with all those books/movies. I'm waiting for a comeback on that style, it was so prevalent in my youth and I miss it so much. Reading books like this brings back that feeling. I have to applaud anyone with enough magic in their hearts and talent in their minds to elicit THAT kind of feeling. I'll be talking about this book and probably using it as a comparison for others for a long time. It deserves to be read and should be done with a sprinkle of magic dust in the air.
Happy Reading,
AmberBug
Dear Reader,
How did I come across this book? Well, a recent "Goodreads" friend of mine wrote this book. I'm grateful I found him on goodreads because he writes some fantastic reviews and so far his presence on my Goodreads homepage has greatly entertained me. So when I realized this new "Goodreads" buddy has written a book, I had to jump at the chance to read it. Boy, was I glad I did, this man can write! Not only write but he can tell a great story. Forrest should be placed in that pool of Authors with the capability to envelop us in a new world, essentially creating a new fairy tale, which is always refreshing from the mash-ups we've been inundated with lately. Heraclix & Pomp certainly stands on two solid legs (maybe flying with wings would be a better analogy).
After the first few chapters I fell in love with both Heraclix (the enormously adorable golem) and Pomp (the first introspective fairy I've encountered). Heraclix meets Pomp during the beginning chapters where they team up and travel together to solve the mystery of existence (on an individual level and as a whole). Those are some BIG themes for a fairy tale, which is the perfect way to bring that magic to adults. Unsure about life? Don't know why people do the things they do? Just read this book and you can be taken through the mind of a fairy who is learning about mortality for the first time, or stand beside the golem as he reflects on what makes him human (or not). The depth of each character struggling to find themselves is pretty fascinating when set within a fantasy world.
Reading this gave me that same feeling of elation I used to get while watching The Dark Crystal as a child. If only Jim Henson could rise from the grave, read this book and option it for a movie! How great would that be? The adult language and some situations would probably have to be altered a bit or maybe just target that audience who grew up with all those books/movies. I'm waiting for a comeback on that style, it was so prevalent in my youth and I miss it so much. Reading books like this brings back that feeling. I have to applaud anyone with enough magic in their hearts and talent in their minds to elicit THAT kind of feeling. I'll be talking about this book and probably using it as a comparison for others for a long time. It deserves to be read and should be done with a sprinkle of magic dust in the air.
Happy Reading,
AmberBug
October 19, 2014
Heraclix is thrust into the world as a golem with no knowledge of his past. Pomp is a fairy who has no concept of death until she is nearly sacrificed. They are brought together by the machinations of a sorcerer bent on ruling not only the world but Hell as well. Heraclix and Pomp travel throughout the Holy Roman and Ottoman Empires and even to Hell itself so Heraclix can learn of his past and foil the plans of the sorcerer who made him what he is and nearly sacrificed Pomp.
The novel started out slowly but the pace gradually built up until the end of the book. There were some laugh out loud funny moments in the book. I don't want to give anything away so all I'll say is there is a dancing horse and some very toothsome clover. The best praise I can give this book is I repeatedly found myself looking ahead to see what happened next. It was a fun read and everything was tied up nicely at the end. I would love to read more adventures of Heraclix and Pomp.
The novel started out slowly but the pace gradually built up until the end of the book. There were some laugh out loud funny moments in the book. I don't want to give anything away so all I'll say is there is a dancing horse and some very toothsome clover. The best praise I can give this book is I repeatedly found myself looking ahead to see what happened next. It was a fun read and everything was tied up nicely at the end. I would love to read more adventures of Heraclix and Pomp.
October 3, 2014
Full review at http://thebookshelfgargoyle.wordpress... (Oct 16)
I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss.
Ten Second Synopsis:
After barely escaping with their lives from a nasty sorcerer, a patchwork undead man and a fairy learning the ways of the mortal stage an epic journey across Europe to discover themselves anew.
When deciding to pick this book up, I was drawn to the heady atmosphere of oddity that seemed to emanate from the descriptions of the main characters. A patchwork man of monstrous countenance and open heart? Wonderful. A cheeky fairy learning to exist in the mortal world? Sure, bring it on. All the other stuff would sort itself out, I thought, if I could just read a story with these interesting characters leading the way. And for the most part, thoughtful, purpose-driven Heraclix and well-meaning, curious Pomp were enough to keep me engaged in this complex world.
I must admit that I was utterly astounded when I saw that the print version of this book has only 280 pages, because reading it on the Kindle had me thinking I was wading through a 500 page epic. Aguirre has packed a lot of action into this tale and it certainly felt to me to be a hefty read, and not one that I would pick up for a bit of light diversion. It’s more a tale that needs a committed reader, because the magical elements dip in and out and interweave themselves with real places, and if you’re not paying attention, it would be easy to lose the thread of the whos and whats and wheres of our intrepid pair. I found that after the eventful and enlightening trip to Hell that the pair undertake (about two thirds of the way through) I began to lose the thread of the story just a little, and never quite regained it to my satisfaction. I could fully grasp the events of the final third of the plot, but I suspected I was missing some important nuances.
Overall, this is a story that features a very strong sense of place and culture: as Heraclix and Pomp traverse Europe, the places that they visit seem to have their own life and exert an influence over the pairs’ decisions. If you are very familiar with the lore of various old cities in Europe, you’ll probably appreciate this far more than I did, as my vague knowledge about the magical history of Prague (for instance) didn’t really cut it in terms of understanding the nuance of the story. As it was, I simply appreciated the changes in atmosphere as Heraclix and Pomp moved about the place.
If you like a bit of magic, philosophy and sword-thwackery presented in a well-executed package, Heraclix and Pomp could be the book for you. While it’s not for the fainthearted, it will definitely draw you in and have you pondering what it means to be human, and how redemption can be earned.
I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss.
Ten Second Synopsis:
After barely escaping with their lives from a nasty sorcerer, a patchwork undead man and a fairy learning the ways of the mortal stage an epic journey across Europe to discover themselves anew.
When deciding to pick this book up, I was drawn to the heady atmosphere of oddity that seemed to emanate from the descriptions of the main characters. A patchwork man of monstrous countenance and open heart? Wonderful. A cheeky fairy learning to exist in the mortal world? Sure, bring it on. All the other stuff would sort itself out, I thought, if I could just read a story with these interesting characters leading the way. And for the most part, thoughtful, purpose-driven Heraclix and well-meaning, curious Pomp were enough to keep me engaged in this complex world.
I must admit that I was utterly astounded when I saw that the print version of this book has only 280 pages, because reading it on the Kindle had me thinking I was wading through a 500 page epic. Aguirre has packed a lot of action into this tale and it certainly felt to me to be a hefty read, and not one that I would pick up for a bit of light diversion. It’s more a tale that needs a committed reader, because the magical elements dip in and out and interweave themselves with real places, and if you’re not paying attention, it would be easy to lose the thread of the whos and whats and wheres of our intrepid pair. I found that after the eventful and enlightening trip to Hell that the pair undertake (about two thirds of the way through) I began to lose the thread of the story just a little, and never quite regained it to my satisfaction. I could fully grasp the events of the final third of the plot, but I suspected I was missing some important nuances.
Overall, this is a story that features a very strong sense of place and culture: as Heraclix and Pomp traverse Europe, the places that they visit seem to have their own life and exert an influence over the pairs’ decisions. If you are very familiar with the lore of various old cities in Europe, you’ll probably appreciate this far more than I did, as my vague knowledge about the magical history of Prague (for instance) didn’t really cut it in terms of understanding the nuance of the story. As it was, I simply appreciated the changes in atmosphere as Heraclix and Pomp moved about the place.
If you like a bit of magic, philosophy and sword-thwackery presented in a well-executed package, Heraclix and Pomp could be the book for you. While it’s not for the fainthearted, it will definitely draw you in and have you pondering what it means to be human, and how redemption can be earned.
November 22, 2017
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
Heraclix was dead and Pomp was immortal. The emphasis is on was, because now, neither is as they were. Heraclix is now alive, a reanimated man sewn together from numerous other parts, but with no memory of his former life he finds himself wondering what kind of person he could have been. And Pomp who believed herself immortal, finds herself questioning that status after being nearly killed by a rather nasty necromancer.
Quite literally thrown together by the necromancer, the two set off to find new meaning in their lives. Heraclix wants to know how and why this was done to him and what kind of man he was before. With her new found mortality, Pomp tries to wrestle with the language and the meaning behind that word. As they travel across Europe, with a side trip to Hell, the two discover the necromancer they thought dead is very much alive and has plans to ensure his own immortality.
Though the premise was interesting and the summary on the flap of the book drew me in; it pains me to say, dear reader, that I did not enjoy this book. It has glowing reviews on Amazon as well as other sites, but alas it does not have one from me. Perhaps it is because this is a very dense book, it became quite complex at times. Or perhaps it was because several of the characters had similar or near identical names which made it difficult to keep track of who was who.
Whatever it was, I found myself slogging through this book and not liking it. Several times I wanted to put it down and not finish it, yet I persevered. I only finished the book because I wanted to know if I was correct in guessing how certain plot points would be resolved – I was correct in my thoughts and what I surmised would happen did happen.
I never enjoy giving a negative review on anything, whether it be a book, music, etc. You, dear reader, might enjoy it despite my words. I however, will not be returning to this particular fictional world.
Heraclix was dead and Pomp was immortal. The emphasis is on was, because now, neither is as they were. Heraclix is now alive, a reanimated man sewn together from numerous other parts, but with no memory of his former life he finds himself wondering what kind of person he could have been. And Pomp who believed herself immortal, finds herself questioning that status after being nearly killed by a rather nasty necromancer.
Quite literally thrown together by the necromancer, the two set off to find new meaning in their lives. Heraclix wants to know how and why this was done to him and what kind of man he was before. With her new found mortality, Pomp tries to wrestle with the language and the meaning behind that word. As they travel across Europe, with a side trip to Hell, the two discover the necromancer they thought dead is very much alive and has plans to ensure his own immortality.
Though the premise was interesting and the summary on the flap of the book drew me in; it pains me to say, dear reader, that I did not enjoy this book. It has glowing reviews on Amazon as well as other sites, but alas it does not have one from me. Perhaps it is because this is a very dense book, it became quite complex at times. Or perhaps it was because several of the characters had similar or near identical names which made it difficult to keep track of who was who.
Whatever it was, I found myself slogging through this book and not liking it. Several times I wanted to put it down and not finish it, yet I persevered. I only finished the book because I wanted to know if I was correct in guessing how certain plot points would be resolved – I was correct in my thoughts and what I surmised would happen did happen.
I never enjoy giving a negative review on anything, whether it be a book, music, etc. You, dear reader, might enjoy it despite my words. I however, will not be returning to this particular fictional world.
January 23, 2022
Heraclix and Pomp is a genuinely fun read, mixing up elements of fantasy, historical fiction, and the occult into a heady brew that gallops along at a brisk pace. The titular characters are richly developed, and the contrast between them gives the book much of its comedic edge. Which is not to say that this is solely a work of comedy, but rather that Forrest Aguirre uses humor to prevent the darker aspects of his story (including a trip to Hell) from taking over completely.
In many ways, this novel reminds me of Susanna Clarke's excellent Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, given that both works are set a few centuries back in grand European locations, and both works assume that magic is very real. Even better, both works feature members of the fair folk amongst their cast of characters, and traffic between our human world and the worlds of fairy is key to both narratives. This is not to suggest that Aguirre copied anything from Clarke, but rather that a reader who enjoyed one of these two books will almost certainly like them both.
In many ways, this novel reminds me of Susanna Clarke's excellent Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, given that both works are set a few centuries back in grand European locations, and both works assume that magic is very real. Even better, both works feature members of the fair folk amongst their cast of characters, and traffic between our human world and the worlds of fairy is key to both narratives. This is not to suggest that Aguirre copied anything from Clarke, but rather that a reader who enjoyed one of these two books will almost certainly like them both.
April 24, 2016
Aguirre has an eye for the outré that I wished had been indulged a bit more. The dreamlike moments of a Tinkerbell-like fairy observing the mortal antics of the Imperial court, of condemned souls in Hell worried about missing their next scheduled torture session, of a golem with alien hand syndrome and a need to examine the provenance of his constituent components, a man raised by the fey and the inevitable bitterness this must bring, the fey themselves who exist without an understanding of past or future and therefore of regret or consequence. Grotesques of the mind or the essence, rather than of the situation.
July 27, 2015
I classic adventure through a nontraditionally represented magical tale. If you ever wanted the very best parts of all your favorite fairy tales smashed together, here's what you're needing. Heraclix and pomp are a delightful duo who entertain you as they open your eyes to universal questions you never though to think: "How do you communicate with people who don't have a language of their own?" "What does it meant to have a past where you're the only one who can't remember it?"
A good read, for sure.
I won an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity to read this!
A good read, for sure.
I won an ARC of this book from a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity to read this!
February 11, 2015
Well, this is classic. What fun!
February 20, 2015
By a good stretch, this is Aguirre's best work yet. A fantasic story and memorable characters. 4.5 stars
January 13, 2023
This is a book I discovered on GoodReads. The author friended me years ago and eventually I got around to looking at his book list. Heraclix & Pomp has been on my TBR for a while.
This is one of the most unusual books I've read in a long time. A Frankenstein-like golem sets out on a quest to discover who he was before in his previous lives (he is made up of parts from several deceased people) and destroy the sorcerer who did this to him. He is accompanied by a fairy (who has spent her immortal existence living in the present and doesn't quite understand the concepts of past and future) who he saved from being sacrificed by the sorcerer and who declares herself bound to him for saving her. Their journey will take them from Vienna to Prague to Istanbul and even a jaunt through Hell.
Well-developed characters, witty dialog and a deceptively simple plot make this a book a treat for the patient reader as Aguirre infuses his fairy tale-like narrative with prose that glides smoothly along, but soon makes the reader aware that he may missed something along the way. Themes of identity and doing what you know to be right (though you may not understand why) and the overall darkness of the book get glossed over by reading H&C at a fast clip. Once I slowed down and took time to reflect on each chapter after I read it, the book became a richly rewarding reading experience. Definitely a candidate for a reread at some point.
Chapter Twenty, in which Pomp infiltrates the palace of the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II and wreaks havoc on several people living there was a particular highlight for me.
Special mention needs to be given for the striking cover art of Claudia Noble (which made me take notice of the book on GoodReads).
Highly recommended or lovers of fantasy. historical fiction and generally strange stories.
This is one of the most unusual books I've read in a long time. A Frankenstein-like golem sets out on a quest to discover who he was before in his previous lives (he is made up of parts from several deceased people) and destroy the sorcerer who did this to him. He is accompanied by a fairy (who has spent her immortal existence living in the present and doesn't quite understand the concepts of past and future) who he saved from being sacrificed by the sorcerer and who declares herself bound to him for saving her. Their journey will take them from Vienna to Prague to Istanbul and even a jaunt through Hell.
Well-developed characters, witty dialog and a deceptively simple plot make this a book a treat for the patient reader as Aguirre infuses his fairy tale-like narrative with prose that glides smoothly along, but soon makes the reader aware that he may missed something along the way. Themes of identity and doing what you know to be right (though you may not understand why) and the overall darkness of the book get glossed over by reading H&C at a fast clip. Once I slowed down and took time to reflect on each chapter after I read it, the book became a richly rewarding reading experience. Definitely a candidate for a reread at some point.
Chapter Twenty, in which Pomp infiltrates the palace of the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II and wreaks havoc on several people living there was a particular highlight for me.
Special mention needs to be given for the striking cover art of Claudia Noble (which made me take notice of the book on GoodReads).
Highly recommended or lovers of fantasy. historical fiction and generally strange stories.
September 9, 2016
*I received this book courtesy of Goodreads First Reads*
I will preface this two-star review by stating that the historical fiction and fantasy genres are not usually my preferred picks, which may have aided in the overwhelming 'meh' feeling I got whilst reading this book.
I had to encourage myself to pick this novel up every night, which doesn't often happen for me. Right from the get-go I found it difficult to care about the primary characters (as well as hating the antagonist), which is in part due to the abrupt way they are introduced to the reader at the beginning. In particular, I wanted a more in-depth perspective on what Heraclix felt while in his birthing tank, as well as immediately thereafter. The first few chapters felt altogether too rushed, as if important character building had to be skipped to make way for the main storyline (which isn't the case, as the book is not very long in length to begin with). This hurt the book's initial (potential) hook, and what I did latch on to slipped steadily from my interest as the book went on.
I found many, many things in this novel clichéd, which certainly made it an uninteresting read for me. None of the events were particularly surprising, and if they were things I had not previously figured out, they were delivered in a non-climactic way. Pomp's fairy attitude was fairly similar to other illustrations I've seen and/or read, as well. I did appreciate her being a fairly strong female character that overcomes initial ignorances, however. Vadoma was another strong female character in the book, although I was off-put by her perspective being randomly slotted in near the end of the novel for what seemed like suspenseful affect. Another cliché I feel I need to mention was the devil creature named Panopticus. How many times has the Panopticon been so similarly played upon? (And may I add, in a very obvious, roll-your-eyes kind of way.)
I enjoyed the horrific parts of the novel a bit more than the fantasy aspects, such as the description of Hell and its many inhabitants, as well as what happens to Pomp and her friends near the end. Even these aspects were a bit hollow for me, though, and did not deliver quite the punch I imagine they were supposed to.
I was also unsettled by the epilogue of the novel (spoiler alert!). It seemed to slam the door on everything fantastical in favor of 'reason'. Sure, this inherently means, as Heraclix explains to Pomp, that Hell and everything else evil in the book will not be evidenced any longer, however it essentially kills off our protagonist and fails to explain what this means for Pomp and her people. I found this very somber and vague, which was incredibly unsatisfying.
Overall, I'd say a lover of blended fantasy/historical fiction would enjoy this book more than I did. The writing was not bad, I just believe the story and the characters could have been fleshed out much more than they were, and could have been steered in a less clichéd direction.
I will preface this two-star review by stating that the historical fiction and fantasy genres are not usually my preferred picks, which may have aided in the overwhelming 'meh' feeling I got whilst reading this book.
I had to encourage myself to pick this novel up every night, which doesn't often happen for me. Right from the get-go I found it difficult to care about the primary characters (as well as hating the antagonist), which is in part due to the abrupt way they are introduced to the reader at the beginning. In particular, I wanted a more in-depth perspective on what Heraclix felt while in his birthing tank, as well as immediately thereafter. The first few chapters felt altogether too rushed, as if important character building had to be skipped to make way for the main storyline (which isn't the case, as the book is not very long in length to begin with). This hurt the book's initial (potential) hook, and what I did latch on to slipped steadily from my interest as the book went on.
I found many, many things in this novel clichéd, which certainly made it an uninteresting read for me. None of the events were particularly surprising, and if they were things I had not previously figured out, they were delivered in a non-climactic way. Pomp's fairy attitude was fairly similar to other illustrations I've seen and/or read, as well. I did appreciate her being a fairly strong female character that overcomes initial ignorances, however. Vadoma was another strong female character in the book, although I was off-put by her perspective being randomly slotted in near the end of the novel for what seemed like suspenseful affect. Another cliché I feel I need to mention was the devil creature named Panopticus. How many times has the Panopticon been so similarly played upon? (And may I add, in a very obvious, roll-your-eyes kind of way.)
I enjoyed the horrific parts of the novel a bit more than the fantasy aspects, such as the description of Hell and its many inhabitants, as well as what happens to Pomp and her friends near the end. Even these aspects were a bit hollow for me, though, and did not deliver quite the punch I imagine they were supposed to.
I was also unsettled by the epilogue of the novel (spoiler alert!). It seemed to slam the door on everything fantastical in favor of 'reason'. Sure, this inherently means, as Heraclix explains to Pomp, that Hell and everything else evil in the book will not be evidenced any longer, however it essentially kills off our protagonist and fails to explain what this means for Pomp and her people. I found this very somber and vague, which was incredibly unsatisfying.
Overall, I'd say a lover of blended fantasy/historical fiction would enjoy this book more than I did. The writing was not bad, I just believe the story and the characters could have been fleshed out much more than they were, and could have been steered in a less clichéd direction.
March 11, 2017
Heraclix and Pomp is a rather dense novel. Shortly before finishing it I asked myself why, and I think I've got the answer. This excellent story, the first I've read by Forrest Aguirre, is one of the most descriptive pieces I've read in quite some time. Scarcely anything Aguirre shows you in this story lacks for a description, and some of the details are strikingly imaginative. As is the plot, which starts out as a simple quest for knowledge, yet develops some beautiful twists and turns along the way, long after you've stopped pestering the air around your reading chair with enquiries like "what, exactly, was that foul sorcerer up to and why does Heraclix want to uncover the painful secrets the sly magician left behind?". You stop asking, and file the questions in the back of your mind, because the book is such a joy to read, and the characters so engrossing. Aguirre just sets Heraclix the golem and Pomp the fairy on their path, and keeps showing and showing until, when he suddenly answers one of the questions you'd almost forgotten you'd tucked away, that cleverly revealed bit of telling resonates like a smartly rung bell, and keeps resonating until he tells you the next thing. Aguirre so deftly turns the storytelling adage "show, don't tell" into "show and tell" that you hardly notice. If I'm trying too hard to be a little too clever here, it's because I have a serious case of storytelling envy going. For me, that's the best kind of story there is.
Heraclix and Pomp sits firmly in one of the most difficult to define niches around: "Wierd fiction". The wierd is tough to describe, but easy to recognize when you see it. And this one is a fine example that simultaneously delights and unsettles the reader. While doing so, it begs to be sipped and savored. Barrel on through at your own risk.
Heraclix and Pomp sits firmly in one of the most difficult to define niches around: "Wierd fiction". The wierd is tough to describe, but easy to recognize when you see it. And this one is a fine example that simultaneously delights and unsettles the reader. While doing so, it begs to be sipped and savored. Barrel on through at your own risk.
May 13, 2015
This is a wonderful fairy story. I hummed and hawed between 4 and 5 stars, but I'm plumping for 4.
The central quest is Heraclix the golem's search to find out who he is (on multiple levels). He is accompanied by Pomp the fairy who has been rudely made aware of what mortality means. Both characters are likeable, funny and charming and I found myself entranced. Along the way, we visit beautiful, evocative descriptions of Vienna, Prague, Istanbul (and their countries) of 200 years ago (?), a fascinating land of Fey, and an insane and terrifying Hell. Alongside and integral to their quest are the machinations of Heraclix' creator - Mowler (not a very nice fella). And everything comes together and explodes in the last few chapters. I'll leave my description there - anything more would be a spoiler.
I highly recommend this book, I genuinely had no idea what to expect when I decided to try it out, but I REALLY enjoyed it.
The central quest is Heraclix the golem's search to find out who he is (on multiple levels). He is accompanied by Pomp the fairy who has been rudely made aware of what mortality means. Both characters are likeable, funny and charming and I found myself entranced. Along the way, we visit beautiful, evocative descriptions of Vienna, Prague, Istanbul (and their countries) of 200 years ago (?), a fascinating land of Fey, and an insane and terrifying Hell. Alongside and integral to their quest are the machinations of Heraclix' creator - Mowler (not a very nice fella). And everything comes together and explodes in the last few chapters. I'll leave my description there - anything more would be a spoiler.
I highly recommend this book, I genuinely had no idea what to expect when I decided to try it out, but I REALLY enjoyed it.
December 30, 2014
An enchanting tale that follows a golem with no past and a fairy who has never experienced anything but the present. Heraclix and Pomp are tracking a twisted path with few clues to unravel a plot bigger than the Turkish empire. It could be termed a complex fairytale both from content, as a good portion of the story is from the fairy's point of view, and form since it often has that feel to it. There is much magic and mysticism to be had here along with some sweet moments and a terrible villain.
August 8, 2017
An underwhelming follow-through on a strange idea: the wanderings of two supernatural creatures brought together by an ambitious master of the occult who reincarnated one and captured the other to use as a sacrifice to conjure and bind Baalzebub. It drags for long stretches and reliably hammers the reader in duplicate, triplicate, quadruplicate, etc. about the emotions the characters are obviously experiencing. The occasional vivid scene, whether involving demons or not, serves as a tentpole to try to support the remainder of the narrative but fails to keep the cloth off the ground.
April 22, 2018
Geo-political setting. Sorcery and summoning of demons. A quest to find answers. Swords and invisibility. What more can one want?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews