In keeping with my resolution to read books that have been on my shelves for years, I turned to Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz: Three Adventures. Garth Nix is best known as a children’s book writer. Some of his books are classified as Young Adult novels. But I found this limited edition collection published by Subterranean Press in 2012 to be curious with this warning:
READER ADVISORY: Though some of Garth Nix’s books and stories are for children, this one is not. It is for adult readers.
The first story bears this out with some bloody scenes.
The second story–my favorite–features a female pirate and some brutal warfare. Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz travel as mercenaries in a feudal world. But their real secret mission is to protect the Earth from malicious godlets who threaten it. Mister Fitz is a puppet with sorcerous powers.
The final story in this collection includes a little suggestion of sex and some humor. If you’re in the mood for some adult fantasy, check out the adventures of Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz. I’ll be tracking down the Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz stories that haven’t been collected yet. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz go to war again (first published in Jim Baen’s Universe, April 2007, edited by Eric Flint) — 9
Beyond the sea gate of the scholar-pirates of sarskoe (first published in Fast Ships, Black Sails edited by Jeff Vandermeer & Ann Vandermeer published by Night Shade Books) — 59
Suitable present for a sorcerous puppet (first published in Swords and Dark Magic, edited by Lou Anders and Johnathan Strahan, published by HarperCollins — 113
Nix is about my age (a year older perhaps), and got a Lot more serious about pro fiction writing than I have been, but indeed has been more involved with YA and games-related fiction than I tend to read since our youth in the ’70s (not that there was Too much game-related fiction available yet at that point), and I’ve not caught up with his adult work at all…I think I’ll try his work if I manage to find him in such fora as these three were published in. At this point, Anders and Strahan sounds like a very odd couple indeed…
Todd, I have some of the anthologies where the other Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz stories were published. I plan on reading them and then doing a post about the rest of these stories. I enjoyed the Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz stories and I think you would, too!
Sounds like something Bill Crider would have loved – “a puppet with sorcerous powers.”
Jeff, you’re right: Bill Crider would have loved the adventures of Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz. I’m busy tracking down the rest of the uncollected stories.
Hi George,
I really enjoy your comments and reviews on books, movies, TV, music, and football too! I was pleasantly surprised to see your review of Garth Nix book “Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz : Three Adventures”. I have long been interested in reading this book as my exposure to these fun characters came from stories contributed by Garth Nix to collections edited by Gardner Dozois such as “Rogues”, “The Book of Swords”, and “The Book of Magic”. While this paperback is hard to find I was happy after reading your review to discover that Garth Nix is publishing an expanded collection of stories which will include a new adventure for Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz!
Keep up all the informative comments and reviews,
Thanks,
Ralph
Ralph, thank you for your kind words! I’ll be buying that Garth Nix expanded collection of stories and reviewing it on this blog!