The Fools' War

A boy must try to save a kingdom when the king, preoccupied by unrequited love, ignores the threat of war.

Grade 5-9-- By virtue of his ability to read Latin, young Clemmy is compelled to come to the aid of the hapless King Fernholz of Mulberia. Most of the king's subjects have fled because of rumors of an imminent invasion of Turks, but Fernholz is only concerned with wooing Libby, a beautiful young lady who has thus far soundly rejected his proposals. The resourceful Clemmy finds himself trying to convince Libby to wed the monarch while simultaneously holding off the whole Turkish army. He does this with some aid from the Book of Imperfect Prayer, which grants wishes, but never quite in the way that is hoped for. Further complications ensue as Clemmy falls in love with Libby. Full of humorous and satirical elements, the fast-paced plot is involving, with many twists and surprises. Occasionally, the tongue-in-cheek narration intrudes too much, distancing readers; however, for the most part the balance between comedy and drama is maintained. Supporting characters are distinctive and well drawn, from Clemmy's good-hearted, kleptomaniac mother to Magnus, the peace-loving shepherd and one and only member of the king's army. Although not quite as memorable, this fine first novel will appeal to fans of Babbitt's The Search for Delicious (Farrar, 1969), Yolen's Wizard's Hall (HBJ, 1991), and many of Lloyd Alexander's historical fantasies. --Steven Engelfried, Alameda County Library, CA
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This overly elaborate fairy tale concerns a foolish king obsessed with a lady ("I love her like a madman") who does not return his affections. The besotted ruler ignores the invading army of Turks outside his castle; seeks the magical, less than successful prayers of a blind wise man and a steadfast farmer in an attempt to win the lady's favor; and gets involved in a host of other subplots. Kisling's narrative rattles along in a loose, unconvincing manner, finally lurching to an unsatisfying and predictable conclusion. The author throws too many balls into the air and crams too many cliches into too short a tale. Further, he fails to infuse the story's disparate elements with any sense of wonder. Lloyd Alexander remains the undisputed champion of this kind of romp. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.