Sir Apropos of Nothing

Sir Apropos of Nothing, by Peter David, is a wonderfully funny fantasy novel that takes potshots at most of the clichés in standard fantasy fiction, turning them on their heads. It looks at the roles of the hero, sidekick, and villain, and asks "What if the sidekick isn't happy with his lot in life and wants to be the hero instead?" The narrator, Apropos, is very self-aware, especially of his role in the proceedings. And he's not happy about it. The tale becomes a comedy of coincidences, missteps, and daring-do, and it's told wonderfully by the ever-talented David.This book starts with one of the greatest opening lines I've read in awhile. "As I stood there with the sword in my hand, the blade dripping blood on the floor, I couldn't help but wonder if the blood belonged to my father." Thus, Apropos is introduced, along with his tragic lineage. I know it seems strange to call a book with something as horrific as a gang-rape a "comedy," but David writes with such a deft touch that you will find yourself laughing at the appropriate times, and being horrified at the appropriate times. He's that good of a writer, as he's shown in his other books and the comics he writes. Apropos narrates the tale as if he's speaking to the reader, and when he's talking about both his being conceived and his childhood in general, he relates the tale in a very off-hand way, as if he's repressing his emotions about it a little bit. Because of that, you don't get just a narration of the events as they take place. Instead, you also get a bit of a psychological insight into him.Apropos is not a very likable character. He's self-centered, looking after his own skin when the going gets tough. He gets involved in things because they will benefit him, not because it's "the right thing to do." A lot of times, he ends up doing the right thing anyway, or at the very least hiding the fact that he was looking after himself when he did it. When his boyhood friend Tacit jumps into a clearing to save a weaver (wizard) from being burned at the stake by 20 villagers, Apropos holds back because that's suicide. When Tacit is about to meet a heroic death, Apropos comes up with a plan that has as little risk to himself as possible. Yet he's deemed a hero when it works. If you're the type of reader who has to actually like the protagonist, then you may have to go elsewhere.The other characters in the book are interesting as well. The most important ones are Entipy, the princess that Apropos must rescue, and Tacit, Apropos' boyhood friend who he drives away and then meets again later in his life. Tacit and Apropos' destinies are intertwined, and it's very interesting how Apropos deals with that. It also isn't very likable, so see the paragraph above if that bothers you. However, it's fitting, not only because of Apropos' personality, but also because it's about time a fantasy novel was written where the protagonist isn't all sweetness and light.Entipy is a possibly psyc

I had never heard of Peter David before reading this book, and now I find myself looking for his novels whenever I go to bookstores. The book is well written, it has an exciting story line, and one of he most interesting main characters I've ever read about.How many fantasy novels tell a tale of bold heroes, born from nothing only to achieve everything they set out to accomplish? Probably a vast majority of novels follow this model. Not Apropos. Not only does this book deviate from the beaten path, this is a book where you feel the emotions right with the character. He carries with him so many emotions. You will find yourself cheering for him, feeling his pain, his anger, and sometimes wishing he were right in front of you so you could kick him right in the rear for some of the crazy things this young man does (all these insane adventures take place before he is even twenty years of age). Another thing I enjoyed about this novel were the few, well placed references to other fantasy works. For example: at one point in Apropos, Apropos and Entipy are dealing with some irate unicorns, and the comment made by Entipy was directly from Beagle's "Last Unicorn." I don't think I have to go any further to show you that I loved this book. Any true fantasy lover will enjoy it!

As much as I love fantasy novels, I find that many follow a very similar formula and can become very repetitive. Whast a joy to find something totally different. Imagine a heroic epic which is narrarated by the sidekick, not the hero. Apropos is born of a violent gang rape and is lame at birth. Fighting every step of the way to improve his life, he finds a friend in Tacit, who is everything that Apropos is not. But about half way through the book, you see Apropos decide that he will be the hero of his life, and things quickly start to happen. The most sigificant difference in this book is that the character does not grow. He remains true to his own thoughts and feelings, for better or worse. The usual elements of fantasy, i.e. kings, princesses, unicorns, phoenixes, populate the story but serve to really enhance the action, not just simply to create elements of fantasy.I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to a sequel. The humor is especially welcome and yet I think the author makes some very serious comments on how to live to one's own destiny.

After I finished reading Peter David`s novel "Sir Apropos of Nothing" it took me a while before I was able to move on to reading another book. It left a very strong impression on me, something that is not unusual with his books. But this one is not the next chapter of my favourite series, New Frontier, or any other Star Trek written by him, this is something completely different. Peter David created his own universe, his own characters. He has written other non-media books before, but "Sir Apropos of Nothing" is his first non-media book I have read so far. Here we enter a world where we meet kings, knights, squires, witches and some more phantastic creatures. But Peter David`s version is not as simplistic as meeting a noble king who is surrounded by noble knights who go out into the world in order to do heroic deeds, slay dragons and save the odd damsel in distress. I am quite tired of that pattern and therefore I welcomed it that this book is different, much more complex. I often had the feeling that Peter David was challenging this pattern deliberately. We find out quickly that appearances can be very deceiving, that people who seem to be nice have some dark secrets. Sometimes good and evil can`t be separated easily. Sometimes good people are pushed into doing something bad. Peter David put very complex people into his book, people with strength and weaknesses, people who make mistakes. Peter David`s strength has always been characterizations and this book is no exception. The people in his book are very alive. This is first of all the case with the main character, a young squire names Apropos. I liked him immediately. He is a very positive character but he has some darker layers as well which make him even more interesting. Apropos has a wonderful sense of humour. On top of that he is able to deal with all kinds of adventures and problems, mainly by using his wit. This makes the book fun to read. Some parts really made me laugh. On the other hand, "Apropos" is not a comedy. Therefore I think comparing it with "Blackadder" is not accurate. The book also has some very serious scenes, a mix I find very intriguing. I find it remarkable with how much ease and skill Peter David combined the fun and the serious parts in this book. He is able to insert humour in some very dark scenes without ever giving me the feeling that it is forced. Sometimes I was caught between laughing and being touched by the seriousness of the situation. Not only is Apropos a very likeable character, also because of his weaknesses, he is on top of that a very strong character. He makes mistakes and there are setbacks as well, but his determination, his cleverness is remarkable. We can see during this story that this character grows, that he is learning from mistakes. This is especially visible at the end of the book. What I find also remarkable is how Peter David handled the topic disability in this book: Apropos was born with a physical disability. Being disabled myself I k

To comic book fans, Peter David is the writer who makes The Incredible Hulk incredible and puts the super in Supergirl. To Star Trek fans, David is known as the co-creator of the New Frontier series and author of the New York Times best-seller, "Imzadi". But this book has NOTHING to do with any of this, for it's Mr. David's first original novel in several years. It's also about the age of chivalry, and a cowardly young man named Apropos, the bastard son of a tavern wench and an unknown father, who may or may not be of royal blood.Born with a deformed leg and a mischieveous attitude cynically weened on the pompous airs of knights and royalty, Apropos' presumed lowly existence suddenly gains purpose when his mother is murdered one night while 'servicing' a mysterious customer. Shortly afterward, he journeys to the king's palace, where in seeking vengence, Apropos inadvertently becomes squire to the most inept knight in the kingdom, the aging Sir Umbrage of the Flaming Nether Regions. However, Apropos' sudden ascent to notariety does not sit well among other aspirers of noble station. But a scandalous incident soon moves Apropos closer towards an unintended destiny that his mother seemed to have foretold. Armed with irreverent puns and a plethoria of memorable characters, this tale not only skewers the divisions of class structures, but the idea that one's greatness is hereditary. Many of the skirmishes between Apropos, his acquaintances and his adversaries center around preconceived public myth versus one's personal desires and responsibilities. And as Apropos weasels through each situation, one senses his growing unease at possibly becoming what he had loathed. There's an inner rivalry and distrust towards heroic idealism, as if aspiring to selflessness is the stuff of idiots and lunatics. Often juxtiposing the humorous with the horrific, Apropos' adventures meet with surprising twists of fate, leaving one breathless over what might come next. The tale is told in a breezy first person narrative, with relatively few lapses into self-indulgence. Mr. David's penchant for strong female characterization is also in fine form here, with memorable portrayals of mothers, wives, and the amorously-minded. And the title character of Apropos is a magnificent rascal, who compares favorably to like-minded compatriots Flashman or Blackadder. SIR APROPOS OF NOTHING is a rare treat of satire for those who always thought that the proclaimed feats of the knights of old seemed a bit greasy.