Westmark

Theo is a nondescript printers apprentice in the Kingdom of Westmark, and although he is unaware of it, all is not well within his homeland. The country has fallen under the sway of the villainous Minister Cabbarus, and he is slowly yet surely depriving the people of their freedoms. When soldiers come to enforce censorship laws at his press, Theo fights back, and by so doing becomes a fugitive and an outlaw.From there, he... Read Full Review

Theo, a printer's apprentice, is about to have his whole life changed! When he agrees to print a traveling showman's pamphlet, he doesn't think about the consequences which might ensue. The printer shop is immediately closed down, his boss and friend is murdered, and a warrant is issued out for his arrest! He joins up with the traveling showman himself, Count Las Bombas who is actually a con artist, and his dwarf servant Musket... Read Full Review

It is so difficult trying to write a review on Westmark because I love the book so much. It is also hard because the book encompasses so much, both in its plot and in its commentary on life.The plot follows Theo who is a printer's assistant. He is happy with his life except for the government he lives under. It is run from behind the throne by a tyrant, Cabbarus. One day the printing shop is attacked by soldiers trying to... Read Full Review

The Westmark trilogy -- of which this is the first book -- is in many ways a successor to the Prydain novels. Each feature a young impressionable orphan (Theo/Taran) who falls in love with a strong, high-born woman (Mickle/Eilonwy) while learning more about the nature of manhood. While the Prydain novels are completely wonderful, the Westmark trilogy has it own power in its moral depth and complexity. In this sense, it is... Read Full Review

This book is awesome. I just finished reading it for the second time yesterday. Even though I had read it before, I still got tense and excited at different parts. There's lots of action; there's no boring parts and I really couldn't put it down. Yet with all the adventure, it's still very thought-provocing. There's fun and humorous parts, heroics, love, adventure, rebels, quacks, beggars, dwarfs, kings, queens, evil ... Read Full Review