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And Don't Forget to Rescue the Other Princess

It has been a year since thirty-one year old Al Breen has had a visit from a talking cat, who yanked him into another dimension where the feline turned into a wizard. Master wizard Merv, the advisor to Castle Furley in the land of Flemp, explained to the bewildered out of work actor that he had been summoned as a great knight to travel to the kingdom of Mornnnnnnn to rescue the king's kidnapped daughter Megan. After mission accomplished with the help of Sir Nigel the nervous, Al was sent home (see And Don't Forget to Rescue the Princess).

However his idyll time of respite abruptly ends when Merv yanks him back to Flemp with the same choices of losing his head or rescuing Princess Deirdre. Once again with Nigel the Nervous as his sidekick, Al the mighty couch warrior journeys to the northern citadel atop of the treacherous mountains where the evil sorceress Sorchaaaaaaaa is hatching plans to conquer the lands making her ruler of the world. To begin her unholy quest, she must sacrifice Deirdre to the Dark Gods. After fighting off an ogre, wild boars, fighting to get out of a fairy ring, and taken prisoner by a giant, the reluctant heroes are taken to the leader of the resistance who escort them up the mountain where the real danger awaits them as Sorchaaaaaaaa looks forward to the encounter.

Readers who like the wackiness of the Xanth tales without any puns will enjoy this fun farcical fantasy starring an earthly couch potato turned reluctant Don Quixote saving a world filled with magic. His companion on the trek Sir Nigel the Nervous is constantly whining about everything and anything when they are not in a dire predicament which is rare; otherwise he is wisecracking about their dilemmas as a means to keep from losing his bladder. Fans will enjoy Marc Bilgrey's tale of the absurd.

Harriet Klausner
Alternative Worlds

It has been a year since Al Breen, a frequently out-of-work actor and vegetarian, was pulled against his will into another dimension to rescue a princess, Megan. Still, Al is a stand-up guy, and realizing that he can't get home until he accomplishes this task is enough to make him give it the old college try. Having accomplished this task with the help of Nigel the Nervous Knight, he is sent home. Now, just as he is about to go on in a play, he is sucked back into this other dimension again by the wizard Merv and discovers he has to go through this all again, to rescue the other princess, Deirdre, who has been kidnapped by the Sorceress Sorchaaaaaaaa and taken as prisoner to the land of Mornnnnnnn, where she will be sacrificed to the Dark Gods. Once again, he can choose: do the job or be executed. What a choice!

AND DON'T FORGET TO RESCUE THE OTHER PRINCESS often reminded me of the works of Piers Anthony, only without any puns. Al must escape one danger after another, ogres, wild animals, unfriendly fairies, thieves, holographic soldiers, etc., all of which are just warm ups for the big event, stopping Sorchaaaaaaaa. There is a lot of humor in this book ... it goes very quickly and flows smoothly all the way through. A quick fun read.

Lisa Baca
Romance Reviews Today

Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine #2

Nearly a year after the debut issue, SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY MAGAZINE #2 is finally available, with another 130-ish pages of mostly all-new material, perfect-bound and edited by the ever-reliable Marvin Kaye.

... Marc Bilgrey hits "You See, but You Forget" out of the proverbial park, with a story of revenge on a landlord whose negligence results in the death of an elderly tenant. Bilgrey also contributes this issue's lone cartoon; it'd be fun to see more of these sprinkled throughout the pages, rather than the Victorian-era clip art. ...

Rod Lott
Bookgasm

And Don't Forget to Rescue the Princess

While sitting at home, thirty year old failed actor Al Breen sees a cat on his window ledge. He is shocked when the feline talks to him and he follows him outdoors into a nearby shack where he loses consciousness. When he comes to he is in another world and the cat has changed into its true shape of master wizard Merv, the advisor to Castle Furley in the land of Flemp.

The king had the wizard summon a knight (the wizard obviously made a mistake) to travel to the kingdom of Mornnnnnnn to rescue his kidnapped daughter Megan from the ruler of that realm. Accompanying Al is Megan's betrothal Nigel the nervous who leads him into the enchanted forest where they are almost eaten by trolls, taken prisoners by the fairies, agree to kill the dragon in exchange for their freedom and gets help from a witch who helps them make hot air balloons to take them to Mornnnnnnn. Once there, they team up with the rebel leader Baldric who guides him past the many traps of the castle, praying that they won't get caught or killed in one.

Readers who like a lighthearted fantasy filled with slapstick humor, witty repartee and a hero who knows he is a nerd will adore this unusual, original and charming tale. The protagonist makes no bones that he is a coward and wants nothing more than to go home and it is not bravery that leads him from one victorious adventure to another but pure luck and a little help from a mostly absentee wizard. Marc Bilgrey takes readers on a wacky trek where danger lurks around twist in the road.

Harriet Klausner
Alternative Worlds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now Available

The New Novel by Marc Bilgrey

And Don't Forget to Rescue the Other Princess
 
Click here to read first two chapters:

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