The Woad to Wuin: Sir Apropos of Nothing Book 2

By Peter David and David Peter

Book Overview

He's back. By (and in some cases, despite) popular demand, Sir Apropos of Nothing once again stalks the pages of literature, leaving unmistakable footprints wherever he treads. Apropos is the unlikely noble whose life began in the lowest of ways: as the result of a gang assault by a group of drunken knights on a helpless tavern wench.Last time out, Apropos attempted to seize control of his own fate, and ended up with, appropriately, nothing. Time has passed since he fled the kingdom of Runcible, and Apropos leads a quiet existence as a tavern owner. All that changes abruptly, however, when the sorceress Sharee re-enters his life with the forces of the warlike Lord Bellicose hard on her heels. They want something they're convinced she has stolen. She tells Apropos that it's not true. Thus the medieval era's most notorious antihero suddenly finds himself once again in the middle of events of which he wants no part.Apropos, a helpless cog in destiny's gear mechanism, is hauled into the middle of another unlikely adventure that finds him dying of thirst and exhaustion in the gods-forsaken desert known as the Tragic Waste. But death is far too simple a fate for Apropos. When he awakens, he is astounded to discover that he is now a fearsome scourge of the land known as Wuin...a deadly and despised peacelord (the politically correct term for warlord) with tens of thousands of troops at his command, cities filled with helpless people trembling before him, and an adoring and sexy consort. How he came to this, what he will do once he discovers the terrible price attached to his new station in life, and how the mystic gem called the Eye of the Beholder fits into all of it are just afew of the challenges our reluctant hero will encounter along the Woad to Wuin.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743448308
• ISBN13: 9780743448307
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: Star Trek
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 1.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.4" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

Mixed Feelings

Let me begin by saying: there is a reason this book has mixed reviews. It's fantastic, but at times it is absolutely appalling; in the course of the book, our blithe antihero becomes a violent, ruling tyrant. There is a point after "waking up" months later (with no memory of his cruel actions), when he is talking to the mistress he acquired during that time. He said he'd loved her at first sight. She said he'd beat her near to death. -And the scene does, somehow, manage to be funny. An odd tribute to Peter David's talent. Once past the amusing- and largely irrelevant- first chapter (an hilarious I-can't-believe-he-wrote-that! spoof of the Lord of the Rings), this is NOT a mere parody. It is a satire, and there really is a difference. David is unapologetic in his violence, making it somehow all the more chilling, all seamlessly interwoven with the truly comedic. One of the other reviewers wrote of the first book: "I feel like someone mixed Victor Hugo with Dave Barry...we have discussions of Sir Umbrage of the Flaming Nether Regions amidst tales of a childhood upbringing that makes you want to weep. The combination doesn't work." The principle carries through to its sequel, and indeed, I almost put this book down at one point- but I finished it, and I'm glad I did. Despite the violence Apropos comes across, and commits himself...he really doesn't learn a moral lesson from any of it. Which is rather amusing when you think about it after the fact, but on top of that there's something here that's just more real, when things don't follow a path to make a moral point. Our antihero is generally as unapologetic as his writer, and there's something as equally human in Apropos, as in the traditional fantasy heroes of other sagas. Many of his faults are scarily common. But despite the fact that this is more than just a parody, the one thing that carries through the story, from the very beginning, is that Peter David does NOT take himself too seriously here. Be prepared to be taken aback by the level of indifference Apropos can display, but he truly does have the potential to be a hero. He's just too cowardly, lazy, and selfish to want to be- and I love him for it. There's an air of the ridiculous through much of this book. It's absolutely wonderful, and I can't stress how much I enoyed it.

Loved It!

Finally!! I really enjoyed this book. Once again Peter David put out another nonconventional book. Very interesting how Apropos became a villian, I can see how that would chaff normal fantasy readers (nb I hate characters who are so perfect and pure..."everyone" has something wrong with them) Apropos is my ideal hero. He learns from his mistakes and experiences. Another thing about Apropos's adventures that impress me is that by the end Apropos gains a little bit of wisdom and knowledge. However, Apropos does not come by his knowledge easily it usually takes some kind of massive upheaval for him to make that final decision which pulls him back from his freefall. Apropos kicks ass...he has almost no virtues or morality BUT but you will cheer for him. Even though he is a scoundral, even though he is pitiful, even though he is a liar and and a cheat...you find yourself wishing for him too get a clue, to make that vital last decision, to show some compassion or pity. And sometimes he will surprise you and do just what you want him to.

Apropos the Villain

Woad to Wuin is the second in the Sir Apropos of Nothing series. These novels stand in contrast to Knight Life. They seem to have two primary goals: first, poke fun at most of the sacred cows of fantasy, and, second, have a punny time doing it.If you missed the first novel, know that Apropos is a non-hero, not an anti-hero; while he is self-centered, lacks courage, has slight empathy, has little ambition, and doesn't respect the property of others, he does has some consideration for others, as long as no harm comes to him. However, the only person he fully trusts is himself and sometimes not even himself. In this novel, he finds himself in the adventure of Bubo, the hairyfooted dwarf, and is snared by a magic ring that makes him irresistible to women. They force themselves on him and treat him as a sex toy. He is first attacked by Sharee and then by every women with a pulse for miles around. He is rescued by Walker and a band of dwarves, who lead him to the Flaming Nether Regions to dispose of the ring. Afterwards, Apropos returns to Sharee, but she blames him for the sexual gymnastics and tries to zap him with lightning bolts.After a couple years as a tavern owner, Apropos finds himself caught between Sharee and a LOUDMOUTHED oaf named Beliquose, who burns the house down with Apropos and Sharee inside. Suddenly Apropos wakes up and finds himself elsewhere...and elsewhen. He is now the Peacelord, leader of a band of conquering, brutal cutthroats. Moreover, he finds that he is invulnerable, with nothing to fear; well, almost nothing. He goes on an orgy of hostile wish fulfillment: conquering, pillaging, and burning. And, best of all, he has a beautiful and lusty consort and bedmate. What more could he ask for? Well, you know Apropos' luck, always ready to turn against him.Apropos comes out of this episode of total villainy with just a little more empathy and compassion. I would suspect that by the time David is through with him (and us), Apropos just might be a real human being. Stay tuned!

The Woad Goes On

A more enjoyable (and less unbearably cynical) tome than the original. The puns come fast and furious in the first half, but recede into the background in the second, as the action becomes more dramatic, and Atropos wry commentary strains against the evil he faces, and carries within himself. Good stuff.

Great humor in a story, and great Depth in a character.

This book, as the first Apropos novel, is simply a joy to read. You love and hate Apropos throughout the book. Mr. David has written a well balanced book. There are pitched battles, quiet love interludes, comedy, and my favorite ? great amounts of introspection and philosophy from our self-professed cynic, Apropos.The reader is guided through Apropos' life, by Apropos. This way we get to see everything from his point of view, and at the same time we get to see that view evolve. Apropos is a character who becomes loved by the reader because he is so easy to hate at times. He is honestly one of the most "human" characters I have read in a book in a long while. He is very real.The story is great and driven. There are twists and turns and you never quite know what the whole plot is because you only get a little at a time. Mr. David savors it like a good New York Strip steak, giving us one bite at a time. The dialogue is also great, very witty and humorous.From the mind of a man who reinvented DC Comics' Aquaman, with the Time and Tide 4-issue mini-series, and the subsequent 50 issues that came later; and from the mind who gave a voice to many of the sidekicks of DC's favorite heroes in Young Justice, comes a great story about a man who would not let Destiny/Fate/whatever rule him. A man who would definitely not ride through life as a sidekick. I love this book and cannot wait for the third. If you have not picked up this book or the first I suggest you do so. You will love it. Keep up the good work Peter!