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The Ballad of Wuntvor #1
A Difficulty with Dwarves
When a wizard is unable to cure his malady of magicks, he sends his apprentice Wuntnor to seek aid in the distant land of the Eastern Kingdoms which are ripe with fiendish peril.
188 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1987
11 people are currently reading
621 people want to read
About the author
Craig Shaw Gardner
151 books135 followersCraig Shaw Gardner was born in Rochester, New York and lived there until 1967, when he moved to Boston, MA to attend Boston University. He graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Broadcasting and Film. He has continued to reside in Boston since that time.
He published his first story in 1977 while he held a number of jobs: shipper/receiver for a men's suit manufacturer, working in hospital public relations, running a stat camera, and also managed of a couple of bookstores: The Million Year Picnic and Science Fantasy Bookstore.
As of 1987 he became a full time writer, and since then he has published more than 30 novels and more than 50 short stories.
He also published under these pseudonyms:
Peter Garrison
He published his first story in 1977 while he held a number of jobs: shipper/receiver for a men's suit manufacturer, working in hospital public relations, running a stat camera, and also managed of a couple of bookstores: The Million Year Picnic and Science Fantasy Bookstore.
As of 1987 he became a full time writer, and since then he has published more than 30 novels and more than 50 short stories.
He also published under these pseudonyms:
Peter Garrison
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 15, 2015
Wuntvor is a one note steadfast nothing, due to shallow point of view. He is characterized by others and his actions are largely irrelevant. The women were infantile cardboard stereotypes. The story problem is making wizards not sneeze in the proximity of magic. Whut?
Feels like one long predictable talking heads dialogue. Some ideas were good but the repetition wore them down to pointlessness. Dancing dragon couple was somewhat cute, but not believable in the scope of this world.
Browniepower was the only theme that developed in an enjoyable fashion. I really wanted to like this but quit two-thirds through. Might have been better in third-person.
Feels like one long predictable talking heads dialogue. Some ideas were good but the repetition wore them down to pointlessness. Dancing dragon couple was somewhat cute, but not believable in the scope of this world.
Browniepower was the only theme that developed in an enjoyable fashion. I really wanted to like this but quit two-thirds through. Might have been better in third-person.
July 4, 2020
This trilogy looked interesting with a 50% off sticker at a nice store when I was desperate for something light. Now I know that I actually overpaid. This book has more distractions than plot. The one word summary of this book is: gobbledygook.
August 25, 2020
I'm torn in whether to rate this book as one or two stars, as the book is okay, despite the fact that it could have been a quarter of the length if there were less waffle. By the end of the book, it feels as through no enough real progress has been made in the story.
At it's best, it was alright and even funny at points, at it's worst it was repetitive and drawn out. My reason for awarding it one star rather than two is that it does not pass the Bechdel–Wallace test. At no point in the entire book, which was far longer than it needed to be, did two women have a conversation about something other than a man- making it feel pretty weird to read.
I feel as though this book just needed more editing because if the bad and okay bits were removed and the characters (including but not exclusively the female characters) were more fleshed out, it has the potential to be enjoyable.
At it's best, it was alright and even funny at points, at it's worst it was repetitive and drawn out. My reason for awarding it one star rather than two is that it does not pass the Bechdel–Wallace test. At no point in the entire book, which was far longer than it needed to be, did two women have a conversation about something other than a man- making it feel pretty weird to read.
I feel as though this book just needed more editing because if the bad and okay bits were removed and the characters (including but not exclusively the female characters) were more fleshed out, it has the potential to be enjoyable.
February 15, 2021
'A Difficulty With Dwarves' is the first in the Wuntvor trilogy, and is a continuation of the Ebenezum trilogy which started with 'A Malady of Magicks' where a cure to Ebenezum's sneezing needs to be found. Most of the characters have already been introduced in the previous books so it is best enjoyed if read from the first Ebenezum book. I find this series easier to read than most fantasy books, as there are only a handful of new characters added in each book, all with their own catchphrases or subjects. The world building and plot is kept to a minimum. It is like going to see a panto. you can probably guess what is coming next as each character appears, but it is still fun to see it play out. It is a good book to read before going to bed with a smile on your face.
February 17, 2017
I really enjoyed the first three books and something brought them to mind, so I reread the first three and was pleased to find more about Wuntvor. He's still a bit clueless at times but he knows pretty much who he is and knows that he loves Norei. Ebeneezum is still suffering from his allergy to magick, so they set off to Vushta, the city of forbidden delights. At Vushta, in defeating the demon Guxx, ebeneezum has transmitted his allergy not only to the demon, but to the rest of the magicians. So Wuntvor sets off to find Mother Duck in the East Kingdom to see if she will help them against the plot to take over above ground as well as the Netherhells and rule it all.
May 20, 2022
This book made me laugh more than others in the series. Not sure if it was actually funnier or just hit me at the right time.
As lover of fairytales and Mother Goose, I feel like Mother Duck missed the whole parody mark. Mother Goose is attributed with children's poems, usually not stories. Particularly as our former villain is now allergic to poetry seemed like some missed potential.
As lover of fairytales and Mother Goose, I feel like Mother Duck missed the whole parody mark. Mother Goose is attributed with children's poems, usually not stories. Particularly as our former villain is now allergic to poetry seemed like some missed potential.
February 3, 2019
This a light romp in an interesting world created by Gardner. It is the beginning of a series in which Wuntver an inept wizard apprentice is the focus. His ‘leadership’ gets the team into big problems. If he is left alone Death awaits.
June 7, 2020
This was a decent story. The constant "squirrel" distractions made sense for the story, but made it hard for me to engage with the storyline and characters. It also seemed like I was starting the second book in the series rather than the first, which was also distracting.
November 10, 2024
Since I didn't read the earlier Ebenezum trilogy, all the wacky companions were initially confusing. Also, each book of this series ends with a cliffhanger. So get all three books of this trilogy at once for full enjoyment.
April 5, 2014
I finished A Difficulty With Dwarves last night. It wasn't very long (20 chapters, 188 pages), but I didn't find it very interesting or entertaining. I did find it better than Miss Buncle's Book, at least maybe in the sense that stuff actually happened. =P
Even though this book is probably supposed to be humorous, there were really only two spots that made me snerk:
1. when Wuntvor used 'nasal avalanche' as a description for mass sneezing in chapter one
and
2. the unicorn starts a poem to Wuntvor in which the first verse is:
"Oh Wuntvor, do not be forlorn,
For you can stroke my golden horn."
That was on page 170 and, yeah, my mind went there. Which is probably why I found it funny.
But, as you can see, I only found two things humorous and they were really far apart. I'm just assuming that this type of humor just isn't my brand, though there is definitely potential there. Especially as the Majyk By... series is somewhat similar and more funny to me.
Another thing I thought about after I finished which probably also didn't help was that most of the book was basically characters running around and interrupting each other like forced chaos. Wuntvor has to travel to the Eastern Kingdoms to speak with Mother Duck, but that basically only starts maybe 13 or 14 chapters in. The dwarves in the title? Show up in maybe the last four chapters and they were annoying.
Also? Wuntvor is a freaking idiot. This moron thought Yeah. Course, this is the guy who's lap the poor unicorn wants to lay his head on, which is sad for the unicorn. Wuntvor, of course, keeps putting him off which probably doesn't help matters, since the unicorn keeps following him everywhere. If Wunts would just LET the unicorn lay his head in his lap and get it over with, the creature would probably back off a bit.
Character wise, the only ones I really mostly liked were Tap the Brownie, Snarks the truth-telling demon, and the unicorn. Everyone else was just... meh.
I also found the all the 'indeed's annoying and I wanted to take a pen and strike out all the 'stout's from Wunt describing his stupid staff as 'stout oak staff' EVERY DAMN TIME it was mentioned. Once or twice, sure, but not every damn time!
I really hope book two is better, though if book one is anything to go by, it probably won't be.
Even though this book is probably supposed to be humorous, there were really only two spots that made me snerk:
1. when Wuntvor used 'nasal avalanche' as a description for mass sneezing in chapter one
and
2. the unicorn starts a poem to Wuntvor in which the first verse is:
"Oh Wuntvor, do not be forlorn,
For you can stroke my golden horn."
That was on page 170 and, yeah, my mind went there. Which is probably why I found it funny.
But, as you can see, I only found two things humorous and they were really far apart. I'm just assuming that this type of humor just isn't my brand, though there is definitely potential there. Especially as the Majyk By... series is somewhat similar and more funny to me.
Another thing I thought about after I finished which probably also didn't help was that most of the book was basically characters running around and interrupting each other like forced chaos. Wuntvor has to travel to the Eastern Kingdoms to speak with Mother Duck, but that basically only starts maybe 13 or 14 chapters in. The dwarves in the title? Show up in maybe the last four chapters and they were annoying.
Also? Wuntvor is a freaking idiot. This moron thought Yeah. Course, this is the guy who's lap the poor unicorn wants to lay his head on, which is sad for the unicorn. Wuntvor, of course, keeps putting him off which probably doesn't help matters, since the unicorn keeps following him everywhere. If Wunts would just LET the unicorn lay his head in his lap and get it over with, the creature would probably back off a bit.
Character wise, the only ones I really mostly liked were Tap the Brownie, Snarks the truth-telling demon, and the unicorn. Everyone else was just... meh.
I also found the all the 'indeed's annoying and I wanted to take a pen and strike out all the 'stout's from Wunt describing his stupid staff as 'stout oak staff' EVERY DAMN TIME it was mentioned. Once or twice, sure, but not every damn time!
I really hope book two is better, though if book one is anything to go by, it probably won't be.
January 7, 2020
This humorous fantasy novel is actually the fourth in a series, so I think I'm going to go back and read the earlier ones if I can. But anyway, it's pretty entertaining, nothing uproarious but definitely funny. Wuntvor, apprentice to the great wizard Ebenezum, is tasked with journeying to the Eastern Kingdoms to seek a cure for the curse that makes the wizards of Vushta allergic to magic. Unfortunately, he's distracted along the way by his old allies, including a song-and-dance team of a dragon and a damsel, a cheerful shoemaking brownie, and an amorous unicorn. He's also forced to temporarily join forces with his old nemesis, the poetic demon Guxx Unfufadoo; and is frequently bothered by a committee of demons from the Netherhells. It's pretty chaotic overall. The dwarves, while they're there, are really just a quick gag, and probably only in the title to maintain alliteration.
March 15, 2015
As fantasy stories go this isn't too bad, it is a little slow to start and not particularly complicated (which is why I think it could be good for children as well as teens) but once you get into it, it is quite enjoyable. There is a good bit of light-hearted humour, which even as an adult I enjoyed and the action is good as it arises. The characters only really start developing towards the latter half of the book but there are quite a few and Gardner uses the first half to introduce most of them and to set up the main story while hinting at plenty of little side stories which are rather intriguing. LOTR its not but still it was an enjoyably easy read, will certainly keep an eye out for the rest of the series.
August 31, 2013
I probably would have loved this book had I read this in my teens. I enjoyed this tale for the most part, some parts definitely would be enjoyed far more by a younger audience.
Wuntnor, the wizards apprentice finds a world of trouble when his master as well as the other wizards succumb to fits of sneezing. Wuntnor is sent on a quest to find help via Mother Duck in the eastern kingdom. Many pitfalls and run-ins with demons and death. A screwball comedy ensues.
Death (as in the character embodiment), demons (fearsomely cornball), a vaudeville dragon and damsel, a unicorn infatuated with Wuntnor, a lovably annoying brownie, apprentice thugs, and not to be forgotten - Wuntnor's own true love. Adventure, magic, blood boiling, trouble, giants and dwarves.
Wuntnor, the wizards apprentice finds a world of trouble when his master as well as the other wizards succumb to fits of sneezing. Wuntnor is sent on a quest to find help via Mother Duck in the eastern kingdom. Many pitfalls and run-ins with demons and death. A screwball comedy ensues.
Death (as in the character embodiment), demons (fearsomely cornball), a vaudeville dragon and damsel, a unicorn infatuated with Wuntnor, a lovably annoying brownie, apprentice thugs, and not to be forgotten - Wuntnor's own true love. Adventure, magic, blood boiling, trouble, giants and dwarves.
July 15, 2014
This is the first book in the "Ballad of Wuntvor" series and it picks up right where the previous series left off. Alas, it didn't really pick up in quality any. I'm not sure why I'm continuing to read these except that they were given to me and I don't want to admit defeat. Fortunately, they are short. Perhaps I'll be able to finish the other two while reading the nonfiction tome on the Salem Witch Trials.
March 28, 2011
Although it begins with clever ideas, it quickly gets old as the clever ideas repeat themselves like an overused third grade joke. Seriously, as Mark Twain would say, "the novel goes nowhere and arrives in the air."
May 25, 2021
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
February 1, 2008
nuff' said!
March 3, 2009
extra 1/2 star.
February 27, 2009
Clever story and some fun twists; but the writing was almost childish with an easily predictable plot.
June 18, 2011
good book with dwarves and stuff.
May 20, 2013
A good light read, easy to pick up and put down whenever. The plot is quite predicable and possibly too long winded, but in the whole it was amusing.
January 24, 2014
A few good puns here and there but overall, just bad humor with horribly flat characters that no one could care about.
August 17, 2015
yikes
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August 25, 20101ST UK PUBLICATION. COVER BY JOSH KIRBY.
January 4, 2011
Okay. But it made me mad that the main character let himself get pushed around so much!
June 13, 2017
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13996387
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13996387
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews