Rating: 
Summary: great fun
Review: "Those who are evil have virtues: those who are good have flaws." This theme runs through "Sir Apropos of Nothing" from almost the first page. Heroic knights are depicted as marauding rapists, the distressed princess is a sociopath arsonist and the ultimate hero of the book is a lying con artists. In other words the characters were very true to life. While Apropos, the main character, might have some virtues they are few and very well hidden. He is selfish, conniving, lecherous, dishonest, lazy and consumed with his own self interest, and those are his virtues. Apropos is not a hero by anyone's standards, even his own. He hates heroes; he dislikes people who do good deeds out of principle, he despises people who are pure of hart because they annoy him (don't we all?). He hates them not just because he doesn't understand them but because he cannot understand them. At first his inability to care about the affairs of anyone but himself worries him but the feeling is fleeting and he soon recovers to go on about his self-serving way. His self-serving way leads him to become a squire and assigned to guard the books princess. He almost starts to think things are finally going his way when disaster strikes and he comes to terms with the fact that this story was not supposed to be about him at all I enjoyed the concept of a minor character hijacking (literally) a heroic story from the more than perfect hero. Apropos realizes his childhood friend (though Apropos would deny he ever actually liked the annoying do-gooder) is the hero touched by destiny to accomplish great things. He grasps the fact that he was just a minor character in the hero's grand tale, someone to whom the hero can be benevolent towards because that's what hero's do. Upon having this epiphany Apropos snaps bludgeons the hero to within an inch of his life and hijacks the Hero's newly hatched phoenix and goes off to rescue the princess himself. Rescuing princesses is easier said than done however. Hero's have a knack for doing that sort thing princess rescuing that the rest of us just don't have. Apropos finds out all to well that rescuing princesses is usually far more trouble than the princess is worth. The book is funny, irreverent and full of some of the worst puns I have ever had to suffer through.
The only flaw I found in Mr. David's book was that he made Apropos entirely to much an anti-hero. While I sympathized with the slimy little twerp, and cheered when he beat up the obnoxious hero, I still had so much trouble actually liking him. There are few who will admit that we are more like Apropos than not. Perhaps that is why I enjoyed the little back stabbing cretin so much. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the sequel 'The Woad to Wuin" and I can only hope that this is one of those seven book trilogies.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: A hilarious farce. Brilliant writing, engaging characters, interesting story. I laughed out loud at least once per page.
The mocking and humorous tone of the book is heavy and continuous so be prepared.
Rating: 
Summary: Like chocolate and potatoes
Review: A previous reviewer compared this book to a mixture of Victor Hugo and Dave Barry. They say that like it's a BAD thing!!! Like chocolate and potatoes (try dipping french fries in a chocolate milk shake and you'll understand), it's two good things made all the better by the marriage of styles.
But then, I happen to ENJOY a healthy mixture of angst with the absurd. The kind of parody put forth in Sir Apropos is, to me, enriched EXPONENTIALLY by the element of seriousness.
I will say that this is a book that requires a certain acknowledgement and accpetance of the difference between two flavors. One has to realize that there is a time and a place to read certain elements in a certain light. Yes, frankly, you ARE expected to gloss over the repeated rapes. It's fiction. Not only is it fiction, it's utterly unrealistic PARODIED FANTASY. The TITLE ITSELF fairly screams out, "DO NOT TAKE ME SERIOUSLY."
But there is a time to take it seriously. And it isn't too hard to take the author's cues concerning when to do that.
No, it isn't a book for everyone. But it is a book for those rare few gourmets who live for that perfect recipe, that master chef's touch that can put together something as unlikely as chocolate and potatoes and churn out a feast for the senses.
Sir Apropos of Nothing is that kind of feast.
Rating:
Summary: More than just entertaining
Review: 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 know what I am talking about, and I think he handled this aspect in a very realistic but also appealing way. I hate it when people with disabilities are shown as objects of pity and being helpless victims. Apropos learned from very early on to see and treat his disability as a challenge. In time he became more and more able to defend himself if he has to. But first of all he learned to use his wit and how to evade physical confrontations. I find this very interesting. Apropos reminded me in some ways of Miles Vorkosigan, the main character in Lois McMaster Bujold`s series. Peter David is openly challenging cliches and prejudices, not only concerning the "heroism and chivalry" stuff in fairy tales and about disabled people, but there is a lot more. The book often made me think. One other aspect is that Peter David obviously shares my opinion that having feelings is not a weakness, it is a strength. He is also challenging the cliché of the overly male hero who is only allowed to show feelings of the more aggressive kind. Apropos also has a very sensitive side. The richness of his character also left such a strong impression on me because Peter David wrote the book from the first person perspective. He already showed me in the past that he is very skilled at using the advantages this form of storytelling has to its full potential. "Apropos" is a whole story. It has a definite end. But it can also be seen as the first chapter in a series of books. Peter David is considering writing a sequel. I am very much hoping he will do that. I think it is an excellent book, very cleverly written with some surprises especially at the end. To me it is much more than just entertaining. In other words, if you ask me, it is definitely worth buying.
Rating:
Summary: More than just entertaining
Review: 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 know what I am talking about, and I think he handled this aspect in a very realistic but also appealing way. I hate it when people with disabilities are shown as objects of pity and being helpless victims. Apropos learned from very early on to see and treat his disability as a challenge. In time he became more and more able to defend himself if he has to. But first of all he learned to use his wit and how to evade physical confrontations. I find this very interesting. Apropos reminded me in some ways of Miles Vorkosigan, the main character in Lois McMaster Bujold`s series. Peter David is openly challenging cliches and prejudices, not only concerning the "heroism and chivalry" stuff in fairy tales and about disabled people, but there is a lot more. The book often made me think. One other aspect is that Peter David obviously shares my opinion that having feelings is not a weakness, it is a strength. He is also challenging the cliché of the overly male hero who is only allowed to show feelings of the more aggressive kind. Apropos also has a very sensitive side. The richness of his character also left such a strong impression on me because Peter David wrote the book from the first person perspective. He already showed me in the past that he is very skilled at using the advantages this form of storytelling has to its full potential. "Apropos" is a whole story. It has a definite end. But it can also be seen as the first chapter in a series of books. Peter David is considering writing a sequel. I am very much hoping he will do that. I think it is an excellent book, very cleverly written with some surprises especially at the end. To me it is much more than just entertaining. In other words, if you ask me, it is definitely worth buying.
Rating:
Summary: Possibly the Funniest Book Ever
Review: Apropos of Nothing has to be one of the best, most original, funniest books I've ever read. His character is someone that you can't help but like, but sometimes you find yourself shaking your head in disgust at some of the things he does to save his own miserable skin. Great time, fast read, and awesome writing. Couldn't ask for more from a book.
Rating:
Summary: Witty and Wacky and a MUST read
Review: Apropos, the result of the gang rape of a barmaid, starts life with a full set of teeth, a lame leg and all the bad luck the gods can sling at him-not to mention a hatred for the man who brought him into existence. He is still in his teens when his mother is murdered by a customer and he sets out to bring her killer to justice. Being a coward-or, as Apropos might have phrased it, being quick to save himself if danger is imminent-he has no desire to inflict the justice himself; that's a job for the King.
Petitioning the King sets off a chain of events that leaves him as the squire to an aged, derelict, nearly amnesiac knight by the name of Sir Umbrage of the Flaming Nether Regions. And it just gets worse. Apropos is no hero, what's more he has no desire to be heroic, and yet he gets thrown into position after position that require him to do just that. He is nearly killed by the children of the harpies, he nearly gets trampled by unicorns, he smashes the skull of his best friend, he (just barely) rescues a pyromaniac princess, he kills a man who might be his father. . . After the adventures are all over and done with, Apropos is a knight (of nothing) and much the worse for wear. Which, of course, is when things get even worse!
With Apropos, our anti-hero, it's one hilarious (mis)adventure after another, all provided at his expense, and I loved it! Peter David has written Apropos with his tongue firmly in cheek, throwing out puns, irreverence, spoofs and laughs, often when one least expects it. I laughed hard, read a LOT of it out loud and hated to see it end. Despite all the outrageousness, the fantasy is quite plausible; it's well-written, easy to read and hard to put down. Oddly enough, I cared about the scoundrel Apropos, and wondered with him if he really were a hero, or just a secondary character in someone else's story. Peter David has earned a place in my line of favorites, right up there with Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde. This book rates a full five stars.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely entertaining
Review: Apropose is such a wonderfully human character - if you can look at Tacit's character and say "By golly, I'm just like him," well good for you, but the fact is, most of us arent like that... And while a lot of people dont want to read a book where the main character does hold traits more like those of the average person, for fear of seeing too much of themselves in a character they dont like, it's a brilliant change of pace from pretty much any other book out there. And a little comedy never hurt anyone, of course ;)
Rating:
Summary: And Now For Something Completely Different!
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: If you like Terry Pratchett... read one of his books instead
Review: Awful, awful, awful. A must to avoid. If I could give this book a negative rating, I would. "Sir Apropos of Nothing" is full of cheap puns, weak characters, and contrived plotlines, all written in a cloying, self-amused (VERY self-amused) style that gets more and more irritating with every page. Peter David obviously read a Terry Pratchett book one day and said to himself, "Hey, I can do that." I'm sorry, Mr. David, but you can't. There is a crucial difference, sir, between you and Mr. Pratchett. He is funny, and you are not. Stick to writing comic books. You are at least good at that.
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