I was super excited when I found out that Jesse Baruffi had released three bonus epilogues for ‘Otto Von Trapezoid And The Empress of Thieves‘ (you can read my review of the book here). I couldn’t wait to read more about Otto and his ‘friends’.
And the best is that you can read these for free too! Jesse has posted the three epilogues on his Facebook page and Wattpad profile. Of course, you should read the book first – what are you waiting for?
I am rating 3.5 stars overall for the three epilogues, you can read my review below. As you know, I tend to struggle when reviewing short stories, in order to not give much away, so I hope you enjoy my short comments.
Epilogue One: Requiem for a Twine
Epilogue One: Requiem for a Twine: At the record-shattering Twine-Aid concert, we learn the fates of Licky Handleman and the Sisters of Norwegian Literature.
“As a token of my appreciation, this week I am going to be releasing three short stories for free online. All three serve as epilogues to the book, as codas to the minor characters who didn’t quite have their tales resolved by the end of the book, or for whom I just thought more info would be amusing and interesting. I’ll be posting them here, as well as on my Wattpad page and my personal website.”
Jesse Baruffi (Facebook)
My Review:
While it was interesting and amusing indeed to follow the adventures of Licky Handleman and the Sisters of Norwegian Literature, I would expect the first epilogue to be more connected to the end of the main novel. This is because after I’ve finished the book, I have to admit that I wanted to read (even) more of the main characters (not necessarily the protagonists), and I can imagine other readers feel the same. Still, this was an interesting episode, worth to read as perhaps a standalone story. If you are a fan of Jesse Baruffi’s style, you’ll still enjoy this. If you haven’t read Jesse Baruffi yet, this might be a good start!
Epilogue Two: The Further Adventures of the Talking Skull of Teddy Roosevelt
Epilogue Two: The Further Adventures of the Talking Skull of Teddy Roosevelt: In this intrepid tale, the former president’s skull puts his mettle to the test against another implacably evil appendage.
“Today I release the second story of the epilogues, which has a ridiculously long title and features a character mentioned only twice and I’m not sure anyone besides me finds funny. But nonetheless, enjoy, “The Further Adventures of the Talking Skull of Teddy Roosevelt.”
Jesse Baruffi (Facebook)
My Review:
This story has a very particular tone – which I found interesting, but it’s yet another episode that doesn’t feature a main character of the book. This story was perhaps my least favorite of the three. The satire aspect of the book is very prominent in this one, and it has a bit of that ‘absurd nonsense’ that is so characteristic in the novel, but perhaps it was a bit overdone here.
Epilogue Three: Marooned
Epilogue Three: Marooned: From the point of view of Tim the Necromancer, we see what has become of the cabal of villains Otto shot into space. Will they kill one another, or will another romance bloom?
“This one is probably my favorite of the three, as it deals with the fate of Tim the Necromancer, a character who will eventually have a whole novel devoted to him, not to mention the return of several other villains from the story. Obviously, I never get enough of writing Lord Ironmask, but it was nice to check in on all of them. There’s also a surprise visitor, who unintentionally became another of my favorites and wormed their way into more of the tale than intended.”
Jesse Baruffi (Facebook)
My Review:
This is my favorite of the three. You have to love these villains! This epilogue does sound as some sort of prologue at the same time – if this makes sense. It has that characteristic feel of ‘This is just the beginning’. I was happy to know that Jesse Baruffi intends to devote a novel to Necromancer because Tim is an awesome character. I hope to read more of Tim and the ‘girl’ ( which girl? read the epilogue if you want to know more).
About the author
Jesse Baruffi was born in a West Virginia college and quickly became the adorable dorm mascot of his parents’ alma mater. While other little boys dreamed of being astronauts and firemen, Jesse dreamed of creating stories, a curse which failed to subside, even in adulthood. He has been a teacher, tutor, caseworker, cat rescuer, filmmaker, and accidental kite-flying champion. He currently resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee with two demanding feline overlords. Otto Von Trapezoid and the Empress of Thieves is his first novel.
6 Responses
Hi Nya,
Thanks for checking out the short stories. I admit that of the three, I was saving the best for last, but if it makes you feel better, there are some characters from the first story at least that will tie into Tim’s novel. Let’s just say that despite dying in the plane crash, you haven’t seen the last of metal band Bonesaw ReDethroned. Half the reason I told that story was because I wanted to introduce them.
Thank you so much for passing by, Jesse. And it’s interesting to know that some of what happened before will tie into the new novel. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi,
I tagged you to do The Character Book Tag. For more details, here is my post: http://readitornotreviews.com/2015/12/13/the-character-book-tag/
Hope you enjoy the tag! 🙂
Thank you:) I haven’t done a tag in a while, it will be fun.
I love to read your book reviews. I feel they are honest.
Thank you so much! That means a lot to me, I really only write my honest opinion. But I do try to focus on what is positive too 🙂 P.S. You took the day to check my blog? So appreciated!! 😀