The Unhandsome Prince

by John Moore

Book Overview

An author "mythically reminiscent of Robert Asprin"* unleashes a royal pain. Caroline kissed every frog in the swamp until she found the one that turned into a prince--only Prince Hal isn't the handsome specimen she expected to find. Unless she can learn to love the princely sum of his parts, it'll be unhappily ever after.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0441012876
• ISBN13: 9780441012879
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: Ace Books
• Length: 266 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

The elusive good comic fantasy.

John Moore joins the ranks of Terry Pratchett, Mark E. Rogers, Craig Shaw Gardner, Mary Gentle, Ester Freisner, Robert Rankin and Tom Holt(to name a few off the top of my head)in the ranks of writers of good comic fantasy. It's a shame that so few authors can make a living writing comic fantasy and when somebody does it well we should support them and buy buy buy. The Unhandsome Prince even manages to keep you laughing without resorting to the evil practice of the repeated pun. Story telling is an art and John Moore is worth keeping on your must read list.

Fantasy with humor...

makes for a great combination in my book (no pun intended). I'm of the opinion that many of the present-day "fantasy" authors take themselves and their books much too seriously, believing that the bigger and more melodramatic their books are, the better. While I have read a number of those 800 pg doorstops, and actually liked some of them (GRRM and the early Jordans, did not care for the later Jordans, Goodkind or Robin Hobb), there will always be a place in my cluttered bookshelves for authors like John Moore. Moore writes with a style that doesn't take anything too seriously, least of all himself or his characters, and that's what a true fantasy book should be in my opinion. Very refreshing in this over-the-top PC day and age. You may disagree if you like, after all I'm not taking this review all that seriously either. So be it. But if you like fantasy books with a clearly defined sense of right and wrong, where you know the good guys are going to win in the end, crack some good jokes along the way and do all the above in 300 pgs or less, give The Unhandsome Prince or Heroics for Beginners a try. Or, if you're lucky enough to find it cheap in a used bookstore somewhere (as I did), Slay and Rescue. You won't be sorry.

Heartwarming

I bought this book and was *entirely* delighted with it. I've been recommending it to my friends, and will probably be giving a few as gifts. It is fun, with a wryly sweet sense of humor. There is some strong language and some sexual concepts that may make it inappropriate for young children, but I think it's perfect for young adults and over. I'm disheartened to see a negative review on the basis of it's being anti-Semitic. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course, but I strongly disagree with that interpretation. I'd much rather see a book where the historical events are explained ... as long as the heroes take a strong stand against injustice. The heroes of this fairy tale refuse to allow innocent people become pawns of economics. Kudos to Moore for taking an opportunity to broaden the understanding of the next generation.

Like Slay and Rescue

Like in his first book SLAY AND RESCUE, the author parodies the world of fairy tales with a one-two punch. First he parodies the elements of the tales themselves and then finishes them off by adding a dash of reality to them. In this book we meet Caroline who has just gone through a lot of trouble and kissed a lot of frogs to rescue Prince Hal. But Hal is not as promised. He is neither handsome nor likely to ever sit on the throne and rule. Caroline feels gypped and wants reparations from the estate of the witch that turned Hal into a frog. This early set up send Caroline and cast to the big city where they find out some of the truths of how the world really works. There are two truly handsome princes, either of whom might rule, glitz, glamor, magic, Rapunzel, Rumplestiltskin, and the expulsion of a minority. It all wraps up in satisfactory fashion although maybe not as the reader thinks it will. This is a very funny book that delivers laughs as well as a quick read. If you have read SLAY AND RESCUE and enjoyed it, you will want to read this one. If you have enjoyed this one, you will want to check out SLAY AND RESCUE.

amusing and adorable adult fairy tale

Once upon a time in the charming backwater village of Ripplebrook in the Kingdom of Melinower, the Sorceress Amanda turned Prince Hal into a frog for daring to break into her castle. Caroline, the most beautiful female in the village and perhaps the kingdom, spent seven weeks in the swamp kissing frogs until she found the princely one. When she kissed him, she expected a handsome royal to marry, but instead found the returned human Hal looked like a dweeb. The Prince was not thrilled with Caroline though she rescued him from an amphibious life of insects as he felt her husband criteria too shallow for Hal. However, he reluctantly agrees to take her and her friend Emily to the capital so the younger can apprentice to a wizard and Caroline can search for a handsome noble to marry. If she fails to wed within a prescribed time as a stipulation of the original spell, Hal converts back to a frog prince. THE UNHANDSOME PRINCE is an amusing and adorable adult fairy tale. Caroline matures over the course of the novel so readers come to eventually like her and hope she finds her true love, an unlikely event since she lacks a dowry (who says money can't buy happiness). Emily is smitten with the Prince, but she must remain chaste during her apprenticeship or else. Hal is too worried about his short swampy future to take a leap in thinking of having a family. The interrelationships of the characters showcase John Moore's magical writing skills. Harriet Klausner