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The Last Motley
Motleys. Candy-colored creatures with dark powers to drain the souls of men. That’s what Roderick always thought. Until he met one. Now he’s not so sure. But with seemingly everyone in the province hunting the motley down, he must quickly decide which side he’s on.
Is the motley the living nightmare the legends say? Or just a child cursed by magic? Should Roderick save him from an awful fate, or turn him in? Either way, it seems like everyone wants to make sure that this will indeed be the last motley.
Is the motley the living nightmare the legends say? Or just a child cursed by magic? Should Roderick save him from an awful fate, or turn him in? Either way, it seems like everyone wants to make sure that this will indeed be the last motley.
402 pages, Paperback
Published December 12, 2017
44 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
D.J. Edwardson
13 books62 followersDJ Edwardson traveled a lot when he was younger. These days he’s busy crafting exotic destinations of his own. Although he has written both Science Fiction and Fantasy novels, he likes to say he writes in the “genre of imagination.”
He has a degree in English from Cornell College where his emphasis was on the works of Shakespeare. He’s tried his hand at both acting and directing in the theater, but these days is happiest with a pen in his hand. He lives in Tennessee with his family amidst an ever-growing library of wonderful books.
You can find out more about DJ, his books, and all the crazy things he's invented in his head at www.djedwardson.com.
He has a degree in English from Cornell College where his emphasis was on the works of Shakespeare. He’s tried his hand at both acting and directing in the theater, but these days is happiest with a pen in his hand. He lives in Tennessee with his family amidst an ever-growing library of wonderful books.
You can find out more about DJ, his books, and all the crazy things he's invented in his head at www.djedwardson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 28, 2018
I’ve never read anything from D.J. Edwardson before, but The Last Motley has cemented him as one of my favorite indie authors. This book was captivating from beginning to end, and an excellent example of Christian fantasy done right. While I don’t complain about the many fantasy novels built around romantic relationships, I did find it refreshing that the central dynamic in this story was between a father and a child he essentially adopts as his son early in the book. The main protagonist, Roderick, is happily married and not at all your usual candidate for an epic quest. All the same, he embarks on one anyway out of love for a little boy named Jacob, whom he is determined to save from a power that threatens to destroy him–and the world as well. A delightful romance does still feature between two side characters, but I won’t say too much about that to avoid spoilers. The supporting cast is great (especially Nagan, who’s hilarious), the world is detailed and immersive, and the magic, which plays an unusual role in the story, is fascinating. Special mention must be made of Edwardson’s breathtaking writing style and the clever plot twists he introduces near the end. The end is so satisfying that it leaves you wanting a sequel without feeling that the story has been cut short in any way. This is a book you should place very high on your 2018 TBR list.
February 6, 2018
(Originally posted on my book blog: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...)
Well, here’s one for the favorite books list! Absolutely delightful fantasy, one of the best I’ve read! I loved it so much! ^_^
Here are 10 (ish) things I love about The Last Motley.
1. It’s familiar and new all at once. It feels like a classic sort of fantasy tale, while at the same time being quite unique and not at all what you’d think! There are a few plot twists near the end which kept me on my toes (one of them I’m not sure about, but I sort of saw it coming and I THINK I’m okay with it) and otherwise I have no complaints at all—I loved everything about this book!
2. It reminds me a bit of Lloyd Alexander or Tolkien—high praise from me. ;) Not in a repetitive sort of way, but in an it’s-just-that-good kind of way, with some similar flavors, such as colorful characters like Lloyd Alexander, and the real sort of “feel” of the world, like Tolkien.
3. A lot of the story and characters are not at all what you’d expect! I won’t say much about the story, lest I spoil it, other than to say that there’s a quest (huzzah!) and much adventure and excitement. :) It’s a wonderful journey/quest going on, and somehow manages to feel familiar but surprising at once, like the best fantasy tales. There’s a lingering mystery to it all too, which was fascinating, and the conclusion is very exciting! O_O
4. As for the characters—well, my favorites! Roderick is a surprising hero—he’s only a simple tailor (as he’s fond of reminding people), and all he really wants is to stay with his lovely wife and little daughter, but he finds himself off on a quest... and more than he bargained for! He’s a little like Bilbo or Sam Gamgee in that way (though unique from them, of course), goodhearted and rather out of place in the wide world, just wanting his quiet home, and family—but that of course makes him the BEST of heroes, in his own simple way. I LOVED Roderick! :D Also, I thought it was brilliant how he noticed things about people by their clothes; he’s a TAILOR, so naturally he’s an expert on this, and it was incredible how that worked into the story in subtle ways. (And I love how he says “Oh, buttons.” I think I may adopt this. XD)
5. Then we have other characters, which I will briefly mention but try not to give too much away—because you must go meet them in the book yourself! There’s the wise old men Jareth and Kendall, an independent young woman named Portia, and of course Nagan! Not much to say about Nagan other than that he’s absolutely HILARIOUS, and his lines are some of my favorites in the book, which also makes him one of my favorites to read about! He has SO much personality. XD Then, last but not least, we have the titular Motley, Jacob, a young boy who... well... SPOILERS... but he’s absolutely the most ADORABLE thing and I love him so much! I love ALL the characters, particularly all together. GAAH. *hugs them all*
6. There was a depth and strength to the story, with themes of faith and especially of family woven throughout. Roderick has a strong faith, which was wonderful to see evident throughout the book in his simple trust and prayers. LOVED those parts. Some of the elements were rich with truth and felt deep and rather like George MacDonald or C.S. Lewis. And some of the conclusions might take you by surprise, in the best way! I loved the subtle messages and themes I got out of it! :) And the last couple of paragraphs were great.
7. One of the strongest things I got out of it was the focus on family. I LOVED that. You don’t get a lot of fantasy books (or, well, books in general) focusing on family this much. Roderick and his wife, Bethany, and their little daughter, are lovely, and I love how he’s so protective of little Jacob. Their relationship is simply the best! The way Roderick thinks of Bethany all the time and what she’d do or think or say, and just wants to go home to his family, warmed my heart and made me so happy. ^_^ It’s a family book and we need more of those. <3 And talking of family: the book is suitable reading for the entire family, which pleases me muchly. There are a few rather scary fantasy-shadow parts with the villains, so very young children might find it a little scary, but otherwise it’s totally family friendly. :)
8. The fantasy world of Arinn was fascinating, and I felt instantly at home there. I want to see more of it! It was a joy traveling through it with the characters—I felt so much a part of its hills and forests and rivers etc. It felt so colorful (appropriately so) and alive and just—I don’t know! It’s very homey (despite the inevitable dangers of such worlds. ;)) and I love it! Also, it made me hungry; sooo much food. I need to eat some fruit now! XD
9. The writing is another one of my favorite things about this book. It’s clever and funny by turns, and the little comparisons or twists of phrase lent it an air of whimsical, wry humor, which I absolutely adored. I often enjoy the writing in books, but this one had an extra something special. :D I had to pause here and there to savor some brilliant turn of phrase. I felt like I was eating a rich cake, or something!
10. Did I mention it’s funny? Because it’s funny! Not always in a laugh-out-loud way, but between some of the writing, and certain of the characters—particularly Nagan—it sparkled with humor here and there and made it that much more pleasant to read. I always particularly value books that make me laugh—and this one brought tears to my eyes too at a couple of particularly beautiful, heartfilling parts near the end! <3 (Speaking of the end—in the last chapter there was a reference, or possibly two, which absolutely MADE MY DAY. I don’t know if others will catch them but it had me grinning insanely. XD Inside jokes are the. best.)
To conclude, I loved everything about it! This is an absolutely delightful book, in every way possible—from the story, the writing, the CHARACTERS, the humor and emotion, to the family and faith element, the world, and just an extra level of rich SOMETHING which I can’t put my finger on but characterizes this as one of my new favorite books! ^_^
This is quality fantasy, right here.
I’m eagerly awaiting more from this author, and I HIGHLY recommend The Last Motley to anybody who loves a good fantasy tale—because this certainly is one, and more.
(I received a free e-copy of this book from the author (thank you!). These opinions are entirely my own.)
(A Few) Favorite Quotes
Well, here’s one for the favorite books list! Absolutely delightful fantasy, one of the best I’ve read! I loved it so much! ^_^
Here are 10 (ish) things I love about The Last Motley.
1. It’s familiar and new all at once. It feels like a classic sort of fantasy tale, while at the same time being quite unique and not at all what you’d think! There are a few plot twists near the end which kept me on my toes (one of them I’m not sure about, but I sort of saw it coming and I THINK I’m okay with it) and otherwise I have no complaints at all—I loved everything about this book!
2. It reminds me a bit of Lloyd Alexander or Tolkien—high praise from me. ;) Not in a repetitive sort of way, but in an it’s-just-that-good kind of way, with some similar flavors, such as colorful characters like Lloyd Alexander, and the real sort of “feel” of the world, like Tolkien.
3. A lot of the story and characters are not at all what you’d expect! I won’t say much about the story, lest I spoil it, other than to say that there’s a quest (huzzah!) and much adventure and excitement. :) It’s a wonderful journey/quest going on, and somehow manages to feel familiar but surprising at once, like the best fantasy tales. There’s a lingering mystery to it all too, which was fascinating, and the conclusion is very exciting! O_O
4. As for the characters—well, my favorites! Roderick is a surprising hero—he’s only a simple tailor (as he’s fond of reminding people), and all he really wants is to stay with his lovely wife and little daughter, but he finds himself off on a quest... and more than he bargained for! He’s a little like Bilbo or Sam Gamgee in that way (though unique from them, of course), goodhearted and rather out of place in the wide world, just wanting his quiet home, and family—but that of course makes him the BEST of heroes, in his own simple way. I LOVED Roderick! :D Also, I thought it was brilliant how he noticed things about people by their clothes; he’s a TAILOR, so naturally he’s an expert on this, and it was incredible how that worked into the story in subtle ways. (And I love how he says “Oh, buttons.” I think I may adopt this. XD)
5. Then we have other characters, which I will briefly mention but try not to give too much away—because you must go meet them in the book yourself! There’s the wise old men Jareth and Kendall, an independent young woman named Portia, and of course Nagan! Not much to say about Nagan other than that he’s absolutely HILARIOUS, and his lines are some of my favorites in the book, which also makes him one of my favorites to read about! He has SO much personality. XD Then, last but not least, we have the titular Motley, Jacob, a young boy who... well... SPOILERS... but he’s absolutely the most ADORABLE thing and I love him so much! I love ALL the characters, particularly all together. GAAH. *hugs them all*
6. There was a depth and strength to the story, with themes of faith and especially of family woven throughout. Roderick has a strong faith, which was wonderful to see evident throughout the book in his simple trust and prayers. LOVED those parts. Some of the elements were rich with truth and felt deep and rather like George MacDonald or C.S. Lewis. And some of the conclusions might take you by surprise, in the best way! I loved the subtle messages and themes I got out of it! :) And the last couple of paragraphs were great.
7. One of the strongest things I got out of it was the focus on family. I LOVED that. You don’t get a lot of fantasy books (or, well, books in general) focusing on family this much. Roderick and his wife, Bethany, and their little daughter, are lovely, and I love how he’s so protective of little Jacob. Their relationship is simply the best! The way Roderick thinks of Bethany all the time and what she’d do or think or say, and just wants to go home to his family, warmed my heart and made me so happy. ^_^ It’s a family book and we need more of those. <3 And talking of family: the book is suitable reading for the entire family, which pleases me muchly. There are a few rather scary fantasy-shadow parts with the villains, so very young children might find it a little scary, but otherwise it’s totally family friendly. :)
8. The fantasy world of Arinn was fascinating, and I felt instantly at home there. I want to see more of it! It was a joy traveling through it with the characters—I felt so much a part of its hills and forests and rivers etc. It felt so colorful (appropriately so) and alive and just—I don’t know! It’s very homey (despite the inevitable dangers of such worlds. ;)) and I love it! Also, it made me hungry; sooo much food. I need to eat some fruit now! XD
9. The writing is another one of my favorite things about this book. It’s clever and funny by turns, and the little comparisons or twists of phrase lent it an air of whimsical, wry humor, which I absolutely adored. I often enjoy the writing in books, but this one had an extra something special. :D I had to pause here and there to savor some brilliant turn of phrase. I felt like I was eating a rich cake, or something!
10. Did I mention it’s funny? Because it’s funny! Not always in a laugh-out-loud way, but between some of the writing, and certain of the characters—particularly Nagan—it sparkled with humor here and there and made it that much more pleasant to read. I always particularly value books that make me laugh—and this one brought tears to my eyes too at a couple of particularly beautiful, heartfilling parts near the end! <3 (Speaking of the end—in the last chapter there was a reference, or possibly two, which absolutely MADE MY DAY. I don’t know if others will catch them but it had me grinning insanely. XD Inside jokes are the. best.)
To conclude, I loved everything about it! This is an absolutely delightful book, in every way possible—from the story, the writing, the CHARACTERS, the humor and emotion, to the family and faith element, the world, and just an extra level of rich SOMETHING which I can’t put my finger on but characterizes this as one of my new favorite books! ^_^
This is quality fantasy, right here.
I’m eagerly awaiting more from this author, and I HIGHLY recommend The Last Motley to anybody who loves a good fantasy tale—because this certainly is one, and more.
(I received a free e-copy of this book from the author (thank you!). These opinions are entirely my own.)
(A Few) Favorite Quotes
“Is it time to go already?” Jacob rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the backs of his two little fists. “What’s that sound?”
“Wolves,” Roderick said. “Now up, up, it’s time for a quick bite and we’re off.”
“We’re having wolves for breakfast?” Jacob asked.
Roderick ruffled the top of Jacob’s head. “No, sleepy, that’s wolves howling off in the distance.”
***
“Regrettably, I must take my leave. I swear I shall never forget you gentle folk— or your smell— but my feet are calling me home.”
“And where would that be?” Kendall asked.
Nagan hesitated, scanning the horizon in several directions as if attempting to get his bearings. “That’s an interesting question,” he said finally.
***
“Afraid of trees, eh? I might just have to chop one down and wear it around my neck, then,” Nagan said.
***
“Of course it won’t be safe. But nothing is ever truly safe. Some things are just more dangerous than others.”
***
“And you’ll know peace, and joy, and the shadows will never come again.”
***
“Wonderful!” Nagan said. “How do you spell that?”
A pair of flashing red eyes blinked into existence at the far side of the ruins, weaving in and out amongst the crumbled stone.
“I have no idea,” Roderick said. “I can’t read.”
“And I can’t spell to save my life,” Nagan said. “Which, unfortunately, is more than just a figure of speech at the moment.”
did-not-finish
April 20, 2021DNF @ p62 because books that start out interesting and then quickly fall into bland, boring tropes are something I generally avoid.
February 23, 2018
S
eldom do I come to the end of a book with such a strong desire to flip back to the front and re-read the entire thing, just so that I can hang out with the characters some more, but The Last Motley was one where I was sorely tempted to do just that. However, I have other reading commitments at the moment, so re-reading this delightful adventure will have to wait. But I can relive it a little bit by telling you about it. I shall attempt to avoid spoilers…
Slide over, Tolkien, Lewis, and MacDonald, there is a new fantasy author on the scene and he deserves a spot at your table. This book is epic, poignant, and beautiful. The characters step off the page and into your heart, the language is crafted with care, filling the book with prose that reads like poetry, and the adventure is gripping and fast-paced, with a few twists and turns along the way.
The story revolves around Roderick, a simple tailor who happens to have a chance encounter with a Motley — a young boy whose skin is covered in a patchwork of colors and has a powerful, but dangerous, magic at his disposal. Roderick is not your typical fantasy hero. He is happily married and has a daughter, and all he really wants to do is stay home and take care of them. He doesn’t have much in the way of survival skills, early in the book he is considering how hard times are and the fact that he can’t just hunt for food like his father did, “He couldn’t shoot an arrow into the river if he was drowning.” However, when Jacob comes into his life and a mysterious group of scholars tells them that the only way to keep Jacob, and the world, safe from Jacob’s magic is to take a long trip to a place where they can safely remove Jacob’s magic from him, Jacob says he will only go if Roderick comes with him. Led by Master Kendall, one of the older scholars, the three unlikely companions begin the long journey across the world of Arinn.
Along the way, they will face nightmares, thieves, roving bands of wildmen, soldiers sent by powerful men to kidnap and harm Jacob, and skirt a sudden war in order to keep Jacob safe and reach their destination in one piece.
Of the things I loved about this book, Roderick was definitely my favorite. He was just such a refreshing character. A man of humility, integrity, and a strong nature bent on protecting those around him, Roderick is exactly the sort of person I’d want to go on a journey with. He reminds me a little bit of Bilbo Baggins or Sam Gamgee… maybe not the person you’d pick first for an epic journey, but once he’s there, he’s committed, 110%. I also loved how Edwardson wove in Roderick’s faith in Adonai seamlessly throughout the book in a way that was beautiful and compelling, and it never once seemed out of place. I also enjoyed that Roderick was a veritable repository of tailor-related sayings. “Oh, buttons!” is his catch-phrase throughout the book, but he also just sort of thinks in sewing-related terminology, and I LOVED that about him.
Jacob is another favorite. With his too-wise face that has seen too much sorrow already, I just want to scoop him up and give him a hug… pretty much on every page.
Along the way they meet a thief named Nagan, and he stole my heart completely, with his colloquialisms that don’t quite make sense, and his sense of humor, Nagan is in many respects the complete opposite of Roderick. He’s a shady fellow with a penchant for thievery, and a complete disregard for anything resembling integrity. However, falling in with Roderick and company does prove to be good for him, and in the end, his mettle is proved to be solid gold beneath the coarse exterior.
The world of Arinn is fascinating and epic and everything a fantasy world should be. The journey takes the reader across much of the map, and it is obvious that the author spent a great deal of time crafting this world and pouring thought and effort into the different cities and villages and areas, making them feel different and unique from one another while still obviously part of the same world. (As a side-note, the inns all have really fun names)!
I already mentioned the exquisite language of the book, and I just want to show you a small example of what I mean by sharing one of my favorite lines:
“By noon, the sun made a feeble attempt to push its way through the soggy rag which was gagging the sky.”
Isn’t that beautiful?
I loved how important family was in this story, and how the strength of his love for his family is what keeps Roderick going. He doesn’t just think about his wife and daughter with a sort of “oh, I miss them” kind of longing, but he sees their faces, he thinks about what his wife would say about various situations or people, or how his daughter would react to seeing certain things. He carries them in his heart, and it is beautiful.
Another thing I love about this book is the humor. It’s not always a laugh-out-loud sort of humor (though there were moments, like the line I shared earlier about Roderick’s lack of hunting skills, and most of the time when Nagan is talking), but there’s also this subtle, wry, whimsical sense of humor running throughout the story and I can just imagine the author grinning as he wrote the lines, hoping that his readers would find them as amusing as he.
Honestly, I could go on and on and on… but I’ve come too close to handing out spoilers already, and really, I’d rather you go out and buy yourself a copy of this epic, wonderful, GEM of a story than stay here reading my review of it! What are you waiting for? Go get a copy!
Five Dragon Eggs!
eldom do I come to the end of a book with such a strong desire to flip back to the front and re-read the entire thing, just so that I can hang out with the characters some more, but The Last Motley was one where I was sorely tempted to do just that. However, I have other reading commitments at the moment, so re-reading this delightful adventure will have to wait. But I can relive it a little bit by telling you about it. I shall attempt to avoid spoilers…
Slide over, Tolkien, Lewis, and MacDonald, there is a new fantasy author on the scene and he deserves a spot at your table. This book is epic, poignant, and beautiful. The characters step off the page and into your heart, the language is crafted with care, filling the book with prose that reads like poetry, and the adventure is gripping and fast-paced, with a few twists and turns along the way.
The story revolves around Roderick, a simple tailor who happens to have a chance encounter with a Motley — a young boy whose skin is covered in a patchwork of colors and has a powerful, but dangerous, magic at his disposal. Roderick is not your typical fantasy hero. He is happily married and has a daughter, and all he really wants to do is stay home and take care of them. He doesn’t have much in the way of survival skills, early in the book he is considering how hard times are and the fact that he can’t just hunt for food like his father did, “He couldn’t shoot an arrow into the river if he was drowning.” However, when Jacob comes into his life and a mysterious group of scholars tells them that the only way to keep Jacob, and the world, safe from Jacob’s magic is to take a long trip to a place where they can safely remove Jacob’s magic from him, Jacob says he will only go if Roderick comes with him. Led by Master Kendall, one of the older scholars, the three unlikely companions begin the long journey across the world of Arinn.
Along the way, they will face nightmares, thieves, roving bands of wildmen, soldiers sent by powerful men to kidnap and harm Jacob, and skirt a sudden war in order to keep Jacob safe and reach their destination in one piece.
Of the things I loved about this book, Roderick was definitely my favorite. He was just such a refreshing character. A man of humility, integrity, and a strong nature bent on protecting those around him, Roderick is exactly the sort of person I’d want to go on a journey with. He reminds me a little bit of Bilbo Baggins or Sam Gamgee… maybe not the person you’d pick first for an epic journey, but once he’s there, he’s committed, 110%. I also loved how Edwardson wove in Roderick’s faith in Adonai seamlessly throughout the book in a way that was beautiful and compelling, and it never once seemed out of place. I also enjoyed that Roderick was a veritable repository of tailor-related sayings. “Oh, buttons!” is his catch-phrase throughout the book, but he also just sort of thinks in sewing-related terminology, and I LOVED that about him.
Jacob is another favorite. With his too-wise face that has seen too much sorrow already, I just want to scoop him up and give him a hug… pretty much on every page.
Along the way they meet a thief named Nagan, and he stole my heart completely, with his colloquialisms that don’t quite make sense, and his sense of humor, Nagan is in many respects the complete opposite of Roderick. He’s a shady fellow with a penchant for thievery, and a complete disregard for anything resembling integrity. However, falling in with Roderick and company does prove to be good for him, and in the end, his mettle is proved to be solid gold beneath the coarse exterior.
The world of Arinn is fascinating and epic and everything a fantasy world should be. The journey takes the reader across much of the map, and it is obvious that the author spent a great deal of time crafting this world and pouring thought and effort into the different cities and villages and areas, making them feel different and unique from one another while still obviously part of the same world. (As a side-note, the inns all have really fun names)!
I already mentioned the exquisite language of the book, and I just want to show you a small example of what I mean by sharing one of my favorite lines:
“By noon, the sun made a feeble attempt to push its way through the soggy rag which was gagging the sky.”
Isn’t that beautiful?
I loved how important family was in this story, and how the strength of his love for his family is what keeps Roderick going. He doesn’t just think about his wife and daughter with a sort of “oh, I miss them” kind of longing, but he sees their faces, he thinks about what his wife would say about various situations or people, or how his daughter would react to seeing certain things. He carries them in his heart, and it is beautiful.
Another thing I love about this book is the humor. It’s not always a laugh-out-loud sort of humor (though there were moments, like the line I shared earlier about Roderick’s lack of hunting skills, and most of the time when Nagan is talking), but there’s also this subtle, wry, whimsical sense of humor running throughout the story and I can just imagine the author grinning as he wrote the lines, hoping that his readers would find them as amusing as he.
Honestly, I could go on and on and on… but I’ve come too close to handing out spoilers already, and really, I’d rather you go out and buy yourself a copy of this epic, wonderful, GEM of a story than stay here reading my review of it! What are you waiting for? Go get a copy!
Five Dragon Eggs!
August 28, 2021
Good Book, Not Quite My Taste
Objectively this book was pretty good. There were a few confusing parts and some things that I wish were cleaner, but overall it's enjoyable for probably most fantasy readers.
I enjoyed the magic system, how the story made use of certain tropes, and the nuggets of wisdom and truth spread through it.
I think my main issues with the story was that the plot was a bit wandering, and the action, while decent, was often lacking in any real consequences. While there was occasionally the threat of death, it wasn't very believable and Jacob's magic was kind of a catch-all. Rodrick was a great attempt at the nuanced paragon character, but he was very static and lacked agency. Honestly, the story wouldn't have been much different if he wasn't there, he didn't do much but give the readers eyes into the story and comment on the morality of nearly every choice.
However, the character were, for the most part, well fleshed out, the story enjoyable and not overly derivative as many European-inspired fantasies tend to be these days, and for people who want a well written fantasy with a strong moral message and not much to offend anyone, this is a safe bet. I can see why many people love it, it's just not entirely my cup of tea.
Objectively this book was pretty good. There were a few confusing parts and some things that I wish were cleaner, but overall it's enjoyable for probably most fantasy readers.
I enjoyed the magic system, how the story made use of certain tropes, and the nuggets of wisdom and truth spread through it.
I think my main issues with the story was that the plot was a bit wandering, and the action, while decent, was often lacking in any real consequences. While there was occasionally the threat of death, it wasn't very believable and Jacob's magic was kind of a catch-all. Rodrick was a great attempt at the nuanced paragon character, but he was very static and lacked agency. Honestly, the story wouldn't have been much different if he wasn't there, he didn't do much but give the readers eyes into the story and comment on the morality of nearly every choice.
However, the character were, for the most part, well fleshed out, the story enjoyable and not overly derivative as many European-inspired fantasies tend to be these days, and for people who want a well written fantasy with a strong moral message and not much to offend anyone, this is a safe bet. I can see why many people love it, it's just not entirely my cup of tea.
July 9, 2018
4.5 stars for one of the most interesting and beautifully written fantasy quests I've ever read. I had no idea what to expect from the story by the intriguing cover (I read it before reading the back blurb), but the story sucked me in from the first page. I love the MC, Roderick the humble tailor. He has become my favorite book Dad, ever! Such a compassionate and God-fearing husband and father, he makes the perfect reluctant hero and guardian for the frightened young orphan, Jacob (the "motley"). Their journey to discover a way to free Jacob from the curse of his motley magic is fraught with peril of every kind, but they do meet a couple of surprising allies along the way.
I love how Roderick's faith is such a part of him and how his prayers for Jacob comfort the child again and again. This world is so real I can feel the cold and smell the dungeon and taste the hardtack. Recommended for anyone who loves Christian fantasy and quest stories in particular.
I love how Roderick's faith is such a part of him and how his prayers for Jacob comfort the child again and again. This world is so real I can feel the cold and smell the dungeon and taste the hardtack. Recommended for anyone who loves Christian fantasy and quest stories in particular.
September 9, 2018
A wonderful fantasy adventure for the whole family.
January 12, 2018
Edwardson is an amazing storyteller. Tight, clean prose. Descriptions are well done. The setting and the characters all came alive for me. The way the characters, storyline, descriptions, and all came together is well done as well. The story had a nice pacing, not fast, sometimes a bit slow when I wanted to skip ahead to see what would happen next. Ha! BUT I didn't. The bumbling main character with the heart of gold steals your own. It's not exactly your typical fantasy adventure quest. The hero doesn't become some super hero with special powers or skills. He is a simple tailor, trying to do the right thing. Deep down, it's a story about a father's love and an orphaned boy finding a home. It is a beautiful story, and my life is richer for it.
February 6, 2018
The Last Motley is a journey across a multi-landscaped world, with a colorful cast of unique and interesting characters, on a quest which is highly original, with many twists upon the way.
Roderick is an extremely lovable, honest, up-standing tailor. He's not a great larger-than-life hero who can do anything at all—he's Roderick, a simple tailor who can love and pray. And in a way that sort of almost makes him the above. As the story is seen through his eyes, it was fun to see how he saw the world. Since he's a tailor he notices people's clothes, which I found very authentic and cool. I also loved that he prayed. When things went wrong, when Jacob was in trouble, when danger loomed, he prayed. And I loved that because that's something we can all do. We can't all go on quests to far away Islands to save a multi-colored child, but we can all pray. And that's just as important. :)
Jacob was so very much a child. In every delightful, beautiful, wonder-filled, open, loving, forgiving way. I love him. :)
I love Nagan and Portia!! They just spell: D'awwwwwwwwwww. ^_^ Nagan is a lot of fun, and his character growth was very nice and extremely satisfying. Portia is so graceful and charming, with a lot of spunk. She's also so open, and cheerful, and I loved how she stepped up to help out.
This is a family story. It's about love, and friendship, with a well rounded kaleidescope of relationships ranging from father and son, to the friendships between each character, to just a tad of romance on the side later on. There's basically four generations here which I only just realized as I wrote this, which is very different. I think people of all ages would enjoy it.
The world is so rich and the terrain changed seamlessly—from villages, forests, bare hills, a humongous river, and a starlit coastline, to warm inns, colorful cities, a sort of mafia gypsy camp, castle dungeons, and a nighttime rain-forest. Yup, this book's got all those things and more.
There were several twists, all of which were impressive and well done, the largest of which I guessed pretty early on, though since I kept deciding I wasn't going to be right means I didn't completely guess it. ;) But I love guessing things so I'm glad I suspected this twist.
The climax was satisfying and the ending one of the best.
Complaints? Precautions? I'm pretty much drawing a blank. But there's got to be something or this review won't sound honest at all. (Do people have to complain to sound honest? 'Cause that's no fun.) No complaints! And it's appropriate for all ages. :) The bad guys are scary though, but bad guys are always scary, and most children are probably braver than I am anyway.
I was given a review copy of this book by the author, but these opinions are my own. I have every intention of obtaining my own touchable copy via moneys ASAP because this book is re-readable, lendable material.
I recommend The Last Motley to lovers of epic fantasy, Christian fantasy, and readers of adventure who love a nice quest.
Basically, it's for anyone who loves a grandly told, beautiful tale with ribbons of truth weaved though it.
Roderick is an extremely lovable, honest, up-standing tailor. He's not a great larger-than-life hero who can do anything at all—he's Roderick, a simple tailor who can love and pray. And in a way that sort of almost makes him the above. As the story is seen through his eyes, it was fun to see how he saw the world. Since he's a tailor he notices people's clothes, which I found very authentic and cool. I also loved that he prayed. When things went wrong, when Jacob was in trouble, when danger loomed, he prayed. And I loved that because that's something we can all do. We can't all go on quests to far away Islands to save a multi-colored child, but we can all pray. And that's just as important. :)
Jacob was so very much a child. In every delightful, beautiful, wonder-filled, open, loving, forgiving way. I love him. :)
I love Nagan and Portia!! They just spell: D'awwwwwwwwwww. ^_^ Nagan is a lot of fun, and his character growth was very nice and extremely satisfying. Portia is so graceful and charming, with a lot of spunk. She's also so open, and cheerful, and I loved how she stepped up to help out.
This is a family story. It's about love, and friendship, with a well rounded kaleidescope of relationships ranging from father and son, to the friendships between each character, to just a tad of romance on the side later on. There's basically four generations here which I only just realized as I wrote this, which is very different. I think people of all ages would enjoy it.
The world is so rich and the terrain changed seamlessly—from villages, forests, bare hills, a humongous river, and a starlit coastline, to warm inns, colorful cities, a sort of mafia gypsy camp, castle dungeons, and a nighttime rain-forest. Yup, this book's got all those things and more.
There were several twists, all of which were impressive and well done, the largest of which I guessed pretty early on, though since I kept deciding I wasn't going to be right means I didn't completely guess it. ;) But I love guessing things so I'm glad I suspected this twist.
The climax was satisfying and the ending one of the best.
Complaints? Precautions? I'm pretty much drawing a blank. But there's got to be something or this review won't sound honest at all. (Do people have to complain to sound honest? 'Cause that's no fun.) No complaints! And it's appropriate for all ages. :) The bad guys are scary though, but bad guys are always scary, and most children are probably braver than I am anyway.
I was given a review copy of this book by the author, but these opinions are my own. I have every intention of obtaining my own touchable copy via moneys ASAP because this book is re-readable, lendable material.
I recommend The Last Motley to lovers of epic fantasy, Christian fantasy, and readers of adventure who love a nice quest.
Basically, it's for anyone who loves a grandly told, beautiful tale with ribbons of truth weaved though it.
June 17, 2018
When I saw the cover for this book, I knew I had to read it. It spoke to me in a way most covers don’t. The story was no less compelling. I loved it. The unique story, the rich world and colorful characters, the Tolkienesque feel…brilliantly done.
A few things I liked:
1. The premise
The whole idea of the story really intrigued and held my attention. A little boy is cursed with a terrible magic and our unlikely hero must set out to try to save him. Along the way he meets colorful characters, impossible challenges, and overwhelming odds. The motleys, the gypsies, the shadow-things-who’s-names-I-can’t-recall…ah, just loved it. And some of the plot twists totally threw me.
2. The family dynamics
This is my favorite aspect of the story. It’s refreshing in our day and age to find a good, clean story about a healthy family. The dad loves the mom, who loves him back, they have a kid, a simple life, they’re happy…it’s so heart-warming. I also love how they immediately open up their hearts and home to little Jacob, even though he is different from them.
Contrasted to this, you have the gypsies, with their wild, selfish, unlawful ways. Which makes Roderick and his family shine all the more brightly.
3. Nagan and Portia
These two surprised me. They’re hilarious. They’re flawed. I wasn’t sure what direction the author was going to take them when Nagan first showed up, but—gasp—the depth of his character arc is astounding. Brilliantly done! Loved every moment of these two. In a heavy book with lots of danger, these two brought a spot of color and laughter to the pages.
4. The suspense
The author did an amazing job of pulling you from one chapter to the next. There are very few, carefully placed, slow places. DJ doesn’t let you stop for long but pulls you from one dangerous situation to the next.
Was there anything I didn’t like? Meh, not really. I wanted to knock a few heads together on occasion, but I was supposed to feel that way about them. If you are a fan of Tolkien and like quest stories, you will definitely enjoy The Last Motley.
I rate it a high PG for thematic elements and tasteful, fantasy violence.
A few things I liked:
1. The premise
The whole idea of the story really intrigued and held my attention. A little boy is cursed with a terrible magic and our unlikely hero must set out to try to save him. Along the way he meets colorful characters, impossible challenges, and overwhelming odds. The motleys, the gypsies, the shadow-things-who’s-names-I-can’t-recall…ah, just loved it. And some of the plot twists totally threw me.
2. The family dynamics
This is my favorite aspect of the story. It’s refreshing in our day and age to find a good, clean story about a healthy family. The dad loves the mom, who loves him back, they have a kid, a simple life, they’re happy…it’s so heart-warming. I also love how they immediately open up their hearts and home to little Jacob, even though he is different from them.
Contrasted to this, you have the gypsies, with their wild, selfish, unlawful ways. Which makes Roderick and his family shine all the more brightly.
3. Nagan and Portia
These two surprised me. They’re hilarious. They’re flawed. I wasn’t sure what direction the author was going to take them when Nagan first showed up, but—gasp—the depth of his character arc is astounding. Brilliantly done! Loved every moment of these two. In a heavy book with lots of danger, these two brought a spot of color and laughter to the pages.
4. The suspense
The author did an amazing job of pulling you from one chapter to the next. There are very few, carefully placed, slow places. DJ doesn’t let you stop for long but pulls you from one dangerous situation to the next.
Was there anything I didn’t like? Meh, not really. I wanted to knock a few heads together on occasion, but I was supposed to feel that way about them. If you are a fan of Tolkien and like quest stories, you will definitely enjoy The Last Motley.
I rate it a high PG for thematic elements and tasteful, fantasy violence.
June 6, 2018
Now that is how you write a story. The tale of Roderick and Jacob on a journey to free Jacob of a magical curse is the best I have read in a while. Reading about the author and how he was inspired by JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis, you can see how they influenced this novel. Unlike another book I have read recently where they also undertook a big journey which was way too short and not detailed enough, this journey was full of adventure, trials, triumphs, twists and turns, and also incorporated good vs evil. Indeed I liked the kind of christianity message that was written subtly in it at times. Though Adonai is a jewish name for God so maybe it’s a jewish message. Either way, it worked and I loved it. Definitely recommend this book and is suitable for younger readers.
February 18, 2018
Roderick the tailor discovers a boy who seems lost and alone, only to recoil at the vivid pattern of diamonds decorating his skin. He grew up hearing terrible tales of these motleys, yet more and more, Roderick sees a frightened boy in desperate need of help ... and of a home. To break the curse that threatens young Jacob's life, they must undertake a perilous journey.
Merchants and farmers. Alchemy and music. Honorable scholars and greedy magicians. Quaint cottages and bleak castles. Cheerful pickpockets and a father's prayers. A fantasy of the journeying sort, with strong Christian themes and a wealth of love for family.
Merchants and farmers. Alchemy and music. Honorable scholars and greedy magicians. Quaint cottages and bleak castles. Cheerful pickpockets and a father's prayers. A fantasy of the journeying sort, with strong Christian themes and a wealth of love for family.
March 7, 2018
Wow! Just wow!
This book was excellent! I loved every bit of it! Couldn't put it down! Totally clean, well written, exciting, unique. The book was surprisingly emotional, but not in a cheesy, weepy way. The characters felt very real, especially Roderick. Good, honest, and average, he's very relatable while still managing to be a hero. I loved it and definitely recommend! If this is just the first in a trilogy, I can't wait for the rest! (It is NOT a cliffhanger. The story is very well resolved by the end.)
This book was excellent! I loved every bit of it! Couldn't put it down! Totally clean, well written, exciting, unique. The book was surprisingly emotional, but not in a cheesy, weepy way. The characters felt very real, especially Roderick. Good, honest, and average, he's very relatable while still managing to be a hero. I loved it and definitely recommend! If this is just the first in a trilogy, I can't wait for the rest! (It is NOT a cliffhanger. The story is very well resolved by the end.)
July 9, 2019
Oh buttons, what a great book! I read about 1 chapter each night and enjoyed every one. Fighting, spirits, magic, love and adventure, the Last Motley weaves them all together in an enjoyable book with surprises around each corner. First book I have read by the author, but will not be the last. Excellent!
April 13, 2018
I really enjoyed this story. Everything about it was so great, from the creative descriptions, to the plot twists and turns, and each of the totally lovable characters. Really good Christian fantasies are difficult to find, but D. J. Edwardson did an amazing job! I highly recommend this book!
March 12, 2018
I really enjoyed this story. Fantasy, magic and more I'm used Roderick's world and the pages. Evil and greed tested their perservering efforts and commitment.
It was a vivid and descriptive book, I especially enjoyed '...a deep and orange sprinkled with canary yellow...' and the term, '...knickers in a wad...' They, among many others, made me smile but I didn't lose engagement from the story itself. The twists and turns kept me reading and the characters kept me intriqued.
My only grievance was the story continuing after the mission was completed. I felt this could have been finished sooner or skipped altogether and wrapped up with the celebrations at home. That said, the story was very good and DJ Edwardson has a wonderful way with words and prose. I am glad I had the opportunity to read it.
It was a vivid and descriptive book, I especially enjoyed '...a deep and orange sprinkled with canary yellow...' and the term, '...knickers in a wad...' They, among many others, made me smile but I didn't lose engagement from the story itself. The twists and turns kept me reading and the characters kept me intriqued.
My only grievance was the story continuing after the mission was completed. I felt this could have been finished sooner or skipped altogether and wrapped up with the celebrations at home. That said, the story was very good and DJ Edwardson has a wonderful way with words and prose. I am glad I had the opportunity to read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2019
This is a simply told yet surprisingly complex fantasy about an epic journey to save the world from evil magic. It is also the story of one ordinary man's unselfish fatherly love for an orphan boy.
With plenty of interesting characters, a well-defined story world, and a unique premise, this story kept me coming back for more. It is a slow yet steady build of action, adding characters to the mix along the way, and the climax is a "boom" of action and thrills!
Rather than reveal any spoilers, I will just say that I can easily imagine reading this story aloud to my grandchildren someday. It has that timeless appeal of a good fantasy tale with a deeply satisfying ending.
Highly recommended.
With plenty of interesting characters, a well-defined story world, and a unique premise, this story kept me coming back for more. It is a slow yet steady build of action, adding characters to the mix along the way, and the climax is a "boom" of action and thrills!
Rather than reveal any spoilers, I will just say that I can easily imagine reading this story aloud to my grandchildren someday. It has that timeless appeal of a good fantasy tale with a deeply satisfying ending.
Highly recommended.
February 9, 2018
The Last Motley is an excellent fantasy read. I love that the hero is the seemingly least likely of all the characters. He's unlearned, untrained, naive, entirely too trusting, and one of the best characters I've experienced in a very long time. The story has some very action-y moments, but the writer is talented enough not to have to rely on action to carry his story forward. There is a heavy religious tone, but it never crosses the line to preachiness. I would definitely read more fantasy by this author.
April 2, 2018
What a great trip through Arrin! I enjoyed the story and found it to be full of positive loving characters. It is a great read and a great story for all ages. I think the story ends with a bit of a Charles Williams twist, but I enjoyed it. Good authorship and great morals. I think the story deserves a look. I hope this independent author really makes it!
August 19, 2019
A story with an interesting premise and heartwarming characters. I enjoyed the perspective of the main character, a tailor in way over his head on this dangerous quest, and loved that the main relationship was a father-and-adopted-son. I had a bit of a hard time getting into the story, but I think that was related to my own life circumstances.
dnf
September 8, 2019DNF at 24% Nothing personal with the book, just not a story that appeals to me right now. May come back to it later.
April 1, 2025
Absolutely FANTASTIC story!! Roderick and Jacob's journey to the tower pulled me in from page one and didn't let go at the end. Every character was craftily described and I loved them all! It is a book all ages will enjoy for years to come.
I was gifted an ARC in return of an honest review. 5 stars is not even close to enough!
I was gifted an ARC in return of an honest review. 5 stars is not even close to enough!
March 11, 2019
Ah ha! This is a very fine book, ladies and gentlemen, very fine indeed, and one that's very much worth one's valuable time, or else the Earth is cubical. And, don't you know, I do believe that as I write this review the book is available for $0.99, which is an interesting thought.
Ah, but I see you're possibly not having any of this nonsense. "Why don't you prove it?" you might be wailing. This betrays distrust in my potentially baseless claims, and it's a good thing I'm not too sensitive about these matters, or else I might be deeply offended.
The pure truth, that's as purely true as truth itself, almost:
(If Thomas Jefferson and Co. hadn't already, it would be kind of fun to talk of submitting facts to a candid world right now, but as they have done so, that would just be cheating.)
Ah, but I see you're possibly not having any of this nonsense. "Why don't you prove it?" you might be wailing. This betrays distrust in my potentially baseless claims, and it's a good thing I'm not too sensitive about these matters, or else I might be deeply offended.
The pure truth, that's as purely true as truth itself, almost:
(If Thomas Jefferson and Co. hadn't already, it would be kind of fun to talk of submitting facts to a candid world right now, but as they have done so, that would just be cheating.)
☔ This book has a bit of an originality about it. Of course, originality is a thing difficult to produce. After all, as some intelligent sort of person in the twenty-first century is about to say, "Put eight persons in a room with a banana and a monkey, and some will think about the banana and some will think about the monkey." Which, admittedly, has little to do with anything—and then there's the fact that some persons might think about both the banana and the monkey (as I would, in part), and the two folks over there in the corner might be thinking about the economic advantages of a ski resort in Hawaii. But all this is largely not at all useful to what I was trying to say. AHEM. Let's try this again, shall we…
☔ An example of the originality of this book is the rather more than slightly colorful skin thing with things and thing thing. HA! You can see that I am giving away no spoilers about thing. *smiles smugly* And, no, this paragraph absolutely does not fit with the format that I wanted in this review. But probably none of the following strictly will.
☔ The writing is well-paced and entertaining, and it delivers the story similar to how a grandmaster makes his chess moves, for lack of a better simile. I had to add that little prepositional phrase there because my simile is a very bad one.
☔ The characters are believable types—very fun too—and the chief protagonist is married, settled, and he has a child, which is interesting, yes?
☔ There's some twisty twisty twisty. ⇐(By far the most important consideration.)
☔ There's some fair amount of humor. I wouldn't call this "The Comedy of the Last Motley" by any means, but the humor is there and it's intelligent and powerful and unassailable—I'm assuming; I'm not sure about the intricacies of assailing humor. It's also plain funny, where funny is defined as "creating in an entity a targeted feeling of mirth, frivolity, or amusement, such as is convenient for the production of favorable—though very odd—sounds known as laughter." That's the stuff of dictionaries, that definition is. I ought to be a lexicographer. Also, speaking of humor—Nagan. Top-hole character, he.
☔ The plot is not at all a negligible factor, of course, so I probably ought to mention it. It's a pretty straightforward plot, but it is good, very good. Amusing and clever and all that.
☔ And, yes, I am getting tired of writing this review. Boring, boring, boring.
☔ Oh, hold on, I don't think there's anything preventing me from stopping here. And I do have things to do, so maybe I ought to.
☔ Ah yes! That is an incredible title, by the way. The Last Motley. Capital, capital.
☔ Yep. Great book. Bye.
☔ Hello again! And it (the book) has a nice setting too. I want more of it. Goodbye.
May 7, 2020
DNF — it’s just too clunky
I just couldn’t finish it. Saintly Roderick the tailor and Bethany his wife with their abiding faith in Adonai seemed too cardboard, and at 30% in, I’ve learned nothing about the other characters. I have nothing at all against faith, in fact the opposite, but I really think fantasy authors should come up with their own belief systems, not insert poorly disguised Christianity into alien worlds. IMO, using ‘Adonai’ as the name for God is lazy and too obviously references Hebrew and Christian texts.
Second issue is the plot. All it’s been so far is a bog-standard “journey to find a cure” story. No creativity in world-building, just standard medieval European culture, with hints of non-human races. And too many words spent on non-events. There’s action in the beginning but once they start on the journey, it gets boring fast. Also typical of these stories: Jacob can tell when they’re in danger and yet they keep telling him, “there, there, don’t worry, it will be fine.” Then again, there wouldn’t be much plot left if they did listen because they wouldn’t be in so much danger . . .
Third issue, the writing is clunky. It’s not terrible, just thoroughly uninspired. Passages like this kicked me right out of the story: “At last he could turn his attention to the sumptuous provisions. It was a feast fit for a king . . . Merrill had brought in trays brimming with such things as Roderick had only heard about from merchants and other wealthy folk . . . The two famished travelers settled into their meal, taking their time, and enjoying every bit of the innkeep’s sumptuous provender.”
The editor should have caught the doubling of ‘sumptuous’, the passive construction in the second sentence is just painful, and all the hackneyed words (provender) and phrases (feast fit for a king) should have been eliminated. It’s just so completely ordinary and expected.
So I am giving up on this story. There are so many better-written books to read that I’m not willing to spend time on this one.
I just couldn’t finish it. Saintly Roderick the tailor and Bethany his wife with their abiding faith in Adonai seemed too cardboard, and at 30% in, I’ve learned nothing about the other characters. I have nothing at all against faith, in fact the opposite, but I really think fantasy authors should come up with their own belief systems, not insert poorly disguised Christianity into alien worlds. IMO, using ‘Adonai’ as the name for God is lazy and too obviously references Hebrew and Christian texts.
Second issue is the plot. All it’s been so far is a bog-standard “journey to find a cure” story. No creativity in world-building, just standard medieval European culture, with hints of non-human races. And too many words spent on non-events. There’s action in the beginning but once they start on the journey, it gets boring fast. Also typical of these stories: Jacob can tell when they’re in danger and yet they keep telling him, “there, there, don’t worry, it will be fine.” Then again, there wouldn’t be much plot left if they did listen because they wouldn’t be in so much danger . . .
Third issue, the writing is clunky. It’s not terrible, just thoroughly uninspired. Passages like this kicked me right out of the story: “At last he could turn his attention to the sumptuous provisions. It was a feast fit for a king . . . Merrill had brought in trays brimming with such things as Roderick had only heard about from merchants and other wealthy folk . . . The two famished travelers settled into their meal, taking their time, and enjoying every bit of the innkeep’s sumptuous provender.”
The editor should have caught the doubling of ‘sumptuous’, the passive construction in the second sentence is just painful, and all the hackneyed words (provender) and phrases (feast fit for a king) should have been eliminated. It’s just so completely ordinary and expected.
So I am giving up on this story. There are so many better-written books to read that I’m not willing to spend time on this one.
March 10, 2019
This was a strange story for me. I was interested in it off and on. I think that that was partially because it was so full of hard times that there was no real break from the tension the group of travelers was under.
Jacob is a young boy who is a motley, a rare cursed race that brings darkness into the world - or so it is believed.
Roderick is a believer in Adonai, he and his wife and little adopted daughter. Roderick finds Jacob at his market stall and at first is afraid of him because of the tales of the motleys, but the second time he meets him he sees the little boy behind the patchwork face and brings him home to take care of him.
A group of savants come to Roderick and tell him about the motley and the dangerous magic that he will exhibit it that magic isn't removed. One of the savants will go to the island with the stone that can remove the magic, the others will stay to protect Roderick's family.
The trip is fraught with danger and enemies and struggle. Jacob and Roderick are little points of light and respite in this story. Jacob is so innocent and such a delight.
There is just a touch of romance with the love between Roderick and his wife Bethany, and perhaps an even smaller amount between Nagan and Portia, but if you want a story with romance, this isn't it. This is a story of how God can bring light where there is great darkness and peace where there is turmoil; He can change what is believed as bad and bring about good instead.
This is a clean read.
Jacob is a young boy who is a motley, a rare cursed race that brings darkness into the world - or so it is believed.
Roderick is a believer in Adonai, he and his wife and little adopted daughter. Roderick finds Jacob at his market stall and at first is afraid of him because of the tales of the motleys, but the second time he meets him he sees the little boy behind the patchwork face and brings him home to take care of him.
A group of savants come to Roderick and tell him about the motley and the dangerous magic that he will exhibit it that magic isn't removed. One of the savants will go to the island with the stone that can remove the magic, the others will stay to protect Roderick's family.
The trip is fraught with danger and enemies and struggle. Jacob and Roderick are little points of light and respite in this story. Jacob is so innocent and such a delight.
There is just a touch of romance with the love between Roderick and his wife Bethany, and perhaps an even smaller amount between Nagan and Portia, but if you want a story with romance, this isn't it. This is a story of how God can bring light where there is great darkness and peace where there is turmoil; He can change what is believed as bad and bring about good instead.
This is a clean read.
September 10, 2018
When Roderick encounters a little boy outside his stall in the market, he sees only a thin woebegone boy. Or does he? Could this child really be a motley, a harbinger of nightmares? Roderick isn't sure but after strange visitors and ruffians, Roderick must decide for himself. Is this a child cursed by magic or a living nightmare? Should, he, a poor tailor help this motley or let those searching for him have him?
At first I was not sure about this book. It was good, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't expecting to be surprised. Well, that changed quickly. Soon, I was surprised on multiple occasions and would never have guessed the ending.
The story is told in the first person, almost entirely in Roderick's point of view with a view excursions to another person hunting the motley. I felt for these characters and they seemed completely real. Magic was interwoven with the story flawlessly. The world felt real.
I would recommend this book to any lover of speculative fiction for sure, but I think lovers of a good story would also enjoy this novel.
At first I was not sure about this book. It was good, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't expecting to be surprised. Well, that changed quickly. Soon, I was surprised on multiple occasions and would never have guessed the ending.
The story is told in the first person, almost entirely in Roderick's point of view with a view excursions to another person hunting the motley. I felt for these characters and they seemed completely real. Magic was interwoven with the story flawlessly. The world felt real.
I would recommend this book to any lover of speculative fiction for sure, but I think lovers of a good story would also enjoy this novel.
April 23, 2022
Epic journey stories depend on how exciting the getting from A to B is. They can be filled with tension or be totally tedious. This story is somewhere in between.
The premise of a child whose skin is covered in colored diamonds and possesses all the magic of the world is an intriguing concept. Some people want to destroy the magic and some want to keep it for themselves. Roderick just wants to protect the child.
The journey begins but it follows the same pattern throughout. Something pretty g-rated stops the journey, it's resolved quickly and Roderick realizes how much he is beginning to care for Jacob, the motley child. The pacing is slow, the final battle takes forever and the ending takes longer than it needs to be.
As far as content, it is acceptable for children but I can't see an elementary reader sitting thru 400
pages of this.
The premise of a child whose skin is covered in colored diamonds and possesses all the magic of the world is an intriguing concept. Some people want to destroy the magic and some want to keep it for themselves. Roderick just wants to protect the child.
The journey begins but it follows the same pattern throughout. Something pretty g-rated stops the journey, it's resolved quickly and Roderick realizes how much he is beginning to care for Jacob, the motley child. The pacing is slow, the final battle takes forever and the ending takes longer than it needs to be.
As far as content, it is acceptable for children but I can't see an elementary reader sitting thru 400
pages of this.
June 26, 2018
The Last Motley is a whimsical, patchwork fantasy with plenty of twists and turns and a good-hearted tailor as the hero.
Colorful landscapes and atmospheric locations are part of the story's charm, though the worldbuilding could have been tighter. The gypsy stereotype gave me pause and was a shame since the supporting characters drawn from that camp were deftly sketched personalities who could have played their parts without the added baggage.
The ending is nicely foreshadowed; enough so that by two-thirds of the way through I would have been disappointed if it didn't go down the way I expected--and there were some extra surprises to embellish the whole.
Overall, lots of little pieces create a vibrant pattern stitched by a brave little tailor.
Colorful landscapes and atmospheric locations are part of the story's charm, though the worldbuilding could have been tighter. The gypsy stereotype gave me pause and was a shame since the supporting characters drawn from that camp were deftly sketched personalities who could have played their parts without the added baggage.
The ending is nicely foreshadowed; enough so that by two-thirds of the way through I would have been disappointed if it didn't go down the way I expected--and there were some extra surprises to embellish the whole.
Overall, lots of little pieces create a vibrant pattern stitched by a brave little tailor.
January 27, 2025
I received a copy of this book from the author.
I have to confess that the title of this book had me intrigued. What is a Motley? Generally speaking it is a group of things or people that don’t necessarily go together. However having read and thoroughly enjoyed this book I now know that in this case it is a small boy with growing magical powers that are not good for him.
Alone, at the start of the book, the boy is struggling to survive but he is lucky enough to be discovered by a kindly stallholder in a market.
This story is definitely a page turner and I found it difficult to put down even when my eyes were trying to close.
Well written with vivid descriptions of the characters and scenery I highly recommend this book.
I have to confess that the title of this book had me intrigued. What is a Motley? Generally speaking it is a group of things or people that don’t necessarily go together. However having read and thoroughly enjoyed this book I now know that in this case it is a small boy with growing magical powers that are not good for him.
Alone, at the start of the book, the boy is struggling to survive but he is lucky enough to be discovered by a kindly stallholder in a market.
This story is definitely a page turner and I found it difficult to put down even when my eyes were trying to close.
Well written with vivid descriptions of the characters and scenery I highly recommend this book.
January 11, 2019
The Last Motley by DJ Edwardson is a fantasy adventure about family, faith, and purpose.
I loved the main character Rodrick a simple tailor who stumbles onto a legendary creature know as a Motley. He soon discovers the creature is no more than a young human boy under a horrible curse. Rodrick decides to risk it all to help Jacob lift the curse and make the young orphan part of his family.
The last Motley is full of adventure, danger, magic and heart.
I loved the main character Rodrick a simple tailor who stumbles onto a legendary creature know as a Motley. He soon discovers the creature is no more than a young human boy under a horrible curse. Rodrick decides to risk it all to help Jacob lift the curse and make the young orphan part of his family.
The last Motley is full of adventure, danger, magic and heart.
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