Did you ever want to tell your least favourite P&P character what you really thought of them? Garth Leachim will do it for you.Give this book a chance. Most people have been pleasantly surprised.Pride and Prejudice is invaded by a mysterious stranger who is tired of wearing black and accidentally wishes himself into a more colourful era. When he arrives at Meryton, he flutters and flounces and gives his opinions to all and sundry in his own inimitable way. Even if they are not wanted. Or maybe, especially if they are not wanted. Will his perceptions make a difference? If they do, what will be the outcome of the changes? Or will he simply create chaos for the fun of it, since, with his powers, anything might happen? If you want a light-hearted romp through P&P with some unexpected twists, please If you are a serious P&P fan, this story is probably not for you. To quote one of my readers. ‘When I first discovered this story, I rolled my eyes about a "Dark Lord" invading P&P and considered not trying it. I'm glad I did anyway :) It turned out to be a lot of fun.’
“Dark Lords shatter destiny; it’s what we do.” –Jeff Mach, There and NEVER, EVER BACK AGAIN: A Dark Lord’s Diary:
Rating: although clean, there is a caution… perhaps a trigger warning: due to one violent scene that was a bit gruesome. Angst meter: set slight-to-medium: ICNPID [I-could-not-put-it-down] and read it in one sitting. There are 34 very-short chapters, and that includes an epilogue.
Well, this was just delightful… implausible and so outlandish that it was funny as heck. The Dark Lord arrived… OK, crash-landed, in the middle of our P&P story, and threw canon out the window. This guy could say and do whatever he wanted and no one seemed to be able to resist his charm. What a hoot. Once I accepted the premise and relaxed, I was able to watch his machinations as he created havoc with our dear characters. I couldn’t help but laugh.
As stated in the blurb, everything you ever wanted to be said to our characters, the Dark Lord, Garth Leachin, was able to do… with a smile. And, he got away with it. What fun to see the consequences of his unfiltered speech.
“The enemy of my enemy is also my enemy. A dark lord has no friends.” –Paul Dale, The Dark Lord’s Handbook
9-13-20 I borrowed this from the KU program with no expectations of a review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I may have to purchase this so I can read it again. I loved this guy.
Disclaimer: this book is a bit silly. If you aren't in the mood for silly you will probably think I am quite daft giving it five stars. Well I was in the mood for silly.
This is a P&P sci-fi mash up where the deus ex machina is a Dark Lord; kind of a Jedi / Dr. Who amalgamation, named Garth Leachim who following the failure of his space yacht full of Regency style attire falls into Pride and Prejudice.
And Garth will just sail right through P&P and Meryton using mind tricks to make everything and everyone run smoothly. He may look like a Regency gentleman but he has all the snarkiness and straightforwardness of a 25th Century rogue.
Have you always wanted someone to set Caroline straight? It's in there. Want to see Darcy have a deep consciousness raising session? That's there too. How 'bout calling out Lydia or acting like a harlot? Check. Along with Mrs. Bennet getting the wherefore and Mr. Collins being called a heretic. It's bloody brilliant!!
So if you have a horror of anything out of era and lack a funny bone you don't want to waste your time. But if like me, and Lizzy Bennet, you dearly love to laugh you will like this silly bit of drabble.
Science does not know its debt to imagination. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
What-if a being from another world lands in England in 1811 and meets our favorite characters from our favorite book?
Yes – this is a Pride and Prejudice crossover with Star Trek!
Garth (hmm, rhymes with Darth) Leachim, a Dark Lord from the planet Xyz, is returning from a shopping expedition to the Planet Goochi where he purchased a colorful wardrobe of a style popular on Earth centuries ago (such a welcome relief from the Black clothing he is required to wear on Xyz!) when his thoughts venture into wishes to live in a world where he could indulge his inclination for colors and frills.
His distraction sends his aircraft into a wormhole. A Crash Landing! But where is he?
Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science. ~ Edwin Powell Hubble
As it turns out, Garth Leachim possesses more than five senses, having the ability to scan other people’s thoughts and influence their words and actions. He tests his environment and discovers he has landed in England in the Regency period he has just been contemplating. He has time to create an illusion of a carriage crash before the Bingley/Darcy party encounters him on the road to Netherfield. He is invited to visit with them until his equipage can be repaired.
Garth does not abide by the Star Trek “Prime Directive” – he feels entitled to influence events wherever he wanders. Meryton will not be the same!
I read this amusing little tale as it posted WIP at a Fan Fiction site and again as a published work. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys JAFF – especially if, like me, they are also a Trekkie.
The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder. ~ Ralph W. Sockman
Very funny. A dark lord, which is really just someone from outer space with superior technology, finds himself in regency England. He comes into contact with Darcy and is an active participant in Pride and Prejudice.
His interaction with the story is fun and truths are told early and often.
Garth Leachim is a space traveler who crash lands on Earth right at the onset of Pride and Prejudice, and the first human he encounters is Mr. Darcy. The alien is able to blend right in and becomes part of the Netherfield party. Like Mr. Bennet, he's entertained by observing the interactions and personalities around him. Unlike Mr. Bennet, he takes an active role and uses his powers to encourage better behavior by everyone.
Leachim is sort of Star Wars Jedi-type character, and he confronts them all with unvarnished truths about their attitudes. All of them. Caroline Bingley: Darcy's not into you, and stop being such a phony. Mrs. Bennet: try talking to your husband about something other than lace and fashion for a change. Lydia: you'll grow up to be an excellent courtesan at the rate you're going. Etc, etc. You get the idea.
It's a different kind of reading experience. I just kept licking my chops, anticipating the next time he'd intervene to set someone straight. The character reactions would not normally be believable, but since this feels more like an adult fairy tale than a serious novel, I didn't care. (Besides, Leachim has that Jedi-ish mind thing going for him...)
Though the writing isn't exceptional, it's not bad. There are punctuation errors, particularly with extra commas sprinkled about.
I found it to be a thoroughly entertaining change of pace from the usual JAFF. I definitely recommend it as a light, fluffy read.
4.5 You Asked For It… caught my attention because it has a very different premise, and after reading so many P&P variations, I crave for anything that is remotely different and original. In this book, a Dark Lord from another galaxy has a mechanical issue in his spaceship that forces him to land on earth, more specifically in Meryton in 1812.
This was the best thing that could have happened to this Dark Lord, who has never been accepted by his peers due to his oddities, so he decides to use his powers to convince Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley to invite him to join their party just before arriving in Meryton.
I know the premise seems a bit silly, but in fact, the only change this will cause in the story is the additional character who will behave in a very gentlemanlike behaviour… most of the times. I say most of the times because throughout the entire story he will be completely honest with everyone, saying exactly what is on his mind without any fear of the consequences, and putting everyone in their right place.
He starts by telling Darcy how rude he is during the Meryton assembly, forcing him to apologise to Elizabeth, and he continues by telling Miss Bingley what no one has the courage to tell her. He doesn’t stop there, he will also make it clear he despises Mr. Bennet’s indolence, and will clash with Mrs. Bennet because of the upbringing she is giving Lydia, going so far as to tell her that she is doing a great job if her intuit is to raise a prostitute.
I particularly enjoyed seeing how his interference helped Mary grow confidence and become an accomplished lady, and how it helped Lydia change her wild behaviour.
All these scenes are incredibly funny, and let’s face it, who hasn’t dreamed of doing that himself? The Dark Lords’s truthful remarks will obviously have an impact on all characters, making them think about their failures and change their behaviour, so the journey to the happily ever after is faster, especially because due to his machinations Darcy doesn’t behave so badly and Elizabeth gets to know his true character much sooner.
He also help their romance by matchmaking and protecting Darcy from Miss Bingley’s attentions, which is also very funny!
This story follows cannon closely but because of the Dark Lord’s interference it ends much sooner, with everyone still in the Meryton neighbourhood. I really enjoyed reading this book, even if the story becomes a little slow paced towards the end.
I recommend it to readers who want an original and funny story that aims to improve the characters behaviour, and who do not mind the sci-fi element, which was actually what lead me to read it in the first place.
I was drawn towards the novelty and uniqueness of this book. Having no prior knowledge of Sci-fi books nor movies I should probably refrain from commenting but the therm Dark Lord created some associations in my mind. I was a bit disappointed that the Dark Lord was more Golden-Doodle puppy than dark and sinister. His crash-landing into Meryton society, the day before the assembly, did change the course of canon albeit swiftly and predictably. The predictability was my bane and I skimmed through the last half...
This was great fun. You know from the opening two pages that you're in for a off-canon ride. I cannot improve on others' reviews, especially J.W. Garrett's and Wosedwew's. This is only my second Sydney Salier and I've become a big fan already.
It's not for serious Janeites, or those who want their stories to strictly adhere to canon. But for a satisfying contemplation of 'what if' this is a gem. You Asked For It, is short and qualifies for a feel good escape to cure what ails ya after a long angsty complicated frustrating read you finish because you feel committed, but are wrung out afterward.
You must embark on this story with the correct attitude, and be prepared to abandon reality in favor of an amusing scenario and fun characters. The premise of a "dark lord" from another planet sounds silly, but he turns out to be an engaging character thrown into the P&P world to help people along and make things go right.
I like the character of Garth Leachim. He has special powers that are not completely spelled out for us, but that he uses from time to time throughout the story, powers of persuasion, and the ability to make a person act with complete honesty, even when it's not what the person would want. He can read a person's character, even aspects of it that are well hidden. He's a benevolent character, and decides he wants to befriend the worthier people he meets, and try to alter the less worthy ones for the better.
It's a sweet story, but the style of writing is rather dictation-like. Much of the story is told in a very flat, matter-of-fact way, with little emotion. I would have liked a happy ending for the Garth character as well, but he just is left with a future wandering around influencing people. But it's interesting, and I recommend it.
I first read this story on a fan fiction site and never finished it. It's such a fun story and I am pleased that I found it completed. He's a Space traveler who crashes in the English countryside and gets a ride with Darcy and Bingley. He has the ability to " encourage " people to verbalize their secrets and thoughts and used it wisely. My favorite part was congratulating Mrs Bennet for training Lydia to be a courtesan! He certainly was able to influence her into making changes in her daughter's education after this! It's well written and great fun!
I came across this story on a “Looking for a Story” forum and thought it sounded intriguing. A space traveler from the future gets stranded in regency England and befriends Bingley and Darcy. The space traveler was hilarious and even though from the future, had recently made a shopping trip to acquire regency appropriate apparel. And, his ability to be honest to everyone without causing offense results in many character changes that lead to much earlier HEAs. Overall a good story that was entertaining.
I loved this book, but some JAFF purists will hate it for the exact reasons that I loved it. Garth said many of the things I yelled - silently - at many of the characters as I read the original P&P and many of the variations. Each of the relevant scenes had me smiling or laughing to see the reactions.
Highly recommended to all JAFF fans who like a little magic with the story of ODC.
This is a cute story, however I do so wish the author had bothered to get an editor. I actually began to feel sorrow and distress for the abused commas that this well meaning writer is entirely too fond of! I found myself adjusting the way I read just to make sense of the text. That being said, it was a very diverting story that gives P & P fans the "voice" to say all the things we wish we could say to our favorite characters.
Is it a great literary masterpiece? Certainly not. However if you read many P & P varieties it is a fun piece of fluff that is good for a chuckle. I think the author has potential, but do take heed that the grammar is pretty rough with this one. I truly hope the author will consider the polish a good editor could offer.
Truly a “fairy tale” in a manner of speaking but such a lovely read. I even ended up liking Caroline Bingley and William Collins in this variation! 😜. If you are in need of a break from tradition, this is the perfect remedy. If you don't believe in such things as a pleasant Caroline Bingley, don't waste your time. As for me, I'm adding this book to my collection! 💕
I know it sounds weird at first but it's so hilarious and it follows the original order of events from the first 2 or so months of the original p&p. I absolutely loved the addition of the Dark Lord...makes me think spin-off of a Jedi. Love how he influences everyone; how he is completely honest but none of it has the intention of malice. So stinkin' hilarious!
You really have to set aside any preconceived notions before reading this. Its silly and vaguely sci-fi without a lot of character or world building. You get told who this person is and the barest idea of what can do before he launches into meddling in the world. I am not sure if I liked it or hated it.
Very well written and thought of P and P variation. The story revolves on a man named Garth Leachim. ( no spoiler here).I am not going to elaborate on his role but I am just so enthralled with this man. I would love to have him in the present World we live in! " freedom of speech with no holds barred! "
Side Note: while reading it was driving me crazy trying to figure out what the hell YAFI meant & why the author chose that as a break in sections. ….It’s the title of the book!! An acronym, haha. It wasn’t until I was reading another book by the same author that I saw a different acronym for that title & it hit me.
This is just hilarious!!! Everything you wished someone would say gets said and then you watch the repercussions! One Thread Pulled gave the story of what happens when one thing changed. This has so many threads pulled that the Emperor is naked!!!
Truck-con. Self-insert. "Crack treated seriously " The first few chapters I was so excited. It's good that this was a short story. The wedding scene felt easy. Like no obstructions to the goal. They I started to think the whole book was deus ex machina. It was a nice e concept. And a good break from other P&P that don't use science fiction or magic elements.
In this Pride and Prejudice variation a Dark Lord, Garth Leachim, has landed in Meryton and is invited to stay at Netherfield. How does his blunt speech to everyone affect their futures. I was enjoying this story until it became obvious what the pairing would be for the Colonel and so I lost interest. A pity.
I too was sceptical but after reading a positive review from someone who had the same reserve, I am glad I did. The book was a delightful read and will be high up on my read again list.
I loved this book! So different from the P&P we all know and love! I laughed all the while reading! Well, except for the killing of ??? And the insanity of ??? It's worth the read!💖
When a truth universally acknowledged meets a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, hilarity ensues. This was a very funny story with a few interesting pairings, and all convict nicely manipulated and wrapped up in a neat little bow.
Sydney Salier has again written an entertaining Pride and Prejudice variation. I am a fan of hers and all of her books I’ve read so far. This one brings a little “Jedi” magic with it.
Alien in Pride and Prejudice...not something I thought I'd read. But really it's just a funny way to make some one psychic and a bit extra. Odd but funny and a pleasant read.
The desire to tell our favorite characters exactly what we think of them and their behavior is a wonderful experiment. I truly enjoyed the new character who enters P&P and upends everyone and everything. Truly marvelous.