The Eleventh Ring (Bartholomew the Adventurer, #1) by Tom Hoffman

The Eleventh Ring (Bartholomew the Adventurer, #1) Reviews

• 
  Nora

  I really enjoyed this book more than i initially thought I would. In the beginning, it read like a children's book but the philosophical and metaphysical ideas just keep coming in a manner that adults can appreciate.
  
  Anyone with an interest in New Age, spiritualism or many other ways to view the Universe will appreciate this book. It brought to my mind Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Does the Universe conspire to help us develop in certain directions? In any case it's a excellent read that picks up a kind of fantasy, steampunkish but sweet steam as it progresses.
  
  Using rabbits and a charming simple manner is a big risk for any author but for me it pays off in The Eleventh Ring.
• 
  Lorna Corcoran

  Think of Harry Potter combined with Narnia mixed with rabbits.. I really enjoyed this story. It's either a kids' or YA book, I'n not sure which but I found it very enjoyable and look forward to reading the next. It got me out of my book slump, so I'm happy.
• 
  Bob

  Wonderful!
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the adventures of Bartholomew Rabbit.
  Wonderful story that kept me turning pages.
  Can't wait to read more adventures of Bartholomew.
• 
  Nathan Wall

  I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
  
  When I first read the description of the Eleventh Ring, I had sort of a nostalgic feeling. It was if I was a kid again, reading the old child books of my parents'. You know, the type with large pages, thin binding, and frayed edges? Upon reading the story, that feeling never really left me.
  
  The book centers around a Rabbit named Bartholomew. He's a quirky, well-to-do rabbit with a butler. He's not really a tough leading man, nor is he all together resourceful. In fact, at the start, there really isn't anything remarkable about him. However, that's not really the way he sees himself.
  
  This juxtaposition of how Bartholomew sees himself, and how he really is, was played up beautifully from the get-go and quickly established, which leads our protagonist on an eventful, and sometimes whimsical, journey.
  
  The adventure is sparked by Bart's incessant need to find this "lost" object of his. The only problem is, he doesn't know WHAT it is he lost, or if he even had it to begin with. This also means he doesn't know what it looks like, feels like, or anything else that would help him better understand what he's looking for, or where to find it. All he thinks he knows is that it has the ability to roll.
  
  So, at the recommendation of his butler Parfello (more on him in a bit), he sets off on an adventure to a cave in order to ask it a question (I know, silly, right?). This happens pretty early on, and Bartholomew ventures to the cave, stays there for a while, and finally receives an answer.
  
  You would think the story would be over there, and at first I thought the book would be centered around Bart's journey to the cave. But, in fact, this just ends up being some clever misdirection by the author as the answer given by the cave is what actually sets Bartholomew on his real journey, and helps shape him as a man....er, rabbit, I mean.
  
  The best character in the book is Parfello. He's the most efficiently written, he's dry, witty, and just an all-round good guy who is sort of tired with everything, but at the same time so committed and dependent on his role as a butler.
  
  Parfello is sort of like Bartholomew's Alfred, though Bart is nothing like the Dark Knight. Parfello seems to know a lot, but is somehow in the role of Bartholomew's direct report. He also seems to know our hero better than our hero knows himself, but still acquiesces to his master's every wish, no matter how silly. In fact, now that I think of it, a better comparison for Parfello and Bartholomew would be a Jeffery to Will Smith comparison from the Fresh Prince of Bell Air. Yeah, that's the one I'm going to go with.
  
  There are some things I didn't like about the book, but the only real complaint I have about it is the constant lack of tags. I know tags are boring, and when used all the time they really make a story suck. However, when reading this, I found myself wondering who the hell was talking. In fact, this is the most difficult at the very beginning when you're not used to the style. The opening lines of Chapter 2 are mostly quotes with no action or tags. It's not until 7 or 8 lines into it that you finally get a tag. When this happens, you have to go back and fill in the holes and go "Ok, so if Bart was lines 7 at 11, then that means Parfello was the even lines? Maybe?"
  
  The action described is swift, and doesn't linger. Most of the world is described in passing, and that fits with the mold of Bartholomew as he spends most of the novel really just wrapped up in his own version of things, though he doesn't come off like a self absorbed dick. He's more of a Japanese tourist taking flash photography at the Louvre: blissfully unaware he's breaking the rules, annoying people, and not the center of the universe.
  
  The Eleventh Ring doesn't take itself too seriously, and reminds me a lot of a Wallace & Gromit adventure. In fact, I think the book would be pretty suitable for that general audience. I could definitely see this as a claymation film of some sort. And it would be very entertaining for older kids. I wouldn't even mind a few pictures sprinkled in every now and then to help accent the lack of world building. But don't go whole-hog picture book like a lot of the junk published for kids now-a-days.
  
  I give the Eleventh Ring a solid 4.5 stars.
  
  
• 
  Tom Hoffman

  KIRKUS REVIEW of The Eleventh Ring
  
  In this fantasy debut, a restless rabbit longs for adventure, and fate is happy to oblige.

  The life of Lepus Hollow resident Bartholomew Rabbit changes with a dream. In it, a green-cloaked stranger says, “You must find it. It is yours and you must find it.” Bartholomew searches his home for a missing object to no avail. His servant Parfello suggests visiting the Cavern of Silence, which answers the questions of those who wait patiently. In the cavern, Bartholomew learns that he’s missing his own Great Gem, and he must next speak with the Tree of Eyes for guidance. A reference book leads Bartholomew to the Swamp of Lost Things, where he encounters the tree and the Skeezle Brothers, who deal in lost treasure. The Skeezles, however, decide to imprison Bartholomew inside a storage room alongside another captive named Oliver T. Rabbit. A crafty inventor, Oliver helps Bartholomew escape using a volatile element known as duplonium. After parting ways with Oliver, Bartholomew discovers The Most Beautiful Island, a surreal place that helps close the circle of his quest. Or does it? Once back home, Bartholomew begins thinking of Clara, the childhood love whom he hasn’t seen or heard from in years. The real adventure starts when Bartholomew realizes that “all the events in my life are tied together by invisible strings.” Hoffman kicks off a thematically ambitious trilogy using several fantasy tropes, like a talking tree and a mysterious robed benefactor. These ideas act as comfortable furniture, as the author soon blends in more fabulous concepts, including colored thought clouds (that can be touched and examined) and the Shapers Guild (a group of powerful individuals who can turn thought into reality and back again). Some of these ideas may be hard for younger readers to fully appreciate, but Hoffman’s clear, graceful prose continuously opens the narrative to grander elements—like robot rabbits and a secret ring from beyond the depths of
  time—that never fail to enthrall.
  
  

  An epic that hits all the perfect notes of science, magic, and sweetness.
• 
  Tsubaki

  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
  -
  
  I was not expecting a run in with the enigmatic
  New Weird movement, and yet, here I am. I had been expecting a cute-ish fantasy and got a surrealist mind trip instead. (Granted, if I had paid any attention to the author's profile beforehand, I wouldn't have been nearly as surprised.) Still shattered my expectations in the best of ways though.
  
  The story itself is pretty straightforward with a simple structure. But that's besides the point. It's the world building and reading between the lines that made this story as amazing and fun as it was. The ending was a bit of a 'what the hell did I just read…?' moment, but I assume that's just doors left open for the next book to address. To put this away as just another fantasy is an injustice to the story. The world Bartholomew inhabits was amazing, full of intrigue, and vividly imaginative. I only wish it came with accompanying illustrations.
  
  I adored Bartholomew right from the start. There's just something strangely endearing about that rabbit. And I honestly don't think I met a character in here that I didn't like to some degree. Yes, even the Tree of Eyes.
  
  I'll just sum everything up by saying that I really cannot wait until the next book is out.
• 
  Nora

  I really enjoyed this book more than i initially thought I would. In the beginning, it read like a children's book but the philosophical and metaphysical ideas just keep coming in a manner that adults can appreciate.
  
  Anyone with an interest in New Age, spiritualism or many other ways to view the Universe will appreciate this book. It brought to my mind Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Does the Universe conspire to help us develop in certain directions? In any case it's a excellent read that picks up a kind of fantasy, steampunkish but sweet steam as it progresses.
  
  Using rabbits and a charming simple manner is a big risk for any author but for me it pays off in The Eleventh Ring.
• 
  Syed Asif Ali

  it's a breezy read. I loved the adventures and the fairy tale structure of the book. I look forward to more adventures of Bartholomew.
• 
  shelle.html

  A quaint little adventure featuring rabbits? Color me interested! This was a charming read; I liked it! It had the nostalgic feeling of The Hobbit with a wondrous fantasy and scientific elements. Really enjoyed the metaphysical touch and "magic" system; everything felt fresh, and the story definitely marches to its own beat.
  
  The characters, though not terribly deep, are endearing in their own ways. The presentation of the story took some getting used to, though I confess I didn't really like that the many events in the plot felt like three books condensed into one.
  
  The lore is pretty interesting, and leaves a good amount of food for thought. I definitely think there's more to The Eleventh Ring than being "just" a children's book. It reads like one, but is enjoyable to adults all the same.
• 
  Angel

  Definitely a Good Read
  
  This was a great nice read. Good character development, interesting adventures. Can’t wait to read what is next in the series.
• 
  Bill Ramsell

  Quite charming, especially if you like rabbits.
• 
  Archie

  A great fantasy book to read to your kid. The book revolves around the adventures of Bartholomew the rabbit, his challenges as he visits new exciting places and meet interesting characters. Bartholomew, as his journey unfolds discovers the hidden powers, meets and makes new friends and also make some enemies, discover fascinating places and face new challenges.
  The book reads like a fairy tale filled with exciting adventure, little thrills, touch of humor and lots of love. A simple, easy to read that parents can read to their children at bedtime. Not complex, but a joy to read. Good variety of characters depict author’s imagination and creativity. The book in a few words is like “see the world from rabbit’s eye”. All in all, an interesting read, with some great fun and thoughtful elements, to keep readers engaged. Well, I will wait for the next book in this Trilogy for more exciting adventures.
• 
  Ashley

  The main character of this book is a rabbit, which makes the story really interesting. It allows for the fantasy aspect of the story to seem all the more plausible. I’m not sure that it would be as interesting if Bartholomew was a human. When you really delve into the adventure that Bartholomew is going on, I found it to be more interesting by the page. For instance, the trees, caves, and other locations are described in vivid detail and are something you can really see in your mind. Besides that, the story could have been much shorter and it still would have been interesting, although that is not the case. The tale keeps going and even has the ending you were hoping for. My favorite aspect of the book is how all the little details fit together to ensure that the story makes more sense. This creates a sense of fate or destiny, which I am a fan of.
• 
  Sdan12

  Whimsical fantasy story
  This fantasy adventure stars a cast of rabbits. They are charming and convincing little characters, mostly content to stay in their homeland (an idyllic place much like the Shire in The Hobbit). The star of this story, Bartholomew, is moved to go on a dangerous quest to find a mysterious gem. As he proceeds on his quest he meets interesting characters, like the scientist, Oliver T. Rabbit, who can help him. He develops supernatural skills and learns how to be a ‘shaper’. Bartholomew is so endearing – he is always putting the needs of others above his own needs and wishes. He deserves to be successful in his quest and to get the girl, for girl there is in the shape of the imprisoned Clara Rabbit, Bartholomew’s dearest friend from his bunny days. Tis really is a charming tale.
• 
  Delta

  This book reminds me of the stories my grandmother used to tell me when I was a child. It's full of adventure and quests and some conflict, but nothing too excessive. It does feel a bit like several short stories that have been strung together; as soon as one story ends a new situation arises that sends Bartholomew on to his next adventure. This would be a great story to read to children over several nights.
• 
  Roderick

  I was given a free copy of this book so I had no idea what to expect. I have to say that I am happy I was given the opportunity to read this book. The story line was solid, although I found the resolution to be rather quick compared to the build up during the story. The ending definitely leaves open lots of avenues for exploration.
• 
  Dale Boyd

  A delightful little tale that anyone of any age will enjoy, but especially mid-teens and on down. Mr. Hoffman does a great job of bringing to life his characters, and the interaction between them will make you smile. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends.
• 
  BonusMom

  What a great adventure
  
  This book took me back to younger days and wanting adventures. This story is about rabbits with all the emotions and wishes that go along with teens looking for adventure. Loved it..read it.. It will take you back in time.