Name: Maggie Gordon's review of The Unwritten by Mike Carey
Item: The Unwritten
Rating: 4
Author: Maggie Gordon

Mike Carey

Tom Taylor's life was screwed from the word go. His father created the mega-popular Tommy Taylor boy-wizard fantasy novels. But dad modeled the fictional epic so closely to Tom that fans constantly compare him to his counterpart, turning him into a lame, Z-level celebrity. When a scandal hints that Tom might really be the boy-wizard made flesh, Tom comes into contact with a mysterious, deadly group that's secretly kept tabs on him all his life. Now, to protect his life and discover the truth behind his origins, Tom will travel the world, to all the places in world history where fictions have shaped reality.

The Unwritten

Maggie Gordon

Magnus Dahl

Now I remember why I stopped reading this series in 2012. It is the platonic ideal of the two star, ”it’s okay”, rating.

"Tom Taylor's life was screwed from the word go. His father created the mega-popular Tommy Taylor boy-wizard fantasy novels. But dad modeled the fictional epic so closely to Tom that fans constantly compare him to his counterpart, turning him into a lame, Z-level celebrity. When a scandal hints that Tom might really be the boy-wizard made flesh, Tom comes into contact with a mysterious, deadly group that's secretly kept tabs on him all his life. Now, to protect his life and discover the truth behind his origins, Tom will travel the world, to all the places in world history where fictions have shaped reality" -- from publisher's web site.

Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity

Fraser Simons

This is a hard sell for most people. But I actually think it was far ahead of it’s time and primed for readers to discover it again. On the face of things, initially, this looks like a Harry Potter grown up almost interesting idea. 

Tom Taylor is the son of a famous writer who penned Harry Potter-alike stories that swept the world by storm, just as they did in our own world. Then the author disappeared, abandoned his Real son, Tom. And so we find Tom years later, living off of signings in the convention circuit, suffused with daddy issues. At a convention, though, it comes to light that he may not be who he thinks he is, as someone dredges up evidence that the child stand-in for Tom in pictures was a Romanian child of a housekeeper. So who is Tom? 

But then things get surreal. Yes, the who-is-Taylor story isn’t all that compelling. But the factions are quickly introduced, and the story becomes more about story itself. What is the purpose of story in culture and what “power” that holds, if any, and who controls that story—or narrative. 

This becomes wonderfully unique and enticing. And because I’ve read it before I know where it’s going and the anticipation is killing me. One of my most favourite series of all time and no other work comes close to packaging these ideas like this.

Chad Henderson

Unwritten is sprawling journey across the world of literature with amazing deep storytelling, and great writing. I am really loving this series so far. I cannot recommend it enough.

Marie

maitha mana

James Dziemianzuk 

Peter Gross

Tom Taylor teams up with Aussie detective Didge Patterson in order to unravel the secrets behind the Church of Tommy's facade and heal "the wound" before the worlds of fiction and reality both crumble.

Maggie Gordon &
The Unwritten by Mike Carey

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Maggie Gordon &The Unwritten by Mike Carey

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Maggie Gordon &
The Unwritten by Mike Carey