Customer Reviews

Fool's Errand: A Novel

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I picked up "Fool's Errand," on the advice of a friend of mine who reccommended such good reads as the two novels of Timothy James Beck and who shared my appreciation for Rob Byrnes' "The Night We Met." So, I opened this book with a great deal of expectation.

Patrick Beaton is a rare sort of gay male protagonist - he's not incredibly passionate, he's not perfect, he's romantic, but he's also got his head so far up in the clouds that he's a little bit of a sap and a pushover.

So, when Patrick decides that someone he saw barely (and maybe even in a dream) is Mr. Perfect, he starts to hunt him down. Between his hunting down Mr. Perfect in all the wrong places, he has to deal with his ex - who has hooked up with a Mr. Wonderful of his own - Mr. Wonderful's ex - who wants Patrick to find his own Mr. Perfect to drive Patrick's ex to a jealous return, so that Mr. Wonderful comes back on the market, crazy rats, the CIA, his best friend's love life, and a confusing and unnanounced visit from his father.

All in all, this is a heartwarming tale, and I liked the direction it went. The ultimate conclusion is a plausible one, amidst a novel that's just shy of slapstick in places. There's a gentle touch to this story, in both dialogue and Patrick's thoughts, and it was a warm and snuggly sort of reading experience.

'Nathan

Definitely one of the better books I have read this year. Witty, hilarious yet sensitive and touching, Fool's Errand stays with you long after you come to the last word. All of us who are romantic at heart could definitely identify with Patrick's quest and fantasy because we have a little of Patrick and Seth in all of us. The side characters are amazingly vivid, Patrick's father the most endearing. Seth described as the tick who just grows on you and never leave you just tops the ending. A wonderful read !

What a smart, eloquent, from-the-heart book. Unfortunately any gay author with the slightest bit of humor is usually compared to Armistead Maupin, but Bayard is the first I've read who comes close while bringing his own particular brand of wit to the table.

For some reason I purchased this book some time ago, put it aside, and just found it again last week. I thought it was a wonderful book. I started to laugh when Patrick and Alex split up at the beginning of the book. They do not seem to have much of a relationship; nor are they very upset. Alex is a neat-freak; he wants to know if he can clean Patrick's mini-blinds before he leaves because it will make him feel better. I laughed all the way through it, and read it in about two days. The characters are all crazy, the dialogue is fast and funny, and eventually, the author draws a real lesson that we can all take to heart. While it is funny, there is a real lesson to this book. Run to your nearest bookstore!

I have never written a review before, but I loved this book so much that I had to comment. If you are looking for erotica, keep on moving. While this book is certainly gay-themed, it is mostly 'human'-themed. It starts out oddly, and for a while, you don't know quite where the story is going to end up. At the very least, it didn't end in the way I expected. which was a pleasant surprise. I feel that the author did a great job with those in my age bracket who have no set place in 'The Scene', and I couldn't help smiling for hours after I finished the book.

PAtrick, asleep at his friends house during a party grogily sees a handsome man in a cranbeery sweater. Recently single Patrick tries to find out who this man was? None of the friends know and nobody can remember him being at the party. Later he is aided in his search by Seth. They are connected because patricks boyfriend dumped him to begin dating Seths boyfriend. Very entertaining with a nice funny twist at the end to keep you engaged. Very much recomended.

The premise behind Fool's Errand is that perennial search for Mr Right, and Bayard's question to us really is whether Mr Right is really an illusion, something that exists only in our minds.

Our protagonist, Patrick Beaton, catches a nap in a friend's house, and is surprised by a handsome man in a cranberry sweater. But, much to his later chagrin and regret, Patrick is too groggy from sleep to do more say a few words, or to find out his name or number. Patrick's relationship is on the rocks, and when it breaks up shortly after his mysterious encounter, Patrick resolves to find the man in the cranberry sweater.

The rest of the novel revolves around this quest, and Patrick is aided by Seth, whose ex- had recently broken up with him to be with Patrick's ex-, giving him reasons of his own for helping Patrick. Along the way, the novel takes on some highly novel, and comedic turns, as Seth and Patrick go through some highly ludicrous methods to locate this erstwhile Mr Right, and proving ultimately that love can be found in the most unexpected places.

I was utterly charmed by Bayard's book and its underlying premise. The pacing was generally right, and the characterisation strong. He has a disarming, almost oblique style with an eye for detail. And the dry, almost deadpan, way he tells his story adds to the humour of the situations Patrick finds himself in. The people he describes are funny, but not quite caricatures: there is the hopeless father, the ... hag, the rich couple. He skewers a number of people, types and behaviours along the way, but beneath the cynicism there was the sense that Bayard loves the whole circus.

And ultimately that what makes the book's cynicism and humour work: the underlying fondness that leavens it. There are a lot of novels out there dealing with the theme of finding love, but too many catering (rather tiringly) to the stereotype of the hunky, handsome Mr Right, and few as charmingly and disarmingly written as this.

My Personal Rating Scale:
5 stars: Engaging, well-written, highly entertaining or informative, thought provoking, pushes the envelope in one or more ways, a classic.
4 stars: Engaging, well-written, highly entertaining or informative. Book that delivers well in terms of its specific genre or type, but does not do more than that.
3 stars: Competent. Does what it sets out to do competently, either on its own terms on within the genre, but is nothing special. May be clichéd but is still entertaining.
2 stars: Fails to deliver in various respects. Significantly clichéd. Writing is poor or pedestrian. Failed to hold my attention.
1 star: Abysmal. Fails in all respects.

"Fool's Errand" is a miniseries for TV or a movie waiting to happpen. This fast paced, always interesting story is told in such a facile manner that you feel you're overhearing conversations of friends. The characters are beautifully delineated, loveable, and remind us of acquaintances so clearly that we become part of this Search For Mr Right. This book is a wonderful read, a thoroughly engaging story with a page-turner style that makes you wish it would never end. And maybe it won't.. We have all been down this lane before: it just takes someone of the gifts of Louis Bayard to make us want to wake up and love what we have, who we are and have been. A terrificly simple, engrossing novel. Let's hope there is a sequel planned.........

I read reviews like most of us not for plot, but for impact on reader. Not much more can be said by myself that hasn't in the 30 plus previous entries here. What I can add is that I've twice now sent this book to close friends. It touched me that much. One in New York, and one in England (Thank you Amazon). In my mind, that, is the mark of one Hell of a good read. Thank you very much Mr. Bayard. We can all only hope for more.

An impossible quest for the man of your dreams. This is one of the best books I have read lately, full of psychological insight, every character stands out and is wondrfully defined. It is als a romantic love story where love takes unexpected ways to get to his final aim. I read the book in two days, I could not put it down, witty and funny dialogue.An unbelievable plot takes hold of you and becomes a most believable story. Open your eyes, the man of your dreams is here, at hand.