A review by lorien13
Willow by Wayland Drew

4.0

For those of you who don't know the amazingness of the movie of Willow I suggest you search it out and watch it. You might have trouble as it's only on VHS.

It follows the story of Willow Ufgood, a Nelwyn farmer (aka little person) who gets caught up trying to get a Daikini (average sized human) baby girl to a lost city before the evil sorceress queen Bavmorda kills her. He meets fantasy Han Solo Madmartigan (which is cool this is a story from George Lucas), and a badass princess who can't decide which side she's on, and rescues another sorceress and then there are the crazy brownies who are about 5 inches tall. Also the prophecy isn't about Willow he and Madmartigan just get caught up in this awesome story about sorceresses and princesses and empresses. It's got strong female characters in solid roles, and while Madmartigan might be the greatest swordsman that ever lives Sorsha could give him a run for his money in a duel. And there is no debate, the ladies hold all the magic power and the only king mentioned is pretty dang useless while the ladies, a little person, and someone whose name begins with "mad" save the world all being strung along by a baby girl.

I think it's one of the greatest fantasy movies ever made.

The book however isn't the greatest which is why the 5 out of 5 is wrong, it's 4.5. So many scenes are straight up better in the movie, funnier, and full of more action, horror, sorrow, and just more muchness, to quote Alice in Wonderland. However I think the greatest problem of the movie is there isn't much backstory explored beyond a few lines that don't explain jack diddly. So while it was lacking that final touch that makes the film fantastic it has more of the world.

Characters like Sorsha, Vohnkar, Fin Riziel, even Madmartigan get a boatload of backstory, as well as why Tir Asleen is everyone's last hope. Oh and of course the greatest question of just how a baby is supposed to save the world is sorta answered: she's gonna be an adult when she does it, which is why this is labelled book 0 of a trilogy that was the sequel to the movie the book's based on.

So do I recommend it? Yes. Yes I do. I think you should watch the movie and then read it.

Now I need to find the first book of the sequel series cuz I have 2 & 3 only...