First Chapter Review: Hym and Hur by Phillip Frey

The first chapter of "Hym and Hur," a fantasy-comedy short story, was submitted by author Phillip Frey.

BLURB:   In this fantasy-comedy Hym and Hur are a young couple who never age and have been in love for more than a century. They also possess an array of magical abilities, two of which are either to play pranks on humankind or to perform good deeds. Enacting both at the same time is now what gets them into trouble, especially since it's the character of Death they must deal with to bring their plans to fruition.

The prank Hym and Hur have come up with must first be agreed upon by Death, who happens to be a rambunctious, difficult character. Once agreed upon, the prank is set in motion. Hym and Hur soon discover Death had tricked them into a contract with dire consequences for all of us.

During their attempt to break the contract, Hym and Hur try to save the relationship of an earthbound couple, knowing they are truly meant for each other. A good deed that will bring Hym and Hur even more trouble.

COVER:  This is a neat cover. Seems a bit more sci-fi to me than fantasy, but I think it still works, since Hym and Hur are monkeying around with humans and planet Earth is in the background. I like how the silhouetted characters are looking at each other, as if they are conversing.

FIRST CHAPTER: Hym and Hur appear in a restaurant, plop down, place their orders, and then begin talking about what they'll do today. When they finally agree, they know they are going to have to get someone else to go along with their plan.

KEEP READING: Possibly. This isn't a genre I read a lot of. I'm much more of a historical, mystery, inspirational fiction kind of person. But some fantasy novels have captured my attention. Because "Hym and Hur" is a short story, the opening chapter is brief, making it more difficult to decide if one should continue along. How much can you learn in three hundred words? I have to hand it to Frey, though, he knows his characters and he gives the reader a good feel for what "Hym and Hur" are like. He also keeps the "who" they will need to get to go along with their plan a secret in the opening.

• File Size: 126 KB
• Print Length: 29 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0073IWJBU
• Currently $.99

I received the first chapter from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.