Here’s a photo of yours truly at the Barnes and Noble. I met a number of readers and signed some books, it was a great day. Hoping to do more events like this when the next book is released.
Tag: Coming of Age
Book Talk
I will be at the Barnes and Noble in Poughkeepsie, NY on Saturday, April 27 at 2pm for a book talk and with copies of THE OSPREY MAN. It’s sure to be a fun time! Bring a friend, grab a coffee, and stay for some storytelling.
Time Bandits
One of the fun things about being a parent is showing your children things you enjoyed as a child. We read lots of different books and comics and watch movies together; most of the movies and TV my children watch is contemporary, but a good chunk of it consists of gems I enjoyed growing up. They mostly choose their own books but we read some of the cream of the crop together, as well.
Last night, we watched the 1981 classic, Time Bandits, Terry Gilliam’s family adventure film. I hadn’t seen this in decades, and wow, I was surprised how well it holds up. What a wonderful film. I recall watching the movie as a child, and the memories I have of it include John Cleese hilariously playing Robin Hood, Michael Palin as a lovelorn wimp, some great adventure scenes, witty, sharp dialogue, and a whole lot of fun. It’s a wonderful story of time traveling thieves, equipped with a magical map stolen from the Supreme Being. But seeing it as an adult made me view it differently–though all these wonderful comic elements are there, it’s a tale of a lonely child, the kind who is often seen in Roald Dahl novels.
The hero of this story is a young boy named Kevin, who is sympathetic from the opening scenes of the film. His parents are more interested in watching television and buying new gadgets than they are in their poor, lonely son, who escapes to his room to read and play with toy soldiers, only to be screamed at by his dad for making too much noise.
What dad doesn’t know is that the racket up in Kevin’s room was made by a knight on horseback who crashes through a wall, leaping over Kevin. But Kevin wonders if it were a dream, since the room quickly goes back to normal.
But Kevin does escape his mundane world when the Time Bandits break through the next night. By turns hilarious, greedy, selfish, and kind, Kevin’s diminutive companions are completely inept at what they do. They’re using the map to travel through space and time, only to steal valuables from guys like Napoleon and Agamemnon. Each time they make a leap through time, they fall from the sky and crash in a heap atop one another, sometimes smashing into innocent bystanders. It’s a hilarious and painful entrance every time. Yet all they do with this incredible ability to time travel is petty thieving. At one point, Kevin, having been taken from Agamemnon’s court, where he was to be the king’s heir, is despondent at this state of affairs, telling the leader of the Bandits, Randall, that the bandits have this amazing artifact, with which they can do anything, yet they choose to just go around stealing things. Kevin says, wistfully, of Agamemnon, “Money wasn’t important to him,” to which Randall replies, “He didn’t have anything to spend it on, did he?”
It’s a telling moment in the film; the young boy has perceived that even his new swashbuckling friends are barely better than his parents. They have the key to the universe, and what they want to use it for is to become rich.
Kevin does influence his group of pals, so that at the end they rescue him from Evil, who wants the map for himself. They risk themselves to save him, and it’s heartwarming to see Kevin’s kindness rub off on them.
But then God shows up, and everyone must leave, once Evil is destroyed. Kevin is in despair at this. He points out that God let dozens of people die, just to prove a point with his map and the Time Bandits. “Why does there have to be evil?” Kevin asks. “I think it’s something to do with free will,” the Supreme Being replies.
And Kevin is sent home. He awakens to his house burning down, and is saved by a fireman. His parents could not care less about his brush with death, and bicker on the lawn about their lost toaster, ignoring their son totally. They touch pieces of evil that Kevin has returned with, and immediately explode. Agamemnon, now a fireman, smiles at Kevin as he drives away in the fire truck. The movie ends with Kevin alone.
My son was on the verge of tears at this. I thought maybe he was upset at the dead parents, but that didn’t make sense, since Kevin’s parents were cruel and mean and shallow. No, my son explained that Kevin had had so much fun with his bandit pals, and now they were gone and the boy was alone.
Not exactly a comforting ending, but I guess Terry Gilliam’s movies are not there to comfort you.
This film is told with such good humor and wit and rapid fire jokes that it’s hard to take this too seriously as an adult, but my son was right. Maybe the best adults can do is save you and protect you, then wink and nod and send you on your way. The best strangers you meet will do that. And a lot of them, including God, are worth very little unless a kind-hearted child tells them they ought to behave.
In the Catalog
Here’s the record of THE OSPREY MAN at my local public library. Look for my book at your library, or ask your librarian about it! It’s available as an ebook in the hoopla database, or they can order a physical copy.
In the Library
I found my novel on the shelf at the library, so I took this ‘shelfie.’
“Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future.” —Ray Bradbury
An Interview
Here’s an interview I did with Bee Lindy at her site, Bookpleasures. It was a lot of fun to do, and you can learn a bit more about my novel THE OSPREY MAN there.
Today is also the last day you can enter to win a copy of the book, through Teddy Rose Book Reviews
I’m lucky to have a ticket to see George RR Martin in conversation with Neil Gaiman at Symphony Space tonight, which should be a great event. I have seen Neil Gaiman give a talk before, several years back when his excellent novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane came out. But I’m a huge fan of George RR Martin’s work, and have never seen him in person, so I’m excited. I’ve been reading A Song of Ice and Fire since the early 2000s, when my brother in law gave me a copy of Game of Thrones one Christmas. I really hope I get to read Winds of Winter soon! I’ll be sure to report back on tonight’s event. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed House of the Dragon, which is a great show in its own right. I was concerned it might seem anticlimactic after Game of Thrones, but they’ve done a fantastic job bringing us back to Westeros.
When I finished Dance With Dragons, I was sorry that there were no more Westeros novels (though I happily read Fire and Blood when it arrived), so I set out to read the rest of Martin’s books. For those of you who haven’t read them, his other novels are enormous fun too. Tuf Voyaging is a wonderful collection of stories about space merchant Haviland Tuf. Fevre Dream is his vampire novel, and Armageddon Rag is another good one, about a rock journalist and a seemingly cursed band called the Nazgul (of course). And I recently got an early novel he wrote, Dying of the Light, that I’m eager to read. His story collections are also filled with great stuff.
I just finished Ray Russell’s Haunted Castles, a collection of his Gothic stories. I’d never read him before, but the book was so creepy and haunting that I immediately got his novel The Case Against Satan, which I’m halfway through. His stories are pretty grim, but I also find them great fun to read. Always so many good books to read, and not enough time.
OSPREY MAN REVIEW, and book giveaway
I’m happy to share another review of THE OSPREY MAN. “This is a stupendous novel and one that I could read again and again. I really felt for Jacob as a character, and I felt like I was living through his grief with him. Five stars to this wonderful author!”
Read the entire review below, and enter to win a copy of the novel.
https://mytangledskeinsbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/10/the-osprey-man-by-christopher-tuthill.html
The Osprey Man review
Over at Teddy Rose Book Reviews, Mark has this to say about THE OSPREY MAN:
“‘The Osprey Man,’ was a highly enjoyable novel, and a wonderfully nostalgic look back at the eighties. Tuthill’s writing was genuine, heartfelt and skilled. I really felt for Jacob and his loss and I wanted him to succeed from the get-go. This is a five-star book that can be enjoyed by any and all readers!”
I was so pleased to read another positive review of the book! A number of reviewers have said they enjoy the 80s setting, which makes me happy. I was really trying to transport readers there and it seems like people are reacting well to that setting. There was also an interview with me and a book giveaway for The Osprey Man last week. This is a great site with lots of excellent reviews, check it out!
Osprey Man Review
On the Bound 4 Escape Book blog, reviewer Sal had this to say about THE OSPREY MAN, which made me smile:
“Tuthill has created a beautiful and moving novel, with all of the panache of a great YA story. It’s obvious from his writing that he understands how kids talk and act, and this glimpse back into the 1980’s seems as fresh and timely as ever.
Jacob was both relatable and interesting in his character, which made the story feel so much more unexpected in its direction. This is an author that I will definitely follow. I want to read more by Tuthill!”
Read more and enter to win a copy of the book:
THE OSPREY MAN, available now
THE OSPREY MAN
Christopher Tuthill
Jacob is at that most magical time between childhood and adolescence. As the end of the school year approaches, he is dreaming of baseball and the beach, but most of all, about working on the comic book he and his best friend Jonathan have created, The Osprey Man. Then tragedy strikes and Jacob has to find an inner strength he is not sure he has.
This beautifully written tale of youth, coping, and working through grief is ideal for readers of all ages.
Purchase a signed copy from the author
The Reviews of THE OSPREY MAN are coming in:
Read the review from D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review: “
“Osprey Man reveals its surprises, unwrapping them through the course of the story like birthday gifts.”
“‘The Osprey Man,’ was a highly enjoyable novel, and a wonderfully nostalgic look back at the eighties. Tuthill’s writing was genuine, heartfelt and skilled. I really felt for Jacob and his loss and I wanted him to succeed from the get-go. This is a five-star book that can be enjoyed by any and all readers!”
“A great read, with well-drawn characters. Chronicles that first, elusive love and all its insecurities as well as the tangled webs of friendships and devotion to the causes that inform who we become later in life. Harkens back to an innocence that many of us can relate to. I can’t wait to see what Chris is up to next!”–Glenn Jochum, singer and songwriter
“I found this book to be a really beautiful piece on grief and moving on. Jacob’s point of view was very poignant and touching and I found it really similar to how I have felt after losing someone close to me.
Five stars for this stunning tale!”
“This YA coming-of-age novel is a heartwarming tale of grief, friendship and perseverance told through the age of a young boy on the verge of becoming a teenager, and Tuthill portrays this perfectly.”–Laura Lee
“This is the first novel by Christopher Tuthill that I have read, but I would gladly read more! The atmosphere in this novel was perfect. The nostalgia of the 1980’s and the beginning of summer after school lets out, created a pitch perfect setting that made the background of the novel almost feel like a character in it’s own right.”
“Tuthill has created a beautiful and moving novel, with all of the panache of a great YA story. It’s obvious from his writing that he understands how kids talk and act and this glimpse back into the 1980’s seems as fresh and timely as ever.”
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Christopher Tuthill 