One 
of the consequences or results of electronic publishing in recent years is the proliferation of shorter works (novellas, short stories, short novels) that might not ordinarily see the light of day in a physical only publishing landscape. As such, many writers are utilizing the electronic form of these shorter stories to explore characters or events in their long standing series. This brings us to God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlepig, a Bobby Dollar novella. For starters, Tad Williams is not known for tales of brevity. Granted, he has published a nice body of short fiction, but his tales tend to run to larger-sized, novels of the doorstopper variety.
The Bobby Dollar novels (three published at this point) are themselves different beasts from Tad’s Epic novels; in short, they are supernatural mysteries or urban fantasies. As such, a novella length story would ideally be well-suited to such a shorter tale. Let me change that, in the case of God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlepig, the novella is a nearly perfect length of story for a little side-story featuring Tad’s angel Doloriel (Bobby Dollar to most folk) an advocate for recently deceased souls. Based on the title of this novella, it should come as no surprise that the latest soul for which Bobby is advocating passes from the land of the living on December 24th. Now you might think an angel arguing for a soul to gain entrance into Heaven on Christmas Eve would be a touchy-feely Holiday Tale, you’d only be half correct. For this is a Holiday tale, but Bobby learns a great deal about the soul of Petar Vesić, not the least of which is that the man was more than just a man, he was a werewolf. What is most surprising is that Vesić doesn’t want Bobby’s help, he is prepared to go to Hell.
Once Bobby talks with Vesić in more detail; however, our advocate angel learns the root of his “client’s” steadfast demands. Being an angel, though a cynical angel, Bobby wants to do right by his client so he takes up Vesić’s concerns about the werewolf’s family, partners up with George (the were-pig and supporting character in the main novels) and finds himself fighting Santa Claus. Yes, a Christmas Tale where an Angel fights Santa Claus. Sounds like something you’d only see on South Park, right? Of course, Tad plays things out his own way and by the end when two characters come together, you realize Tad is playing on another long-held story.
I was grinning all the while I was reading this one. I’ve made it no secret that Tad Williams is one of my favorite writers so it would be hard for me not to like this one. Instead, Tad has proven yet again why he remains a favorite writer. Although I still haven’t read the third (and final, at this time) Bobby Dollar Novel, Sleeping Late until Judgment Day, I would really like to see more shorter Bobby Dollar cases like this one. Maybe an Easter story?
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlepig is a funny, engaging and terrific holiday tale. It is rewarding for readers of the Bobby Dollar books but also a great story to sample this particular story style from Tad Williams (or anything from him, for that matter).
Highly recommended.
© 2014 Rob H. Bedford
Available on kindle.
E-Copy courtesy of the publisher/author, Beale-Williams Enterprise
