Wish you Were Here
Tom Holt
346 pages
published in 1998

Another one of Tom Holt's comedic romps through fantasy and fairy tale, this time set around and in Lake Chicopee, which is haunted by the ghost of Okeewana, daughter of the West Wind. If you fall into the lake your deepest wish will be granted. Of course, nobody said this would be a good thing...

The story follows the adventures of four different people, all caught up int he magic of the lake on the same day, as well as the troubles of the lake's staff to keep up with them and keep the Tour on track. As usual with Holt funny and not so funny incidents come at you at a rate of several hundred per chapter and the book reads extremely fast.

This is a bit of a pity, as the main situation is worked out well enough. The lake is staffed by the people who fell into it and gotten their heart's desire, now they have to make sure the clients desire is fulfilled so they may be released of their contracts. Where it lets down is in the finishing. Too much stuff happens, the plotlines resemble nothing soi much as a yarn of whool being played with by a hyperactive kitten and the majority of jokes provoke more of an "eh" then a laugh.

It's nice and undemanding, good beach reading, but not an example of Holt's better work. I find it such a pity that he seems to be satisfied with this level of quality when he can do and has done so much better.