Seán CullenReseñas

A decent enough story, set very firmly in Toronto (enough so that I felt as if having Google Street View open while reading would be helpful). The boy coming into his inheritance theme was fairly well done, although the way he discovers a new faerie superpower every time things get sticky was a bit too neat. I personally found the flaky, condescending "Narrator" annoying; another reader said that it annoyed her so much she didn't make it past the Prologue. However, the author is a stand-up comedian and, assuming the Narrator is his comedic voice, familiarity with that side of his work might make the Narrator acceptable if not enjoyable. Personally, I can't imagine how it could.possibly be considered to enhance rather than detract from the story. Averaging a 4-star story and a 1-star narration (both generous assessments) gives 2.5 stars for this one. Not a keeper, but it's a quick read despite its size and I might pick up the sequel (The Prince of Two Tribes) if I come across it.½

I have seen Sean Cullen do stand up. He is a strange man. This book for kids is also a strange book. You can kind of hear him talking to you through it with these funny little footnotes. Another story about orphans and kids against adults. It ends but leaves questions and plenty of room for a sequel. Made me think about how to write for kids who read books with mostly words but some pictures. People do get killed in this story. But no swearing. The role of the narrator as a character reminds me of Lemony Snicket. Cheese!

Sean Cullen's unusual sense of humour permeates every page of this, his first children's novel. The story and character development don't suffer at all from the comedic tone. A racing plot, bizarre settings and rotten villains will keep the reader turning the pages. The illustrations of Johann Wessels give just the right amount of visual suggestions.

the amazing conclusion to Hamish X's final adventures. read on my friends,find out what happens to all; the marvelous characters Sean Cullen has created. Laugh, live and love with Hamish X!

the chesse made me naushy, and the imsge were bad

Life is looking pretty dreary for the orphans of the Windcity orphanage and cheese factory. They work excruciating shifts producing the most foul cheese on the earth (2 ounces make you hallucinate. 3 ounces will kill you)and to top it all of they must subsist on a diet consisting solely of porridge. Yes, things are pretty grim. That is, until the arrival of the notorious orphan Hamish X....
The first novel for Canadian funny man Sean Cullen,Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates is told in the voice of the main protagonist (who will not hesitate to tell you that he is fully certified by the Narrator's Guild of Helsinki)and includes many foot notes, which could be read by themselves on the merit of their hilarity (I mean really, who needs plot.) In the course of the book, Hamish X, along with his trusty orphan sidekicks Parveen (an unsmiling, social inept genius from India) and Mimi (a feisty, loyal Texan), escape from the orphanage, survive the arctic and kick some cheese pirate butt. I highly recommend this book to any kid (or kid at heart)who likes a fast ride with a lot of laughs along the way.I can't wait to read the sequel!

Sean Cullen is a very funny, very bizarre man, and this, his first book, really showcases what he's capable of. This book features orphans, sweatshops, piracy, cheese, monkeys, and many other disparate elements, all brought together with surprising coherency by Cullen's signature style of humour. Definitely worth a read, although the plot itself is rather straightforward, and Cullen definitely shows that he's a first-time author with this work.½

Reviewed by
Quill & Quire April 2006
http://www.quillandquire.com/books_young/review.cfm?review_id=4989