Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want To Save The World
Encyclopedia
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Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want To Save The World is a fictional comedy novel
by Dominic Barker
. It was published in 2006, by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
in Great Britain
. It tells the tale of Blart
, a young boy on a pig farm, who refuses to save the world. The book is largely a light-hearted parody of the fantasy genre. However, the plot and humour both become darker as the book progresses. It won the 2007 Stockton Children's Book of the Year Award.
was released in the United States and the UK in 2007, and a third volume entitled Blart III: The Boy Who Set Sail on a Questionable Quest
was published in 2008.
or Narnia the characters refer to the world as Earth and concepts of the Church
, Hell
and the Holy Grail
exist, suggesting it takes place some time in Earth's distant past. The theory of the world's creation is almost identical to the Christian
Genesis as well as Ainulindalë
from The Silmarillion
by J. R. R. Tolkien
.
praised it as being "inventive, charming and very funny" with a "satisfying ending". The Dominion Post said it had "some truly laughable scenes" and the Birmingham Post noted that it would appeal to young Terry Pratchett
fans. The Times
also chose it as one of their Top Easter Reads, describing it as "hilarious".
Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want To Save The World is a fictional comedy novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Dominic Barker
Dominic Barker
Dominic Barker is a British children's author.-Biography:Dominic Barker was born in Southport in 1966. He graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in English and then spent two years as part of a comedy double act before deciding to become a teacher...
. It was published in 2006, by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Bloomsbury Publishing plc is an independent, London-based publishing house known for literary novels. It is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index. The company's growth over the past decade is primarily attributable to the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Bloomsbury was named Publisher of...
in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. It tells the tale of Blart
Blart (character)
Blart is the main protagonist in Dominic Barker's fantasy novels Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want to Save the World, Blart II: The Boy Who was Wanted Dead or Alive - Or Both and Blart III: The Boy Who Set Sail on a Questionable Quest. He is lazy, rude, obnoxious, self-centred, negative, critical and...
, a young boy on a pig farm, who refuses to save the world. The book is largely a light-hearted parody of the fantasy genre. However, the plot and humour both become darker as the book progresses. It won the 2007 Stockton Children's Book of the Year Award.
Plot summary
Blart is a young and quite unattractive boy, who lives on a small pig farm with his grandfather. All he cares about is himself and pigs. One day, Capablanca, a very proud and powerful wizard, arrives on Blart's grandfather's doorstep. He tells Blart that he is destined to save the world, by destroying the great Zoltab. But, selfishly, Blart refuses. But, by force, Blart is swept up from his home and sent on a perilous quest around the land, fighting the forces of evil. He meets many strange characters, some even stranger than him! And it all leads up to one final confrontation with the evil Zoltab and his most powerful minions...Main characters
- CapablancaCapablanca (Blart)Capablanca of the Wizard Order of Caissa is a primary character from Dominic Barker's novel Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want to Save the World and the sequel Blart II: The Boy Who was Wanted Dead or Alive - Or Both. He also plays a smaller, but equally important, role in Blart III: The Boy Who Set...
: A powerful wizard, who lets no one else forget it with his constant bragging, Capablanca is the one who finds and forcibly takes Blart on his quest. His eyes shine crystal-blue when he uses his magicMagic (fantasy)Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers.Such magic often serves as a plot device, the source of magical artifacts and their quests...
. He has little patience for Blart, but many threats to turn him into things seem to set him right!
- BeowulfBeowulf (Blart)Sir Beowulf, or Beo for short, is a character from Dominic Barker's fantasy novel Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want To Save The World and its sequel Blart II: The Boy Who Was Wanted Dead Or Alive - Or Both...
: Beowulf accompanies Blart and Capablanca on their quest. He wields a large swordSwordA sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
, and is constantly trying to prove himself worthy of knighthood by saving damsels in distress and other activities which pretty much ends him up in trouble, killing Princess Lois' pet dragon being one of them. He constantly tells Blart he will cleave him into two (sometimes extending to the others). Unfortunately for the others, singing is both his hobby and greatest failure. He is ignorant and tends to sulk a lot, but he is a great warriorWarriorA warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
and a great benefit to Blart's quest.
- Pig the Horse : The unfortunately named Pig is a flying horse. The party captured the horse, and Capablanca rode the horse off a cliff to force it to learn to fly, nearly getting the party "splattered on rocks" to aid the company on their quest. Unfortunately, Blart is given the honour of naming it...
- Princess Lois : The loud and obnoxious princessPrincessPrincess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
of Illyria out matches Blart in rudeness. She has flaming red hair and is rather aggressive by nature. One of her favourite actions happens to be slamming doors, and she is adamant about never marrying. Her only friends are the dragonDragonA dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s of Illyria, one of which Beowulf unfortunately kills. She joins the company to see the world. Blart shows feelings towards her, her rudeness channeling this.
- Tungsten' : A dwarf warrior from beneath the ground, Tungsten also becomes a member of the company. A brave warrior wielding a malletMalletA mallet is a kind of hammer, usually of rubber,or sometimes wood smaller than a maul or beetle and usually with a relatively large head.-Tools:Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are:...
, his only wish is for ironIronIron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
to become the most valuable metal of all. Then, his tribe would rule the silverSilverSilver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
and goldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
minesMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
as well. He is the AmbassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
of the Iron Mines.
- ZoltabZoltabZoltab is a fictional character, the main antagonist of the novel Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want To Save The World, by Dominic Barker.-Origin:...
: One of the seven lords of the earth, he betrayed the others to take over the world. He was eventually locked away in the Great TunnelTunnelA tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
of Despair after his eventual defeat, but the cultCultThe word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
of Zoltab plot to free the evil lord. Being yet another unwelcome suitor for Princess Lois, having children was supposedly to extend the Zoltab bloodline. However, he fails both conquer of the world and marriage when he gets splattered with the blood of Blart's brother.
- Famine, Disease, Pestilence and DeathFour Horsemen of the ApocalypseThe Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are described in the last book of the New Testament of the Bible, called the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ to Saint John the Evangelist at 6:1-8. The chapter tells of a "'book'/'scroll' in God's right hand that is sealed with seven seals"...
: These four warriors are The Four Horsemen of Zoltab. Each spreads the effects of its name across the lands. They all wield separate weapons, each horrible in their own way. Famine is described as tall and gaunt with skin stretched tautly over his bones, showing his unquestionable lack of nutrition, and wields a spear. Disease is covered in sores and boils with yellow pus flowing from scabs on his face. Black bile also flows from his nose, and carries a mace. Pestilence is surrounded by a swarm of wasps and mosquitoes, each with their own poisonous stings, and is armed with a trident and a net. Death, the most deadly and powerful is naught but a skeleton on a horse and grins evilly while wielding a great sword. Apparently, touching Death's sword and bone results in instant death.
- The Master : The Master is Zoltab's number two. Both him and Zoltab are almost equally powerful and strike fear into people's hearts. The Master hides a terrible secret...
Minor characters
- Wattle and Daub : Wattle and Daub are Blart's grandfather's prized pigs, and Blart's best and only friends. When Blart is parted from them they are killed and sliced. Blart cries because of this.
- The Landlord : The new, mysterious landlordLandlordA landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
of the Jolly Murderers Inn is secretly a minion of Zoltab. He, along with a band of other Minions, attack the company in their rooms. When defeated, the landlord severs his own tongue off, refusing to divulge any information.
- Mr. Cheery : The real owner of the Jolly Murderers Inn. He is locked up in his own inn by Zoltab's minion.
- Nimzovitsch : A wizard as powerful as Capablanca and an old friend of his, the company visit him for information on Zoltab. They find him covered and trapped in goo. Apparently, this is the outcome of a stewStewA stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables , meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used...
he attempted to make...
- Mr. Motte and Mr. Bailey : Two definite Minions of Zoltab, they get Beowulf drunk to extract information on the company's quest.
- The Dragons of Illyria : The five dragons of Illyria (one blue, one red, one black, one green and one multicoloured) are the only friends of Princess Lois (or the only friends she wants). Unfortunately, Beowulf, wanting to become a knight, severs the tail of the multicoloured one, killing it.
- The King and Queen of Illyria : This couple are the rulers of Illyria, the stereotypical paradise. In the story, a beggar was said to attempt to beg in Illyria only to find that he had become the third richest man in Illyria the second day and therefore had to retire.The two are equally nice, and refuses to believe that anything is that bad, from refraining from using words such as "war", "accusation" and "crime" to suggesting they shower Zoltab and his minions with fruits or get him in a counselling session to solve the questor's problem. Their palacePalaceA palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
is the home of the mapMapA map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
to the Great Tunnel of Despair.
- The Clerk : The sour-looking clerk of Illyria is secretly a Minion of Zoltab, dispatching information to Zoltab from the palace of Illyria. He holds the key to the room containing the map to the Great Tunnel of Despair. When found out, he, like the landlord, severs his own tongue off.
- Acrid : Acrid is a female dwarf, crushed and killed underneath Blart when he falls into the dwarf mines.
- Yucky : The angry father of the late Acrid, he attempts to kill Blart. Seconds before his attack on Blart, he is crushed and killed by a falling Capablanca.
- Porg : A dwarf advisor to EmperorEmperorAn emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Squat, he captures Blart and Capablanca and takes them to see the emperor. He is a nervous dwarf, and fears the mere name of Zoltab.
- Emperor Squat : Squat is the dwarf emperor of the Iron Mines, and is constantly referred to as "your bulkiness". He sentences Blart and Capablanca to death without trialTrialA trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
when Blart makes fun of his short stature.
- The Chief : The Chief is the one who commands the diggers who are digging to free Zoltab. When Blart and Capablanca are captured and sent to work, the current chief is a large, burly man with a whip. He is killed by The Master, when the expected amount of daily work is not completed. Blart is then selected to become the new chief, but the work ends abruptly afterwards.
- Maroczy : Maroczy is a MinistrE of Zoltab. He, along with The Master, foresees the return of Zoltab.
- Blart's brother : The actual chosen one, it was he who was destinied to kill Zoltab. But, unfortunately, he had already sworn his allegiance to Zoltab. He is killed when one of Zoltab's soldiers magically transforms into a dragon and crushes him.
Sequels
A sequel entitled Blart II: The Boy Who was Wanted Dead or Alive - Or BothBlart II: The Boy Who Was Wanted Dead or Alive - Or Both
Blart II: The Boy Who Was Wanted Dead Or Alive - Or Both is the sequel to Dominic Barker's Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want To Save The World, released in 2007. It was published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.-Plot summary:...
was released in the United States and the UK in 2007, and a third volume entitled Blart III: The Boy Who Set Sail on a Questionable Quest
Blart III: The Boy Who Set Sail on a Questionable Quest
Blart III: The Boy Who Set Sail on a Questionable Quest is a 2008 children's novel by Dominic Barker. It is the sequel to Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want to Save the World and Blart II: The Boy Who Was Wanted Dead or Alive - Or Both....
was published in 2008.
Setting
The setting of the story is unclear. Whilst the plot-line would suggest it takes place in a fantasy realm like Middle-earthMiddle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
or Narnia the characters refer to the world as Earth and concepts of the Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
, Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
and the Holy Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
exist, suggesting it takes place some time in Earth's distant past. The theory of the world's creation is almost identical to the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Genesis as well as Ainulindalë
Ainulindalë
The Ainulindalë is the first part of the fantasy work The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien. In Tolkien's legendarium, the Ainur are Eä's divine beings. In Heaven, before Time, they compose a Great Music. This Music is revealed to be the template, or blueprint, commensurable with the entire history...
from The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
by J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
.
Reception
The novel was generally well received. The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
praised it as being "inventive, charming and very funny" with a "satisfying ending". The Dominion Post said it had "some truly laughable scenes" and the Birmingham Post noted that it would appeal to young Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
fans. The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
also chose it as one of their Top Easter Reads, describing it as "hilarious".