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Crack Fantasy Adventure #1
I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc
Berklak:
Being a half-orc is fun most of the time. Most people think I’m all orc, and that usually slicks things up so I can glide in and out of town without much fuss. Most of the time things go really smoothly for me. Sometimes, young watchmen from small towns with too much time on their hands pick a fight with half-orcs just trying to get some mead, and sometimes that ends up with me taking a kid all the way to the capital to become a bard, and sometimes that means I discover along the way a new questline that I need to follow. Sometimes. Well, this time, at least, and my companion for this quest is the cutest little necromancer I’ve ever seen (he’s the only one I’ve ever seen, but he’s adorable).
Now, where did I leave my barrel of mead again?
Lawton:
Being the most feared human in Fasgard is annoying and inconvenient. It’s not like I went out of my way to be born a necromancer, but since my options are death or working for the king, I gladly accept my role as high sorcerer. It doesn’t matter that I’m a prince of the realm, at least not to anyone in the palace. When one of my father’s concubines loses her temper a little too hard, the things I discover lead me to the most wonderful half-orc I’ve ever met (I’ve only met the one, but he’s amazing), and my very first real adventure.
I can’t believe I’m finally going to leave the palace!
I Went On An Adventure and All I Got is This Barbarian Orc is a five chapter serial fantasy adventure with a light-hearted, fun TTRPG vibe. Expect big magic, lots of cuddles, plenty of steam, and a team of characters that might not get a natural 20 on every roll, but they make up for it with creative solutions to both magical and mundane problems.
Being a half-orc is fun most of the time. Most people think I’m all orc, and that usually slicks things up so I can glide in and out of town without much fuss. Most of the time things go really smoothly for me. Sometimes, young watchmen from small towns with too much time on their hands pick a fight with half-orcs just trying to get some mead, and sometimes that ends up with me taking a kid all the way to the capital to become a bard, and sometimes that means I discover along the way a new questline that I need to follow. Sometimes. Well, this time, at least, and my companion for this quest is the cutest little necromancer I’ve ever seen (he’s the only one I’ve ever seen, but he’s adorable).
Now, where did I leave my barrel of mead again?
Lawton:
Being the most feared human in Fasgard is annoying and inconvenient. It’s not like I went out of my way to be born a necromancer, but since my options are death or working for the king, I gladly accept my role as high sorcerer. It doesn’t matter that I’m a prince of the realm, at least not to anyone in the palace. When one of my father’s concubines loses her temper a little too hard, the things I discover lead me to the most wonderful half-orc I’ve ever met (I’ve only met the one, but he’s amazing), and my very first real adventure.
I can’t believe I’m finally going to leave the palace!
I Went On An Adventure and All I Got is This Barbarian Orc is a five chapter serial fantasy adventure with a light-hearted, fun TTRPG vibe. Expect big magic, lots of cuddles, plenty of steam, and a team of characters that might not get a natural 20 on every roll, but they make up for it with creative solutions to both magical and mundane problems.
118 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 2023
378 people are currently reading
608 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Cody
47 books711 followersJennifer Cody lives in Small Midwestern Town, USA, aka the sticks of Kansas. She has three kids and a Beardo she loves. Her sleep schedule is weird, so messages sent at midnight usually get answered relatively promptly. She reads all kinds of mm romance and urban fantasy, but her favorites are gay-for-you, small-town romances and over the top urban fantasy romances. Her own writing doesn’t always reflect her reading preferences, but mostly it does. She writes what she wants to read and reads extensively because she’s an addict. To books, obviously. And caffeine because sleep is for other people.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
March 26, 2025
Every move that we make scented candles reflect it all / And our shadows are locked in a dance on the bedroom wall (Peep Show – Joe).
Let's rewind the clock back maybe a year and we'd find ourself in a world where this book was super popular here on Goodreads (meaning that I saw it more than once while scrolling down the timeline), and I thought hey, that looks pretty cute and figured that I should check it out someday in the future. Well, we've reached that day and now I realize that all I am is a guy who's way late to the party sitting here with a finished book that was just okay. It was well worth the wait? Okay, that’s a little dramatic, because I actually don’t have strong enough opinions about this book to where it can even evoke the kinds of emotions that would leave me writing a long ass rant about it whatsoever… but hey, that’s never stopped me before! Anyway, I probably take these kinds of stories a little too seriously, because even though everything about this book is telling me to sit back and relax, I’m still over here trying to figure out the logistics of the world building while Chucky the Chuckler over here is cracking ten jokes a minute. Only three paragraphs of this book’s prose and I was already saying stuff like “Alrighty, let’s wrap it up!” Just tell me more about this fantasy world’s society! My biggest issue here is that most of the world-building operates on the notion that we all know common fantasy tropes going into it, so there doesn't need to be any kind of exposition. I know that might sound like an immense relief to a lot of readers, but let me tell you that I'm of the opinion that just because your story is covering very common tropes, it doesn't mean that you can skimp out on the natural ways to tell a story. Like yeah, we all know what an author means when they talk about Elves and Orcs, but what do these cultures mean in the context of this specific story!? Are we just supposed to go off of Lord of the Rings logic or one of the other millions of fantasy books that use the same shit!? Because otherwise, why even read this book if it doesn't want to shake things up even a little bit? I'll just go ahead and (try) to read Lord of the Rings again! I mean, even Skyrim, for all of its faults, has vastly different lore for all of the common fantasy races that it uses in its setting, like how different the history of vampires would be in a world that doesn't have a Count Dracula (or Orlok if you're trying to avoid copyright). Or how the game will at least call their races different names like with the Dwemer or the Falmer to give things a little variety. Is this book trying to be Lord of the Rings or Skyrim? Nope, but I'm just saying, I never want to read a fantasy story that feels like it's written by short-hand.
Anyway, for what it's worth, I do think this book did a good enough job at involving me in the story despite the fact that the short length and overly modern prose held it back in most regards. As for the premise though, this book is about an Orc name Orlok… wait no, that’s Nosferatu’s name… um let me check real quick… this book is about an Orc named Berklak being hired by the necromancer prince, Lawton, to investigate a curse or disease or a whatever spreading throughout the land that makes people uncharacteristically aggressive. Woah, where did that come from? It’s a surprisingly involved plot considering the cover gives off some serious Deviant Art vibes (not shade, I love the cover)! But I'd probably have to warn folks that you shouldn't exactly go into this book expecting a totally complete and fulfilling story, what with all one hundred pages of this basically just being set-up for the adventure that the characters will probably go on in the next book. Not cool. I remember reading this manga called Yamato Gensōki back in the day that got cancelled half way through, and in a last ditch effort to give it some kind of satisfying ending, the author literally wrote it so the last page was the characters looking off into the sunset with the parting words saying that the main character's journey was "just beginning!" And not to be facetious, but the journey was clearly ending, my dude. Yeah well, I'm sorry to say that I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc gave off the same vibes as a manga that was cancelled mid-way through. I know, I know, this is literally “part one” of a bigger thing and that there's a complete series out there just waiting for me to read them so I can stop complaining, but I maintain even if a story is made with a sequel in mind, it should still have a satisfying pay-off right here and now. It’s like how the suits at Netflix and Disney Plus keep insisting on marketing their shows as “6 hour movie events” rather than wanting make their T.V. shows into… engaging T.V. shows. And because they do this, they forget that one episode of T.V. still means that you should at the very least have a satisfying beginning, middle, and end! Mini stories that complete the overarching narrative. This is the way it's always been done and it hasn't changed now just because streaming services only seem to know how to make seasons of television consisting of six to eight episodes that come out every five years!
Sorry to six hour movie enjoyers, but single episodes of T.V. still need to reach the same emotional story beats that you would in a movie, just in a more condensed format. You can't just write it so every episode leaves off on a cliff-hanger to get people watching every week but then to avoid the "washed out" accusations, begin promoting a guy running through a series of hallways on some kind of complicated camera mechanism in the hopes that people will still think your show is "high art." You still got to adhere to the basics of story-telling! That’s why most shows on those streaming platforms just feel like they’re endlessly meandering and don’t go anywhere until the final episode (Book of Boba Fett, The Mandaloran season 3, and Ms. Marvel), it’s because the writers are too focused on the big picture that they forget the importance of making the journey as interesting as it can be right now! You probably get my point by now, but like I said, that’s what this book made me think of; waiting and waiting for the story to get to the good part and then it ended. Shit, I might just avoid part two out of resentment. But otherwise, the only reason why it seems like I’m laying into I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc a little harsher than I normally would is because there were moments during my reading experience where small bits of greatness would break through the quirky and self-aware prose and showed me a much better story. Yeah, again that’s a little on the dramatic side, but I just want you to know that my feelings for this book are less about criticism and more about journaling my disappointment in what could have been! I'm sure that lots of folks will be really into this story, and that's really cool. Super cool, man. I already talked about how surprisingly interesting the plot was, but I also thought that our two main characters, Berklak and Lawton (or Orlok and Dalton if I’m typing with my eyes closed), had an incredibly strong sense of identity despite the overly humorous tone to the story, and I really enjoyed how unique they felt as pov narrators while also clearly seeing how their personalities would go well together when they eventually meet. Berklak is a Half-Orc who belongs to so many different guilds throughout this half-baked, generic fantasy world that you’d think they were written by Todd Howard, while Lawton is a prince who’s ostracized for practicing an outlawed form of magic. Don't worry though, he thankfully holds back his worst impulses in a show of characterization that makes him feel like the embodiment of a writer’s pent up rage.
I mean, I do have to admit that they both felt a little overpowered for the setting they're in the same way those Isekai manga always have their characters waa~aay stronger than anyone else, and I really do think that this kind of characterization only ever helps to remove narrative tension that could have otherwise been had. It's soo~ooo lazy! And I didn't like how the book would literally have it so characters stated that they were a "Level 4 sorcerer" or whatever in universe and it's like... am I in a video game? And like games, don't get me wrong, but different mediums shouldn't be transferred over verbatim, they should be translated. I want my books to feel like books, my video games to feel like video games, and I especially want television to feel like television! Otherwise, I did appreciate the restraint the author showed in having Berklak and Lawton separated until about the half-way mark, because it gave us enough time get to know them and see their motivations without the story being encumbered by the romance side-plot. Because damn, when they do finally meet up, things instantly heat up. Psst ouch! Lawton’s inner monologue quickly evolves from resentment over his family troubles into him just wanting to know how many inches the Orc’s *elephant noise* is, that’s what they call a “fruit-by-the-foot!” har har. I also thought it was pretty interesting how Lawton showed almost no sexual interest for most the story, having not had sex with anyone but himself for ten years prior, that is until he's introduced to Berklak and immediately turns into the horniest man on the planet. You might call this inconsistent writing, but you know what they say… what’s a goon to a goblin heh heh. But really though, seeing as fantasy races are already commonly used as a generalized proxy for real life cultures, this book’s heavier emphasis on the Orc race having large members and their prowess in bed came across as thinly-veiled racialized fetishism. But who knows, it’s probably not that deep. And even though I found this book to be kind of dumb, maybe I’ll end up remembering it more fondly the longer I stay away from it? if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that if a thing is around for long enough (like, two months), eventually it’ll get hit with the nostalgic “underrated masterpiece" beam. You know, where a hated thing will later be heralded as being “good actually! The critics were wrong!” I mean, look at how everybody loves Adam Sandler now even though it was pretty common place to hate his stuff back in the day. But nah, now we all think he’s a pioneer of comedy, his legacy unmatched. Like, we’re just all going to forget Little Nicky exists, huh? I guess passage of time can be kind. Hey, ask me about this book tomorrow and I might have a completely new review for you.
“I’m a middle child; of course I want love.”
Let's rewind the clock back maybe a year and we'd find ourself in a world where this book was super popular here on Goodreads (meaning that I saw it more than once while scrolling down the timeline), and I thought hey, that looks pretty cute and figured that I should check it out someday in the future. Well, we've reached that day and now I realize that all I am is a guy who's way late to the party sitting here with a finished book that was just okay. It was well worth the wait? Okay, that’s a little dramatic, because I actually don’t have strong enough opinions about this book to where it can even evoke the kinds of emotions that would leave me writing a long ass rant about it whatsoever… but hey, that’s never stopped me before! Anyway, I probably take these kinds of stories a little too seriously, because even though everything about this book is telling me to sit back and relax, I’m still over here trying to figure out the logistics of the world building while Chucky the Chuckler over here is cracking ten jokes a minute. Only three paragraphs of this book’s prose and I was already saying stuff like “Alrighty, let’s wrap it up!” Just tell me more about this fantasy world’s society! My biggest issue here is that most of the world-building operates on the notion that we all know common fantasy tropes going into it, so there doesn't need to be any kind of exposition. I know that might sound like an immense relief to a lot of readers, but let me tell you that I'm of the opinion that just because your story is covering very common tropes, it doesn't mean that you can skimp out on the natural ways to tell a story. Like yeah, we all know what an author means when they talk about Elves and Orcs, but what do these cultures mean in the context of this specific story!? Are we just supposed to go off of Lord of the Rings logic or one of the other millions of fantasy books that use the same shit!? Because otherwise, why even read this book if it doesn't want to shake things up even a little bit? I'll just go ahead and (try) to read Lord of the Rings again! I mean, even Skyrim, for all of its faults, has vastly different lore for all of the common fantasy races that it uses in its setting, like how different the history of vampires would be in a world that doesn't have a Count Dracula (or Orlok if you're trying to avoid copyright). Or how the game will at least call their races different names like with the Dwemer or the Falmer to give things a little variety. Is this book trying to be Lord of the Rings or Skyrim? Nope, but I'm just saying, I never want to read a fantasy story that feels like it's written by short-hand.
Anyway, for what it's worth, I do think this book did a good enough job at involving me in the story despite the fact that the short length and overly modern prose held it back in most regards. As for the premise though, this book is about an Orc name Orlok… wait no, that’s Nosferatu’s name… um let me check real quick… this book is about an Orc named Berklak being hired by the necromancer prince, Lawton, to investigate a curse or disease or a whatever spreading throughout the land that makes people uncharacteristically aggressive. Woah, where did that come from? It’s a surprisingly involved plot considering the cover gives off some serious Deviant Art vibes (not shade, I love the cover)! But I'd probably have to warn folks that you shouldn't exactly go into this book expecting a totally complete and fulfilling story, what with all one hundred pages of this basically just being set-up for the adventure that the characters will probably go on in the next book. Not cool. I remember reading this manga called Yamato Gensōki back in the day that got cancelled half way through, and in a last ditch effort to give it some kind of satisfying ending, the author literally wrote it so the last page was the characters looking off into the sunset with the parting words saying that the main character's journey was "just beginning!" And not to be facetious, but the journey was clearly ending, my dude. Yeah well, I'm sorry to say that I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc gave off the same vibes as a manga that was cancelled mid-way through. I know, I know, this is literally “part one” of a bigger thing and that there's a complete series out there just waiting for me to read them so I can stop complaining, but I maintain even if a story is made with a sequel in mind, it should still have a satisfying pay-off right here and now. It’s like how the suits at Netflix and Disney Plus keep insisting on marketing their shows as “6 hour movie events” rather than wanting make their T.V. shows into… engaging T.V. shows. And because they do this, they forget that one episode of T.V. still means that you should at the very least have a satisfying beginning, middle, and end! Mini stories that complete the overarching narrative. This is the way it's always been done and it hasn't changed now just because streaming services only seem to know how to make seasons of television consisting of six to eight episodes that come out every five years!
Sorry to six hour movie enjoyers, but single episodes of T.V. still need to reach the same emotional story beats that you would in a movie, just in a more condensed format. You can't just write it so every episode leaves off on a cliff-hanger to get people watching every week but then to avoid the "washed out" accusations, begin promoting a guy running through a series of hallways on some kind of complicated camera mechanism in the hopes that people will still think your show is "high art." You still got to adhere to the basics of story-telling! That’s why most shows on those streaming platforms just feel like they’re endlessly meandering and don’t go anywhere until the final episode (Book of Boba Fett, The Mandaloran season 3, and Ms. Marvel), it’s because the writers are too focused on the big picture that they forget the importance of making the journey as interesting as it can be right now! You probably get my point by now, but like I said, that’s what this book made me think of; waiting and waiting for the story to get to the good part and then it ended. Shit, I might just avoid part two out of resentment. But otherwise, the only reason why it seems like I’m laying into I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc a little harsher than I normally would is because there were moments during my reading experience where small bits of greatness would break through the quirky and self-aware prose and showed me a much better story. Yeah, again that’s a little on the dramatic side, but I just want you to know that my feelings for this book are less about criticism and more about journaling my disappointment in what could have been! I'm sure that lots of folks will be really into this story, and that's really cool. Super cool, man. I already talked about how surprisingly interesting the plot was, but I also thought that our two main characters, Berklak and Lawton (or Orlok and Dalton if I’m typing with my eyes closed), had an incredibly strong sense of identity despite the overly humorous tone to the story, and I really enjoyed how unique they felt as pov narrators while also clearly seeing how their personalities would go well together when they eventually meet. Berklak is a Half-Orc who belongs to so many different guilds throughout this half-baked, generic fantasy world that you’d think they were written by Todd Howard, while Lawton is a prince who’s ostracized for practicing an outlawed form of magic. Don't worry though, he thankfully holds back his worst impulses in a show of characterization that makes him feel like the embodiment of a writer’s pent up rage.
I mean, I do have to admit that they both felt a little overpowered for the setting they're in the same way those Isekai manga always have their characters waa~aay stronger than anyone else, and I really do think that this kind of characterization only ever helps to remove narrative tension that could have otherwise been had. It's soo~ooo lazy! And I didn't like how the book would literally have it so characters stated that they were a "Level 4 sorcerer" or whatever in universe and it's like... am I in a video game? And like games, don't get me wrong, but different mediums shouldn't be transferred over verbatim, they should be translated. I want my books to feel like books, my video games to feel like video games, and I especially want television to feel like television! Otherwise, I did appreciate the restraint the author showed in having Berklak and Lawton separated until about the half-way mark, because it gave us enough time get to know them and see their motivations without the story being encumbered by the romance side-plot. Because damn, when they do finally meet up, things instantly heat up. Psst ouch! Lawton’s inner monologue quickly evolves from resentment over his family troubles into him just wanting to know how many inches the Orc’s *elephant noise* is, that’s what they call a “fruit-by-the-foot!” har har. I also thought it was pretty interesting how Lawton showed almost no sexual interest for most the story, having not had sex with anyone but himself for ten years prior, that is until he's introduced to Berklak and immediately turns into the horniest man on the planet. You might call this inconsistent writing, but you know what they say… what’s a goon to a goblin heh heh. But really though, seeing as fantasy races are already commonly used as a generalized proxy for real life cultures, this book’s heavier emphasis on the Orc race having large members and their prowess in bed came across as thinly-veiled racialized fetishism. But who knows, it’s probably not that deep. And even though I found this book to be kind of dumb, maybe I’ll end up remembering it more fondly the longer I stay away from it? if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that if a thing is around for long enough (like, two months), eventually it’ll get hit with the nostalgic “underrated masterpiece" beam. You know, where a hated thing will later be heralded as being “good actually! The critics were wrong!” I mean, look at how everybody loves Adam Sandler now even though it was pretty common place to hate his stuff back in the day. But nah, now we all think he’s a pioneer of comedy, his legacy unmatched. Like, we’re just all going to forget Little Nicky exists, huh? I guess passage of time can be kind. Hey, ask me about this book tomorrow and I might have a completely new review for you.
“I’m a middle child; of course I want love.”
January 22, 2024
I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc introduces us to the characters and kicks off their quest. It's zany and fits the TTRPG vibe bill. I had a fun time going along for the ride.
November 5, 2023
Let's just say the story is as amusing and adorable as the cover. It's entertaining. 😂😍
June 16, 2025
I really enjoyed reading about the beginning of the necromancer's adventure, together with an half-orc and friends. I was a little confused on the species and such, for example humans apparently live for 300 years, but it's still comprehensible. I loved Berklak, especially since he's not what I expected when I read that he's an half-orc. I feel sorry for Lawton, especially for how his father is towards him, let's hope their relationship gets better.
September 15, 2023
September 2023
Kindle edition
Initial afterthought: Oh. That's it?
Cutesy crack fantasy insta-lust, where orcs are known for their sex and Necromancers are feared. Its a slow intro that takes up the entirety of the book. Much is said about B's sexual habits with a slight touch on the prince and the prince is all powerful raising spies from the dead. The siblings are awful. Looks like it's going to be a fun one. Insta-lust/love is usually hit or miss but given how very little love there is for the prince, I'm all for it. Bring on the cuddles!
FYI future self: Chapter 1 - Prince and Half-orc gear up for a sexathon adventure against evil. Ended with drunken meet the family and hunting session.
Kindle edition
Initial afterthought: Oh. That's it?
Cutesy crack fantasy insta-lust, where orcs are known for their sex and Necromancers are feared. Its a slow intro that takes up the entirety of the book. Much is said about B's sexual habits with a slight touch on the prince and the prince is all powerful raising spies from the dead. The siblings are awful. Looks like it's going to be a fun one. Insta-lust/love is usually hit or miss but given how very little love there is for the prince, I'm all for it. Bring on the cuddles!
FYI future self: Chapter 1 - Prince and Half-orc gear up for a sexathon adventure against evil. Ended with drunken meet the family and hunting session.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2023
Such fun
I can't wait for more of this serial. This introduction has a bit of everything: great characters, worldbuilding, and setting up the adventure. There's even a tiny bit of steam between the Prince and the half orc.
I can't wait for more of this serial. This introduction has a bit of everything: great characters, worldbuilding, and setting up the adventure. There's even a tiny bit of steam between the Prince and the half orc.
January 29, 2024
3.75
This was not written well, but I'm on a campy dnd kick (I have been reading much Baldur's Gate fanfiction) and I had a hell of a time. I'm not quite understanding the lore but I've worked with less.
This was not written well, but I'm on a campy dnd kick (I have been reading much Baldur's Gate fanfiction) and I had a hell of a time. I'm not quite understanding the lore but I've worked with less.
January 14, 2024
Cute start to what seems to be shaping up to be a fun romp.
October 3, 2023
I assume this is called "crack" fantasy because it's impossible to put down. Accurate. Great characters, great start to the plot, and I only noticed two typos, so well-edited, too! I'm very curious to see how the author resolves the disconnect between our necromancer's POV and reality, so yeah. I'm hooked.
February 27, 2025
Well, this was a fun read. It wasn't as good as Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees, but it was still very fun to read and not serious at all.
Also they were all very, very, very horny.
Tho this is actually just the start of the whole series (no fucking included in this one, I'm disappointed :D), so yeah - also the style is sometimes really ... all over the place, like, I missed some lore building of the world somewhere? But maybe thats just her style.
But yeah, if you want some very funny, not serious fantasy fling, then it's for you. Also the orc (half-orc sorry) is like.. the opposite of the typical high-fantasy orc. Horny as fuck, a wonderful lover (means he can fuck ppl very good), always wanting mead to drink and getting rage induced if he doesnt get mead (or sex.... at least i think so), and he's helping young boys to bard colleague... i.. yeah.. well, something like that :D I mean ... i'm actually impressed by the absurd ideas in this book, so thats good.
Also they were all very, very, very horny.
Tho this is actually just the start of the whole series (no fucking included in this one, I'm disappointed :D), so yeah - also the style is sometimes really ... all over the place, like, I missed some lore building of the world somewhere? But maybe thats just her style.
But yeah, if you want some very funny, not serious fantasy fling, then it's for you. Also the orc (half-orc sorry) is like.. the opposite of the typical high-fantasy orc. Horny as fuck, a wonderful lover (means he can fuck ppl very good), always wanting mead to drink and getting rage induced if he doesnt get mead (or sex.... at least i think so), and he's helping young boys to bard colleague... i.. yeah.. well, something like that :D I mean ... i'm actually impressed by the absurd ideas in this book, so thats good.
May 31, 2024
Adventure, danger, and sex, here I come
With a cover remniscent of one of my favorite cozy fantasy reads How I Stole the Princess's White Knight and Turned Him to Villainy: The Complete Works, this book was high on my TBR shelf! It did not disappoint! I adored Berklak and Lawton is definitely growing on me. This opening story gave me big Dungeons and Dragons movie vibes (DUH, you may be thinking) and the worldbuilding was jam-packed in a great way.
Now, I’m not one to go looking for a fight—violence finds me just fine without my active pursuit of it—but this feels like violence seeking me out.
Berklak is a half-orc of simple pleasures; as long as he has his mead, his warhammer, and a companion for the evening, he's a happy orc. Right now he's living the life of an adventurer - I can't wait to see how things develop between him and his necromancer!
“No, sir. Every word of those songs is likely true. I know the ones sung to my prowess as a lover are true. I’ve sponsored bards at the college for thirty years; there are many, many songs sung to my cock. I’ve never found a single one to be exaggerated.”
A shiver of anticipation snakes up my spine.
Some of the societal norms, like were super amusing and I love that its just accepted. We have yet to meet the others in the adventuring party, I wonder if they'll feature heavily in coming books or if Berklak and Lawton take the stage and don't let it go!
I get the feeling we are in for a ride and I'm super excited to pick up book 2!
August 26, 2023
I Loved This!
I absolutely loved this. It was so much fun to read and these are great characters. I can't wait for part two.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I absolutely loved this. It was so much fun to read and these are great characters. I can't wait for part two.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
September 15, 2023
Fun D&D feel to a M/M adventure romance. Much like D&D you have to set up you characters before starting the adventure. That's what this book is, the set up. We meet 2 main characters, and get our understanding of them through the people they interact with before they meet. We also get a sense for the why of the adventure with world building. Now, everyone knows that necromancers aren't generally liked by the average NPC but even his family ignores or hates him. So definitely a heads up for that for those that are sensitive to family dynamics. But don't feel bad for Lawton, he has a plan, and some good friends he's made into a found family for himself. And, even better, he's found a companion and is going in an adventure!
Read
December 2, 2023I love ku books because they’re just so… mind-numbing.
So, last year I read How I Stole The Princesses White Knight and Turned Him to Villainy. And then I reread it again recently. Was it good? No. Was I entertained? Absolutely.
So this isn’t by the same author but it was a similar vibe.
To be very very fair, I’ve been avoiding this series because Orcs, Ogres, and centaurs give me the creeps. But I mean, it kind of promises to be exactly what it is. So there’s that.
Anyways, this is my wackadoodle read.
So, last year I read How I Stole The Princesses White Knight and Turned Him to Villainy. And then I reread it again recently. Was it good? No. Was I entertained? Absolutely.
So this isn’t by the same author but it was a similar vibe.
To be very very fair, I’ve been avoiding this series because Orcs, Ogres, and centaurs give me the creeps. But I mean, it kind of promises to be exactly what it is. So there’s that.
Anyways, this is my wackadoodle read.
December 9, 2023
4.5 stars
This was fun! The society and creatures, although some are given familiar fantasy names, are very different than you’d expect. Humans live for 300 years and are rarely monogamous. Orcs are quite intelligent if still a little brutish. I’m very much looking forward to the rest of the series!!
This was fun! The society and creatures, although some are given familiar fantasy names, are very different than you’d expect. Humans live for 300 years and are rarely monogamous. Orcs are quite intelligent if still a little brutish. I’m very much looking forward to the rest of the series!!
March 5, 2024
I had kind of written off Jennifer Cody for me since I didn't really enjoy my first book by her (should have remembered it was due to the content not the writing) and these covers reminded me of another series I didn't like, but I'm really enjoying this! It's funny and sweet and just really addicting
September 5, 2023
Never forget the oil 😏
It's over way too soon. I can already tell I'm going to love following along with these two, plus a little bedraggled companion. I can't wait for the next part of their adventure.
It's over way too soon. I can already tell I'm going to love following along with these two, plus a little bedraggled companion. I can't wait for the next part of their adventure.
September 6, 2023
I really enjoy reading this author and the characters she creates.
A necromancer who also happens to be the oldest child of the king is going on an adventure and is taking a half Orc with him.
These guys were a laugh a minute and I think their adventures are going to be great.
A necromancer who also happens to be the oldest child of the king is going on an adventure and is taking a half Orc with him.
These guys were a laugh a minute and I think their adventures are going to be great.
September 21, 2023
Did not enjoy this as much as other series. Ok read tho.
October 23, 2024
It's cutesy and fun
August 24, 2023
Ha! I loved this! Yes, it is crack, but it's also sincere; which makes it entertaining, emotional and interesting. And horny.
This is only the first part, but I'm happy that there won't be long until we get the next installment because I'm invested in Berklak and Lawton 😊☺️
This is only the first part, but I'm happy that there won't be long until we get the next installment because I'm invested in Berklak and Lawton 😊☺️
November 10, 2023
This was mostly an introduction to the characters and the quest they will go on. It reads very easy and feels like it's going to be a lot of fun.
September 8, 2025
Very fluffy tale about the adventures of a half Orc and human royal necromancer. Funny, fast read with a decent plot. Enjoyed this very much just like Jennifer's other books.
April 8, 2024
What a seriously fun story.
I couldn't pronounce half of the names but who cares.
Every twist and turn had me gripped.
Short, sweet and exciting.
I couldn't pronounce half of the names but who cares.
Every twist and turn had me gripped.
Short, sweet and exciting.
September 4, 2023
I love quirky misunderstood characters and Lawton definitely seems to be that. I’m also a big fan of insta-like/love and I’m feeling that here. Can’t wait for the next one out.
November 23, 2023
Over explaining
While I understand that this is the first book of a serial, it is long enough to have a storyline and it just felt like it didn't. This was an entire book of just setup, and some pretty boring setup at that. Sure, we learn that orcs are known for sexytimes (there is a prep set and everything), that necromancers are illegal, and that there is a mission that these two (and others) will need to go on for their particular skill sets. But so much of that was useless or drawn out in ways that felt unnecessary and didn't advance the story at all. While there may be more to come in future "chapters" it just captured no interest with this one and doesn't have me wanting to read on.
While I understand that this is the first book of a serial, it is long enough to have a storyline and it just felt like it didn't. This was an entire book of just setup, and some pretty boring setup at that. Sure, we learn that orcs are known for sexytimes (there is a prep set and everything), that necromancers are illegal, and that there is a mission that these two (and others) will need to go on for their particular skill sets. But so much of that was useless or drawn out in ways that felt unnecessary and didn't advance the story at all. While there may be more to come in future "chapters" it just captured no interest with this one and doesn't have me wanting to read on.
June 13, 2024
DNF @ 30% - Not funny or sexy or full of adventure. And if have to hear about one more stupid guild key, I’m going to go spare.
March 9, 2024
2.5 stars
I feel like I’m missing part of the story but I’ve come to realise Jennifer's writing is just like this. She really just jumps right into it… maybe I should’ve read the blurb but the covers seemed too cute to say no to. So far the story is silly and ridiculous but no where near as memorable as the Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees series.
I feel like I’m missing part of the story but I’ve come to realise Jennifer's writing is just like this. She really just jumps right into it… maybe I should’ve read the blurb but the covers seemed too cute to say no to. So far the story is silly and ridiculous but no where near as memorable as the Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees series.
January 21, 2024
Is essentially a long drown out summary or outline this is very poorly written.
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