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Beast Be Gone #1
Beast Be Gone
Creatures in your basement? Undead spooking your castle? Infestation of goblins? Beast Be Gone will clear out those pesky pests and save your health and business - (no dragons)
But now Adventuers rampage across the land, steal everything from bread rolls to ancient heirlooms. The teams slaughter countless innocent monsters in their hunt for glory and Experience points.
Eric, the owner of Beast Be Gone pest control service, knows that most creatures can be removed with a bit of repellent. However, Adventurers do things the flashy way, blowing up the dungeon with fireballs.
With no work left, Eric is broke and desperate. Until young Westerner Rose equipped with magical steam mechanical gadgets, carries a clanking clawed knapsack, rides on a whistling chuffer, becomes his apprentice. Together, they uncover a diabolical plot backed of course by The Master. An evil witch of many titles, with a gutting dagger to hand, a tome for her familiar, both addicted to Elixir, plays both sides.
But now Adventuers rampage across the land, steal everything from bread rolls to ancient heirlooms. The teams slaughter countless innocent monsters in their hunt for glory and Experience points.
Eric, the owner of Beast Be Gone pest control service, knows that most creatures can be removed with a bit of repellent. However, Adventurers do things the flashy way, blowing up the dungeon with fireballs.
With no work left, Eric is broke and desperate. Until young Westerner Rose equipped with magical steam mechanical gadgets, carries a clanking clawed knapsack, rides on a whistling chuffer, becomes his apprentice. Together, they uncover a diabolical plot backed of course by The Master. An evil witch of many titles, with a gutting dagger to hand, a tome for her familiar, both addicted to Elixir, plays both sides.
220 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2021
15 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Billington
3 books8 followersWho is A L Billington? Some say he is just a myth, a phantom, a whisper on the lips of a kindly gentleman. Or maybe he’s just some bloke with access to a word processor and too much time on his hands. Who calls them word processors these days anyway? Turns out A L Billington is old enough to use the term ‘word processor’, yet only ironically, which should tell you exactly how old he is. He’s also the one writing this bit, so it’s very strange that it’s in the third person.
In case you were wondering, the ‘A’ stands for Arthur, and the ‘L’ stands for a secret that he’ll never tell you unless you get him drunk at an awkward party.
Anyway, you all have access to your own word processors, so you can look him up using the magic of the internet. He’s the cheeky chap who set up ‘Billington Publishing’ (in case you hadn’t made that connection based on the narcissistic naming), therefore you can find his updates at billingtonpublishing.com.
In case you were wondering, the ‘A’ stands for Arthur, and the ‘L’ stands for a secret that he’ll never tell you unless you get him drunk at an awkward party.
Anyway, you all have access to your own word processors, so you can look him up using the magic of the internet. He’s the cheeky chap who set up ‘Billington Publishing’ (in case you hadn’t made that connection based on the narcissistic naming), therefore you can find his updates at billingtonpublishing.com.
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April 8, 2024I came across this via The Protagonist Speaks, and it looked like a fun read.
What to Expect
Light-hearted fantasy, pitting a sensible pest-control guy against hordes of violent adventurers, dark lords, and corrupt officials. The story follows Eric as he tries to keep his business alive -- as well as his apprentices and, often, the monsters -- as well as some of those adventurers and monsters.
What I liked
Loved the humour, with lots of references to D&D and online RPGs. Billiongton spins a good yarn, speculating about anything from monster living arrangements to the economy of fantasy kingdoms. The story has a good pace with enough action, pleasant characters to read about, and enough twists to keep one engaged.
What to be aware of
It's humourous fantasy, nothing heavy or demanding. Though not necessary to understand the story, the allusions to D&D monsters and tropes are a lot of the fun of the book.
Felix's Review
Felix identified well with Eric, as he often finds himself dealing with similar situations: cases the 'official' magical community won't deal with leaving him to solve problems for regular people. He appreciate Eric's no-nonsense, non-flashy ways of evacuating monsters, only wishing he could do the same with the ghosts and specters he often needs to deal with. He'd happily share a drink with Eric and swap tales.
Summary
Entertaining read, would go well with fans of J. Zachary Pike's Orconomics (for the financial aspects) or Drew Hayes' NPCs (for the jokes and tone).
Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
What to Expect
Light-hearted fantasy, pitting a sensible pest-control guy against hordes of violent adventurers, dark lords, and corrupt officials. The story follows Eric as he tries to keep his business alive -- as well as his apprentices and, often, the monsters -- as well as some of those adventurers and monsters.
What I liked
Loved the humour, with lots of references to D&D and online RPGs. Billiongton spins a good yarn, speculating about anything from monster living arrangements to the economy of fantasy kingdoms. The story has a good pace with enough action, pleasant characters to read about, and enough twists to keep one engaged.
What to be aware of
It's humourous fantasy, nothing heavy or demanding. Though not necessary to understand the story, the allusions to D&D monsters and tropes are a lot of the fun of the book.
Felix's Review
Felix identified well with Eric, as he often finds himself dealing with similar situations: cases the 'official' magical community won't deal with leaving him to solve problems for regular people. He appreciate Eric's no-nonsense, non-flashy ways of evacuating monsters, only wishing he could do the same with the ghosts and specters he often needs to deal with. He'd happily share a drink with Eric and swap tales.
Summary
Entertaining read, would go well with fans of J. Zachary Pike's Orconomics (for the financial aspects) or Drew Hayes' NPCs (for the jokes and tone).
--
Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
August 29, 2021
This was such a happy and fun book to spend time with. I loved it. Like D&D, Princess Bride, Ready Player One, Choose Your Own Adventure and Discworld all rolled into one.
It's a fantasy adventure that takes a satirical pop at loads of the genre's trappings, from heroes and villains to witches and goblins. It subverts it and plays with it, but crucially it does it in a loving and clever way. It's clear that Billington has great affection for the genre and his characters.
It left me wanting sequels and my own Chuffer!
It's a fantasy adventure that takes a satirical pop at loads of the genre's trappings, from heroes and villains to witches and goblins. It subverts it and plays with it, but crucially it does it in a loving and clever way. It's clear that Billington has great affection for the genre and his characters.
It left me wanting sequels and my own Chuffer!
September 15, 2021
This book is nicely written and reminds me a bit of MOGWORLD or Red Shirts. It's got plenty of fan-service for it's target audience with internal and external referential nods to all aspects of the Fantasy TTRPG genre.
Will this book be the next 'Great American Novel?'
- No. The author is British.
Well, is it entertaining and worth a read?
- If you enjoy the fantasy and humor, sure. I enjoyed reading it.
Will this book be the next 'Great American Novel?'
- No. The author is British.
Well, is it entertaining and worth a read?
- If you enjoy the fantasy and humor, sure. I enjoyed reading it.
September 5, 2021
An enjoyable, fun and easy read.
The world very much reminds me of a video game RPG game or something from a dungeons and dragons game, and I very much enjoyed it.
The characters are good fun and build as the story goes on, hopefully we get to read more about these characters perhaps in the next book :-)
The world very much reminds me of a video game RPG game or something from a dungeons and dragons game, and I very much enjoyed it.
The characters are good fun and build as the story goes on, hopefully we get to read more about these characters perhaps in the next book :-)
August 3, 2022
A Fun Read
Beast Be Gone is a clever, fun, fast read in the vein of red dwarf. The story is interesting with a few fun twist. Mr. Billington built a captivating world of silly adventurers, satirical banker/villains, and a hero that would rather not be. He pokes fun of D&D/RPG tropes throughout, which is the icing on the cake of clever dialogue and fun characters.
Beast Be Gone is a clever, fun, fast read in the vein of red dwarf. The story is interesting with a few fun twist. Mr. Billington built a captivating world of silly adventurers, satirical banker/villains, and a hero that would rather not be. He pokes fun of D&D/RPG tropes throughout, which is the icing on the cake of clever dialogue and fun characters.
September 17, 2021
Simply outstanding YA book. I read it first then gave it to my eleven-year-old. We have had many good discussions about it and he reads some every day. Perfect combination!
November 18, 2023
This is the story of a small group of non-adventurers who are on a not-an-adventure to find out why there are so many Adventurers and to make them go away.
Eric is the owner of Beast Be Gone, (No Dragons), a pest control company. His business is slowly failing because there are so many Adventurers running around killing goblins, kobolds, and others pests just to get experience, armor, and treasure.
The story is if about 10% too long but stays interesting and humorous. It sometimes feels like some of the storylines were brought in late in the editing process as they seem more like story lengtheners than being integral parts of the story. But, that's mostly nitpicking a very good story.
Eric is the owner of Beast Be Gone, (No Dragons), a pest control company. His business is slowly failing because there are so many Adventurers running around killing goblins, kobolds, and others pests just to get experience, armor, and treasure.
The story is if about 10% too long but stays interesting and humorous. It sometimes feels like some of the storylines were brought in late in the editing process as they seem more like story lengtheners than being integral parts of the story. But, that's mostly nitpicking a very good story.
September 25, 2021
Disclaimer: I received a reader copy for review.
Beast Be Gone is a hilarious parody on fantasy adventure. For anyone who's played Elder Scrolls, DnD, or any other RPG. Beast Be Gone is a humorous book that will have you laughing at yourself.
I enjoyed Beast Be Gone. The beginning is a little slow. It spends a lot of time setting up the world before the story really begins. I wish that the plot picked up a lot sooner. I didn't really get engrossed in the story until about 35% through the book.
The humor fluctuated between funny and tasteful parody, and the occasional call out. I wasn't too big a fan of the straight callouts, but there were parts of this book that had me laughing out loud, and calling down my brother to read a section.
I think that I was expecting even more of an NPC vibe off of Eric, but overall I think the story was great and the setup for things was amazing.
The ending of the book felt a little rushed to me. I wanted to take a little more time for characters to figure eachother out before they were fighting the big bad of the book.
I think that there was sequel bait at the end but I don't see a need for a sequel. The book went in, said what it wanted to sat, and got out.
I enjoyed it, but don't need to see more of it.
Beast Be Gone is a hilarious parody on fantasy adventure. For anyone who's played Elder Scrolls, DnD, or any other RPG. Beast Be Gone is a humorous book that will have you laughing at yourself.
I enjoyed Beast Be Gone. The beginning is a little slow. It spends a lot of time setting up the world before the story really begins. I wish that the plot picked up a lot sooner. I didn't really get engrossed in the story until about 35% through the book.
The humor fluctuated between funny and tasteful parody, and the occasional call out. I wasn't too big a fan of the straight callouts, but there were parts of this book that had me laughing out loud, and calling down my brother to read a section.
I think that I was expecting even more of an NPC vibe off of Eric, but overall I think the story was great and the setup for things was amazing.
The ending of the book felt a little rushed to me. I wanted to take a little more time for characters to figure eachother out before they were fighting the big bad of the book.
I think that there was sequel bait at the end but I don't see a need for a sequel. The book went in, said what it wanted to sat, and got out.
I enjoyed it, but don't need to see more of it.
September 8, 2025
The best book I've read this year (I read Yellowface this year)
World of Warcraft meets The Dark Lord of Derkholm through a lens of Pratchettesque humour. Funny, and full of relatable nods to MMORPGs and comedic fantasy, with some distinctive and memorable characters and motifs of its own.
World of Warcraft meets The Dark Lord of Derkholm through a lens of Pratchettesque humour. Funny, and full of relatable nods to MMORPGs and comedic fantasy, with some distinctive and memorable characters and motifs of its own.
March 31, 2022
Preamble
The author of Beast Be Gone, A.L. Billington, approached me on reader magnet / universal book link / all kinds of good author management tools StoryOrigin. He was looking to swap book mentions in our newsletters – he would advertise The Bawdy Bard to his mailing list, I would do the same for Beast Be Gone. I have a bit of a moral issue with recommending stuff I have not read, so I read a couple of chapters, decided it was funny, and decided to finish and write this review before April 1, 2022 so I could tell my readers what I actually thought of the book.
A note about my reviews: I consider myself an appreciator, not a critic. I know first-hand what goes into the creation of art – the blood, the sweat, the tears, the risk. I also know that art appreciation is subjective and lernt good what mama tell’t me – if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. I’m not a school marm grading a spelling test – I’m a reader who enjoys reading. If a book is entertaining, well-written, and I get absorbed into it, five out of five. I have gone as low as three stars – anything less than that and I will not review a book (chances are I DNFed anyway). Regardless, I wouldn’t even put a star rating system on my reviews but for the reality of storefronts like Amazon.
Take from that what you will.
Review – 5/5
One of my earliest memories of fantasy comes not from reading The Hobbit, or even watching the old Rankin Bass animated version of the story, both encounters that were formative for me. No, what I am talking about here are games like King’s Quest and Quest For Glory, old text-parsed games that came out in the 80s and 90s when video games could be made by a single person or two or a very small team. They were crude, punishing (King’s Quest was particularly difficult) and set in a fantasy world. In the first King’s Quest, you’d write stuff like ‘get egg,’ and you’d get the golden egg out of the robin’s nest you spent a few moments climbing after writing ‘climb tree’ not a moment before.
Things became more complex of course. A game like Elden Ring, the early 2022 game of the year fantasy RPG contender, would have made five-year-old me fall over with cardiac arrest, yet they are now seen as ‘par for the course.’ They involve small villages of people in order to get made, massive piles of cash infused by enormous corporations. And there is an enormous glut of them today, more RPGs and fantasy video games than one can even rationally contemplate playing, particularly with the responsibilities of adulthood nipping at one’s heels. Like evolution from a unicellular organism to a hulking behemoth of sapience and subtlety, video games have grown up from humble origins and into something altogether different. And I grew up along with them.
Beast Be Gone is a nod to people like me, the types who had fantasy video games hooked up to the IV from the moment they could use a keyboard on up to present. There are references to all kinds of tropes and ridiculous stuff that we take for granted as just part of the game. One of my favourites was the notion that guards, with their limited AI, would ‘investigate’ the disappearance of a fellow guard and blame the commotion on the wind, in spite of treading on the dead body of their friend in order to make the pronouncement that the noise of violent murder was ‘probably just the wind.’ That kind of thing has happened in video games – I have lived through it.
But Beast Be Gone is not just about RPG video games. It’s about a guy named Eric, a middle-aged pest control guy who hates the fact that adventurers are ruining the world. Like myself, he knew the times before the complexity of the present. He prefers the good old days, when he would use simple turn undead scrolls to kill liches and various other tricks to clear crypts and dungeons in exchange for enough cash to buy warm beer at the inn. Because dude is most definitely British, as I have come to suspect A.L. Billington to be.
There is all kinds of referential humour in here, from the fact that Americans like the fizzy cold stuff to the insanity of RPG mechanics to ridiculous tropes like that of the Dark Lord and the Chosen One. It’s got the telltale British humour stank of making fun of the stupidity of bureaucracy at length. But it’s not just that. There were several points where I laughed out loud at the cleverness of the writing, and this is a writer who does not allow his characters to utter a single f-bomb.
I was reminded of the discussions of stand up from my younger years, when ‘clean’ comedians (at least one of whom ended up as a cancelled sex offender, no less) would say that if you needed to swear, you weren’t funny, since you were just eliciting some form of Pavlovian response to the naughty. I think that idea is a pile of fucking bullshit, but I do have more than a little respect for what A.L. Billington has done. Sure, sex is referenced, though it’s not done gratuitously. He made a genuinely funny book that I could recommend to someone under the age of majority.
The story itself is a parody, a satire of a genre that is filled with self-seriousness. After all, fantasy quests are all serious business. The hero has to save the world from evil, after all, and none may laugh at the intensity of his or her devotion to the good. Except for dudes like A.L. Billington and Eric the pest control guy, who just wants to live in peace, be a kind dude to goblins, and drink his good warm beer in a bad dingy pub.
Highly recommended.
The author of Beast Be Gone, A.L. Billington, approached me on reader magnet / universal book link / all kinds of good author management tools StoryOrigin. He was looking to swap book mentions in our newsletters – he would advertise The Bawdy Bard to his mailing list, I would do the same for Beast Be Gone. I have a bit of a moral issue with recommending stuff I have not read, so I read a couple of chapters, decided it was funny, and decided to finish and write this review before April 1, 2022 so I could tell my readers what I actually thought of the book.
A note about my reviews: I consider myself an appreciator, not a critic. I know first-hand what goes into the creation of art – the blood, the sweat, the tears, the risk. I also know that art appreciation is subjective and lernt good what mama tell’t me – if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. I’m not a school marm grading a spelling test – I’m a reader who enjoys reading. If a book is entertaining, well-written, and I get absorbed into it, five out of five. I have gone as low as three stars – anything less than that and I will not review a book (chances are I DNFed anyway). Regardless, I wouldn’t even put a star rating system on my reviews but for the reality of storefronts like Amazon.
Take from that what you will.
Review – 5/5
One of my earliest memories of fantasy comes not from reading The Hobbit, or even watching the old Rankin Bass animated version of the story, both encounters that were formative for me. No, what I am talking about here are games like King’s Quest and Quest For Glory, old text-parsed games that came out in the 80s and 90s when video games could be made by a single person or two or a very small team. They were crude, punishing (King’s Quest was particularly difficult) and set in a fantasy world. In the first King’s Quest, you’d write stuff like ‘get egg,’ and you’d get the golden egg out of the robin’s nest you spent a few moments climbing after writing ‘climb tree’ not a moment before.
Things became more complex of course. A game like Elden Ring, the early 2022 game of the year fantasy RPG contender, would have made five-year-old me fall over with cardiac arrest, yet they are now seen as ‘par for the course.’ They involve small villages of people in order to get made, massive piles of cash infused by enormous corporations. And there is an enormous glut of them today, more RPGs and fantasy video games than one can even rationally contemplate playing, particularly with the responsibilities of adulthood nipping at one’s heels. Like evolution from a unicellular organism to a hulking behemoth of sapience and subtlety, video games have grown up from humble origins and into something altogether different. And I grew up along with them.
Beast Be Gone is a nod to people like me, the types who had fantasy video games hooked up to the IV from the moment they could use a keyboard on up to present. There are references to all kinds of tropes and ridiculous stuff that we take for granted as just part of the game. One of my favourites was the notion that guards, with their limited AI, would ‘investigate’ the disappearance of a fellow guard and blame the commotion on the wind, in spite of treading on the dead body of their friend in order to make the pronouncement that the noise of violent murder was ‘probably just the wind.’ That kind of thing has happened in video games – I have lived through it.
But Beast Be Gone is not just about RPG video games. It’s about a guy named Eric, a middle-aged pest control guy who hates the fact that adventurers are ruining the world. Like myself, he knew the times before the complexity of the present. He prefers the good old days, when he would use simple turn undead scrolls to kill liches and various other tricks to clear crypts and dungeons in exchange for enough cash to buy warm beer at the inn. Because dude is most definitely British, as I have come to suspect A.L. Billington to be.
There is all kinds of referential humour in here, from the fact that Americans like the fizzy cold stuff to the insanity of RPG mechanics to ridiculous tropes like that of the Dark Lord and the Chosen One. It’s got the telltale British humour stank of making fun of the stupidity of bureaucracy at length. But it’s not just that. There were several points where I laughed out loud at the cleverness of the writing, and this is a writer who does not allow his characters to utter a single f-bomb.
I was reminded of the discussions of stand up from my younger years, when ‘clean’ comedians (at least one of whom ended up as a cancelled sex offender, no less) would say that if you needed to swear, you weren’t funny, since you were just eliciting some form of Pavlovian response to the naughty. I think that idea is a pile of fucking bullshit, but I do have more than a little respect for what A.L. Billington has done. Sure, sex is referenced, though it’s not done gratuitously. He made a genuinely funny book that I could recommend to someone under the age of majority.
The story itself is a parody, a satire of a genre that is filled with self-seriousness. After all, fantasy quests are all serious business. The hero has to save the world from evil, after all, and none may laugh at the intensity of his or her devotion to the good. Except for dudes like A.L. Billington and Eric the pest control guy, who just wants to live in peace, be a kind dude to goblins, and drink his good warm beer in a bad dingy pub.
Highly recommended.
June 27, 2025
What an excellent book. I was given it as a present on the basis it was Terry Pratchett meets Ghostbusters and it certainly lived up to the claims. It was a hard to put down story and moved along at a fast pace. The characters were clearly introduced without slowing down the narrative. I look forward to reading the next book and hope it will be a regular series.
May 30, 2024
Really enjoyed this comedic story and it’s upending of fantasy norms making light of a lot of the DND tropes we have come to know.
October 4, 2024
A. L. Billington takes LitRPG and DnD tropes and plays with them gleefully in this story about a pest control operative turned reluctant hero… after all dragons are pests, of a sort. And then, to make matters worse, he is forced to take on a new tinkering apprentice and embark on a dreaded ‘classic quest’ to rid the land of… adventurers? Because it turns out a load of loot-hungry idiots rampaging around killing innocent monsters, drunk on health potions, are more of a liability than fire-breathing reptiles could ever be.
This reminded me a little of Jamie Brindle’s Hard Blokes of Sparta series, or Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, in the way that the author plays with fantasy settings/characters with real world problems and consequences. This is a little less subtle, deep or humorous than those more established authors, however, perhaps because the author is still finding their voice (everyone generally agrees that the first couple of Discworld books aren’t at the same level of the later works).
The plot was great fun and there were loads of good worldbuilding ideas, but some of the characters, mainly the villains, felt sadly underdeveloped or just unbearable, although Eric and Rose were engaging main characters.
With a fun premise and solid writing, this is a good series starter for anyone who loves a bit of LitRPG with DnD roots and a sense of humour.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
This reminded me a little of Jamie Brindle’s Hard Blokes of Sparta series, or Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, in the way that the author plays with fantasy settings/characters with real world problems and consequences. This is a little less subtle, deep or humorous than those more established authors, however, perhaps because the author is still finding their voice (everyone generally agrees that the first couple of Discworld books aren’t at the same level of the later works).
The plot was great fun and there were loads of good worldbuilding ideas, but some of the characters, mainly the villains, felt sadly underdeveloped or just unbearable, although Eric and Rose were engaging main characters.
With a fun premise and solid writing, this is a good series starter for anyone who loves a bit of LitRPG with DnD roots and a sense of humour.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
June 4, 2025
I loved this indie read - strong with nods to and satirical pokes at RPG and D&D gaming, it has a great balance between comedy and action. Although I'm not au fait with D&D, I do understand the basic mechanics of RPGs so that didn't detract from my reading experience and I was able to enjoy all the little nods and quirks that had been included. If you have a better insight to the game than I do, you'd probably enjoy this even more. I loved that every time Xenixala was introduced, her full title was always different - just a little thing that added to her character. The world-building was enough to get you through the short narrative, without needing elaborate details and descriptions. It was a fun and fast read that kept me thoroughly entertained, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
Gaming and fantasy fans - this is one adventure you don't want to miss. And don't forget; goblins are people too 😁
Gaming and fantasy fans - this is one adventure you don't want to miss. And don't forget; goblins are people too 😁
December 10, 2023
Beast Be Gone by A.L. Billington. A slightly humorous take on LitRPG adventurers combing the countryside looking for treasure, gaining experience and power, and killing evil things. This is a story that explains how it’s all an evil plot to take over the world and it’s working! Enter Eric who owns a pest control business that is barely keeping him alive due to the aforementioned evil plot involving fooling adventurers into adventuring. One thing leads to another and Eric finds himself on a quest to stop the evil and return the world to a more peaceful time. A good, fun, easy read. I received a free copy from somewhere, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 6, 2024
I really enjoyed this very funny fantasy comedy. I could picture Steve Coogan playing Eric, the pest controller turned reluctant adventurer, and that thought made the book even funnier for me.
The book is a bit like seeing what living in Baldurs Gate is like for the NPCs. No fun at all!
I liked Eric, he was a great character, and I was glad that he loved his donkey and was kind to kolbolds and goblins. The other characters were good too. The humor was on point, the fantasy world was believable and there was a bit of darkness in the plot, which I liked.
If you enjoy fantasy comedy, especially of the type of humour in the tv show Yonderland, you will love this book.
The book is a bit like seeing what living in Baldurs Gate is like for the NPCs. No fun at all!
I liked Eric, he was a great character, and I was glad that he loved his donkey and was kind to kolbolds and goblins. The other characters were good too. The humor was on point, the fantasy world was believable and there was a bit of darkness in the plot, which I liked.
If you enjoy fantasy comedy, especially of the type of humour in the tv show Yonderland, you will love this book.
November 29, 2024
Eric has trouble keeping Beast Be Gone Pest Control Company solvent due to the over-abundance of adventurers running rampant over the countryside killing almost anything that gets in their way. Everything he tries seems to go wrong, so when he gets an unexpected apprentice named Rose, they start to unravel why there are so many adventurers and see what can be done to solve this problem. P.S. They sorta find out and stumble into a solution. So if you are up for a off-kilter quest as to why folks venture into strange holes in the ground looking for treasure and wiping out monsters, join Eric and Rose on their mule and chuffer as they ride off on their next adventure!
May 13, 2025
This was my first foray into comedic fantasy, and I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Billington has crafted a light-hearted yet compelling tale, full of memorable characters and a story that’s as fun as it is clever. I found myself rooting for everyone even the chaotic evil ones (to use some D&D terminology).
The book takes a sharp but affectionate jab at the familiar tropes of the fantasy genre, especially those beloved D&D conventions, but ultimately celebrates them in the end. Billington’s love for the genre and his characters shines through on every page.
If you enjoy witty, light-hearted fantasy this one's well worth your time.
The book takes a sharp but affectionate jab at the familiar tropes of the fantasy genre, especially those beloved D&D conventions, but ultimately celebrates them in the end. Billington’s love for the genre and his characters shines through on every page.
If you enjoy witty, light-hearted fantasy this one's well worth your time.
May 3, 2022
3.5 stars
I did enjoy reading this book and I found the premise very cute and entertaining. I loved how this book takes the piss out of games and the gaming industry as a whole while not being mean about it. I also found the not so subtle message against capitalism nice.
The running joke of Xenixala's ever growing name made the start of new chapters a joy.
I did enjoy reading this book and I found the premise very cute and entertaining. I loved how this book takes the piss out of games and the gaming industry as a whole while not being mean about it. I also found the not so subtle message against capitalism nice.
The running joke of Xenixala's ever growing name made the start of new chapters a joy.
August 18, 2022
This is a lot of fun. A humorous and satirical tale of a world weary pest controller trying to get by in a fantasy setting plagued by heroes, bards, wizards and thieves. There is a definite Terry Pratchett feel to it, and if you’ve ever played D&D you’ll recognise a lot of the tropes which are lampooned.
April 11, 2023
The beginning of this book has all the makings of dark and sarky Terry-Pratchett-like magic world and humour. I mean. "Poor families like Timmy's never bothered with resurrection. It was far cheaper and more enjoyable to make a new son." - that tells you a bit what kind of book you're about to read, doesn't it? I'm 10 pages in and will keep reading, enjoying it so far.
December 30, 2023
Comedy with a pinch of horror. Especially the end. Oh those witches! She knows how to wield a knife. Ouch.
The hero may seem meek mild and caring for innocent smelly goblins "people too". But past horror, young and foolish days, catch up to him. Especially when a local Witch and a Master know your story.
The hero may seem meek mild and caring for innocent smelly goblins "people too". But past horror, young and foolish days, catch up to him. Especially when a local Witch and a Master know your story.
November 17, 2021
It's an unexpected book - funny, easy to read, with nice characters and some typical d&d action.
May 27, 2024
Fun and exciting, satirical and a pleasure to read
July 25, 2025
an enjoyable book, made better with at least a basic understanding of d and d and adventure games
November 23, 2025
Had a great time with this book. Characters are lovely, changing plots through each chapter to show the adventure fold out and come together at the end was great
November 23, 2025
More of a satire of litrpgs than adventure fantasy, this was a miss for me. I never really found it funny and the characters weren't interesting.
August 11, 2023
Beast be gone was a wonderfully written Comdey book. It was worth the read.
September 19, 2023
The book was a fun combination of Terry Pratchett-style comedic fantasy and Dungeons & Dragons.
February 18, 2022
I should begin by acknowledging that NetGalley gave me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What is life like for the people in fantasy towns beset by Adventurers looking for their next quest? Adventurers who wantonly destroy property and kill anything and anyone they come across as they seek the high that comes from obtaining ‘Experience’. Why has this career recently become the choice of so many?
And what about those like Eric, the owner of Beast Be Gone? He’s an expert in monster pest control; he can rid areas of monsters because he knows what attracts or repels them, and how to negotiate their withdrawal in a way that benefits everyone. Thanks to the adventurers, he’s going out of business.
As Eric tries to get to the bottom of what or who is behind this rapid and puzzling world change, he encounters Rose, a girl from a Western country, who uses technology instead of magic (much to his chagrin), and a mimic named Larry who prefers to retain the form of a piece of furniture. Alternatively, we occasionally follow a little goblin named Squee as he naively pursues his hopes for a good career as a minion for the Dark Master. Finally, we see the perspective of the adventurer, shown to us through the exploits of Xenixala, an increasingly powerful sorceress with a sentient magic book as a familiar, who is introduced with newer, and more extravagant titles and achievements, with each passing chapter.
The book’s viewpoint is fun and quirky, an amalgam of fantasy gaming meets Terry Pratchett meets Free Guy, but it did have a few problems. First, the pacing wasn’t as quick as I would have liked. This may be because of problem number two, the story seemed somewhat predictable to me. Maybe I’ve just read too much fantasy and satire, or perhaps the author is a little TOO good at subtle foreshadowing, but, for me, nothing came as a truly funny surprise.
There was also a formatting problem with the mobi file on NetGalley that made the manuscript difficult to read. Fortunately, that issue has been resolved on Amazon’s website, and I’m finding it a much greater pleasure to read the second time through.
Yes, I’m reading it again. It’s a cute and clever tale, even if I know what’s going to happen. Maybe even better than Iron Man 2.
What is life like for the people in fantasy towns beset by Adventurers looking for their next quest? Adventurers who wantonly destroy property and kill anything and anyone they come across as they seek the high that comes from obtaining ‘Experience’. Why has this career recently become the choice of so many?
And what about those like Eric, the owner of Beast Be Gone? He’s an expert in monster pest control; he can rid areas of monsters because he knows what attracts or repels them, and how to negotiate their withdrawal in a way that benefits everyone. Thanks to the adventurers, he’s going out of business.
As Eric tries to get to the bottom of what or who is behind this rapid and puzzling world change, he encounters Rose, a girl from a Western country, who uses technology instead of magic (much to his chagrin), and a mimic named Larry who prefers to retain the form of a piece of furniture. Alternatively, we occasionally follow a little goblin named Squee as he naively pursues his hopes for a good career as a minion for the Dark Master. Finally, we see the perspective of the adventurer, shown to us through the exploits of Xenixala, an increasingly powerful sorceress with a sentient magic book as a familiar, who is introduced with newer, and more extravagant titles and achievements, with each passing chapter.
The book’s viewpoint is fun and quirky, an amalgam of fantasy gaming meets Terry Pratchett meets Free Guy, but it did have a few problems. First, the pacing wasn’t as quick as I would have liked. This may be because of problem number two, the story seemed somewhat predictable to me. Maybe I’ve just read too much fantasy and satire, or perhaps the author is a little TOO good at subtle foreshadowing, but, for me, nothing came as a truly funny surprise.
There was also a formatting problem with the mobi file on NetGalley that made the manuscript difficult to read. Fortunately, that issue has been resolved on Amazon’s website, and I’m finding it a much greater pleasure to read the second time through.
Yes, I’m reading it again. It’s a cute and clever tale, even if I know what’s going to happen. Maybe even better than Iron Man 2.
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