I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc

Crack Fantasy Adventure #5

by Jennifer Cody

I honestly thought passing through the ward to the freezing land of Gwafellaw would be more miserable than it turns out to be. Who has time to be miserable when everything in the land wants to kill you? No one, that’s who.

Between fighting dragons, finding a new species, and saving a crazy druid, Berklak and I are learning exactly what it means to be anchored, tied together, bonded, and in love. We’re going to defeat the aelysou hurting Fasgard no matter what it takes, because I’m the high sorcerer of Fasgard and the most powerful necromancer alive. I won’t let anything separate me from the love of my life—not my father, not a goddess, not even death.



I’ve been adventuring for over fifty years, and I’ve adventured in Gwafellaw before, but I’ve never seen so much hostility. The only good thing walking this land is Lawton, and I’d follow him to the portals of death herself if that’s where he wanted to go.

I might not be sure exactly what we’re going to find in this frozen wasteland, but if it’s not my happily ever after, I won’t have done my job right. I’m proficient in weapons, and I’m confident we’ll prevail, but it’s a good thing we have Lawton to keep us from permanently making the ultimate sacrifice. I’d hate for him to lose me before we even figure out where we’re going to live after this.

I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was 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.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Magic, Paranormal, Comedy, LGBT

142 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 27, 2024

About the author

Jennifer 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.

Reviews

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I have absolutely zero experience with RPG so I didn't really get most of this series for the longest time, BUT I think it finally clicked with this last installment, and it was so entertaining!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this final chapter of this epic adventure fantasy crack fic, the quest culminates in an epic finale in which Lawton becomes more powerful than any god or goddess ever known. I loved how the author built up this serial to that final climactic event, and how our little band of adventurers became like a family during their quest.

What a fun, magical romp this was.

Definitely recommend!!

[Wiebke (1book1review) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite a satisfying end to the series. I really enjoyed the adventure and the characters.

[P-san~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this series, it was sweet, funny and adventurous. Law and his half-orc were amazing characters, I really enjoyed reading about their connection and how it grew. I loved the Beefcake Brigade! Every person in it is peculiar, and ended up finding their partner(s), so that in the end everyone has significant others. I would have been interested in reading about Berklak home, but oh well, I'm still satisfied with the story.

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story with Instalove/lust and and dnd like RPG basis. Lawton was sunshiny and overly forgiving, though he did grow to respect himself more after being with Berklak and his found family adventure crew. He was ridiculously powerful and kind. Berklak was very self-confident and didn’t take shit from anyone. He was also fiercely protective of everyone he cared about and doubly so of Lawton. The ending of the story was a bit rushed, like it needed more of an epilogue. Overall though, it was a fun adventure fantasy romance in a queer normative world.

Spice: 2/5

Triggers: death, necromancy including zombies, violence, gore, references to abusive and emotionally unavailable family, speciesism, discussion of SA of historical figure, animal death

[antonia🫧 · Rating 4 out of 5]

this kind of made me emotional??
when law said 'the orc and the paladin who love me' (not sure if these were the exact wrods but you get the point), i almost shed a tear.

i enjoyed this series, it was short, cute and fluffy.

i would have liked to see more of law's father, but thats alright. everyone got their happy endings and for that im happy for them.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really fun adventure. My only real qualm is with Law's relationship with his father. It's established early on that Law is shunned, hated and derided by his siblings who are incentivized by their father's disregard. They and the castle folk treat him abominably. Law feels so unsafe in his own home, he's perfected spells for acid baths and deep darkness.

However, he craves the king's love and has been trying to win it his entire life even though he's never treated Law kindly, shown him affection or protected him. Dude literally never made eye contact with Law for almost 40 years until Law comes to tell him about a threat to the kingdom. Yet midway through the series suddenly it's 'of course he loves you'. Huh?

In their few convos (only had bc they're about the adventure mind you), the reader is told it's care and concern, but no explanation is ever given for a lifetime of disgraceful ice. I guess the king cared all along deep, deep, deep down? For some reason I can’t be kind to my kid born with necromantic magic. Makes more sense to treat him like a leper so the isolation can make someone who could kill everyone resentful. Sure, why not. I know everything is just chill and easy breezy, but damn. You can't go so hard about ppl treating Law like crap to instant kumbaya lol.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never really read a serial style story while it was being plublished. I've always waited until all the installments were released or until they were released into a bundled form. This series I HAD to read as they came out. First, Jennifer Cody is a favorite author and I highly enjoy everything she's written and second, the concept and ideas behind the story sounded highly enjoyable (and are.)

This is the conclusion to the adventures of Lawton, Berklak and the rest of the Beefcake Brigade. It is so much fun to read. There is more magic, more species, and new friends. The end to the adventure is exciting and full of danger and mystery plus a satisfying fix to the problem.

Lawton and Berklak are a fun couple to read and get their HEA and I hope they get more adventures in their futures.

[Colleen Cremen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story of adventure

I loved being transported into this magical world of a sunshine prince, his half Orc and their team of Adventures. It was fantastic.
I could read about them and the Adventures they go on, forever.

[Stephanie Murillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending for this adventuring party!

Wonderful characters! Such a great team. So glad they were able to stop possible disaster. Totally recommend this book and series.

[Yackie]

Sweet sweet garbage

[Danis ❤️ MM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awwww I LOVE this series! I'll have to look to see if the author completed any side series or short stories because I adored all the characters. Not just the MCs. They were all great. And I'd like to see how Berlak and Lawton are getting on a few years down the road.

[Nicole van Dongen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so sad that this adventure is over! Berklak, Law and their friends all got a very HFN ending, and Jennifer left it wide open for future adventures. The romance between Berklak and Law definitely got much sweeter the further we got into this serial, and I loved it. I really enjoyed the way this story was built like a true DnD quest, so even the author wasn't sure how it would go.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical carnage and deadly HEA’s, what’s not to love. a fantastic series and finale

Rating: 5🌈

The time has come, the wizard says, for all great adventures to come to an end and all the fabulous adventurers to tend to their wounds, gather their treasures, and head back home.

Necromancer Lawton, Half Orc Berklak, and the rest of the Beefcake Brigade are still on their quest to find the reason for the dreaded miasma that’s spreading over the lands, causing the females of various species to turn on the males in a murderous frenzy.

Now they are headed into the frozen southern landscape of Gwafellaw. There awaits such wondrous things as dragons, a crazy wood elf, and the solution to the murderous rage that’s seeping over the continent.

Cody’s final chapter in this fabulous adventure is a doozy. She gives us a bit of fatherly acceptance for Lawton, forest love for Berklak and new magical powers, some wildly inspired battles, and an ancient, devastating origin tale that is the beginnings of all the woe here.

Yes, that does contain mention in an ancient poem of multiple SA to a woman long dead. Be warned.

Cody pulls together all the pieces of the journey, the events of carnage, and magical scenarios to create one monumental experience as a cap to the adventure and a final chapter in this epic tale. Loved it.

What a strange and glorious romp this has been! I shall miss this motley, powerful, magical crew. And hopefully, one day, Cody will decide to send them forth to adventure once more.

Until then, I’m highly recommending all five chapters of this excellent adventure. Make sure to read them in order.

Love the covers too.

[Mickey D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it so much, give me so much more!

I didn't know this was based on (that really long acronym for D&D style games). I've only played once, so it took me until Chapter 2 to realize their actions mirrored rolling for actions. And then I finally read the author's note and saw that she was rolling for her characters as she wrote! It was so delightful, such a fun story. I enjoyed everything about it. I would take another set of Chapters about this group.

I was curious if I would like the big climax. I wasn't worried, this is one of those stories where the reading journey is so delightful, the author would have needed to really trash the ending to upset me.

I thought it was a great payoff. It was unique and clever to me, and this whole set of chapters makes me want to seek out similar stories.

My only but is that I feel we went from the denouement to the end a smidge too quickly. But I was just disappointed that we weren't getting more story. It was really well done and I am reading more by this author.

[Angelena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not read to say goodbye to the beefcake brigade, I'm really not. The found family vibes were so comforting, the action was described well, and the humor was neverending. Overall, this series has been a great read, and I imagine that anyone who finds it now that it's completed and can binge them all will find it even more enjoyable as they don't have to worry about forgetting any little details. Jennifer Cody has cemented herself into my heart as a favorite author and I hope there's a short story or something in the future for these beloved characters. I do have one gripe though and it's that we didn't get to see them visit Berklak's hometown, that was genuinley a lost opportunity for some great scenes. I also wish there was more of an actual epliogue where we could see how the group was doing a bit into the future. Honestly, I just really think there's more books to be written and things to be done based on all that we were told in the past works. Please author, give us more!

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

They Fought Law, and Law Won

This series was so fun to read! I don't even play RPG's, but I'll read everything Jennifer Cody writes, so it was no surprise to me that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Law and Berklak's adventures. I loved Law coming into his own throughout the series and learning the extent of his abilities. What I loved most was Berklak's unwavering love and loyalty, and how that love and loyalty convinced Law he was deserving of, and due, love, respect, and loyalty. I loved each member of the adventuring party too. They were loyal to Law from the very beginning. Jennifer Cody said she wrote this series for fun, but it's also a good reminder to people to stop treating people badly who are different than they are. EVERYONE has value and talents of their own. Law is a necromancer, therefore he must be feared and reviled. Pfffft! Law's awesome, and I'm so happy he ended up owning that! This series is fun, adventurous, humorous, and oh so steamy!

[Laura Quevedo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

And that's the end of the adventure for our team, at least for now.

I did enjoy the serial, it had fun moments and cute moments between the main leads, I loved the found family feels and the adventure itself was entertaining but I guess the end was a bit of a disappointment... there were some small plot points that I would have liked to have an explanation for... everything big was explained but there were some small things that were left to our imagination.

And with one more chapter or half a chapter to round that up I would have felt more satisfied...

Overall the complete serial was a cute and fun read with some heavy topics surrounding the quest the team was on.

POV: dual
Tropes: half-orc/necromancer, prince MC, fictional magical world setting.
Spice: low (one short detailed scene)
CW: ok this book has a lot of cannibalism, troll zombies eating trolls and dark elves eating an elf... and then dragons eating everyone else. Violence, death, and a little bit of gore.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Went on an Adventure and All I Got Was This Barbarian Orc 5 is an excellent finale to this story. Lawton and Berklak reaffirm their relationship while other friendships and love spread among their adventuring party. There's a lot of imaginative and brutal combat to read. The mystery they are unraveling draws them deep into a frosted and vicious land. It's no surprise when the trouble is caused by powerful magic gone wrong.

Lawton, as the Reviled Prince, still faces prejudice and fear because of his awesome and horrific power. If he didn't have such a heart of gold, the land of Fasgard would be in trouble. Luckily Law is protective, honorable and creative in applying his abilities. He'll put himself on the line for his friends, and he'll make sure his kingdom is safe, no matter what it takes.

[Preluxe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beefcake brigade for the win

Dang, I'm mad these are over but I'm doing a little happy dance because they were SO GOOD! I've read Jennifer Cody's Shah Mat series and that was like, modern gay epic fantasy with lots of angst, intrigue, violence etc. Wonderful and 10/10 also recommend, but *this* adorable little crack fantasy adventure was like that but the light version, absolute perfection - super freaking cute with all the fantasy and unhinged adventures you'd expect from a dnd campaign with lots of friends and plentiful booze.

I would sacrifice as many mead barrels as it takes if we got to also read about the next adventure, and (pretty please) got more Darian, Ingrahm and Armus action/perspective/deets !

[Raven and Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think some of our adventurers rolled a critical fail in this final installment! But no worries because our beloved necromancer is here! What a way to end a story! I am so in love with Lawton and Berklak and the whole found family they have assembled. Lawton needs love and respect and has managed to surround himself with a group that will take care of him and surround him with the support he needs for life. And if someone dares speak against him, Berklak will straighten them out. I love how the author wrote this and I can just hear her cackling as she rolled the dice. Amazing story overall and I loved every single word of it! I need the further adventures of the Beefcake Brigade.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, this was a fun, easy read that was pretty entertaining. But, it had some grammatical and editorial errors that were a bit frustrating. The main one in this last part was in the poem. In the first part, where Law was initially translating, it mentions the farmer and her husband. But later, when it's all being read, it's the farmer and her wife. These things may seem little, but for someone like me, it can take me right out of the story.

But, I still enjoyed it, still found it amusing. Just...maybe go over it again, polish it up some.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys adventure stories with some sexy time thrown in.

[Golden Child · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawton & Berklak

This was a great adventurists story. Every character was interesting. The two MCs were great together, their attraction and loyalty to each was sweet. The other members of the party were just as enthralling, each loyal to each other as much as they were to Lawton whom they swore to protect. They become family and the reader believes it. I would love a chance to go with them to Berklak’s home and meet his family and see how jealous they would be of his refillable mead cup! We get a little view into Lawton’s return home and how things change but I want more! I hope at some point we get more adventures from this Brigade!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun!

This whole story was fun and engaging. I love that the author said she would roll dice for the characters' actions to see how they would play out. It made me keep thinking, "oh, I bet she rolled for that part!" as I was reading. It was enjoyable. The story was cute, the characters were neat, and I enjoyed the world building. As someone who doesn't really prefer full fantasy, I was surprised how much I liked this. It was humorous and fast-paced enough that it didn't get bogged down, yet she kept adding to it without getting too confusing. I would have liked another book, honestly. The epilogue part was a bit rushed. Would definitely read more in this world.

[Cheryl_cajun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC read, I voluntarily give this book an honest review. Who wouldve thought, evil spreading throughout the kingdom's. Lawton with helpful Orc Berklak would find his place not just in his own home but connection of a lifetime. Now on at the gates to Gwafellow looming over their adventuring, the King is there for their send off.  Awww dragons! But only they are NOT the nicest brutes around. We get to see more rampage Orc action. When another party sent to find the source of the issue, what is the natural thing to do they pair up. 

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three cheers for a solid final installment of what has been an epically enjoyable saga. Lawton and Berklak are solid gold as individual characters and as a pairing, and their companions have coalesced into the very best of chosen families. Light on detail to avoid spoilers, but narrative threads are neatly woven here and there’s a quite solid HFN that might easily lend itself to future adventures (which would be, let’s face it, lovely).

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I`m going to miss Lawton, Berklak and company.
This was a wonderful tale. I`ve played RPG since I was fifteen and I`m now 47 and saw myself and my friends a couple of times in the misfortunes of bad rollings...
Jennifer Cody is one of my favorites authors, because her books are always entertaining and unique even with trite tropes. She gives something new to each of her books.
Reading the end of this adventureres was bittersweet, because I loved the serial, but I wish for more, not only Berklak and Lawton but all the Beefcake Brigade.
I heartily recommend this!

[Kristi Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very Satisfactory Ending to the Tale.

The final chapter has been read and it nicely tied things up. Lawton’s quality of life has improved greatly as has his status. The mystery has been solved and I’m already missing this band of adventurers. Fortunately there have been hints that future excursions are awaiting them. Yes!!! Bring them on.
A good book always leaves you wanting more. I want more. Now it’s over to you.
To read or not to read. I strongly barrack for the to read side but as I said - that’s up to you. May you make the correct choice. —- Go on read it. 😇

[Flick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe it’s over! I’m missing this series already!

I’m so sad this has come to an end. I really loved this series and fell in love with the amazing cast of characters that make up Lawton’s family. Whilst I really hope we’ll get to see these guys again (because Lawton is clearly not done adventuring!) the series was wrapped up really nicely with only a moment of fear over a character’s well-being. I cannot stress how funny and sweet this series is. It’s got all the best components of found family, adventure and mayhem, a bit of action and a ton of sweetness. There’s a bit of suspense and some pretty awesome world building mixed in too. I’m going to miss these characters and the fun they had together, but I know I’ll get to see them again when I reread it for the tenth time haha!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this.

It’s definitely in my top 3 of Cody’s series. I’m a devoted ttrpg-er, and I’ve always wanted to put some of my better campaigns to pen and paper. I love that someone did it. I would love to see them adventure again, or even see a short story involving Ingram’s wish. This was a great balance of heroes, and I especially loved the whole idea of keys as a resume of sorts. I can see how that would be so useful in a campaign setting. It was a fun read! <3