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The Dark Profit Saga #3
Dragonfired
Gorm Ingerson and the king of Andarun both have a problem: each other. While the Freedlands are plagued with market turmoil, civil unrest, and dire portents, Gorm is convinced he's found the heart of the king’s dark conspiracy. But the powers that be, Arthly and otherwise, are watching Gorm, and if he’s not careful he’ll wind up terminated in every sense of the word.
Dragonfired will be the epic conclusion to The Dark Profit Saga.
Dragonfired will be the epic conclusion to The Dark Profit Saga.
551 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2023
234 people are currently reading
1710 people want to read
About the author
J. Zachary Pike
11 books946 followersJ. Zachary Pike was once a basement-dwelling fantasy gamer, but over time he metamorphosed into a basement-dwelling fantasy writer. By day Zack is a web professional and creative-for-hire, but at night he returns to his lair to create books, films, and illustrations that meld fantasy elements with offbeat humor. A New Englander by birth and by temperament, Zack writes strangely funny fiction on the seacoast of New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
September 7, 2023
Watch my video review by clicking here.
A fun end to this trilogy that had all the same humor and charm as the other books, but also contains some odd pacing issues that hold it back from being the strongest entry.
A fun end to this trilogy that had all the same humor and charm as the other books, but also contains some odd pacing issues that hold it back from being the strongest entry.
September 12, 2023
An epic conclusion to one of my favourite fantasy series ever. If you like humour and/or Pratchett-esque satire, these books are for you. Which isn't to say they're not heartwarming as well, because they most certainly are.
Well done, Zack!
Well done, Zack!
Read
December 3, 2021Why are there so many reviews for a book that hasn't come out yet?!
February 6, 2024
This is the final book in the trilogy and I will be sad to say goodbye to the characters I have come to love, the adventures I found exciting and the story truly engaging.
It starts off a little slowly and is focused on trade which personally felt like I was reading Billions or some Wall Street book, a little too of it all at once for my personal taste even if it does highlight prejudices in the system. At about 35% in the story does pick up in a really epic way..
”Pillage a town’s gold, and you’ll be rich for a day. Make a town systematically dependent on services that only you provide, and you’ll be rich for a lifetime.”
The characters didn’t come into their own until over a quarter of the way into the story which was a little disappointing. However once through this the fun really began to start. The characters were up to their usual shenanigans, the plot began to make sense and the humour was back for one final major quest.
”Accuracy is a survival skill for those who make a career in magic, where a mispronounced phrase or clumsy gesture can be the difference between levitating a ham sandwich across the room and ripping a hole in space.”
To sum up I think this book is a truly excellent end to the trilogy there’s so much packed into it from fantastic world building, rich characters and an engrossing plot. Featuring lots of humour, adventures, quest, prophecies, backstabbing, friendship, loss and love. The ending wraps up things perfectly and brought me so much joy and happiness. What a ride..
It starts off a little slowly and is focused on trade which personally felt like I was reading Billions or some Wall Street book, a little too of it all at once for my personal taste even if it does highlight prejudices in the system. At about 35% in the story does pick up in a really epic way..
”Pillage a town’s gold, and you’ll be rich for a day. Make a town systematically dependent on services that only you provide, and you’ll be rich for a lifetime.”
The characters didn’t come into their own until over a quarter of the way into the story which was a little disappointing. However once through this the fun really began to start. The characters were up to their usual shenanigans, the plot began to make sense and the humour was back for one final major quest.
”Accuracy is a survival skill for those who make a career in magic, where a mispronounced phrase or clumsy gesture can be the difference between levitating a ham sandwich across the room and ripping a hole in space.”
To sum up I think this book is a truly excellent end to the trilogy there’s so much packed into it from fantastic world building, rich characters and an engrossing plot. Featuring lots of humour, adventures, quest, prophecies, backstabbing, friendship, loss and love. The ending wraps up things perfectly and brought me so much joy and happiness. What a ride..
December 16, 2023
I'd give it more stars if I could.
Neither this book nor this series are perfect. They do have flaws, maybe even some missed opportunities.
But the parts that are done well (and there's plenty of those) are done really well and completely eclipse everything else.
The way Pike makes you laugh and then cry and then laugh again while at the same time not making it seem forced is a show of true writing skill.
This is a writer I'm sure to follow in the years to come.
Neither this book nor this series are perfect. They do have flaws, maybe even some missed opportunities.
But the parts that are done well (and there's plenty of those) are done really well and completely eclipse everything else.
The way Pike makes you laugh and then cry and then laugh again while at the same time not making it seem forced is a show of true writing skill.
This is a writer I'm sure to follow in the years to come.
May 16, 2024
Dare I say this series is better than Terry Pratchett?
Riding high on the wings of success, Gorm swore to bring down King Johan and the guild's corrupt regime. But the world had merely politely coughed and turned back to the way things were.
Now Gorm can’t just bash heads and kill the King, but has to get political, something he doesn’t have the heart (patience) for.
The Great Eagle that had carried King Handor and Johan the Mighty on the late king's final flight had gone missing in a dragon attack. And now anyone who might know anything were disappearing… by dragon attacks.
”When observed from a close perspective, how can destiny be distinguished from coincidence?"
This series has just been a delight!
Satire, wit, and sarcasm to shed light on our deprived reality.
Capitalism sucks.
Finance is made up.
Revenge is easier than justice.
Nove’s principles of destiny vs coincidence states you must now read this.
Governments rise and fall based on the careful cultivation and utilization of mass ignorance. The wealthy and powerful pay handsomely for secret messages, opaque business structures, or secure locations.
Finally, I have to point out one of my favourite stylistic tricks of Pike’s. Each character perspective is normally linked: ironically contrasted and whacking playing on whatever was last said. It is genius and always made me grin at the ingenuity.
Bookstagram
Riding high on the wings of success, Gorm swore to bring down King Johan and the guild's corrupt regime. But the world had merely politely coughed and turned back to the way things were.
Now Gorm can’t just bash heads and kill the King, but has to get political, something he doesn’t have the heart (patience) for.
The Great Eagle that had carried King Handor and Johan the Mighty on the late king's final flight had gone missing in a dragon attack. And now anyone who might know anything were disappearing… by dragon attacks.
”When observed from a close perspective, how can destiny be distinguished from coincidence?"
This series has just been a delight!
Satire, wit, and sarcasm to shed light on our deprived reality.
Capitalism sucks.
Finance is made up.
Revenge is easier than justice.
Nove’s principles of destiny vs coincidence states you must now read this.
Governments rise and fall based on the careful cultivation and utilization of mass ignorance. The wealthy and powerful pay handsomely for secret messages, opaque business structures, or secure locations.
Finally, I have to point out one of my favourite stylistic tricks of Pike’s. Each character perspective is normally linked: ironically contrasted and whacking playing on whatever was last said. It is genius and always made me grin at the ingenuity.
Bookstagram
April 10, 2024
(No Spoilers) My review of the Dark Profit trilogy.
Dare I compare this to Terry Pratchett? The Dark Profit Saga (perfectly named) is a satirical take on a D&D-ish Fantasy setting, with sharp humor used to skewer the ridiculousness of Wall Street, corporations, corporate culture, the obscenely wealthy, and a certain con-artist-turned-king with a bad combover. And while there are plenty of laughs to be found, there is also plenty of depth. The endless cruelty of humanity is mirrored by "Lightlings" aka Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and various varieties of Halflings/Gnomes. The cruelty is seen through the eyes of the monsters of the realm, aka NPC's, and the author somehow strikes that perfect balance between having a lot to say and not being preachy - an impressive feat.
The characters were really what kept me engaged, as the entire cast of characters is unique and lovable in their own way. Even the Purse Kobold, Burt.
There's even a few love stories swirling around, but without getting in the way like so many romantasy plots.
The trilogy isn't perfect - in fact I'd say it would have been better as a duology - but I'm happy with the time I spent in Arth, and plan to come back and visit again in the future.
There is a Kickstarter campaign for physical editions of these books, and they have more than earned a place on my shelves, right next to my Discworld hardcovers.
Highly recommend for Terry Pratchett fans, as well as anyone who likes a good chuckle and a hearty helping of satire with their swords and sorcery.
Book 1: 4.5 stars
Book 2: 4 stars
Book 3: 4.5 stars
Overall: 4.5 stars
Dare I compare this to Terry Pratchett? The Dark Profit Saga (perfectly named) is a satirical take on a D&D-ish Fantasy setting, with sharp humor used to skewer the ridiculousness of Wall Street, corporations, corporate culture, the obscenely wealthy, and a certain con-artist-turned-king with a bad combover. And while there are plenty of laughs to be found, there is also plenty of depth. The endless cruelty of humanity is mirrored by "Lightlings" aka Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and various varieties of Halflings/Gnomes. The cruelty is seen through the eyes of the monsters of the realm, aka NPC's, and the author somehow strikes that perfect balance between having a lot to say and not being preachy - an impressive feat.
The characters were really what kept me engaged, as the entire cast of characters is unique and lovable in their own way. Even the Purse Kobold, Burt.
There's even a few love stories swirling around, but without getting in the way like so many romantasy plots.
The trilogy isn't perfect - in fact I'd say it would have been better as a duology - but I'm happy with the time I spent in Arth, and plan to come back and visit again in the future.
There is a Kickstarter campaign for physical editions of these books, and they have more than earned a place on my shelves, right next to my Discworld hardcovers.
Highly recommend for Terry Pratchett fans, as well as anyone who likes a good chuckle and a hearty helping of satire with their swords and sorcery.
Book 1: 4.5 stars
Book 2: 4 stars
Book 3: 4.5 stars
Overall: 4.5 stars
January 26, 2025
It was probably the weakest of the series, but also, the ending was nicely wrapped up. The series overall is 4 stars, and I've found another author who I can't wait to read more from.
This final instalment didn't have the humour or the gripping storyline, but it did have brilliant conclusions for our cast of misfits.
This final instalment didn't have the humour or the gripping storyline, but it did have brilliant conclusions for our cast of misfits.
Want to read
June 21, 2023It's finally confirmed for September 2023!
January 27, 2024
Not in a million years would I have thought that this genre would make me laugh out loud and make me cry at the same time. Thrice-cursed Pike, you did it again. Well done.
November 14, 2024
One of the best books I've ever read, and the perfect ending to this wonderful trilogy. Everything came together and resolved in such a clever, satisfying, and beautiful way. Thank you J. Zachary Pike for this wonderful book and series!
December 18, 2025
I really loved this whole series.
October 18, 2023
The final book in the Dark Profit Saga should have been a bit shorter. But even with that knock, I enjoyed the final book in this humorous series. Our fearless heroes are split up and defeated. A broken hearted Troll, two Mages unsure of their abilities or their relationship to each other, a berserker dwarf who has failed, and an Elven Ranger battling addiction and regrets. The King is a crook and a usurper.
And now a Dragon is feeding on the villagers. or is there? The final book has some pacing issues I did not find in the first two books. As this series added modern economic trends into the Medieval Quest trope, there were a lot of issues to add to the story. Insider trading, hostile takeovers, and a housing crisis are all addressed in this tale. You be glad you took Econ 101. If you are looking for a funny and thoughtful tale, this series is for you.
And now a Dragon is feeding on the villagers. or is there? The final book has some pacing issues I did not find in the first two books. As this series added modern economic trends into the Medieval Quest trope, there were a lot of issues to add to the story. Insider trading, hostile takeovers, and a housing crisis are all addressed in this tale. You be glad you took Econ 101. If you are looking for a funny and thoughtful tale, this series is for you.
September 6, 2024
I'm asking, begging, beseeching modern fantasy writers to come up with something slightly more insightful than "if you think about it, Africans are basically orcs!" Nevertheless, I couldn't put this book down because I needed an answer to the central question of the series:
Is the old gnome banker going to fuck the dog woman???
The conclusion left me somewhat disappointed.
Is the old gnome banker going to fuck the dog woman???
The conclusion left me somewhat disappointed.
January 29, 2025
Started off slow, but it was an epic finale in the end. It was interesting to see the heroes struggle to figure out what to do after defeating the big bad in book 2. Now they were left fighting against the unfairness inherent to the economic and political system that was still in place, aside from dealing with their own mental health struggles and fractured relationships.
It was enjoyable to see the many plot threads weave together in the finale, and the witty prose and humour made the journey a delight. It wasn't a perfect series and there were some weaker elements sure, but on the whole it's a thoroughly enjoyable ride. I was particularly struck by how Pike wears his influences on his sleeve (particularly from Pratchett's Discworld), while still managing to create a series with a strong sense of identity. And the third book stuck the landing beautifully. Hats off to you sir.
It was enjoyable to see the many plot threads weave together in the finale, and the witty prose and humour made the journey a delight. It wasn't a perfect series and there were some weaker elements sure, but on the whole it's a thoroughly enjoyable ride. I was particularly struck by how Pike wears his influences on his sleeve (particularly from Pratchett's Discworld), while still managing to create a series with a strong sense of identity. And the third book stuck the landing beautifully. Hats off to you sir.
April 7, 2025
Might be my favorite of the series. Loved the conclusion! For a satire, the Dark Profits trilogy was surprisingly heartfelt and had a way better plot and character development than I ever expected. I’ll check out whatever Pike writes next!
April 26, 2024
The perfect conclusion to a fantastic series. Highly recommended!
September 21, 2023
The end of an impressive, enjoyable self-published fantasy trilogy, distinguished by its large serving of satire.
Overall, the series has combined classic fantasy elements with a critique of high finance! Almost a Terry Pratchett approach but perhaps with a harder edge to it. The fantasy world features every type of traditional fantasy creature you’ve heard of: dwarves, gnomes, ogres, trolls, dragons, not forgetting humans, and some with magical attributes. There are divisions between these creatures analogous to social or racial ones in our society, the Lightlings and the Shadowkin, which a simpler fantasy might identify with Good and Bad. It’s not so simple here.
In summary, officially identified Lightling heroes can go on licensed quests to hunt down shadowkin who are seen as a danger. The more potent Shadowkin, such as dragons, can have substantial treasures, which is what the heroes are really after. This treasure hunting is shown to be a foundation of this hero questing economy. Unusual!
Sounds weird, but volume one in the series gets you into this strange worldview very well, showing how this quest for treasure system works, requiring financial backing as well as licenses before any legal quest can commence! It also reveals that the apparent badness of the Shadowkin depends on which side you view them from. Volume two exposes how shaky the foundations are of this economy, with plenty of digs at the financial instruments, sub-prime mortgages, etc., that were responsible for the banks crises some years ago. In this volume the ‘insurance’ against evil events, and enforced by heroes, is shown to be its own form of fantasy. And this is continued in climatic fantasy fashion in volume three where the apparent reconciliation of previously opposing forces is shown to be shallow with a deeply evil source.
A rapid overview of the series, but I didn’t want to give away too much about the clever construction of this complex world and the satire that I especially enjoyed. For example, the storyline with bank assets in this fantasy world depending on the size, or even existence, of a large dragon hoard calling to mind the sub-prime nonsense, or Tech company bubbles, in our world. How much is a nation’s wealth dependent on things you can hold in your hand and how much is constructed from ‘guesstimates’ on spreadsheets?
There’s some social commentary. Not so much the apparent divisions in the society between different types of fantasy creature but, especially in volume 3, about how the apparent new legal equality between creatures is not worth the paper it’s written on if people’s hearts are not yet there.
As a consequence there are sad moments in the story, lives are lost, but overall the story has a lightness, plenty of humour (and irony), spread throughout the tale. I won’t dwell too much on the Terry Pratchett similarity as it’s a long way from a copy of that style, but they share the use of magical, exaggerated fantasy being used as a mirror to our world.
Maybe the ending was just too much of a magical climatic conflict than I have a taste for, given the down to earth nature of the lead characters previously.
However, my only real whinge is one I make about at least three quarters of fantasy series I read! The lack of a summary of the story so far. I think it’s three years since the previous volume and I’ve read dozens of fantasy books since, so I find a brief summary, a page or two long, and/or a dramatis personae, is often sufficient to nudge my memory back onto the previous storyline. Without this, I had to skim the previous volumes, mainly to pick up on the names of the main characters and their defining features. However, as I said, most fantasy series have this failing as far as I’m concerned.
If you’ve not read the previous volumes so far then this won’t be a big deal, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy this series enormously. I’d put it in my top half a dozen fantasy series of recent years. A 5* series, with 4.5* for this final volume.
Overall, the series has combined classic fantasy elements with a critique of high finance! Almost a Terry Pratchett approach but perhaps with a harder edge to it. The fantasy world features every type of traditional fantasy creature you’ve heard of: dwarves, gnomes, ogres, trolls, dragons, not forgetting humans, and some with magical attributes. There are divisions between these creatures analogous to social or racial ones in our society, the Lightlings and the Shadowkin, which a simpler fantasy might identify with Good and Bad. It’s not so simple here.
In summary, officially identified Lightling heroes can go on licensed quests to hunt down shadowkin who are seen as a danger. The more potent Shadowkin, such as dragons, can have substantial treasures, which is what the heroes are really after. This treasure hunting is shown to be a foundation of this hero questing economy. Unusual!
Sounds weird, but volume one in the series gets you into this strange worldview very well, showing how this quest for treasure system works, requiring financial backing as well as licenses before any legal quest can commence! It also reveals that the apparent badness of the Shadowkin depends on which side you view them from. Volume two exposes how shaky the foundations are of this economy, with plenty of digs at the financial instruments, sub-prime mortgages, etc., that were responsible for the banks crises some years ago. In this volume the ‘insurance’ against evil events, and enforced by heroes, is shown to be its own form of fantasy. And this is continued in climatic fantasy fashion in volume three where the apparent reconciliation of previously opposing forces is shown to be shallow with a deeply evil source.
A rapid overview of the series, but I didn’t want to give away too much about the clever construction of this complex world and the satire that I especially enjoyed. For example, the storyline with bank assets in this fantasy world depending on the size, or even existence, of a large dragon hoard calling to mind the sub-prime nonsense, or Tech company bubbles, in our world. How much is a nation’s wealth dependent on things you can hold in your hand and how much is constructed from ‘guesstimates’ on spreadsheets?
There’s some social commentary. Not so much the apparent divisions in the society between different types of fantasy creature but, especially in volume 3, about how the apparent new legal equality between creatures is not worth the paper it’s written on if people’s hearts are not yet there.
As a consequence there are sad moments in the story, lives are lost, but overall the story has a lightness, plenty of humour (and irony), spread throughout the tale. I won’t dwell too much on the Terry Pratchett similarity as it’s a long way from a copy of that style, but they share the use of magical, exaggerated fantasy being used as a mirror to our world.
Maybe the ending was just too much of a magical climatic conflict than I have a taste for, given the down to earth nature of the lead characters previously.
However, my only real whinge is one I make about at least three quarters of fantasy series I read! The lack of a summary of the story so far. I think it’s three years since the previous volume and I’ve read dozens of fantasy books since, so I find a brief summary, a page or two long, and/or a dramatis personae, is often sufficient to nudge my memory back onto the previous storyline. Without this, I had to skim the previous volumes, mainly to pick up on the names of the main characters and their defining features. However, as I said, most fantasy series have this failing as far as I’m concerned.
If you’ve not read the previous volumes so far then this won’t be a big deal, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy this series enormously. I’d put it in my top half a dozen fantasy series of recent years. A 5* series, with 4.5* for this final volume.
June 9, 2024
This was quite enjoyable. It’s been awhile since I read the first and second books in the trilogy, so I’ll have to do a series reread to fully appreciate this book. But even with having forgot a lot of what happened in the first two books, I still had a good time with Dragonfired.
April 27, 2024
Dragonfired (The Dark Profit Saga #3) by J. Zachary Pike
Dragonfired (The Dark Profit Saga #3) by J. Zachary Pike is a thrilling and humorous continuation of the adventures in the world of Arth, where capitalism and fantasy collide in a delightful mix of humor and adventure. In this installment, readers are treated to further escapades with beloved characters and introduced to new faces, each adding their own flavor to the narrative.
Pike's writing style remains as sharp and engaging as ever, with witty dialogue and clever humor that keeps readers entertained throughout. The prose is both accessible and intelligent, making it easy for readers to immerse themselves in the world of Arth and its colorful inhabitants.
Now, let's briefly explore some of the key characters in Dragonfired:
Gorm Ingerson: The disgraced hero turned reluctant adventurer, Gorm continues to grapple with his past mistakes and search for redemption. Despite his rough exterior, he possesses a heart of gold and a fierce loyalty to his friends.
Avaria: The cunning bard with a silver tongue, Avaria serves as the group's voice of reason and occasional instigator of trouble. Her quick wit and sharp intellect often prove invaluable in navigating the challenges they face.
Richter: A mysterious necromancer with a penchant for dark magic, Richter joins the party on their quest and brings with him a sense of mystery and danger. His motives are unclear, and his presence adds an air of tension to the group dynamic.
Grumble: The lovable goblin companion, Grumble provides much-needed comic relief with his antics and misadventures. Despite his small stature, he proves to be a valuable member of the team, with a heart as big as his appetite.
Each character in Dragonfired is well-developed and multi-dimensional, with their own strengths, weaknesses, and quirks that add depth to the narrative. Pike excels at crafting relatable and memorable characters that readers can't help but root for.
In conclusion, Dragonfired (The Dark Profit Saga #3) is a worthy addition to the series, offering a blend of humor, adventure, and heart that will delight fans of fantasy and satire alike. With its engaging story, well-developed characters, and clever writing, it is sure to keep readers eagerly turning the pages until the very end.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
September 26, 2024
4.5/5 stars
Dragonfired is the third and final book in J. Zachary Pike’s sword and sorcery fantasy satire trilogy The Dark Profit Saga. Grom is determined to take down the king of Andarun and reveal his treachery to the kingdom, but he can’t do so without solid evidence. When his search for proof leads him to the legendary dragon and its hoard, he may just need to reunite the Heroes of Destiny and its allies to discover its secrets, defeat the king, and prevent the economic and financial collapse of the kingdom.
It has been 2.5 years since the I read the first two books, and that really hindered my reading experience because I had a hard time recalling the many many characters. That wasn’t helped by the fact that the book jumps perspectives (every 2-5 pages) to nearly every character who all are approaching the plot from different angles and are mostly on separate story threads through the entire first half. It was a bit erratic, but I wouldn’t say it was hard to follow because you can really tell it’s going somewhere despite the many threads.
This is the closest the series has been to the D&D meets The Big Short I’ve always described it as. I am not very financially literate so some of the financial market angle went completely over my head, but I like to think I got the jist of it. Once again, I loved the quirkiness of the plot, the many satirical takes it had of the fantasy genre, the social commentary it included while remaining humorous, and the amount of heart and charm it brought. I honestly shed a few tears a couple of times. I am happy with the way it ended for this motley group of characters—happy and hopeful but still with that tinge melancholy.
Dragonfired delivers the same charm and humor and effectively closes The Dark Profit Saga.
Dragonfired is the third and final book in J. Zachary Pike’s sword and sorcery fantasy satire trilogy The Dark Profit Saga. Grom is determined to take down the king of Andarun and reveal his treachery to the kingdom, but he can’t do so without solid evidence. When his search for proof leads him to the legendary dragon and its hoard, he may just need to reunite the Heroes of Destiny and its allies to discover its secrets, defeat the king, and prevent the economic and financial collapse of the kingdom.
It has been 2.5 years since the I read the first two books, and that really hindered my reading experience because I had a hard time recalling the many many characters. That wasn’t helped by the fact that the book jumps perspectives (every 2-5 pages) to nearly every character who all are approaching the plot from different angles and are mostly on separate story threads through the entire first half. It was a bit erratic, but I wouldn’t say it was hard to follow because you can really tell it’s going somewhere despite the many threads.
This is the closest the series has been to the D&D meets The Big Short I’ve always described it as. I am not very financially literate so some of the financial market angle went completely over my head, but I like to think I got the jist of it. Once again, I loved the quirkiness of the plot, the many satirical takes it had of the fantasy genre, the social commentary it included while remaining humorous, and the amount of heart and charm it brought. I honestly shed a few tears a couple of times. I am happy with the way it ended for this motley group of characters—happy and hopeful but still with that tinge melancholy.
Dragonfired delivers the same charm and humor and effectively closes The Dark Profit Saga.
December 3, 2023
The end of the trilogy
What I enjoyed:
* Glad to have a conclusion
* Gorm
* I was glad to finally get the answer about Johan's paladin standing
* I was impressed with how the book dealt with racism.
What could have been better:
* It was very long and very easy to put down
What I enjoyed:
* Glad to have a conclusion
* Gorm
* I was glad to finally get the answer about Johan's paladin standing
* I was impressed with how the book dealt with racism.
What could have been better:
* It was very long and very easy to put down
October 15, 2025
Run from it, hide from it, but prophecy always comes to pass. The clever transitions inject serotonin directly into my brain.
May 18, 2024
The conclusion to my favorite series was everything I needed and more. Bless 🐉⚔️💵
April 30, 2025
A very fitting end to what is a very funny and wholesome trilogy. Solid plotting, solid character development, lots of jabs at our real world and also the same mix of humor and sadness at the state of things that makes this enjoyable. I’d almost call it cosy fantasy for the feeling it evokes in me but the themes are anything but cosy. The injustices it highlights bristle my fur so to speak.
Oh yes, the highlight of this one is Mrs Hrurk. She’s just such an amazingly well-developed character. Her emotions feel real and you can always empathize with her. And also I’m sorry I can’t help myself she’s just so cute the way she wags her tail! 😆
All in all I heavily recommend this trilogy for any lovers of fantasy looking for some intelligent fun. It’s not going to floor you or anything but it is very solidly entertaining and well-crafted. If I’d hazard a comparison I’d call it the Scalzi of fantasy. You know you’re going to enjoy it but at the same time it’s not going to be the book that changes your life or anything. And that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes you just need to come down from work with something well-written and *fun*.
Oh yes, the highlight of this one is Mrs Hrurk. She’s just such an amazingly well-developed character. Her emotions feel real and you can always empathize with her. And also I’m sorry I can’t help myself she’s just so cute the way she wags her tail! 😆
All in all I heavily recommend this trilogy for any lovers of fantasy looking for some intelligent fun. It’s not going to floor you or anything but it is very solidly entertaining and well-crafted. If I’d hazard a comparison I’d call it the Scalzi of fantasy. You know you’re going to enjoy it but at the same time it’s not going to be the book that changes your life or anything. And that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes you just need to come down from work with something well-written and *fun*.
September 4, 2025
A wonderful feel good story
February 19, 2024
The conclusion of the brilliant Dark Profits-trilogy, Dragonfired actually took a little while to suck me back into the story. Our heroes are dispersed at the beginning, each of them battling with their respective demons instead of battling the big bad. Because that’s what the main character Gorm Ingerson expected to be doing and what most of the readers probably also expected after the ending of the previous book Son of a Liche. So, it felt anticlimactic and somewhat disorienting when that did not happen. It takes a while to get (back) to the heart of the story, Pike sometimes seemingly getting a little lost in economical details. But once the story picks up the pace, the chemistry between the characters is back and the humor works its’ very own kind of magic (there are even more of Nove’s Principles).
Once again, Pike manages to not only write a very good satire, but a good story, with a lot of heart and wonderful characters. The pacing in Dragonfired sometimes seems a little off to me, making it a little less smooth than the previous books, and since we are waltzing towards the grand finale with all the different strands of the story coming together, the story is a little more predictable. But that does not make the finale and the whole story any less satisfying.
The Dark Profits Saga really is a great series: It is a witty, sometimes brutal (referring to the satire, not any form of violence), smart, entertaining and heart-warming read that has the potential to make you think about some aspects of todays societies. But even without it, it’s a wonderful story that I can only strongly recommend.
Once again, Pike manages to not only write a very good satire, but a good story, with a lot of heart and wonderful characters. The pacing in Dragonfired sometimes seems a little off to me, making it a little less smooth than the previous books, and since we are waltzing towards the grand finale with all the different strands of the story coming together, the story is a little more predictable. But that does not make the finale and the whole story any less satisfying.
The Dark Profits Saga really is a great series: It is a witty, sometimes brutal (referring to the satire, not any form of violence), smart, entertaining and heart-warming read that has the potential to make you think about some aspects of todays societies. But even without it, it’s a wonderful story that I can only strongly recommend.
March 3, 2024
An incredible end to an incredible series. The perfect blend of fantasy, tongue-in-cheek humour and realism.
November 23, 2023
This year I finished Malazan and it is AMAZING. The characters, the worldbuilding, the emotions, the humour, the discussions on big topics! Simply unparalleled.
And then I finished this series and I have to say - Malazan has competition for the best series I've read in 2023 to do all of that.
This book doesn't quite reach the peak of book 1 but it shows just how much thought went into the entire series. Pike obviously had a plan right from the start, he knew what he wanted to do and he knew very well how to do all of those things.
I love this series.
Even though I hate Pike for making me cry, AGAIN! I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THE EMOTIONS! And my cat doesn't appreciate the fact that I woke her up with my swearing towards the end of the book.
Other than that - can't wait for more from Pike
And then I finished this series and I have to say - Malazan has competition for the best series I've read in 2023 to do all of that.
This book doesn't quite reach the peak of book 1 but it shows just how much thought went into the entire series. Pike obviously had a plan right from the start, he knew what he wanted to do and he knew very well how to do all of those things.
I love this series.
Even though I hate Pike for making me cry, AGAIN! I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THE EMOTIONS! And my cat doesn't appreciate the fact that I woke her up with my swearing towards the end of the book.
Other than that - can't wait for more from Pike
September 10, 2023
Great Conclusion
Im happy with the end of this great series. I cannot wait to complete the trilogy when the audio book releases.
Im happy with the end of this great series. I cannot wait to complete the trilogy when the audio book releases.
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