Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die

by Greer Stothers

In this hilarious, off-the-wall queer fantasy romance, a reclusive sorcerer is forced to protect a cowardly knight after a prophecy ties their fates together.

Funny, touching and inventive, this book is perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light and Dreadful.

All his life, Sir Cameron has tried to stay as far away from danger as possible. But when the Church hands down a prophecy to his fellow knights predicting that the only way to defeat their nemesis, the mad sorcerer Merulo, is to kill Sir Cameron, he finds himself in a situation too sticky for even his considerable wiles. Short of ideas, Cameron throws himself on the mercy of the one person who now actually wants him to the mad sorcerer.

Merulo isn't thrilled to be babysitting a spoilt, attention-seeking knight, but fate has tied them together. And transmogrifying Cameron into a vulture is at least a great source of entertainment. Cameron, meanwhile, is on a voyage of self-discovery. It turns out he's really, really into surly sorcerers who lock him up and tell him what to do. Who knew?

As a legion of knights surround their stronghold, led by an angry concussed elf—which definitely isn't in any way Cameron's fault—the sorcerer's poisonous ambitions draw ever closer to fruition. Cameron is quite invested in not dying, but he finds he's also invested in Merulo. And sometimes, supporting the sorcerer you care about means taking an interest in their hobbies. Even if their hobby is trying to kill God.

Even if it might get you killed, too.

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, LGBT, Romance, Adult, Fiction, Fantasy Romance

384 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 3, 2026

About the author

Greer Stothers is an award-winning author/illustrator based in Toronto. Their experiences as a nonbinary individual inform their writing and art, as does their drive to find the humor in everything.


source: Amazon

Reviews

[Niv]

Saw the beginning of chapter posts by author online and the fact that it's getting published!!!
can't wait it's going to be hilarious

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the subtitle: "In Which Many Dangerous and Homosexual Things Happen"!! I'm in; let the many dangerous and homosexual things begin!

[Ditte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die is absolutely ridiculous, full-on hilarious, and it had me laughing right away. Sadly, it couldn't follow through on the excellent opening and ended up confusing and unsatisfying.

The first 25% of the book was fantastic! I loved how utterly bonkers everything was and our dumb, darling MC Cameron who just really didn't want to die was an instant favourite. A true himbo! Merulo, the evil sorcerer, and his disdain for Cameron was also hilarious and they had great banter. I also loved the chapter names/summaries, they almost all made me laugh.

Sadly, the plot felt weirdly resolved quickly and somehow also never resolved at all, and the pacing of the story wasn't great. It started dragging in the middle, picked up a bit near the end, and then ended on the absolute weirdest note that left so many open plotlines that felt like they should've never been introduced. What was the point of Glenda? Why not use those chapters on giving Cameron and Merulo's characters some much needed depth? There were so many things this book could've done something with and it instead did nothing with any of it and ended in a nonsensical way. And not the fun kind.

There was humor throughout the book but it wasn't nearly as funny as in the beginning and I found my eyes glazing over for a while near the middle. This book had such potential and started off so well but it just couldn't follow through. I still adore himbo king Cameron but I'm sadly mostly left feeling disappointed upon finishing.

I read an eARC from Titan and Netgalley.

[Alexa Tmekei Peterson]

I want to read this so bad, I’m so excited

[rachel x]

"In this hilarious, off-the-wall queer fantasy romance, a reclusive sorcerer is forced to protect a cowardly knight after a prophecy ties their fates together."

I'll read anything athurian!

[Pa_tr0_clus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Titan Books

What even was that? I say that in a good way, I promise. This was genuinely the most fun I’ve had reading a book in recent memory. Do you like weird gay books? This is the book for you. Unhinged, laugh out loud funny, weird and genre-bending: I am going to be thinking about this book for the next month minimum.

About halfway through reading I described the story as ‘Howl’s Moving Castle if it was 80% more feral’, and then everything managed to get twenty times stranger. You will not be able to guess the ending.

I definitely will be picking up anything else Greer Stothers writes and am super grateful for the chance to read this so so many months before publication.

[Karyn Silverman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet, dark lord meets not actually all that noble knight, in that sense very much in the vein of all these atypical epic fantasies I've been enjoying. It's not cozy but has some fuzzy vibes, it's often humorous, the world is original but definitely classic high fantasy, and I enjoyed Cameron, who is not heroic but is pretty darn self-aware. It's queer in a world that is not queer-normative, which meant the text grappled with some real conflicts in that arena (a lot of fantasy is queer-normative, which I generally love, but I think sometimes it's nice to have your struggles represented along with your identity, since the crucible of experience builds who we are), and it has an unexpected sf element that was next level and frankly kind of brilliant in its commentary on epic fantasy.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.**

Deeply, deeply weird! But also deeply charming.

This book feels like it's flying in about a thousand directions at once. Deconstruction of fantasy archetypes; a look into anxiety disorders in a wartime setting; a quirky take on a prophecy plot; I could go on, but that would spoil that absolute lunatic freak-ness of the final third. That said: if you don't like your genres to cross, say, no sci-fi in your fantasy, then this is not the book for you.

Who is this for? I don't even know. People who are up for something wild. I thought this was going to be a romantasy take on the fantasy prophecy, but it's much more a black comedy than it ever is a romance. If you're looking for a typical romance this is also probably not for you. Cameron and Merulo are great, I love them together, but their relationship is not at all written as it would be in a romance. And aside from one major (very major) moment it's not especially romantic. It's more messy...but in a really endearing way. That worked for me. I'm not sure the book one hundred percent works at everything else it's trying to do, but it's such a good time watching it try that it almost doesn't matter. Like I said, it's wild: you're there to be flung around.

Now, I do think that nudging this slightly closer into the cozy territory would've helped everything succeed better, if only because I think that side-lining the fact that our guy Merulo is trying to end the world with sequences of day-to-day sorcerer's-castle living would've compounded every other element and turned this baby fully up to eleven. That, and the weakest parts of the book to me are when Stothers tries to get into the nitty-gritty of the magic system. Without these attempts to be genre-serious there would've been even more wildness, and therefore more enjoyment.

So, then, I guess the prospective reader is someone who wants to be taken off-road. Forget what's usual and forget the standard formats just for the space of this book. Sometimes, I think, you need a little injection of the off the wall, and that's exactly what this book is.

[Katie May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the cover and the blurb I was hoping this would be 5 stars. It was giving exactly what I wanted for most of it though. It started out so strong; sarcastic, witty, dry humor which is my favorite. The humor was strong throughout but the plot sort of meandered a little bit. And the ending came way out of left field. Had a bit of a Monty Python feel to it.

The romance was so fun and for the most part it was the central component here but in the middle it sort of swayed from that which made it feel like it was trying to do too much. The side characters were great and really helped with the banter.

The ending kind of gave the vibe of ‘I’m not sure where this was going’ and I didn’t feel it was very satisfying so 4 stars instead of 5. It was also a little more open ended and not as tidy. Could be more books in this world though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. Will definitely be checking out more from this author.

[Angus F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another book where the cover immediately caught my eye, and the title sealed the deal. It’s not your typical fantasy title and that alone made me curious. After reading the synopsis I was completely in

I don’t usually pick up humor books, and honestly, I’m not sure why.. but after this that might have to change. I’ve never described a book as literally making me laugh out loud until this one. Cameron’s humor is unmatched. Everyone in this world seems to hate him, which is wild because he’s so genuinely lovable. Merulo was also a standout, but when these two share the page, the story really shines. Their dynamic is chaotic and charming and somehow perfectly balanced

The side characters, especially Glenda the elf, add so much personality. Getting brief POVs from them made the world/universe feel even more alive. The world is one of the most unique settings I’ve read in a while. It blends this almost futuristic feel with ancient magic, and while I’m still not totally sure I understood every piece of the lore... I loved the ride it took me on 😅

The ending was totally unexpected. It really feels so much different than the start of the book, and i never really would have guessed it going there, but honestly I really loved that. I don't know how to exactly convey my feelings on what happens without spoiling things, but simply I need more!

For a debut, this was seriously impressive! The writing, humor, and pacing were all spot on, and I’m already excited to see what Greer Stothers does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stothers has NO RIGHT to be this good right out of the jump. There's enough plot for a whole series of lesser novels! Bodies are constantly in flux! Surprise visits by regular human physics! Himbos that are actually both broad of sword and dumb of ass! I will now read whatever Stothers deigns to share with us.

[Amanda Hayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute, I only knocked off a star cause I didn't love the twist at the end and I felt that the romance needed a bit more spice

[kimberley (thearieslibrary) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reclusive sorcerer is forced to protect a cowardly knight after a prophecy ties their fates together, in this queer fantasy romance.

At first, I wasn’t sure how much I would like this book because it took me a minute to get into the writing but once I was into it, I devoured this book. I was constantly thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading so if you’re looking for a queer, fantasy comedy with romance sprinkled in, look no further.

I absolutely adored Merulo, Cameron and Hynda but honestly, all of the characters felt so fleshed out. I loved seeing all of their interactions that often had me cackling at my kindle. The way that magic worked in this world, especially with the constructs, held my attention and I loved learning about the magic and seeing it in action. I also liked how it explored being queer in a world where it’s not “acceptable” to be and rebelling against heteronormative norms. I feel like I haven’t read many fantasy books that have done that, so I really appreciated that being explored.

The ending did feel a little quick to me and I thought there would be more so I even searched if this would be a series. It felt like it had more to say but I can’t wait to see what Greer writes in the future!

⚠️ CWs: amputation, abuse, sexual content, sexism, queerphobia, cissexism, violence, gore, injury detail, war, animal cruelty/death, alcohol use, cursing, homophobia, bigotry, blood, derogatory language, drug use, person with substance use disorder, harassment, mental health illness, illness, physical assault, vomit, murder, death, abortion, body horror, fire; mentions parent death ⚠️

[Ann LaVergne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

This was one of the most bizarre books I’ve ever read, but a hell of a fun time.

Cameron finds himself in the middle of a prophecy and finds himself seeking safety with the kingdom’s mad sorcerer, while fleeing his former friend Glenda.

The story was full of fun and humor, with one of the more surprising twists regarding the world. While I couldn’t put it down, I do wish that the relationship between Cameron and Merulo was a bit more fleshed out. Their dynamic was extremely interesting and we didn’t have enough time with it. The ending and resolution to the character storylines at the end also felt a touch abrupt and had me checking to see if this was indeed a standalone.

I’m excited to see what else the author will write in the future!

[Anastasia Dumarque]

I can’t wait to read this book

[Rosamund Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Greer Stothers' first novel reminds me of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, or Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan. This makes me realise that I'm not the best placed to review this book, because neither of those novels really appeal to me. I do like the combination of humour and fantasy -- Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett are both favourites of mine -- but Stothers', like Muir or Brennan, uses sarcasm and jokes to deflect from really engaging with their characters, which makes these books fall flat for me. Apparently Sir Cameron Needs to Die begins with the hapless Sir Cameron being bullied into fighting a monster, even though he'd rather stay far away from battle. He discovers that there is a prophecy which states that he needs to die in order for the dark sorcerer, Merulo, who threatens the world order, to be destroyed. But Sir Cameron doesn't want to die, and rushes to the dark sorcerer for protection. This is a very fun premise, and there is lots of room for a relationship of some kind to develop between Sir Cameron and Merulo. For me, this was where the book fell apart a bit: I struggled to believe in their relationship, because Stothers doesn't spend enough time examining it fully. There is a lot of room for tension, growth and exploration of the motivations of both characters, but Stothers shies away from examining what their characters are actually going through. I think that was my problem with the novel overall -- there are lots and lots of good ideas, but their execution is sloppy or not fully formed. This is a first book, so I'd be curious to see what Stothers writes when they have more experience.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Mon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half was absolutely delightful but things took a very confusing turn in the second part.

The book starts off exactly how the blurb describes, with Sir Cameron, the handsomest in all the land, trying to escape a prophecy that finishes with his demise. He ends up throwing himself in front of the Mad Sorcerer and begging for mercy. It's all very queer and absolutely hilarious.

There's some great banter between Cameron and the sorcerer, and of course hijinks and magical shenanigans ensue. There's some mild danger for our unlikely couple but nothing too fraught with peril.

The second half, however, seemed like it was a completely different book to me, or that this was written by two separate people. I struggled to understand what was happening.

I won't talk much about the second half because of spoilers but one of the main characters has big plans to amputate several of their own limbs and it all just gets a bit grim and weird. It's explained why but I just didn't get it.

The ending gets even stranger! I started off with a delightful gay fantasy romp but ended with a sour taste in my mouth and a muddled head.

I do want to draw attention to the cover - it's amazing! The artist did a terrific job.

Thank you very much to Titan Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

[DB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you start a book and just KNOW it's gonna one of your all time top books. Sir Cameron was that kind of book for me. From the very first page it was hilarious and voicy and engaging. I could not put it down. I could not stop talking about it. I could not stop giggling to myself.

If you like fantasy comedy with a hefty dose of romance, don't skip on this book! It follows Cameron, a himbo knight, and Merulo, the "mad" sorcerer. After Cameron is prophesized to die, he flees to seek refuge with the one person who doesn't want him dead: the evil sorcer whose defeat Camerons death is meant to initiate. Of course the two do not remotely get along--and while they are struggling with each other, the enemy is getting closer! There's also walking wodden constructs, vultures, microwaves, and a lot of portals. Also pretzels!

I have never been this excited to get an ARC request approved--and I'm even more excited that the book delivered. It was exactly what I needed. I will probably read anything Greer writes for the rest of their life. Thank you so much to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Words cannot describe how much I need more of this book, especially after that ending!!!! I need more Cameron and Merulo!! I loved every second reading Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die. It genuinely had me laughing out loud more than once. If you are looking for a comedic fantasy give this book a shot.

From the first page, it was hilarious and I loved reading from the Himbo of the Year Cameron. They way Cameron viewed himself (perfect of course), compared to the way he came across to everyone else was so funny. The interactions between Cameron and Merulo were amazing right off the jump. I felt every character was well developed and stood on their own.

Seriously please I beg you write more books with Cameron and Merluo!!!!!

[Alex Drzewiecki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was ridiculous and silly. Such a fun ride. Cameron, as an MC, was also ridiculous and silly. Absolutely could not take him seriously at any moment. And the humor? You got it. Ridiculous and silly.

I smiled a s snickered a whole bunch through this book. The story and its characters were unserious to the extent that I lacked connection to them, leaving it all lacking a lot of impact. But I still had a total blast.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more. This book should be my jam. It has snark, twists, goofballs, queer romance, epigraphs, drugged-out elves, dragons, genre changes, etc. But the main couple's relationship never made sense to me. I didn't understand why Merulo ever chose Sir Cameron. They slept together because of plot, not character.

My favorite character is Luntatic Freak, who shows up very late in the novel. I would follow their adventures in another book.

***Read an eARC from NetGalley***

[Tasmin Bradshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty fun read.

I'm not one for most cozy fantasy books. But, I did enjoy this one. I love how dumb and up himself Cameron was. And I really enjoyed how grumpy Merulo was. Their banter was perfect and so was their chemistry.

The things I didn't like were that it was a little to long. And how stubborn and Glenda but then again that's the point right. Still I hated reading her chapters.

This overall was a joy to read and I can't wait it to come out so I can grab a copy

I was given a copy of this from Netgalley for an honest review.

[Novels and Nummies · Rating 3 out of 5]

The villain wants to save the world and the hero wants to save the villain.

This is a unique book that I though was reframing the good/bad black and white narrative and reframes it as a matter of perspective, but it never quite hit its mark.

This was very fun and the characters had some interesting moments. Unfortunately the world building, which led to the conclusion, was all all over the place and largely unsatisfying.

This is not my usual cup of tea and definitely had to be in a particular mood when reading it. For the most part, I would recommend.

[Ariana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise and the first quarter of the book that follows that idea was brilliant, funny, and had me invested as a reader. But there was a lack of commitment in following the central ideas through.

The book had the potential of being a biting comedy the likes of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- turning romance and fantasy tropes around on their head, poking at societal flaws and power imbalances. It had the potential to be a romance, where Merulo and Cameron find common ground and grow together to become better (or deliciously worse) people together. It could have even been an entertaining smut book, with little care for worldbuilding nor characters, but interesting descriptions of kink play.

The writer has the skill to go in any of these directions with the story, but the lack of confidence meant it went no where. The comedy falls flat after the running gag has run its course and the satire in the world-building is forgotten to move the characters to a fresh scenario. The romance falls flat because the characters never change nor really have any impact on each other. And the smut was hinted at as it seems that was the only area in Merulo and Cameron's relationship where they seem to have common interest, but it was behind closed doors (I'm cool with closed door romance-- I'm just saying that for the lack of anything else, maybe that could've been something worth developing).

All of this being said, I would like to read more books by Greer Stothers in the future and I'll keep an eye out for their work because they do have clever concepts and a fun style of prose. But I hope they develop greater confidence in their ability to commit to a story concept and follow it through instead of cutting off the chapter and moving onto the next one before the scenes and revelations get to fully play out.

[Kemi Ashing-Giwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very first page, I knew I was in for a good time. With vibrant characters, delightfully weird worldbuilding, and an absurd plot, this was one of the most entertaining stories I’ve read this year. If you like outrageous (complimentary) science fantasy, you’re in for an enormous treat.

[aster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I would absolutely hate the main character if he didn't do such a good job of being absolutely hilarious, but he's also too pathetic to hate. Really fun read it was gay, ridiculous, and really funny

[LiterallyLoriB]

I am so excited for this read...you know when ya know--Ya Know!

[Not Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome sauce

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cameron is insufferable (affectionate.) But overall, the plot didn't fully grip me. That said, the ending brought it up in my estimation.

[Emily]

DNF at 40%