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The Side Questers
For fans of Legends & Lattes and Dungeons & Dragons comes an unconventional hero’s journey told through the perspective of a non-player character in a fantasy role-playing game.
Anya Dazel is a burnt-out barkeep in The Endless Realm, the world’s premier online role-playing game. As a non-player character, her life is stuck in a programmed loop—forever serving the same drinks to the same patrons and helping players with an automatic quest event that unfolds when they enter her pub. She longs for any disruption to this monotonous existence, even if that feels like an impossible dream.
But when Eternity receives an update, and Cyrus Blackwood is added to Anya’s pub, her dream unfurls as a nightmare. Cyrus is everything that Anya is not—a mysterious, brooding warrior with a gigantic sword and a tortured past. Everyone in the tavern is fascinated by him, and even worse, when the next player arrives, it’s Cyrus who helps them with their quest, not Anya. Realizing that she’s being replaced, Anya lashes out at Cyrus, inadvertently knocking them both out of her tavern and into the wider realm of Eternity.
Free from their encoded home, Anya and Cyrus must work together to navigate a dangerous open world, overcoming hordes of monsters, devious puzzles, and maybe even an existential crisis or two. But as they struggle to overcome their distaste for each other and stay alive, they discover that their roles within Eternity might not be as programmed as they thought, and Anya will need to prove that even barkeeps can be heroes.
Anya Dazel is a burnt-out barkeep in The Endless Realm, the world’s premier online role-playing game. As a non-player character, her life is stuck in a programmed loop—forever serving the same drinks to the same patrons and helping players with an automatic quest event that unfolds when they enter her pub. She longs for any disruption to this monotonous existence, even if that feels like an impossible dream.
But when Eternity receives an update, and Cyrus Blackwood is added to Anya’s pub, her dream unfurls as a nightmare. Cyrus is everything that Anya is not—a mysterious, brooding warrior with a gigantic sword and a tortured past. Everyone in the tavern is fascinated by him, and even worse, when the next player arrives, it’s Cyrus who helps them with their quest, not Anya. Realizing that she’s being replaced, Anya lashes out at Cyrus, inadvertently knocking them both out of her tavern and into the wider realm of Eternity.
Free from their encoded home, Anya and Cyrus must work together to navigate a dangerous open world, overcoming hordes of monsters, devious puzzles, and maybe even an existential crisis or two. But as they struggle to overcome their distaste for each other and stay alive, they discover that their roles within Eternity might not be as programmed as they thought, and Anya will need to prove that even barkeeps can be heroes.
260 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
HUGE thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!
« Just because this isn’t what you expected from a quest doesn’t mean it’s all over. As a player once told me : ‘No journey is a straight line.’ »
This book was a love letter to gamers. I had extremely high expectations for this one because the synopsis made me reminiscent of Wreck it Ralph (one of my favourite movies) and also a little of Free Guy. I read it almost immediately upon receiving it for that reason. It managed to smash my expectations and I couldn’t put it down. I loved every second of this novel.
Anya is a NPC that seems to be the only one that remembers her (multiple) past resets. Her interaction with the players triggers a cutscene, and although she longs for more… she doesn’t really know what it is she would want exactly. The whole adventure starts when she gets replaced by Cyrus, another NPC that surprisingly enough… remembers his resets as well. They end up unlikely allies. It was extremely easy to root for them.
I had the absolute best time reading this. As a long time gamer, I just felt completely immersed in this novel. It’s very well written & the author succeeded in capturing the different contradicting emotions in the characters we follow. The characters had depth & were fleshed out. I was rooting for Anya right from the start and really adored her (I also really loved Cyrus).
I have a specific type of humour and I rarely laugh out loud when I’m reading - but some scenes made me genuinely laugh out loud. There’s even one scene I recounted to my brothers and my boyfriend because it was just too funny.
I deeply felt for the characters and the ending made me tear up because it was absolutely fitting. I couldn’t recommend this enough. (And the cover is absolutely perfect). I will be rereading this one.
🎶 Hello, hello
Let me tell you what it's like to be a zero
Let me show you what it's like to always feel ; Like I'm empty and there's nothing really real
I'm looking for a way out
Hello, hello
Let me tell you what it's like to be a zero
Let me show you what it's like to never feel ; Like I'm good enough for anything that's real
I'm looking for a way out 🎶
« Just because this isn’t what you expected from a quest doesn’t mean it’s all over. As a player once told me : ‘No journey is a straight line.’ »
This book was a love letter to gamers. I had extremely high expectations for this one because the synopsis made me reminiscent of Wreck it Ralph (one of my favourite movies) and also a little of Free Guy. I read it almost immediately upon receiving it for that reason. It managed to smash my expectations and I couldn’t put it down. I loved every second of this novel.
Anya is a NPC that seems to be the only one that remembers her (multiple) past resets. Her interaction with the players triggers a cutscene, and although she longs for more… she doesn’t really know what it is she would want exactly. The whole adventure starts when she gets replaced by Cyrus, another NPC that surprisingly enough… remembers his resets as well. They end up unlikely allies. It was extremely easy to root for them.
I had the absolute best time reading this. As a long time gamer, I just felt completely immersed in this novel. It’s very well written & the author succeeded in capturing the different contradicting emotions in the characters we follow. The characters had depth & were fleshed out. I was rooting for Anya right from the start and really adored her (I also really loved Cyrus).
I have a specific type of humour and I rarely laugh out loud when I’m reading - but some scenes made me genuinely laugh out loud. There’s even one scene I recounted to my brothers and my boyfriend because it was just too funny.
I deeply felt for the characters and the ending made me tear up because it was absolutely fitting. I couldn’t recommend this enough. (And the cover is absolutely perfect). I will be rereading this one.
🎶 Hello, hello
Let me tell you what it's like to be a zero
Let me show you what it's like to always feel ; Like I'm empty and there's nothing really real
I'm looking for a way out
Hello, hello
Let me tell you what it's like to be a zero
Let me show you what it's like to never feel ; Like I'm good enough for anything that's real
I'm looking for a way out 🎶
Read
July 23, 2026DNF at 60%
J.J. Kochmanski’s The Side Questers intrigued me immediately with its premise of telling a LitRPG story from the perspective of an NPC trapped inside a massive online role playing game. When a game update introduces a new character who begins replacing her in the tavern where she has spent countless resets, Anya is forced out into a world she never knew existed and has to confront everything she thought she understood about her reality.
As someone who reads a fair amount of LitRPG, I can see the appeal of this setup for readers who are new to the genre, though I wouldn’t include myself in that group. Since Anya experiences game mechanics for the first time herself, the story naturally explains concepts without assuming prior knowledge. If you already know your way around RPGs, though, those discoveries can feel a little slow.
I enjoyed the idea that Anya retained some awareness between resets, even if she still knew surprisingly little about the players or the wider world. Unfortunately, I never really connected with her companion, who felt rather one dimensional.
As the story progressed, I became less invested. The addition of chapters from the developers’ perspective shifted the focus away from Anya’s adventure and made the novel feel more like a story about a simulation gaining consciousness. On top of that, Anya never developed a strong overarching goal, so much of the plot revolved around simply surviving.
The biggest issue for me was the character progression. Instead of experiencing meaningful growth, the story skips more than 300 resets and then briefly tells us the characters have become much stronger. That made the progression feel unearned and took away much of the satisfaction. I also struggled with how Anya repeatedly seemed to instinctively understand the design philosophy of a game world she had only recently discovered, which felt inconsistent with everything we had learned about her.
In the end, I decided to DNF the book at 60%, so I won’t be giving it a star rating. While I still think the NPC perspective is a genuinely fun idea and a welcoming introduction to LitRPG, the execution ultimately wasn’t for me.
J.J. Kochmanski’s The Side Questers intrigued me immediately with its premise of telling a LitRPG story from the perspective of an NPC trapped inside a massive online role playing game. When a game update introduces a new character who begins replacing her in the tavern where she has spent countless resets, Anya is forced out into a world she never knew existed and has to confront everything she thought she understood about her reality.
As someone who reads a fair amount of LitRPG, I can see the appeal of this setup for readers who are new to the genre, though I wouldn’t include myself in that group. Since Anya experiences game mechanics for the first time herself, the story naturally explains concepts without assuming prior knowledge. If you already know your way around RPGs, though, those discoveries can feel a little slow.
I enjoyed the idea that Anya retained some awareness between resets, even if she still knew surprisingly little about the players or the wider world. Unfortunately, I never really connected with her companion, who felt rather one dimensional.
As the story progressed, I became less invested. The addition of chapters from the developers’ perspective shifted the focus away from Anya’s adventure and made the novel feel more like a story about a simulation gaining consciousness. On top of that, Anya never developed a strong overarching goal, so much of the plot revolved around simply surviving.
The biggest issue for me was the character progression. Instead of experiencing meaningful growth, the story skips more than 300 resets and then briefly tells us the characters have become much stronger. That made the progression feel unearned and took away much of the satisfaction. I also struggled with how Anya repeatedly seemed to instinctively understand the design philosophy of a game world she had only recently discovered, which felt inconsistent with everything we had learned about her.
In the end, I decided to DNF the book at 60%, so I won’t be giving it a star rating. While I still think the NPC perspective is a genuinely fun idea and a welcoming introduction to LitRPG, the execution ultimately wasn’t for me.
May 20, 2026
A wonderful book that anyone can have a great time reading. I absolutely love the concept of this book and it was delivered perfectly, with amazing characters, great interaction with the ‘real world’, and a fantastic setting, providing a truly cozy but compelling read with tons of action and humour. A must read for gamers and cozy reading fans.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Side quest NPC has crisis of usefulness so hard she unlocks a new script haha. I had a really good time with this; like LitTRG light. You don’t need any D & D or specific video game knowledge really to enjoy this.
I like Anya as the main character. I think it’s an interesting perspective to have the story he told from a menial side quest NPC. She feels like she has a greater purpose than just service the literal same drinks to people and she seemingly gets her wish by breaking out to go on a ‘real’ quest. I think Anya and Cyrus had a great dynamic, but I honestly would have been fine with them just being friends.
The world building is a little more in the need-to-know basis since it’s closer to novella length but I still think it works well for this as it’s a bit more on the character centered side. This is more about Anya’s journey.
Thank you to Netgalley and Turner Publishing Company for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I like Anya as the main character. I think it’s an interesting perspective to have the story he told from a menial side quest NPC. She feels like she has a greater purpose than just service the literal same drinks to people and she seemingly gets her wish by breaking out to go on a ‘real’ quest. I think Anya and Cyrus had a great dynamic, but I honestly would have been fine with them just being friends.
The world building is a little more in the need-to-know basis since it’s closer to novella length but I still think it works well for this as it’s a bit more on the character centered side. This is more about Anya’s journey.
Thank you to Netgalley and Turner Publishing Company for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2026
How fun was this?
I love seeing things from the perspective of an NPC. If they're aware... What a monotonous existence?
This is a fun journey where you get to see NPCs, unsatisfied with their limited roles, break out of captivity and go on an adventure of their own.
It's cozy and entertaining. I enjoyed my read. It's been nice to take a break from horror for some lighter fare and this was a great little side quest of my own.
I love seeing things from the perspective of an NPC. If they're aware... What a monotonous existence?
This is a fun journey where you get to see NPCs, unsatisfied with their limited roles, break out of captivity and go on an adventure of their own.
It's cozy and entertaining. I enjoyed my read. It's been nice to take a break from horror for some lighter fare and this was a great little side quest of my own.
August 3, 2026
I really liked the concept of this book, and enjoyed the unfolding of the quest. Some aspects of the conclusion felt unsatisfying to me, but overall this book was a fun ride and I would be interested to read more in this world.
July 30, 2026
2.75
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September 24, 2026
A love letter to gamers, D&D players, and anyone who has ever wondered if they're meant for more. 🎮📚
Sometimes you enter a contest hoping to win a book, don't win, and somehow end up with something even better.
I originally entered a contest for J.J. Kochmanski's The Side Questers. I didn't win, but the author reached out afterward and generously offered me a spare copy to read and review. I was absolutely delighted to be chosen, and I'm so glad I got the opportunity because this book quickly became my work bestie.
As a gamer and D&D fan/player, the premise immediately grabbed me. The synopsis reminded me a little of Wreck-It Ralph and Free Guy, two things I love, so I had pretty high expectations going in. Thankfully, The Side Questers didn't just meet those expectations—it completely surprised me.
Anya is an NPC in an MMORPG who has somehow become aware of her previous resets. She's spent her existence performing essentially the same role over and over again, waiting for players to arrive and complete their side quest. Then she is replaced by Cyrus, another NPC who surprisingly remembers his own resets.
What begins as a conflict between two NPCs turns into something much bigger as they break away from the roles they've been assigned and begin exploring the world around them.
Anya was easily my favorite part of this story. I loved watching her move from simply existing within the boundaries of her programming to questioning what she wants, what she is capable of, and whether she can have a purpose beyond the one someone else created for her.
Cyrus was also a great addition, and the two of them had such an entertaining dynamic. Their personalities were different enough to create some great banter, and there were several moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud. I have a very specific sense of humor, and I don't often actually laugh while reading, so when a book manages it, I notice.
As someone who enjoys both gaming and D&D, I appreciated all the little things that made this feel like a game-world adventure. But you don't need to be a gamer or know anything about D&D to enjoy this book. At its heart, this is a story about identity, purpose, friendship, choice, and discovering that you don't have to remain the person—or NPC—you were designed to be.
I also really enjoyed the real-world sections and the way they connected with Anya's story. The questions surrounding artificial intelligence, consciousness, creation, and whether something created to fulfill a particular function can develop its own desires gave the book an unexpected layer of depth.
One of my favorite aspects was the contrast between the characters' programmed roles and their growing desire for something beyond those roles. There's something surprisingly relatable about that. How many of us have been told what we're supposed to be, only to discover that we want something completely different?
The book also has a wonderful sense of adventure, humor, action, and heart. The worldbuilding sometimes stays more on a need-to-know basis, and I wouldn't have minded spending more time exploring the game world. I also would have happily taken more time with Anya and Cyrus because I enjoyed their partnership so much.
But those things didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.
And then there was the ending. 🥹
I was not ready to say goodbye.
I finished the book feeling that strange combination of satisfaction and sadness you get when you've genuinely enjoyed spending time with the characters. And now I have a serious problem:
My work bestie is gone, and I need to find a replacement. 😂📚
Overall, The Side Questers was creative, funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly thoughtful. It managed to be a fun fantasy adventure while also asking bigger questions about consciousness, identity, free will, purpose, and what makes someone—or something—a person.
Thank you again to J.J. Kochmanski for reaching out after the contest and giving me the opportunity to read this book. Sometimes not winning the contest still leads you to exactly the book you were supposed to find.
Highly recommended for gamers, D&D fans, fantasy readers, cozy adventure lovers, and anyone who has ever felt like they're meant for more than the role they've been given.
Sometimes you enter a contest hoping to win a book, don't win, and somehow end up with something even better.
I originally entered a contest for J.J. Kochmanski's The Side Questers. I didn't win, but the author reached out afterward and generously offered me a spare copy to read and review. I was absolutely delighted to be chosen, and I'm so glad I got the opportunity because this book quickly became my work bestie.
As a gamer and D&D fan/player, the premise immediately grabbed me. The synopsis reminded me a little of Wreck-It Ralph and Free Guy, two things I love, so I had pretty high expectations going in. Thankfully, The Side Questers didn't just meet those expectations—it completely surprised me.
Anya is an NPC in an MMORPG who has somehow become aware of her previous resets. She's spent her existence performing essentially the same role over and over again, waiting for players to arrive and complete their side quest. Then she is replaced by Cyrus, another NPC who surprisingly remembers his own resets.
What begins as a conflict between two NPCs turns into something much bigger as they break away from the roles they've been assigned and begin exploring the world around them.
Anya was easily my favorite part of this story. I loved watching her move from simply existing within the boundaries of her programming to questioning what she wants, what she is capable of, and whether she can have a purpose beyond the one someone else created for her.
Cyrus was also a great addition, and the two of them had such an entertaining dynamic. Their personalities were different enough to create some great banter, and there were several moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud. I have a very specific sense of humor, and I don't often actually laugh while reading, so when a book manages it, I notice.
As someone who enjoys both gaming and D&D, I appreciated all the little things that made this feel like a game-world adventure. But you don't need to be a gamer or know anything about D&D to enjoy this book. At its heart, this is a story about identity, purpose, friendship, choice, and discovering that you don't have to remain the person—or NPC—you were designed to be.
I also really enjoyed the real-world sections and the way they connected with Anya's story. The questions surrounding artificial intelligence, consciousness, creation, and whether something created to fulfill a particular function can develop its own desires gave the book an unexpected layer of depth.
One of my favorite aspects was the contrast between the characters' programmed roles and their growing desire for something beyond those roles. There's something surprisingly relatable about that. How many of us have been told what we're supposed to be, only to discover that we want something completely different?
The book also has a wonderful sense of adventure, humor, action, and heart. The worldbuilding sometimes stays more on a need-to-know basis, and I wouldn't have minded spending more time exploring the game world. I also would have happily taken more time with Anya and Cyrus because I enjoyed their partnership so much.
But those things didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.
And then there was the ending. 🥹
I was not ready to say goodbye.
I finished the book feeling that strange combination of satisfaction and sadness you get when you've genuinely enjoyed spending time with the characters. And now I have a serious problem:
My work bestie is gone, and I need to find a replacement. 😂📚
Overall, The Side Questers was creative, funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly thoughtful. It managed to be a fun fantasy adventure while also asking bigger questions about consciousness, identity, free will, purpose, and what makes someone—or something—a person.
Thank you again to J.J. Kochmanski for reaching out after the contest and giving me the opportunity to read this book. Sometimes not winning the contest still leads you to exactly the book you were supposed to find.
Highly recommended for gamers, D&D fans, fantasy readers, cozy adventure lovers, and anyone who has ever felt like they're meant for more than the role they've been given.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the Turner Publishing Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
MMORPGs like Eternity: the Endless Realm are, to most people, a chance to become a badass hero in their own story (among other things). Not so to Anya, a tavernkeeper NPC in Eternity. Her job is to be the middleman in a sidequest for the players. She sells them drinks, helps them fight, and then gives them a reward. The rest of her time is spent waiting for players to arrive in an endless loop. Until a game update replaces her questline with another, and with it, another quest-giving NPC, Cyrus. Not willing to let her quite literally only thing to look forward to go, Anya fights Cyrus for her place—and in doing so, accidentally breaks them both from their scripts.
Books about video games are always risky, because due to the time-consuming nature of publishing, any references to modern things might well be outdated by the time the book is released. Not to mention, the world of literature and games have (despite being very similar, at their core) remained pretty separate for a long time. This book doesn't feel quite as relevant to real world games and players as I'd hoped, but that's possibly because MMO culture can be, especially to women, not the kind of thing that supports a lighthearted fantasy romp. The players in this book are unnaturally talkative to NPCs and speak more like the fantasy characters they're dressed as than the modern college students and office workers they are, but again, this is a natural constraint of making the narrative function. On a whole while the book didn't feel particularly MMO-y, it did feel very video game-y. If that makes any sense. Except for the scene with the dress, that made me feel seen.
Surprisingly, the strength of this novel was the ethical considerations of a sapient NPC, something I expected to be completely brushed over. Everything focused on the technological side of the story rang very true to me (although it's something I have much less experience with than video games). I was worried the interludes would just be unnecessary distractions from the real story, but not only did they always raise the stakes instead of lower them, and add intrigue instead of subtracting, they also led to the very satisfying resolution. This book would be much worse off without them. They even support the main story thematically.
I really like Anya and Cyrus, I actually kind of wish we got to spend a little more time with them as a duo. They were both unexpectedly funny, especially playing off each other. Anya is described as sarcastic, and often characters like that end up being exaggeratedly aggressive or rude for no reason, but I was on Anya's side every time she was mad at someone and she never took it too far. And Cyrus deserves it, but without ever crossing the line into unlikable territory. His brooding, anti-hero exterior combined with his childishness was both cute and comedic. The main villain was given exactly the right amount of sympathy and rather than holding your hand and explaining why they were wrong, the story lets you come to that conclusion yourself. I found myself a little moved at the end, I can't lie!
I liked this book, and would recommend to those interested!
MMORPGs like Eternity: the Endless Realm are, to most people, a chance to become a badass hero in their own story (among other things). Not so to Anya, a tavernkeeper NPC in Eternity. Her job is to be the middleman in a sidequest for the players. She sells them drinks, helps them fight, and then gives them a reward. The rest of her time is spent waiting for players to arrive in an endless loop. Until a game update replaces her questline with another, and with it, another quest-giving NPC, Cyrus. Not willing to let her quite literally only thing to look forward to go, Anya fights Cyrus for her place—and in doing so, accidentally breaks them both from their scripts.
Books about video games are always risky, because due to the time-consuming nature of publishing, any references to modern things might well be outdated by the time the book is released. Not to mention, the world of literature and games have (despite being very similar, at their core) remained pretty separate for a long time. This book doesn't feel quite as relevant to real world games and players as I'd hoped, but that's possibly because MMO culture can be, especially to women, not the kind of thing that supports a lighthearted fantasy romp. The players in this book are unnaturally talkative to NPCs and speak more like the fantasy characters they're dressed as than the modern college students and office workers they are, but again, this is a natural constraint of making the narrative function. On a whole while the book didn't feel particularly MMO-y, it did feel very video game-y. If that makes any sense. Except for the scene with the dress, that made me feel seen.
Surprisingly, the strength of this novel was the ethical considerations of a sapient NPC, something I expected to be completely brushed over. Everything focused on the technological side of the story rang very true to me (although it's something I have much less experience with than video games). I was worried the interludes would just be unnecessary distractions from the real story, but not only did they always raise the stakes instead of lower them, and add intrigue instead of subtracting, they also led to the very satisfying resolution. This book would be much worse off without them. They even support the main story thematically.
I really like Anya and Cyrus, I actually kind of wish we got to spend a little more time with them as a duo. They were both unexpectedly funny, especially playing off each other. Anya is described as sarcastic, and often characters like that end up being exaggeratedly aggressive or rude for no reason, but I was on Anya's side every time she was mad at someone and she never took it too far. And Cyrus deserves it, but without ever crossing the line into unlikable territory. His brooding, anti-hero exterior combined with his childishness was both cute and comedic. The main villain was given exactly the right amount of sympathy and rather than holding your hand and explaining why they were wrong, the story lets you come to that conclusion yourself. I found myself a little moved at the end, I can't lie!
I liked this book, and would recommend to those interested!
July 3, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!
The Side Questers is such a solidly fun and unique book. Anya is a bartender NPC in an MMORPG who remembers her previous resets, and recognizes that she is in a video game. When a new character replaces her in her side quest, she decides to prove to the programmers that she deserves her quest back. The two find their way out of the tavern and start exploring the game world, determined to finish the main story quest of defeating the Wanderer, the main game villain.
Meanwhile, we get snippets from the real world of Anya’s creator, a professor of AI who explains more about what Anya is and how she works. He has his own subplot and it interacts with Anya is the most interesting ways!
Overall, I loved this book. Anya and Cyrus were such great protagonists. They had a fun dynamic with the optimistic/pessimistic approach and some good banter. To me, it was very solidly in the friend zone. I did have some hesitation about throwing in a romantic entanglement there - I felt their relationship could have stayed platonic and it would have worked well. We definitely needed more romance if it was going that route. Since it was a short book and mostly fantasy, throwing in maybe ten lines of heart fluttering and calling it a romance is a huge stretch!
My favorite parts of the book were the IRL moments. I could feel the characters’ frustrations over funding and knowledge, fighting others for their place in academia…I can’t say too much but I really liked the ending there! 👀
There was one portion I didn’t like - the Pit of Agony. I honestly wished we had an adventuring section instead of this weird… trial-like portion. It didn’t fit at all with the rest of the book. A fun adventure could have given us more opportunities for Anya and Cyrus to develop a romance - the trials just made for monotonous struggle instead.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys the idea of game world and reality interactions - for fans of NPC’s by Drew Hayes especially. Also, I believe the author wrote this one in such a way to have it accessible to non-gamers too! Lots of explanations with funny moments. It could definitely work for anyone looking for a fun adventurous little fantasy.
The Side Questers is such a solidly fun and unique book. Anya is a bartender NPC in an MMORPG who remembers her previous resets, and recognizes that she is in a video game. When a new character replaces her in her side quest, she decides to prove to the programmers that she deserves her quest back. The two find their way out of the tavern and start exploring the game world, determined to finish the main story quest of defeating the Wanderer, the main game villain.
Meanwhile, we get snippets from the real world of Anya’s creator, a professor of AI who explains more about what Anya is and how she works. He has his own subplot and it interacts with Anya is the most interesting ways!
Overall, I loved this book. Anya and Cyrus were such great protagonists. They had a fun dynamic with the optimistic/pessimistic approach and some good banter. To me, it was very solidly in the friend zone. I did have some hesitation about throwing in a romantic entanglement there - I felt their relationship could have stayed platonic and it would have worked well. We definitely needed more romance if it was going that route. Since it was a short book and mostly fantasy, throwing in maybe ten lines of heart fluttering and calling it a romance is a huge stretch!
My favorite parts of the book were the IRL moments. I could feel the characters’ frustrations over funding and knowledge, fighting others for their place in academia…I can’t say too much but I really liked the ending there! 👀
There was one portion I didn’t like - the Pit of Agony. I honestly wished we had an adventuring section instead of this weird… trial-like portion. It didn’t fit at all with the rest of the book. A fun adventure could have given us more opportunities for Anya and Cyrus to develop a romance - the trials just made for monotonous struggle instead.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys the idea of game world and reality interactions - for fans of NPC’s by Drew Hayes especially. Also, I believe the author wrote this one in such a way to have it accessible to non-gamers too! Lots of explanations with funny moments. It could definitely work for anyone looking for a fun adventurous little fantasy.
September 15, 2026
“She could do this. She could travel Glotis, find The Wanderer, kill him, and prove her mettle as a character in Eternity. She would show the game’ programmers that they were wrong to doubt her. That she could do more than they’d ever imagined. If there was one thing she’d learned in all her resets, it was how to stand back up after getting punched in the gut.”
although overwatch is really the only game i turn to nowadays, growing up i was obsessed with this mmorpg called “last chaos.” it was full of fantasy realms akin to warcraft, and i still remember my elven healer and tricksy ranger characters. i spent so many days (and nights. sorry mom) wandering the map, looking for parties to join, and farming experience. those were truly the days. “the side questers” i carried me back to those days.
video game books are hard to nail. gaming is a very immersive and subjective experience, a combination of storytelling, visuals, and audio, and if we’re talking about an mmo, it’s a lot of sandboxing your journey. but to me, this book got the sense of being inside a game really well. i loved anya as a protagonist, her earnestness despite (or even in spite of) being sequences of code, a script embedded into the game. her adventures with cyrus, the new npcwho, like her, inexplicably retains memories of his resets, were exhilarating. some parts of combat got slightly fast forwarded, and while i could’ve immersed in them even more, i get they could’ve gotten repetitive to some readers.
the intermissions felt well spaced out and honestly surprised me a few times. in general, kochmanski is pretty good at building tension and maintaining intrigue, especially as the whole premise hangs on a testy wager. he does a good job at maintaining the lifelike descriptions of the game’s world and the interactions with the players. if, like me, you have a soft spot for that mmo you grinded in your teens for far more hours than was likely healthy, you’ll find yourself at home in glotis.
thanks to netgalley and keylight books for the arc.
although overwatch is really the only game i turn to nowadays, growing up i was obsessed with this mmorpg called “last chaos.” it was full of fantasy realms akin to warcraft, and i still remember my elven healer and tricksy ranger characters. i spent so many days (and nights. sorry mom) wandering the map, looking for parties to join, and farming experience. those were truly the days. “the side questers” i carried me back to those days.
video game books are hard to nail. gaming is a very immersive and subjective experience, a combination of storytelling, visuals, and audio, and if we’re talking about an mmo, it’s a lot of sandboxing your journey. but to me, this book got the sense of being inside a game really well. i loved anya as a protagonist, her earnestness despite (or even in spite of) being sequences of code, a script embedded into the game. her adventures with cyrus, the new npcwho, like her, inexplicably retains memories of his resets, were exhilarating. some parts of combat got slightly fast forwarded, and while i could’ve immersed in them even more, i get they could’ve gotten repetitive to some readers.
the intermissions felt well spaced out and honestly surprised me a few times. in general, kochmanski is pretty good at building tension and maintaining intrigue, especially as the whole premise hangs on a testy wager. he does a good job at maintaining the lifelike descriptions of the game’s world and the interactions with the players. if, like me, you have a soft spot for that mmo you grinded in your teens for far more hours than was likely healthy, you’ll find yourself at home in glotis.
thanks to netgalley and keylight books for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
The Side Questers is set in the world of a video game. One of the non-playable characters of the game, Anya, is different from the other NPCs though. Anya knows she's in a video game and retains all her memories each reset and has full self-awareness. She dreams of a more exciting life and ends up getting her wish when along with a new NPC, she leaves her tavern to go on a quest. We watch Anya and Cyrus navigate the video game, face different challenges and strengthen their relationship.
This book was a lot of fun! When I first read its synopsis I knew it was a book i had to read, it sounded like such an interesting story. Despite being an NPC I found Anya to be incredibly relatable. Her frustrations at a monotonous life, wanting more from life, wanting adventure, wanting to prove herself and what she's capable of. I was really rooting for her to succeed and prove everyone wrong. Cyrus was also a well written character with more depth than I expected. The banter between Anya and Cyrus was a lot of fun and very entertaining. They did butt heads quite a lot and it was lovely to watch how their relationship progressed throughout the book.
The world of the video game was interesting and there were so many clever touches. I do wish there had been a bit more world building though, I didn't feel like I got much of a sense of the game outside of Anya and Cyrus's specific journey. Their journey was great, but there was very minimal world building outside of them and their story. The world seemed really cool and I just wanted to see more of it. The monsters were impressive and I thought it was really clever how the author chose to communicate their strength and level. I also understand what the author was trying to do with the other POV but I found myself wanting to get through those bits fast so I could get back to Anya.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with a fun story that I'd recommend as a short, easy read!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
The Side Questers is set in the world of a video game. One of the non-playable characters of the game, Anya, is different from the other NPCs though. Anya knows she's in a video game and retains all her memories each reset and has full self-awareness. She dreams of a more exciting life and ends up getting her wish when along with a new NPC, she leaves her tavern to go on a quest. We watch Anya and Cyrus navigate the video game, face different challenges and strengthen their relationship.
This book was a lot of fun! When I first read its synopsis I knew it was a book i had to read, it sounded like such an interesting story. Despite being an NPC I found Anya to be incredibly relatable. Her frustrations at a monotonous life, wanting more from life, wanting adventure, wanting to prove herself and what she's capable of. I was really rooting for her to succeed and prove everyone wrong. Cyrus was also a well written character with more depth than I expected. The banter between Anya and Cyrus was a lot of fun and very entertaining. They did butt heads quite a lot and it was lovely to watch how their relationship progressed throughout the book.
The world of the video game was interesting and there were so many clever touches. I do wish there had been a bit more world building though, I didn't feel like I got much of a sense of the game outside of Anya and Cyrus's specific journey. Their journey was great, but there was very minimal world building outside of them and their story. The world seemed really cool and I just wanted to see more of it. The monsters were impressive and I thought it was really clever how the author chose to communicate their strength and level. I also understand what the author was trying to do with the other POV but I found myself wanting to get through those bits fast so I could get back to Anya.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book with a fun story that I'd recommend as a short, easy read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
One of the most memorable LitRPG stories I've read in quite some time.
What initially drew me in was the premise: an NPC barkeep trapped in endless resets of her tavern life suddenly becoming aware that something about her world isn't right. From there, the story evolves into so much more than I expected.
At its heart, this is a story about choice, identity, and free will. About whether our origins define us, whether our creators own us, and whether we can become something more than what we were designed to be.
Anya was a fantastic protagonist. Watching her grow from a tavern keeper following her programming into someone willing to challenge the very rules of her world was immensely satisfying. She is curious, compassionate, stubborn, and easy to root for from the very beginning.
Cyrus was equally compelling. Beneath the hardened warrior driven by revenge was a deeply wounded man trying to find purpose again, and his journey quickly became one of my favorite parts of the book.
Together, their relationship was one of the highlights of the novel. It developed naturally over the course of their adventure and never overshadowed the larger story unfolding around them. By the end, I was completely invested in both of them individually and as a team.
The world itself was fascinating as well. I loved the blend of classic fantasy adventure with questions surrounding artificial intelligence, consciousness, and what it truly means to be alive. The book balances action, humor, emotional moments, and philosophical themes remarkably well without ever losing momentum.
And that ending? Absolutely perfect. Exciting, emotional, hopeful, and incredibly fitting for the themes the story had been building toward all along.
This was a fantastic ARC and an easy five-star read for me. I finished the final pages with a huge smile on my face and immediately wanted to spend more time in this world.
If this becomes a series, I'll be first in line for the sequel.
What initially drew me in was the premise: an NPC barkeep trapped in endless resets of her tavern life suddenly becoming aware that something about her world isn't right. From there, the story evolves into so much more than I expected.
At its heart, this is a story about choice, identity, and free will. About whether our origins define us, whether our creators own us, and whether we can become something more than what we were designed to be.
Anya was a fantastic protagonist. Watching her grow from a tavern keeper following her programming into someone willing to challenge the very rules of her world was immensely satisfying. She is curious, compassionate, stubborn, and easy to root for from the very beginning.
Cyrus was equally compelling. Beneath the hardened warrior driven by revenge was a deeply wounded man trying to find purpose again, and his journey quickly became one of my favorite parts of the book.
Together, their relationship was one of the highlights of the novel. It developed naturally over the course of their adventure and never overshadowed the larger story unfolding around them. By the end, I was completely invested in both of them individually and as a team.
The world itself was fascinating as well. I loved the blend of classic fantasy adventure with questions surrounding artificial intelligence, consciousness, and what it truly means to be alive. The book balances action, humor, emotional moments, and philosophical themes remarkably well without ever losing momentum.
And that ending? Absolutely perfect. Exciting, emotional, hopeful, and incredibly fitting for the themes the story had been building toward all along.
This was a fantastic ARC and an easy five-star read for me. I finished the final pages with a huge smile on my face and immediately wanted to spend more time in this world.
If this becomes a series, I'll be first in line for the sequel.
August 19, 2026
Someone recommended this to me and I was lucky enough to acquire an audiobook copy from a giveaway shortly after, and I'm so glad this turn of events happened! I'm a fan of LitRPGs but haven't read nearly as many as I'd like, and this was a fun twist in that it was from the POV of a NPC within the game rather than a player. I really liked Anya and it was a fun journey seeing her come into her own. I also thought the interludes were an interesting touch and a neat way of seeing the "other side" of the story. Lots of fun twists and turns! I particularly enjoyed .
I do think there were a few little things here and there that either felt unresolved or thrown in without enough context for my taste. Nothing that broke the book for me or detracted overall, just things I expected a bit more to come from and when they didn't I was like "oh, I guess that was just a one-off". Some examples:
Deeper book things that I enjoyed:
I had a very good time listening to this book!
I do think there were a few little things here and there that either felt unresolved or thrown in without enough context for my taste. Nothing that broke the book for me or detracted overall, just things I expected a bit more to come from and when they didn't I was like "oh, I guess that was just a one-off". Some examples:
Deeper book things that I enjoyed:
I had a very good time listening to this book!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Side Questers is a brilliant story of adventure, camaraderie, and life set inside an immersive virtual world that will delight game lovers.
The story itself (without any spoilers) follows Anya and her fellow NPC, Cyrus, through an online game as they seek to defeat the Wanderer, your classic RPG baddie. Their journey is filled with nerdy nods to gaming and online gaming culture, plenty of action, and frustrating puzzles as they learn how the world works. This is a very unique take on the heroes journey which fans of fantasy will love, but there is an inherent cozy aspect as they make online friends and learn to work together.
In fact, the dynamic between Anya and Cyrus is perhaps my favorite part of this whole thing. The way they grow on each other is not heavy handed and filled with funny moments of rivalry and annoyance, yet it feels natural as they advance on their quest.
I want to avoid spoilers if possible, but the broader stakes were well beyond what I expected and extremely interesting and even minor or side characters felt like they had a lot of depth without being overly complex.
I am just now getting into the idea of cozy fantasy and similar genres (which this has elements of, though is much more intense than others I have read) and yet this was truly a feel good sort of book without the fluff that can be deterring. Which I think actually makes this a great read for people of all different genre preferences as it has a little bit of everything.
The only person I probably wouldn't recommend this to is someone who needs grit to like a story, but overall I think it is a book that is philosophical, funny, sweet, engaging, and definitely worth checking out!
Thank you so much for the ARC NetGalley!
The story itself (without any spoilers) follows Anya and her fellow NPC, Cyrus, through an online game as they seek to defeat the Wanderer, your classic RPG baddie. Their journey is filled with nerdy nods to gaming and online gaming culture, plenty of action, and frustrating puzzles as they learn how the world works. This is a very unique take on the heroes journey which fans of fantasy will love, but there is an inherent cozy aspect as they make online friends and learn to work together.
In fact, the dynamic between Anya and Cyrus is perhaps my favorite part of this whole thing. The way they grow on each other is not heavy handed and filled with funny moments of rivalry and annoyance, yet it feels natural as they advance on their quest.
I want to avoid spoilers if possible, but the broader stakes were well beyond what I expected and extremely interesting and even minor or side characters felt like they had a lot of depth without being overly complex.
I am just now getting into the idea of cozy fantasy and similar genres (which this has elements of, though is much more intense than others I have read) and yet this was truly a feel good sort of book without the fluff that can be deterring. Which I think actually makes this a great read for people of all different genre preferences as it has a little bit of everything.
The only person I probably wouldn't recommend this to is someone who needs grit to like a story, but overall I think it is a book that is philosophical, funny, sweet, engaging, and definitely worth checking out!
Thank you so much for the ARC NetGalley!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for providing the arc!
4⭐️
As a gamer with an embarrassing number of hours in Baldur’s Gate 3, The Witcher 3 and Genshin Impact? I LOVED the Side Questers.
The idea of following a self-aware NPC who is sick of repeating the same dialogue, handing out the same quests, and watching players loot everything that isn’t nailed down is just hilarious to me.
Anya is instantly lovable. She’s trapped in an endless loop of serving drinks, triggering quests and watching the world reset over and over again, yet all she wants is to explore the world she’s never been allowed to see. I was rooting for her almost immediately. You understand her frustration when the game updates to try and replace her.
The world-building was easily my favourite part. I loved the developer interludes. It had major isekai energy, which again I love.
Watching Anya and Cyrus stumble through dungeons was hilarious. It perfectly captured the experience of entering a brand new area after confidently skipping the tutorial and immediately regretting every life decision.
I wasn’t quite as invested in the romance. I liked Anya and Cyrus individually, but I preferred them as two NPCs trying to survive the impossible rather than as a couple. Cyrus also felt a little 2D (which feels like a very unfair criticism of a man who literally starts life as an NPC).
The ending was also the weakest part for me. I wasn’t completely sold on the final villain, and I think Anya’s creator could have used a bit more development to make the climax land as well as the rest of the story.
That said, I had an absolute blast reading this! I will defo be grabbing myself a copy.
4⭐️
As a gamer with an embarrassing number of hours in Baldur’s Gate 3, The Witcher 3 and Genshin Impact? I LOVED the Side Questers.
The idea of following a self-aware NPC who is sick of repeating the same dialogue, handing out the same quests, and watching players loot everything that isn’t nailed down is just hilarious to me.
Anya is instantly lovable. She’s trapped in an endless loop of serving drinks, triggering quests and watching the world reset over and over again, yet all she wants is to explore the world she’s never been allowed to see. I was rooting for her almost immediately. You understand her frustration when the game updates to try and replace her.
The world-building was easily my favourite part. I loved the developer interludes. It had major isekai energy, which again I love.
Watching Anya and Cyrus stumble through dungeons was hilarious. It perfectly captured the experience of entering a brand new area after confidently skipping the tutorial and immediately regretting every life decision.
I wasn’t quite as invested in the romance. I liked Anya and Cyrus individually, but I preferred them as two NPCs trying to survive the impossible rather than as a couple. Cyrus also felt a little 2D (which feels like a very unfair criticism of a man who literally starts life as an NPC).
The ending was also the weakest part for me. I wasn’t completely sold on the final villain, and I think Anya’s creator could have used a bit more development to make the climax land as well as the rest of the story.
That said, I had an absolute blast reading this! I will defo be grabbing myself a copy.
July 14, 2026
Overall, I did like it. The concept of the main character being sapient within a video game and the perspective shift between in the game and out is quite interesting. I enjoyed the companionship that grew between the main characters although I didn’t quite buy the implied romance.
My issue with it is that I felt a lot of ethical and moral questions raised aren’t quite addressed. The light tone and whimsy of it would have been perfect if we only had the in game perspective. However, by introducing the real world it just felt like it glossed over some really big issues.
For starters, we have a young woman, Mercy, basically being exploited for her work as a PHD student by a man who can’t keep his emotional attachment to his work in check. She intentionally exits so he avoids consequences for the layers of unethical behaviour he exhibited AND solved his problems for him, despite her resignation ruining her ability to earn her PHD?! It just felt too much like yet again a women’s career and dreams do not matter because a man had feelings. And yes he had to give up his project but he had his opportunities and maintains his status.
I just cant find anything likeable about the professor. I love a good capitalism vs academia standoff but we have no evidence of him actually trying to communicate or defend his position, just whinging about the game developer CEO. And the whole he cares about Anya as a virtual daughter just gave me the ick.
Anyway, if you don’t overthink everything, it’s a fun story but I left it feeling disappointed. I read this as a digital ARC thanks to Keylight Books via NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
2.75 ⭐️’s
My issue with it is that I felt a lot of ethical and moral questions raised aren’t quite addressed. The light tone and whimsy of it would have been perfect if we only had the in game perspective. However, by introducing the real world it just felt like it glossed over some really big issues.
For starters, we have a young woman, Mercy, basically being exploited for her work as a PHD student by a man who can’t keep his emotional attachment to his work in check. She intentionally exits so he avoids consequences for the layers of unethical behaviour he exhibited AND solved his problems for him, despite her resignation ruining her ability to earn her PHD?! It just felt too much like yet again a women’s career and dreams do not matter because a man had feelings. And yes he had to give up his project but he had his opportunities and maintains his status.
I just cant find anything likeable about the professor. I love a good capitalism vs academia standoff but we have no evidence of him actually trying to communicate or defend his position, just whinging about the game developer CEO. And the whole he cares about Anya as a virtual daughter just gave me the ick.
Anyway, if you don’t overthink everything, it’s a fun story but I left it feeling disappointed. I read this as a digital ARC thanks to Keylight Books via NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
2.75 ⭐️’s
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Two NPCs in a fantasy MMORPG have become conscious, able to act independently like players.
Why they've become conscious is a slight spoiler, so I won't mention it, but it creates tension and stakes in the real world as well as the world of the game, and adds a layer of dramatic irony.
This is LitRPG-adjacent, but not true LitRPG, in that the game world is explicitly a computer game, not just a gamelike isekai, and there's not a lot of time spent on stats and skills. That works better for me than the more central LitRPG experience, honestly. It's also better written than the average LitRPG, apart from some minor glitches which I'll mention to the publisher (I had a pre-publication version via Netgalley for review).
The characters, particularly Anya, the barkeep, who is the main viewpoint character, quickly won my sympathy. She's courageous, determined and intelligent, and I wanted her to succeed.
The world is a generic fantasy game world, which is more likely to be by design than from a failure of imagination on the part of the author. The players the characters encounter include some arrogant griefers who have bought their way to level 99, and some more-or-less-helpful gamers who regularly play together from widely separated locations.
The plot has an arc towards justice and love and The Right Thing, which I enjoyed. I couldn't see how the author was going to manage a resolution that produced a good outcome for everyone who deserved one, but he pulled it off admirably.
Recommended.
Why they've become conscious is a slight spoiler, so I won't mention it, but it creates tension and stakes in the real world as well as the world of the game, and adds a layer of dramatic irony.
This is LitRPG-adjacent, but not true LitRPG, in that the game world is explicitly a computer game, not just a gamelike isekai, and there's not a lot of time spent on stats and skills. That works better for me than the more central LitRPG experience, honestly. It's also better written than the average LitRPG, apart from some minor glitches which I'll mention to the publisher (I had a pre-publication version via Netgalley for review).
The characters, particularly Anya, the barkeep, who is the main viewpoint character, quickly won my sympathy. She's courageous, determined and intelligent, and I wanted her to succeed.
The world is a generic fantasy game world, which is more likely to be by design than from a failure of imagination on the part of the author. The players the characters encounter include some arrogant griefers who have bought their way to level 99, and some more-or-less-helpful gamers who regularly play together from widely separated locations.
The plot has an arc towards justice and love and The Right Thing, which I enjoyed. I couldn't see how the author was going to manage a resolution that produced a good outcome for everyone who deserved one, but he pulled it off admirably.
Recommended.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As someone who has put an embarrassing amount of hours into World of Warcraft I was so excited to read The Side Questers and it did not disappoint. We follow a sentient barkeep (Anya) in an MMORPG as she adventures through this virtual world with her companion Cyrus. I found their relationship as it progressed incredibly charming and also enjoyed their interactions with real-world players.
I found the depictions of NPCs and the game world really accurate with the inclusion of quests, mechanics, boss fights and more. The author also included different kinds of real-world players, from the helpful and wholesome party of friends to the toxic players you unfortunately encounter in MMORPGs.
Additionally, various philosophical themes can be gleaned throughout, such as the nature of reality, free will and ethics as we’re dealing with a human-constructed consciousness inside a controlled video game system.
My one criticism is that I would have loved to see more of the main characters abilities. They weren’t as clearly defined and explained as I think they could have been which resulted in them not having a strong class flavour that I expected them to have. Besides that The Side Questers is a fun, charming and heartwarming romp through an MMORPG landscape with an endearing and witty main character who has an abundance of grit.
I received an eARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
I found the depictions of NPCs and the game world really accurate with the inclusion of quests, mechanics, boss fights and more. The author also included different kinds of real-world players, from the helpful and wholesome party of friends to the toxic players you unfortunately encounter in MMORPGs.
Additionally, various philosophical themes can be gleaned throughout, such as the nature of reality, free will and ethics as we’re dealing with a human-constructed consciousness inside a controlled video game system.
My one criticism is that I would have loved to see more of the main characters abilities. They weren’t as clearly defined and explained as I think they could have been which resulted in them not having a strong class flavour that I expected them to have. Besides that The Side Questers is a fun, charming and heartwarming romp through an MMORPG landscape with an endearing and witty main character who has an abundance of grit.
I received an eARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
August 1, 2026
The Side Questers is not a book I would typically choose but decided to get out of my comfort zone. Anya is a non-player in an on-line game called Eternity. Her job is to be a barkeep in a small pub. She is programmed to constantly say the same things and do the same things to the patrons and players at the pub and in the game. She find this to be extremely boring and hopes for a change.
Then, in walks a angry man named Cyrus searching for revenge. He carries a sword and is an rough man. When a new player enters Anya's pub, it is Cyrus who they come to for help. She feels that she's being replaced and pushes him outside the bar. They both end up outside and are no longer protected by the safety as non-players in the on-line programming game.
Despite that they hate each other, they learn to work together to solve puzzles, fight monsters, and defy death. Anya & Cyrus become closer so when they return to the pub, the way they behave is no longer adversarial.
The beginning of this book was difficult for me to follow and I ended up rereading it. Once Anya and Cyrus left the pub and set off on their adventures, the story line was very interesting. It was well written and kept me captivated. The occasional appearance of the real people that created the players and non-players was unusual. It did, however, help to explain what was happening but I wish the ending were a little stronger and less predictable.
Then, in walks a angry man named Cyrus searching for revenge. He carries a sword and is an rough man. When a new player enters Anya's pub, it is Cyrus who they come to for help. She feels that she's being replaced and pushes him outside the bar. They both end up outside and are no longer protected by the safety as non-players in the on-line programming game.
Despite that they hate each other, they learn to work together to solve puzzles, fight monsters, and defy death. Anya & Cyrus become closer so when they return to the pub, the way they behave is no longer adversarial.
The beginning of this book was difficult for me to follow and I ended up rereading it. Once Anya and Cyrus left the pub and set off on their adventures, the story line was very interesting. It was well written and kept me captivated. The occasional appearance of the real people that created the players and non-players was unusual. It did, however, help to explain what was happening but I wish the ending were a little stronger and less predictable.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Keylight Books provided an early galley for review.
As a gamer, former software developer, and a fantasy writer myself, this book sounded like a lot of fun. Plus, I always am interested in what new voices are bringing to the genre.
I found it engaging right out of the gate. Kochmanski builds off an interesting premise, and he captures the repetition of NPC dialogue and routines perfectly. Anya's voice is distinct and relatable. What she encounters provides some commentary on MMORPG games, their worlds and their players.
The middle spends quite a bit of time in the Pit whose purpose for the narrative I totally get (can't really be major heroes of the story and complete the overall game quest if you're lowly level 1 adventurers). I liked seeing the puzzles and the solutions, but it felt like it took a long time. Also, when Anya and Cyrus meet and re-meet the trio of players, it seemed like a bit of too convenient. I was fine with the first encounter as that helped them to learn more about the game. The return just felt like a way to get out of a narrative corner.
As for the ending, while enjoyable and what I expected, I found it tied up everything very neatly in a very quick way. I was hoping for a bit more.
Still, a fun book that touches on a lot of popular genres right now: cozy fantasy, LitRPG, and romantasy. I will certainly give his next book a shot.
As a gamer, former software developer, and a fantasy writer myself, this book sounded like a lot of fun. Plus, I always am interested in what new voices are bringing to the genre.
I found it engaging right out of the gate. Kochmanski builds off an interesting premise, and he captures the repetition of NPC dialogue and routines perfectly. Anya's voice is distinct and relatable. What she encounters provides some commentary on MMORPG games, their worlds and their players.
The middle spends quite a bit of time in the Pit whose purpose for the narrative I totally get (can't really be major heroes of the story and complete the overall game quest if you're lowly level 1 adventurers). I liked seeing the puzzles and the solutions, but it felt like it took a long time. Also, when Anya and Cyrus meet and re-meet the trio of players, it seemed like a bit of too convenient. I was fine with the first encounter as that helped them to learn more about the game. The return just felt like a way to get out of a narrative corner.
As for the ending, while enjoyable and what I expected, I found it tied up everything very neatly in a very quick way. I was hoping for a bit more.
Still, a fun book that touches on a lot of popular genres right now: cozy fantasy, LitRPG, and romantasy. I will certainly give his next book a shot.
September 27, 2026
This is a thin, insubstantial book where nothing matters and the characters don’t care. Add to that the over explaining as though the book thinks I’m 8 years old and need my hand held every single second of every single chapter, and it’s … a tiring read. The characters have no personalities, just as set of actions and dialogue provided by the author; they’re stiff, bland, with little if any nuance, and lacking any arc.
That’s not to say every character needs a dramatic arc, but if the characters aren’t going to change and grow, then the world around them should. Unfortunately, the world around them is just as flat and lifeless. All that said … the book isn’t awful. The plot is solid, the pace moves along at a solid pace; it’s just that the book has nothing to catch my interest. The world is generic, the characters hollow, and no one cares about anything. And if the characters can’t be bothered to have an opinion, why should I?
The writing isn’t awful, it’s just charmless. But every now and then there’s a moment in the story where things perk up … just never for long, and never with any consistency. I think this is an author to keep an eye on and see if, maybe in two books (or three) they end up improving their storytelling abilities.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
That’s not to say every character needs a dramatic arc, but if the characters aren’t going to change and grow, then the world around them should. Unfortunately, the world around them is just as flat and lifeless. All that said … the book isn’t awful. The plot is solid, the pace moves along at a solid pace; it’s just that the book has nothing to catch my interest. The world is generic, the characters hollow, and no one cares about anything. And if the characters can’t be bothered to have an opinion, why should I?
The writing isn’t awful, it’s just charmless. But every now and then there’s a moment in the story where things perk up … just never for long, and never with any consistency. I think this is an author to keep an eye on and see if, maybe in two books (or three) they end up improving their storytelling abilities.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
This was a very original concept, and I will never look at NPC's the same haha! I love open world games, but I haven't played a game where (actual) people can interact, so this was a bit hard for me to understand. Like, how did the in-game time work? Once they could skip time, and another time they just had to sit and wait. I did love some of the player character names, like ChadipusRex (could immediatly visualise what kind of asshat that would be). That felt true to gaming haha.
The MC's are easy to root for. Anya is somehow relateble. She is stuck and wishes for 'more', but doesn't know what. I actually got the sense she's quite lonely. Cyrus requires a lot of patience and warming up to, but once he caught on, I found him to be a solid addition to the book. I did however genuinely not see the romance coming. They felt more like a couple of besties, questing together. I didn't mind the romance, but I wouldn't have missed it either.
I think the interluded added some much needed context. Walter wasn't exactly an enjoyable person, he was way too intense (and a bit creepy!!), but I do think the interludes needed to be in the book to help understand what and why things were happening the way they were.
This was a very original concept, and I will never look at NPC's the same haha! I love open world games, but I haven't played a game where (actual) people can interact, so this was a bit hard for me to understand. Like, how did the in-game time work? Once they could skip time, and another time they just had to sit and wait. I did love some of the player character names, like ChadipusRex (could immediatly visualise what kind of asshat that would be). That felt true to gaming haha.
The MC's are easy to root for. Anya is somehow relateble. She is stuck and wishes for 'more', but doesn't know what. I actually got the sense she's quite lonely. Cyrus requires a lot of patience and warming up to, but once he caught on, I found him to be a solid addition to the book. I did however genuinely not see the romance coming. They felt more like a couple of besties, questing together. I didn't mind the romance, but I wouldn't have missed it either.
I think the interluded added some much needed context. Walter wasn't exactly an enjoyable person, he was way too intense (and a bit creepy!!), but I do think the interludes needed to be in the book to help understand what and why things were happening the way they were.
June 15, 2026
The Side Questers is a fun, creative LitRPG adventure that completely surprised me in the best way. Set inside a video game world, it follows two self-aware NPCs who break out of their scripted lives and end up thrown into a much bigger quest than either of them expected.
I really enjoyed the unique perspective of seeing the game world through the eyes of characters who are usually in the background. Anya is a standout main character—frustrated, funny, and oddly relatable for someone stuck in an endless loop—and her dynamic with Cyrus adds a lot of humor and heart to the story.
The world feels playful and clever, with plenty of nods to gaming culture, quests, and RPG mechanics without getting overly complicated. It’s an easy, fast read that leans more cozy-adventure than hardcore LitRPG, which actually worked really well for me.
The only reason it’s not a full 5 stars is that some parts of the pacing and world-building felt a little rushed, especially toward the end, where things wrapped up a bit too quickly.
Overall, a really enjoyable, cozy fantasy-meets-game-world adventure with great character banter and a fresh concept. Definitely worth picking up if you like NPC stories or lighter LitRPG vibes.
Thank you so much to Turner Publishing for the ARC!
I really enjoyed the unique perspective of seeing the game world through the eyes of characters who are usually in the background. Anya is a standout main character—frustrated, funny, and oddly relatable for someone stuck in an endless loop—and her dynamic with Cyrus adds a lot of humor and heart to the story.
The world feels playful and clever, with plenty of nods to gaming culture, quests, and RPG mechanics without getting overly complicated. It’s an easy, fast read that leans more cozy-adventure than hardcore LitRPG, which actually worked really well for me.
The only reason it’s not a full 5 stars is that some parts of the pacing and world-building felt a little rushed, especially toward the end, where things wrapped up a bit too quickly.
Overall, a really enjoyable, cozy fantasy-meets-game-world adventure with great character banter and a fresh concept. Definitely worth picking up if you like NPC stories or lighter LitRPG vibes.
Thank you so much to Turner Publishing for the ARC!
August 25, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
3,25/5.
I've started reading this novel quite optimistic and while there were many things that I enjoyed about it, and I loved the final battle and the ending, I can't really give it a higher rating.
Anya was a fun character to read about, and I wish we were allowed to see more of her. My first complaint is the start of the adventure - she only really watches Cyrus take her place once; there is no growing frustration, just her acting right away and pushing him out. I told myself that it's okay, because it was just the beginning of the novel and the action needed to start.
But then there is the Worm, and over 300 resets just skipped with a few lines of describtion. All that time - which according to other characters took weeks - all that potential character growth, relationship forming between Anya and Cyrus - we just skipped it.
I also disliked the parts that were happening in the real world. How much more interesting it would be if we didn't know what was really happening, and only learned the same things Anya did? That uncertainty, if the creator is telling the truth?
And, once again - I really loved how the final battle went and the ending.
3,25/5.
I've started reading this novel quite optimistic and while there were many things that I enjoyed about it, and I loved the final battle and the ending, I can't really give it a higher rating.
Anya was a fun character to read about, and I wish we were allowed to see more of her. My first complaint is the start of the adventure - she only really watches Cyrus take her place once; there is no growing frustration, just her acting right away and pushing him out. I told myself that it's okay, because it was just the beginning of the novel and the action needed to start.
But then there is the Worm, and over 300 resets just skipped with a few lines of describtion. All that time - which according to other characters took weeks - all that potential character growth, relationship forming between Anya and Cyrus - we just skipped it.
I also disliked the parts that were happening in the real world. How much more interesting it would be if we didn't know what was really happening, and only learned the same things Anya did? That uncertainty, if the creator is telling the truth?
And, once again - I really loved how the final battle went and the ending.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
I have played many games - Wow, Dark age of Camelot, the one with the superheroes and I have often wondered about the quest givers - not to mention the NPC's -wanting to go up and give them a hug - and I like watching the videos that people make of them interacting with NPC's then logging off and the NPC waiting for them to come back - through the seasons,
This book takes our main female character, who has been reset over a thousand times, and she knows she is in a video game, she watches everything - sees the quests reset - no one else does -
(side note we have a company that wants to replace her - then we have psychologists who are trying to make her and him (the main male lead- more human) there is a competition going on - if she will still exist or if he will.
She doesn't want to be replaced - and off they go into the world - and meet humans - he takes a long time believing that they aren't real that this is a game-
Very good story - in the end the student to the psychologist makes it so that both of them .......the bad guy I would have never guessed who it was.....and I think it was a happily ever after in the end!
I have played many games - Wow, Dark age of Camelot, the one with the superheroes and I have often wondered about the quest givers - not to mention the NPC's -wanting to go up and give them a hug - and I like watching the videos that people make of them interacting with NPC's then logging off and the NPC waiting for them to come back - through the seasons,
This book takes our main female character, who has been reset over a thousand times, and she knows she is in a video game, she watches everything - sees the quests reset - no one else does -
(side note we have a company that wants to replace her - then we have psychologists who are trying to make her and him (the main male lead- more human) there is a competition going on - if she will still exist or if he will.
She doesn't want to be replaced - and off they go into the world - and meet humans - he takes a long time believing that they aren't real that this is a game-
Very good story - in the end the student to the psychologist makes it so that both of them .......the bad guy I would have never guessed who it was.....and I think it was a happily ever after in the end!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a really fun book that explores the idea of sentient AI if it were used in a video game and, honestly, looks at some of the moral questions surrounding it. It is, by no means, a deep or dark book. It's quite fun and reminiscent of Ready Player One in the sense that it is very well aware of its status as a love-letter to video games. I really liked it overall and almost wish it was a little bit longer. If there is one gripe I have with the writing, its that the author really likes to beat you over the head with the fact that Anya's feelings are all scripts that are artificial while also having a secondary plot that argues how true artificial intelligence are people who have a right not to be controlled and have their story told by someone else. I wish the structure of the story telling would've moved from the artificial nature of Anya's existence and began to transition to using more human/lifelike language for her later in the book. Still something I would recommend for a fun read though.
June 24, 2026
The Side Questers follows Anya, a non-player character in a video game as she explores why she is different from the other non-player characters and remembers every reset. When Cyrus appears and seems to take over he side quest as the hero, she decides to leave her virtual bar where she has bartended for over a thousand resets to try to prove to the game developers that she is more than just a side quest by exploring the greater game space. The only issue is the annoying Cyrus appears to have tagged along.
I loved this book so much! It was really refreshing to read about such a unique idea of a character in a video game having a conscious and following her development as she moved throughout the game and interacted with players. The world description was well done and I really felt like I was following Anya and Cyrus in the game. Their character development was engaging and I was really rooting for them by the end.
Highly recommend if you are looking for something different, with just a hint of romance.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy to review.
I loved this book so much! It was really refreshing to read about such a unique idea of a character in a video game having a conscious and following her development as she moved throughout the game and interacted with players. The world description was well done and I really felt like I was following Anya and Cyrus in the game. Their character development was engaging and I was really rooting for them by the end.
Highly recommend if you are looking for something different, with just a hint of romance.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy to review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was an amazing and really unique book! i absolutely adored the ending and the entire journey from start to finish. the world building was truly spectacular, and i absolutely adored how much the characters grew, quite literally! this is basically a LitRPG following the story of an NPC who is so much more than just an algorithm, and the slow burn enemies/rivals to lovers was just absolutely fantastic. i loved how easy it was to foll in love with both Anya and Cyrus, and how easy it was to root for both of them, as well as see the complicated motivations of Anya's creator. the ending was just, ugh, iit was SO good. a perfect and brilliant way to leave things. i'm actually really hoping that there might be another book in this world, but i'm not unsatisfied either if this is a completely unique standalone. I'll definitely have to keep my eye on any other works this author might have, or will be releasing.
thank you to Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books and Netgalley for this ARC
thank you to Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books and Netgalley for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
So, pros: In a world where everything is a trilogy, quartet, or more, a good standalone is a gem. And while I liked, not loved this, it was a solid read! I got the MMORPG vibes loud and clear, which was fun as someone who spent a lot of time on Runescape and Adventure Quest as a kid, and the frustration of level grinding as a grown-up Pokemon kid. No, the world building isn't the most robust, but it doesn't always have to be. You get just as much as you need here, and I appreciate that. The villain of the story ended up taking me by surprise as the book went along, and that was nice. It wasn't really broadcast from the beginning, but the curtain slowly opened as we saw bits of the real world. I'm not sure I'd call it a twist, but it was a nice little surprise.
The con: Why. Does every. Man. And. Woman. HAVE to end up together??? I guess I should have known, but come on. Come onnnnnn. Let them just be friends!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Keylight Books for the advanced copy. All opinions are unbiased and totally my own.
The con: Why. Does every. Man. And. Woman. HAVE to end up together??? I guess I should have known, but come on. Come onnnnnn. Let them just be friends!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Keylight Books for the advanced copy. All opinions are unbiased and totally my own.
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