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The Barbaric Ledgers #1
Kill All Wizards
SWORDS, SORCERY, AND A SPOT OF TEA
Kill All Wizards is a blood-soaked romp through high society—picture Conan the Barbarian caught up in a comedy of manners, and you're almost prepared for this unmissable new series.
We could think of nothing but the barbarian. He had come here, surely, to murder or marry someone, to exact revenge, or to say or do something very scandalous. We could hardly wait to see which it was. We hoped it would be all of them.
The barbarian traveled far to consult the wizards of the empire. Instead of lending their aid, they ensorcelled him, exploited his strength, and stole his sword. They should not have done that.
Now the barbarian plans to kill every wizard who wronged him, even if that means blending in with their vile dressing in finery, taking tea in exclusive clubs, and reserving the best box at the theater.
Oh, he hates it all with the fiery passion of his savage heart—but not as much as he hates these wizards.
Kill All Wizards is a blood-soaked romp through high society—picture Conan the Barbarian caught up in a comedy of manners, and you're almost prepared for this unmissable new series.
We could think of nothing but the barbarian. He had come here, surely, to murder or marry someone, to exact revenge, or to say or do something very scandalous. We could hardly wait to see which it was. We hoped it would be all of them.
The barbarian traveled far to consult the wizards of the empire. Instead of lending their aid, they ensorcelled him, exploited his strength, and stole his sword. They should not have done that.
Now the barbarian plans to kill every wizard who wronged him, even if that means blending in with their vile dressing in finery, taking tea in exclusive clubs, and reserving the best box at the theater.
Oh, he hates it all with the fiery passion of his savage heart—but not as much as he hates these wizards.
136 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Jedediah Berry
22 books334 followersJedediah Berry is the author of two novels, The Naming Song (Tor Books, 2024) and The Manual of Detection (Penguin Press), and a story in cards, The Family Arcana. He lives in Western Massachusetts. Together with his partner, writer Emily Houk, he runs Ninepin Press, an independent publisher of fiction, poetry, and games in unusual shapes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
May 14, 2026
I’ve really liked this author’s work in the past, so I was curious to see him step into the cozy fantasy space that’s having such a moment right now. And for the most part, this was a fun time.
The setup alone does a lot of the heavy lifting: a furious barbarian forced to navigate high society, tea service, theater boxes, and wizard politics while plotting revenge against the people who wronged him. The contrast between the blood-soaked Conan-esque energy and the comedy-of-manners atmosphere makes for a lot of playfully entertaining moments.
That being said, much of the novella felt more like a series of side quests and chaotic shenanigans than a fully grounded story. It moves quickly, keeps the tone light, and is clearly aiming for charm over heft. And while I enjoyed that well enough, I did find myself wishing for a bit more depth and emotional weight earlier on rather than saving most of those threads for the latter portion of the story. There at the end, a huge anvil of emotional depth gets dropped suddenly and then is promptly — and largely — ignored.
Still, the voice is strong, the premise is fun, and the whole thing has an easy momentum that makes it fly by. A fun entry into cozy fantasy, even if it didn’t quite hit me emotionally as hard as I’d hoped it might.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
The setup alone does a lot of the heavy lifting: a furious barbarian forced to navigate high society, tea service, theater boxes, and wizard politics while plotting revenge against the people who wronged him. The contrast between the blood-soaked Conan-esque energy and the comedy-of-manners atmosphere makes for a lot of playfully entertaining moments.
That being said, much of the novella felt more like a series of side quests and chaotic shenanigans than a fully grounded story. It moves quickly, keeps the tone light, and is clearly aiming for charm over heft. And while I enjoyed that well enough, I did find myself wishing for a bit more depth and emotional weight earlier on rather than saving most of those threads for the latter portion of the story. There at the end, a huge anvil of emotional depth gets dropped suddenly and then is promptly — and largely — ignored.
Still, the voice is strong, the premise is fun, and the whole thing has an easy momentum that makes it fly by. A fun entry into cozy fantasy, even if it didn’t quite hit me emotionally as hard as I’d hoped it might.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
July 2, 2026
Gotchimus “Gotch” the Barbarian appeals to the council for help seeking justice and change after his brother is killed, but instead of helping they stall and then set him up. Now, he’s determined to mete out his own justice and kill all the wizards responsible. Gotch recounts his dangerous adventures conquering his crafty enemies in this strange magical world. The tales are different and engrossing, a bit sad in places but also clever and fun.
This original novella is amusing, witty, and sprinkled with a wee bit of romance. I can’t wait to see where Gotchimus wanders next.
I thought Raphael Corkhill did a wonderful job narrating a variety of characters, male and female and I enjoyed his English accent!
I voluntarily listened to an audio copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
This original novella is amusing, witty, and sprinkled with a wee bit of romance. I can’t wait to see where Gotchimus wanders next.
I thought Raphael Corkhill did a wonderful job narrating a variety of characters, male and female and I enjoyed his English accent!
I voluntarily listened to an audio copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
August 12, 2026
I had so much fun visiting this weird and wonderful place. Swords and strange lands and creatures. With some of the best prose I’ve read. I can honestly say I can’t believe how much was said in only 133 pages. Great characters and world building. Cyberpunk machination infused with sorcery, and wizards. I can’t wait to see where Gotchimus takes me next.
June 9, 2026
4.5/5
This was such an unexpected read! Funny, fantastic writing, great characters, and a story that keeps you firmly engaged the whole time. I absolutely love the world that Jedediah Berry has created and l can’t wait to read more! Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
This was such an unexpected read! Funny, fantastic writing, great characters, and a story that keeps you firmly engaged the whole time. I absolutely love the world that Jedediah Berry has created and l can’t wait to read more! Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 12, 2026
This book was an absolute delight.
From the moment Gotch marched onto the page, determined to get revenge on the wizards who had wronged him, I was hooked. What follows is a wonderfully entertaining adventure filled with wizard politics, high society chaos, unexpected friendships, and one barbarian who has very little patience for any of it.
The humor landed perfectly for me. Watching a larger-than-life warrior navigate paperwork, social events, and magical bureaucracy never stopped being amusing. At the same time, the story still delivers plenty of action, heart, and genuine character moments.
I especially enjoyed the worldbuilding. The mix of magic, strange inventions, and quirky fantasy elements gave the story a unique feel. It felt familiar enough to settle into quickly while still offering plenty of surprises along the way.
Most of all, this book was simply fun. It’s the kind of story that keeps you turning pages with a smile on your face, eager to see what trouble the characters will find themselves in next.
If you enjoy fantasy adventures with humor, memorable characters, and a barbarian causing absolute chaos wherever he goes, this one is well worth picking up. I had the audio and I loved the narrator he was perfect for this story.
My only complaint is that it’s over and I now I want more!
From the moment Gotch marched onto the page, determined to get revenge on the wizards who had wronged him, I was hooked. What follows is a wonderfully entertaining adventure filled with wizard politics, high society chaos, unexpected friendships, and one barbarian who has very little patience for any of it.
The humor landed perfectly for me. Watching a larger-than-life warrior navigate paperwork, social events, and magical bureaucracy never stopped being amusing. At the same time, the story still delivers plenty of action, heart, and genuine character moments.
I especially enjoyed the worldbuilding. The mix of magic, strange inventions, and quirky fantasy elements gave the story a unique feel. It felt familiar enough to settle into quickly while still offering plenty of surprises along the way.
Most of all, this book was simply fun. It’s the kind of story that keeps you turning pages with a smile on your face, eager to see what trouble the characters will find themselves in next.
If you enjoy fantasy adventures with humor, memorable characters, and a barbarian causing absolute chaos wherever he goes, this one is well worth picking up. I had the audio and I loved the narrator he was perfect for this story.
My only complaint is that it’s over and I now I want more!
July 26, 2026
The cover and the title intrigued me and seemed to be quite humorous, so I was interested in picking this up (though a little nervous since humor is so subjective).
Well, unfortunately it was not for me. I think that the sidekick did make me smirk a little against my will, but otherwise the text didn't read as humorous at all to me but just a super serious dude. Rather, it for sure lived up to the name and was almost like an anthology of short stories in which he targets individual wizards; super seriously intent on systematically doing some targeted, serial murders (presumably to be continued in sequel/s).
The ending got a bit more existential than I felt was truly setup or paid off or had time to breathe. I see that this will be a series so maybe that'll be explored more in future, but it left this book feeling somewhat unfinished.
Audiobook Notes:
I actually really appreciated Corkill's narration and almost certainly wouldn't have finished the book without it. Though I found his voice to be both charming and engaging, I did have to restart the book from the beginning at least twice. I don't know if it's because of his narration or because of the text, but I kept finding my mind wandering too much and I had to restart in order to dial in and absorb it. It could very much be a personal issue and just that the text isn't really my jam, but it's worth noting regardless.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for granting me an ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Well, unfortunately it was not for me. I think that the sidekick did make me smirk a little against my will, but otherwise the text didn't read as humorous at all to me but just a super serious dude. Rather, it for sure lived up to the name and was almost like an anthology of short stories in which he targets individual wizards; super seriously intent on systematically doing some targeted, serial murders (presumably to be continued in sequel/s).
The ending got a bit more existential than I felt was truly setup or paid off or had time to breathe. I see that this will be a series so maybe that'll be explored more in future, but it left this book feeling somewhat unfinished.
Audiobook Notes:
I actually really appreciated Corkill's narration and almost certainly wouldn't have finished the book without it. Though I found his voice to be both charming and engaging, I did have to restart the book from the beginning at least twice. I don't know if it's because of his narration or because of the text, but I kept finding my mind wandering too much and I had to restart in order to dial in and absorb it. It could very much be a personal issue and just that the text isn't really my jam, but it's worth noting regardless.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for granting me an ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 24, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC.
This was a fun concept for a cozy fantasy. Gotch's adventures were fun to read about but unfortunately the story itself did not click for me. I found myself zoning out very frequently. I know it's supposed to be humorous but too many things were happening for me to feel the flow of the story unfortunately. I think this would be great for those who love cozy fantasies filled with humor and adventure.
The audiobook narration was done well but since I didn't enjoy the story itself as much, I'm not sure if it specifically improved my experience.
This was a fun concept for a cozy fantasy. Gotch's adventures were fun to read about but unfortunately the story itself did not click for me. I found myself zoning out very frequently. I know it's supposed to be humorous but too many things were happening for me to feel the flow of the story unfortunately. I think this would be great for those who love cozy fantasies filled with humor and adventure.
The audiobook narration was done well but since I didn't enjoy the story itself as much, I'm not sure if it specifically improved my experience.
July 28, 2026
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
This novella has great story, just not told properly. Trying to read it gave me a headache. The story kept drifting away from the story a lot. Trying to be humorous and it failed. It took me far away from the story instead of pulling me in. Great concept, barbarians, wizards, world quests and mechanical bots. But it just did not work for me.
This novella has great story, just not told properly. Trying to read it gave me a headache. The story kept drifting away from the story a lot. Trying to be humorous and it failed. It took me far away from the story instead of pulling me in. Great concept, barbarians, wizards, world quests and mechanical bots. But it just did not work for me.
Currently Reading
June 19, 2026Listening to the ALC from Libro.FM, which sounds AMAZING, BUT, I also have the physical ARC & may inhale this tonight.
May 30, 2026
Thank you Mac audio for this ALC. I picked this one because me and my spouse really like listening to DND adjacent books together and thought this would be a good fit. Unfortunately it was a bit of a miss for both of us. I think the narration was really hard to adjust to and for some reason took me out of the story instead of bringing me in. It’s really short book though so if you still think it sounds good (dnd, wizards, barbarians, magic, dnd world, quests, etc) I def recommend giving it a try!
Read
June 26, 2026"Was I expecting an irreverently-titled short novel about the adventures of an eyepatch-wearing barbarian warrior in a city of tetchy wizards, delirious gods, and complicated social hierarchies? I was not. Still, that’s a reasonable thumbnail sketch of what to expect from Kill All Wizards, which is the first in a planned series of books (the followup is announced at the end of this volume) about a barbarian named Gotchimus."
Read Tobias Carroll's full review at Reactor
Read Tobias Carroll's full review at Reactor
July 25, 2026
KILL ALL WIZARDS – JEDEDIAH BERRY
🔮 Gotchimus “Gotch” el Barbaro ha llegado a la ciudad de los Magos, buscando venganza por la muerte de su hermano. Pero lo que se encuentra es un laberinto de burocracias y reglas sociales que oculta una violencia y crueldad terribles. Por suerte, violencia y crueldad son la especialidad de un bárbaro. Así que, acompañado de un mago que le acoge y le guía; y una maga que le protege de males mayores, Gotch se enfrenta a este mundo tecnológico, de papeleo y gente estirada con su hacha.
❤️🩹 Jedediah Berry tenía todos los ingredientes para hacer un grimdark estupendo, una fantasía épica o una obra clásica. Sin embargo, ha conseguido crear una cozy fantasy con humor e ingenio en menos de 200 páginas. Y ojo, que sólo es la primera parte.
🌳 Ojo, tampoco os llevéis a engaño. Kill All Wizards es una obra de fantasía, con su bárbaro, su hacha, dioses enfadados, magos con secretos y rivalidades y conspiraciones arcanas.
🪓 Pero también nos trae a un protagonista con humanidad, compasión, visión y buen corazón; a quien se juntan otros tantos. En su búsqueda por conseguir justicia en un mundo que no se la dará porque implicaría castigar a los poderosos o saltarse las reglas sociales, encontré varias críticas a nosotros mismos, y a cómo hemos perdido la humanidad y la compasión y cómo, a veces, un buen hachazo sería una respuesta magnífica y efectiva.
⭐ Lo tiene todo, papi: acción, humor, profundidad, crueldad y un gran worldbuilding. ⭐
Valoración: 📁📁📁📁 (4 modelos 347 – if you know, you know)
🔮 Gotchimus “Gotch” el Barbaro ha llegado a la ciudad de los Magos, buscando venganza por la muerte de su hermano. Pero lo que se encuentra es un laberinto de burocracias y reglas sociales que oculta una violencia y crueldad terribles. Por suerte, violencia y crueldad son la especialidad de un bárbaro. Así que, acompañado de un mago que le acoge y le guía; y una maga que le protege de males mayores, Gotch se enfrenta a este mundo tecnológico, de papeleo y gente estirada con su hacha.
❤️🩹 Jedediah Berry tenía todos los ingredientes para hacer un grimdark estupendo, una fantasía épica o una obra clásica. Sin embargo, ha conseguido crear una cozy fantasy con humor e ingenio en menos de 200 páginas. Y ojo, que sólo es la primera parte.
🌳 Ojo, tampoco os llevéis a engaño. Kill All Wizards es una obra de fantasía, con su bárbaro, su hacha, dioses enfadados, magos con secretos y rivalidades y conspiraciones arcanas.
🪓 Pero también nos trae a un protagonista con humanidad, compasión, visión y buen corazón; a quien se juntan otros tantos. En su búsqueda por conseguir justicia en un mundo que no se la dará porque implicaría castigar a los poderosos o saltarse las reglas sociales, encontré varias críticas a nosotros mismos, y a cómo hemos perdido la humanidad y la compasión y cómo, a veces, un buen hachazo sería una respuesta magnífica y efectiva.
⭐ Lo tiene todo, papi: acción, humor, profundidad, crueldad y un gran worldbuilding. ⭐
Valoración: 📁📁📁📁 (4 modelos 347 – if you know, you know)
Want to Read
April 18, 2026New Tor novella, TBP June 16, 2o26. Recommended by John Joseph Adams, who wrote on his blog: "So fun, so clever, so well-written. Really just a joy from start to finish. A must read! Rating: 9/10"
$13 ebook. Hopefully a library copy will appear.....
$13 ebook. Hopefully a library copy will appear.....
June 28, 2026
This was fun, but I spent quite a bit of the book confused about who everyone was and what everyone was doing. This one might be better in an ebook format or physically read instead of on audio only. I liked the premise, just couldn't follow it as well as I wanted.
April 17, 2026
This book has no business being this good and entertaining!! I can not wait for the next installment!!
September 3, 2026
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JayGTheAwkw...
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
2.75/5 Stars
A barbarian seeks revenge on all the wizards who wronged him.
This novella sounded like it was going to be really fun, but I was a bit disappointed in this one unfortunately. I felt disconnected from the story and the characters, and didn't care much for what was happening to them. I was honestly a bit confused through out the whole thing. I think it just was not for me... but I'm sure others would enjoy it!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
2.75/5 Stars
A barbarian seeks revenge on all the wizards who wronged him.
This novella sounded like it was going to be really fun, but I was a bit disappointed in this one unfortunately. I felt disconnected from the story and the characters, and didn't care much for what was happening to them. I was honestly a bit confused through out the whole thing. I think it just was not for me... but I'm sure others would enjoy it!
May 20, 2026
Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry is a high stakes fantasy with aspects of action.
Underdogs! I love them!!
We’re in a world where using magic is a death sentence. A disgraced decidedly non-magic soldier unites rebels & this rag-tag team of mercenaries goes on a QUEST! YESSS! A quest to hunt down the very powerful sorcerers who rule this place before they finish a spell that will enslave all of humanity.
How will they fight sorcerers without magic? TECH! It’s a rebellion with arrows, alchemy & tech warfare VS spells & fireballs. Who will win?
Humor. Likable characters.
It’s John Wick meets Kings of the Wild maybe?!
Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio. I need more of this!
Underdogs! I love them!!
We’re in a world where using magic is a death sentence. A disgraced decidedly non-magic soldier unites rebels & this rag-tag team of mercenaries goes on a QUEST! YESSS! A quest to hunt down the very powerful sorcerers who rule this place before they finish a spell that will enslave all of humanity.
How will they fight sorcerers without magic? TECH! It’s a rebellion with arrows, alchemy & tech warfare VS spells & fireballs. Who will win?
Humor. Likable characters.
It’s John Wick meets Kings of the Wild maybe?!
Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio. I need more of this!
May 27, 2026
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the preview. All opinions are my own.
I’m not 100% sure what I just listened to, but Raphael Corkhill utterly enchanted me with his narration. I would have listened to something twice as long just to keep hearing his voice.
This was a super quick and entertaining read. Like I said, I’m not sure I was 100% following what was happening, but I had a good time!
I’m not 100% sure what I just listened to, but Raphael Corkhill utterly enchanted me with his narration. I would have listened to something twice as long just to keep hearing his voice.
This was a super quick and entertaining read. Like I said, I’m not sure I was 100% following what was happening, but I had a good time!
August 16, 2026
I really wanted to like this, the story sounded super fun and it was actually a quick read. But the length was the reason it was quick for me, because I just really could not get into it unfortunately. It just felt a little disconnected for me, like it jumped from scene to scene despite being such a short novella. The ending was pretty good, but by that point I was unfortunately lost.
June 30, 2026
3.5 stars
Most of the story went over my head and I got confused in some parts about who was who. The narrator was soothing though and there were moments of humour.
Most of the story went over my head and I got confused in some parts about who was who. The narrator was soothing though and there were moments of humour.
July 4, 2026
There was like nothing about this book that felt special to me. I did not love the characters, and the story was disjointed and lacking. It was definitely not what I expected. It was not even a long story, but I struggled to finish this title.
Want to Read
July 7, 2026Reasons to read
~ Swords and sorcery
~ comedy
~ novella under 150 pages
~ Swords and sorcery
~ comedy
~ novella under 150 pages
July 31, 2026
A short fantasy romp following Gotch, a barbarian looking for revenge against the wizards who wronged him. Reads more as a series of smaller quests than a larger story but it was a fun time.
August 3, 2026
3.5/5 it was fine to pass the time but it didnt do much for me
August 5, 2026
this was fine. not my favorite but not awful. i just really wasn’t into it.
July 25, 2026
Read it in one sitting, it was a great quick paced romp of violence and sipping tea.
June 16, 2026
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
I really wanted to like this one, but it just never clicked for me.
My biggest issue was that I never felt connected to the characters. The collective “we” narration and the non-linear timeline created so much distance that I struggled to get invested in anyone or anything that was happening. Instead of feeling pulled into the story, I always felt like I was standing on the outside looking in.
The humor didn't really work for me either. This is marketed as a humorous fantasy, but I never found it particularly funny. There were moments that felt like they were supposed to be jokes, but they mostly left me wondering what tone the book was actually aiming for.
One thing I did enjoy was the worldbuilding. The blend of whimsical fantasy and mundane bureaucracy was genuinely interesting, and I often found myself more invested in the setting than in the characters. I wish the rest of the book had grabbed me in the same way.
In the end, this felt like a book with a great idea behind it that never quite came together on the page. It's short, which is probably the main reason I finished it, but it ultimately left very little impression on me.
I really wanted to like this one, but it just never clicked for me.
My biggest issue was that I never felt connected to the characters. The collective “we” narration and the non-linear timeline created so much distance that I struggled to get invested in anyone or anything that was happening. Instead of feeling pulled into the story, I always felt like I was standing on the outside looking in.
The humor didn't really work for me either. This is marketed as a humorous fantasy, but I never found it particularly funny. There were moments that felt like they were supposed to be jokes, but they mostly left me wondering what tone the book was actually aiming for.
One thing I did enjoy was the worldbuilding. The blend of whimsical fantasy and mundane bureaucracy was genuinely interesting, and I often found myself more invested in the setting than in the characters. I wish the rest of the book had grabbed me in the same way.
In the end, this felt like a book with a great idea behind it that never quite came together on the page. It's short, which is probably the main reason I finished it, but it ultimately left very little impression on me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy of this novella dealing with the adventures of a barbarian trying to charm his way into the bureaucratic high society of the upper-Wizard class, his reasons why, and the horrible things he has planned for as many magic users as possible.
I was a huge reader as a child, one that went through our small town library quite quickly. Especially when it came to genre books. My parents thankfully loved tag sales, flea markets and book sales, so my addiction was fed every weekend the weather held out. I loved, and still love going under tables, looking in boxes and finding treasures. A lot of books that young boys shouldn't have seen, but tons of fantasy stories, which I loved. Especially tales about barbarians. Conan was King, but Kull was cool, as was Dirshan, any books by Howard, Carter, de Camp, Brackett, really anyone with a bare-chested man, a sword, a demon and usually a almost bare young woman. I have read many tales of wild men, big swords, and their apathy towards users of magic. However I never read such a wild story, one that went places I did not expect, a novella that made me want more. More of the characters, more of the magic, and more dead spell casters. Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry is the first novella in a series about a barbarian, his fancy clothes, his sword, vengeance, entrenched bureaucracy, and love.
The barbarian stands in the foyer way of a vast building, waiting for a chance to meet with the wizards who can help him. This is is fourth or fifth visit. His paperwork is hopefully right, in triplicate and with the proper up-to-date forms. Turned away at first, he is given a chance. And is again betrayed by the wizards who rule. Gotch, the barbarian vows revenge. Gotch enters high society using stolen plunder from the wizards, buying fancy suits, aftermarket wagons painted garishly, a fancy new eyepatch. On his quest he finds more friends, lots of enemies and even more wizards to kill. For he is on a path of revenge, that nothing will stop, even if it kills him.
Not at all what I expected. I thought this was a sort of Dungeon Crawler Carl kind of adventure, humourous, slight and forgettable when the book closes. This is more picking up an old Karl Edward Wagner Sword and Sorcery anthology and finding a story by an unknown author who wrote a fantasy story without knowing the rules of fantasy. Which means this is great. The characters are fun, interesting and full of unique traits. The writing is really good, with asides, comments, jokes, and real feeling. For a novella there was much going on. With a world that seemed so real, a Wizard world with rules for magic, with air cars, and all sorts of steampunk ideas. Yet with a strong folk horror mix.
I can't praise this book enough. A book so surprising I kept looking at the cover to see if I was reading the right book. I really enjoyed this a lot and can't wait to read more in this series. A book for those who not only love fantasy, but great writing. I can't say enough, just that I want more.
I was a huge reader as a child, one that went through our small town library quite quickly. Especially when it came to genre books. My parents thankfully loved tag sales, flea markets and book sales, so my addiction was fed every weekend the weather held out. I loved, and still love going under tables, looking in boxes and finding treasures. A lot of books that young boys shouldn't have seen, but tons of fantasy stories, which I loved. Especially tales about barbarians. Conan was King, but Kull was cool, as was Dirshan, any books by Howard, Carter, de Camp, Brackett, really anyone with a bare-chested man, a sword, a demon and usually a almost bare young woman. I have read many tales of wild men, big swords, and their apathy towards users of magic. However I never read such a wild story, one that went places I did not expect, a novella that made me want more. More of the characters, more of the magic, and more dead spell casters. Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry is the first novella in a series about a barbarian, his fancy clothes, his sword, vengeance, entrenched bureaucracy, and love.
The barbarian stands in the foyer way of a vast building, waiting for a chance to meet with the wizards who can help him. This is is fourth or fifth visit. His paperwork is hopefully right, in triplicate and with the proper up-to-date forms. Turned away at first, he is given a chance. And is again betrayed by the wizards who rule. Gotch, the barbarian vows revenge. Gotch enters high society using stolen plunder from the wizards, buying fancy suits, aftermarket wagons painted garishly, a fancy new eyepatch. On his quest he finds more friends, lots of enemies and even more wizards to kill. For he is on a path of revenge, that nothing will stop, even if it kills him.
Not at all what I expected. I thought this was a sort of Dungeon Crawler Carl kind of adventure, humourous, slight and forgettable when the book closes. This is more picking up an old Karl Edward Wagner Sword and Sorcery anthology and finding a story by an unknown author who wrote a fantasy story without knowing the rules of fantasy. Which means this is great. The characters are fun, interesting and full of unique traits. The writing is really good, with asides, comments, jokes, and real feeling. For a novella there was much going on. With a world that seemed so real, a Wizard world with rules for magic, with air cars, and all sorts of steampunk ideas. Yet with a strong folk horror mix.
I can't praise this book enough. A book so surprising I kept looking at the cover to see if I was reading the right book. I really enjoyed this a lot and can't wait to read more in this series. A book for those who not only love fantasy, but great writing. I can't say enough, just that I want more.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.
Please note, I was physically and mentally depleted while listening to this, so it's very possible that the book is much easier to comprehend than I am making it out to be. (Not to self: don't listen to audiobooks when exhausted.) In fact, I'm almost certain of it.
Kill All Wizards is a fantasy novella following Gotchimus, a Conan-style Barbarian, who has sworn revenge on wizards for being dicks to him. The POV is told chorus-style (i.e. "We") as if we are reading the book from the POV of the citizens of this world. It mostly reads like third-person, and I actually would have appreciated more of the input from the collective We. It's also told in a non-linear timeline, which is the part that my v. tired brain couldn't handle. If you offered me a million dollars to tell you in what order the events of this book occur, I wouldn't be able to do it. This is the part that i feel unqualified to judge, because again, I was so depleted I genuinely cannot tell if it was me or the book.
But I'm also giving this three stars for a couple of other reasons. Even though I thought the writing itself was very entertaining, the style of it also created a distance between my emotions and the characters. I was only beginning to emotionally vibe with them, and then the book ended. I am also having a hard time pinpointing the tone of this book. Is it satire? It's billed as being humorous, but I didn't laugh once, though I would describe the events and the imagery in here as being distinctly whimsical. Was it just poking fun at the Conan the Barbarian archetype? And like, putting that guy in fancy clothes? Because there wasn't even that much of that contained in the book.
I do think the novella length here was the right call. There wasn't enough substance to fill a novel, and I probably would have ended up DNFing it if it was longer.
The audiobook narrator, Raphael Corkhill, has a fantastic voice, and I would definitely read books narrated by him in the future.
[Later: I forgot about the Barbarian being bisexual, and the gender fluid love interest, which both gave me great pleasure, so bumping this up to 3.5 stars.]
Buzzword Reading Challenge 2026: instructional title
Please note, I was physically and mentally depleted while listening to this, so it's very possible that the book is much easier to comprehend than I am making it out to be. (Not to self: don't listen to audiobooks when exhausted.) In fact, I'm almost certain of it.
Kill All Wizards is a fantasy novella following Gotchimus, a Conan-style Barbarian, who has sworn revenge on wizards for being dicks to him. The POV is told chorus-style (i.e. "We") as if we are reading the book from the POV of the citizens of this world. It mostly reads like third-person, and I actually would have appreciated more of the input from the collective We. It's also told in a non-linear timeline, which is the part that my v. tired brain couldn't handle. If you offered me a million dollars to tell you in what order the events of this book occur, I wouldn't be able to do it. This is the part that i feel unqualified to judge, because again, I was so depleted I genuinely cannot tell if it was me or the book.
But I'm also giving this three stars for a couple of other reasons. Even though I thought the writing itself was very entertaining, the style of it also created a distance between my emotions and the characters. I was only beginning to emotionally vibe with them, and then the book ended. I am also having a hard time pinpointing the tone of this book. Is it satire? It's billed as being humorous, but I didn't laugh once, though I would describe the events and the imagery in here as being distinctly whimsical. Was it just poking fun at the Conan the Barbarian archetype? And like, putting that guy in fancy clothes? Because there wasn't even that much of that contained in the book.
I do think the novella length here was the right call. There wasn't enough substance to fill a novel, and I probably would have ended up DNFing it if it was longer.
The audiobook narrator, Raphael Corkhill, has a fantastic voice, and I would definitely read books narrated by him in the future.
[Later: I forgot about the Barbarian being bisexual, and the gender fluid love interest, which both gave me great pleasure, so bumping this up to 3.5 stars.]
Buzzword Reading Challenge 2026: instructional title
June 25, 2026
I picked up Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry purely for fun, without trying to fit it into any reading challenge, and it ended up being quite different from what I expected. According to Goodreads, it's supposed to be humorous, but I honestly didn't find it particularly funny. Instead, I found it to be an imaginative, fast paced fantasy adventure with a surprisingly serious tone.
The story follows a barbarian who, as the title suggests, begins killing wizards. The novel gradually reveals both how he manages to do something that should seem impossible and why he has chosen this path. What kept me listening was the world itself. It blends several fantasy traditions together. There are barbarians, powerful wizards, gods, ordinary people without magic, and even airships, giving the setting a light steampunk flavour without fully becoming steampunk.
The magic system was easily my favourite part of the book. It's unlike the spell based systems that appear in so many fantasy novels. Magic works according to its own strange logic, and although it's difficult to explain without spoiling the experience, it constantly felt fresh and original. Discovering how it all worked became part of the enjoyment.
The barbarian himself was also a pleasant surprise. Instead of being a simple brute, he is thoughtful, capable, and far more cultured than the stereotype his title suggests. As the story progresses, he gathers companions along the way, and their interactions help keep the novella moving at a brisk pace. Despite its relatively short length, the story packs in an impressive amount of adventure, never really slowing down from beginning to end.
If I had one expectation that wasn't met, it was the humour. Going in expecting a comedy probably set me up for something the book never intended to deliver. Once I accepted that it was telling a more serious fantasy story, I enjoyed it much more.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Kill All Wizards to readers looking for an inventive fantasy novella with an unusual magic system, an engaging protagonist, and plenty of adventure packed into a short page count. I'm looking forward to continuing the Barbaric Ledgers series and seeing where this wonderfully strange world goes next.
The story follows a barbarian who, as the title suggests, begins killing wizards. The novel gradually reveals both how he manages to do something that should seem impossible and why he has chosen this path. What kept me listening was the world itself. It blends several fantasy traditions together. There are barbarians, powerful wizards, gods, ordinary people without magic, and even airships, giving the setting a light steampunk flavour without fully becoming steampunk.
The magic system was easily my favourite part of the book. It's unlike the spell based systems that appear in so many fantasy novels. Magic works according to its own strange logic, and although it's difficult to explain without spoiling the experience, it constantly felt fresh and original. Discovering how it all worked became part of the enjoyment.
The barbarian himself was also a pleasant surprise. Instead of being a simple brute, he is thoughtful, capable, and far more cultured than the stereotype his title suggests. As the story progresses, he gathers companions along the way, and their interactions help keep the novella moving at a brisk pace. Despite its relatively short length, the story packs in an impressive amount of adventure, never really slowing down from beginning to end.
If I had one expectation that wasn't met, it was the humour. Going in expecting a comedy probably set me up for something the book never intended to deliver. Once I accepted that it was telling a more serious fantasy story, I enjoyed it much more.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Kill All Wizards to readers looking for an inventive fantasy novella with an unusual magic system, an engaging protagonist, and plenty of adventure packed into a short page count. I'm looking forward to continuing the Barbaric Ledgers series and seeing where this wonderfully strange world goes next.
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