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Odd
When the queen of Megval kills her husband and imposes necromancy-enforced martial law on the country, Cassius Kingston has no desire to act. In fact, he'd like someone else to take care of that situation entirely, thank you, because he has enough problems to worry about. A late-night alchemy experiment gone awry has left him reeling from the consequences, and frankly, he's in no shape to be saving anyone.
Of course, it's never that easy.
A fire at the university drives him out of the school and into the home of a local doctor. She's pleasant enough and Cassius is thankful for the help. However, he's not the only person to end up under this roof. A professional layabout, a soldier on the run, a dragon rider, her illusionist boyfriend and more somehow end up sharing this same space. And lo and behold, they have a plan even if Cassius doesn't like it.
They're going to stop the queen.
And if Cassius can survive the trouble, maybe he'll get to go back to his books.
Of course, it's never that easy.
A fire at the university drives him out of the school and into the home of a local doctor. She's pleasant enough and Cassius is thankful for the help. However, he's not the only person to end up under this roof. A professional layabout, a soldier on the run, a dragon rider, her illusionist boyfriend and more somehow end up sharing this same space. And lo and behold, they have a plan even if Cassius doesn't like it.
They're going to stop the queen.
And if Cassius can survive the trouble, maybe he'll get to go back to his books.
200 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2018
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 7, 2019
A seriously awesome novel (spoiler-free review!)
When I first began Odd, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, because most of the things I've read up until this point had been novels or series that had a middling to large fanbase--the kind of thing I can finish and IMMEDIATELY go look for fan art or fan fiction. However, a dear friend of mine recommended Odd to me, and I'm so glad they did.
Not only is Odd written in a fun and witty way, it's genuinely surprising. Often I found myself going, "Ah, I know the next three story beats," only for the story to smile at me and say, "perhaps you do." Honestly? I usually did not. I was (and am still!) *delighted* at how much this book took it upon itself to toss me a curve ball every now and again. It didn't feel forced or contrived, either; it just felt like a story I'd never read before. I was hooked.
This story has everything. An evil (yet strangely cute and genuinely charismatic) queen, the largest pinkest man, a bookwormish main character who is agender/nonbinary, the best and most adorable plant lady who is also a hella good doctor, and so much more. The cast is HUGE and yet so engaging. Every time there was a perspective switch, I'd kind of go, "Oh," in the tone of a woman deeply disappointed, and immediately after I would say, "Oh!" in the tone of a woman very excited to get back to what this other character was doing. There isn't a character in this book I don't love (or love to hate)!
All in all, this is an excellent book, with such an interesting premise, and the details and issues covered between its--well, covers--are sharp and yet delicately, considerately done. I had a blast reading Odd and hope to one day see a sequel (though the book stands perfectly on its own), a prequel, ANYTHING. I love these characters and I can't wait to see what these authors have in store for me next!
Also, I immediately need about 10,000 booshkas in my life, so if anyone knows where to get some...
When I first began Odd, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, because most of the things I've read up until this point had been novels or series that had a middling to large fanbase--the kind of thing I can finish and IMMEDIATELY go look for fan art or fan fiction. However, a dear friend of mine recommended Odd to me, and I'm so glad they did.
Not only is Odd written in a fun and witty way, it's genuinely surprising. Often I found myself going, "Ah, I know the next three story beats," only for the story to smile at me and say, "perhaps you do." Honestly? I usually did not. I was (and am still!) *delighted* at how much this book took it upon itself to toss me a curve ball every now and again. It didn't feel forced or contrived, either; it just felt like a story I'd never read before. I was hooked.
This story has everything. An evil (yet strangely cute and genuinely charismatic) queen, the largest pinkest man, a bookwormish main character who is agender/nonbinary, the best and most adorable plant lady who is also a hella good doctor, and so much more. The cast is HUGE and yet so engaging. Every time there was a perspective switch, I'd kind of go, "Oh," in the tone of a woman deeply disappointed, and immediately after I would say, "Oh!" in the tone of a woman very excited to get back to what this other character was doing. There isn't a character in this book I don't love (or love to hate)!
All in all, this is an excellent book, with such an interesting premise, and the details and issues covered between its--well, covers--are sharp and yet delicately, considerately done. I had a blast reading Odd and hope to one day see a sequel (though the book stands perfectly on its own), a prequel, ANYTHING. I love these characters and I can't wait to see what these authors have in store for me next!
Also, I immediately need about 10,000 booshkas in my life, so if anyone knows where to get some...
February 12, 2018
Odd is a masterful piece of fantasy that pulls you in with fantastic, growing characters in a world you want to learn more of, and people you wish you could meet. There wasn’t a character I didn’t enjoy, and the twists and turns pull you into the finale that is fantastic and terrible, all in one. Odd was a swirl of emotions that made me laugh, yell, smile and cry. I recommend Odd to all fantasy lovers. It’s been a long time since I didn’t want a story to end. You won’t be disappointed.
March 8, 2025
I've had my eye on Odd for quite some time. That cover is not what you usually expect from traditional fantasy fare and that peaked my interest. Now that I've read it, I'm not 100% sure what I feel about it and that makes me feel a little... odd.
To be sure, Odd is going to have its fans and I thought I would be one of them. A coup in the palace leads to a ruler with necromantic powers terrorising the country. A motley crew of dissidents assembles to fight back against the ruler and restore order to Megval. In essence, it sounds like it should fit my tastes perfectly. However, there were things that I felt didn't really fit my expectations. Now, I'm not expecting every book to be written to match my desires but I did think that the book did not match the synopsis. Actually, that's not true; the book does match the synopsis but I think the tone of the book is emotionally opposite from what I expected. I expected a rollicking adventure with some serious misdeeds from the enemy and perhaps a heist of some sort. What I got was much more focused on the feelings and emotions of the characters. The difference caused a bit of whiplash and may have affected my enjoyment a little.
Due to this emphasis on the characters, I'm glad to say that the character work is good. We have several characters that come from very different backgrounds to form our motley crew. Cass is the main point of view and we begin the story with them. Cass is an alchemist, who is very focused on their studies and has recently had an accident that may cause them some problems. They are researching a cure when the coup takes place and the University is set on fire. From this, we meet Velle and her family. Velle is a doctor who takes Cass in when she finds they hurt. She lives with her father Bastien, who knows a thing or two about rebellions, and Kirin, a wastrel who is terrible at cards. Several other characters appear (including two "diplomats", a dragon rider and an illusionist) and we have our gang. The interactions between the various characters is heartwarming, as their care towards each other increases as they get to know each other. It reads like found family but I would like to class it as Best Friends Forever (hopefully you'll see what I mean if you read it. I can't really explain as it might be spoilers). Although there isn't a vast deal of character development, all of the action takes place in a short period of time so I wouldn't expect that much growth anyway. The villian might be a point of contention. Some reviews have readers loving the characters charisma and personality; I wanted to punch her in the face but that might just be me. Love her or hate her, the villian is getting a reaction one way or another.
The plot shows signs of promise but the writing sometimes lets it down. It is, to be a bit brutual, a bit basic. I feel that all of the descriptions and effort has been put into the characters and developing their relationships that the plot has been left to suffer. This is really evident around the so-called reveals, where big things have happened but have the effect of a damp squib than a major plot point. The final pay-off and reveal especially fall victim to this to point that I was all "oh, it that it?" when we get to the end of the grand action. I also felt that some of the more important points of the plot were glossed over, almost to the point of making them plotholes.
In the end, I liked Odd but I didn't love it. I came for a complicated political coup with dark magics and evil deeds but what I got was a found family, almost cozy feeling rebellion with plants. I'm not saying that this is wrong but it wasn't what I was expecting. The character work is very well done but the writing lets the story down, especially in the final third. This probably spoiled my enjoyment of it a bit too much but I think others will value the character-driven cozy vibes more and will appreciate it for what it is.
To be sure, Odd is going to have its fans and I thought I would be one of them. A coup in the palace leads to a ruler with necromantic powers terrorising the country. A motley crew of dissidents assembles to fight back against the ruler and restore order to Megval. In essence, it sounds like it should fit my tastes perfectly. However, there were things that I felt didn't really fit my expectations. Now, I'm not expecting every book to be written to match my desires but I did think that the book did not match the synopsis. Actually, that's not true; the book does match the synopsis but I think the tone of the book is emotionally opposite from what I expected. I expected a rollicking adventure with some serious misdeeds from the enemy and perhaps a heist of some sort. What I got was much more focused on the feelings and emotions of the characters. The difference caused a bit of whiplash and may have affected my enjoyment a little.
Due to this emphasis on the characters, I'm glad to say that the character work is good. We have several characters that come from very different backgrounds to form our motley crew. Cass is the main point of view and we begin the story with them. Cass is an alchemist, who is very focused on their studies and has recently had an accident that may cause them some problems. They are researching a cure when the coup takes place and the University is set on fire. From this, we meet Velle and her family. Velle is a doctor who takes Cass in when she finds they hurt. She lives with her father Bastien, who knows a thing or two about rebellions, and Kirin, a wastrel who is terrible at cards. Several other characters appear (including two "diplomats", a dragon rider and an illusionist) and we have our gang. The interactions between the various characters is heartwarming, as their care towards each other increases as they get to know each other. It reads like found family but I would like to class it as Best Friends Forever (hopefully you'll see what I mean if you read it. I can't really explain as it might be spoilers). Although there isn't a vast deal of character development, all of the action takes place in a short period of time so I wouldn't expect that much growth anyway. The villian might be a point of contention. Some reviews have readers loving the characters charisma and personality; I wanted to punch her in the face but that might just be me. Love her or hate her, the villian is getting a reaction one way or another.
The plot shows signs of promise but the writing sometimes lets it down. It is, to be a bit brutual, a bit basic. I feel that all of the descriptions and effort has been put into the characters and developing their relationships that the plot has been left to suffer. This is really evident around the so-called reveals, where big things have happened but have the effect of a damp squib than a major plot point. The final pay-off and reveal especially fall victim to this to point that I was all "oh, it that it?" when we get to the end of the grand action. I also felt that some of the more important points of the plot were glossed over, almost to the point of making them plotholes.
In the end, I liked Odd but I didn't love it. I came for a complicated political coup with dark magics and evil deeds but what I got was a found family, almost cozy feeling rebellion with plants. I'm not saying that this is wrong but it wasn't what I was expecting. The character work is very well done but the writing lets the story down, especially in the final third. This probably spoiled my enjoyment of it a bit too much but I think others will value the character-driven cozy vibes more and will appreciate it for what it is.
July 27, 2021
Odd is yet again another great fantasy novel by author, AN Mouse. I really loved the sort “bottle” aspect of the story, as it focuses on the mains essentially under siege from an army of skeletons. The main character, Cass, is a great protagonist, so exasperated by the weight of the situation but still willing to rise to the challenge. Also, Velle has my heart. The baddies of the story are great as well, Gen being a cold as ice villain and her relationship with her advisor/boy toy Adel creates a great dynamic. Adel thinks he’s in charge but is really just a fool in love and it’s fun to see that play out. The climax is great and Gen getting hers was fun to see and it was also great to see everyone end up on their feet once the story is wrapped up.
I guess my only complaint and why I don’t think it’s quite as strong as the author’s “Highwyn” series is that there are a lot of characters in Odd and I felt like I didn’t get to know all of them super well.
Other than that minor complaint (and I do mean minor), I would still highly recommend Odd. All of the author’s best tendencies as an author, from found families, to villains who get a satisfying comeuppance, to really likeable protagonist characters, are all on display for fans of the author and those that are just being introduced to the author through this work, I have a feeling they will be back for more.
I guess my only complaint and why I don’t think it’s quite as strong as the author’s “Highwyn” series is that there are a lot of characters in Odd and I felt like I didn’t get to know all of them super well.
Other than that minor complaint (and I do mean minor), I would still highly recommend Odd. All of the author’s best tendencies as an author, from found families, to villains who get a satisfying comeuppance, to really likeable protagonist characters, are all on display for fans of the author and those that are just being introduced to the author through this work, I have a feeling they will be back for more.
July 22, 2020
What's poppin, back with another not as eloquent as other reviews, review.
I'm a big fantasy hoe and this book was *chefs kiss* so good. The biggest plague in the fantasy series is that most books are a lot of self aggrandizing, masturbatory celebration of the authors personal preferences instead of an actual story.
ODD steps so far away from that that it's like a breath of fresh air in a crowded elevator full of farts.
It gives you the setup but doesn't over explain everything. Some details are left out and assumes the readers own intelligence in the story telling. Not everything is explained, the story doesn't hold your hand, it shows and doesn't tell and what it shows is really good.
One thing I will say is that the villain of the story is incredibly well written. True to behaviour exhibited by abusers in real life they play themselves to be the victim and manipulate so poignantly that it leaves the reader questioning and doubting the truth, at least up until the climax.
11/10 Good shit highly recommended.
I'm a big fantasy hoe and this book was *chefs kiss* so good. The biggest plague in the fantasy series is that most books are a lot of self aggrandizing, masturbatory celebration of the authors personal preferences instead of an actual story.
ODD steps so far away from that that it's like a breath of fresh air in a crowded elevator full of farts.
It gives you the setup but doesn't over explain everything. Some details are left out and assumes the readers own intelligence in the story telling. Not everything is explained, the story doesn't hold your hand, it shows and doesn't tell and what it shows is really good.
One thing I will say is that the villain of the story is incredibly well written. True to behaviour exhibited by abusers in real life they play themselves to be the victim and manipulate so poignantly that it leaves the reader questioning and doubting the truth, at least up until the climax.
11/10 Good shit highly recommended.
January 7, 2019
One of the best takes on the classic fantasy story set up that I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. It made the whole premise feel fresh and entertaining, and kept me invested the entire time. By the time I finished, I was very sad to part with it. The characters are what really drive the story, and to that end are suitably compelling and wonderful. It’s a very diverse cast, each with their own roles to play, and I loved each and every one of them. I especially enjoyed the protagonist, Cass, whose anxiety throughout the book was incredibly relatable and quite frankly, realistic in a very refreshing way. The villain of the story was honestly just as engaging though, and entertaining in an entirely different regard; it was an oddly fun experience to hate her so much. I would gladly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good twist on the standard fantastic kingdom story.
February 19, 2019
A. N. Mouse as always has written a fantastic character fueled locomotive of a book. Except this time the conductor is none other than the delightfully aggravating villian of the book. Perhaps one of the best villains I've been exposed to in a while purely due to the asinine combination of their incredible stupidity and their talent for stoking the fires of all my ire. Of course the other characters are just as amazing particularly the highly relatable protagonist and their delightful band of misfit accidental revolutionaries.
December 26, 2018
A.N Mouse has written what has got to be the most frustrating villain which in turn also means one of the most gratifying endings.Colourful cast of likeable characters. A+
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews