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Sidequest: In Realms Ungoogled
Terrance Denby takes an unusual route to work one day and finds himself in an enchanted forest where winged fairies give him a sword and tell him, “Your journey is about to begin. Learn to use this sword or perish.” Terrance doesn’t have time to go on a magical he’s late for his job as a computer programmer. But when he gets to work, he suddenly notices things he hadn’t seen before. Like the fact that his boss is a demon with scaly skin, horns, and bloodstained fangs. Or that an “unnamed thing below” feasts on human victims in an arena filled with people absorbed in their cell phones. Set up on a blind date with a perky blonde named Shannon, Terrance finds that she is wearing a full suit of armor complete with a helmet and sword. “I’m a Sister of Torment,” she explains. “We’re a group of women who serve the Darkness.” Terrance can't help wondering how such a nice, attractive girl ended up beheading people with an ax. But their budding romance is complicated when Terrance is recruited by The Infinite, a shadowy group that is at war with the Sisters of Torment and their demonic overlords. Will Terrance join them? Or will he try to return to his old life and forget the evidence of his now-awakened senses? Faeries, elves, warriors, mermaids, and his dark-souled girlfriend will help him decide. If JRR Tolkien and Mike Judge got drunk and wrote a book together with the sole purpose of making it epix\c, it might be Sidequest. With cleverly written dialog and dry humor set against a fantastical, apocalyptic backdrop, Sidequest reads like an episode of Silicon Valley that cross bred with Lord of the Rings. A hilarious, fun and exciting ride, Sidequest possesses a wry hilarity, lovable characters and a plot that starts mundane and turns gargantuan in its scope. I'm not one who is into typically geeky things, but I geeked out when I read Sidequest. It possesses a love for and sense of humor about its subject matter reminiscent of Ready Player One. It's like Office Space meets World of Warcraft, and it's a total blast. It's a thrill to find a book that both makes you laugh out loud and grips you with its pacing. Sidequest doesn't let up and it takes you on a sprawling adventure from the office of guy who writes computer code to the apocalypse. Fleming tells a tale that is witty, out of its mind while at the same time deep. There is a meaning behind the madness and it is a blast to watch it unravel. -Ethan Nicolle (Axe Cop, Bearmageddon) "Starts off in a world much like our own, where the woman in HR sets you up for a date with a demon slayer, and the boss holds human sacrifices in the basement. And then it gets weird." -- Michael Z. Williamson "Frank Fleming's writing is a delight and kept me sane through some pretty dark times. Read. Enjoy." Sarah Hoyt
336 pages, Paperback
Published February 26, 2018
111 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Frank J. Fleming
14 books131 followersI used to write political satire, but then I got sick of politics and now sticking to science fiction and fantasy. It's supposed to be more serious writing, but people keep calling them comedies :(
Newsletter: http://frankjfleming.com
Newsletter: http://frankjfleming.com
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January 16, 2020This was a weird UF that read a lot like a LitRPG but technically was still an UF. It mixed humour, action, and a bit of mystery but on the whole was a character driven story.
Terrance Denby was just your average guy, a computer programmer, until he took an unusual route to work one day and stumbled upon an enchanted forest. While there a few fairies give him a magical sword and told him "your journey is about to begin". Terrance shakes the weird experience off as he is already running late for work so definitely has no time for an epic quest! Unfortunately for Terrance as soon as he gets to work he starts to notice a ton of weird stuff that no one else seems to notice. Like the fact that his boss is an actual demon! It gets too much for Terrance when during a lunch break a bunch of robbed figures drag a screaming women towards a monster that lives under the building of his work. Terrance takes a stand, since no one else even seems to realize something is wrong, and gets dragged further down the rabbit hole of crazy paranormal happenings!
The story was fun enough. It was a little over the top and crazy to begin with but once the story got going I did get sucked into it. It never took itself too seriously but did still manage to make me care enough about the characters that I was invested in the outcome. Terrance was a likeable enough guy and the secondary character were a crazy and fun bunch.
I loved the Terrance/Shannon interactions even when they were not getting along. It was fun to see Terrance try to get to grips with the fact that his fun girlfriend was also working as a Sister of Torment and might actually be evil!
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. It was definitely not what I was expecting but I do think it ended up being quite clever and now that I've finished I do feel like it was quite effective in getting Fleming's message across to the readers that might have missed his point. The story was light and fun and mostly upbeat but I still think it did a great job with his message that it is very easy to turn a blind eye to the evil going on around us and that this is something 99% of us do every single day.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: Richard Cefalos did a good job with the audio.
Terrance Denby was just your average guy, a computer programmer, until he took an unusual route to work one day and stumbled upon an enchanted forest. While there a few fairies give him a magical sword and told him "your journey is about to begin". Terrance shakes the weird experience off as he is already running late for work so definitely has no time for an epic quest! Unfortunately for Terrance as soon as he gets to work he starts to notice a ton of weird stuff that no one else seems to notice. Like the fact that his boss is an actual demon! It gets too much for Terrance when during a lunch break a bunch of robbed figures drag a screaming women towards a monster that lives under the building of his work. Terrance takes a stand, since no one else even seems to realize something is wrong, and gets dragged further down the rabbit hole of crazy paranormal happenings!
The story was fun enough. It was a little over the top and crazy to begin with but once the story got going I did get sucked into it. It never took itself too seriously but did still manage to make me care enough about the characters that I was invested in the outcome. Terrance was a likeable enough guy and the secondary character were a crazy and fun bunch.
I loved the Terrance/Shannon interactions even when they were not getting along. It was fun to see Terrance try to get to grips with the fact that his fun girlfriend was also working as a Sister of Torment and might actually be evil!
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. It was definitely not what I was expecting but I do think it ended up being quite clever and now that I've finished I do feel like it was quite effective in getting Fleming's message across to the readers that might have missed his point. The story was light and fun and mostly upbeat but I still think it did a great job with his message that it is very easy to turn a blind eye to the evil going on around us and that this is something 99% of us do every single day.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: Richard Cefalos did a good job with the audio.
March 17, 2018
Never underestimate a squirrel - or a computer programmer.
Terrance Denby sees a squirrel on his way to work one day, which inspires him to take a path he's noticed but never taken before.
You may never trust another squirrel again after reading this.
"Off the beaten path" takes on new meaning as a computer programmer starts noticing other things he's never paid attention to before. Like, his evil boss. We've seen the devil horns in "Dilbert" cartoons, but in Terrance's workplace, his boss even has hooves. But nobody seems to notice!
Until one day something really inhumane happens, and while others seem not to react, Terrance does. He cannot ignore the screams of a woman about to be sacrificed (nope, not gonna tell ya what kind of sacrifice!). Of course, this marks him as a troublemaker.
His coworkers and friends are colorful, comical, yet authentic. In a "Big Bang Theory" kind of way, geeky office guys manage to score dates with awesome women. Like Shannon. A perky blonde wearing a full suit of armor with helmet and sword hops into bed with Terrance on the first night. (Did I mention this novel reads like fantasy?) As a heartless mother who denied her offspring the TV show "Friends" until the youngest was in college, I can't say I am crazy about the sexual attainments of Terrance, but I'm not going to be a prude about it, either. (Those one-star bandits who penalize a great author for profanity - never would I!)
Shannon is Sister of Torment; she and the women in her club "serve the Darkness.” Terrance doesn't like to think about unpleasant things, like his hot girlfriend possibly beheading "villagers" for real, not just as part of some game. So Terrance just chooses not to think about, or act upon, a lot of the crazy things that happen.
Like the thumping from his downstairs neighbor when things get loud in Terrance's apartment - which is on the bottom floor. Who lives below the bottom floor,or what lurks there?
Of course, Terrance will eventually find his way to this lower level, and his life becomes more and more like a video game.
Not that I'd know what that's like: I've never played a video game in my entire life, but I'm totally in awe of gamers and the worlds they create, the lavish artwork that I can appreciate, and for the players, all kinds of amazing obstacles, conflicts, and triumphs.
This is an epic adventure, a classic with a contemporary twist, the feel of playing a video game. My Kindle is packed full of lines I highlighted just because they're great lines. The everyman protagonist is a computer programmer, which, in the dating world (and romance genre), is not very high up on anyone's list of desirables. In real life, I married an electrical engineer, so I can especially appreciate lines like this: "If it weren't for Einsteins like me, you'd click buttons on web pages and nothing would happen." Someone, in the dark reaches of cyberspace, brings us the information we surf the internet for. Someone makes all those invisible connections.
The underestimated computer geek, the under-appreciated work of coding, gradually rise to new levels in this story. It's fun to see the pre-modern, pre-tech world of magic and fantasy seep into the logical, high-tech world. If you're not a fan of the fantasy genre--if you insist on hard science fiction only--this story might frustrate you. How can fairies, demons, under-worlds, mermaids, and magic swords exist alongside computers and super highways?
The story kept me turning pages, even though I normally don't read this genre. Fleming's wit and endless one-liners kept me laughing and wanting to know "what next" - a question I never dare ask in real life, but in fiction, it's fun to find out.
If you need a good laugh (and I do, always), Frank J. Fleming will deliver.
My longer, more detailed review will be available tonight (I'm working on it!) at Steemit. Click on or go to steemit.com , then type carolkean... I'll be posting, any minute now... (ha, like Amazon, I can keep readers waiting, too!)
DISCLAIMER #1: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
--DO I really need to disclaim that? I read ARCs via NetGalley all the time.
DISCLAIMER #2: I'm no longer mad at Amazon. It took them forever to decide to allow my review but in the end, logic prevailed. They published it. :-)
LESSON LEARNED: Copy your review before you hit "Submit." Usually I do. Sometimes, I forget.
Terrance Denby sees a squirrel on his way to work one day, which inspires him to take a path he's noticed but never taken before.
You may never trust another squirrel again after reading this.
"Off the beaten path" takes on new meaning as a computer programmer starts noticing other things he's never paid attention to before. Like, his evil boss. We've seen the devil horns in "Dilbert" cartoons, but in Terrance's workplace, his boss even has hooves. But nobody seems to notice!
Until one day something really inhumane happens, and while others seem not to react, Terrance does. He cannot ignore the screams of a woman about to be sacrificed (nope, not gonna tell ya what kind of sacrifice!). Of course, this marks him as a troublemaker.
His coworkers and friends are colorful, comical, yet authentic. In a "Big Bang Theory" kind of way, geeky office guys manage to score dates with awesome women. Like Shannon. A perky blonde wearing a full suit of armor with helmet and sword hops into bed with Terrance on the first night. (Did I mention this novel reads like fantasy?) As a heartless mother who denied her offspring the TV show "Friends" until the youngest was in college, I can't say I am crazy about the sexual attainments of Terrance, but I'm not going to be a prude about it, either. (Those one-star bandits who penalize a great author for profanity - never would I!)
Shannon is Sister of Torment; she and the women in her club "serve the Darkness.” Terrance doesn't like to think about unpleasant things, like his hot girlfriend possibly beheading "villagers" for real, not just as part of some game. So Terrance just chooses not to think about, or act upon, a lot of the crazy things that happen.
Like the thumping from his downstairs neighbor when things get loud in Terrance's apartment - which is on the bottom floor. Who lives below the bottom floor,or what lurks there?
Of course, Terrance will eventually find his way to this lower level, and his life becomes more and more like a video game.
Not that I'd know what that's like: I've never played a video game in my entire life, but I'm totally in awe of gamers and the worlds they create, the lavish artwork that I can appreciate, and for the players, all kinds of amazing obstacles, conflicts, and triumphs.
This is an epic adventure, a classic with a contemporary twist, the feel of playing a video game. My Kindle is packed full of lines I highlighted just because they're great lines. The everyman protagonist is a computer programmer, which, in the dating world (and romance genre), is not very high up on anyone's list of desirables. In real life, I married an electrical engineer, so I can especially appreciate lines like this: "If it weren't for Einsteins like me, you'd click buttons on web pages and nothing would happen." Someone, in the dark reaches of cyberspace, brings us the information we surf the internet for. Someone makes all those invisible connections.
The underestimated computer geek, the under-appreciated work of coding, gradually rise to new levels in this story. It's fun to see the pre-modern, pre-tech world of magic and fantasy seep into the logical, high-tech world. If you're not a fan of the fantasy genre--if you insist on hard science fiction only--this story might frustrate you. How can fairies, demons, under-worlds, mermaids, and magic swords exist alongside computers and super highways?
The story kept me turning pages, even though I normally don't read this genre. Fleming's wit and endless one-liners kept me laughing and wanting to know "what next" - a question I never dare ask in real life, but in fiction, it's fun to find out.
If you need a good laugh (and I do, always), Frank J. Fleming will deliver.
My longer, more detailed review will be available tonight (I'm working on it!) at Steemit. Click on or go to steemit.com , then type carolkean... I'll be posting, any minute now... (ha, like Amazon, I can keep readers waiting, too!)
DISCLAIMER #1: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
--DO I really need to disclaim that? I read ARCs via NetGalley all the time.
DISCLAIMER #2: I'm no longer mad at Amazon. It took them forever to decide to allow my review but in the end, logic prevailed. They published it. :-)
LESSON LEARNED: Copy your review before you hit "Submit." Usually I do. Sometimes, I forget.
July 15, 2018
Ya know, it's weird. I've read approximately eleventy bajillion books. I've read books with heroes so eager to do their thing that they screw it up. I've read books with reluctant heroes who were forced into a role they never wanted and did what they had to do regardless. But I just read Frank J. Fleming's Sidequest: In Realms Ungoogled and it is the first book I've read whose protagonist doesn't rush off to do the right thing because he's not sure if it's real or not. It can be a bit frustrating at some points, but it's also really awesome.
Terrance Denby is one of us. He's not some Superdude in bright colored underwear flying off to destroy the opposition with his big muscles and X-ray vision. He's not a test pilot and he doesn't have some magical power ring that can make whatever he likes out of light and have it function like a regular object. He doesn't have a lass of truth and bullet proof bracelets. He's a goofball programmer who has no luck with chicks. One day, someone hands him a sword he doesn't know how to use. And he's not even sure if he WANTS to use it. Even worse, he's not even sure that there is a need to use it.
Look, I loved the opening to Monster Hunter International as much as any other human being on the planet. I hope to be able to write an opening like that myself someday. That much being said, I do kind of find Terrance's response to be more realistic than a lot of other peoples'. Seriously, Terrance is confronted with the fact that there might be a world that he is unaware of and isn't sure if he should believe in it or not. He doesn't run away in fear but he doesn't charge ahead swinging a sword either.
Mr. Denby (and I say this lovingly and as a kindred soul) is a nerd. He programs computers, plays video games and watches nerdy movies. He is way to easily influenced by beautiful women. He thinks before he acts but sometimes he's afraid to reach the right conclusions. And, above all, I can't help but shake the impression that he'd prefer to spend his time in his nerdtacular pursuits and just ignore the existence of the rest of the planet. I could see myself spending a Friday night with this guy over a bag of chips and a beverage or two playing Dungeons and Dragons and arguing over the proper tactics to take down the boss dragon at the end of the adventure. He's that guy and I'd be cool with it as long as he didn't keep my copy of Dragons of Autumn Twilight at the end of the campaign and eat all of my beef jerky because, ya know...
Errrr....
Anyway...
The world of Sidequest is our normal mundane world, only it's not. There are places that we could get to if only we knew how and where to look for them. Walmart and McDonalds exist there, but there's something pounding on the bottom of the floor, and Terrance lives in a ground floor apartment. His company has empowerment meetings, but they may not mean what he always thought they did. It's almost right but not quite. There are pretty ladies but you might be surprised what they do for a living. It's complex, it's rich and it feels close to normal without being mundane. I like it.
Of course, a sword is a weapon of war and when Terrance is given one, he finds out that there is a war to be fought. The enemy is not necessarily my favorite type of villain. It is neither obvious nor easily defined to start out. There is an immediacy to the threat but not one that most of the population can see. This isn't a Harry Potter novel. It's not that the villain is He Who Must Not Be Named. It's that Terrance isn't even sure if the villain exists or what they might be like. That adds a level of creepiness but it also speaks to another pet peeve of a lot of people, and how well Fleming avoided it.
Terrance Denby is not Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark. He doesn't have any superpowers or a suit of all powerful armor. Terrance Denby is also not Honor Harrington or Montgomery Scott. He makes mistakes. He has massive shortcomings. He struggles the whole book just to believe that he is capable of doing what he needs to do. Half the time when he does something right it feels like he did so on accident.
I don't want to give too much away, but Terrance's girlfriend reminds me in some ways of some of the women I've dated and the one I was married to. I just wish they would have been as obvious about their tendencies when we first met. Lord knows I can feel his pain at times. He's not always as decisive in his love life as he should be either, but who can't identify with that? We've all had to fight that feeling of doubt before. Terrance may take things a bit further than I would but hey, it's his call and I know the feeling.
There has to be a sequel coming. Actually, let me rephrase that: I WANT MY SEQUEL DAMMIT!!! I have yet to see an actual announcement but if I don't get one I'm going to pout like a three year old and refuse to eat my dinner. I mean it. There better be a sequel. I'm not going to give away the ending because I'm not that guy. I will say that not everything is as resolved as I want it to be. I need closure. I have to know where this story goes next. Threads are dangling. I'm not a cat. I don't like dangling threads. Dangling threads are for authors to play with. They don't make good toys for Jimbos. I know this from experience. But when your biggest gripe about a book is that the next one hasn't been released yet, I suppose you have to acknowledge that it was a massively enjoyable read.
Terrance Denby is one of us. He's not some Superdude in bright colored underwear flying off to destroy the opposition with his big muscles and X-ray vision. He's not a test pilot and he doesn't have some magical power ring that can make whatever he likes out of light and have it function like a regular object. He doesn't have a lass of truth and bullet proof bracelets. He's a goofball programmer who has no luck with chicks. One day, someone hands him a sword he doesn't know how to use. And he's not even sure if he WANTS to use it. Even worse, he's not even sure that there is a need to use it.
Look, I loved the opening to Monster Hunter International as much as any other human being on the planet. I hope to be able to write an opening like that myself someday. That much being said, I do kind of find Terrance's response to be more realistic than a lot of other peoples'. Seriously, Terrance is confronted with the fact that there might be a world that he is unaware of and isn't sure if he should believe in it or not. He doesn't run away in fear but he doesn't charge ahead swinging a sword either.
Mr. Denby (and I say this lovingly and as a kindred soul) is a nerd. He programs computers, plays video games and watches nerdy movies. He is way to easily influenced by beautiful women. He thinks before he acts but sometimes he's afraid to reach the right conclusions. And, above all, I can't help but shake the impression that he'd prefer to spend his time in his nerdtacular pursuits and just ignore the existence of the rest of the planet. I could see myself spending a Friday night with this guy over a bag of chips and a beverage or two playing Dungeons and Dragons and arguing over the proper tactics to take down the boss dragon at the end of the adventure. He's that guy and I'd be cool with it as long as he didn't keep my copy of Dragons of Autumn Twilight at the end of the campaign and eat all of my beef jerky because, ya know...
Errrr....
Anyway...
The world of Sidequest is our normal mundane world, only it's not. There are places that we could get to if only we knew how and where to look for them. Walmart and McDonalds exist there, but there's something pounding on the bottom of the floor, and Terrance lives in a ground floor apartment. His company has empowerment meetings, but they may not mean what he always thought they did. It's almost right but not quite. There are pretty ladies but you might be surprised what they do for a living. It's complex, it's rich and it feels close to normal without being mundane. I like it.
Of course, a sword is a weapon of war and when Terrance is given one, he finds out that there is a war to be fought. The enemy is not necessarily my favorite type of villain. It is neither obvious nor easily defined to start out. There is an immediacy to the threat but not one that most of the population can see. This isn't a Harry Potter novel. It's not that the villain is He Who Must Not Be Named. It's that Terrance isn't even sure if the villain exists or what they might be like. That adds a level of creepiness but it also speaks to another pet peeve of a lot of people, and how well Fleming avoided it.
Terrance Denby is not Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark. He doesn't have any superpowers or a suit of all powerful armor. Terrance Denby is also not Honor Harrington or Montgomery Scott. He makes mistakes. He has massive shortcomings. He struggles the whole book just to believe that he is capable of doing what he needs to do. Half the time when he does something right it feels like he did so on accident.
I don't want to give too much away, but Terrance's girlfriend reminds me in some ways of some of the women I've dated and the one I was married to. I just wish they would have been as obvious about their tendencies when we first met. Lord knows I can feel his pain at times. He's not always as decisive in his love life as he should be either, but who can't identify with that? We've all had to fight that feeling of doubt before. Terrance may take things a bit further than I would but hey, it's his call and I know the feeling.
There has to be a sequel coming. Actually, let me rephrase that: I WANT MY SEQUEL DAMMIT!!! I have yet to see an actual announcement but if I don't get one I'm going to pout like a three year old and refuse to eat my dinner. I mean it. There better be a sequel. I'm not going to give away the ending because I'm not that guy. I will say that not everything is as resolved as I want it to be. I need closure. I have to know where this story goes next. Threads are dangling. I'm not a cat. I don't like dangling threads. Dangling threads are for authors to play with. They don't make good toys for Jimbos. I know this from experience. But when your biggest gripe about a book is that the next one hasn't been released yet, I suppose you have to acknowledge that it was a massively enjoyable read.
March 29, 2018
Most people don't encounter evil on a regular basis.
I mean, you see bad behavior. Selfishness. Greediness. The woman at the McDonald's putting an egg on your Sausage McGriddle after you've told her specifically not to do that, for spite. But evil? Most of us don't see it. Some of us can't recognize it.
Case in point: I was watching the Winter Olympics with my twin daughters, age nine, and NBC was doing a happy smiley broadcast about the cheer squad that the North Koreans brought south to cheer for the combined NK-SK women's hockey team. And my kids are curious about that, and I tell them the truth. "Those women are slaves," I said. "If they do one thing that the leadership in North Korea doesn't like, they'll be sent to a prison camp, or shot."
So there you had, up on the screen, profound evidence of a thoroughgoing evil. But it looked cute and harmless. I don't think my kids believed me, and why should they? The announcers didn't think anything bad was going on, or if they did, they didn't say so.
Evil is not that way in SIDEQUEST: IN REALMS UNGOOGLED, which (despite the wretchedly ungainly title) is actually a worthwhile exercise in the nature of evil. In Frank Fleming's book, "the Darkness" is not just visible, it's omnipresent. It is a nameless thing in the sub-basement of your office building that demands human sacrifice. It is a giant fortress located next to a volcano, with a demonic dragon circling lazily in the air. It is demonic warriors hacking defenseless villages into submission. And it is the protagonist's Manic Pixie Dream Girl girlfriend, one of said demonic warriors, who knows all his lame pop-culture references, plays the same video games, and is good in bed.
Said protagonist is Terrance Denby, a beta male's beta male, a meek computer programmer who goes into a flow experience (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, call your office) when debugging ancient lines of computer code. Other than that, he has not one thing going for him except for a faerie sword, an Amazon Prime account, and the willingness to do something when the Darkness stops being warily menacing and verges into actual evil actions.
SIDEQUEST is, naturally enough, filled with tropes, but it avoids the most obvious one. Terrance is not a "chosen one," not a "golden child," not a man of destiny who will destroy the darkness. He is an ordinary guy confronted by ordinary and extraordinary evils who makes mistakes, has to learn how to use his talents, and has to pay a price for standing up to evil.
It must be pointed out that SIDEQUEST is primarily a satire, and rests on a thick layer of ridiculousness. But below that is a real concern about evil, and how we recognize it, or don't, and how we confront it, or don't. In a world where evil is all too often abused or abetted by happy smiley people who should know better, it is a valuable document.
I mean, you see bad behavior. Selfishness. Greediness. The woman at the McDonald's putting an egg on your Sausage McGriddle after you've told her specifically not to do that, for spite. But evil? Most of us don't see it. Some of us can't recognize it.
Case in point: I was watching the Winter Olympics with my twin daughters, age nine, and NBC was doing a happy smiley broadcast about the cheer squad that the North Koreans brought south to cheer for the combined NK-SK women's hockey team. And my kids are curious about that, and I tell them the truth. "Those women are slaves," I said. "If they do one thing that the leadership in North Korea doesn't like, they'll be sent to a prison camp, or shot."
So there you had, up on the screen, profound evidence of a thoroughgoing evil. But it looked cute and harmless. I don't think my kids believed me, and why should they? The announcers didn't think anything bad was going on, or if they did, they didn't say so.
Evil is not that way in SIDEQUEST: IN REALMS UNGOOGLED, which (despite the wretchedly ungainly title) is actually a worthwhile exercise in the nature of evil. In Frank Fleming's book, "the Darkness" is not just visible, it's omnipresent. It is a nameless thing in the sub-basement of your office building that demands human sacrifice. It is a giant fortress located next to a volcano, with a demonic dragon circling lazily in the air. It is demonic warriors hacking defenseless villages into submission. And it is the protagonist's Manic Pixie Dream Girl girlfriend, one of said demonic warriors, who knows all his lame pop-culture references, plays the same video games, and is good in bed.
Said protagonist is Terrance Denby, a beta male's beta male, a meek computer programmer who goes into a flow experience (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, call your office) when debugging ancient lines of computer code. Other than that, he has not one thing going for him except for a faerie sword, an Amazon Prime account, and the willingness to do something when the Darkness stops being warily menacing and verges into actual evil actions.
SIDEQUEST is, naturally enough, filled with tropes, but it avoids the most obvious one. Terrance is not a "chosen one," not a "golden child," not a man of destiny who will destroy the darkness. He is an ordinary guy confronted by ordinary and extraordinary evils who makes mistakes, has to learn how to use his talents, and has to pay a price for standing up to evil.
It must be pointed out that SIDEQUEST is primarily a satire, and rests on a thick layer of ridiculousness. But below that is a real concern about evil, and how we recognize it, or don't, and how we confront it, or don't. In a world where evil is all too often abused or abetted by happy smiley people who should know better, it is a valuable document.
April 17, 2021
This was funny.
This was funny and clever. Uplifting, thought provoking. Glad I read it and will look for more by this author.
Review on second reading: I like this a little bit more on second reading, but I think I should explain it a little better. sIt's somewhat of an allegory, something of a quest story, something of a Don Quixote tale, and something C.S. Lewis and Terry Pratchett might have written together if they were best friends in middle school, and Piers Anthony sat in the next row over suggesting different ways they could throw in another buxom female. It's a fun book.
The writing doesn't rise to excellent, but it's solid. The dialogue is funny. There is kind of a lot of nakedness, although not gratuitous. A couple of characters are rather quick to fall in and out of bed with new friends- at one point one of those characters wants to pet a unicorn, which gets testy about her presence, and the unicorn's human friend explains she can't because unicorns only let virgins near them. The non-virgin gets huffy and says that's pretty judgemental.
One morning on his way to work Terrance decides he has a little extra time so he takes a turn down a seldom used road he's often passed and is somewhat curious about. He meets up with some fairies and finds a sword and then goes back to work- and this is all very normal. But he starts to notice things, like his boss is an actual demon. He's always been a demon and Terrance has always known that, but now it occurs to him that maybe it's just a little odd to have a demon for a boss. There are periodic workplace meetings that nobody likes, where a human sacrifice might happen, and it occurs to Terrance for the first time that perhaps, just possibly, this is not boring, but strange and perhaps wrong. His girlfriend works with a group called the Sisters of Torment, and sometimes comes home with blood stains, and he wonders if there might not actually be something evil going on. Her room in the castle of doom is sort of a doomish black cave with black rock walls decorated with posters of kittens. He just keeps noticing other oddities like that and wonding why he's never stopped to think about wrong it all is. The dialogue is witty and funny. The world is both very serious- humanity is perhaps at stake, and very surreal. Another member of The Sisters of Doom wears a purple shirt with a pony on it, but she's wearing it ironically.
Terrence meets up with another group of people who have started noticing things are weird, and who band together to fight evil.
Do they win or do they not? Well. It's an interesting question. There's a surprising but I should have seen it coming twist towards the very end, and that's where the really thought-provoking part happens.
It *is* funny, almost a delightful farce, often tongue in cheek, then it turns a corner and awakens wonder.
I enjoyed it. I would not give it to a kid I was responsible for until probably 16.
This was funny and clever. Uplifting, thought provoking. Glad I read it and will look for more by this author.
Review on second reading: I like this a little bit more on second reading, but I think I should explain it a little better. sIt's somewhat of an allegory, something of a quest story, something of a Don Quixote tale, and something C.S. Lewis and Terry Pratchett might have written together if they were best friends in middle school, and Piers Anthony sat in the next row over suggesting different ways they could throw in another buxom female. It's a fun book.
The writing doesn't rise to excellent, but it's solid. The dialogue is funny. There is kind of a lot of nakedness, although not gratuitous. A couple of characters are rather quick to fall in and out of bed with new friends- at one point one of those characters wants to pet a unicorn, which gets testy about her presence, and the unicorn's human friend explains she can't because unicorns only let virgins near them. The non-virgin gets huffy and says that's pretty judgemental.
One morning on his way to work Terrance decides he has a little extra time so he takes a turn down a seldom used road he's often passed and is somewhat curious about. He meets up with some fairies and finds a sword and then goes back to work- and this is all very normal. But he starts to notice things, like his boss is an actual demon. He's always been a demon and Terrance has always known that, but now it occurs to him that maybe it's just a little odd to have a demon for a boss. There are periodic workplace meetings that nobody likes, where a human sacrifice might happen, and it occurs to Terrance for the first time that perhaps, just possibly, this is not boring, but strange and perhaps wrong. His girlfriend works with a group called the Sisters of Torment, and sometimes comes home with blood stains, and he wonders if there might not actually be something evil going on. Her room in the castle of doom is sort of a doomish black cave with black rock walls decorated with posters of kittens. He just keeps noticing other oddities like that and wonding why he's never stopped to think about wrong it all is. The dialogue is witty and funny. The world is both very serious- humanity is perhaps at stake, and very surreal. Another member of The Sisters of Doom wears a purple shirt with a pony on it, but she's wearing it ironically.
Terrence meets up with another group of people who have started noticing things are weird, and who band together to fight evil.
Do they win or do they not? Well. It's an interesting question. There's a surprising but I should have seen it coming twist towards the very end, and that's where the really thought-provoking part happens.
It *is* funny, almost a delightful farce, often tongue in cheek, then it turns a corner and awakens wonder.
I enjoyed it. I would not give it to a kid I was responsible for until probably 16.
July 20, 2020
This book gave me Cabin in the Woods vibes in the best way! It is simply a book you cannot put down. I love that Fleming just thrusts you into this world— it is the only way to feel that out-of-placeness that the main character, Terrance, feels as his eyes are opened to the things around him that should not be so. Seeing things in his world that aren’t as they should, Terrance decides to do something. Never sure what he’s doing, he just continues to do something. The classic good versus evil story, but the hero is just a guy who decided to be the someone to do something.
April 5, 2018
Have you ever had this feeling when you stare out of the window for a long time and suddenly realize that all of this is actually real? This book is about that feeling.
Well, this was kinda fun read. I definitely loved the casual voice af naration and the sense of humour, but the problem is that I didn`t much care about the plot and characters. I`ve read this type of good vs. evil story hundreds of times and I`m really getting tired of it and this book doesn`t add anything new to that. And what`s even worse - the characters are just cardboard place holders. I mean, c`mon, wimpy main character, that finds his warrior strength in his fears, demon boss, always grumpy ally, cocky little guy, cute girlfriend, that turns out to be more than meets the eye and so on and so on. These aren`t real characters, they are just stereotypes that stumble around the plot.
And yes, yes, I get the big moral of the story - for evil to win good people have just to avert their eyes - but godammit I`m tired of those didactic in-your-face stories. Seriously, I finished this book just because I enjoyed the bit geeky sense of humour and references to popculture.
Well, this was kinda fun read. I definitely loved the casual voice af naration and the sense of humour, but the problem is that I didn`t much care about the plot and characters. I`ve read this type of good vs. evil story hundreds of times and I`m really getting tired of it and this book doesn`t add anything new to that. And what`s even worse - the characters are just cardboard place holders. I mean, c`mon, wimpy main character, that finds his warrior strength in his fears, demon boss, always grumpy ally, cocky little guy, cute girlfriend, that turns out to be more than meets the eye and so on and so on. These aren`t real characters, they are just stereotypes that stumble around the plot.
And yes, yes, I get the big moral of the story - for evil to win good people have just to avert their eyes - but godammit I`m tired of those didactic in-your-face stories. Seriously, I finished this book just because I enjoyed the bit geeky sense of humour and references to popculture.
April 6, 2018
This.... is a confusing book. The first several chapters of this story are nearly impenetrable as Fleming does nothing to setup the world or the rules. As a result, you never get a solid footing in the story. It's difficult when you aren't sure what's strange for this world and what isn't. Especially when what is strange and what isn't is extreamly important for the plot of the story. The net result is a dreamlike (sometimes even Kafkaesque) feel most of the time.
Still, I mostly enjoyed the story.
Still, I mostly enjoyed the story.
April 29, 2018
My German professor used to make us do weekly recitations in class; at the end, she would smile and say "(Name), dass war nicht ganz schrecklich." ("That wasn't entirely awful.")
That's how I feel about the book. Parts of it were fun, with some echoes of Pratchett, Douglas Adams, L. Sprague de Camp and others, but most of it was tedious and repetitive. I forced myself to finish, even though by about halfway through the book I found myself thinking "I don't care what happens to these people."
Still, it wasn't entirely awful.
That's how I feel about the book. Parts of it were fun, with some echoes of Pratchett, Douglas Adams, L. Sprague de Camp and others, but most of it was tedious and repetitive. I forced myself to finish, even though by about halfway through the book I found myself thinking "I don't care what happens to these people."
Still, it wasn't entirely awful.
April 17, 2018
I almost didn't give this book a try because the premise, that there could be realms yet ungoogled, was so preposterous as to beggar belief. I gave it a try though, and none of the story was nearly so ridiculous.
April 17, 2018
Not a book for everyone, but absolutely a book for me. You wouldn't be wrong to read the entire book as a prolonged setup to the epilogue, which was -- and I don't use this word lightly -- beautiful.
August 30, 2020
This book is something else. I just finished it, and I'm at a bit of a loss for words. I now know why the other reviewers keep mentioning the epilogue. Somehow... it fits? Really well, actually. I don't know why I'm not mad!! I guess because it was great.
At the start, I was a little confused, unsure if what Terrance was seeing was visible to everyone else. Yes, even though people kept mentioning things like: "Why do you have a sword?" or "I got faerie blood in my hair." The mix of familiar and fantastical threw me off. It turns out Terrance is living in a world where that's normal, except he's starting to notice something isn't quite right. I mean, beyond the demons and sword-wielding Hollow Ones and whatnot. Maybe what everyone around him accepts as "fine" is really numbness to a slow death.
What's different about this story is that the hero isn't unstoppable or, well, even qualified. Terrance the programmer realizes that he doesn't have to be skilled or courageous or even READY. He just has to act, because if he doesn't, he won't be able to live with himself. Because the only other choice is surrendering to complacency. It may be more comfortable and safe, but it kills the only part of a person that really matters.
I was late to the game for books by Fleming. What hooked me was a promotional email (I never open those, let alone buy, but it was from the Babylon Bee, a satire site I love). Anyway, this led me on an epic journey, from the Superego novels to Hellbender and now to this. I didn't notice until now, but I went in reverse order by publishing dates. If I'd started here, I think I may've understood Hellbender more fully. To my surprise, demonic forces try to engender trust from unsuspecting humans with gifts of donuts in both books. Not only that, but talk of "this sliver of reality" and darkness coming out more in the open... I don't think the two books even exist in the same universe, but what is left unexplained in Hellbender becomes clearer when put side-by-side with Sidequest.
One thing: I think the book could've used a different subtitle. It doesn't reflect what it's about.
I think I'll probably re-read in a while. I only do that with books I really like-- if there's more to notice each time you go through it-- so that's a compliment. It was pretty profound. For some reason, what stuck with me was when one character was dying and said to distraught Terrance, "You're taking this all too seriously." Isn't that the truth? We get so full of fear and worry endlessly about anything and everything. But can any of us by worrying add a single hour to our lives? We will all die. The question is: who are you living for? yourself or Christ? And if you know what lies ahead, that this is only a sliver of reality, a blip on the radar of eternity... then death has no sting.
At the start, I was a little confused, unsure if what Terrance was seeing was visible to everyone else. Yes, even though people kept mentioning things like: "Why do you have a sword?" or "I got faerie blood in my hair." The mix of familiar and fantastical threw me off. It turns out Terrance is living in a world where that's normal, except he's starting to notice something isn't quite right. I mean, beyond the demons and sword-wielding Hollow Ones and whatnot. Maybe what everyone around him accepts as "fine" is really numbness to a slow death.
What's different about this story is that the hero isn't unstoppable or, well, even qualified. Terrance the programmer realizes that he doesn't have to be skilled or courageous or even READY. He just has to act, because if he doesn't, he won't be able to live with himself. Because the only other choice is surrendering to complacency. It may be more comfortable and safe, but it kills the only part of a person that really matters.
I was late to the game for books by Fleming. What hooked me was a promotional email (I never open those, let alone buy, but it was from the Babylon Bee, a satire site I love). Anyway, this led me on an epic journey, from the Superego novels to Hellbender and now to this. I didn't notice until now, but I went in reverse order by publishing dates. If I'd started here, I think I may've understood Hellbender more fully. To my surprise, demonic forces try to engender trust from unsuspecting humans with gifts of donuts in both books. Not only that, but talk of "this sliver of reality" and darkness coming out more in the open... I don't think the two books even exist in the same universe, but what is left unexplained in Hellbender becomes clearer when put side-by-side with Sidequest.
One thing: I think the book could've used a different subtitle. It doesn't reflect what it's about.
I think I'll probably re-read in a while. I only do that with books I really like-- if there's more to notice each time you go through it-- so that's a compliment. It was pretty profound. For some reason, what stuck with me was when one character was dying and said to distraught Terrance, "You're taking this all too seriously." Isn't that the truth? We get so full of fear and worry endlessly about anything and everything. But can any of us by worrying add a single hour to our lives? We will all die. The question is: who are you living for? yourself or Christ? And if you know what lies ahead, that this is only a sliver of reality, a blip on the radar of eternity... then death has no sting.
April 25, 2018
One of those 'all over the place' novels.
Terrance Denby is just your average computer programmer, until he meets some fairies and gets a sword. After that his world gets more, and more strange as time goes on. Things that never bothered him, start to become strange. Like the fact that his boss is an actual demon (horns and all), that company motivational activities include human sacrifice, or the fact that he has a downstairs neighbor on a ground-floor apartment.... And then things get really weird when his blind date is this really cute girl who works with the Sisters of Torment.
yeah...this book bounced a bit between 2 and 4 stars.
I loved the casual style of the narrator, the quirky characters and the numerous geeky references all over the place. What I really didn't like about the novel however, was the fact that, in all that happens the 'message' of the novel thumped the storytelling. And tho this message is a good one , It does prevent the MC from actually accomplishing anything. The whole book he felt ineffective, or just 'there' while other were actually advancing the plot.
So in all this was a fine story with a strong message, but also a novel that I could only really enjoy at certain points throughout the novel.
Terrance Denby is just your average computer programmer, until he meets some fairies and gets a sword. After that his world gets more, and more strange as time goes on. Things that never bothered him, start to become strange. Like the fact that his boss is an actual demon (horns and all), that company motivational activities include human sacrifice, or the fact that he has a downstairs neighbor on a ground-floor apartment.... And then things get really weird when his blind date is this really cute girl who works with the Sisters of Torment.
yeah...this book bounced a bit between 2 and 4 stars.
I loved the casual style of the narrator, the quirky characters and the numerous geeky references all over the place. What I really didn't like about the novel however, was the fact that, in all that happens the 'message' of the novel thumped the storytelling. And tho this message is a good one , It does prevent the MC from actually accomplishing anything. The whole book he felt ineffective, or just 'there' while other were actually advancing the plot.
So in all this was a fine story with a strong message, but also a novel that I could only really enjoy at certain points throughout the novel.
April 23, 2020
To preface this review I read this book right after having my wisdom teeth removed and I was hopped up on painkillers. That being said I still enjoyed it. I heard of Frank Fleming from his work with the Babylon Bee. At first I thought this was just kind of a weird book but as things went on they stayed weird. But very very funny. There are times where people write books that they think are funny but all the story is just setup after setup for different jokes. This book actually had a plot that carried the jokes and made the book as a whole enjoyable and not just the jokes. I think that I will be reading Frank's next book, Hellbender, now that I am done. I am not sure if I will ever get into Superego though.
September 5, 2020
I'm almost tempted to call the book allegorical, it's biggest flaw is that it is not very subtle about it. Beyond the humor and repeated geek culture references, pushing the story forward is one message that is kind of hammered away at, some might say excessively, about not ignoring evil and taking a stand, even when you know doing so will not make a difference. The book has Something To Say and wants to make sure that you get it. The plot was enjoyable enough to make the message part tolerable, it was very well-paced and surprisingly unpredictable, and while the fantasy elements are by-and-large the store brand variety rather than something more unique, the book is genre-savvy enough to make up for it. I liked it.
May 14, 2018
This book was a ton of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now, you might come out of the first chapter or so thinking, “wait, what’s going on here?” but it’s definitely worth continuing on because your questions WILL be answered! Terrance, the hero of the story, accepts a lot of things in life without really thinking about them—don’t we all? But when his eyes are opened, he has a lot of decisions to make, and they won’t be easy ones. The characters are engaging, the humour is sly, and the plot is fast-paced. The audiobook narration is also top-notch. Highly recommended if you like quirky contemporary fantasy.
July 18, 2018
Argh! I got to the end and SOOOO want this to be a series.
As others have pointed out, this book is an odd read. You just have to go with the flow and the world building will happen around you. I love it when authors can pull that off, and in my opinion Fleming did that in spades here. I love the ethereal feel of the setting, it's mix of fairy tale and modern characters and actions. I love the characters and their relationships. Even when they are brief they feel real. It is definitely a character driven story. And I love the ending. It all builds naturally and I ended very satisfied. It probably doesn't need a sequel, but if it gets one I'll be first in line to read it.
As others have pointed out, this book is an odd read. You just have to go with the flow and the world building will happen around you. I love it when authors can pull that off, and in my opinion Fleming did that in spades here. I love the ethereal feel of the setting, it's mix of fairy tale and modern characters and actions. I love the characters and their relationships. Even when they are brief they feel real. It is definitely a character driven story. And I love the ending. It all builds naturally and I ended very satisfied. It probably doesn't need a sequel, but if it gets one I'll be first in line to read it.
July 4, 2018
Far more than it appears
This book operates on many different levels. It is a fantasy adventure, a love story, an action thriller, and a very deep allegory about modern life and the things we take for granted. Nothing is obvious and there are no easy answers at the end. But the laughs are genuine, the love is tender and inspiring, the action is beautifully narrated, and the call to action is profound. Like the world in which the protagonist finds himself, it is more than it appears. Highly recommended.
This book operates on many different levels. It is a fantasy adventure, a love story, an action thriller, and a very deep allegory about modern life and the things we take for granted. Nothing is obvious and there are no easy answers at the end. But the laughs are genuine, the love is tender and inspiring, the action is beautifully narrated, and the call to action is profound. Like the world in which the protagonist finds himself, it is more than it appears. Highly recommended.
October 3, 2018
I have been a fan of this author mostly for his humorous political takes on Twitter. This is not a political read at all, but more of a fantasy comedy. Reading this prior to Matt Groening's Disenchanted, I'll simply say two things: 1) this works better than the TV series, and 2) This is an okay diversion that's maybe 50 pages too long as a sort of parody of fantasy tropes.
I hate the "this is fine for a self-published book" fallback, but that's where I ultimately land. Good for a quick, cheap read, but it won't blow your mind.
I hate the "this is fine for a self-published book" fallback, but that's where I ultimately land. Good for a quick, cheap read, but it won't blow your mind.
November 21, 2019
Mystery & Mayhem... Maybe
Frank Fleming has written another really odd story with wonderful characters and a marvelous plot! The male, Terrance, is a programmer who ends up living a Dungeons and Dragons adventure along with his girlfriend, Shannon. Evil has taken over the universe, and Terrence becomes a reluctant warrior. There is so much more to this great adventure; and I do not want to ruin the fun for anyone! This tale will take you on an unbelievable journey!
Frank Fleming has written another really odd story with wonderful characters and a marvelous plot! The male, Terrance, is a programmer who ends up living a Dungeons and Dragons adventure along with his girlfriend, Shannon. Evil has taken over the universe, and Terrence becomes a reluctant warrior. There is so much more to this great adventure; and I do not want to ruin the fun for anyone! This tale will take you on an unbelievable journey!
April 4, 2018
A Fun Read
Full of adventure that doesn't take itself too seriously, and humor that stops short of going off of the deep end. The main character is a geek who doesn't magically grow big muscles or become a master swordsman, but manages to remain himself, a somewhat befuddled geek.
Full of adventure that doesn't take itself too seriously, and humor that stops short of going off of the deep end. The main character is a geek who doesn't magically grow big muscles or become a master swordsman, but manages to remain himself, a somewhat befuddled geek.
June 11, 2018
Quirky but very good
I would highly recommend checking this book out. It isn't the most highly polished writing, but incredibly creative, very engaging, and extremely funny. A remarkably original story with wonderful characters, great plot, and clever ideas. Definitely worth reading.
I would highly recommend checking this book out. It isn't the most highly polished writing, but incredibly creative, very engaging, and extremely funny. A remarkably original story with wonderful characters, great plot, and clever ideas. Definitely worth reading.
July 6, 2018
Drop the epilogue and write part two.
Good book, right up 'till the trite "nevermind, none of this mattered or happened, it's all meaningless, but hey, maybe it'll happen again! Or not!" ending. Could have been a great part one to a continuing series had it ended with the finals chapter and ditched the epilogue.
Good book, right up 'till the trite "nevermind, none of this mattered or happened, it's all meaningless, but hey, maybe it'll happen again! Or not!" ending. Could have been a great part one to a continuing series had it ended with the finals chapter and ditched the epilogue.
July 22, 2018
Wonderful read!
This was a wonderful book and I loved it. I couldn't put it down until I finished reading it. Terrance was a great character and I sort of wished it didn't end the way it did as I wanted to know what he would have done after the 'being it I'm remark. I hope there's another story with him, this one where he takes down the Adversary and loved to tell the tale.
This was a wonderful book and I loved it. I couldn't put it down until I finished reading it. Terrance was a great character and I sort of wished it didn't end the way it did as I wanted to know what he would have done after the 'being it I'm remark. I hope there's another story with him, this one where he takes down the Adversary and loved to tell the tale.
September 15, 2018
A big broad wonderful mashup
One of the funniest spiritual journeys I've read in a long time. I'd love a sequel but this is such a perfect sphere unto itself that just can't see it getting better. I'm sure ill re-read every few years.
One of the funniest spiritual journeys I've read in a long time. I'd love a sequel but this is such a perfect sphere unto itself that just can't see it getting better. I'm sure ill re-read every few years.
April 25, 2018
A Fun Read
I enjoyed the story of Terrance and his adventure! What a clever way to make us think of how things are in the world.
I enjoyed the story of Terrance and his adventure! What a clever way to make us think of how things are in the world.
July 14, 2018
What a fun read
Loved this book. Different, well written and amusing. Three things of many that made it so. I am not going to spoil the ending. Enjoy!
Loved this book. Different, well written and amusing. Three things of many that made it so. I am not going to spoil the ending. Enjoy!
July 15, 2018
Very good
I enjoyed this book. It is quirky and funny; also, to me, symbolic of the world we live in. It's easy to read - the flow is good
I enjoyed this book. It is quirky and funny; also, to me, symbolic of the world we live in. It's easy to read - the flow is good
July 18, 2018
I found the juxtaposition of the mundane and the magical to be very entertaining. Cute little story.
June 24, 2020
I really like the modern setting for a more epic fantasy story.
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