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Mid-Lich Crisis
Is trying to sacrifice your estranged wife to a bloodthirsty demon an irredeemable act of evil? This is the sort of question the Dread Wizard Darruk Darkbringer struggles with. After being called evil one too many times, Darruk sets off to find a new purpose in his life and become a beloved celebrity. Can a dark wizard come to terms with himself and prove to the world that a few atrocities don’t define who he is? You’ll feel guilty for laughing at his twisted tale of self-discovery.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 30, 2021
Anybody who writes books with Liches in them—and I feel I am qualified to make this statement— knows that insane undead wizards are some of the most fun characters to write. They're grim, kind of terrifying, and inherently funny all at the same time; a fun cross between a prepper, an 80's cartoon villain, and a dancing skellington.
Steve Thomas knows this, and his Mid-Lich Crisis puts the lich front and center. Darruk Darkbringer is an anti-hero's anti-hero. Like any lich, he's at his best when he's bad. There's a certain evil glee in the book's casual tyranny, like a more articulate Trogdor let loose upon the peasantry, and I laughed out loud on more than one occasion as Darruk rampaged across the countryside.
But Darruk doesn't want to be perceived as evil, by his subjects nor his ex-wife. For much of his Mid-Lich Crisis, Darruk tries to be perceived as a savior of humanity, whether or not the ungrateful people want him to. It's here that the book flags a little, as Darruk's inner struggles are much less fun than his outer cataclysms. Fortunately, Darruk isn't willing to give up all the killing and the mayhem and the total control that comes with flinging fireballs at peasants, and he keeps lapsing back into evil as the plot progresses.
I really liked Mid-Lich Crisis, despite the fact that is on the wrong side of my one-man crusade for the "correct" spelling of "Liche." The jokes land far more often than not, the characters are amusing and memorable, and it's just a lot of wicked fun. I'd give it four and a half stars, and I'm rounding up for use of one of fantasy's best tropes. If you're looking for some lighthearted undead mayhem, pick it up today.
Steve Thomas knows this, and his Mid-Lich Crisis puts the lich front and center. Darruk Darkbringer is an anti-hero's anti-hero. Like any lich, he's at his best when he's bad. There's a certain evil glee in the book's casual tyranny, like a more articulate Trogdor let loose upon the peasantry, and I laughed out loud on more than one occasion as Darruk rampaged across the countryside.
But Darruk doesn't want to be perceived as evil, by his subjects nor his ex-wife. For much of his Mid-Lich Crisis, Darruk tries to be perceived as a savior of humanity, whether or not the ungrateful people want him to. It's here that the book flags a little, as Darruk's inner struggles are much less fun than his outer cataclysms. Fortunately, Darruk isn't willing to give up all the killing and the mayhem and the total control that comes with flinging fireballs at peasants, and he keeps lapsing back into evil as the plot progresses.
I really liked Mid-Lich Crisis, despite the fact that is on the wrong side of my one-man crusade for the "correct" spelling of "Liche." The jokes land far more often than not, the characters are amusing and memorable, and it's just a lot of wicked fun. I'd give it four and a half stars, and I'm rounding up for use of one of fantasy's best tropes. If you're looking for some lighthearted undead mayhem, pick it up today.
January 22, 2020
Darruk hates the fact that people perceive him as the "e-word". Evil is not a label Darruk takes lightly and he even refuses to speak the word out loud. He is convinced all of the kidnapping, the murdering, and sending his hordes on suicidal missions was all done in the name of the "Greater Good". He knows that there's a catastrophe on the horizon and all life on the planet will cease to be when the world is split in half in an event known as the Doomclap. Darruk sees himself as a misunderstood hero, and absolutely, definitely, NOT evil.
Darruk is also a fuckup, he keeps dying over and over and over. Most of the time it's his wife's would-be-lover that's run him through with a spear. He's a "dread wizard" and he has phylacteries that keep bringing him back time and again. He's stuck in a loveless arranged marriage he can't get out of because he's bound by an Oathstone. Overall, his life is kind of pathetic. His only real friend is his kobold broodmother named Princess. She's like an overgrown talking cat - she asked for a glass of red wine for the sole purpose of knocking it off the table. Things just never seem to go his way, so why not try a new approach? What if he could be a hero? What if he could gain fame and fortune and build his followers that way so they know he's someone to be worshipped and loved instead of feared.
This was a cleverly written fast-paced and entertaining read. Everything with comedy is highly subjective so your mileage may vary, but I found myself genuinely smiling through most of the book. (I find things like characters named Axe Hole funny) The dialogue was witty, there were ridiculous circumstances, and there was an overall warm feel to this book despite it being about a lich. I especially appreciated the prose, I flew threw the book in a matter of hours. The book is divided into parts and I felt like Part 2 was a bit slower than the others creating a mild lull in the center of the book. That's not to say there were "slogs", I wasn't struggling to finish Part 2, I just wasn't as invested as I was with other parts.
If you don't like Darruk you're going to have a hard time. This is a single POV book all from the point of view of a villainous wizard. Many times in comedy character development takes a back seat to the plotline, however, I wouldn't say that's the case here. Darruk is well developed, and personally, I really dug his character. We get some background on him, he had a distinct personality type, and his motivations were clear. However, the side characters could have used some more fleshing out. The world-building in this felt very old school wizards in towers kinda deal. There were peasants with pitchforks, castles, kings, and mysterious magic like scrying with the blood of sacrificial animals.
TLDR: Evil undead lich-wizard wants to save the world and has no morals to hold him back. Except he's a fuckup and can't get it right. Set in a medieval-type world with mysterious magic, kobolds, kings, wizards in high towers, serpent-people, prophecies, barbarian warriors, carnivorous horses, and venomous mushrooms. A charming satire with puns, witty dialogue and an adorable animal companion.
Ratings:
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 12.75/15
World Building: 12/15
Writing: 13.5/15
Pacing: 11/15
Originality: 12/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Final Score: 80.75/100 or a solid 4 stars :D
Darruk is also a fuckup, he keeps dying over and over and over. Most of the time it's his wife's would-be-lover that's run him through with a spear. He's a "dread wizard" and he has phylacteries that keep bringing him back time and again. He's stuck in a loveless arranged marriage he can't get out of because he's bound by an Oathstone. Overall, his life is kind of pathetic. His only real friend is his kobold broodmother named Princess. She's like an overgrown talking cat - she asked for a glass of red wine for the sole purpose of knocking it off the table. Things just never seem to go his way, so why not try a new approach? What if he could be a hero? What if he could gain fame and fortune and build his followers that way so they know he's someone to be worshipped and loved instead of feared.
This was a cleverly written fast-paced and entertaining read. Everything with comedy is highly subjective so your mileage may vary, but I found myself genuinely smiling through most of the book. (I find things like characters named Axe Hole funny) The dialogue was witty, there were ridiculous circumstances, and there was an overall warm feel to this book despite it being about a lich. I especially appreciated the prose, I flew threw the book in a matter of hours. The book is divided into parts and I felt like Part 2 was a bit slower than the others creating a mild lull in the center of the book. That's not to say there were "slogs", I wasn't struggling to finish Part 2, I just wasn't as invested as I was with other parts.
If you don't like Darruk you're going to have a hard time. This is a single POV book all from the point of view of a villainous wizard. Many times in comedy character development takes a back seat to the plotline, however, I wouldn't say that's the case here. Darruk is well developed, and personally, I really dug his character. We get some background on him, he had a distinct personality type, and his motivations were clear. However, the side characters could have used some more fleshing out. The world-building in this felt very old school wizards in towers kinda deal. There were peasants with pitchforks, castles, kings, and mysterious magic like scrying with the blood of sacrificial animals.
TLDR: Evil undead lich-wizard wants to save the world and has no morals to hold him back. Except he's a fuckup and can't get it right. Set in a medieval-type world with mysterious magic, kobolds, kings, wizards in high towers, serpent-people, prophecies, barbarian warriors, carnivorous horses, and venomous mushrooms. A charming satire with puns, witty dialogue and an adorable animal companion.
Ratings:
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 12.75/15
World Building: 12/15
Writing: 13.5/15
Pacing: 11/15
Originality: 12/15
Personal Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Final Score: 80.75/100 or a solid 4 stars :D
October 6, 2021
Not funny. Not even, "Wait, was that supposed to be funny?," not funny. Just, every gag by 10% of the way in missed by a mile.
I don't need to read any more.
I received this book free from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
I don't need to read any more.
I received this book free from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2019
It will be very hard to write this review without trying to be funny, because Steve Thomas’ witty style is very catchy and Darruk’s inner voice is exactly the kind of snark I like.
Mid-Lich Crisis is the story of Darruk Darkbringer, hero of legend, evil undead necromancer despot, lich and entrepreneur, prophesied to save the world by sacrificing to the blood moon. When his nemesis, Brynn Brightstorm the barbarian, foils his attempts to save the world yet again, he’s forced to try a different approach. If people keep calling him the e-word he’s gonna do his damnedest to prove that he’s not.
I loved Darruk. He’s the embodiment of the “every villain think he’s the hero” trope and his journey of self discovery is exciting. Questioning his values, making friends, being a productive member of society and then coming to terms with himself, it’s all heartwarming. That might not have been strictly speaking the intended message of the book. He has a cute little fuzzy minion.
I really enjoyed the humor, I highlighted so many passages adding eloquent notes such as “lol”, “oh you” and “ I see what you did there”, there’s also many kinds of it, from playing with expectations and twisting them around, to pokes at well known fantasy moments. I giggled at the narrator’s tone, things like saying this character was doing something very important that shouldn’t be interrupted, so of course that’s what happened. And the goat facts, there are goat facts, I wasn’t 100% sold on the idea of footnotes in the beginning, but lost it when the goat facts started. There’s also a poignant political commentary, I had to google the book’s made up system of government to make sure it wasn’t in fact a real political theory.
Mid-Lich Crisis is the story of Darruk Darkbringer, hero of legend, evil undead necromancer despot, lich and entrepreneur, prophesied to save the world by sacrificing to the blood moon. When his nemesis, Brynn Brightstorm the barbarian, foils his attempts to save the world yet again, he’s forced to try a different approach. If people keep calling him the e-word he’s gonna do his damnedest to prove that he’s not.
I loved Darruk. He’s the embodiment of the “every villain think he’s the hero” trope and his journey of self discovery is exciting. Questioning his values, making friends, being a productive member of society and then coming to terms with himself, it’s all heartwarming. That might not have been strictly speaking the intended message of the book. He has a cute little fuzzy minion.
I really enjoyed the humor, I highlighted so many passages adding eloquent notes such as “lol”, “oh you” and “ I see what you did there”, there’s also many kinds of it, from playing with expectations and twisting them around, to pokes at well known fantasy moments. I giggled at the narrator’s tone, things like saying this character was doing something very important that shouldn’t be interrupted, so of course that’s what happened. And the goat facts, there are goat facts, I wasn’t 100% sold on the idea of footnotes in the beginning, but lost it when the goat facts started. There’s also a poignant political commentary, I had to google the book’s made up system of government to make sure it wasn’t in fact a real political theory.
November 4, 2020
Mid-Lich Crisis is the story of Derruk Darkbringer, a dread wizard, and also a lich. A lich, for those unfamiliar, is a wizard or sorcerer who has stored their soul in a vessel known as a phylactery and thus reanimates whenever they die. Darruk has died… um, a few times. It might be the fact that he repeatedly tries to sacrifice his wife to appease a bloodthirsty demon that keeps making people intent on killing him… or it might just be that he’s kind of a dick. It’s kind of up in the air.
Darruk hates being called ‘The E Word’ and repeatedly claims that he isn’t evil because what he really is trying to do is to stop the end of the world. When he is betrayed and killed for real, then resurrected a few decades later, the end of the world is closer than ever, and Darruk decides that he needs to be a beloved celebrity to be able to achieve his goal. And many shenanigans are had along the way to achieving that goal.
This was a really fun audiobook that made me giggle a few times. It’s a really quick listen, despite being over 8 hours long, and I started it one day at work and before I knew it, I was done. Darruk isn’t necessarily a super charming character, but I did enjoy his story, and so it was easy to stay invested in it.
It manages to make reference to things like the current political climate here and deflate-gate while still being chuckle-out-loud funny. It gave me a similar vibe at times to the Discworld books.
C.J. McAllister did a great job with the narration. I would imagine that it’s difficult to narrate a book that occasionally uses footnotes, but he managed them just fine. He brought Darruk’s story to life and made it far too easy to just start a project and lose yourself in the story.
So, all told, Mid-Lich Crisis is a satirical and often laugh-out-loud funny story of a lich’s unintentionally evil-ish mission to save the world. Go into this book with an open mind, and I promise you, you’ll come out of it knowing a thing or two more about goats.
As this is a current contender in the SPFBO, I’m going to hold off on rating it, as I am not actually in the group judging it and I want no confusion on that point. Let’s just leave it at ‘I liked it’ for now. ^_^
Thanks to the author for the review copy.
This and more reviews on superstardrifter.com
Darruk hates being called ‘The E Word’ and repeatedly claims that he isn’t evil because what he really is trying to do is to stop the end of the world. When he is betrayed and killed for real, then resurrected a few decades later, the end of the world is closer than ever, and Darruk decides that he needs to be a beloved celebrity to be able to achieve his goal. And many shenanigans are had along the way to achieving that goal.
This was a really fun audiobook that made me giggle a few times. It’s a really quick listen, despite being over 8 hours long, and I started it one day at work and before I knew it, I was done. Darruk isn’t necessarily a super charming character, but I did enjoy his story, and so it was easy to stay invested in it.
It manages to make reference to things like the current political climate here and deflate-gate while still being chuckle-out-loud funny. It gave me a similar vibe at times to the Discworld books.
C.J. McAllister did a great job with the narration. I would imagine that it’s difficult to narrate a book that occasionally uses footnotes, but he managed them just fine. He brought Darruk’s story to life and made it far too easy to just start a project and lose yourself in the story.
So, all told, Mid-Lich Crisis is a satirical and often laugh-out-loud funny story of a lich’s unintentionally evil-ish mission to save the world. Go into this book with an open mind, and I promise you, you’ll come out of it knowing a thing or two more about goats.
As this is a current contender in the SPFBO, I’m going to hold off on rating it, as I am not actually in the group judging it and I want no confusion on that point. Let’s just leave it at ‘I liked it’ for now. ^_^
Thanks to the author for the review copy.
This and more reviews on superstardrifter.com
January 9, 2022
This was a fun little book to kick the year off with. I wanted a silly book that I could finish easily to set the mood for the year and found that in this book. The humor is on-point and snarky, good references to pop-culture mixed in with snark between characters. The kobold minion named Princess is one of my favorite side-kick characters I've found. Darruk Darkbringer was a fun main character to follow around, but man was there some whip-lash as he swung back and forth between being evil and trying to be good faster than the speed of light. I also felt like his power level fluctuated a lot between scenes.
I gave this book 3 stars because it was a fun little comedy fantasy and I want more of those, but I found the ending unfulfilling and took a star off for that. If a sequel is announced or published I would add another star. The end of the book is not a cliffhanger but is also is not the end of the character arcs.
I gave this book 3 stars because it was a fun little comedy fantasy and I want more of those, but I found the ending unfulfilling and took a star off for that. If a sequel is announced or published I would add another star. The end of the book is not a cliffhanger but is also is not the end of the character arcs.
January 20, 2020
This is a comedic fantasy, which is a mix that can prove hard to pull off, especially at full novel length. I think the author did a good job and I think, for the most part, the humor will age well. There are one or two scenarios/jokes that may fall flat as they become less contemporaneous, but they shouldn't lessen anyone's enjoyment of the book.
This is a bit of a parody or comedic take on your generic fantasy. Darruk Darkbringer, the Dread Wizard, things he needs to sacrifice his wife, Lilina in order to avert the Doomclap. However, Lilina keeps being rescued by Darruk's nemesis, Brynn Brightstorm the Barbarian. The names are perfect. Darruk is a lich, which means, luckily for him if he's killed he comes back to unlife as long as his phylactery is safe. Darruk has a repeated problem with staying alive.
The book takes us through all of Darruk's machinations on how to achieve his goal of averting the Doomclap and proving that he's not the e-word (evil) that everyone has labeled him. I particularly liked his sidekick, Princess the Kobold and the school elections. It's a fun read!
This is a bit of a parody or comedic take on your generic fantasy. Darruk Darkbringer, the Dread Wizard, things he needs to sacrifice his wife, Lilina in order to avert the Doomclap. However, Lilina keeps being rescued by Darruk's nemesis, Brynn Brightstorm the Barbarian. The names are perfect. Darruk is a lich, which means, luckily for him if he's killed he comes back to unlife as long as his phylactery is safe. Darruk has a repeated problem with staying alive.
The book takes us through all of Darruk's machinations on how to achieve his goal of averting the Doomclap and proving that he's not the e-word (evil) that everyone has labeled him. I particularly liked his sidekick, Princess the Kobold and the school elections. It's a fun read!
May 25, 2020
I usually curve indies up a star because they don't have the same staff a big ticket book does. This didn't need it - it won its 5th star honestly.
I'm a reviewer of few words, so here it is: This book is what Kill the Farm Boy should have been. Fast, funny, well done characters with no need to repeat the same poop joke (or indeed, any poop jokes) ad infinitum, and has ACTUAL GOAT FACTS, which the book ABOUT A GOAT didn't. The only criticism of the humor that I might have is the same one I have with A Study in Brimstone and other Warlock Holmes books; when you put in topical humor, you date your book. To be fair, much like GS Denning, Steve Thomas keeps the topical jokes subtle so they're just silly if the current events satire fades away, but it can take a person out when it happens.
I'm a reviewer of few words, so here it is: This book is what Kill the Farm Boy should have been. Fast, funny, well done characters with no need to repeat the same poop joke (or indeed, any poop jokes) ad infinitum, and has ACTUAL GOAT FACTS, which the book ABOUT A GOAT didn't. The only criticism of the humor that I might have is the same one I have with A Study in Brimstone and other Warlock Holmes books; when you put in topical humor, you date your book. To be fair, much like GS Denning, Steve Thomas keeps the topical jokes subtle so they're just silly if the current events satire fades away, but it can take a person out when it happens.
December 2, 2019
*I won this book as a Goodreads Giveaway*
Honestly, I only read this book because I won it through Goodreads. It's not my typical genre and isn't something I would normally enjoy reading. However, the more I read, the more I enjoyed it and I'm not exactly sure why?!
If you love sorcery, death and furry little rodents in pink tutus, you will LOVE this book!
Honestly, I only read this book because I won it through Goodreads. It's not my typical genre and isn't something I would normally enjoy reading. However, the more I read, the more I enjoyed it and I'm not exactly sure why?!
If you love sorcery, death and furry little rodents in pink tutus, you will LOVE this book!
June 25, 2021
enjoyable, however a bit misleading as this is definitely not a story of redemption as was implied in the blurb.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2019
Steve Thomas has written a funny romp through one e-word (evil) wizard’s try at change. Some reflection, some action, and a lot of good scenes and turns of phrase. I caught this right after a pretty long fantasy piece and it hit all the right notes for a good weekend read. That short and sweet escape in three sittings. There’s a couple very good characters in this one and Machiavellian good guys, Does that make sense? Maybe not? Welp, that’s ok. I guarantee you’ll chuckle.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/10/17/mi...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/10/17/mi...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
January 4, 2021
A Twisted Tail From The Other Side Of The Playing Field
You will find a wonderful tale of an evil wizard as he reinvents himself. Are you really sure who is the villain and who is the hero in any story. A wonderful humorous story with a bit of Pratchett, A dash of LitRPG and a sprinkle of Robot Chicken for color. I look forward to more adventure by Steve Thomas.
You will find a wonderful tale of an evil wizard as he reinvents himself. Are you really sure who is the villain and who is the hero in any story. A wonderful humorous story with a bit of Pratchett, A dash of LitRPG and a sprinkle of Robot Chicken for color. I look forward to more adventure by Steve Thomas.
July 15, 2021
Pure unadulterated comedic fun!
Highly recommended!
What? You were expecting more?
It's not that long of a book, and it's not that deep of a journey.
I liked the cameos, the innuendos, the footnotes (hilarious!).
It was fun!
Get it!
Now!
Highly recommended!
What? You were expecting more?
It's not that long of a book, and it's not that deep of a journey.
I liked the cameos, the innuendos, the footnotes (hilarious!).
It was fun!
Get it!
Now!
September 14, 2020
That was quite a fun book. Full review to come
March 18, 2021
When Darruk Darkbringer learned of a prophecy to destroy earth he decided he would do anything (anything!) to stop it. Now he's wondering it was all for naught, as he goes through a sequence of random (but enjoyable) stories to rebuild his brand, power, and self-confidence. I read it in a couple hours and found it a little too easy to forget.
I think it would be best enjoyed by someone who has difficulty focusing on books or plots because of an attention deficit. Thomas excels at keeping a constant, easy-to-follow plot and the book feels welcoming. It is also great for those who like the "bad guy" perspective stories. It reminded me of Steve Lichman for obvious reasons.
I think the bad guy genre has been done better by Christopher Cantwell (Doctor Doom), Christopher Sebela (House Amok), and Patrick Kindlon (Patience! Conviction! Revenge!). It's probably also been done better by people who don't write comics, but I couldn't think of them at the moment.
Tangent:
I was sold on this book when the author (Steve Thomas) mentioned (off-hand) that it featured a segment on student elections. School tropes are among my favourite so I leapt at it. The student election doesn't play as large a role as I hoped but was a funny sequitur.
I think there's a good market for this book (maybe everyone disappointed by Hench?) but I'm not sure what
I think it would be best enjoyed by someone who has difficulty focusing on books or plots because of an attention deficit. Thomas excels at keeping a constant, easy-to-follow plot and the book feels welcoming. It is also great for those who like the "bad guy" perspective stories. It reminded me of Steve Lichman for obvious reasons.
I think the bad guy genre has been done better by Christopher Cantwell (Doctor Doom), Christopher Sebela (House Amok), and Patrick Kindlon (Patience! Conviction! Revenge!). It's probably also been done better by people who don't write comics, but I couldn't think of them at the moment.
Tangent:
I was sold on this book when the author (Steve Thomas) mentioned (off-hand) that it featured a segment on student elections. School tropes are among my favourite so I leapt at it. The student election doesn't play as large a role as I hoped but was a funny sequitur.
I think there's a good market for this book (maybe everyone disappointed by Hench?) but I'm not sure what
November 30, 2019
DNF at 19%, at which point I felt like I'd read the introductory chapters to at five different books, with no particular progression. The characters were all annoying, and the writing verbose. I liked the world-building - you don't come across kobolds that often, let alone neat-freak kobolds. However I didn't find the author's style at all funny, and kept waiting for something to happen. I stopped reading because I was bored out of my mind.
June 22, 2020
Not good
Strange story!! Not humorous not suspenfull Just not a good book period The main character disappears to early Then all the side characters come out it got to the point just not very good!!.
Strange story!! Not humorous not suspenfull Just not a good book period The main character disappears to early Then all the side characters come out it got to the point just not very good!!.
August 5, 2019
Read this with Josh. Review to come, closer to release date...
Want to read
December 29, 2020First Impressions first posted on Uptown Oracle
So first impressions…. this book isn’t quite for me. It’s a super easy read and the premise is so interesting but I just don’t care for humourous fantasy books as much as as I love epic fantasy. Darruk is a sad and lonely wizard, who after one more death realises he should change as a person to be less evil. I actually liked that our main character was technically the bad guy and had mixed motivations… he didn’t want to be evil, hated the word evil, but still acted poorly towards everyone.
There’s also Lillina who is his estranged arranged marriage wife (who hates him) and his nemesis Brynn Brightstorm. These two set up Darruk’s personality and backstory, however there’s a time skip early on in the book so I’m not sure how much they’re in it. I like how he was set up as being shown to do (or not do) things which are deemed evil, rather than us just being told he’s evil.
This book also contains a lot of fantasy elements, and includes kobolds as a creature. I’ve not read any books that have included these (they’re fron D&D originally) and this peaked my interest. It was just something a little different, plus Princess the mother was a devious and interesting character. These creatures allowed the humourous element to be played up too, as they clean up as pranks for people. Another creature is Sleepy the Carnivorous Horse, which felt both at home in this book and something out of left field.
Overall it had a lot of unique aspects, but I wasn’t really getting along with the humour. I might come back to it, but it won’t be a priority and with how many SPFBO 6 entrants there are… I won’t be surprised if I don’t jump on it.
So first impressions…. this book isn’t quite for me. It’s a super easy read and the premise is so interesting but I just don’t care for humourous fantasy books as much as as I love epic fantasy. Darruk is a sad and lonely wizard, who after one more death realises he should change as a person to be less evil. I actually liked that our main character was technically the bad guy and had mixed motivations… he didn’t want to be evil, hated the word evil, but still acted poorly towards everyone.
There’s also Lillina who is his estranged arranged marriage wife (who hates him) and his nemesis Brynn Brightstorm. These two set up Darruk’s personality and backstory, however there’s a time skip early on in the book so I’m not sure how much they’re in it. I like how he was set up as being shown to do (or not do) things which are deemed evil, rather than us just being told he’s evil.
This book also contains a lot of fantasy elements, and includes kobolds as a creature. I’ve not read any books that have included these (they’re fron D&D originally) and this peaked my interest. It was just something a little different, plus Princess the mother was a devious and interesting character. These creatures allowed the humourous element to be played up too, as they clean up as pranks for people. Another creature is Sleepy the Carnivorous Horse, which felt both at home in this book and something out of left field.
Overall it had a lot of unique aspects, but I wasn’t really getting along with the humour. I might come back to it, but it won’t be a priority and with how many SPFBO 6 entrants there are… I won’t be surprised if I don’t jump on it.
January 22, 2020
Fun comedic fantasy
-Overall Thoughts-
Mid-Lich Crisis is a standalone comedic fantasy story of a lich going through something of an identity crisis. Our lich-in-crisis is Darruk Darkbringer - dread wizard and attempted-savior-of-the-world. He would definitely succeed in saving the world if pesky heroes would just stop killing him. In his mission to save the world, he dedicates himself to attempting to do things differently, earning the common people's love and respect as a hero. This is an entertaining story from the perspective of the villain who believes he's doing the right thing and his very misguided attempts at being the hero. Along with its share of situational humor, this book has plenty of winks, nods, and pokes at various topical subjects that I found quite well-executed. The writing is clever and fosters a fun relationship between the narrator and the reader through footnotes.
-Suggested Audience-
Readers who enjoy comedic fantasy with a mix of situational humor and clever topical commentary.
Readers who like a narrated story, with jokes between the reader and narrator in the footnotes.
-Rating-
5/5, this was a fun read, with lots of cleverness and jokes. Humor is always a tough thing to pull off and overall I think this book does a great job of it. Certain sections worked better for me than others; I had the occasional lapse in patience for the humor, but that is a comment on myself and my relationship with comedic fantasy in general and not a gripe about this particular work.
-Overall Thoughts-
Mid-Lich Crisis is a standalone comedic fantasy story of a lich going through something of an identity crisis. Our lich-in-crisis is Darruk Darkbringer - dread wizard and attempted-savior-of-the-world. He would definitely succeed in saving the world if pesky heroes would just stop killing him. In his mission to save the world, he dedicates himself to attempting to do things differently, earning the common people's love and respect as a hero. This is an entertaining story from the perspective of the villain who believes he's doing the right thing and his very misguided attempts at being the hero. Along with its share of situational humor, this book has plenty of winks, nods, and pokes at various topical subjects that I found quite well-executed. The writing is clever and fosters a fun relationship between the narrator and the reader through footnotes.
-Suggested Audience-
Readers who enjoy comedic fantasy with a mix of situational humor and clever topical commentary.
Readers who like a narrated story, with jokes between the reader and narrator in the footnotes.
-Rating-
5/5, this was a fun read, with lots of cleverness and jokes. Humor is always a tough thing to pull off and overall I think this book does a great job of it. Certain sections worked better for me than others; I had the occasional lapse in patience for the humor, but that is a comment on myself and my relationship with comedic fantasy in general and not a gripe about this particular work.
July 7, 2021
I love evil main characters/anti-heroes!
It's a cool concept, and pretty well written:
the dialog feels natural,
most characters have a well-differentiated voice,
and there's enough exposition to flesh out the world without taking away from the action.
However, this book was a bit too satirical for me, and the plot a bit too whimsical - I couldn't take it seriously and found the journey lacked tension.
I was hoping for something a bit more serious. If you were too, here are a couple of books with a similar feeling but a more serious plot:
Overlord - The Protagonist is a normal person who gets reincarnated as the Overlord Lich, with loyal, adoring minions he has to hide his incompetence from.
Demons of Astlan - A kid smoking weed has an out-of-body experience and gets summoned into another world as a demon.
Waldo Rabbit - An e-word mage has to go on a coming of age journey, committing evil deeds to bring honor to his family, but he turns out to not be very good at being the e-word.
It's a cool concept, and pretty well written:
the dialog feels natural,
most characters have a well-differentiated voice,
and there's enough exposition to flesh out the world without taking away from the action.
However, this book was a bit too satirical for me, and the plot a bit too whimsical - I couldn't take it seriously and found the journey lacked tension.
I was hoping for something a bit more serious. If you were too, here are a couple of books with a similar feeling but a more serious plot:
Overlord - The Protagonist is a normal person who gets reincarnated as the Overlord Lich, with loyal, adoring minions he has to hide his incompetence from.
Demons of Astlan - A kid smoking weed has an out-of-body experience and gets summoned into another world as a demon.
Waldo Rabbit - An e-word mage has to go on a coming of age journey, committing evil deeds to bring honor to his family, but he turns out to not be very good at being the e-word.
August 1, 2025
I found this title while looking for books with the "villain as protagonist" trope (there are surprisingly few good titles).
While the initial premise sounds quite interesting and creative, with huge possibilities, unfortunately the execution is quite lackluster. The writting feels amatuerish, squantering possibilities for real exploration and development, over making the same -pour- jokes repeatedly.
This would had been much better as a comic book.
The worst thing about it however is the ending. It feels like the author himself lost confidence and interest in his own work and just ended it quickly, in an unsatisfying way.
It's not terrible (1 star), but I'm sad he didnt make the most of the concept.
While the initial premise sounds quite interesting and creative, with huge possibilities, unfortunately the execution is quite lackluster. The writting feels amatuerish, squantering possibilities for real exploration and development, over making the same -pour- jokes repeatedly.
This would had been much better as a comic book.
The worst thing about it however is the ending. It feels like the author himself lost confidence and interest in his own work and just ended it quickly, in an unsatisfying way.
It's not terrible (1 star), but I'm sad he didnt make the most of the concept.
October 21, 2019
Really enjoyed this tongue in cheek look from the "evil" villain's point of view. Can't a guy just try to save the world without seeming to be the bad guy? This was fun and funny. I really enjoyed the wit in it, and the heavy nods to geeky things I loved as a kid, like flatbread and those certain colored guys that love flatbread was hilarious as I figured out the correlation. It had a bit of a Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett feel like Good omens, but not really that, of course. While the language was clean there were plenty of times things were alluded to - so be warned in that area - though it was much cleaner than other things I have found in stories similar.
August 14, 2021
This was a very fun book in which an e-word lich, after numerous deaths, finally decides to straighten up and fly right. Uh...mostly.
I was rather hooked on this story, and while the ending was a bit of a disappointment (it felt rushed somehow), the journey was a joy, and watching our anti-hero come to terms with himself was a lot of fun. Maybe the ending wasn't so bad. Maybe I just wanted to read more about him. (Steve, can we revisit our dark lord at some point?)
If you're looking for a light-hearted fantasy, I recommend this.
I was rather hooked on this story, and while the ending was a bit of a disappointment (it felt rushed somehow), the journey was a joy, and watching our anti-hero come to terms with himself was a lot of fun. Maybe the ending wasn't so bad. Maybe I just wanted to read more about him. (Steve, can we revisit our dark lord at some point?)
If you're looking for a light-hearted fantasy, I recommend this.
July 26, 2021
The story has several endearing moments while the mid-lich crises is fully underway. Then there's a turning point where it's all about the protagonist discovering something important, and the story just sort of peters out. The beginning is more annoying, and the ending is a bit of a letdown, but the middle bits are fantastic with several fun scenes and well orcastrated jokes.
I really enjoyed the individual characters of the story, Princess in particular.
I really enjoyed the individual characters of the story, Princess in particular.
August 9, 2021
I thought the writing and allusions were clever. Some of the writing was funny too. The beginning started off really strong, but many of the side characters were not that interesting and were one sided. Some things were also not explained well. The reason for the low score was because I thought that the ending was rough and that it completely ruined the other parts of the book. The twist wasn't worth the payoff.
March 31, 2020
This is a phenomenally written book that has immediately catapulted into my top five comedy fantasy stories. It is well-paced, the characters feel fleshed out, and, despite what may seem like a meandering plot, ties up really well at the end. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a non-traditional fantasy POV (lich) and/or enjoys a good laugh.
August 17, 2020
Humor is hit/miss with me. This was mostly a hit even though I didn't get all the cultural references (as they are foreign to me).
The ending left me a bit confused and in a bad taste. Mulling it over afterwards, I felt like may be things will be clarified in sequels or perhaps I didn't fully understand the ending. Either way, I'll still recommend this book.
The ending left me a bit confused and in a bad taste. Mulling it over afterwards, I felt like may be things will be clarified in sequels or perhaps I didn't fully understand the ending. Either way, I'll still recommend this book.
October 25, 2020
This was a quick fun read about a villain who is clearly the e-word and goes on a journey that ultimately ends with acceptance. The world was a bit confusing to grasp. On the one hand, it sounds like a medieval world with the inns and magic while on the other hand, it sounds much more modern, especially with the mention of a sport that sounds close to football.
March 26, 2021
It started out funny and got progressively less so as it became clear there was no Pratchett-like humanist spirit animating the jokes of this book, more of a ha-ha isn't it funny that people think they're good when they're really evil but it doesn't matter since the evil people will still ruin everyone's lives anyway. Ugh! Clearly good for some people but really not for me.
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