The Outcast Crown

Inquisitors' Guild #2

by Dave Dobson

The Trouble With Treasures
The Inquisitors' Guild stands as a bulwark against both the criminal and mysterious in Frosthelm. Now, there's a new threat. Or is it a threat? A strange phenomenon afflicts the city - a troubling manifestation, always accompanied by a buzzing sound, sometimes taking almost human form. An unlikely pair of inspectors, one a young investigator with one big case under his belt, the other a brand new apprentice, set out to solve the mystery. As they search for clues, they come across the murder of someone who should probably already have been dead, and they find hints of treachery and intrigue from a far distant land. The city they love may be under a threat as dire as it has ever known, and they are thrust into the twisting machinations of an ancient, deadly mistake and a curse that afflicts an entire nation.

The Outcast Crown is a stand-alone novel containing a complete adventure to enjoy. The events in the book occur after Flames Over Frosthelm and include some of the same characters, so you might want to read that book first, but is not necessary to do so. These books tell tales of the Inquisitor's Guild, the investigative arm of the government of Frosthelm, a medieval city-state where criminals thrive, nobles scheme, and dark secrets lurk. Expect intrigue, mystery, swordplay, adventure, politics, strong bonds of friendship, and some magic along the way. Because of the narrative path it follows, The Outcast Crown also includes some exploration of race, immigration, and prejudice.

The Outcast Crown is a full novel clocking in at just over 120,000 words. There is some bloodshed, fighting, and death, but little of it is explicit. Think along the lines of the harder end of PG-13, and you're probably close.

Genres: Fantasy, Ebooks

400 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2020

About the author

A native of Ames, Iowa, Dave loves writing, reading, boardgames, computer games, improv comedy, pizza, barbarian movies, and the cheaper end of the Taco Bell menu. Also, his wife and kids.

Dave is the author of Snood, Snoodoku, Snood Towers, and other computer games. Dave first published Snood in 1996, and it became one of the most popular shareware games of the early Internet. His most recent game is Scryptix, a word game for cell phones.

Dave taught geology, environmental studies, and computer programming at Guilford College for 24 years before stepping away to write full time. He does improv comedy every week at the Idiot Box in Greensboro, North Carolina. He’s also played the world’s largest tuba in concert. Not that that is relevant, but it’s still kinda cool.

Reviews

[Nicole (bookwyrm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a bunch of fun with this story. I enjoyed the twistiness of the plot a lot (though, to be honest, it also did cause some confusion at times). I also enjoyed the characters, even if sometimes Inspector Eggstrom's naïveté was more frustrating than it was charming. (But yes, I do know people like that, so it also made the book feel more realistic.)

I think my favorite part was getting to see the different culture of the Turzek people, and also watching Eggstrom (I refuse to call him Boog) learn how his ingrained ideas (and let's admit it, racism) were not always right. It was refreshing to see this happen naturally, and it didn't feel preachy or overbearing. The chapter titles were also very punny and amusing. If there was a downside, it's that the internal dialogue sometimes slowed down the action, but it wasn't too much of a problem overall, just something I noticed periodically. Overall, this was a very fun installment in a good fantasy series.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful visit to the world of Frosthelm! I got to know great characters with drastically different backgrounds and loved seeing them learn from one another. The story spanned a great distance, and I felt so immersed in all of the different locations along the way. There was mystery, magic, action, and adventure, with many twists I did not see coming. I found myself reading faster and faster as the story went on.

I can’t wait to read the next Frosthelm book (but also want to space it out so i don’t finish them yet 😅).

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm going to start by saying this is a sequel to Flames Over Frosthelm so you should read that first, but it's a loose sequel -- no cliffhangers here. While there are overlapping characters and this book discusses what happened in Flames Over Frosthelm, the Inquisitor's Guild has a new mystery to investigate.

This book is a fantasy mystery -- a genre that is perhaps not too popular, but I seem to be encountering them more often recently, and I love that. The stakes may end up being big, but we're going to start small -- maybe a robbery, maybe a murder, things like that.

While the stakes may start small, as more is uncovered during investigation and the danger is more far-reaching than it originally seems. But not so big that you need 14 books to cover it.
What's great about these books are the characters. This one is told from the POV of Boog, a detective. Rather than working with his normal partner, this book he is paired with a trainee who brings a new perspective to everything.

I highly recommend it if you like mystery, adventure, likable characters, and time shenanigans.

[Kristen Korkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun read and a great follow up to the first book in the series. It is technically a sequel, and includes some of the same characters as the first one, but it is a different story and the author does a good job of filling in the gaps so one does not have to read the first book in order to enjoy this one. This series is a good mix of fantasy, humor, and detective/mystery genre so if you're into any/all of those categories- you'll really enjoy it! Overall, a great addition to the Frosthelm universe!

[Manie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bearing in mind the title of this book, the Outcast Crown, crowns are normally the property of royalty. Normally.
Turzek, however, had three crowns conforming to the three seasons. Magical. And lethal.
Not that Boog, the Inquisitor inspector of Frosthelm knew that in the beginning of investigating a strange buzzing phenomenon in Frosthelm.
Then there is the strange death of a man and who later turned out to be at least 130 years old when misteriously killed in Frosthelm. An impossible age, at that too.
Then, there is Zeka, a Turzek Inquisitor trainee who seems to be a target of some fellow Inquisitor trainees for some nasty pranks.
For Boog life in Frosthelm turned rather mysteriously strange but he certainly had no idea how strange it is yet to become nor how dangerous.
The Outcast Crown by author Dave Dobson is an intriguing epic fantasy adventure that tickles the imagination from the very first few paragraphs and simply refuses to give it any rest up to the very last paragraph.
Enjoy

[Anya Josephs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked Flames over Frosthelm. I LOVED The Outcast Crown. Boogh is an exceptional narrator, and his voice feels very developed (more so than the previous volume's narrator). I also felt Dobson's treatment of minority culture and immigrant experience was very thoughtful and considered. Really well done. It has the same readability and fun as the previous volume, but with a depth of thought and characterization that made it shine.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Outcast Crown (Inquisitors' Guild #2), my second read from author Dave Dobson. A well-written, entertaining read, not at all what I expected. with intriguing, well-developed characters that I read in a single (400-pages) setting. “I received a free Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. Now I need to get Traitors Unseen (Inquisitors' Guild #3). (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Zack Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just had to read the next book in the series after a fun read with FoF. Similar to the first book with unique magic elements and the main characters trying to solve a mystery, but also different in such a good way. Loved the new POV of Boog and getting to see other parts of the world. Excited to see what’s next!

[Belinda Richee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series!

Fast paced novel with wonderful characters. It has a good amount of sword fighting, humorous dialogue, and lots of suspense. Could use some sex, though.

[MarieStrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Outcast Crown

As you said, I found it difficult to follow when it came to time travel. But i continued reaching to the end and found I did enjoy the book.

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be an excellent read.

If you enjoy quirky characters and a good laugh or two enjoyable with your fantasy and action adventure then you will love this book.

[Viola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Adventure

Wonderful tale of magic and power. Romance and sabotage prevail. War with a twist and schooling for all involved is prevalent.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot. And I read a lot of freebies always on the lookout for those few that stand out. Most are okay, some can be pretty bad and/or boring but every once in a while I run across a gem in a pile of stones. This series is one of those gems.

This is the second full length novel in the Inquisitors' Guild. Both of the novels and the novella can be read as stand alone stories but I would recommend reading the first book before the second in order to better grasp the characters and how they've developed.

First, there's the world-building itself. I love that the history of the magic they use (and the world in general) has been lost to the years. Nobody knows where it came from or how or why it works like it does or why some can wield some things while others can't or have different talents. So it's sometimes a crap-shoot as to whether something will work the same way every time. And what else is still unknown?

The two main characters are best buds, one is the more studious, the other more facetious. This makes them a great team as they balance out and compliment each other. There are plenty of secondary characters, both good and bad and some that you're never quite sure where they stand. There's mystery, murder, secret plots, betrayals, evil, magic and a touch of romance. Everything that a good fantasy epic should have.

It's so nice to read something that is written as well as these are and not the usual average same old, same old. There were a few typos here and there but nothing that took me out of the story. And...no cliffhangers! There's obviously room to expand and keep the story going but each one wraps up the main crime/mystery in the end.

I know the author has started working on a new sci-fi novel and I am looking forward to that. But I'm also really hoping that he comes back to Frosthelm soon. There's still so much left to tell.

EDIT: I knew I forgot something...the chapter titles are great!

[Owen Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent series - highly recommended

[OldBird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastical urban fantasy styled mystery case from the city of Frosthelm and beyond. More original, more twisty, and just more good old fashioned comfort-read fun than the first, while it can move at a snail's pace at times there's plenty to love about this slow-burn read.

Firstly though, a note: While it probably is possible to read each of these books as stand-alones (different narrators and a specific plot that wraps up in each novel), I personally would recommend reading them in order. It does do a lot of recapping events of book one - not in an annoying way, more little reminders - but there were times that I felt if I hadn't just read book 1, I would have no idea what was being talked about. You also miss out on the world building that really helps set the scene.

Our story this time is narrated by Inspector Boog, he of the messy hair and penchant for hitting things/people with his staff. His usual partner Marten is busy being a magical expert, leaving poor Boog feeling there's not much to do... Until he accidentally comes to the aid of Zekra, an inspector-in-training being bullied for being different; she's dark-skinned and so "Not A Native Frosthelmer". Taking her under his wing, they are tasked together with discovering the source of a weird buzzing apparition. Their investigation leads them down some dark paths, full of murderous intentions, strange artefacts, foul magics, and - well whaddya know?- possibly the end of the world as they know it...

Another great comfort-read of a plot, familiar to anyone whose read this sort of genre before but with enough originality to really spice things up and keep the urge to read more ticking over even when the pacing could get a little on the slow side. Much like book 1, the narration is done with direct charm and wry wit. I loved some of Boog's little tangential asides; they occurred just at the right time to feel amusing without being inappropriately timed and they work to keep things from getting too dark. The mystery has plenty of meanders to keep you guessing if not exactly what's going on but the how and why.

Another thing this book does great is developing the characters. Boog and Zekra's strange friendship comes about organically, and I loved how naturally their personalities came together. While they're still very much ~boy~ book characters who don't do emotions very strongly, I enjoyed their rapport (the tiny tiny hint of romance sprinkled throughout kept me guessing, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by how they left it; again it felt natural for the characters). Side characters are as developed as they need to be and form a rich and random cast.

The underlying theme of Zekra being treated as Other and Boog trying to work out the best way of being supportive without accidentally Othering her in a different way is probably something most anxious white liberal-minded folks can relate to. It forces him to look at his own privilege of sex/race(/being extra tall and strong-looking) in a way that's surprisingly deep and sensitively done for such a book. It never once felt preachy.

The only downers for me were the pacing, and final confrontation. Sometimes, especially late on in the book, I felt like some events were dragging on a little bit more than necessary as well as facts about the world being repeated again and again in close together chapters. The ending itself seemed a little easily achieved and strangely quick given those many many pages of trials and tribulations. In a similar way to book 1, the villains don't feel quite as developed or present throughout as I'd have liked.

Overall it's still a fine, fun and engaging magical mystery tour full of twists and timey-wimey turns to boggle the brain. Good characters, intriguing world building and winning narration made this one enjoyable read.

[Mike Hrycyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this, the second episode of The Inquisitors Guild series by Dave Dobson, the character focus shifts from a story told by Marty to being told by Boog. In fact, Marty is present in the story almost as a cameo. At first, for a reader who begins to love a character, I approached it timorously, unsure about what I would get. I had solid hopes because Boog was a great sidekick in the first book but he was just that, a sidekick to the story that focused mainly on Marty. So this book set out to pay Boog his due. It didn’t take me very long for Dobson to win me over. Boog started to show his own depth of character quickly and the glimpses we had grown to love in Flames Over Frosthem blossomed into someone that was just as lovable. With Marty taking a backseat (or perhaps, a trunk seat would be more apt) there was room for a new sidekick, Zekra. Zekra is an apprentice that is assigned to Boog as a “punishment.”

This story is more expansive than Flames Over Frosthelm. It has some facets of time travel woven throughout the story and unlike many instances of time travel in stories, it holds up fairly well. It includes an empire that is new to us and we get to travel through that some. This story also deals with acceptance and race within its themes. At one point it digs deep in discussing why a person who is subject to intolerance doesn’t always fight back. I found this part of the story to be very insightful and powerful to read.

The story in The Outcast Crown is well conceived, interesting and intricate. You have to read it to get to where it’s going, there is no guessing in this story. It’s a great ride with charming and interesting characters.

I recommend this book, for sure.

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Outcast Crown is a strong follow on to Flames Over Frosthelm, which I really enjoyed and just never got around to continuing. Which is kind of the story of my life. It's a stand alone novel that can be read alone, but some of the characters are directly linked to the initial novel and there are references to events in the first one. With that in mind, I'd recommend reading them in order if only so you get all the character development and none of the spoilers.

Flames Over Frosthelm was a genre bending mash up of detective fiction and sword and sorcery fantasy, and I really enjoyed the police procedural aspects of it when mixed with the fantasy world and great characterisations. The Outcast Crown loses some of the police procedural, particularly once it kicks into gear, but it keeps a great cast of characters and follows through with a potentially world changing narrative where our main characters always seem to be one step behind. It also follows one of the main characters from the previous novel, whilst including another apprentice Inquisitor.

This was very twisty novel and the timeline gets a little hard to follow at points, but there's also a lot of additional depth given to the world building beyond Frosthelm itself and the wider magic system. I also appreciated the diverse view points here and the role race, immigration and prejudice plays in not only the character back-stories but the day to day events of the novel which served as a serious undertone to some of the more tongue in cheek humour.

All in all, a well written and interesting mix between mystery and fantasy, with the focus moving more to the fantasy side here but the mystery elements still being well developed. The third in the series has found it's way into my cramped incoming TBR.

[Elizabeth Lavender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Watch and protect. It’s the call of those at the Inquisitors’ Guild. As a new threat emerges against Frosthelm, Boog and Zekra find how far they must go to honor that oath. Boog has already tested his limits once, but the apprentice Zekra finds herself thrown into the fire through a series of unusual circumstances. However, such a lofty call sometimes takes individuals on paths they hoped not to tread. Boog returns to a place where his decisions can save or doom his beloved city. For Zekra, it further opens up a world she struggles with, one where her loyalties are continuously questioned. Worse it takes her back to a painful moment she vowed never to return. Yet maybe that’s the reason she’s the best one to heed this call for this time for Frosthelm. She understands the threat better than anyone and knows the horrible cost it exacts. With Boog working with her, Zekra is determined that Frosthelm, the place she calls home now, will not be sacrificed to an ancient evil equally determined to reawaken to power. Her own words confirm her spirit, “Our mission is just, and whatever comes of this, this is a task and a cause to which I would gladly give my labor and my life.” Watch and protect, indeed, even to the last breath.

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is what magic all about. David Dobson causes the reader to be transported to a whole new world of magic. There was a real balance of darkness and realm of fantasy with lightness and humor. Dobson brought the characters to life, as he penned this amazing story and created his characters. I was entranced by this story. The writing was fast-paced. This book is a real page-turner. You won’t want to put it down, so clear your schedule, get comfortable and settle in for a treat. I highly recommend this novel and I know you will enjoy the entire novel.

[Alon Lankri · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF 62%
This book was a jumble compared to book one. Time travel is a pet peeve of mine. I also found myself skipping massive chunks of conversation through the first part, maybe even a tenth of the novel, which were fairly pointless. This book didn't have the fun banter of the first one, and despite the plot being high stakes everything felt totally random. I will try another book by the author but I am not as enthused anymore.

[Deb Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than the first one in this series, largely because of the change of narrator. This novel also had a slow section with way too much fighting for my taste. Nonetheless, it was a very enjoyable read and I am ready for the third Inquisitors' Guild story.

[Volpot · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Good sequel. Story and characters were entertaining.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book of the series, but a different character is taking the leading role. Boog, a law-enforcement inspector in a Dnd-style fantasy city, has been at a bit of a loose end since his old partner has started doing magic tricks, but when a new partner and a new murder case lands in his lap, he is more than ready to get back to work. Now we have killer crowns, time-travel, and a host of other problems to deal with!

I love that these books are clean, self-contained, and have good friendships/lighter romance sprinkled in. This book also added some more diverse characters to the cast. The characters themselves were fine (I liked Boog’s new partner and totally ship them), but there was a lot of heavy-handed preaching to go along with it. I like character arcs and strong themes in general, but in this case, it became too much of a one-sided lecture for me to completely enjoy the addition. Even the parts I agreed with.

But besides that one issue, it’s well-written. I enjoyed a lot of the humor and the way the case was laid out. Curious to see what happens in the next one!

[Maggies Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting twist for two crime fighters who live in a city called Frosthelm where some individuals can perform magic while others cannot. Our heroes are two mismatched men: Boog is the big brawn of the pair while Marten or Marty who is commented on his lack of stature is the brains with some magical skills to boot. Cultists have plans to rebirth their God at the next solar eclipse but our heroes have other plans. I really liked the book because there was a nice dose of humor along with the many dramatic death-defying scenes in this book. I have already started on the next book in this series: Flames over Frosthelm