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DEDA Files #1
Differently Morphous
A magical serial killer is on the loose, and gelatinous, otherworldly creatures are infesting the English countryside. Which is making life for the Ministry of Occultism difficult, because magic is supposed to be their best kept secret.
After centuries in the shadows, the Ministry is forced to unmask, exposing the country's magical history - and magical citizens - to a brave new world of social media, government scrutiny, and public relations.
On the trail of the killer are the Ministry's top agents: a junior operative with a photographic memory (and not much else), a couple of overgrown schoolboys with godlike powers, and a demonstrably insane magician.
But as they struggle for results, their superiors at HQ must face the greatest threat the Ministry has ever known: the forces of political correctness....
Differently Morphous is the latest and greatest tale to emerge from the mind of writer (and narrator) Yahtzee Croshaw.
After centuries in the shadows, the Ministry is forced to unmask, exposing the country's magical history - and magical citizens - to a brave new world of social media, government scrutiny, and public relations.
On the trail of the killer are the Ministry's top agents: a junior operative with a photographic memory (and not much else), a couple of overgrown schoolboys with godlike powers, and a demonstrably insane magician.
But as they struggle for results, their superiors at HQ must face the greatest threat the Ministry has ever known: the forces of political correctness....
Differently Morphous is the latest and greatest tale to emerge from the mind of writer (and narrator) Yahtzee Croshaw.
Audible Audio
First published March 12, 2019
About the author
Yahtzee Croshaw
10 books1,456 followersBenjamin Richard "Yahtzee" Croshaw is an English comedic writer, video game journalist and author of adventure games created using Adventure Game Studio software. He writes articles for Australia's Hyper magazine, a major games publication. He uses his website "Fully Ramblomatic" as an outlet for his own work, including weekly dark humour articles, essays, fiction, and webcomics. He is currently making a series of video-reviews named Zero Punctuation for The Escapist, as well as the weekly column Extra Punctuation. In the February 2008 issue of PC Gamer (US), Croshaw took over Gary Whitta's "Backspace" column as a contributing editor. He is also one of the four founders of The Mana Bar; an Australian cocktail bar and video gaming lounge in Brisbane, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 406 reviews
June 29, 2018
I always enjoy Yahtzee's books. They have their issues (and they all have pretty much the same issues over and over again), but I never find them boring. If you've enjoyed his other books you'll like this one.
Oddly enough, this is probably simultaneously both his best and worst book to date.
I say it's his best because it shows the most progression in his writing style. All his books have the same three female characters: the Socially-Awkward-But-Friendly-Normal-Girl, the Oblivious-Airhead and the Hyper-Competent-Ice-Queen. This book at least takes the step forward of making Normal Girl the main character (in place of his usual Beleaguered-Man-Participating-Against-His-Will) and he writes her well. The story also takes some nice twists and turns and it was fun trying to guess where the story would go.
On the bad side, it has two major stumbles. First, it makes the (admittedly very common) mistake that a lot of Sci-Fi/Fantasy stories make. I.E. having their aliens/demons/vampires/etc. be both stand-ins for an oppressed minority and also dangerous monsters. It inadvertently implies that people are right to fear said minority because they can be dangerous in a way "normal people" are not. In this case, he uses inter-dimensional demons as a stand in for the LGBTQ community and it… doesn't work well.
Secondly, it tries to present two sides of an issue as equally valid/annoying, despite the fact that the sides are not actually equivalent (see the previous thing about using your monsters as metaphors for the LGBTQ community). I mean, yeah sure, one group wants to lock the other in concentration camps and torture the demons out of them; but those SJWs can be so annoying on Tumblr can't they? And I'm not even exaggerating, those are literally the two sides of the issue in this book.
That said, I believe most of these issues were unintentional. I don't believe this was meant as a dig at the LGBTQ community as much as it was a dig at people who like to be self righteous on the internet. It is likely just a case of Yahtzee not thinking through the full implications of his metaphor. And for most of the book I was able to overlook these issues and enjoy the story on it's own terms.
Oddly enough, this is probably simultaneously both his best and worst book to date.
I say it's his best because it shows the most progression in his writing style. All his books have the same three female characters: the Socially-Awkward-But-Friendly-Normal-Girl, the Oblivious-Airhead and the Hyper-Competent-Ice-Queen. This book at least takes the step forward of making Normal Girl the main character (in place of his usual Beleaguered-Man-Participating-Against-His-Will) and he writes her well. The story also takes some nice twists and turns and it was fun trying to guess where the story would go.
On the bad side, it has two major stumbles. First, it makes the (admittedly very common) mistake that a lot of Sci-Fi/Fantasy stories make. I.E. having their aliens/demons/vampires/etc. be both stand-ins for an oppressed minority and also dangerous monsters. It inadvertently implies that people are right to fear said minority because they can be dangerous in a way "normal people" are not. In this case, he uses inter-dimensional demons as a stand in for the LGBTQ community and it… doesn't work well.
Secondly, it tries to present two sides of an issue as equally valid/annoying, despite the fact that the sides are not actually equivalent (see the previous thing about using your monsters as metaphors for the LGBTQ community). I mean, yeah sure, one group wants to lock the other in concentration camps and torture the demons out of them; but those SJWs can be so annoying on Tumblr can't they? And I'm not even exaggerating, those are literally the two sides of the issue in this book.
That said, I believe most of these issues were unintentional. I don't believe this was meant as a dig at the LGBTQ community as much as it was a dig at people who like to be self righteous on the internet. It is likely just a case of Yahtzee not thinking through the full implications of his metaphor. And for most of the book I was able to overlook these issues and enjoy the story on it's own terms.
December 23, 2019
I got exactly what I expected from this book. It was glorious!
Beautiful English humor and an overdose of sarcasm. It's very Yahtzee. If you've read any of his works before you'll know exactly what to expect.
When the Ministry of Occultism cannot work in shadows anymore and keep the existence of magic under wraps, the public eye turns to them and follows each supernatural event with particular scrutiny.
New forms of life, gelatinous goo-like, harmless-looking creatures, called Fluidics, start appearing all over England. A Fluidic killer also appears, quickly going serial and using magic to do it.
At the same time a school for the 'magically infused young people' is uncovered. People in charge call it an institution that provides education and protection. People not in charge call it a torture dungeon.
Immediate action by the Ministry was required to prevent the nation-wide panic. "Come to my office urgently but not in a way that looks urgent!"
And, like that's not enough, the greatest threat the Ministry has ever known reared its ugly head - the forces of political correctness.
At this point not much more can happen to make our heroes raise their eyebrows. Drowning in the absurdity of the situation they're trying to navigate one deadly trap after another - whether it's a face-to-face with a deadly killer or an interview with a representative of political correctness movement.
Engaging story, augmented by neverending jokes and snarky comments, made me rush through the book like I'm being chased. I even caught on the upgrade of Interstellar Bum Pirates, which graduated from a video game to a full-blown TV series! Yahtzee built an amazing world. Reading more online, I found out his books always contain an homage for another one. Like fake charges on the credit card here - a 12-month subscription to Mogworld MMO :-)
I liked those little things.
"The IP address of the upload was traced to a location in Yorkshire. So this person can't be particularly smart." British humor at its finest ;-)
Although I feel squirrels were slightly overused, pretty much everything was spot on. The insane, overly dramatic, senior investigator and the junior, very non-special, one need to make sense of everything while trying not to kill each other. A perfect plot.
If you don't get British humor, chances are you may not get this book either. But if you like shows such as Black Adder or Fawlty Towers you'll surely have a blast. I reveled in the absurdness of the situation the whole time.
I remember a suggestion to two awkward teenagers - Why don't you two get a room? So you can sit on the opposite sides of it and avoid eye contact - caught me so off-guard I laughed for a full minute.
Look, you can't just tell the majority of the nation that you're right and they're wrong. This isn't the Iraq war.
Interesting fact #1: I'm not a fan of writers narrating their own works. Unless that writer happens to be Yahtzee Croshaw. If Mogworld works for you, this will, too.
Interesting fact #2: I've read this book 7 months ago and am just now writing a review. Checking my notes taken while listening made me go through the entire book in under a minute. I love it even more now.
Differently Morphous
by Yahtzee Croshaw
Beautiful English humor and an overdose of sarcasm. It's very Yahtzee. If you've read any of his works before you'll know exactly what to expect.
When the Ministry of Occultism cannot work in shadows anymore and keep the existence of magic under wraps, the public eye turns to them and follows each supernatural event with particular scrutiny.
New forms of life, gelatinous goo-like, harmless-looking creatures, called Fluidics, start appearing all over England. A Fluidic killer also appears, quickly going serial and using magic to do it.
At the same time a school for the 'magically infused young people' is uncovered. People in charge call it an institution that provides education and protection. People not in charge call it a torture dungeon.
Immediate action by the Ministry was required to prevent the nation-wide panic. "Come to my office urgently but not in a way that looks urgent!"
And, like that's not enough, the greatest threat the Ministry has ever known reared its ugly head - the forces of political correctness.
At this point not much more can happen to make our heroes raise their eyebrows. Drowning in the absurdity of the situation they're trying to navigate one deadly trap after another - whether it's a face-to-face with a deadly killer or an interview with a representative of political correctness movement.
Engaging story, augmented by neverending jokes and snarky comments, made me rush through the book like I'm being chased. I even caught on the upgrade of Interstellar Bum Pirates, which graduated from a video game to a full-blown TV series! Yahtzee built an amazing world. Reading more online, I found out his books always contain an homage for another one. Like fake charges on the credit card here - a 12-month subscription to Mogworld MMO :-)
I liked those little things.
"The IP address of the upload was traced to a location in Yorkshire. So this person can't be particularly smart." British humor at its finest ;-)
Although I feel squirrels were slightly overused, pretty much everything was spot on. The insane, overly dramatic, senior investigator and the junior, very non-special, one need to make sense of everything while trying not to kill each other. A perfect plot.
If you don't get British humor, chances are you may not get this book either. But if you like shows such as Black Adder or Fawlty Towers you'll surely have a blast. I reveled in the absurdness of the situation the whole time.
I remember a suggestion to two awkward teenagers - Why don't you two get a room? So you can sit on the opposite sides of it and avoid eye contact - caught me so off-guard I laughed for a full minute.
Look, you can't just tell the majority of the nation that you're right and they're wrong. This isn't the Iraq war.
Interesting fact #1: I'm not a fan of writers narrating their own works. Unless that writer happens to be Yahtzee Croshaw. If Mogworld works for you, this will, too.
Interesting fact #2: I've read this book 7 months ago and am just now writing a review. Checking my notes taken while listening made me go through the entire book in under a minute. I love it even more now.
Differently Morphous
by Yahtzee Croshaw
Verdict A shining example of a great comedy!
Runtime 10:23
Overall
Performance
Story
April 16, 2018
A quirky weird tale that suffers from minor plotting issues.
World: The world building is solid, it’s well built and thought out and there is no info dumping at. Readers learn this world from multiple characters making the world fairly alive and real without the need to explain it. The stage is set and the internal logic for the magic system is thought out well. It’s a fun world where more stories would interest me in the future.
Story: The story starts strong and chugs a little until picking up again. Overall it’s a fun adventure whodunit finding ones place story with supernatural elements. Putting those things together is fun. There are hints of Potter, hints of Laundry Files, hints of Terry Pratchett and even Tom Holt. The humor is dry and topical and very on the satirical. Each character comes off as a current societal stereotype and Croshaw plays with it. The day to day workings and the politics is fun and it’s also paired along with an interesting and aight murder mystery. I did feel a little bit underwhelmed by the reveal but as a whole the story was fairly well done and highly entertaining.
Characters: The characters in this book I feel are the highlight, more importantly their personal voice. I can’t stop laughing at Millenial Jessica and the book does not just end there. The main protagonist is also fun with her insecurities and very real and relatable feelings of young adults finding a place for themselves. Then there is the zany shoggoths and the top hat and the Merlins and the list goes on and on, the characters are nuts.
I enjoyed the book, it was fun and interesting and the story interesting enough to keep me amused throughout. There were some jankiness in the middle and an end that was just to dove tailed but overall I enjoyed it.
Onward to the next book!
World: The world building is solid, it’s well built and thought out and there is no info dumping at. Readers learn this world from multiple characters making the world fairly alive and real without the need to explain it. The stage is set and the internal logic for the magic system is thought out well. It’s a fun world where more stories would interest me in the future.
Story: The story starts strong and chugs a little until picking up again. Overall it’s a fun adventure whodunit finding ones place story with supernatural elements. Putting those things together is fun. There are hints of Potter, hints of Laundry Files, hints of Terry Pratchett and even Tom Holt. The humor is dry and topical and very on the satirical. Each character comes off as a current societal stereotype and Croshaw plays with it. The day to day workings and the politics is fun and it’s also paired along with an interesting and aight murder mystery. I did feel a little bit underwhelmed by the reveal but as a whole the story was fairly well done and highly entertaining.
Characters: The characters in this book I feel are the highlight, more importantly their personal voice. I can’t stop laughing at Millenial Jessica and the book does not just end there. The main protagonist is also fun with her insecurities and very real and relatable feelings of young adults finding a place for themselves. Then there is the zany shoggoths and the top hat and the Merlins and the list goes on and on, the characters are nuts.
I enjoyed the book, it was fun and interesting and the story interesting enough to keep me amused throughout. There were some jankiness in the middle and an end that was just to dove tailed but overall I enjoyed it.
Onward to the next book!
October 3, 2018
Stopped just over half way through. Couldn't stomach it any longer.
November 2, 2018
so this is what happens when a video game blogger from England attempts to write a novel. although you can tell Croshaw is a good writer. and he certainly did better than a Butcher from Georgia ever could. but this effort seem to be beyond the scope of his ability. the characters seemed more like stereotypes the real believable people. after a while you forget they have names and think of the as they are betrayed by the author. which reminds me the author narrates the book and does great. a real professional job he might have a future as a voice actor. I was drawn to this audiobook by my love of political satire, Fantasy magic, mystery, and comedy. this was touted by audible as a perfect mixture of these elements. it just felt like Yahtzee was to ambitious to properly marry and develop these concepts. I was left under satisfied on all four accounts. it just felt to busy jumping from Magical fantasy to Murder Mystery messed with the realism of the book. it was jarring. also from comedy to political satire in the same paragraph only blunted both.
Yahtzee is know for his "scathing" criticisms but here leaves a lot to be desired. his thoughts on political correct Brittan and P.C couture are expressed but in such a way that the author feelings on them are too ambiguous. so the satire part of the book become a annoying distraction. Johnathan Swift he is not!
the magical fantasy part of the book was lacking with really simple (cliché) examples like fire wielding, psychic impressions and ruin crafting all magic comes from demons. and the only magical creatures are more alien inter dimensional blob creature strait out of a B rate Sci-fi. why not have the cataclysmic event eluded to in the book be caused by a dragon, is that to much to ask. J.K Rowling he is not!
As For comedy I barely cracked a smile let alone LOL. fart jokes, over the top characters, and awkward conversations are amusing but not hilarious. the book is quirky, and I like quirky but this is not nearly ridiculous enough to tickle my funny bone. once again the seeds are there but Croshaw's other themes blunted the comedy. Douglas Adams he is not!
What Croshaw succeed at the most is the mystery aspect. that kept me going I had no idea who was the killer until the end. I was not surprised but it was not obvious either. Allison is not a very good detective. side effect of her being infused into a magical world she did not understand. and her duel role as our protagonist guide and detective in different world leads to confusion. Deeping the mystery. Poirot and Sherlock would have solve this case in a instant. Yahtzee should have had a competent side character for that role instead of the also duel rolled Dr. D. Agatha Christy he is not.
this book was entertaining despite it's flaws. the problem seems to be my high expectations. as a audible original amazon hyped this book a little to much, that's not the author fault. Croshaw should not quit his day job he appears to be more successfully multitalented than this book was multi themed. my suggestion is to not put any pre conceived expectations on this book just enjoy it for what is differently entertaining!
Yahtzee is know for his "scathing" criticisms but here leaves a lot to be desired. his thoughts on political correct Brittan and P.C couture are expressed but in such a way that the author feelings on them are too ambiguous. so the satire part of the book become a annoying distraction. Johnathan Swift he is not!
the magical fantasy part of the book was lacking with really simple (cliché) examples like fire wielding, psychic impressions and ruin crafting all magic comes from demons. and the only magical creatures are more alien inter dimensional blob creature strait out of a B rate Sci-fi. why not have the cataclysmic event eluded to in the book be caused by a dragon, is that to much to ask. J.K Rowling he is not!
As For comedy I barely cracked a smile let alone LOL. fart jokes, over the top characters, and awkward conversations are amusing but not hilarious. the book is quirky, and I like quirky but this is not nearly ridiculous enough to tickle my funny bone. once again the seeds are there but Croshaw's other themes blunted the comedy. Douglas Adams he is not!
What Croshaw succeed at the most is the mystery aspect. that kept me going I had no idea who was the killer until the end. I was not surprised but it was not obvious either. Allison is not a very good detective. side effect of her being infused into a magical world she did not understand. and her duel role as our protagonist guide and detective in different world leads to confusion. Deeping the mystery. Poirot and Sherlock would have solve this case in a instant. Yahtzee should have had a competent side character for that role instead of the also duel rolled Dr. D. Agatha Christy he is not.
this book was entertaining despite it's flaws. the problem seems to be my high expectations. as a audible original amazon hyped this book a little to much, that's not the author fault. Croshaw should not quit his day job he appears to be more successfully multitalented than this book was multi themed. my suggestion is to not put any pre conceived expectations on this book just enjoy it for what is differently entertaining!
January 2, 2020
Yet another book about magical children, going to a special school for special magical treatment (Harry Potter). Yet another book about some private detective who uses magic to solve cases (Harry Dresden).
I almost threw the book to the other side of the room, but since I was using my ereader I decided against that.
And I'm glad I wasn't controlled by my impulses, because this book kicks off hard and fast and doesn't look back. To create a world that shares so many elements with other famous books and yet create a unique experience is quite a feat. I tip my fedora to you, Yathzee.
I almost threw the book to the other side of the room, but since I was using my ereader I decided against that.
And I'm glad I wasn't controlled by my impulses, because this book kicks off hard and fast and doesn't look back. To create a world that shares so many elements with other famous books and yet create a unique experience is quite a feat. I tip my fedora to you, Yathzee.
March 29, 2018
The only thing I didn't like, is I wanted it to go on for 10 more chapters.
Yahtzee Croshaw achieves the remarkable feat of developing a plot and characters dripping with sarcasm and satire while simultaneously writing an mystery arc that kept me guessing and reguessing to the final chapters.
The characters are often caricatures and mirrors of the extremes in personality we see every day, particularly online. That said, they still remain remarkably engaging almost believable and act in a way that is both human and entertaining.
Somehow a world were gelatinous creatures who can adapt their biological material to watch youtube seemed to make sense. The gentle sprinkling (bucket load) of ridiculousness didn't really take away from the story and the feeling of peril.
Can you tell I enjoyed it?
Yahtzee Croshaw achieves the remarkable feat of developing a plot and characters dripping with sarcasm and satire while simultaneously writing an mystery arc that kept me guessing and reguessing to the final chapters.
The characters are often caricatures and mirrors of the extremes in personality we see every day, particularly online. That said, they still remain remarkably engaging almost believable and act in a way that is both human and entertaining.
Somehow a world were gelatinous creatures who can adapt their biological material to watch youtube seemed to make sense. The gentle sprinkling (bucket load) of ridiculousness didn't really take away from the story and the feeling of peril.
Can you tell I enjoyed it?
June 21, 2018
In need for a light, entertaining audiobook for a long drive, I came across Differently Morphous when browsing Audible's recommendations. I've known Yahtzee Croshaw for years now through is work as a gamereviewer for The Escapist, which I find highly entertaining. So it didn't take much to convince me to pick this up. I was not dissapointed.
Story
It took me a while to figure out where the story was going, due there being a lot of time spent on the world building and character introductions, but once it got going, it turned out to be a murder-mystery with a magic twist. The mystery is centered around the murder of a "fluidid", an interdimensional being with many physical similarities to slugs, and the subsequent hunt for the killer by the Department of Inter-Dimensional Afairs, or DIDA for short.
There are many, and I mean MANY references to modern society's tendency towards being "politically correct" and "not offending anyone" with "free speech". Yahtzee constantly takes jabs at this modern phenomenon and even has a character incorporate this into her very personality. Hillarious stuff, but even so, there's enough there to make you think about it as well.
The story makes a few twists and turns along the way and keeps you guessing right up until the last moments, without feeling pretentious or overdrawn.
Characters
This is where this story really shines. There's quite an extended cast, but each one has a distinct personality that grows throughout the story. The dynamic duo Adam the psychic and Victor the pyromaniac, are absolutely hillarious as they constantly try to have (or not have) philosophical discussions about what's right and wrong. But the star of the show must be Dr. Diabolory, straight out of a cartoon and with more luck than humility. All of them were absolutely amazing.
World-building
Despite this being a modern fantasy novel, Yahtzee has managed surprisingly well to incorporate magic into regular life, with a fluent set of rules, which deepens as the story progresses. Everything feels plausible, and well thought-out.
Writing
Well, what can I say? The man writes his books like he writes his game reviews. Great humor, splendid wordplay and a fusillade of words that feels like poetry at times. I really missed having an ebook version to add highlights too, because there are some great quotes in here.
Conclusion
I had great fun with this one and enjoyed every minute of it. My only complaint would be that it could go just a little faster in the beginning, otherwise this would be flawless.
Story
It took me a while to figure out where the story was going, due there being a lot of time spent on the world building and character introductions, but once it got going, it turned out to be a murder-mystery with a magic twist. The mystery is centered around the murder of a "fluidid", an interdimensional being with many physical similarities to slugs, and the subsequent hunt for the killer by the Department of Inter-Dimensional Afairs, or DIDA for short.
There are many, and I mean MANY references to modern society's tendency towards being "politically correct" and "not offending anyone" with "free speech". Yahtzee constantly takes jabs at this modern phenomenon and even has a character incorporate this into her very personality. Hillarious stuff, but even so, there's enough there to make you think about it as well.
The story makes a few twists and turns along the way and keeps you guessing right up until the last moments, without feeling pretentious or overdrawn.
Characters
This is where this story really shines. There's quite an extended cast, but each one has a distinct personality that grows throughout the story. The dynamic duo Adam the psychic and Victor the pyromaniac, are absolutely hillarious as they constantly try to have (or not have) philosophical discussions about what's right and wrong. But the star of the show must be Dr. Diabolory, straight out of a cartoon and with more luck than humility. All of them were absolutely amazing.
World-building
Despite this being a modern fantasy novel, Yahtzee has managed surprisingly well to incorporate magic into regular life, with a fluent set of rules, which deepens as the story progresses. Everything feels plausible, and well thought-out.
Writing
Well, what can I say? The man writes his books like he writes his game reviews. Great humor, splendid wordplay and a fusillade of words that feels like poetry at times. I really missed having an ebook version to add highlights too, because there are some great quotes in here.
Conclusion
I had great fun with this one and enjoyed every minute of it. My only complaint would be that it could go just a little faster in the beginning, otherwise this would be flawless.
September 25, 2018
I brought this book on audible as it was the daily deal a couple of weeks ago and I thought that it would be the sort of book that would really appeal to me. I do enjoy magical/young adult type books however for me it wasnt as good as I was expecting.
I really struggled to get into the plot of this and I got a little bit confused with the different characters. I think the main issue for me is that it isnt a book that is to be taken too seriously and for me I struggle with the writing style and humour in this type of book.
The overall plot was good – a little like if the world found out that there was a Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter but I just struggled with the sub-plots.
The author does narrate this book so it was nice to hear the book read by the author – I always find this quite interesting and it seems like the author has written more books.
There are lots of positive reviews for this book on amazon so I think its probably just one that I couldnt agree with.
I really struggled to get into the plot of this and I got a little bit confused with the different characters. I think the main issue for me is that it isnt a book that is to be taken too seriously and for me I struggle with the writing style and humour in this type of book.
The overall plot was good – a little like if the world found out that there was a Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter but I just struggled with the sub-plots.
The author does narrate this book so it was nice to hear the book read by the author – I always find this quite interesting and it seems like the author has written more books.
There are lots of positive reviews for this book on amazon so I think its probably just one that I couldnt agree with.
October 15, 2018
More articulate reviewers have detailed some of the possible issues one might have when reading this book, namely that it uses the "minority group are monsters" trope and attempts, sometimes clumsily, to critique what it perceives as annoyances with PC or social justice culture.
While I can totally understand why someone might not enjoy the book because of those factors (I highly recommend searching some reviews for some thoughts on both), I still enjoyed the story. Based on other reviews I thought the "SJWs are bad ahhhh" angle would be a bit more heavy-handed, but Croshaw's sarcasm is usually directed in every angle so it didn't feel out of place to me.
He's a pretty enjoyable narrator for audiobooks, and there were definitely a few moments that made me giggle. If you enjoy parody SFF books then this is worth checking out.
While I can totally understand why someone might not enjoy the book because of those factors (I highly recommend searching some reviews for some thoughts on both), I still enjoyed the story. Based on other reviews I thought the "SJWs are bad ahhhh" angle would be a bit more heavy-handed, but Croshaw's sarcasm is usually directed in every angle so it didn't feel out of place to me.
He's a pretty enjoyable narrator for audiobooks, and there were definitely a few moments that made me giggle. If you enjoy parody SFF books then this is worth checking out.
September 17, 2019
I read the ebook version of this before I bought the audiobook. Since then, I've listened to the audiobook the full way through at least twice. That's how hilarious and well written the book is. I also love Croshaw's narration and his ability for voices is amazing. I'm very glad to have listened to the audio because otherwise I never would've known how to pronounce a lot of the character names.
This is a very well written story with interesting characters. Each person has their own take on the "political correctness storm" that comes in when the Fluidics enter our dimension seeking asylum. From the "social justice warriors" to the "Shoggoths are dangerous" the entire spectrum is well represented. And as much flack as Dr. Pavani gets for thinking that people possessed by the Ancients should be referred to as "Dual Consciousness" I give her full credit for putting her all into what she does. She never backs down and even confronts a lot of fears that those around her do not. At the same time, I love the character of Mike Badger, a former freelance bounty hunter for the Ministry who regularly killed Fluidics. He honestly goes with the flow pretty well and, when he learns that Shoggoths are sentient and protected creatures, he finds other things to do to earn money. You get quite a range here and I love how these characters play off of each other. A lot of them are, essentially, good people who just want to do their best. Some just play better by the rules while others break/create the rules.
The Fluidics/Shoggoths are absolutely adorable. Croshaw plays the reaction to them just right. Because they are so utterly inhuman and talk with a cute lisp ("We would wike to wequest asywum") humanity utterly adores them and goes out of their way to chastise any who would endanger them. Meanwhile, the possessed humans get a lot less sympathy because they are so very human in appearance. The "YouTube video comments" sections of the book are so spot on. From the public feeling that Dual-Consciousness are spoiled kids to people who "identify as Fluidic-kin". You get a lot of almost too real reactions.
The murder mystery itself is a delight! It's another case of Croshaw leaving all the clues there for you to see but you (or at least I) don't notice them or put them together quite right until the reveal. There were no gaps or leaps in the conclusion. There were no "what did I miss?" moments. It's all right there but Croshaw's story is so engaging, you don't notice the little things so easily. So when the killer is revealed, you are surprised in a good way and never feel cheated.
I absolutely loved this book. I've read/listened to it many times now and it still makes me laugh.
This is a very well written story with interesting characters. Each person has their own take on the "political correctness storm" that comes in when the Fluidics enter our dimension seeking asylum. From the "social justice warriors" to the "Shoggoths are dangerous" the entire spectrum is well represented. And as much flack as Dr. Pavani gets for thinking that people possessed by the Ancients should be referred to as "Dual Consciousness" I give her full credit for putting her all into what she does. She never backs down and even confronts a lot of fears that those around her do not. At the same time, I love the character of Mike Badger, a former freelance bounty hunter for the Ministry who regularly killed Fluidics. He honestly goes with the flow pretty well and, when he learns that Shoggoths are sentient and protected creatures, he finds other things to do to earn money. You get quite a range here and I love how these characters play off of each other. A lot of them are, essentially, good people who just want to do their best. Some just play better by the rules while others break/create the rules.
The Fluidics/Shoggoths are absolutely adorable. Croshaw plays the reaction to them just right. Because they are so utterly inhuman and talk with a cute lisp ("We would wike to wequest asywum") humanity utterly adores them and goes out of their way to chastise any who would endanger them. Meanwhile, the possessed humans get a lot less sympathy because they are so very human in appearance. The "YouTube video comments" sections of the book are so spot on. From the public feeling that Dual-Consciousness are spoiled kids to people who "identify as Fluidic-kin". You get a lot of almost too real reactions.
The murder mystery itself is a delight! It's another case of Croshaw leaving all the clues there for you to see but you (or at least I) don't notice them or put them together quite right until the reveal. There were no gaps or leaps in the conclusion. There were no "what did I miss?" moments. It's all right there but Croshaw's story is so engaging, you don't notice the little things so easily. So when the killer is revealed, you are surprised in a good way and never feel cheated.
I absolutely loved this book. I've read/listened to it many times now and it still makes me laugh.
July 29, 2019
Differently Morphous is a textbook example of a semi talented author, biting off more than they can chew. Yahtzee is undeniably funny, and I really enjoyed his book "Will Save the Galaxy for Food". It was a light and fun read, filled with reasonably clever wit.
This book has some of that, but it also tries to be more than it's capable of. The main theme here is PC Culture, and this novel handles the issue about as awkwardly and ineptly as one could imagine.
I love a bit of satire. It's probably my favorite genre, to be honest. Satire worked into science fiction or fantasy is even better. The current PC Culture definitely has aspects worth poking a bit of fun at, but this book does it without any subtlety or ingenuity.
Minorities in the current political climate in Europe and America, are represented by beings from an alternate dimension. Some of these beings are nice and innately harmless, some are Hell bent on destroying the world as we know it with incredible supernatural powers.
The main problem with that, of course, is that you divide the group of people you're representing(Muslims, if you didn't catch that from the get go, Yahtzee will have made sure you did before too long) from your Non Islamic individual. As if there's some difference between the rest of the world and them in their genetic code that makes them more dangerous than anyone else.
I've read a book very similar to this, but the main difference was the group representative of Muslims didn't have the supernatural powers gifted the beings from an alternate dimension here. That's where the whole concept falls through, but it's not well done besides that. The same jokes are told over and over. The same situations happen again and again with only minor differences.
The characters are a bit flat as well, but I tend to be forgiving of satire when it comes to character depth and development. When the characters are flat and the satire is just as lame, however, you get a rather boring and tedious read. The only lines that got a laugh out of me where those not relating to the main theme, and even those were few and far between.
This book has some of that, but it also tries to be more than it's capable of. The main theme here is PC Culture, and this novel handles the issue about as awkwardly and ineptly as one could imagine.
I love a bit of satire. It's probably my favorite genre, to be honest. Satire worked into science fiction or fantasy is even better. The current PC Culture definitely has aspects worth poking a bit of fun at, but this book does it without any subtlety or ingenuity.
Minorities in the current political climate in Europe and America, are represented by beings from an alternate dimension. Some of these beings are nice and innately harmless, some are Hell bent on destroying the world as we know it with incredible supernatural powers.
The main problem with that, of course, is that you divide the group of people you're representing(Muslims, if you didn't catch that from the get go, Yahtzee will have made sure you did before too long) from your Non Islamic individual. As if there's some difference between the rest of the world and them in their genetic code that makes them more dangerous than anyone else.
I've read a book very similar to this, but the main difference was the group representative of Muslims didn't have the supernatural powers gifted the beings from an alternate dimension here. That's where the whole concept falls through, but it's not well done besides that. The same jokes are told over and over. The same situations happen again and again with only minor differences.
The characters are a bit flat as well, but I tend to be forgiving of satire when it comes to character depth and development. When the characters are flat and the satire is just as lame, however, you get a rather boring and tedious read. The only lines that got a laugh out of me where those not relating to the main theme, and even those were few and far between.
April 29, 2019
I found Differently Mourphous to be Yahtzee's best work yet, barely edging out his previous work Will Save the Galaxy for Food. Taking the idea of magic and Lovecraftian horrors and pitting them against the terror that is modern bureaucracy and social media is a great concept, and one that lends itself well to Yahtzee's humor and writing style. The colorful cast of characters played off one another quite well, and their motivations were crafted well enough to keep you engaged in the search for the fluidic killer. I eagerly look forward to the follow up to see how this world evolves.
October 1, 2018
Overall the story is entertaining but the political undertones are districting and also not really clear on which side he's gunning for (which I guess is a good thing?) but I feel like it brings you out of the story too much. Also including various social media networks by name which is going to date this book that could make it draw you out of the story even more in years to come. The characters were fun though and the ending left me with the right questions without making me feel like the story wasn't completed. I'd try another Croshaw book in the future.
May 29, 2022
Differently Morphous (DEDA Files #1) by Yahtzee Croshaw is my first book from this author and I know it won't be my last. I'll have to try more from him in the future. I liked how weird fantasy mystery was willing to be. It's also sarcastic and absolutely hilarious. I have a feeling the audiobook production of this would have been fantastic and I'll definitely be looking for more of his stuff in that format.
January 30, 2022
Entertaining. The audio narration, especially of the Fluidics' waterlogged speech, is the best part. The plot's pretty complicated and there are a lot of characters to keep track of, which made it harder for me to follow than his other books that I've listened to. Still, it's worth some backtracking and gaps to listen to the author narrate it (not usually a plus for a non-memoir audiobook, but it is here).
There's a magical school run by monks; a student who turns out not to have magic--she has an eidetic memory that made people think she did--so goes to work at the ministry instead of going to the secondary school; some aliens called Fluidics who are sort of giant amoebas that are seeking asylum and end up doing all sorts of helpful jobs; kids who really do have 'magical infusions;' and someone who's murdering Fluidics. Our eidetic memory girl Alison ends up in the middle of the investigation.
The humor is kind of Monty Python- or Blackadder-esque. Silly and equal-opportunity-offensive. No one except maybe Alison is exempt from ridicule. All the Fluidics have the same unpronounceable name. Alison's boss is extravagantly dramatic and nobody's sure if he really has any of the powers he claims to have. There's an impossibly clueless teenager and her phone. Oh, and a cabal-of-evil type group like the one Mr Burns has in the Simpsons.
It all wraps up neatly but sets up a sequel, which I think I might go download now.
There's a magical school run by monks; a student who turns out not to have magic--she has an eidetic memory that made people think she did--so goes to work at the ministry instead of going to the secondary school; some aliens called Fluidics who are sort of giant amoebas that are seeking asylum and end up doing all sorts of helpful jobs; kids who really do have 'magical infusions;' and someone who's murdering Fluidics. Our eidetic memory girl Alison ends up in the middle of the investigation.
The humor is kind of Monty Python- or Blackadder-esque. Silly and equal-opportunity-offensive. No one except maybe Alison is exempt from ridicule. All the Fluidics have the same unpronounceable name. Alison's boss is extravagantly dramatic and nobody's sure if he really has any of the powers he claims to have. There's an impossibly clueless teenager and her phone. Oh, and a cabal-of-evil type group like the one Mr Burns has in the Simpsons.
It all wraps up neatly but sets up a sequel, which I think I might go download now.
November 29, 2018
I’ve only read the first of the Hitchhiker’s Guide books, so I am admittedly no expert on Douglas Adams’s work. Even so, I kept thinking that Yahtzee Croshaw’s Differently Morphous is, for me, similar to Adams in terms of sarcastic, absurd humor that genuinely makes me chuckle. (A better comparison might be to Terry Pratchett, but I’ve only ever read Good Omens so I’m not sure how representative it is of his work)
Differently Morphous, although funny and entertaining throughout, does straddle a fine line between sardonic commentary on ultra PC culture and outright lampooning of the pronoun-conscious, social-media-warrior side of social progress. The world of ancient gods and magic is smashed up against cellphones and government agencies, with a heaping helping of social justice gone too far (too far?). And there’s a murder mystery on top for good measure.
What a strange battle to pick in this age, when the livelihood of artists depends on their image, and overly-sensitive Twitter warriors can end a career in 160 characters or less. It seems like this could have gone badly if handled poorly, and even handled as it was (which was fine), there are still people who will find it offensive to poke fun at SJWs like this (some of them are in the other reviews for this book). Pointing out the absurdities when this culture is taken too far could even be considered de facto racism/classism/sexism/whateverism by some, so... is Yahtzee brave, stupid, or lucky? Maybe he doesn’t give a crap.
Anyway, that had to be said. In my opinion, it came close to being brow-beating, old-man-yelling-at-clouds social commentary, and I’m by no means sensitive about such things. I found it funny in some places, eye-rolling in others, but it never detracted from the story’s fun. YMMV.
The whodunnit kept me guessing until the end, and the characters were interesting, funny and likable—even when (especially when?) they were absurd caricatures. Still, I don’t know whether I would recommend this to someone unless I really knew them well. Even then, I would worry about it and probably have to have an awkward feeling-things-out talk about SJWs and PC culture and sensitivity before knowing whether I’d be recommending a funny book or a friendship ender. Of course, things don’t have to be polar opposites all the time. Maybe it’s less of an issue in the UK?
Differently Morphous, although funny and entertaining throughout, does straddle a fine line between sardonic commentary on ultra PC culture and outright lampooning of the pronoun-conscious, social-media-warrior side of social progress. The world of ancient gods and magic is smashed up against cellphones and government agencies, with a heaping helping of social justice gone too far (too far?). And there’s a murder mystery on top for good measure.
What a strange battle to pick in this age, when the livelihood of artists depends on their image, and overly-sensitive Twitter warriors can end a career in 160 characters or less. It seems like this could have gone badly if handled poorly, and even handled as it was (which was fine), there are still people who will find it offensive to poke fun at SJWs like this (some of them are in the other reviews for this book). Pointing out the absurdities when this culture is taken too far could even be considered de facto racism/classism/sexism/whateverism by some, so... is Yahtzee brave, stupid, or lucky? Maybe he doesn’t give a crap.
Anyway, that had to be said. In my opinion, it came close to being brow-beating, old-man-yelling-at-clouds social commentary, and I’m by no means sensitive about such things. I found it funny in some places, eye-rolling in others, but it never detracted from the story’s fun. YMMV.
The whodunnit kept me guessing until the end, and the characters were interesting, funny and likable—even when (especially when?) they were absurd caricatures. Still, I don’t know whether I would recommend this to someone unless I really knew them well. Even then, I would worry about it and probably have to have an awkward feeling-things-out talk about SJWs and PC culture and sensitivity before knowing whether I’d be recommending a funny book or a friendship ender. Of course, things don’t have to be polar opposites all the time. Maybe it’s less of an issue in the UK?
August 7, 2019
That was really good. I was torn between a 4 and 5 but it ends with a setup for a sequel which determined me more towards a high 4 stars.
Its a supernatural horror/comedy with a quite compelling detective story too. I received the audio version as a gift, not really into audiobooks much but the author does a great job with it, lots of different voices etc.
Although there is a main character, there's also a large supporting cast all of them very memorable, the book feels quite dense, full of story and character.
Yahtzee's novels always combine darkness and comedy, and it can take a while before you get on the wavelength he's using. The comedy is genuinely funny but the darkenss or rather authenticity is also genuine.
Some comedy elements can feel a tad dated, theres a lot about political correctness in here, but its not as bad as a previous book Jam, which had people being ironic in a very early nineties way ;) .
Overall a very solid story, mystery and world building with lots of twists to keep things interesting.
Yahtzee Book Ratings:
Mogworld 3 Stars
Jam 4.2 Stars
Will Save the Galaxy for Food 5 Stars
Differently Morphous 4.7 Stars
Its a supernatural horror/comedy with a quite compelling detective story too. I received the audio version as a gift, not really into audiobooks much but the author does a great job with it, lots of different voices etc.
Although there is a main character, there's also a large supporting cast all of them very memorable, the book feels quite dense, full of story and character.
Yahtzee's novels always combine darkness and comedy, and it can take a while before you get on the wavelength he's using. The comedy is genuinely funny but the darkenss or rather authenticity is also genuine.
Some comedy elements can feel a tad dated, theres a lot about political correctness in here, but its not as bad as a previous book Jam, which had people being ironic in a very early nineties way ;) .
Overall a very solid story, mystery and world building with lots of twists to keep things interesting.
Yahtzee Book Ratings:
Mogworld 3 Stars
Jam 4.2 Stars
Will Save the Galaxy for Food 5 Stars
Differently Morphous 4.7 Stars
July 20, 2018
I was originally recommended this book based on my love of Terry Pratchett, and with that initial expectation I was a bit disappointed. No one, it seems, can equal Pratchett’s whimsical turn of phrase.
But, after setting aside my preconceptions and accepting the original creation of this savage critic (the author is a well-known video game reviewer feared for his caustic wit) for what it was, I really enjoyed it. The characters are ridiculous, unique and well-established. The world is very well grounded. But mostly: with four major characters (including the protagonist) being female, it easily and seamlessly passes the Bechdel Test without feeling at all forced!!! Sadly this is something that the genre typically struggles with and I was delighted to find a truly balanced ensemble cast.
Additionally, this book was initially released ONLY in audiobook form and is read by the author who does a fantastic job with the narration. If you need something fun to listen to, pick this one up. I finished it in 2 days.
But, after setting aside my preconceptions and accepting the original creation of this savage critic (the author is a well-known video game reviewer feared for his caustic wit) for what it was, I really enjoyed it. The characters are ridiculous, unique and well-established. The world is very well grounded. But mostly: with four major characters (including the protagonist) being female, it easily and seamlessly passes the Bechdel Test without feeling at all forced!!! Sadly this is something that the genre typically struggles with and I was delighted to find a truly balanced ensemble cast.
Additionally, this book was initially released ONLY in audiobook form and is read by the author who does a fantastic job with the narration. If you need something fun to listen to, pick this one up. I finished it in 2 days.
November 14, 2023
I listened to this on Audible and I'm frankly surprised they green-lighted it. Pleasantly surprised, because this is a book that criticizes Wokeism. The criticism is nuanced and thoughtful, pointing out problems and solutions on both sides of the Culture War, which is why I suspect it got so many bad reviews. For my part, I appreciated this book a great deal. We begin following along with a girl as she is inducted into the secret magical organization within the British government, and then a lot of unexpected things happen. The protagonist is not the Chosen One, the jerks are not the villains, and some demons really are demonic. I should also mention that Croshaw does a good Shoggoth, and his Dr. Diablary was a joy to hear. There's a sequel I'm eager to read.
December 16, 2018
Unexpectedly hilarious.
Picked this up cheap on audible without really reading the synopsis - glad I did as it proved to be really entertaining, great surprise.
Parody of both the 'magic school' genre & modern life, with an emphasis on the latter
Picked this up cheap on audible without really reading the synopsis - glad I did as it proved to be really entertaining, great surprise.
Parody of both the 'magic school' genre & modern life, with an emphasis on the latter
August 5, 2019
I read the ebook version of this before I bought the audiobook. Since then, I've listened to the audiobook the full way through at least twice. That's how hilarious and well written the book is. I also love Croshaw's narration and his ability for voices is amazing. I'm very glad to have listened to the audio because otherwise I never would've known how to pronounce a lot of the character names.
This is a very well written story with interesting characters. Each person has their own take on the "political correctness storm" that comes in when the Fluidics enter our dimension seeking asylum. From the "social justice warriors" to the "Shoggoths are dangerous" the entire spectrum is well represented. And as much flack as Dr. Pavani gets for thinking that people possessed by the Ancients should be referred to as "Dual Consciousness" I give her full credit for putting her all into what she does. She never backs down and even confronts a lot of fears that those around her do not. At the same time, I love the character of Mike Badger, a former freelance bounty hunter for the Ministry who regularly killed Fluidics. He honestly goes with the flow pretty well and, when he learns that Shoggoths are sentient and protected creatures, he finds other things to do to earn money. You get quite a range here and I love how these characters play off of each other. A lot of them are, essentially, good people who just want to do their best. Some just play better by the rules while others break/create the rules.
The Fluidics/Shoggoths are absolutely adorable. Croshaw plays the reaction to them just right. Because they are so utterly inhuman and talk with a cute lisp ("We would wike to wequest asywum") humanity utterly adores them and goes out of their way to chastise any who would endanger them. Meanwhile, the possessed humans get a lot less sympathy because they are so very human in appearance. The "YouTube video comments" sections of the book are so spot on. From the public feeling that Dual-Consciousness are spoiled kids to people who "identify as Fluidic-kin". You get a lot of almost too real reactions.
The murder mystery itself is a delight! It's another case of Croshaw leaving all the clues there for you to see but you (or at least I) don't notice them or put them together quite right until the reveal. There were no gaps or leaps in the conclusion. There were no "what did I miss?" moments. It's all right there but Croshaw's story is so engaging, you don't notice the little things so easily. So when the killer is revealed, you are surprised in a good way and never feel cheated.
I absolutely loved this book. I've read/listened to it many times now and it still makes me laugh. Some of the humor is a bit dry, but holy wah, the story and characters are so engaging. I'm really hoping Croshaw writes a sequel to this one, he left more than enough to go on. I happily give 5 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy.
This is a very well written story with interesting characters. Each person has their own take on the "political correctness storm" that comes in when the Fluidics enter our dimension seeking asylum. From the "social justice warriors" to the "Shoggoths are dangerous" the entire spectrum is well represented. And as much flack as Dr. Pavani gets for thinking that people possessed by the Ancients should be referred to as "Dual Consciousness" I give her full credit for putting her all into what she does. She never backs down and even confronts a lot of fears that those around her do not. At the same time, I love the character of Mike Badger, a former freelance bounty hunter for the Ministry who regularly killed Fluidics. He honestly goes with the flow pretty well and, when he learns that Shoggoths are sentient and protected creatures, he finds other things to do to earn money. You get quite a range here and I love how these characters play off of each other. A lot of them are, essentially, good people who just want to do their best. Some just play better by the rules while others break/create the rules.
The Fluidics/Shoggoths are absolutely adorable. Croshaw plays the reaction to them just right. Because they are so utterly inhuman and talk with a cute lisp ("We would wike to wequest asywum") humanity utterly adores them and goes out of their way to chastise any who would endanger them. Meanwhile, the possessed humans get a lot less sympathy because they are so very human in appearance. The "YouTube video comments" sections of the book are so spot on. From the public feeling that Dual-Consciousness are spoiled kids to people who "identify as Fluidic-kin". You get a lot of almost too real reactions.
The murder mystery itself is a delight! It's another case of Croshaw leaving all the clues there for you to see but you (or at least I) don't notice them or put them together quite right until the reveal. There were no gaps or leaps in the conclusion. There were no "what did I miss?" moments. It's all right there but Croshaw's story is so engaging, you don't notice the little things so easily. So when the killer is revealed, you are surprised in a good way and never feel cheated.
I absolutely loved this book. I've read/listened to it many times now and it still makes me laugh. Some of the humor is a bit dry, but holy wah, the story and characters are so engaging. I'm really hoping Croshaw writes a sequel to this one, he left more than enough to go on. I happily give 5 hoots and encourage you to pick up a copy.
July 27, 2018
Did you just assume my morphic state!?
Yahtzee Croshaw of internet fame is an author I’ve had a complicated relationship with. I enjoy his works and they always at least make me laugh (the bare minimum for a ‘comedy’ book) but they also always leave me wanting. They always make me stop somewhere in the middle and lose interest, only to come back later when my mood has shifted.
I suppose what I’m saying is that his books never fully ‘grab’ me like some do. Maybe that’s an indictment of him, or the comedy book genre, I’m unsure.
The premise was intriguing enough. What happens when the old secret society that fights supernatural creatures idea actually gets exposed to the real world. What follows is the very british humor of the very dry and boring juxtaposed with the strange, see getting coffee with a slime monster. What follows is a somewhat strangely paced adventure that has both mystery and politics on its side. I can honestly say I didn’t know who the killer was until the last 4 of the book, nor was I disappointed with the reveal, high marks for the mystery aspect.
What somewhat got to me was the political aspect of the book. It’s the old tired and true attempt to make superheroes/ magical people seems like they’re oppressed people, either referencing racism or homophobia. The troubling aspect is that the real world versions are constantly used as scapegoats, they’re less powerful than the main group and are thus subjugated. The ‘magically infused’ on the other hand can literally ‘set people on fire with their mind’. While the questions of civil rights should be explored, it always seems disingenuous to me to treat them ‘like anyone else’, especially when they are capable of such destruction. Maybe its just annoyance at media in general for a lack of nuance. Or maybe I’m a crab who wants to find the flaws in what I like, who knows.
Much of the comedy of the situation comes from people treating the magically infused as though they were a marginalized people group all the while they are capable of warping the minds of others, summoning fire or mind controlling deer. The story is fun, the mystery is engaging, and the characters grow over time. You can do a lot worse than Differently Morphous. Give it a listen.
Yahtzee Croshaw of internet fame is an author I’ve had a complicated relationship with. I enjoy his works and they always at least make me laugh (the bare minimum for a ‘comedy’ book) but they also always leave me wanting. They always make me stop somewhere in the middle and lose interest, only to come back later when my mood has shifted.
I suppose what I’m saying is that his books never fully ‘grab’ me like some do. Maybe that’s an indictment of him, or the comedy book genre, I’m unsure.
The premise was intriguing enough. What happens when the old secret society that fights supernatural creatures idea actually gets exposed to the real world. What follows is the very british humor of the very dry and boring juxtaposed with the strange, see getting coffee with a slime monster. What follows is a somewhat strangely paced adventure that has both mystery and politics on its side. I can honestly say I didn’t know who the killer was until the last 4 of the book, nor was I disappointed with the reveal, high marks for the mystery aspect.
What somewhat got to me was the political aspect of the book. It’s the old tired and true attempt to make superheroes/ magical people seems like they’re oppressed people, either referencing racism or homophobia. The troubling aspect is that the real world versions are constantly used as scapegoats, they’re less powerful than the main group and are thus subjugated. The ‘magically infused’ on the other hand can literally ‘set people on fire with their mind’. While the questions of civil rights should be explored, it always seems disingenuous to me to treat them ‘like anyone else’, especially when they are capable of such destruction. Maybe its just annoyance at media in general for a lack of nuance. Or maybe I’m a crab who wants to find the flaws in what I like, who knows.
Much of the comedy of the situation comes from people treating the magically infused as though they were a marginalized people group all the while they are capable of warping the minds of others, summoning fire or mind controlling deer. The story is fun, the mystery is engaging, and the characters grow over time. You can do a lot worse than Differently Morphous. Give it a listen.
June 28, 2018
A fun, brisk, and funny little novel that I can recommend in audiobook form. Croshaw does a superb job giving voice (and various accents) to his characters, and while I'm sure reading the pomposity of Diablerie would be fun, hearing Crowshaw deliver it is even better. I really like his Yorkshire accents, too, and his voice for the fluidics is great. The bulk of my enjoyment of this book came from hearing it; on the page, I don't think I would have found it as engaging.
There's some fun world-building at the start, with a bit of an inverted Harry Potter/school and ministry of magic happening, but soon enough the story's focus as a murder mystery comes into focus. There are some threads of social commentary, including some lampooning of PC culture, but these are fairly broad and don't land a lot of laughs. Diablerie is a lot of fun to kick around with, but he is less present in the story than you might expect in the final third, which was disappointing. The magic aspects do a fun dance towing the line between genuine horror at the unfathomable realm of the elder gods (from which all magic emanates), and being absurd when put alongside modern life, MMORPGs, smartphones and government bureaucracies.
Croshaw ties it together with a his colorful language, sharp writing, and brisk pacing. And while it all leads to a nice, flashy, magic-y showdown and even a hint at a darker over-arching plot afoot that cries out for a sequel, it never goes beyond a simple 3-star read. I enjoyed the world and humor (and potential for a sequel) in his previous book, Will Save the Galaxy for Food. But this was a good, fun follow-up.
I can now safely say I'm as big a fan of Croshaw the novelist as I am of Croshaw the critic.
There's some fun world-building at the start, with a bit of an inverted Harry Potter/school and ministry of magic happening, but soon enough the story's focus as a murder mystery comes into focus. There are some threads of social commentary, including some lampooning of PC culture, but these are fairly broad and don't land a lot of laughs. Diablerie is a lot of fun to kick around with, but he is less present in the story than you might expect in the final third, which was disappointing. The magic aspects do a fun dance towing the line between genuine horror at the unfathomable realm of the elder gods (from which all magic emanates), and being absurd when put alongside modern life, MMORPGs, smartphones and government bureaucracies.
Croshaw ties it together with a his colorful language, sharp writing, and brisk pacing. And while it all leads to a nice, flashy, magic-y showdown and even a hint at a darker over-arching plot afoot that cries out for a sequel, it never goes beyond a simple 3-star read. I enjoyed the world and humor (and potential for a sequel) in his previous book, Will Save the Galaxy for Food. But this was a good, fun follow-up.
I can now safely say I'm as big a fan of Croshaw the novelist as I am of Croshaw the critic.
October 29, 2020
A strong, creative, and unique story with characters I cared about. More laugh-out-loud funny than The Rook, but without the wordplay and incredible use of language. Less crude and a stronger story than A Dirty Job.
I'm really scratching my head about Social Justice Warriors and Gender in this book.
Everyone in this book seems to talk about SJWs. I'm not sure exactly what point Croshaw was trying to make, but the obsession with that topic was alternately annoying, challenging, and interesting. I think this would make a good discussion topic for a book club.
Gender roles are realistic and current. Men interrupt women constantly and the reverse rarely or never happens. Men hold most of the positions of power. The women in this story are certainly as capable as the men.
I've been fascinated by Shoggoths since AD&D Deities and Demigods: Cyclopedia of Gods and Heroes from Myth and Legend (only the first edition has Cthulhu Mythos).
The author is a talented narrator. I love the voices for the Shoggoths. I keep saying, "Foo-ID-ick KIW-wah" to myself and chuckling.
I'm really scratching my head about Social Justice Warriors and Gender in this book.
Everyone in this book seems to talk about SJWs. I'm not sure exactly what point Croshaw was trying to make, but the obsession with that topic was alternately annoying, challenging, and interesting. I think this would make a good discussion topic for a book club.
Gender roles are realistic and current. Men interrupt women constantly and the reverse rarely or never happens. Men hold most of the positions of power. The women in this story are certainly as capable as the men.
I've been fascinated by Shoggoths since AD&D Deities and Demigods: Cyclopedia of Gods and Heroes from Myth and Legend (only the first edition has Cthulhu Mythos).
The author is a talented narrator. I love the voices for the Shoggoths. I keep saying, "Foo-ID-ick KIW-wah" to myself and chuckling.
July 18, 2020
This book is very frustrating. I read the entire book in four days, and loved the plot, the characters, and the voice of the author. If it weren’t for the authors obvious right winged political agenda, it would be receiving 5 stars and a pat on the back. Without giving anything away, the book starts out with aliens (like from another dimension), coming into our world peacefully. This uncovers a huge government conspiracy that the government has been secretly killing them this whole time. The people of the world decide that they will allow the aliens who are seeking refuge (and the aliens classify themselves as refugees) into our world with open arms. The rest of the book pokes fun at people with open minds as the internet (in the book) declares that the aliens original name is a slur on par with the n word, which perhaps it was, as the government used this word to classify them and slaughter them, as the government in real life has done before.
By the end of the book, the author “Seals the Deal” (as I would put it), by presenting the “slippery slope argument”, that if we allow these people refuge, then these monstrosities will follow. The metaphor was somewhat lost on me at first, as given the person I am, I agreed with everything that they were saying. I agreed that that word was harmful, that we should allow the aliens in complete harmony. But what he was describing was what he thought was an exaggeration while I thought it made sense.
By the end of the book, the author “Seals the Deal” (as I would put it), by presenting the “slippery slope argument”, that if we allow these people refuge, then these monstrosities will follow. The metaphor was somewhat lost on me at first, as given the person I am, I agreed with everything that they were saying. I agreed that that word was harmful, that we should allow the aliens in complete harmony. But what he was describing was what he thought was an exaggeration while I thought it made sense.
October 7, 2018
This is a very funny book. When gelatinous creatures appear in the English countryside asking for asylum, politically correct Brits make them a protected class of sentient being. As the Ministry of Occultism snaps into action, a serial killer chooses the nations newest immigrant group as a target. Our heroin is a teenage Ministry recruit who teams up with the a quirky magician/agent who provides comic relief as this magical mystery unfolds.
I've read a few reviews that lament the lack of laugh out loud moments. The humor in the book is Monty Python-esque. Croshaw makes the absurd intriguing in so far as the book, while very silly, is a compelling adventure. Croshaw's characters are developed enough, though he leaves much to the imagination a la Douglas Adams. To be blunt, you may not laugh out loud, but you'll be entertained, amused and tempted to quote lines right along with your favorites from the Holy Grail.
This was my first Yahtzee Croshaw read. If this is his least funny book so far, I can't wait to catch up and read all his others. In my mind, while uniquely British and original, Croshaw belongs on my shelf next to Christopher Moore and John Scalzi. Very good read!
I've read a few reviews that lament the lack of laugh out loud moments. The humor in the book is Monty Python-esque. Croshaw makes the absurd intriguing in so far as the book, while very silly, is a compelling adventure. Croshaw's characters are developed enough, though he leaves much to the imagination a la Douglas Adams. To be blunt, you may not laugh out loud, but you'll be entertained, amused and tempted to quote lines right along with your favorites from the Holy Grail.
This was my first Yahtzee Croshaw read. If this is his least funny book so far, I can't wait to catch up and read all his others. In my mind, while uniquely British and original, Croshaw belongs on my shelf next to Christopher Moore and John Scalzi. Very good read!
November 10, 2018
This audio book was entertaining but failed to match the grandeur of the first audio book by Mr. Croshaw I tried, Will Save the Galaxy for Food. While that sci-fi tale was a witty and sardonic look at space opera and the cliche of a hero, Differently Morphous was somewhat lacking.
It starts out promising, with a rather scathing satire of the Facebook-meme, ultra-PC climate in which we live and the blame-first, ask-questions-later mentality of social media. This amounts to some humorous banter and awkwardly funny situations. The problem with it is that Croshaw beats you over the head with it right up until the very end of the book at the expense of the story.
The story itself was enjoyable but could have been shortened and sweetened with the removal of some of the afore-mentioned satire.
The strength of this piece is in Croshaw's delivery. The author is a very talented voice actor. Though he uses some of the same voices he used in Will Save the Galaxy for Food, they are distinct and wonderfully performed.
If this is your first listen to Croshaw, perhaps you will love this book. I liked it well enough, for sure. But Will Save the Galaxy for Food is nothing short of genius and receives my highest recommendation. I will certainly be reading more of Croshaw.
It starts out promising, with a rather scathing satire of the Facebook-meme, ultra-PC climate in which we live and the blame-first, ask-questions-later mentality of social media. This amounts to some humorous banter and awkwardly funny situations. The problem with it is that Croshaw beats you over the head with it right up until the very end of the book at the expense of the story.
The story itself was enjoyable but could have been shortened and sweetened with the removal of some of the afore-mentioned satire.
The strength of this piece is in Croshaw's delivery. The author is a very talented voice actor. Though he uses some of the same voices he used in Will Save the Galaxy for Food, they are distinct and wonderfully performed.
If this is your first listen to Croshaw, perhaps you will love this book. I liked it well enough, for sure. But Will Save the Galaxy for Food is nothing short of genius and receives my highest recommendation. I will certainly be reading more of Croshaw.
June 16, 2019
This book is unlike most of the science fiction I've read. It contains humor, much of which is excellent, and as such is somewhat reminiscent of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett. Spoilers ahead.... Recommended.
September 30, 2018
At first it felt like it would satisfy a Harry Potter hankering, but Differently ended up being differently satisfying by being an absurd specialty wizarding adventure combined with over the top commentary on race, political correctness, bureaucracy and some on youth and social media and gaming. I like that the story gives you the option to think if you want to or ignore or reject the either-extreme politics.
I would have enjoyed the focus to stay on the apparently demented magician.
The author is also such an amazing audio performer.
I would have enjoyed the focus to stay on the apparently demented magician.
The author is also such an amazing audio performer.
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