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Greed
An invaluable red stone. Two unsuspecting brothers.
A supporting cast of mercenaries, spies, a crime lord, an over-zealous hay salesman and even the King's own advisor.
It seems everyone in the Kingdom wants Greg & Ralph's stone and they'll stop at nothing to get it.
A hilarious fantasy story about working out what's important in life... and then trying to take it from someone else.
Greed is the first of the Seven Deadly and Four series of fantasy books ideal for fans of Terry Pratchett & Douglas Adams.
"It's been a long time since a book made me snort-laugh as Greed did."
"From the first paragraph, I knew I'd found my new jam. Delightful, fun, entertaining & binge-worthy!"
Described as a book which will make you "snort with laughter" and written in an "easy-going style", Greed is a book for people who like their books with a smile. "If you like The Princess Bride, you're in for a real treat!"
A supporting cast of mercenaries, spies, a crime lord, an over-zealous hay salesman and even the King's own advisor.
It seems everyone in the Kingdom wants Greg & Ralph's stone and they'll stop at nothing to get it.
A hilarious fantasy story about working out what's important in life... and then trying to take it from someone else.
Greed is the first of the Seven Deadly and Four series of fantasy books ideal for fans of Terry Pratchett & Douglas Adams.
"It's been a long time since a book made me snort-laugh as Greed did."
"From the first paragraph, I knew I'd found my new jam. Delightful, fun, entertaining & binge-worthy!"
Described as a book which will make you "snort with laughter" and written in an "easy-going style", Greed is a book for people who like their books with a smile. "If you like The Princess Bride, you're in for a real treat!"
- GenresFantasy
382 pages, Unknown Binding
Published May 31, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 10, 2021
My review is on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
It’s not often that I get a chance to read a bit of fantasy, but now I have the pleasure of reading just that.
Something quite strange is about to happen.
The story Greed sucks you in as it opens up with the discovery of something weird.
Gregory Hoffenbach is a farmer, and without farmers like him the Kingdom will fall to its knees. The Kingdom was a divided place and the King had put up all of the taxes.
Farmer Greg is married to Mollie, and his brother Ralph, his wife Mae had left him. As Greg and Ralph are doing their daily farming, with their plough, something incredibly hard split the plough in half and broke it.
Greg has found a gorgeous red stone that produced stunning results, pulsing blood-red with a source of amazing energy. An idea came to Greg , to take this precious red stone into Calver and try to trade it for a new plough.
Calver is a city which is split into three different levels by three stone walls each encircling the Great Hill. The city of Calver is split into Upper, Middle and Lower parts.
King Paeter the Bold won the right to rule the entire Kingdom and he has a castle on top of the Great Hill.
I recommend fantasy Greed novel as each part of this story unfolds to pure escapism.
It’s not often that I get a chance to read a bit of fantasy, but now I have the pleasure of reading just that.
Something quite strange is about to happen.
The story Greed sucks you in as it opens up with the discovery of something weird.
Gregory Hoffenbach is a farmer, and without farmers like him the Kingdom will fall to its knees. The Kingdom was a divided place and the King had put up all of the taxes.
Farmer Greg is married to Mollie, and his brother Ralph, his wife Mae had left him. As Greg and Ralph are doing their daily farming, with their plough, something incredibly hard split the plough in half and broke it.
Greg has found a gorgeous red stone that produced stunning results, pulsing blood-red with a source of amazing energy. An idea came to Greg , to take this precious red stone into Calver and try to trade it for a new plough.
Calver is a city which is split into three different levels by three stone walls each encircling the Great Hill. The city of Calver is split into Upper, Middle and Lower parts.
King Paeter the Bold won the right to rule the entire Kingdom and he has a castle on top of the Great Hill.
I recommend fantasy Greed novel as each part of this story unfolds to pure escapism.
February 22, 2023
Fans of humorous fantasy this one is for you. I had a great time reading this charming story and after some heavy books this was just what the doctor ordered.
There is a simple but interesting plot but the main protagonist of this book is the Monty Pythonesque humor. I admit that not every joke worked but most of them made me chuckle, all the while I was eager to see the outcome of our two MC's adventure.
This works perfect as a book that makes the reader escape and get lost in a medieval setting full of betrayal, where two farmers get in some politics way over their head.
Some things could be ironed out and in Beeden's second book most of these things do. (I wasn't a big fan of the thin characterization of some side-characters and also sometimes it felt that Beeden tried too much to get a laugh from the reader).
I've read two books by Tim Beeden and I have to say based on the small number of ratings they have on GReads I believe that they are very underrated.
7,1/10
There is a simple but interesting plot but the main protagonist of this book is the Monty Pythonesque humor. I admit that not every joke worked but most of them made me chuckle, all the while I was eager to see the outcome of our two MC's adventure.
This works perfect as a book that makes the reader escape and get lost in a medieval setting full of betrayal, where two farmers get in some politics way over their head.
Some things could be ironed out and in Beeden's second book most of these things do. (I wasn't a big fan of the thin characterization of some side-characters and also sometimes it felt that Beeden tried too much to get a laugh from the reader).
I've read two books by Tim Beeden and I have to say based on the small number of ratings they have on GReads I believe that they are very underrated.
7,1/10
April 21, 2022
From the first page, I enjoyed this book. A farmer breaks his plough, loses his only Ox and rows with his family over what they should do with a red stone they’ve found. We are then told by the narrator that the stone will make our main protagonist a very wealthy man – so no matter what happens from this point on, we know he has super-duper plot armour and regardless of his adventures, he will eventually cash in the stone. I really wish this hadn’t been said. It reminded me of Moulin Rouge when Ewan McGregor tells us at the start of the film that the love of his life is dead, before going into the events leading up to it. We don’t need to know – if fact, it’s doing us a disservice by telling us. Knowing that the stone was indeed valuable and would make our protagonist rich, stripped away any sense of real danger or edge-of-the-seat tension which could have arisen from the otherwise well-written and well-plotted book.
The humour is plentiful (think Terry Pratchett style) with likeable and head-shaking characters which do make you laugh, smile and sometimes even pity. Greed is a real page-turner with a lot going for it, but why is it set in a medieval era? I feel the book would have benefited greatly from not being hampered by this overused trope. Fantasy doesn’t equal medieval and yet so much of this genre is set in that time. For me, I am getting tired of reading about past wars, cobbled streets, ruling monarchies, steam-punk esque gadgets and old English-style pubs. There are no magical beasts or even magic (that we know of) in this world, it is simply about two farmers making their way to town to sell a stone they’ve found. I really would have loved the author to break out of the mould and present us with a unique world which these characters would have still thrived in.
But these are just my personal gripes and have nothing to do with the story at large, which is very enjoyable and funny. I have seen the second book is due to be released next month and I’ve already pre-ordered it. I’m looking forward to see what happens next in Calver.
The humour is plentiful (think Terry Pratchett style) with likeable and head-shaking characters which do make you laugh, smile and sometimes even pity. Greed is a real page-turner with a lot going for it, but why is it set in a medieval era? I feel the book would have benefited greatly from not being hampered by this overused trope. Fantasy doesn’t equal medieval and yet so much of this genre is set in that time. For me, I am getting tired of reading about past wars, cobbled streets, ruling monarchies, steam-punk esque gadgets and old English-style pubs. There are no magical beasts or even magic (that we know of) in this world, it is simply about two farmers making their way to town to sell a stone they’ve found. I really would have loved the author to break out of the mould and present us with a unique world which these characters would have still thrived in.
But these are just my personal gripes and have nothing to do with the story at large, which is very enjoyable and funny. I have seen the second book is due to be released next month and I’ve already pre-ordered it. I’m looking forward to see what happens next in Calver.
December 20, 2021
Any book that can make me laugh out loud is a solid recommendation
And Greed did just that, joining the ranks of Pratchett, Lynch and Austin, which is all around not bad company to be in.
As a huge Discworld fan, I was intrigued by the comparisons drawn by others and was immediately comforted by a familiar, yet still unique, tone and humour Beeden sets out from the get-go, reassuring me that he knew exactly what he was doing. Crafty Bugger.
As is often the case, there's a little hesitancy to begin with as the author finds their footing, but it doesn't take long for the story to wrap you up in its arms and pull you along with it. Greed is the first in a planned series, and I'd suggest that if this is Beeden's The Colour of Magic, then it's going to be a hell of a ride.
And Greed did just that, joining the ranks of Pratchett, Lynch and Austin, which is all around not bad company to be in.
As a huge Discworld fan, I was intrigued by the comparisons drawn by others and was immediately comforted by a familiar, yet still unique, tone and humour Beeden sets out from the get-go, reassuring me that he knew exactly what he was doing. Crafty Bugger.
As is often the case, there's a little hesitancy to begin with as the author finds their footing, but it doesn't take long for the story to wrap you up in its arms and pull you along with it. Greed is the first in a planned series, and I'd suggest that if this is Beeden's The Colour of Magic, then it's going to be a hell of a ride.
December 4, 2021
Well written and satisfying read. The book follows main character Greg after he finds a valuable stone.
While the story itself was well written I found the introduction of so many characters hard to follow at times.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the wit and humour embedded into the main character. It not only made Greg likeable but also had you asking yourself what is he going to do next.
The author is an excellent story teller and I have no doubt his future works will be well received.
Stellar job.
While the story itself was well written I found the introduction of so many characters hard to follow at times.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the wit and humour embedded into the main character. It not only made Greg likeable but also had you asking yourself what is he going to do next.
The author is an excellent story teller and I have no doubt his future works will be well received.
Stellar job.
November 24, 2021
♥️Y’all know fantasy is my favorite, and this one did not disappoint! Greggory Hoffenbach is a simple sensible farmer in the Kingdom. Until he finds a mysterious valuable red stone in the ground he’s farming and his world is turned upside down.
♥️This is a fantastic new world. The large city of Calver is split into three levels by stone walls and ran by a King that imposes high taxes. The main characters Greg, Ralph, Eve, and Bud are so opposite that they make the perfect band of adventurers.
♥️I really liked the writing style in this book. I was able to fall into the characters’ story and immerse myself. It was fun, witty, and fast-paced. I hope there will be a sequel!
♥️This is a fantastic new world. The large city of Calver is split into three levels by stone walls and ran by a King that imposes high taxes. The main characters Greg, Ralph, Eve, and Bud are so opposite that they make the perfect band of adventurers.
♥️I really liked the writing style in this book. I was able to fall into the characters’ story and immerse myself. It was fun, witty, and fast-paced. I hope there will be a sequel!
June 17, 2021
A very enjoyable read. Great characters and witty dialogue. In some ways a traditional tale but one that cleverly manages to give a fictional world from ‘olden’ times a modern and current feel. Well paced and humorous. I can definitely recommend this as a good read. Looking forward to the next.
November 9, 2021
Fun fantasy parable full of humor! With a title named for one of the 7 deadly sins, I did not expect “laugh out loud” funny! I know that “humor is subjective,” but literary humor is hard to achieve. This author knows how to write humor: Tim Beeden has filled this tale with puns, sarcasm, wacky names, crazy circumstances, and a great sense of timing. The theme of this book is summed up by a main character: “We certainly could stand here and discuss the trappings of power and the way in which greed lures some towards unthinkable acts, or we could deal with the mercenary and his broadsword coming up the stairs.”
I love stories where “what can go wrong, does!” Twists and turns and adventures, mixed with gentle humor, the author does a masterful job with his entertaining, tongue-in-cheek style of black comedy, while weaving a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of the title. While the two plots are completely different, this book reminded me of the 1960’s film, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad world!” where all the characters work their nefarious plans, yet all comes to naught in the end!
Greg and his “idiot brother, Ralph” are the quintessential country bumpkins in the big city, Ralph continuously chasing a big score while his levelheaded brother just wants to get a new plow blade. The cast of characters includes such gems as Eve Manslayer the mercenary, Gray Wolf Dangerpunch, Auntie Flo with her mint humbugs and weapons collection, and the buxom bakers of F. Chesterton & Daughters. To quote the author, “You’ve got a genius inventor, a guy with more knowledge of the backstreets and its people than anyone else in the Kingdom, an old mercenary with one or two battles under his belt and the lass who handed Augustus Malvern’s backside to him on a plate.” There’s a deadly war machine, slinky spies, a thoughtful sovereign, a duplicitous minister, a grasping mafia moll, and her husband the book collecting criminal overlord, which leads to lots of crazy torture, murder and mayhem. And the comedic writing is stellar—here are just a few examples:
“Greg said nothing. Sometimes it was best to say nothing and let nature take its course. And besides, no one ever fell out with his wife by saying nothing.” (Truer words were never spoken!)
“Like a man with a prostate problem, that’s a lot of we’s.”
“Everyone knew a clipboard made you official.”
“As farmers, we live by the plough and die by the plough.”
“If it works we’ll be out of here in five minutes.’ ‘And if it doesn’t work?’ ‘I think some of these books are covered in human skin.”
I enjoyed the anachronisms, especially the references to Beatle’s songs. This author is one to watch and I highly recommend this first book, Greed.
I love stories where “what can go wrong, does!” Twists and turns and adventures, mixed with gentle humor, the author does a masterful job with his entertaining, tongue-in-cheek style of black comedy, while weaving a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of the title. While the two plots are completely different, this book reminded me of the 1960’s film, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad world!” where all the characters work their nefarious plans, yet all comes to naught in the end!
Greg and his “idiot brother, Ralph” are the quintessential country bumpkins in the big city, Ralph continuously chasing a big score while his levelheaded brother just wants to get a new plow blade. The cast of characters includes such gems as Eve Manslayer the mercenary, Gray Wolf Dangerpunch, Auntie Flo with her mint humbugs and weapons collection, and the buxom bakers of F. Chesterton & Daughters. To quote the author, “You’ve got a genius inventor, a guy with more knowledge of the backstreets and its people than anyone else in the Kingdom, an old mercenary with one or two battles under his belt and the lass who handed Augustus Malvern’s backside to him on a plate.” There’s a deadly war machine, slinky spies, a thoughtful sovereign, a duplicitous minister, a grasping mafia moll, and her husband the book collecting criminal overlord, which leads to lots of crazy torture, murder and mayhem. And the comedic writing is stellar—here are just a few examples:
“Greg said nothing. Sometimes it was best to say nothing and let nature take its course. And besides, no one ever fell out with his wife by saying nothing.” (Truer words were never spoken!)
“Like a man with a prostate problem, that’s a lot of we’s.”
“Everyone knew a clipboard made you official.”
“As farmers, we live by the plough and die by the plough.”
“If it works we’ll be out of here in five minutes.’ ‘And if it doesn’t work?’ ‘I think some of these books are covered in human skin.”
I enjoyed the anachronisms, especially the references to Beatle’s songs. This author is one to watch and I highly recommend this first book, Greed.
January 4, 2022
Written by first-time novelist Tim Beeden, Greed is an ambitious, quick-paced story with quite a lot of violence and betrayal, along with snappy dialogue and some imaginative twists that should appeal most readily to folks who enjoy the writings of authors such as Terry Pratchett or Piers Anthony (though the quality isn't at that level, in my estimation).
Beeden tells the story of two brothers, Greg and Ralph, who find their lives changed remarkably when Greg (the more sensible of the two) unearths a red stone while ploughing the field on the family farm. From there follows a series of unlikely adventures as the two siblings traipse around the local kingdom getting into one scrape or another, since virtually everyone wants the stone for purposes devious and more devious.
As noted, the plot moves along rather quickly, jumping from one moment to another so that things only rarely ever drag (and even then, not for long). I would have preferred it if some scenes went on a bit longer, actually, so they could have had a few more details and more time to breathe. But there's something to be said for the frantic pace and for the imaginative twists that come along the way.
Unfortunately, much of the story is written with sentences that settle into the passive voice. This robs the prose of some of its punch and feels slightly at odds with the folksy narration. There also are minor grammatical errors throughout, at a rate that probably averages out to around once per page. Once the narrative really gets going, such rough spots become easier to ignore, but I still wish they weren't there. A few more passes by a ruthless editor to catch grammar errors and the like could do wonders.
Characterization is actually pretty solid, despite the occasionally excessive brevity. The principle characters really grew on me over the course of the novel. They started out with the taste of cardboard and that made the opening scenes my least favorite, but by the end I found I rather liked them (especially Ralph). Much of the improvement comes down to dialogue I can tell is supposed to be humorous most of the time, but sometimes felt a bit too forced to tickle my funny bone. Still, I did actually laugh out loud at one point, which is unusual for someone like me who tends not to do such things.
I can't heartily recommend Greed, and yet I liked most of what it accomplished. It would be a shame if people judged this one by its lackluster cover, or if they stopped reading because of the various grammatical errors encountered along the way. Beneath the sometimes rough exterior lies a generally satisfactory and sometimes even great adventure story that suggests Beeden could wind up building a loyal following. His bio at the end says he plans this as an 11-book series, so it will be interesting to see where he takes things next!
Beeden tells the story of two brothers, Greg and Ralph, who find their lives changed remarkably when Greg (the more sensible of the two) unearths a red stone while ploughing the field on the family farm. From there follows a series of unlikely adventures as the two siblings traipse around the local kingdom getting into one scrape or another, since virtually everyone wants the stone for purposes devious and more devious.
As noted, the plot moves along rather quickly, jumping from one moment to another so that things only rarely ever drag (and even then, not for long). I would have preferred it if some scenes went on a bit longer, actually, so they could have had a few more details and more time to breathe. But there's something to be said for the frantic pace and for the imaginative twists that come along the way.
Unfortunately, much of the story is written with sentences that settle into the passive voice. This robs the prose of some of its punch and feels slightly at odds with the folksy narration. There also are minor grammatical errors throughout, at a rate that probably averages out to around once per page. Once the narrative really gets going, such rough spots become easier to ignore, but I still wish they weren't there. A few more passes by a ruthless editor to catch grammar errors and the like could do wonders.
Characterization is actually pretty solid, despite the occasionally excessive brevity. The principle characters really grew on me over the course of the novel. They started out with the taste of cardboard and that made the opening scenes my least favorite, but by the end I found I rather liked them (especially Ralph). Much of the improvement comes down to dialogue I can tell is supposed to be humorous most of the time, but sometimes felt a bit too forced to tickle my funny bone. Still, I did actually laugh out loud at one point, which is unusual for someone like me who tends not to do such things.
I can't heartily recommend Greed, and yet I liked most of what it accomplished. It would be a shame if people judged this one by its lackluster cover, or if they stopped reading because of the various grammatical errors encountered along the way. Beneath the sometimes rough exterior lies a generally satisfactory and sometimes even great adventure story that suggests Beeden could wind up building a loyal following. His bio at the end says he plans this as an 11-book series, so it will be interesting to see where he takes things next!
January 3, 2023
Humour in fiction is a difficult thing to pull off, and Tim Beedon successfully joins the ranks in his first Book, Greed.
The story is a tour de farce centring around the rural (not so) dynamic duo Greg and his hapless sidekick brother Ralph.
Whilst ploughing his field in preparation for the next years crop, unassuming farmer Greg bumbles upon a mysterious red stone. After several incidents which involve him experiencing traumatic head injury, they realise that the red stone is valuable and Greg plans to spend big time – on a new plough, to replace the one that was broken by his discovery of the red stone.
However, his idiot brother, Ralph has other plans! And so, stealing away in the middle of the night, Ralph heads to nearest town of Lower Calver, because ‘he knows a bloke!’ Not only that, Ralph knows better! And he thinks bigger, not just a replacement plough for him, oh no!
What ensues is a romp through Lower and Middle Calver that includes spies, kings, dastardly plots, crime bosses, mercenaries, and Ralph getting kicked in the nuggets, as everyone and his mother wants to get their hands on Greg’s Stone.
The book moves along at a fast pace as we move from one bungling situation to the next. The plot itself revolves around the red stone, the fact that everyone wants it and Greg just wants a plough.
The story is populated by some likeable characters, in particular Greg and Ralph themselves, and the Mercenaries Eve, and the legendary Wolf who wants to get out of the fighting business and open a tea shop.
The plot itself, whilst not overly complicated, is enjoyable and it reminded me of a Seventies sitcom or maybe a Carry on Film and is an enjoyable repose from overly complicated fantasy plots.
In Greed, Tim Beedon manages to incorporate slapstick humour with some chucklesome one liners and a plot that romps along like an out-of-control war machine.
*I listened to this on audio, which was narrated by Benjamin Mahns – Mardy, who does a fantastic job of bringing the book to life. The production was good, and the narrator gave the characters believable accents and vocals, making it easy to tell who the characters were. All in all, a pretty solid audio!
The story is a tour de farce centring around the rural (not so) dynamic duo Greg and his hapless sidekick brother Ralph.
Whilst ploughing his field in preparation for the next years crop, unassuming farmer Greg bumbles upon a mysterious red stone. After several incidents which involve him experiencing traumatic head injury, they realise that the red stone is valuable and Greg plans to spend big time – on a new plough, to replace the one that was broken by his discovery of the red stone.
However, his idiot brother, Ralph has other plans! And so, stealing away in the middle of the night, Ralph heads to nearest town of Lower Calver, because ‘he knows a bloke!’ Not only that, Ralph knows better! And he thinks bigger, not just a replacement plough for him, oh no!
What ensues is a romp through Lower and Middle Calver that includes spies, kings, dastardly plots, crime bosses, mercenaries, and Ralph getting kicked in the nuggets, as everyone and his mother wants to get their hands on Greg’s Stone.
The book moves along at a fast pace as we move from one bungling situation to the next. The plot itself revolves around the red stone, the fact that everyone wants it and Greg just wants a plough.
The story is populated by some likeable characters, in particular Greg and Ralph themselves, and the Mercenaries Eve, and the legendary Wolf who wants to get out of the fighting business and open a tea shop.
The plot itself, whilst not overly complicated, is enjoyable and it reminded me of a Seventies sitcom or maybe a Carry on Film and is an enjoyable repose from overly complicated fantasy plots.
In Greed, Tim Beedon manages to incorporate slapstick humour with some chucklesome one liners and a plot that romps along like an out-of-control war machine.
*I listened to this on audio, which was narrated by Benjamin Mahns – Mardy, who does a fantastic job of bringing the book to life. The production was good, and the narrator gave the characters believable accents and vocals, making it easy to tell who the characters were. All in all, a pretty solid audio!
September 11, 2021
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Valuable stones, war machines, and mercenaries are only some of the many exciting things you will read about in “Greed.”
This book was hard to put down! I got immersed in Greg’s world as he finds the stone and shares the information with Ralph and Molly from the get-go. The story goes full swing once Eve and Bud enter the picture and set on their quest to Calver. The author does a terrific job of making the story exciting and adventurous humorously. Some of the intense scenes are when Greg and Ralph encounter the five men with weapons or Wolf. Interestingly, some characters have their secrets, and at times you tend to doubt even the main characters, like when Greg questions Eve about Keith. There are some interesting twists that I did not expect and added well to the tale.
Even though it is a fantasy novel, the author makes the characters realistic who connect with you. While it may seem like the book carries a vast cast of characters, I did not mind because I felt most of them brought something new to the story. Greg is the level-headed one who tries to do the right thing. Ralph was probably the most infuriating yet entertaining character in the story. While I wouldn’t say I liked how he got Greg into trouble, I couldn’t help but chuckle at how they handled the predicament. Ralph brings a touch of adventure and humor into the story. Similarly, Eve was exciting with her no-nonsense attitude, and I also adored Bud and felt he added nicely to the group. Again, even the negative characters like Augustus adds nicely to the mix.
Overall, “Greed” is a lovely fantasy novel, and I hope there will be a sequel to revisit these characters
June 19, 2023
Greed is a book that I went into completely blind, only knowing that a few readers I know found it funny. Funny it was, and I am sure that fans of Terry Pratchett would absolutely love this one.
The story begins on a farm with two brothers named Greg and Ralph. Greg, the more sensible of the two, is out tending the field when his plough snags on a rock and snaps. Shortly after, his ox dies and he discovered that the rock that broke his plough is actually a gorgeous red stone. From here, the story accelerates at a rapid pace, as Greg and Ralph embark on a mission to sell the stone to get themselves a new plough. Unfortunately for them, the stone is desired, and constantly falling in and out of their hands (due to circumstances outside of their control (( for the most part, Ralph 🙃)).
As mentioned above, this book was funny. I haven't read authors like Pratchett or Adams, so humour is not something I typically go for, but it is plentiful and well executed in this one. It's also an accessible type of comedy, onev that could be enjoyed by anyone.
Another aspect that shone for me was the writing. I loved Beeden's style, as it flowed very nicely. Paired with the fast pace of this book, I was able to fly through the book. The dialogue was very well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the banter between characters.
Where this one sadly loses stars is that I simply couldn't get myself to care for the characters or the plot. Because of how fast the story move and how quickly things change, I never felt I had a chance to "settle in." This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as I was able to read the entire book in just two sittings, but failing to get invested in the story was disappointing for me.
Overall, this is a solid debut that made me laugh, and I would highly recommend it to any readers who love that humorous way of storytelling.
The story begins on a farm with two brothers named Greg and Ralph. Greg, the more sensible of the two, is out tending the field when his plough snags on a rock and snaps. Shortly after, his ox dies and he discovered that the rock that broke his plough is actually a gorgeous red stone. From here, the story accelerates at a rapid pace, as Greg and Ralph embark on a mission to sell the stone to get themselves a new plough. Unfortunately for them, the stone is desired, and constantly falling in and out of their hands (due to circumstances outside of their control (( for the most part, Ralph 🙃)).
As mentioned above, this book was funny. I haven't read authors like Pratchett or Adams, so humour is not something I typically go for, but it is plentiful and well executed in this one. It's also an accessible type of comedy, onev that could be enjoyed by anyone.
Another aspect that shone for me was the writing. I loved Beeden's style, as it flowed very nicely. Paired with the fast pace of this book, I was able to fly through the book. The dialogue was very well written, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the banter between characters.
Where this one sadly loses stars is that I simply couldn't get myself to care for the characters or the plot. Because of how fast the story move and how quickly things change, I never felt I had a chance to "settle in." This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as I was able to read the entire book in just two sittings, but failing to get invested in the story was disappointing for me.
Overall, this is a solid debut that made me laugh, and I would highly recommend it to any readers who love that humorous way of storytelling.
October 12, 2021
The novel Greed will take you on a journey where you will learn about precious stones, war machines, and mercenaries , all things I knew nothing about so was enthralled right from the start!
The reader is subjected to the main character Greg’s point of view following the discovery of a valuable stone. Greg then involves two other key characters named Ralph and Molly as he becomes embroiled in a complex sequence of events.
The narrative then picks up speed as we are introduced to Eve and Bud who are set on their quest to Calver. The author pulls the reader headfirst into the exciting yet nail biting adventure with a fair bit of humour thrown in along the way.
When Greg and Ralph encounter five men with weapons , the intensity goes up a notch. Certain characters keep secrets close to their chests, and the author is clever with the use of red herrings to make you doubt their integrity. There are a few clever plot twists that enhanced the story even more as it unfolded.
While this is a fantasy novel, the characters are still relatable. At times, there seemed to be quite a few characters to get your head around, however they did add value to the overall story.
Greg is the sensible one and Ralph is the most annoying character in the story. While the readers will not condone Greg's undertakings, it is hard not to be amused by his antics all the same. Eve displays a no-nonsense attitude which I admired. on the whole, Greed is a well written fantasy novel with room for a sequel in the future.
The reader is subjected to the main character Greg’s point of view following the discovery of a valuable stone. Greg then involves two other key characters named Ralph and Molly as he becomes embroiled in a complex sequence of events.
The narrative then picks up speed as we are introduced to Eve and Bud who are set on their quest to Calver. The author pulls the reader headfirst into the exciting yet nail biting adventure with a fair bit of humour thrown in along the way.
When Greg and Ralph encounter five men with weapons , the intensity goes up a notch. Certain characters keep secrets close to their chests, and the author is clever with the use of red herrings to make you doubt their integrity. There are a few clever plot twists that enhanced the story even more as it unfolded.
While this is a fantasy novel, the characters are still relatable. At times, there seemed to be quite a few characters to get your head around, however they did add value to the overall story.
Greg is the sensible one and Ralph is the most annoying character in the story. While the readers will not condone Greg's undertakings, it is hard not to be amused by his antics all the same. Eve displays a no-nonsense attitude which I admired. on the whole, Greed is a well written fantasy novel with room for a sequel in the future.
November 8, 2021
This is one of the most accurately marketed books I've read in a long time. From the outset the dry yet goofy Pratchett style humour is delightfully evident. I genuinely belly-laughed on many occasions, and especially enjoyed the charmingly hopeless Private Gresham. And of course, Marvin's "night-vision goggles". Freepepper is the most fun name to say. It's a superbly easy read. Admittedly, there is little variation in the characters' voices, and in the earlier parts of the story it feels like the author foists scenes upon the characters with the inevitability of a Dungeon Master who's afraid his players might be too stupid to find his carefully planned encounters. But even during the parts where the story is less the oustanding, I didn't mind because I was enjoying myself from start to finish. And in the final act of the story, we are treated to an exciting "playing all sides against the middle" kind of scenario and couple of hilarious "deus ex" moments that event the most discerning of readers couldn't be angry about. The language and humour are quintessentially British and it doesn't surprise me that the only 3-star rating this book currently has on Amazon is from the USA. I thought it was a lot of fun and would heartily recommend it to anyone who wants an effortless read and a good chuckle.
December 23, 2021
The cover had something that would make you curious to read the blurb. Reading the blurb made me want to pick up the book.
Normally I am not a big fan of series. I prefer standalones. Also the deadly sins don't really sound like an interesting topic. I have watched a movie ‘Seven’ long ago and it was honestly one of the worst movies I have seen. Also I would expect a deadly sins book/ movie to be very Christian. However the blurb talking about it being hilarious and some of the reviews were so good. I was quite interested to read it.
The imagery in the book is very good. When the red stone is described and the sun streaming through, if I compare that with the cover, I can say the cover seems to be really well done.
The second chapter is one where the narrator sets the scene. There were some phrases in it that were so good. The author's command of the language and the way he pulls you into the book is so so good. The narrator chapter was an absolute pleasure to read.
In the plot itself, Gregory finds a red stone. Ralph is a bumbling idiot. He steals it from Gregory and promptly loses possession of the same. As the story goes, Gregory and Ralph keep meeting various characters who want to get the stone off them. There are gamblers, a hay seller, hired mercenaries, a collector. . One of the interesting things about the characters is that Ralph is an absolute bumbling idiot but he actually thinks he is the smarter one and keeps trying to fix the situation. He has zero self awareness and Gregory seems to be a kind brother who doesn't want to offend Ralph.
As the book goes on, it seems anyone and everyone wants the red stone. A bunch of ruffians, a collector, a rebel group, the king and the list goes one. For a while the stone is lost and where it was hidden and how it is found is funny.
If I have something negative on it, I would say that this is not a book I would describe as unputdownable. There are books where the plot is so engaging that you cant bear to put the book down and read it through from beginning to end. That was not the case in this book. It was entertaining but could have been more engaging.
That said, this is a debut novel. For a debut novel, there are parts of the book that are really good. Some characterizations are really good. Some of my favorite characterizations would be Ralph and Marvin.
All the nest to the author for the rest of the series.
Normally I am not a big fan of series. I prefer standalones. Also the deadly sins don't really sound like an interesting topic. I have watched a movie ‘Seven’ long ago and it was honestly one of the worst movies I have seen. Also I would expect a deadly sins book/ movie to be very Christian. However the blurb talking about it being hilarious and some of the reviews were so good. I was quite interested to read it.
The imagery in the book is very good. When the red stone is described and the sun streaming through, if I compare that with the cover, I can say the cover seems to be really well done.
The second chapter is one where the narrator sets the scene. There were some phrases in it that were so good. The author's command of the language and the way he pulls you into the book is so so good. The narrator chapter was an absolute pleasure to read.
In the plot itself, Gregory finds a red stone. Ralph is a bumbling idiot. He steals it from Gregory and promptly loses possession of the same. As the story goes, Gregory and Ralph keep meeting various characters who want to get the stone off them. There are gamblers, a hay seller, hired mercenaries, a collector. . One of the interesting things about the characters is that Ralph is an absolute bumbling idiot but he actually thinks he is the smarter one and keeps trying to fix the situation. He has zero self awareness and Gregory seems to be a kind brother who doesn't want to offend Ralph.
As the book goes on, it seems anyone and everyone wants the red stone. A bunch of ruffians, a collector, a rebel group, the king and the list goes one. For a while the stone is lost and where it was hidden and how it is found is funny.
If I have something negative on it, I would say that this is not a book I would describe as unputdownable. There are books where the plot is so engaging that you cant bear to put the book down and read it through from beginning to end. That was not the case in this book. It was entertaining but could have been more engaging.
That said, this is a debut novel. For a debut novel, there are parts of the book that are really good. Some characterizations are really good. Some of my favorite characterizations would be Ralph and Marvin.
All the nest to the author for the rest of the series.
March 16, 2022
Beeden’s freshman novel is exactly what it claims to be - a fantasy comedy. The humor totters after the likes of Monty Python, but it tends to fall more into the category of The Three Stooges’ European cousins meeting Mr. Bean. Murphy’s law should be renamed Hoffenbach’s truth solely for this novel. If something could go wrong for poor Greg Hoffenbach, it surely did. Then it went even wronger before it took a wrong turn into ridiculously dark alleys where it got knocked over the head by Sir Disaster.
The writing was sound. There were assorted characters, some of whom were great and some who felt rushed or forced. Some of the scenes were truly clever and hilarious, others felt a bit too forced or overly snarky to the point of detracting from the story. However, that was merely an opinion and will not be true for every reader. I am more of a Marx Brothers type of humor than the Stooges, so this wasn’t always my cup of tea. There were a few plot holes that really kicked my shin while reading. To name a couple: multiple multilevel hotels in one town in medieval times, as well as the use of a needle in medieval times when it wasn’t invented until 1844.
For my fellow Americans, I will say that Beeden’s grammar/spelling isn’t wrong, it’s merely British. Not everyone in the world does writing like we do. In fact, most of the world follows closely to British grammar/spelling. Just because something isn’t what you’re used to, doesn’t make it wrong.
Overall, this book was exactly as advertised. It was fun, a bit dark, very twisty, and a fairly easy read. If you like to laugh, give it a shot.
The writing was sound. There were assorted characters, some of whom were great and some who felt rushed or forced. Some of the scenes were truly clever and hilarious, others felt a bit too forced or overly snarky to the point of detracting from the story. However, that was merely an opinion and will not be true for every reader. I am more of a Marx Brothers type of humor than the Stooges, so this wasn’t always my cup of tea. There were a few plot holes that really kicked my shin while reading. To name a couple: multiple multilevel hotels in one town in medieval times, as well as the use of a needle in medieval times when it wasn’t invented until 1844.
For my fellow Americans, I will say that Beeden’s grammar/spelling isn’t wrong, it’s merely British. Not everyone in the world does writing like we do. In fact, most of the world follows closely to British grammar/spelling. Just because something isn’t what you’re used to, doesn’t make it wrong.
Overall, this book was exactly as advertised. It was fun, a bit dark, very twisty, and a fairly easy read. If you like to laugh, give it a shot.
July 21, 2022
I’m starting back up with my review requests. I’m not going in any particular order, I’m just looking for books that have audio since I can multitask as I listen.
Since all I cared about is that it had audio I didn’t bother looking into what it was before I started. It’s a comedy <3
It starts out with this family of farmers down on their luck. Their dad is dead and the two brothers are struggling to make ends meet. To make it worse, their only cow dies right at the start and it’s the last thing they had left of their dad. One of the brothers just had his wife leave him and all in all things suck. They find this red stone that seems to be important and potentially valuable, which is good since their plough just broke, too. The stone sends off this weird energy and they get the idea to go into Calver and sell it. Well, it turns into a giant fiasco as more and more interested parties try to take it from them and then a whole bunch of hijinks and drama ensues which is par for the course for a comedy.
I liked the writing; I can see how some people might be put off by the dialogue, though. To be honest, sometimes it got to be a touch too much for me. There were a lot of one liners and a few references that took me out of the moment and felt too modern and out of place for the story. However, the overall balance of the humor leaned more in my direction than not, so it worked for me on the whole. The prose outside the dialogue I thought was great, I never had to re-read anything for clarity, I could picture everything that was happening (which is hard for me to do, I don’t do visualization well), and the tone and humor stayed consistent throughout. There were what we’d call info dumps… but unlike how it’s done in most books, this is actually a fourth wall break, a deliberate stylistic choice rather than something awkwardly put in and hoped the reader wouldn’t mind or didn’t know how else to incorporate that information into the story (there’s always a better way). I think I’m going to echo others in that I didn’t particularly care for that, and it took me out of the moment a little bit. However, it didn’t hinder me so much that I wanted to set it down. I would say the writing isn’t as densely packed with social commentary and puns as Pratchett is, but it carries the same humanization of characters that he does well. I wasn’t sure I was going to get into the characters at first, but I really started to enjoy them the more the story went on. By the halfway point I was really invested and they felt less 2D and more like ‘real people’. I think Ralph had the biggest glow up as far as coming into his own depth later on.
This is going to be for people who want a small intimate story. The plot to this book really is just two farmers looking to cash in on this stone they found. All throughout Greg’s journey’s all he ever repeats to himself is that he just wanted a new plough each time he finds himself in a new loathsome predicament. There are mercenaries, spies, kings, and others all wrapped up in the news of the stone. I’m also going to liken this again to Terry Pratchett in that there’s little to no actual magic. This is clearly a fantasy world, but there are no magic duals, no magic academy or anything like that. It’s just a medieval world with kings and potentially magic rocks, lol.
Although the brothers are far and away the main characters and the driving force behind the story, we get many other viewpoints, some of them more brief than others. Much like Pratchett, there are a plethora of characters that make it on scene that really help breathe life into this world. I found them all to be well realized and in-depth characters despite the more caricature depictions at points. This book, like Pratchett, leans into itself and knows what it is and does it well. Satire when done well is so satisfying to me. I really loved the young king, Sigald? Forgive me, since I audio booked I don’t know how to spell all of these if they aren’t listed in the blurb. He was wiser than his years and overall someone I could get behind, he made a good secondary support character.
All in all I really liked this debut and will be looking for the audiobooks as they come out. The narrator did a great job with this, too. Humor is such a hard thing to write, and then for an audiobook you also have to pair it with someone who really gets the tone and delivery down the way the author intends. It’s a doubly hard endeavor so, kudos.
Ratings:
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 10/15
Writing: 11/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality: 11/15
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Final Score: 75.5
Since all I cared about is that it had audio I didn’t bother looking into what it was before I started. It’s a comedy <3
It starts out with this family of farmers down on their luck. Their dad is dead and the two brothers are struggling to make ends meet. To make it worse, their only cow dies right at the start and it’s the last thing they had left of their dad. One of the brothers just had his wife leave him and all in all things suck. They find this red stone that seems to be important and potentially valuable, which is good since their plough just broke, too. The stone sends off this weird energy and they get the idea to go into Calver and sell it. Well, it turns into a giant fiasco as more and more interested parties try to take it from them and then a whole bunch of hijinks and drama ensues which is par for the course for a comedy.
I liked the writing; I can see how some people might be put off by the dialogue, though. To be honest, sometimes it got to be a touch too much for me. There were a lot of one liners and a few references that took me out of the moment and felt too modern and out of place for the story. However, the overall balance of the humor leaned more in my direction than not, so it worked for me on the whole. The prose outside the dialogue I thought was great, I never had to re-read anything for clarity, I could picture everything that was happening (which is hard for me to do, I don’t do visualization well), and the tone and humor stayed consistent throughout. There were what we’d call info dumps… but unlike how it’s done in most books, this is actually a fourth wall break, a deliberate stylistic choice rather than something awkwardly put in and hoped the reader wouldn’t mind or didn’t know how else to incorporate that information into the story (there’s always a better way). I think I’m going to echo others in that I didn’t particularly care for that, and it took me out of the moment a little bit. However, it didn’t hinder me so much that I wanted to set it down. I would say the writing isn’t as densely packed with social commentary and puns as Pratchett is, but it carries the same humanization of characters that he does well. I wasn’t sure I was going to get into the characters at first, but I really started to enjoy them the more the story went on. By the halfway point I was really invested and they felt less 2D and more like ‘real people’. I think Ralph had the biggest glow up as far as coming into his own depth later on.
This is going to be for people who want a small intimate story. The plot to this book really is just two farmers looking to cash in on this stone they found. All throughout Greg’s journey’s all he ever repeats to himself is that he just wanted a new plough each time he finds himself in a new loathsome predicament. There are mercenaries, spies, kings, and others all wrapped up in the news of the stone. I’m also going to liken this again to Terry Pratchett in that there’s little to no actual magic. This is clearly a fantasy world, but there are no magic duals, no magic academy or anything like that. It’s just a medieval world with kings and potentially magic rocks, lol.
Although the brothers are far and away the main characters and the driving force behind the story, we get many other viewpoints, some of them more brief than others. Much like Pratchett, there are a plethora of characters that make it on scene that really help breathe life into this world. I found them all to be well realized and in-depth characters despite the more caricature depictions at points. This book, like Pratchett, leans into itself and knows what it is and does it well. Satire when done well is so satisfying to me. I really loved the young king, Sigald? Forgive me, since I audio booked I don’t know how to spell all of these if they aren’t listed in the blurb. He was wiser than his years and overall someone I could get behind, he made a good secondary support character.
All in all I really liked this debut and will be looking for the audiobooks as they come out. The narrator did a great job with this, too. Humor is such a hard thing to write, and then for an audiobook you also have to pair it with someone who really gets the tone and delivery down the way the author intends. It’s a doubly hard endeavor so, kudos.
Ratings:
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 10/15
Writing: 11/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality: 11/15
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Final Score: 75.5
December 6, 2021
A thoroughly hilarious and entertaining tale about two farmer brothers who find themselves traveling a great distance and are thrown into one crazy situation after the next after finding a red stone. Along the way, the brothers meet many foes out to get them and their stone and unlikely allies who assist them through the many obstacles the brothers face in their new unfamiliar and dangerous urban environment. Although the brothers are two quite different personalities, they forge together in pursuit of their goal of getting what they can out of this stone. Meanwhile, there are crazy stunts and dialogue between the two of them and those they encounter during their trip to keep you grinning as you read. Among the characters they encounter is a tough and attractive woman who knows how to work the environment in which the brothers find themselves. This is a great and satisfying light-hearted tale with plenty of wit to go around.
August 23, 2022
This is without a doubt a stunning debut from Tim. I must admit the initial main attraction was the comparison to Pratchett which I was both excited and dubious of.
So first things first, it is indeed a very fair comparison, now don't get me wrong nothing will ever be the same as the great man himself BUT for a new author in the comedic fantasy space, this is probably as damn close as it is going to get.
It was a brilliantly, fast paced, action packed story with plenty of memorable characters and just the right amount of humour that is cleverly inserted at just the right moments.
I'd happily read origin or short stories for a number of characters such as Perenholm, Wolf Dangerpunch, the Spies, Ralph, Eve Manslayer, Marvin (What's a Marvin I hear you say) to name but a few.
I'm already looking forward to diving back into Calver with the next installment Envy and this is an author very much to keep an eye on.
So first things first, it is indeed a very fair comparison, now don't get me wrong nothing will ever be the same as the great man himself BUT for a new author in the comedic fantasy space, this is probably as damn close as it is going to get.
It was a brilliantly, fast paced, action packed story with plenty of memorable characters and just the right amount of humour that is cleverly inserted at just the right moments.
I'd happily read origin or short stories for a number of characters such as Perenholm, Wolf Dangerpunch, the Spies, Ralph, Eve Manslayer, Marvin (What's a Marvin I hear you say) to name but a few.
I'm already looking forward to diving back into Calver with the next installment Envy and this is an author very much to keep an eye on.
December 16, 2021
Greed by Tim Beeden was a delightful read. I greatly appreciate the witty dialogue. It was an exciting fantasy world to dive into with a range of characters to sink your teeth. I know precisely like the idea of the central city being divided between stone walls and how the tax hierarchy between them. It was a lovely band of characters whose opposite characteristics made for intriguing Adventures. Running Star Wars great, I fell in love with the stories and the characters as I was immersed in the relationships between them. I thought it was a great choice to tell a story from a farmer's perspective in a fantasy world, which gave it very relatable and down-to-earth humour. The writing of the street and the introduction of many characters was great to consider, and look at you're looking for a light-hearted read over the festive season, I would recommend picking greed up.
Read
September 11, 2021Although it’s classed as fantasy, it’s definitely more than that. Action, drama, comedy, possible romance. It’s a little bit of everything which really appeals to me.
I loved this book and struggle to define it by any particular genre as the way Greed is written, it falls into many of the categories I enjoy. The humour had me giggling and a few of the phrases I just thought yup, going to use that one sometime. There’s a decent amount of action and the possibility of a will they won’t they romance. There are a few twists which kept me on my toes and the way Tim Beeden has written each character, by the end of this book I could only think that yes, I’d love to have a night out this these guys.
So if you enjoy a book that has a little bit of almost everything, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
And one of the best things about this book? It’s only the first. Roll on book 2!
I loved this book and struggle to define it by any particular genre as the way Greed is written, it falls into many of the categories I enjoy. The humour had me giggling and a few of the phrases I just thought yup, going to use that one sometime. There’s a decent amount of action and the possibility of a will they won’t they romance. There are a few twists which kept me on my toes and the way Tim Beeden has written each character, by the end of this book I could only think that yes, I’d love to have a night out this these guys.
So if you enjoy a book that has a little bit of almost everything, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
And one of the best things about this book? It’s only the first. Roll on book 2!
September 12, 2021
If I had to pick a book that accurately depicts the... well... GREED of humankind, it would be "Greed" by Tim Beeden. This is an absolutely brilliant book, but one that I was banned from reading at bedtime due to the genuinely laugh-out-loud moments (and the chuckles, snorts, and other unladylike noises associated with humour!). There's a superb story, characters that are brought to life well, and I don't know what else to say except that as soon as I stopped reading I wanted to start again!
100% of the ebook sales go to support Samuel's Charity, so it's well worth picking up a copy and sharing some much-needed smiles.
This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion. My thanks to zooloo2008
100% of the ebook sales go to support Samuel's Charity, so it's well worth picking up a copy and sharing some much-needed smiles.
This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion. My thanks to zooloo2008
September 14, 2021
Greed by Tim Beeden.
A good read with a touch of comical wit. A story about 2 brothers ( Gregg and Ralph). They try and sell their Red stone so they can buy a new plough which proves very troublesome. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. 4*.
A good read with a touch of comical wit. A story about 2 brothers ( Gregg and Ralph). They try and sell their Red stone so they can buy a new plough which proves very troublesome. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. 4*.
November 18, 2021
From the first page, you can start to see Beeden's influences, and the narrative is all the better for it: Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and certainly a Monty Python-Esque brand of absurdism. ( I kept waiting for the Knights of Ni to arrive)
Beeden introduces us to a story of two brothers, Greg and Ralph who embark on an epic journey to sell a valuable red stone in order to purchase a plough. The plot takes a series of enjoyable twists and turns, with a number of laughs along the way to tell a story that is as whimsical as it is dramatic. I'm also a big fan of multiple genre books, which makes Greed another reason to enjoy on a cold and otherwise dull night as it shifts from fantasy to comedy, drama with a sprinkling of action to please most Tolkien fans. It is the first in a series of tales, which I look forward to reading in the near future.
One of the key strengths of Greed lies in its characterisation and the dark humour in the laconic wit of its omniscient narration much in the style of Douglas Adams and also Neil Gaiman.
For those with a warped sense of humour and love a good twist on conventional genre writing, this one comes highly recommended. Five chuckles!
Beeden introduces us to a story of two brothers, Greg and Ralph who embark on an epic journey to sell a valuable red stone in order to purchase a plough. The plot takes a series of enjoyable twists and turns, with a number of laughs along the way to tell a story that is as whimsical as it is dramatic. I'm also a big fan of multiple genre books, which makes Greed another reason to enjoy on a cold and otherwise dull night as it shifts from fantasy to comedy, drama with a sprinkling of action to please most Tolkien fans. It is the first in a series of tales, which I look forward to reading in the near future.
One of the key strengths of Greed lies in its characterisation and the dark humour in the laconic wit of its omniscient narration much in the style of Douglas Adams and also Neil Gaiman.
For those with a warped sense of humour and love a good twist on conventional genre writing, this one comes highly recommended. Five chuckles!
December 9, 2021
I was drawn to this book by the artwork and the title. When Greg finds the stone and the characters wind up in hilarious yet potentially disastrous situations, the title makes more and more sense. The story centers around foolish human qualities, qualities we all can relate to, such as greed and secrecy and situational stupidity. It reminded me of a new-age comedy film. I enjoyed this spin on the narrative!
This book has several moments that are supposed to make the reader chuckle, some of these moments were a little overdone for me. I commend the author for the humor, but when paired with some of the bizarre situations the characters found themselves in, I think it fell a little short. But overall, this story is bursting with originality and adventure. I love the fantastical vibes put off from this book and the friendly banter between the characters!
This book has several moments that are supposed to make the reader chuckle, some of these moments were a little overdone for me. I commend the author for the humor, but when paired with some of the bizarre situations the characters found themselves in, I think it fell a little short. But overall, this story is bursting with originality and adventure. I love the fantastical vibes put off from this book and the friendly banter between the characters!
October 24, 2021
Funny and creative!
Really enjoyed this one. Other than some minor formatting issues, the book is full of creativity and humor, and I admired the farmers and their story. Would recommend!
Really enjoyed this one. Other than some minor formatting issues, the book is full of creativity and humor, and I admired the farmers and their story. Would recommend!
July 15, 2021
This is a fantasy adventure about two brothers (Greg and Ralph) and their red stone and their efforts to sell it so that Greg can buy a new plough. This proves more difficult than it would seem!
My main fiction reading is mainly based in the here and now, so the prospect of this one taking place in a fantasy kingdom did make me wonder whether I would be absorbed into the story.
I needn’t have worried. The characters are great and the author has brought in a comical twist round every corner (quite literally). It’s very easy reading and I found it hard to put down and definitely looked forward to the next chapter. I’m sad I’ve finished the book and hope there is another book to follow this one. It will definitely be on my reading list.
My main fiction reading is mainly based in the here and now, so the prospect of this one taking place in a fantasy kingdom did make me wonder whether I would be absorbed into the story.
I needn’t have worried. The characters are great and the author has brought in a comical twist round every corner (quite literally). It’s very easy reading and I found it hard to put down and definitely looked forward to the next chapter. I’m sad I’ve finished the book and hope there is another book to follow this one. It will definitely be on my reading list.
September 17, 2021
I rarely mention the cover but this cover is so intriguing. I didn’t really even read the synopsis when I agreed to read this book, because the cover compelled me already. I’m happy to say the story inside is just as amazing.
Greed by Tim Beeden was so immersive, it was hard to put down. There was action, adventure, and some humor. I felt like I was along for the ride, and I really enjoyed it.
There is a large cast of characters but they are handled well. I didn’t have trouble deciphering who was who. They moved the plot forward and felt very realistic.
Overall, I’m a big fan of this book and highly recommend giving it a read!
Thank you to Zooloos Book Tours for the review copy and the opportunity to honestly review this book on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Greed by Tim Beeden was so immersive, it was hard to put down. There was action, adventure, and some humor. I felt like I was along for the ride, and I really enjoyed it.
There is a large cast of characters but they are handled well. I didn’t have trouble deciphering who was who. They moved the plot forward and felt very realistic.
Overall, I’m a big fan of this book and highly recommend giving it a read!
Thank you to Zooloos Book Tours for the review copy and the opportunity to honestly review this book on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
January 9, 2022
Such a funny and engaging book.
Greed is an ace book. Funny, well plotted - full of great characters. My favourite is Marvin, who i hope features more in the ten sequels. Marvin is like a very strange Q from Bond and I'm not sure if he is a thank you to Douglas Adams ' paranoid android but I wouldn't be surprised. There is also a little of Discworld about this book but its more in the turn of phrase which is very clever - not to mention lots of funny one liners. I howled when I read the words tally-whacker for the first time in years. I'm not going to give spoilers so just get over here and read about Greg and his hapless brother Ralph. I do hope its pronounced Rafe. Cheers Tim - its a corker!
Greed is an ace book. Funny, well plotted - full of great characters. My favourite is Marvin, who i hope features more in the ten sequels. Marvin is like a very strange Q from Bond and I'm not sure if he is a thank you to Douglas Adams ' paranoid android but I wouldn't be surprised. There is also a little of Discworld about this book but its more in the turn of phrase which is very clever - not to mention lots of funny one liners. I howled when I read the words tally-whacker for the first time in years. I'm not going to give spoilers so just get over here and read about Greg and his hapless brother Ralph. I do hope its pronounced Rafe. Cheers Tim - its a corker!
October 21, 2021
Greed is the story of two farmers who find a red stone in their field and their disastrous attempts to profit from it.
This is comedic fantasy, so the emphasis is on humor and pointing the spotlight at human stupidity. There are echoes of Pratchett in this novel, without the more fantastical elements of Discworld. I was also reminded of the Hangover movies, in so much that the plot revolves around very dumb people finding themselves in increasingly dangerous and bizarre situations.
The problem with comedy is that humor is so subjective, and unfortunately this book didn’t tickle my funny bone. Omniscient narration is standard for this kind of novel, but I found that it didn’t delve deep enough into the characters to make me care about them, nor did it have enough personality to make it a character in its own right. The story hangs on the two brothers, Greg and Ralph, but I found them hard to distinguish. Greg is supposed to be the more intelligent brother, and Ralph the impulsive idiot, but they didn’t stand out for me.
As with the other comic fantasy novels I’ve read, the world at times resembles the real world in order to poke fun at reality. For instance, there are several hotels in the novel, each with multiple floors, and even one hosting a seminar from a successful businessman. While there is no reason that an otherwise medieval fantasy world shouldn’t have these elements, I found that they jarred and I would have appreciated further world building to explain these elements. Characters like Marvin, a subterranean hermit with impressive inventions, worked because the world building supported his existence and made him plausible.
I enjoyed the scenes with the King, Rothschild and Wolf. They stood out to me as people rather than instruments for humor, and I was invested in their story.
While never quite reaching Monty Python-esque levels of silliness, I think people who find that comedy funny, or similar British comedy, will enjoy this novel.
This is comedic fantasy, so the emphasis is on humor and pointing the spotlight at human stupidity. There are echoes of Pratchett in this novel, without the more fantastical elements of Discworld. I was also reminded of the Hangover movies, in so much that the plot revolves around very dumb people finding themselves in increasingly dangerous and bizarre situations.
The problem with comedy is that humor is so subjective, and unfortunately this book didn’t tickle my funny bone. Omniscient narration is standard for this kind of novel, but I found that it didn’t delve deep enough into the characters to make me care about them, nor did it have enough personality to make it a character in its own right. The story hangs on the two brothers, Greg and Ralph, but I found them hard to distinguish. Greg is supposed to be the more intelligent brother, and Ralph the impulsive idiot, but they didn’t stand out for me.
As with the other comic fantasy novels I’ve read, the world at times resembles the real world in order to poke fun at reality. For instance, there are several hotels in the novel, each with multiple floors, and even one hosting a seminar from a successful businessman. While there is no reason that an otherwise medieval fantasy world shouldn’t have these elements, I found that they jarred and I would have appreciated further world building to explain these elements. Characters like Marvin, a subterranean hermit with impressive inventions, worked because the world building supported his existence and made him plausible.
I enjoyed the scenes with the King, Rothschild and Wolf. They stood out to me as people rather than instruments for humor, and I was invested in their story.
While never quite reaching Monty Python-esque levels of silliness, I think people who find that comedy funny, or similar British comedy, will enjoy this novel.
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