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Villainy #1-6.5
How I Stole the Princess's White Knight and Turned Him to Villainy: The Complete Works
What’s a white knight to do when his princess is causing utter havoc leading in mass murder? Go to the famous Black Sorcerer of Grimslock for help, apparently.
What’s a black sorcerer to do when the white knight comes to him for help? Keep him, naturally.
Devan does not approve of this payment plan. Tan does.
(This compilation includes a bonus short story. It is utter crack. Please do not look for any plot or serious element. You won’t find it.)
What’s Devan to do for his coronation? Hide.
What’s Tan to do? Get a new crown.
Everything goes about as poorly as expected.
Tags:
Black sorcerer, white knight, evil princess, oh my!, this whole story is crack, technically an enemies to lovers, with light angst, mostly as an excuse for cuddles, sharing a bed, who hurt you is basically a marriage proposal, being adopted by a black sorcerer is like being adopted by a cat, you get no say in the matter, Tan is a walking disaster, Devan needs a hug, Tan volunteers himself as tribute, I’m not saying baby adventurers are stupid, but if you put a candle next to their ears their eyes will shine, rule one when dealing with black sorcerers, don’t piss them off, rule two is don’t touch their knight, just a little killing, Serenity has successfully pissed Devan off for the last time, magical shenanigans shall now commence!
What’s a black sorcerer to do when the white knight comes to him for help? Keep him, naturally.
Devan does not approve of this payment plan. Tan does.
(This compilation includes a bonus short story. It is utter crack. Please do not look for any plot or serious element. You won’t find it.)
What’s Devan to do for his coronation? Hide.
What’s Tan to do? Get a new crown.
Everything goes about as poorly as expected.
Tags:
Black sorcerer, white knight, evil princess, oh my!, this whole story is crack, technically an enemies to lovers, with light angst, mostly as an excuse for cuddles, sharing a bed, who hurt you is basically a marriage proposal, being adopted by a black sorcerer is like being adopted by a cat, you get no say in the matter, Tan is a walking disaster, Devan needs a hug, Tan volunteers himself as tribute, I’m not saying baby adventurers are stupid, but if you put a candle next to their ears their eyes will shine, rule one when dealing with black sorcerers, don’t piss them off, rule two is don’t touch their knight, just a little killing, Serenity has successfully pissed Devan off for the last time, magical shenanigans shall now commence!
552 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2022
119 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Sherwood
82 books2,016 followersAJ Sherwood believes in happily ever afters, magic, dragons, good men, and dark chocolate. She often dreams at night of delectable men doing sexy things with each other. In between writing multiple books (often at the same time) she pets her cats, plays with her dogs, and attempts insane things like aerial yoga.
She currently resides in Tennessee with aforementioned cats, dogs, and her editor/best friend/sister/partner in crime.
She currently resides in Tennessee with aforementioned cats, dogs, and her editor/best friend/sister/partner in crime.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
February 20, 2024
That was fun...
3.75 stars
A book filled with adventures of Sir Davante, the first knight of Goodwine and Tan the Black Sorcerer of Grimslock.
Two people who were supposed to be on opposite sides of the law come together in the end to defeat the real enemies, all while falling in love and eventually getting their HEA.
3.75 stars
A book filled with adventures of Sir Davante, the first knight of Goodwine and Tan the Black Sorcerer of Grimslock.
Two people who were supposed to be on opposite sides of the law come together in the end to defeat the real enemies, all while falling in love and eventually getting their HEA.
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paused-will-finish-later
June 17, 2024Once again this book is on hold. If I ever finish this series it will be a miracle
January 27, 2023
Rolled a re-read. I think this one was a bit too fresh in my mind since reading the releases. Devan and Tan are great characters, fun and nicely suited. Niran, Fa and Wells added to the fun.
Serenity was awful and the father along with her for enabling her behaviour and hiding when the crap hit the fan.
My favourite bit I’d have to say was Tan and Wells. Their connection was odd but memorable, cat buddies.
The only new addition was the coronation, featuring drunk Tan. I liked Fa letting down her hair and Wells hinting they might be something. That was interesting.
A fun little series up there with Ross’ chaotic lot.
Serenity was awful and the father along with her for enabling her behaviour and hiding when the crap hit the fan.
My favourite bit I’d have to say was Tan and Wells. Their connection was odd but memorable, cat buddies.
The only new addition was the coronation, featuring drunk Tan. I liked Fa letting down her hair and Wells hinting they might be something. That was interesting.
A fun little series up there with Ross’ chaotic lot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2025
audiobook
this is one of my go-to books and stories when I am not quite sure, what I want to read. and I always love it
first review
I love this story .... so much fun
this is one of my go-to books and stories when I am not quite sure, what I want to read. and I always love it
first review
I love this story .... so much fun
January 27, 2023
Total bit of fluffy fun. Creative adventures that lead to love. I enjoyed this breezy M/M read. Also some hilarious lines.
July 27, 2025
4.5 stars. Audiobook. Fun and satisfying. Rated as a whole, series of novellas that I read all bundled together. Seamless transition from one installment to another. Big bad quirky wizard and palace knight go on adventures, great us-against-the-world vibes. Magic, portals, high fantasy, great world building, great writing. I adore that the hugely powerful wizard is actually bad a$$ and uses his power in the story. Immensely quirky, lovely shenanigans, excellent slow burn romance. Perfect amount of romance, story and spice. Thoroughly enjoyed.
HEA, m/m, high fantasy, low angst, low drama, medium spice, magic, knight.
HEA, m/m, high fantasy, low angst, low drama, medium spice, magic, knight.
July 26, 2023
The story is great. I love everything about it. The action, the worldbuilding, characters and even how much of a slow burn the romance is.
However, I listened to this and I struggled with it. I'm not blaming the narrator. I liked his voice, the distinction between the characters and general cadence. No, the issue was the sound quality.
It actually got to the point that I contacted Audible customer services over it. They gave me a few suggestions to try - removing, redownloading at a higher quality, checking for updates, clearing cache etc, and that seemed to help it not be so quiet. There was still a couple of glitches (this was around the 70% mark) though not as bad as at the start. I've just started listening to another audio and managed to turn down my headphones, so I guess that says everything.
I want to hope that the majority of issues were fixed after downloading it again, but I couldn't stomach starting from the beginning again.
Maybe one day I'll re-listen
However, I listened to this and I struggled with it. I'm not blaming the narrator. I liked his voice, the distinction between the characters and general cadence. No, the issue was the sound quality.
It actually got to the point that I contacted Audible customer services over it. They gave me a few suggestions to try - removing, redownloading at a higher quality, checking for updates, clearing cache etc, and that seemed to help it not be so quiet. There was still a couple of glitches (this was around the 70% mark) though not as bad as at the start. I've just started listening to another audio and managed to turn down my headphones, so I guess that says everything.
I want to hope that the majority of issues were fixed after downloading it again, but I couldn't stomach starting from the beginning again.
Maybe one day I'll re-listen
February 10, 2024
Loved the plot! The kingdom is ruled by a princess who appears kind, fair and innocent but is infact a complete bitch who is selfish, crazy and happy to kill off her people. All that stands between the kingdom and her is the first knight Devan. Devan has to seek help from the dark sorcerer to save a town full of people and this starts an unlikely relationship between them. The relationship is funny and quirky. Tan is eccentric and lovable. And the adventures they go on are great fun!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2023
3.5 stars
November 26, 2025
So, this is my second time reading this series. I originally read it as it came out, one Miracle at a time. And it's just as enjoyable now as it was when I first read it. I originally read it through KU (absolutely love KU, best thing I spend money on!) but then, after reading it, I knew I'd want to keep reading it and felt like buying it when it came out as a completed works. I've been down, been depressed lately and been looking for books to cheer me up, to uplift my mood. This made me laugh and laugh! It's a wonderful mix of sweet and sexy, of crazy and cuddly, action and tenderness. These two are just perfect together and I will probably end up reading this a dozen or more times just to feel that much better!
Wonderful still and highly recommend!!
Wonderful still and highly recommend!!
April 28, 2023
This was a very cute book and I really enjoyed the plot. Devan was an excellent character but I felt that Tan’s dialogue was juvenile and annoying. However, it wasn’t bad enough to stop me from binging the stories.
April 18, 2023
This was very unexpected.
All in a good way though! I had such a fun time reading this. It took me completely by surprise with how hard I was smiling at all these different scenes and the dialogue.
At first, I thought it was gonna be a funny and clean Romance, but by book for the spice was real!!
I love how Tan has this great flirty banter, and was very devoted to Devante. It was also great to see Devante slowly fall into love with Tan.
Also, so much death, but this is a medieval time. So that was fun.
But I would definitely recommend the series and I would reread it because it was just too funny and I love the characters!
All in a good way though! I had such a fun time reading this. It took me completely by surprise with how hard I was smiling at all these different scenes and the dialogue.
At first, I thought it was gonna be a funny and clean Romance, but by book for the spice was real!!
I love how Tan has this great flirty banter, and was very devoted to Devante. It was also great to see Devante slowly fall into love with Tan.
Also, so much death, but this is a medieval time. So that was fun.
But I would definitely recommend the series and I would reread it because it was just too funny and I love the characters!
Read
October 13, 2025This was one of the most badly written books I have ever read, with a level of cringe I cannot put into words. The audio narration was pure insanity.
But I would lie if I said I wasn't entertained.
But I would lie if I said I wasn't entertained.
August 26, 2023
Story: 4.5 ⭐️
Audio: 3.5 ⭐️
Overall: 4 ⭐️
I think, like most everyone, I was hooked after just seeing the title. And the fun and very much entertaining story I got proved my interest fruitful.
This snippet of light fantasy story is best described as fun. The reader gets a little bit of everything to enjoy reading time. There're wonderful characters, adventure, humour, romance, and some very interesting magic. Although I never played, the world building is very similar to Dungeons and Dragons, so that's a plus if you like that kinda stuff.
This collection contains six stories all revolving around are two main characters and their adventures. And all starts when a white knight seeks help from a black sorcerer to save innocent people from the princess's whims.
Devan, the knight, and Tan, the sorcerer, are unlikely allies and their stumble into friendship, and more is very entertaining to watch!
The individual stories read like quests or campaigns, each with a plot, and the whole series has an overarching storyline as well. I can only say that you need to experience it yourself to see what I'm talking about.
My only problem was with the audio narration. It was poorly edited and slightly inconsistent. I did appreciate however the narrator's repertoire of voices.
Overall, I'm very happy I picked these up, and I hope to see more of Tan and Devan's adventures!
Audio: 3.5 ⭐️
Overall: 4 ⭐️
I think, like most everyone, I was hooked after just seeing the title. And the fun and very much entertaining story I got proved my interest fruitful.
This snippet of light fantasy story is best described as fun. The reader gets a little bit of everything to enjoy reading time. There're wonderful characters, adventure, humour, romance, and some very interesting magic. Although I never played, the world building is very similar to Dungeons and Dragons, so that's a plus if you like that kinda stuff.
This collection contains six stories all revolving around are two main characters and their adventures. And all starts when a white knight seeks help from a black sorcerer to save innocent people from the princess's whims.
Devan, the knight, and Tan, the sorcerer, are unlikely allies and their stumble into friendship, and more is very entertaining to watch!
The individual stories read like quests or campaigns, each with a plot, and the whole series has an overarching storyline as well. I can only say that you need to experience it yourself to see what I'm talking about.
My only problem was with the audio narration. It was poorly edited and slightly inconsistent. I did appreciate however the narrator's repertoire of voices.
Overall, I'm very happy I picked these up, and I hope to see more of Tan and Devan's adventures!
June 1, 2024
Amusing and really easy read
January 28, 2024
Started out light-hearted and fun but I felt like the quality deteriorated over time and finishing this almost put me in a reading slump.
December 19, 2022
4.5 Stars -- I highly recommend the completed form to anyone who enjoys slice-of-life fantasy that plays out like a graphic novel or animated series (R18 though of course). The characters are great and as much work as you would think it would be to make the First Knight give up his life of royal servitude and use his strength for villainy... that's how much work was done here! It actually worked, and I applaud :)
The narrative is colloquial and intimate in third person, which is a great thing for this style of novel. It reads kinda like hanging out with the characters as they process the crazy shite they went through last weekend. Many romance or relationship novels use first person and switch POV instead, but I enjoy this in third person, almost like a screenplay sometimes; this author makes it a lot of fun.
There are some places where the text could benefit from tighter editing (in a few places it feels like a phrase was used, then moved to another section, but not updated which made me stop and wonder if they were find/replace errors). But given the really casual flavor, I still enjoyed these works overall.
I'm excited to read more by this author, especially some collaborations.
The narrative is colloquial and intimate in third person, which is a great thing for this style of novel. It reads kinda like hanging out with the characters as they process the crazy shite they went through last weekend. Many romance or relationship novels use first person and switch POV instead, but I enjoy this in third person, almost like a screenplay sometimes; this author makes it a lot of fun.
There are some places where the text could benefit from tighter editing (in a few places it feels like a phrase was used, then moved to another section, but not updated which made me stop and wonder if they were find/replace errors). But given the really casual flavor, I still enjoyed these works overall.
I'm excited to read more by this author, especially some collaborations.
June 12, 2024
The only thing that could have possibly made this better was if there were dragons...because well dragons make everything better.
I loved this so much. It's cute and sweet and adorable and funny and quirky and silly all at the same time. Tan is all parts of ridiculous and awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed the slightly bloodthirsty side of his nature as well as all parts of the good caring soul. Devan is of course everything a knight should be as he protects his country from any force threatening it, even when that force is it's own princess. Of course we was ultimately going to fall for all of Tan's conniving. He was doomed from the minute he went to Tan for help. There was no way Tan was letting him out of his clutchy little hands.
All of the side characters in this made me smile, but Tan and Devan's relationship was the core of this story and it was just lovely. I had a smile all the way right through this. Once again A.J. Sherwood does not disappoint.
I loved this so much. It's cute and sweet and adorable and funny and quirky and silly all at the same time. Tan is all parts of ridiculous and awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed the slightly bloodthirsty side of his nature as well as all parts of the good caring soul. Devan is of course everything a knight should be as he protects his country from any force threatening it, even when that force is it's own princess. Of course we was ultimately going to fall for all of Tan's conniving. He was doomed from the minute he went to Tan for help. There was no way Tan was letting him out of his clutchy little hands.
All of the side characters in this made me smile, but Tan and Devan's relationship was the core of this story and it was just lovely. I had a smile all the way right through this. Once again A.J. Sherwood does not disappoint.
June 28, 2023
Actually I read this already when it first came out as a series format, and I loved each part.
This time I listened to the audiobook and I liked it as much as the first time. Is so fun and funny! I just love books that make me laugh.
I'm not giving it 5 stars only because I liked the first part a little more than the last, and I have an issue with the word "b*tch" (and it's used so many times! I generally don't have problems with swearing in books, but I don't agree with that specific word, specially when is used for females).
This time I listened to the audiobook and I liked it as much as the first time. Is so fun and funny! I just love books that make me laugh.
I'm not giving it 5 stars only because I liked the first part a little more than the last, and I have an issue with the word "b*tch" (and it's used so many times! I generally don't have problems with swearing in books, but I don't agree with that specific word, specially when is used for females).
October 13, 2023
Honestly, it felt like a teenager wrote this book, and they just threw in some cuss words for the shock value. I am surprised at how highly this book has been rated.
did-not-finish
December 31, 2023DNF at 27%. This was a cute story but it started becoming a little too cute and feeling over the top.
June 11, 2024
old post reposted
Another day, another A.J. Sherwood series. This is the Villainy series (aka the "How I Stole The Princess' White Knight and Turned Him To Villainy series). There are six novellas (which are labeled as miracles) and one bonus epilogue.
["What’s a white knight to do when his princess is causing utter havoc leading in mass murder? Go to the famous Black Sorcerer of Grimslock for help, apparently.
What’s a black sorcerer to do when the white knight comes to him for help? Keep him, naturally.
Devan does not approve of this payment plan. Tan does."]
and because it's all just fucking hilarious, the authors "other tags" ["black sorcerer, white knight, evil princess, oh my!, this whole story is crack, technically an enemies to lovers, with light angst, mostly as an excuse for cuddles, sharing a bed, who hurt you is basically a marriage proposal, being adopted by a black sorcerer is like being adopted by a cat, you get no say in the matter, Tan is a walking disaster, Devan needs a hug, Tan volunteers himself as tribute, I’m not saying baby adventurers are stupid, but if you put a candle next to their ears their eyes will shine, rule one when dealing with black sorcerers, don’t piss them off, rule two is don’t touch their knight, just a little killing, Serenity has successfully pissed Devan off for the last time, magical shenanigans shall now commence!"]
I...This series was life. Crack, sure. Insanity, yes. Lots of evil laughs and flirty and cats? Duh? But all in all? Perfection. This series has skyrocketed to one of my absolute favorites, this couple to some of my favorite people.
You know in Brooklyn 99 where Rosa accidentally adopts a puppy and says "I've only had Arlo for a day and a half, but if anything happened to him, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself"? That was me about Tan (while reading the very first chapter--which was in Devan's POV---yeaaaah).
Tan was generous and kind and a bit of a sassy twink and love cats and tea and evil laughing and causing mischief and trying things just to see if he can do them and...well...he does like a good fireball...and murder spree....
Devan was righteous but realized things weren't black and white, he loved reading but never had the time, he was willing to sacrifice himself and his sanity for his country, he loved a good challenge, a good ale, and feeling needed. His white knight self did (slowly and then not so slowly) eventually turn less white and more black as he fell for Tan (and as he realized there was really only one way to stop the princesses madness).
Together, they were unstoppable. Literally. The best knight to ever have lived means the most powerful sorcerer ever? Power. Couple. They were fiercely protective of each other and their friends, to the point that Tan turned a little good and Devan turned a little evil.
I almost wish I could erase my memory and reread this series. It's 10000010% recommended. Please read this. Seriously, please; I need someone to talk with about these two and their shenanigans.
#howistoletheprincesswhiteknightandturnedhimtovillainy #howistoletheprincesswhiteknightandturnedhimtovillainyseries #miracle #thecompleteworks #thecoronation #villainy #villainyseries #ajsherwood #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
Another day, another A.J. Sherwood series. This is the Villainy series (aka the "How I Stole The Princess' White Knight and Turned Him To Villainy series). There are six novellas (which are labeled as miracles) and one bonus epilogue.
["What’s a white knight to do when his princess is causing utter havoc leading in mass murder? Go to the famous Black Sorcerer of Grimslock for help, apparently.
What’s a black sorcerer to do when the white knight comes to him for help? Keep him, naturally.
Devan does not approve of this payment plan. Tan does."]
and because it's all just fucking hilarious, the authors "other tags" ["black sorcerer, white knight, evil princess, oh my!, this whole story is crack, technically an enemies to lovers, with light angst, mostly as an excuse for cuddles, sharing a bed, who hurt you is basically a marriage proposal, being adopted by a black sorcerer is like being adopted by a cat, you get no say in the matter, Tan is a walking disaster, Devan needs a hug, Tan volunteers himself as tribute, I’m not saying baby adventurers are stupid, but if you put a candle next to their ears their eyes will shine, rule one when dealing with black sorcerers, don’t piss them off, rule two is don’t touch their knight, just a little killing, Serenity has successfully pissed Devan off for the last time, magical shenanigans shall now commence!"]
I...This series was life. Crack, sure. Insanity, yes. Lots of evil laughs and flirty and cats? Duh? But all in all? Perfection. This series has skyrocketed to one of my absolute favorites, this couple to some of my favorite people.
You know in Brooklyn 99 where Rosa accidentally adopts a puppy and says "I've only had Arlo for a day and a half, but if anything happened to him, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself"? That was me about Tan (while reading the very first chapter--which was in Devan's POV---yeaaaah).
Tan was generous and kind and a bit of a sassy twink and love cats and tea and evil laughing and causing mischief and trying things just to see if he can do them and...well...he does like a good fireball...and murder spree....
Devan was righteous but realized things weren't black and white, he loved reading but never had the time, he was willing to sacrifice himself and his sanity for his country, he loved a good challenge, a good ale, and feeling needed. His white knight self did (slowly and then not so slowly) eventually turn less white and more black as he fell for Tan (and as he realized there was really only one way to stop the princesses madness).
Together, they were unstoppable. Literally. The best knight to ever have lived means the most powerful sorcerer ever? Power. Couple. They were fiercely protective of each other and their friends, to the point that Tan turned a little good and Devan turned a little evil.
I almost wish I could erase my memory and reread this series. It's 10000010% recommended. Please read this. Seriously, please; I need someone to talk with about these two and their shenanigans.
#howistoletheprincesswhiteknightandturnedhimtovillainy #howistoletheprincesswhiteknightandturnedhimtovillainyseries #miracle #thecompleteworks #thecoronation #villainy #villainyseries #ajsherwood #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
October 31, 2025
Was this a perfect book? Nnno. Did I absolutely demolish my way through it, having a blast of a time? Yes, yes I did.
First things first: The central relationship progressed quite quickly, almost unexpectedly so, for Tan, the Black Sorcerer of Grimslock, had been massively crushing on Devan, the titular White Knight, from even before the story's start. (To be fair, basically everyone, apparently, had at least a tiny crush on the first knight of the kingdom...) And since the opportunity to actually do something about those feelings and possibly get beneath that shining armour landed almost literally in his lap, Tan went for it. Hooo boy, he went for it hard. And Devan was just... done with the state of mayhem in his life, to put it mildly, he didn't offer much of a resistance for long. It took them just a bit beyond the halfway point of the book to get to the first sex scene (), and I am glad that there weren't too many of those, 'cause, in all honesty, I did not care for such; I came for the banter and the unabashed flirting. So, still not exactly what I am looking for in the department of hero/villain relationship, but enjoyable nonetheless.
My main sore spot was the worldbuilding, or to say, the practical lack of worldbuilding. I fully admit that I've been spoiled by some lovely, complex and intricate worlds in my readings, so this story's vaguely RPG-ish set-up (with a nice dash of oriental influence and a wildly varied menagerie of monsters) felt rather crude. It functioned well as a background for the central relationship, but that's it.
I also really like that the story did not end up with the two MC getting together (that's no spoiler, that's an obvious outcome from the very start), but went further still, dealing with the consequences of , and the inevitable clusterf*ck that followed.
First things first: The central relationship progressed quite quickly, almost unexpectedly so, for Tan, the Black Sorcerer of Grimslock, had been massively crushing on Devan, the titular White Knight, from even before the story's start. (To be fair, basically everyone, apparently, had at least a tiny crush on the first knight of the kingdom...) And since the opportunity to actually do something about those feelings and possibly get beneath that shining armour landed almost literally in his lap, Tan went for it. Hooo boy, he went for it hard. And Devan was just... done with the state of mayhem in his life, to put it mildly, he didn't offer much of a resistance for long. It took them just a bit beyond the halfway point of the book to get to the first sex scene (), and I am glad that there weren't too many of those, 'cause, in all honesty, I did not care for such; I came for the banter and the unabashed flirting. So, still not exactly what I am looking for in the department of hero/villain relationship, but enjoyable nonetheless.
My main sore spot was the worldbuilding, or to say, the practical lack of worldbuilding. I fully admit that I've been spoiled by some lovely, complex and intricate worlds in my readings, so this story's vaguely RPG-ish set-up (with a nice dash of oriental influence and a wildly varied menagerie of monsters) felt rather crude. It functioned well as a background for the central relationship, but that's it.
I also really like that the story did not end up with the two MC getting together (that's no spoiler, that's an obvious outcome from the very start), but went further still, dealing with the consequences of , and the inevitable clusterf*ck that followed.
April 20, 2024
Reviewed at Audiogals.net
Story B
Narration by Kirk Graves: A on character voices, C on narrative passages, B- overall
This lighthearted fantasy romp is a compilation of six novellas (each designated Miracle: 1-6) and a short story detailing the romance between the not-completely-evil Black Sorcerer of Grimslock, Tanawat (Tan) Ritherong Shinawathra, and the definitely virtuous First Knight Devante (Devan) Salveno. (Note: There are 6 additional novellas plus a short story or two in the Villainy series that continue the adventures after this “Complete Works”. Each installment for the newer How I Took the King novellas are designated Bone: 1-6. Yes, it’s confusing.) The blurb for first novella, Miracle 1, gives an idea of how (not) serious the story is:
What’s a white knight to do when his princess wants to sacrifice a town to barbarians? Go to the famous Black Sorcerer of Grimslock for help, apparently.
What’s a black sorcerer to do when the white knight comes to him for help? Keep him, naturally.
Devan does not approve of this payment plan. Tan does.
The entire series is fluffy, often giggle-worthy, and very entertaining – just right for unplugging and de-stressing. The author has developed wonderful main characters and a load of fun, unique secondary characters to add to the enjoyment. (And cats, we can’t forget the cats.) Devan is First Knight to spoiled brat Princess Serenity who cares not a whit about her people. He has spent over ten years running interference trying to mitigate the damage caused by her actions, while the palace works overtime to present her as a benevolent ruler. When the story opens, Devan is approaching Grimlock, the forbidding abode of the Black Sorcerer, because Princess Serenity has decided to let invading barbarians overrun a border town and then destroy the town by fire to prevent the invasion from advancing . Devan is here to beg for help to move the townspeople even knowing that given the sorcerer’s reputation for killing anyone approaching his gate, he’s unlikely to live long enough to even ask. After encountering two (delightfully dumb) gremlins at the gate, he is surprised to be admitted to the castle by the house manager, an imposing kobold named Hans, and given tea and scones while he waits. Devan is even more surprised when Tan turns out to be an energetic young man who literally pirouettes into the room a few moments later. The shocks keep coming as Tan agrees to help Devan and asks only for a night of “cuddles” in return since Devan neglected to bring the required kitten. As they spend time together Devan becomes increasingly intrigued by the confusing Tan, and Tan decides he’s definitely keeping Devan for his very own.
Each additional novella details a new story about Devan and Tan working together to defend the kingdom and save lives. These adventures often involve delightful secondary characters and have plenty of very funny banter. But even though the subplot is wrapped up in each of the six novellas, they do not stand alone. The main plotlines – including the growing slow-burn romance between Devan and Tan, as well as the problem of what to do about Princess Serenity, whose ever increasing volatility is running the kingdom into the ground – are developed throughout all six stories.
Kirk Griffin is a new-to-me narrator and this seems to be his only audiobook, though a quick trip to his website indicates he’s done some voice-overs for commercials. His bio shows he’s been involved in several fantasy, sci-fi and gaming conventions, like Dragon Con in Atlanta, GA, and plays Dungeons and Dragons. This all makes sense after listening to his narration. He has excellent character voices for all the magical and mundane creatures we meet, reminiscent of many D&D games I’ve played where a good Dungeon Master enhances the game by voicing all the non-player characters. These novellas have a relatively large cast of characters and Mr. Griffin gives each one a unique voice which remains consistent throughout. His often quirky and inventive voices help bring out the humorous dialog and immerses the listener in the story. Unfortunately, Mr Griffin is not as successful in the narrative sections. His delivery feels a little flat and there is an occasional, almost imperceptible, stumbling over words or phrases. That, along with several jarring mispronunciations, shows a lack of polish that brings the final grade for the narration down. The disparity between the excellent characterizations (A-) and dialog passages and the less than ideal delivery of the narrative passages (C/C-) makes it difficult to give an overall grade. Other reviews I’ve looked at suggest most people seem to enjoy the narration, with a few who didn’t like it. I waffled between a C+ and a B- and settled on a B-, but YMMV. I suggest listening to samples if possible.
How I Stole the Princess’s White Knight and Turned Him to Villainy is irreverent, unexpected, at times laugh-out-loud funny, and definitely not to be taken seriously. You need to go in willing to roll with the humor. At the same time it’s a good story, with real obstacles to overcome and hard decisions to be made, even if those tasks are surrounded with a bit of silliness. I can recommend this lighthearted book on audio with the above caveats but as my husband will attest, it’s delightful in print as well.
Story B
Narration by Kirk Graves: A on character voices, C on narrative passages, B- overall
This lighthearted fantasy romp is a compilation of six novellas (each designated Miracle: 1-6) and a short story detailing the romance between the not-completely-evil Black Sorcerer of Grimslock, Tanawat (Tan) Ritherong Shinawathra, and the definitely virtuous First Knight Devante (Devan) Salveno. (Note: There are 6 additional novellas plus a short story or two in the Villainy series that continue the adventures after this “Complete Works”. Each installment for the newer How I Took the King novellas are designated Bone: 1-6. Yes, it’s confusing.) The blurb for first novella, Miracle 1, gives an idea of how (not) serious the story is:
What’s a white knight to do when his princess wants to sacrifice a town to barbarians? Go to the famous Black Sorcerer of Grimslock for help, apparently.
What’s a black sorcerer to do when the white knight comes to him for help? Keep him, naturally.
Devan does not approve of this payment plan. Tan does.
The entire series is fluffy, often giggle-worthy, and very entertaining – just right for unplugging and de-stressing. The author has developed wonderful main characters and a load of fun, unique secondary characters to add to the enjoyment. (And cats, we can’t forget the cats.) Devan is First Knight to spoiled brat Princess Serenity who cares not a whit about her people. He has spent over ten years running interference trying to mitigate the damage caused by her actions, while the palace works overtime to present her as a benevolent ruler. When the story opens, Devan is approaching Grimlock, the forbidding abode of the Black Sorcerer, because Princess Serenity has decided to let invading barbarians overrun a border town and then destroy the town by fire to prevent the invasion from advancing . Devan is here to beg for help to move the townspeople even knowing that given the sorcerer’s reputation for killing anyone approaching his gate, he’s unlikely to live long enough to even ask. After encountering two (delightfully dumb) gremlins at the gate, he is surprised to be admitted to the castle by the house manager, an imposing kobold named Hans, and given tea and scones while he waits. Devan is even more surprised when Tan turns out to be an energetic young man who literally pirouettes into the room a few moments later. The shocks keep coming as Tan agrees to help Devan and asks only for a night of “cuddles” in return since Devan neglected to bring the required kitten. As they spend time together Devan becomes increasingly intrigued by the confusing Tan, and Tan decides he’s definitely keeping Devan for his very own.
Each additional novella details a new story about Devan and Tan working together to defend the kingdom and save lives. These adventures often involve delightful secondary characters and have plenty of very funny banter. But even though the subplot is wrapped up in each of the six novellas, they do not stand alone. The main plotlines – including the growing slow-burn romance between Devan and Tan, as well as the problem of what to do about Princess Serenity, whose ever increasing volatility is running the kingdom into the ground – are developed throughout all six stories.
Kirk Griffin is a new-to-me narrator and this seems to be his only audiobook, though a quick trip to his website indicates he’s done some voice-overs for commercials. His bio shows he’s been involved in several fantasy, sci-fi and gaming conventions, like Dragon Con in Atlanta, GA, and plays Dungeons and Dragons. This all makes sense after listening to his narration. He has excellent character voices for all the magical and mundane creatures we meet, reminiscent of many D&D games I’ve played where a good Dungeon Master enhances the game by voicing all the non-player characters. These novellas have a relatively large cast of characters and Mr. Griffin gives each one a unique voice which remains consistent throughout. His often quirky and inventive voices help bring out the humorous dialog and immerses the listener in the story. Unfortunately, Mr Griffin is not as successful in the narrative sections. His delivery feels a little flat and there is an occasional, almost imperceptible, stumbling over words or phrases. That, along with several jarring mispronunciations, shows a lack of polish that brings the final grade for the narration down. The disparity between the excellent characterizations (A-) and dialog passages and the less than ideal delivery of the narrative passages (C/C-) makes it difficult to give an overall grade. Other reviews I’ve looked at suggest most people seem to enjoy the narration, with a few who didn’t like it. I waffled between a C+ and a B- and settled on a B-, but YMMV. I suggest listening to samples if possible.
How I Stole the Princess’s White Knight and Turned Him to Villainy is irreverent, unexpected, at times laugh-out-loud funny, and definitely not to be taken seriously. You need to go in willing to roll with the humor. At the same time it’s a good story, with real obstacles to overcome and hard decisions to be made, even if those tasks are surrounded with a bit of silliness. I can recommend this lighthearted book on audio with the above caveats but as my husband will attest, it’s delightful in print as well.
December 12, 2025
***vrijdag 12 december 2025 | audiobook / KOBO
Narrator: Kirk Griffin
⭐4 - I like it
This is the kind of story that feels like eating popcorn. Perfect for the boring every day commute and doing chores.
Some things that were a bit iffy to me were the descriptions of the characters, they do not look like the ones on the cover and the way the Princess was called Bitch throughout the whole story. She was being a bitch but because of the tone of the story it would have been better if they kept using different slurs for her. Less harsh and more playful which would have fit the story better in my opinion.
The story itself was a fun ride. If you know what crack-fic's are and enjoy them, you would enjoy this one. But the thing that stood out the most was that both characters liked en respected each other from the get go. It made rooting for their relationship and being invested in it, very easy.
SIDENOTE: The narrator on the other hand...
Narrator: Kirk Griffin
⭐4 - I like it
This is the kind of story that feels like eating popcorn. Perfect for the boring every day commute and doing chores.
Some things that were a bit iffy to me were the descriptions of the characters, they do not look like the ones on the cover and the way the Princess was called Bitch throughout the whole story. She was being a bitch but because of the tone of the story it would have been better if they kept using different slurs for her. Less harsh and more playful which would have fit the story better in my opinion.
The story itself was a fun ride. If you know what crack-fic's are and enjoy them, you would enjoy this one. But the thing that stood out the most was that both characters liked en respected each other from the get go. It made rooting for their relationship and being invested in it, very easy.
SIDENOTE: The narrator on the other hand...
July 10, 2023
this is one of the best of A. J Sherwoods books, and, coming from me, that's high praise, since I basically adore that woman as a god, and loved almost everything she ever wrote.
The story is a little play on the cliches, you have a kingdom who has a beautiful and beloved princess at it's helm, a strong and fair knight everybody loves, who is rumored to be sweet on her. and then, you have the villains, the criminals, the powerful sorcerers people love to hate and are to afraid of to do something about.
or not
what if the princess is a selfish, lying bitch, who hurt people without regard, the knight is always trying to save people from her crazy ass, and the villains are basically villains because the people in power said so. So when the white knight finds himself stuck between doing what the princess told him to, and protecting people, he looks for help with the bad guys.
Tan and Devin were the cutest couple, I loved the support characters, as always the humor shines trough in the story, tan is just too funny.
And, the best thing, really low angst, the only really sad thing about this book is the fact there is only one, at least for now.
Can't wait for the next one.
Now, if you are wondering if you should read this book, the answer is yes
who shouldn't read this book? people who are uncomfortable with same sex relationships, or who need a lot of angst and drama in their romances, and people without heart or soul.
The rest should give it a try!
The story is a little play on the cliches, you have a kingdom who has a beautiful and beloved princess at it's helm, a strong and fair knight everybody loves, who is rumored to be sweet on her. and then, you have the villains, the criminals, the powerful sorcerers people love to hate and are to afraid of to do something about.
or not
what if the princess is a selfish, lying bitch, who hurt people without regard, the knight is always trying to save people from her crazy ass, and the villains are basically villains because the people in power said so. So when the white knight finds himself stuck between doing what the princess told him to, and protecting people, he looks for help with the bad guys.
Tan and Devin were the cutest couple, I loved the support characters, as always the humor shines trough in the story, tan is just too funny.
And, the best thing, really low angst, the only really sad thing about this book is the fact there is only one, at least for now.
Can't wait for the next one.
Now, if you are wondering if you should read this book, the answer is yes
who shouldn't read this book? people who are uncomfortable with same sex relationships, or who need a lot of angst and drama in their romances, and people without heart or soul.
The rest should give it a try!
July 29, 2023
I'm only going to review the entire series under this complete works edition, partially because I'm lazy and partially in hopes this will get people to buy the whole thing since you don't have to work your way through all six books individually.
What an enchanting, fun romp this was, with knights and sorcerers and villainous things and true love. I was reminded in parts of The Princess Bride which is one of my all time favorite movies.
I loved Devan and Tan, two very different people, but at heart very similar in that they love freely and give freely. Their romance, while slow burn for reasons, was so sweet.
By the way, before I forget, look at the covers on the individual books and see how Tan's clothing changes from one book to the next... his state of (un)dress is directly related to what happens inside the book between him and Sir First Knight.
And of course, after many trials and tribulations, their story culminates in... well, you should read this for yourself.
I loved how the author created her characters with distinct voices, not just in Tan and Devan, but also in the supporting cast, who all had purpose and agency, and all enhanced the story in some way. All except Princess Bitch and her father, the king. Fortunately, they get their just rewards.
Would highly recommend this if you like high fantasy, fairytale romance, sorcerers, mages, and knightly knights, with a heavy dose of snark and sarcasm and humor. Give this a try!
What an enchanting, fun romp this was, with knights and sorcerers and villainous things and true love. I was reminded in parts of The Princess Bride which is one of my all time favorite movies.
I loved Devan and Tan, two very different people, but at heart very similar in that they love freely and give freely. Their romance, while slow burn for reasons, was so sweet.
By the way, before I forget, look at the covers on the individual books and see how Tan's clothing changes from one book to the next... his state of (un)dress is directly related to what happens inside the book between him and Sir First Knight.
And of course, after many trials and tribulations, their story culminates in... well, you should read this for yourself.
I loved how the author created her characters with distinct voices, not just in Tan and Devan, but also in the supporting cast, who all had purpose and agency, and all enhanced the story in some way. All except Princess Bitch and her father, the king. Fortunately, they get their just rewards.
Would highly recommend this if you like high fantasy, fairytale romance, sorcerers, mages, and knightly knights, with a heavy dose of snark and sarcasm and humor. Give this a try!
January 12, 2025
love the mixture of fantasy, historical setting and comedy ➡ Audiobook
D and Tan are just amazing together. Loved the books and really enjoyed the audio experience. Yes, it wasn't perfect, sometimes voices were overlapping, one or two times I heard the same paragraph twice and some female voices sounded like old men, but it is a really long book all stacked together so...
The book doesn't take itself to seriously and the setting and telling allows for absurd and gory events to happen. So while being chipper while burning enemies until they are dead might be gruesome and questionable under other circumstances, here it makes total sense and you don't bat an eye. The author tries the same tactic in another book and it didn't go down the same way it did here (The Insanity of Reincarnated Mages and Amorous Vampires). So it pays to pay attention not to just copy and paste what worked in one instance. But who am I. I am just one consumer and the author has certainly published more romance books than me (as in I published none at this point in time), so this is just my opinion. And my opinion is, go and read/listen to this series, it really is a lot of fun!
D and Tan are just amazing together. Loved the books and really enjoyed the audio experience. Yes, it wasn't perfect, sometimes voices were overlapping, one or two times I heard the same paragraph twice and some female voices sounded like old men, but it is a really long book all stacked together so...
The book doesn't take itself to seriously and the setting and telling allows for absurd and gory events to happen. So while being chipper while burning enemies until they are dead might be gruesome and questionable under other circumstances, here it makes total sense and you don't bat an eye. The author tries the same tactic in another book and it didn't go down the same way it did here (The Insanity of Reincarnated Mages and Amorous Vampires). So it pays to pay attention not to just copy and paste what worked in one instance. But who am I. I am just one consumer and the author has certainly published more romance books than me (as in I published none at this point in time), so this is just my opinion. And my opinion is, go and read/listen to this series, it really is a lot of fun!
January 4, 2023
A perfect fun spin
A truly fun compilation of novellas that do a great job telling a story and making you fall in love with the characters!
Putting a spin on the classic story of the white knight and the fair princess, we have a princess who is not so fair, a knight who protects the people by keeping her in line, and a black sorcerer who brings both chaos and hope to country. Devan fiercely protects the people but when he has to stop the very ruler from causing problems he is slowly giving away parts of himself to do so. Tan chose the route of black sorcerer but his actions are not so black and white, so helping the white knight is not so unusual for him. When there are hints of a crush with a secret history, jobs that keep driving the two men together, and unexpected mutual likes, it soon becomes clear that perhaps the sorcerer and knight are a far better match than any would expect. So what's a sorcerer to do but his absolute best to seduce the knight and win the kingdom over? It was a fun and wild ride, with a perfectly sweet bonus end story in this compilation that makes the cherry on top. A great read!
A truly fun compilation of novellas that do a great job telling a story and making you fall in love with the characters!
Putting a spin on the classic story of the white knight and the fair princess, we have a princess who is not so fair, a knight who protects the people by keeping her in line, and a black sorcerer who brings both chaos and hope to country. Devan fiercely protects the people but when he has to stop the very ruler from causing problems he is slowly giving away parts of himself to do so. Tan chose the route of black sorcerer but his actions are not so black and white, so helping the white knight is not so unusual for him. When there are hints of a crush with a secret history, jobs that keep driving the two men together, and unexpected mutual likes, it soon becomes clear that perhaps the sorcerer and knight are a far better match than any would expect. So what's a sorcerer to do but his absolute best to seduce the knight and win the kingdom over? It was a fun and wild ride, with a perfectly sweet bonus end story in this compilation that makes the cherry on top. A great read!
June 11, 2024
3.5⭐️
This is my 2nd Crack fantasy in as many days. I started reading this the same time I did the Crack Fantasy series by Jennifer Cody. I liked both but I think I liked the Barbarian Orc series a smidge better. I think that is partly because I have read other AJ Sherwood books and there is always a very chirpy, quirky, overpowered character and his love interest is the calm (or calmer) person. I have liked them in other books but it just was a bit much in this as we had 550+ pages of it.
Let me get to the positives - I liked the adventures. Tan and Devan had chemistry and I liked the way Devan finally caved. There was actual dilemmas in terms of Devan and the execution of his duties as a knight and his love for a man who is considered a criminal. The negatives - The last 2 "miracles" dragged on a bit. The side characters were not as fleshed out so all we got was Tan and Devan, especially a lot of hyper Tan.
I know the author has written further adventures of the 2 and I am still of two minds about picking it up.
This is my 2nd Crack fantasy in as many days. I started reading this the same time I did the Crack Fantasy series by Jennifer Cody. I liked both but I think I liked the Barbarian Orc series a smidge better. I think that is partly because I have read other AJ Sherwood books and there is always a very chirpy, quirky, overpowered character and his love interest is the calm (or calmer) person. I have liked them in other books but it just was a bit much in this as we had 550+ pages of it.
Let me get to the positives - I liked the adventures. Tan and Devan had chemistry and I liked the way Devan finally caved. There was actual dilemmas in terms of Devan and the execution of his duties as a knight and his love for a man who is considered a criminal. The negatives - The last 2 "miracles" dragged on a bit. The side characters were not as fleshed out so all we got was Tan and Devan, especially a lot of hyper Tan.
I know the author has written further adventures of the 2 and I am still of two minds about picking it up.
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