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What happens when the haggling is done and the shops are closed? When the quest has been given, the steeds saddled, and the adventurers are off to their next encounter? They keep the world running, the food cooked, and the horses shoed, yet what adventurer has ever spared a thought or concern for the Non-Player Characters? In the town of Maplebark, four such NPCs settle in for a night of actively ignoring the adventurers drinking in the tavern when things go quickly and fatally awry. Once the dust settles, these four find themselves faced with an impossible pretend to be adventurers undertaking a task of near-certain death or see their town and loved ones destroyed. Armed only with salvaged equipment, second-hand knowledge, and a secret that could get them killed, it will take all manner of miracles if they hope to pull off their charade. And even if they succeed, the deadliest part of their journey may well be what awaits them at its end.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2014
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November 4, 2015
NPCs—or Non-Player Characters for you non-geeks out there, as though anyone reading this isn’t at least mildly geekish, or prone to geekish tendencies—are the background characters people partaking in role-playing games encounter over the course of their adventures. These characters, portrayed by the game master (or Dungeon Master, if we’re talking about D&D, which we should be, because awesome), are crucial sources of aid and information for our heroes as well as the nefarious ne’er-do-wells with whom they cross swords and spells. An NPC might be a curmudgeonly shopkeeper or a pulchritudinous soiled dove (not that anyone in campaigns I ever ran endeavored to indulge in the services-for-hire of a Lady of the Night…ahem), or perhaps a lowly goblin henchman or a dastardly and cunning evil wizard. By and large, they are one-note, one-dimensional characters whose sole purpose is to serve the story and help the players achieve their objective (or to oppose them in their efforts and allow for gleeful slaying of copious quantities of kobolds). They rarely get their day in the sun, because who cares that the gruff, well-informed barkeep has the soul of a poet and writes odes to his secret and unrequited love, the fetchingly portly barfly on the second stool from the left, or that Mordecai the Mad never felt loved by his parents and, as a result, decided to go to Evil Wizard School instead of picking up a nice trade like metalworking or weaving those big, white, powdered wigs judicial types used to wear back in days of yore?
With that as the backdrop, here’s the story I THOUGHT I was reading: a behind-the-scenes exposé of the life of an NPC, a hilarious romp about what happens when the Cheetos have been consumed, the Mountain Dew has been drunk, the character sheets have been put away, and the intrepid role players have returned to their parents� basements to lie in stasis until the next day’s bout of geekery. Would Benny the Barkeep ever declare his love for Bartholomew the Besotted Barfly? Would Lola, the Loquacious Courtesan with the heart of gold ever pursue her dream of becoming a file clerk? Would Mordecai see the error of his ways and open a halfway house for Wayward Evil Wizards?
Here’s the story I ACTUALLY read: a fairly typical fantasy yarn with a clever meta narrative about a gaming group whose characters are interacting with the titular (heh heh…I said “titular”…sorry; I’m 12) NPCs throughout the story. The writing was fine, the characters were fine, the plot was fine…it was all fine. As far as that sort of thing goes.
But, I wanted the first story. I wanted sardonic satire and comical commentary and gamer in-jokes galore; I wanted pathos and drama to histrionic levels that would make even Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman feel compelled to say, “Man, buddy, pal, take it down a notch�; I wanted clever quips and witty observations about the player characters lurking in the background, their every decision and die roll critiqued by our faceless cast of thousands.
I should note that my rating of this book is not a reflection of the story as written against what I hoped it would be; it’s simply a rating of the story as written in and of itself. It was fine.
But, golly-gee-willikers…someone sign me up to read that other story. And someone get on writing it. And maybe include some art. Heck, maybe this is a graphic novel. Combine one part Rat Queens with one part The Travelers and two parts Extras and voila! Instant sale of one book. To me.
(Maybe this book already exists and I’m just not aware of it, just as I wasn’t aware until recently that it’s not actually pronounced “supposably”…if so, dear readers, please point me toward it. If you do, the next visit to Lola is on me. Or on you, I guess. But, I’ll pay for it. Unless she’s file clerking. Because that would be a pretty boring visit. Unless you’re into that. Which you might be, you pervy minxes.)
With that as the backdrop, here’s the story I THOUGHT I was reading: a behind-the-scenes exposé of the life of an NPC, a hilarious romp about what happens when the Cheetos have been consumed, the Mountain Dew has been drunk, the character sheets have been put away, and the intrepid role players have returned to their parents� basements to lie in stasis until the next day’s bout of geekery. Would Benny the Barkeep ever declare his love for Bartholomew the Besotted Barfly? Would Lola, the Loquacious Courtesan with the heart of gold ever pursue her dream of becoming a file clerk? Would Mordecai see the error of his ways and open a halfway house for Wayward Evil Wizards?
Here’s the story I ACTUALLY read: a fairly typical fantasy yarn with a clever meta narrative about a gaming group whose characters are interacting with the titular (heh heh…I said “titular”…sorry; I’m 12) NPCs throughout the story. The writing was fine, the characters were fine, the plot was fine…it was all fine. As far as that sort of thing goes.
But, I wanted the first story. I wanted sardonic satire and comical commentary and gamer in-jokes galore; I wanted pathos and drama to histrionic levels that would make even Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman feel compelled to say, “Man, buddy, pal, take it down a notch�; I wanted clever quips and witty observations about the player characters lurking in the background, their every decision and die roll critiqued by our faceless cast of thousands.
I should note that my rating of this book is not a reflection of the story as written against what I hoped it would be; it’s simply a rating of the story as written in and of itself. It was fine.
But, golly-gee-willikers…someone sign me up to read that other story. And someone get on writing it. And maybe include some art. Heck, maybe this is a graphic novel. Combine one part Rat Queens with one part The Travelers and two parts Extras and voila! Instant sale of one book. To me.
(Maybe this book already exists and I’m just not aware of it, just as I wasn’t aware until recently that it’s not actually pronounced “supposably”…if so, dear readers, please point me toward it. If you do, the next visit to Lola is on me. Or on you, I guess. But, I’ll pay for it. Unless she’s file clerking. Because that would be a pretty boring visit. Unless you’re into that. Which you might be, you pervy minxes.)
April 15, 2021
*Warning* I am letting my geek flag fly in this one.
If you have ever played Dungeons and Dragons you will probably have a lot of fun with this book. It's all about those characters who are just the background people, and what would happen if they actually joined in the game and broke out of their assigned roles.
Ah, that's how it happened. Considering all of the crazy that is going around after a year in quarantine I'm not surprised.
So, the tavern owner who you would only talk to for information about your quest, and the mayor's daughter who is always kidnapped by goblins so you can have a side-quest for cash, the knight who does nothing but stand in the background, and a weird little gnome suddenly stop being background people and start competing against you.
It's a fun idea, right?
And, if your usual D&D party is anything like my family when you play, you realize that you are a bunch of jerks who are bloodthirsty robbers most of the time towards the NPC's. We don't care about their health and safety! Screw them. And, hey, maybe we will literally screw them before stealing their money and killing anyone who gets in our way.
Okay, maybe my family is pretty brutal in our D&D campaigns. I'm so proud of us.
There is a dual story that comes together in this book. The first is the D&D party who are... well, like my family. They aren't the main focus though. The second story is the NPC's on a quest while trying to survive a world that is full of monsters and danger. They're the real main characters this time.
This book has absolutely no romance or anything like that, but is all about the adventure and action. I chuckled here and there about the little things that always happen in these kind of games and the seriousness in which the characters dealt with them, but it's not actually a comedy or satire. It's just a lot of fantasy with action at every turn.
Anyone else love Breath of the Wild? We only stopped to sleep until we beat the game. So awesome!
It was simply fun and I'm looking forward to their next quest.
If you have ever played Dungeons and Dragons you will probably have a lot of fun with this book. It's all about those characters who are just the background people, and what would happen if they actually joined in the game and broke out of their assigned roles.
Ah, that's how it happened. Considering all of the crazy that is going around after a year in quarantine I'm not surprised.
So, the tavern owner who you would only talk to for information about your quest, and the mayor's daughter who is always kidnapped by goblins so you can have a side-quest for cash, the knight who does nothing but stand in the background, and a weird little gnome suddenly stop being background people and start competing against you.
It's a fun idea, right?
And, if your usual D&D party is anything like my family when you play, you realize that you are a bunch of jerks who are bloodthirsty robbers most of the time towards the NPC's. We don't care about their health and safety! Screw them. And, hey, maybe we will literally screw them before stealing their money and killing anyone who gets in our way.
Okay, maybe my family is pretty brutal in our D&D campaigns. I'm so proud of us.
There is a dual story that comes together in this book. The first is the D&D party who are... well, like my family. They aren't the main focus though. The second story is the NPC's on a quest while trying to survive a world that is full of monsters and danger. They're the real main characters this time.
This book has absolutely no romance or anything like that, but is all about the adventure and action. I chuckled here and there about the little things that always happen in these kind of games and the seriousness in which the characters dealt with them, but it's not actually a comedy or satire. It's just a lot of fantasy with action at every turn.
Anyone else love Breath of the Wild? We only stopped to sleep until we beat the game. So awesome!
It was simply fun and I'm looking forward to their next quest.
March 31, 2017
I just read a book by this author (Drew Hayes) and really enjoyed and am waiting for the next in that series (I decided to wait for the audio). A friend here recommended this/these and I'd already noticed it/them so I picked it up.
At first I wasn't really involved but as the book went on I found it a great and fun read.
If you're a gamer you are familiar with the term "NPC" which stands for Non-Player Character. That would be the bar tenders, stable boys, tavern girls, town guardsmen and so on, the people with whom the Player Characters interact through the Game Master throughout the game. But...what do they do between games?
So we start with a group of NPCs sitting around the bar when something happens to a group of adventurers who had done something that drew or at least would draw the attention of the "Mad King" down on their village.
The last village the Mad King took notice of was burned to the ground.
There was only one thing they could do...pretend to be the group of dead adventurers and draw the King's attention away from said village. Of course this doesn't take a lot, a whole lot into account.
This book is great fun. We do see a group of the "idiot type" gamers I think give all gamers a bad name but it seems that...well that would be a spoiler so try the book. I think you'll enjoy it.
Recommended. Highly.
At first I wasn't really involved but as the book went on I found it a great and fun read.
If you're a gamer you are familiar with the term "NPC" which stands for Non-Player Character. That would be the bar tenders, stable boys, tavern girls, town guardsmen and so on, the people with whom the Player Characters interact through the Game Master throughout the game. But...what do they do between games?
So we start with a group of NPCs sitting around the bar when something happens to a group of adventurers who had done something that drew or at least would draw the attention of the "Mad King" down on their village.
The last village the Mad King took notice of was burned to the ground.
There was only one thing they could do...pretend to be the group of dead adventurers and draw the King's attention away from said village. Of course this doesn't take a lot, a whole lot into account.
This book is great fun. We do see a group of the "idiot type" gamers I think give all gamers a bad name but it seems that...well that would be a spoiler so try the book. I think you'll enjoy it.
Recommended. Highly.
July 21, 2015
I guess what bothers me is that the "NPC" part is kind of a gimmick that just gets you to read a somewhat interesting but ultimately underwhelming and unmemorable fantasy story.
The idea is supposed to be that the Non Player characters from dungeons and dragons are forced to become the real adventurers that normally they only interact with in taverns to sell a tankard of ale or get kidnapped. Sounds kind of fun!
But the whole premise of the book is forgotten in about 5 pages. After the NPCs become adventurers, they could be any other band of travelers, albeit inexperienced. It wasn't completely predictable or corny, but there's a lot of plot filler (so many demons) and battles that pretty much just serve as a minor distraction to what otherwise would surely be a short and lame plot.
The whole reason that they become adventurers is thin at best and laughable at worst. The king is going to get mad and besiege the whole town because you accidentally killed four real warriors? I just couldn't get past that part.
I just kind of don't get it. It's not really funny but not serious. I'm glad it didn't go overboard on the OMG NERDY stuff, but at the same time doesn't really do anything to remind readers it's supposed to be about games and not just a generic fantasy world. Again, I think i just felt kind of duped with the "NPC" part. But hey it was only $4.
I guess I was more hoping for "The Day In The Life Of a Peon -- Warcraft's Forgotten Workers."
The idea is supposed to be that the Non Player characters from dungeons and dragons are forced to become the real adventurers that normally they only interact with in taverns to sell a tankard of ale or get kidnapped. Sounds kind of fun!
But the whole premise of the book is forgotten in about 5 pages. After the NPCs become adventurers, they could be any other band of travelers, albeit inexperienced. It wasn't completely predictable or corny, but there's a lot of plot filler (so many demons) and battles that pretty much just serve as a minor distraction to what otherwise would surely be a short and lame plot.
The whole reason that they become adventurers is thin at best and laughable at worst. The king is going to get mad and besiege the whole town because you accidentally killed four real warriors? I just couldn't get past that part.
I just kind of don't get it. It's not really funny but not serious. I'm glad it didn't go overboard on the OMG NERDY stuff, but at the same time doesn't really do anything to remind readers it's supposed to be about games and not just a generic fantasy world. Again, I think i just felt kind of duped with the "NPC" part. But hey it was only $4.
I guess I was more hoping for "The Day In The Life Of a Peon -- Warcraft's Forgotten Workers."
February 18, 2025
Cute tale with an interesting setting. I liked it but I thought it liked some character depth.
November 13, 2014
WHERE THE HELL IS BOOK II?
Loved, loved, loved this book. If you played D&D back in the day, you will enjoy it (I'm talking about the paper version, you crazy kids with your newfangled video games ...).
A fun, fast read. Hayes does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the gaming experience, but from the perspective of the characters.
Loved, loved, loved this book. If you played D&D back in the day, you will enjoy it (I'm talking about the paper version, you crazy kids with your newfangled video games ...).
A fun, fast read. Hayes does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the gaming experience, but from the perspective of the characters.
July 3, 2019
Oh I liked this. I listened when Jane told me so. /review/show... I marked it down when Erica added her thoughts. /review/show... But it was only when Dave was kind enough to gift me a copy that I got serious.
Hayes shows great judgment as he steers his story through comic surprises, satire and actual adventure. I won’t ruin that for you but I will share some favorite quotes.
"If you think about it, it’s basically certain death versus probable death. If we do nothing, we know the crazy king will do some murdering, and he has the resources to track their death to this tavern. On the other hand, if we pick up the equipment and give it a whirl, we'll still probably die, but at least we have a sliver of hope." "Not to mention, if we should fall further up the road, then the king will direct his murderous tendencies elsewhere," Thistle said."
"This isn’t you abandoning me, though. This is you trusting me to do my job, and not making me worry about you as well. We’re a party. We each have our own tasks to fulfill...�
"Shitty players are part of the package that comes with GMing. As for the dice thing, I have absolutely no idea what that was, but weird stuff happens all the time."
Thanks to Jane, Erica and Dave for their efforts to get me going. Maybe it is because I have been playing D20 RPGs for 30 years that I found NPCs a very enjoyable surprise.
Hayes shows great judgment as he steers his story through comic surprises, satire and actual adventure. I won’t ruin that for you but I will share some favorite quotes.
"If you think about it, it’s basically certain death versus probable death. If we do nothing, we know the crazy king will do some murdering, and he has the resources to track their death to this tavern. On the other hand, if we pick up the equipment and give it a whirl, we'll still probably die, but at least we have a sliver of hope." "Not to mention, if we should fall further up the road, then the king will direct his murderous tendencies elsewhere," Thistle said."
"This isn’t you abandoning me, though. This is you trusting me to do my job, and not making me worry about you as well. We’re a party. We each have our own tasks to fulfill...�
"Shitty players are part of the package that comes with GMing. As for the dice thing, I have absolutely no idea what that was, but weird stuff happens all the time."
Thanks to Jane, Erica and Dave for their efforts to get me going. Maybe it is because I have been playing D20 RPGs for 30 years that I found NPCs a very enjoyable surprise.
January 9, 2016
What does a street urchin, a emperor, a hobgoblin, and a god have in common? They are all Non-Player Characters (or NPCs) that populate and bring to life the world of table top role playing games (RPGs). They are controlled and the game master and can be friends, foes, or just background to the characters players control (PCs). While essential to the game, they are often abused, ignored, or exploited by PCs and seen as an end to the PCs' goal of gaining my power, levels, and wealth.
So what happens when NPCs have to take up the mantle of heroes for one reason or another? Hilarity and fish out water encounters is what. But this book doesn't just lean exclusively on this conceit. Hayes takes time to develop his characters, their motivations, and their relationships while deftly playing into many RPG/fantasy cliches and exploring the absurdity of some RPG conventions.
As I said, Hayes doesn't rely on one gag to carry the book. He deftly weaves a story that balances the traditional hero's quest, the fish out of water-ness of NPCs pretending to be adventurers, and a pretty nifty take on how our RPG games influence the world of the NPCs. I had a lot of difficulty putting the book down as the action flows so quickly and smoothy. I found myself emotionally invested in the characters and can't wait to get to the sequel. I will admit that being a long time player of Dungeons and Dragons I picked up on a lot of winks and nods that the uninitiated would probably miss. You don't have to be an RPG player to appreciate this book, but it does help a lot.
"Who cares? He's just an NPC...someone who doesn't matter. They're the background scenery, like the buildings and trees."Think of them as the poor schmucks in the crowd when the hero of an action movie gets into a big shootout with his enemies. Most of them are often overlooked and taken for granted, acknowledged by PCs only when they are needed. They aren't the heroes, just the people that try to survive the heroes.
So what happens when NPCs have to take up the mantle of heroes for one reason or another? Hilarity and fish out water encounters is what. But this book doesn't just lean exclusively on this conceit. Hayes takes time to develop his characters, their motivations, and their relationships while deftly playing into many RPG/fantasy cliches and exploring the absurdity of some RPG conventions.
No one understood why, but the more adventurers were around, the greater the number of monsters that were drawn. It was like they grouped up in scale to the number of adventurers present to give a proper challenge.So yeah, this world is sort of bonkers, but in a way that is very familiar to RPG veterans. For those most part the craziness doesn't impact PCs because the world is tailored to meet their needs, NPCs be damned. So seeing this crazy world through the perspective of NPCs was quite enjoyable. It is clear Hayes has a deep appreciation for RPGs but also recognizes the absurdity of the worlds they reside in.
~~~
"I still don't get it," Eric said..."Why did he burn the bar?"
"Let me put it to you this way. What usually happens to abandoned taverns and inns?" Thistle asked him.
"They get inhabited by monsters, or bandit gangs," Eric replied. It was common knowledge, after all. Adventurers often sought out such locations when hunting for a good fight.
As I said, Hayes doesn't rely on one gag to carry the book. He deftly weaves a story that balances the traditional hero's quest, the fish out of water-ness of NPCs pretending to be adventurers, and a pretty nifty take on how our RPG games influence the world of the NPCs. I had a lot of difficulty putting the book down as the action flows so quickly and smoothy. I found myself emotionally invested in the characters and can't wait to get to the sequel. I will admit that being a long time player of Dungeons and Dragons I picked up on a lot of winks and nods that the uninitiated would probably miss. You don't have to be an RPG player to appreciate this book, but it does help a lot.
March 15, 2015
Next time you're playing an RPG, please try to be considerate about where you die.
Unfortunately for the inhabitants of the Maplebark Inn, a band of careless adventurers have stumbled in after eating bad mushrooms and have now found precisely the wrong place to pass on. For the gamers who were playing the adventurers, it's not a big deal--after all, that's what backup characters are for. But for the NPC characters, there's no such thing as a re-roll, and now they have to handle four rather suspicious deaths. To make matters worse, the now deceased adventurers had been summoned to the capital city by the Mad King himself. The King tends to shoot first and ask questions later, and when he is unhappy, he tends to spread it around with a big sword. But the NPCs see one little loophole: if they continue on the quest, then the King might never connect their village with the disappearance. All they need to do is take on the roles of a barbarian, a paladin, a wizard, and a rogue...how hard can it be? As Thistle the gnome puts it,
NPCs is straight-up squeefully adorable. It's not subtle, it's not deep, and it's not profound, it's just awfully, awfully cute. The idea of following the “forgotten characters� might not be particularly novel, but there's something charmingly original about Hayes' take on the theme. For example, on why untrained adventurers end up on quests in the first place:
I also enjoyed the basic character setup. Gabrielle, the mayor's daughter, spends most of her life being repeatedly kidnapped by goblins and rescued by adventurers. Since she spends so much time on the road, she's taken up woodcraft, scouting, and fighting as hobbies. Eric is one of the many guards who are, without fail, outsmarted by both goblins and adventurers. Thistle the gnome is a part-time henchman who worships Grumble, god of minions. Grumph is a half-orc bartender who is far more intelligent than he appears. I loved how they initially set themselves up in the roles suggested by the stereotypes, but eventually they end up finding their own true vocations. Sure, that's become a trope in its own right, but it's still cute. At some point, though, the adventurers turn into true adventurers, with all the associated stereotypes, and I think that detracts somewhat from the story.
I think one of the reasons that I enjoyed this so much is the way that I read it. Since I can't handle prolonged cuteness, I read the book in small chunks, interspersed with more serious texts (specifically, Vicious, which is a history of human brutality to wolves, and the self-explanatory Emperor Wu Zhao and Her Pantheon of Devis, Divinities, and Dynastic Mothers.) Maybe the book's main idea isn't prcisely subtle, but it's light and cute, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the NPCs' adventures. In any case, NPCs was adorable enough to make me considerpicking up another book by the same author, The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant. Come to think of it, the title alone is enough to sell me on it. Another for the TBR...
Unfortunately for the inhabitants of the Maplebark Inn, a band of careless adventurers have stumbled in after eating bad mushrooms and have now found precisely the wrong place to pass on. For the gamers who were playing the adventurers, it's not a big deal--after all, that's what backup characters are for. But for the NPC characters, there's no such thing as a re-roll, and now they have to handle four rather suspicious deaths. To make matters worse, the now deceased adventurers had been summoned to the capital city by the Mad King himself. The King tends to shoot first and ask questions later, and when he is unhappy, he tends to spread it around with a big sword. But the NPCs see one little loophole: if they continue on the quest, then the King might never connect their village with the disappearance. All they need to do is take on the roles of a barbarian, a paladin, a wizard, and a rogue...how hard can it be? As Thistle the gnome puts it,
�'We'll loot the bodies and be on our way.'
'The words that start every great adventure,' Gabrielle quipped sarcastically.
She might have been surprised to discover how accurate that statement truly was.�
NPCs is straight-up squeefully adorable. It's not subtle, it's not deep, and it's not profound, it's just awfully, awfully cute. The idea of following the “forgotten characters� might not be particularly novel, but there's something charmingly original about Hayes' take on the theme. For example, on why untrained adventurers end up on quests in the first place:
The people inhabiting the RPG world have started adopting the adventurers' slang, even though
�'Why does he [the king] keep employing random adventurers who can be so easily killed?' Gabrielle wondered.
'Again, because he seems to like leaving a trail of of destruction in his wake,' Eric reminded her.�
I'm actually not a gamer and have never played an RPG, but this book made me want to give it a try. I suspect it's even more entertaining if you actually get all the references.
“No one had discerned a standard meaning for the word pronounced as 'pone' despite its recent surge in usage.�
I also enjoyed the basic character setup. Gabrielle, the mayor's daughter, spends most of her life being repeatedly kidnapped by goblins and rescued by adventurers. Since she spends so much time on the road, she's taken up woodcraft, scouting, and fighting as hobbies. Eric is one of the many guards who are, without fail, outsmarted by both goblins and adventurers. Thistle the gnome is a part-time henchman who worships Grumble, god of minions. Grumph is a half-orc bartender who is far more intelligent than he appears. I loved how they initially set themselves up in the roles suggested by the stereotypes, but eventually they end up finding their own true vocations. Sure, that's become a trope in its own right, but it's still cute. At some point, though, the adventurers turn into true adventurers, with all the associated stereotypes, and I think that detracts somewhat from the story.
I think one of the reasons that I enjoyed this so much is the way that I read it. Since I can't handle prolonged cuteness, I read the book in small chunks, interspersed with more serious texts (specifically, Vicious, which is a history of human brutality to wolves, and the self-explanatory Emperor Wu Zhao and Her Pantheon of Devis, Divinities, and Dynastic Mothers.) Maybe the book's main idea isn't prcisely subtle, but it's light and cute, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the NPCs' adventures. In any case, NPCs was adorable enough to make me considerpicking up another book by the same author, The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant. Come to think of it, the title alone is enough to sell me on it. Another for the TBR...
September 13, 2016
This is the first book I’ve read by this author.
I’m not really sure what to write about this book. I was looking for something relatively light and fluffy with the potential of humor. This book popped up on my radar, I noticed it was on Kindle Unlimited, so I tried it.
I was actually unexpectedly surprised, as opposed to expectedly surprised I suppose. Hmms. Let’s see. Bah.
I was actually surprised by how much deeper this book turned out to be on a certain level. Sure, it’s still mostly fluffy, but there were elements I did not expect to find that made things seem more real. This, in its way, is the point.
Right, so, anyone not read the book description? Well, in case you didn’t: Four adventures roll into town. Visit a tavern. Drink some mead and then promptly slump over dead. Four others were in the tavern when this event occurred. All four are town people, and, in another realm, NPC. Non-player characters. They ‘spring to life�, so to speak, when they spot the four people slumped over. They investigate, and discuss what to do with the bodies. Well, first what to do with the passed out people, but it quickly turns to what to do with the dead bodies once the four realize that they are dealing with death not passed out drunks. One thing leads to another and the four realize something super important � the four adventurers have an invitation from the king. The king known for being, let us say, overly eager to burn and pillage his own people. Any excuse will do. Four dead people traveling under his invitation? Perfect excuse to burn and pillage, say, the village the four people are standing in. The same village they happen to live in and most of whom have family living in. They, naturally, examine the possibility of disposing the bodies as far away from the village as possible. There’s a slight chance that might work. A slight chance is not good enough. And so � NPC’s become . . . adventurers. Specifically, they assume the role of the four dead people.
Right, so. Who are these people? We’ve got Eric the human guard (and kinda really incompetent, the kind who probably would have been out of a job if he wasn’t the friend of the village mayor’s daughter). Naturally, since he has training in armor, and has armor, he’ll ‘pretend� to be the paladin. Then we have Gabrielle � also a human. She’s the village mayor’s daughter. She spends her time alternating between being boredly tightly bound within the strictures of being ‘a proper lady� and being a damsel in distress. She’s trained a lot to try to break out of needing people to save her, but it never seems to work. Naturally, since she’s the most educated of the bunch, she’ll pretend to be the wizard. Then there’s the gnome. Whose name escapes me at the moment. That annoys me. Oh right, his name is Thistle. Since he’s worked as a minion and darts around in shadows, he’ll naturally play the role of the Rogue. Lastly we have Grumph; he’s a half-orc and the bartender (and owner of the tavern). Naturally, because he is a half-orc, he’ll play the role of ‘Barbarian�.
Note 1: I got distracted numerous times, by accident, by the fact that Thristle’s god is named Grumble. And his best friend is named Grumph. Occasionally I’d forget which name went with which entity and got confused as to who Thristle was talking with.
The above, the NPC’s interacting with each other, was basically what I expected this book to be about. I knew that the four would end up pretending to be Adventurer’s because that’s in the description. What I didn’t know, though found out almost immediately, is that the book also includes the point of view of actual adventurers in addition to the NPC’s. I’m of two minds about the adventurer’s point of view � about whether it was needed or not. On the one hand � obviously, because of the structure of the book, something like their point of view was needed here and there. On the other hand, just maybe not as much of their story intermixed. Most of the book, though, involves the NPC’s, so I believe the adventurers part/pov was probably about right. Perhaps.
So then � this is one of those books that kind of sucked me in, tickled me, and then spit me out the other side. I rather enjoyed this book, I did. There’s some element that lifted it above where I thought the book would rest, while at the same time there’s some other unexplained element that’s keeping me from marking this down as a five star story. I did kind of love the book though. I’ll have to think harder about the rating. It should be noted, though, that I, once the first book was done, immediately purchased the second book. Recall, if you will, that I initially read this book because it was in the Kindle Unlimited program.
Right, well, um, I guess that’s all I have to say. I think.
February 17 2016
I’m not really sure what to write about this book. I was looking for something relatively light and fluffy with the potential of humor. This book popped up on my radar, I noticed it was on Kindle Unlimited, so I tried it.
I was actually unexpectedly surprised, as opposed to expectedly surprised I suppose. Hmms. Let’s see. Bah.
I was actually surprised by how much deeper this book turned out to be on a certain level. Sure, it’s still mostly fluffy, but there were elements I did not expect to find that made things seem more real. This, in its way, is the point.
Right, so, anyone not read the book description? Well, in case you didn’t: Four adventures roll into town. Visit a tavern. Drink some mead and then promptly slump over dead. Four others were in the tavern when this event occurred. All four are town people, and, in another realm, NPC. Non-player characters. They ‘spring to life�, so to speak, when they spot the four people slumped over. They investigate, and discuss what to do with the bodies. Well, first what to do with the passed out people, but it quickly turns to what to do with the dead bodies once the four realize that they are dealing with death not passed out drunks. One thing leads to another and the four realize something super important � the four adventurers have an invitation from the king. The king known for being, let us say, overly eager to burn and pillage his own people. Any excuse will do. Four dead people traveling under his invitation? Perfect excuse to burn and pillage, say, the village the four people are standing in. The same village they happen to live in and most of whom have family living in. They, naturally, examine the possibility of disposing the bodies as far away from the village as possible. There’s a slight chance that might work. A slight chance is not good enough. And so � NPC’s become . . . adventurers. Specifically, they assume the role of the four dead people.
Right, so. Who are these people? We’ve got Eric the human guard (and kinda really incompetent, the kind who probably would have been out of a job if he wasn’t the friend of the village mayor’s daughter). Naturally, since he has training in armor, and has armor, he’ll ‘pretend� to be the paladin. Then we have Gabrielle � also a human. She’s the village mayor’s daughter. She spends her time alternating between being boredly tightly bound within the strictures of being ‘a proper lady� and being a damsel in distress. She’s trained a lot to try to break out of needing people to save her, but it never seems to work. Naturally, since she’s the most educated of the bunch, she’ll pretend to be the wizard. Then there’s the gnome. Whose name escapes me at the moment. That annoys me. Oh right, his name is Thistle. Since he’s worked as a minion and darts around in shadows, he’ll naturally play the role of the Rogue. Lastly we have Grumph; he’s a half-orc and the bartender (and owner of the tavern). Naturally, because he is a half-orc, he’ll play the role of ‘Barbarian�.
Note 1: I got distracted numerous times, by accident, by the fact that Thristle’s god is named Grumble. And his best friend is named Grumph. Occasionally I’d forget which name went with which entity and got confused as to who Thristle was talking with.
The above, the NPC’s interacting with each other, was basically what I expected this book to be about. I knew that the four would end up pretending to be Adventurer’s because that’s in the description. What I didn’t know, though found out almost immediately, is that the book also includes the point of view of actual adventurers in addition to the NPC’s. I’m of two minds about the adventurer’s point of view � about whether it was needed or not. On the one hand � obviously, because of the structure of the book, something like their point of view was needed here and there. On the other hand, just maybe not as much of their story intermixed. Most of the book, though, involves the NPC’s, so I believe the adventurers part/pov was probably about right. Perhaps.
So then � this is one of those books that kind of sucked me in, tickled me, and then spit me out the other side. I rather enjoyed this book, I did. There’s some element that lifted it above where I thought the book would rest, while at the same time there’s some other unexplained element that’s keeping me from marking this down as a five star story. I did kind of love the book though. I’ll have to think harder about the rating. It should be noted, though, that I, once the first book was done, immediately purchased the second book. Recall, if you will, that I initially read this book because it was in the Kindle Unlimited program.
Right, well, um, I guess that’s all I have to say. I think.
February 17 2016
August 9, 2016
Executive Summary: Why did I wait so long to listen to this one? This book is a lot of fun. If you're a (Tabletop) RPG fan, I highly recommend picking this one up.
Audiobook: Roger Wayne is excellent. He does a variety of voices for the different characters. He speaks with good inflection and volume. Audio is an excellent option for this series.
Full Review
Most if not all people who have played Dungeons & Dragons (or similar tabletop RPGs) or any RPG game for that matter have suffered the loss of a character before. You may have poured hours of time into it's creation, and even more into bringing them to life, depending how long you've been playing it. It probably hurt when they died. But then you just roll up a new character and go on.
Did you ever wonder what the NPCs think about your death? Or what they get up to when you're not around to rob, maim or pump them for information? Drew Hayes did, and it's pretty amusing. This book is full of in-jokes, both about RPG games (particularly the dice-rolling variety) and their players.
I had this on my radar for some time, but it took an audible sale and a friend reading/enjoying this book to finally get me to give it a shot. I shouldn't have waited. This book does for RPGs much like does for general fantasy/video games. It's both funny and smart.
The characters are excellent too. You'll never look at Goblins the same way again. Mr. Hayes takes some well worn tropes of RPGs and comes at them from every angle, all while telling a pretty good story that will make you want to run out and pick up your dice. Or at least it did for me.
For you D&D sorts you may want to keep your copy of the player's handbook at hand, so you can look up various spells as you read. Or maybe that's just me. Perhaps you have them all memorized anyways.
The writing is a bit unpolished in some places, but I was too busy having fun to really care. Great characters, story telling and my general nostalgia of the years I spent playing Dungeons and Dragons really endeared this book to me immediately.
Mr. Hayes also sets things up nicely for a series. I'm not sure how many he has in mind, but I could read a whole bunch of them. I'm not playing D&D anymore, so this might be as close as I can get for now.
This book has far too few reviews on ŷ. I highly recommend picking this up, at least if you're an RPG fan. I'll be curious to see if it's as enjoyable to general fantasy fans. I think there is enough here that it probably will be, but I suspect many of the in-jokes may be lost on them.
Audiobook: Roger Wayne is excellent. He does a variety of voices for the different characters. He speaks with good inflection and volume. Audio is an excellent option for this series.
Full Review
Most if not all people who have played Dungeons & Dragons (or similar tabletop RPGs) or any RPG game for that matter have suffered the loss of a character before. You may have poured hours of time into it's creation, and even more into bringing them to life, depending how long you've been playing it. It probably hurt when they died. But then you just roll up a new character and go on.
Did you ever wonder what the NPCs think about your death? Or what they get up to when you're not around to rob, maim or pump them for information? Drew Hayes did, and it's pretty amusing. This book is full of in-jokes, both about RPG games (particularly the dice-rolling variety) and their players.
I had this on my radar for some time, but it took an audible sale and a friend reading/enjoying this book to finally get me to give it a shot. I shouldn't have waited. This book does for RPGs much like does for general fantasy/video games. It's both funny and smart.
The characters are excellent too. You'll never look at Goblins the same way again. Mr. Hayes takes some well worn tropes of RPGs and comes at them from every angle, all while telling a pretty good story that will make you want to run out and pick up your dice. Or at least it did for me.
For you D&D sorts you may want to keep your copy of the player's handbook at hand, so you can look up various spells as you read. Or maybe that's just me. Perhaps you have them all memorized anyways.
The writing is a bit unpolished in some places, but I was too busy having fun to really care. Great characters, story telling and my general nostalgia of the years I spent playing Dungeons and Dragons really endeared this book to me immediately.
Mr. Hayes also sets things up nicely for a series. I'm not sure how many he has in mind, but I could read a whole bunch of them. I'm not playing D&D anymore, so this might be as close as I can get for now.
This book has far too few reviews on ŷ. I highly recommend picking this up, at least if you're an RPG fan. I'll be curious to see if it's as enjoyable to general fantasy fans. I think there is enough here that it probably will be, but I suspect many of the in-jokes may be lost on them.
September 22, 2017
Oh! This was definitely good fun :)
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Roger Wayne, who was a new-to-me narrator. I was very impressed with his voice work -- it was on par with one of my all time faves for this type of book, Luke Daniels.
If you like and its sequels, then you should also enjoy NPCs. I'm quite pleased to have a new series to add to my 'fun' list, and excited to see that the other two books in the series available on audiobook are both a bit longer than this first one.
I unintentionally re-listened to the first chapter of this book when I'd finished it, and suddenly it made a lot more sense than it did for me on the first pass. It's only a couple of minutes, so it was very worth revisiting for me.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Roger Wayne, who was a new-to-me narrator. I was very impressed with his voice work -- it was on par with one of my all time faves for this type of book, Luke Daniels.
If you like and its sequels, then you should also enjoy NPCs. I'm quite pleased to have a new series to add to my 'fun' list, and excited to see that the other two books in the series available on audiobook are both a bit longer than this first one.
I unintentionally re-listened to the first chapter of this book when I'd finished it, and suddenly it made a lot more sense than it did for me on the first pass. It's only a couple of minutes, so it was very worth revisiting for me.
September 11, 2019
4.5 ish Rounded up :-)
January 18, 2020
I had read the ebook version of this book several years ago and gave it four stars. This is for the audio book version narrated by Roger Wayne.
I just finished listening to "Split the Party," the second book in the series, and enjoyed it so much I decided to go back and hear the audio version of " NPCs. "
For those of you who are not gamers, npc's are non player characters, the people who inhabit the world you visit in the game you are playing. The shopkeepers, barmaids, farmers, friendly elves, etc. you interact with. They are part of the game, but have no back story, no life other than what they are written or programmed with to help you or hinder you or amuse you.
What would happen if a group of these characters got sucked into the game or story?
Say, if the players or adventurers did something so monumentally stupid they all died at the starting point before they even got a chance for their adventure to begin?
What if the npc's standing their looking at their dead bodies realized that if the party's quest were not carried out certain doom lay ahead for the kingdom?
Well, what would you do?
Drew Hayes handles this idea in a way that is engaging for gamers and general readers alike. You do not have to be up in all the gamer lingo and lore to enjoy this book. It is light hearted and the battle scenes are exciting.
Roger Wayne is an inspired choice as narrator. He sounds like a cross between a gm (game master) and a favorite uncle reading to you on a cold winter afternoon.
I just finished listening to "Split the Party," the second book in the series, and enjoyed it so much I decided to go back and hear the audio version of " NPCs. "
For those of you who are not gamers, npc's are non player characters, the people who inhabit the world you visit in the game you are playing. The shopkeepers, barmaids, farmers, friendly elves, etc. you interact with. They are part of the game, but have no back story, no life other than what they are written or programmed with to help you or hinder you or amuse you.
What would happen if a group of these characters got sucked into the game or story?
Say, if the players or adventurers did something so monumentally stupid they all died at the starting point before they even got a chance for their adventure to begin?
What if the npc's standing their looking at their dead bodies realized that if the party's quest were not carried out certain doom lay ahead for the kingdom?
Well, what would you do?
Drew Hayes handles this idea in a way that is engaging for gamers and general readers alike. You do not have to be up in all the gamer lingo and lore to enjoy this book. It is light hearted and the battle scenes are exciting.
Roger Wayne is an inspired choice as narrator. He sounds like a cross between a gm (game master) and a favorite uncle reading to you on a cold winter afternoon.
June 2, 2022
My gob is once again smacked.
I don't even remember how I found my way to this book and I started it a week ago which means I am losing my memory superfast.
Even more curious is that I checked it out.
Why?
Because this has the veneer of a book I should hate:
1) It's self-pubbed. I do not do well with indie books, they too often bring the rabid editor in me front and center and I wind up being angry and hating words. Unless specifically asked, I steer clear of this type of thing.
2) It's based on D&D. Look, I did my time with tabletop RPGs and I enjoyed them until I didn't and now I steer clear from this type of thing, as well. It's no longer my cup of tea. Gabe is currently (hahaha! They only get together once a quarter, if that! Current, my ass) running a Pathfinder game and when I can't find something to do outside of the home, I often get to overhear the shenanigans coming from the basement. It makes me roll my eyes. Granted, I love hearing them all enjoying themselves so much but there is no pull to join, the whole thing is an anathema.
3) It's written by a white geek man. You know, if you're not a white geek man and you hang out anywhere on social media, there's a chance you've had some unpleasant encounters with the group in question. After things like GamerGate and now ComicsGate plus the pushback to the #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo movements, I just have a hard time wanting to read fantasy fiction written by white geek men. I expect rampant sexism, ableism, racism (but it's not racist if the race being hated on isn't a real race! *cough*bullshit*cough*), all the -isms those narrow-minded, hateful people love to spew under the guise of "fantasy" (read: Wish fulfillment). Why would I put myself through that?
And yet...
So here's the thing. While I don't play tabletop RPGs anymore, I do still engage in video games. I love them. They make me happy. I'm not good at them, I'm not good at any game...unless enjoyment factor is what makes you good in which case I am a master gamer.
All these games are peopled with NPCs (non-player characters for you non-geeks and nerds out there. Basically, all the characters built into the game for you, the player, to interact with).
Backing up a sec: In college, ver. 1, I helped a genius friend of mine build a chat room and when I say "build," I mean I was in charge of aesthetics. I wrote descriptions for rooms and NPCs and stuff. He did all the building because, again, genius. So, anyway, I imagine describing NPCs is just like creating any other character, whether you're an author, a screenwriter, or whatever. You have to come up with a general background story and personality traits and the like to make this character believable and relatable.
I got kind of attached to some of the ones I helped make.
You know who else I got terribly attached to? The NPCs in "Diablo" and "Diablo II" (which hurt like freaking hell, thank you, Blizzard you jerks)
Gabe and I talked about the lives of these non-people all the time. He was especially enamored with Charsi.
"Hi, I'm Charsi!"
Ok, I liked Charsi, too, but I wanted to hang out with Akara. I mean, she's a witch wearing purple. What isn't The Best about her?
We still talk about the lives of NPCs. It's fun to make up little stories about what they do in their lives when we don't see them.
What I'm saying here is that I have an interest in non-player characters. If I were to ever enter the world of fanfiction (and I won't because remember: SNOB!) that's where I'd go: stories about NPCs.
That's sort of what this was.
Actually, this is Fantasy Westworld but without the violent delights in that it asks: What if the NPCs gained sentience? (This was written prior to HBO Westworld, just so you know)
Only, it's more than that. It's also an actual 80's-like fantasy novel but without the sexism, ableism, racism, many other -isms. Sure, you can argue that there's only one main female in the entire story and while it's amusing that she's taken out of the typical role that would be assigned to her due to her gender, she's still not representative of an actual female. Only, she kind of is. None of these characters, maybe with the exception of Thistle, are fleshed-out. But the thing is, they're not supposed to be. They're NPCs. They don't come with backgrounds and agency and depth, they're there to further a story and nothing more.
In this case, Gabrielle, our intrepid female adventurer, begins by being resigned to being a delicate flower who is often kidnapped by goblins because she's the mayor's daughter. It's her lot in life and she hates it but what can you do when that's how you're written? As the story progresses, though, and she earns a bit of autonomy (plus some full-body armor!), she thinks about whether or not it's more important to stifle your Self in order to be an asset to your community OR to buck norms and follow your own path. While this is probably not something many menfolk think about, many womenfolk do. It's something women have to consider in so many daily decisions. Household or Self first? Work or Self first? If you speak up, will you be punished? Talked over? Harassed? If you don't speak up, will you be punished? Decided for? Harassed? I don't even think we know we do this so to see a generic female character start to do this as her genericness falls away and her anger at being the damsel in distress her whole life comes forth, it was thought-provoking.
Also, I don't think she has huge boobs. She might but if she does, it's only ever mentioned once.
It is often mentioned how Thistle has a hard time getting around because he has some physical disabilities. He does what he needs to do and his traveling party does what they need to do to accommodate him. He's not tragic (he's a little tragic but it has nothing to do with his treacherous body) and he ends up being the party leader.
The half-orc - and isn't there always a half-orc? One who is always a brute but is trying to be more in touch with his human side because it's hard to reconcile your savage, violent nature with your civilized, white-person half, amirite? - built a bar by hand, learned to brew ales, and runs a successful establishment patronized by friends and travelers alike.
So these flat characters who have a single role in their story end up having multiple and unexpected roles in the story the reader reads. And it's fun! Though maybe only for people who play/have played RPGs.
Wrapping it up: The whole thing balances tongue-in-cheek, deprecating mockery of role playing games, subtle social commentary, and epic fantasy. I was really impressed with how well it turned out.
I'm glad the next book is waiting for me in my queue.
I don't even remember how I found my way to this book and I started it a week ago which means I am losing my memory superfast.
Even more curious is that I checked it out.
Why?
Because this has the veneer of a book I should hate:
1) It's self-pubbed. I do not do well with indie books, they too often bring the rabid editor in me front and center and I wind up being angry and hating words. Unless specifically asked, I steer clear of this type of thing.
2) It's based on D&D. Look, I did my time with tabletop RPGs and I enjoyed them until I didn't and now I steer clear from this type of thing, as well. It's no longer my cup of tea. Gabe is currently (hahaha! They only get together once a quarter, if that! Current, my ass) running a Pathfinder game and when I can't find something to do outside of the home, I often get to overhear the shenanigans coming from the basement. It makes me roll my eyes. Granted, I love hearing them all enjoying themselves so much but there is no pull to join, the whole thing is an anathema.
3) It's written by a white geek man. You know, if you're not a white geek man and you hang out anywhere on social media, there's a chance you've had some unpleasant encounters with the group in question. After things like GamerGate and now ComicsGate plus the pushback to the #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo movements, I just have a hard time wanting to read fantasy fiction written by white geek men. I expect rampant sexism, ableism, racism (but it's not racist if the race being hated on isn't a real race! *cough*bullshit*cough*), all the -isms those narrow-minded, hateful people love to spew under the guise of "fantasy" (read: Wish fulfillment). Why would I put myself through that?
And yet...
So here's the thing. While I don't play tabletop RPGs anymore, I do still engage in video games. I love them. They make me happy. I'm not good at them, I'm not good at any game...unless enjoyment factor is what makes you good in which case I am a master gamer.
All these games are peopled with NPCs (non-player characters for you non-geeks and nerds out there. Basically, all the characters built into the game for you, the player, to interact with).
Backing up a sec: In college, ver. 1, I helped a genius friend of mine build a chat room and when I say "build," I mean I was in charge of aesthetics. I wrote descriptions for rooms and NPCs and stuff. He did all the building because, again, genius. So, anyway, I imagine describing NPCs is just like creating any other character, whether you're an author, a screenwriter, or whatever. You have to come up with a general background story and personality traits and the like to make this character believable and relatable.
I got kind of attached to some of the ones I helped make.
You know who else I got terribly attached to? The NPCs in "Diablo" and "Diablo II" (which hurt like freaking hell, thank you, Blizzard you jerks)
Gabe and I talked about the lives of these non-people all the time. He was especially enamored with Charsi.
"Hi, I'm Charsi!"
Ok, I liked Charsi, too, but I wanted to hang out with Akara. I mean, she's a witch wearing purple. What isn't The Best about her?
We still talk about the lives of NPCs. It's fun to make up little stories about what they do in their lives when we don't see them.
What I'm saying here is that I have an interest in non-player characters. If I were to ever enter the world of fanfiction (and I won't because remember: SNOB!) that's where I'd go: stories about NPCs.
That's sort of what this was.
Actually, this is Fantasy Westworld but without the violent delights in that it asks: What if the NPCs gained sentience? (This was written prior to HBO Westworld, just so you know)
Only, it's more than that. It's also an actual 80's-like fantasy novel but without the sexism, ableism, racism, many other -isms. Sure, you can argue that there's only one main female in the entire story and while it's amusing that she's taken out of the typical role that would be assigned to her due to her gender, she's still not representative of an actual female. Only, she kind of is. None of these characters, maybe with the exception of Thistle, are fleshed-out. But the thing is, they're not supposed to be. They're NPCs. They don't come with backgrounds and agency and depth, they're there to further a story and nothing more.
In this case, Gabrielle, our intrepid female adventurer, begins by being resigned to being a delicate flower who is often kidnapped by goblins because she's the mayor's daughter. It's her lot in life and she hates it but what can you do when that's how you're written? As the story progresses, though, and she earns a bit of autonomy (plus some full-body armor!), she thinks about whether or not it's more important to stifle your Self in order to be an asset to your community OR to buck norms and follow your own path. While this is probably not something many menfolk think about, many womenfolk do. It's something women have to consider in so many daily decisions. Household or Self first? Work or Self first? If you speak up, will you be punished? Talked over? Harassed? If you don't speak up, will you be punished? Decided for? Harassed? I don't even think we know we do this so to see a generic female character start to do this as her genericness falls away and her anger at being the damsel in distress her whole life comes forth, it was thought-provoking.
Also, I don't think she has huge boobs. She might but if she does, it's only ever mentioned once.
It is often mentioned how Thistle has a hard time getting around because he has some physical disabilities. He does what he needs to do and his traveling party does what they need to do to accommodate him. He's not tragic (he's a little tragic but it has nothing to do with his treacherous body) and he ends up being the party leader.
The half-orc - and isn't there always a half-orc? One who is always a brute but is trying to be more in touch with his human side because it's hard to reconcile your savage, violent nature with your civilized, white-person half, amirite? - built a bar by hand, learned to brew ales, and runs a successful establishment patronized by friends and travelers alike.
So these flat characters who have a single role in their story end up having multiple and unexpected roles in the story the reader reads. And it's fun! Though maybe only for people who play/have played RPGs.
Wrapping it up: The whole thing balances tongue-in-cheek, deprecating mockery of role playing games, subtle social commentary, and epic fantasy. I was really impressed with how well it turned out.
I'm glad the next book is waiting for me in my queue.
January 4, 2020
Mini-Review:
4.5 Stars for Narration by Roger Wayne
4 Stars for Concepts
3.5 Stars for Character Development
3.5 Stars for Overall Pacing
I'm glad I gave this series another try. It didn't really snag my interest the last few times I tried and I thought it would stay in the "don't bother" pile. I tend to love Hayes' work and thought that was a good enough reason to try again. This book has a lot of the "first in a series" issues. The characters are not really established or easy to connect with until the last stages. The different settings are not set until the middle. There's a lack of descriptive imagery to make certain events stand out or pull on your heartstrings.
But! By the end of the book, I did like the world & characters enough to go into the next story. Hayes does a great job of taking something ordinary and making it stand out or creating odd mashups & making it seem like that was the way it should have been all along. I like the way he brings characters to life and the strange situations that they get thrown into willy nilly.
4.5 Stars for Narration by Roger Wayne
4 Stars for Concepts
3.5 Stars for Character Development
3.5 Stars for Overall Pacing
I'm glad I gave this series another try. It didn't really snag my interest the last few times I tried and I thought it would stay in the "don't bother" pile. I tend to love Hayes' work and thought that was a good enough reason to try again. This book has a lot of the "first in a series" issues. The characters are not really established or easy to connect with until the last stages. The different settings are not set until the middle. There's a lack of descriptive imagery to make certain events stand out or pull on your heartstrings.
But! By the end of the book, I did like the world & characters enough to go into the next story. Hayes does a great job of taking something ordinary and making it stand out or creating odd mashups & making it seem like that was the way it should have been all along. I like the way he brings characters to life and the strange situations that they get thrown into willy nilly.
April 13, 2018
More NPCs fighting! In an NPC-heavy book called NPCs! Fitting ;-)
Again, I'm stuck in the LitRPG genre and it's hard to get out when it is soooo gooooood! I'd imagine this has something to do with me stopping gaming 6 years ago and still missing it dearly.
But now fantasy game worlds can be in my head again, without even playing! Oh, wonders of technology!
We're introduced to the scene of a role-playing session where four friends play pen-and-paper FRP. Their characters have fun, but make a bunch of stupid choices. Well, let's say that the peak of their characters' lives is when they reach the town and enter a bar .
NPCs in the bar get very upset and it quickly becomes clear why! They must now pack up and hit the road. NPCs, not the players. They must reach the King, alive! Or, at least, die sufficiently far away from their little town ;-)
Quite a nice twist.
I liked the writing style. It was really like being there and seeing things first-hand.
Even the boss-fights were played out in a really engaging way and encounter mechanics is explained without all the boring as hell details. Actually, these details are rarely boring but some writers have a knack for displaying them as such ;-)
As for the narration, it was superb! Roger Wayne rocked it all the way! I never had a pleasure of listening to his narrations.
Since I really liked the book and Hayes' writing style, too, I'll believe I'll have a blast with NPCs book #2 - Split the Party.
NPCs (Spells, Swords, & Stealth #1)
by Drew Hayes (ŷ Author), Roger Wayne (Narrator)
Verdict: Awesome! One of the top books I've read in the LitRPG genre.
Again, I'm stuck in the LitRPG genre and it's hard to get out when it is soooo gooooood! I'd imagine this has something to do with me stopping gaming 6 years ago and still missing it dearly.
But now fantasy game worlds can be in my head again, without even playing! Oh, wonders of technology!
We're introduced to the scene of a role-playing session where four friends play pen-and-paper FRP. Their characters have fun, but make a bunch of stupid choices. Well, let's say that the peak of their characters' lives is when they reach the town and enter a bar .
NPCs in the bar get very upset and it quickly becomes clear why! They must now pack up and hit the road. NPCs, not the players. They must reach the King, alive! Or, at least, die sufficiently far away from their little town ;-)
Quite a nice twist.
I liked the writing style. It was really like being there and seeing things first-hand.
Even the boss-fights were played out in a really engaging way and encounter mechanics is explained without all the boring as hell details. Actually, these details are rarely boring but some writers have a knack for displaying them as such ;-)
As for the narration, it was superb! Roger Wayne rocked it all the way! I never had a pleasure of listening to his narrations.
Since I really liked the book and Hayes' writing style, too, I'll believe I'll have a blast with NPCs book #2 - Split the Party.
NPCs (Spells, Swords, & Stealth #1)
by Drew Hayes (ŷ Author), Roger Wayne (Narrator)
Verdict: Awesome! One of the top books I've read in the LitRPG genre.
Overall
Performance
Story
June 16, 2015
It has been months since I finished this and I keep putting the review off for reasons mostly having to do with trying to put my thoughts in order. Well, now the thoughts have faded enough that I'm going to knock this out just because I can.
And I'm doing the book a huge disservice and I regret that.
This book was a delight. I hadn't expected much because it's obviously aimed at RPG gamers and that's niche to start off and most authors don't limit their readership right up front like that. Hayes isn't great but he's more than adequate and with this book, his story is compelling, with characters I cared about right away. The plot and pacing are great. The worldbuilding is rudimentary, but adequate and possibly deliberate (Hayes goes to some lengths to make the world game-agnostic, while still hitting all the important RPG tropes).
What I truly enjoyed, though, was the play against stereotypes. These are mild spoilers, but far be it for me to ruin someone's enjoyment None of those were surprises to the reader, I don't think, but watching them come to their eventual callings was a good deal of fun.
The eventual plot was obviously the beginning of something bigger (without any detestable cliff-hangers) but the eventual reveal works against taking the book seriously (take this spoiler seriously) It's an interesting development, mind you. And one rife with story possibilities for future installments. But it's still a bit of a break for connection with the story.
The fact I remember so many details from a book I finished literally half a year ago is telling about how engaged I truly was. In the end, I came away wanting to recommend this to all my gamer friends. I still haven't, though, because I couldn't figure out how to tell them about it any better than I could come up with a review. Maybe now I can...
And I'm doing the book a huge disservice and I regret that.
This book was a delight. I hadn't expected much because it's obviously aimed at RPG gamers and that's niche to start off and most authors don't limit their readership right up front like that. Hayes isn't great but he's more than adequate and with this book, his story is compelling, with characters I cared about right away. The plot and pacing are great. The worldbuilding is rudimentary, but adequate and possibly deliberate (Hayes goes to some lengths to make the world game-agnostic, while still hitting all the important RPG tropes).
What I truly enjoyed, though, was the play against stereotypes. These are mild spoilers, but far be it for me to ruin someone's enjoyment None of those were surprises to the reader, I don't think, but watching them come to their eventual callings was a good deal of fun.
The eventual plot was obviously the beginning of something bigger (without any detestable cliff-hangers) but the eventual reveal works against taking the book seriously (take this spoiler seriously) It's an interesting development, mind you. And one rife with story possibilities for future installments. But it's still a bit of a break for connection with the story.
The fact I remember so many details from a book I finished literally half a year ago is telling about how engaged I truly was. In the end, I came away wanting to recommend this to all my gamer friends. I still haven't, though, because I couldn't figure out how to tell them about it any better than I could come up with a review. Maybe now I can...
April 23, 2015
I really enjoyed the story, especially the first half, with the characters blundering about passing for "true adventurers". I liked how the author played with the expected stereotypes (the gnome would be the rogue, the noble girl would be the mage...), but also how the NPCs, while acting like adventurers, retained, well, NPCesque characteristics--such as being the ones warning all the "players" about the danger, or using knowledge nobody else would have. For instance, the gnome used to be a henchman, so of course he knows about minions' tricks. The girl who always keeps being kidnapped has learnt useful tricks of her own from her captors. And so on.
It'd probably be more interesting to a reader who knows at least the basics of tabletop gaming, though, since it deals with game-related tropes and concepts: the non-player characters that aren't always too fleshed out in scenarii (or are, but the players don't bother to find out), classes and stereotypes related to them... Knowing nothing about those may or may not make the story less palatable--it's hard for me to tell, as I can't just forget the 20 years of pen & paper RPGs I have under my belt.
It'd probably be more interesting to a reader who knows at least the basics of tabletop gaming, though, since it deals with game-related tropes and concepts: the non-player characters that aren't always too fleshed out in scenarii (or are, but the players don't bother to find out), classes and stereotypes related to them... Knowing nothing about those may or may not make the story less palatable--it's hard for me to tell, as I can't just forget the 20 years of pen & paper RPGs I have under my belt.
June 27, 2018
I'm not much into D&D or any role playing games. Never have been even though I'm a geek & have a lot of geek friends, including some of my kids, all of whom have tried to get me to play numerous times over the years. I also enjoyed Rosenberg's D&D adventures which begin with many years ago. So, I know what an NPC is & thought this could be fun.
It was.
It was kind of a blast, actually. I loved the way the characters were mixed & matched with the various game attributes. Who would have thought that goblins could be humanized?!!! Otherwise, it was very much a D&D type adventure with just enough humor & twists to make it thoroughly enjoyable.
Highly recommended, but basically a beach read for geeks. I'm looking forward to listening to more.
It was.
It was kind of a blast, actually. I loved the way the characters were mixed & matched with the various game attributes. Who would have thought that goblins could be humanized?!!! Otherwise, it was very much a D&D type adventure with just enough humor & twists to make it thoroughly enjoyable.
Highly recommended, but basically a beach read for geeks. I'm looking forward to listening to more.
September 26, 2023
NPCs feels like walking through a nostalgic video game from my teen years... starting in the familiar tavern with the promise of adventure looming just outside the door. Up behind the bar is a half-orc bartender. Besides the half-orc, there are a gnome and two humans are placed strategically through the room, waiting for the adventurer to step up and ask them the same question a thousand others have before to set you off on the first steps of your quest to defeat the -
But stop there, let's not get ahead of ourselves. You're not the main character here.
Let's pay attention to those four characters in the tavern again. The half-orc is Grumph, a stoic tavern keeper and alcohol enthusiast. The smallest character, Thistle the gnome, prefers not to say how he knows so much about adventuring. Eric, the human guard, is tired of failing at his job. And Gabrielle is ready to pull out all of her blonde hair over her allotted role as a damsel in distress.
Hayes weaves this delightfully distinct motley crew of NPCs together and then drops an inciting incident on their unsuspecting heads, driving them away from the static tavern life and sets them on a quest of their own.
I loved the way the nostalgic gaming vibes were mixed in with the twists on the character tropes. The plot is very fast paced and sparse, driving the characters forward relentlessly through the levels of the story as they collect gear, upgrades, and confidence in their skills. And at the outskirts, just beyond their awareness, strange bridges are built between worlds that were not intended to be aware of each other.
The plot was a bit of a headlong rush, which occasionally took me off guard and pulled me away from the story because we never really got a chance to really delve into the characters as much as I often like to. Thistle was my favorite character, and I feel as though he was given the most nuance out of the four companions.
I think overall Hayes has a really awesome concept with this story, and the foundation for some great characters as the series continues.
CAWPILE Score: 6.1/10
Characters: 6
Atmosphere/Setting: 5
Writing Style: 6
Plot: 6
Intrigue: 6
Logic/Relationships: 7
Enjoyment: 7
But stop there, let's not get ahead of ourselves. You're not the main character here.
Let's pay attention to those four characters in the tavern again. The half-orc is Grumph, a stoic tavern keeper and alcohol enthusiast. The smallest character, Thistle the gnome, prefers not to say how he knows so much about adventuring. Eric, the human guard, is tired of failing at his job. And Gabrielle is ready to pull out all of her blonde hair over her allotted role as a damsel in distress.
Hayes weaves this delightfully distinct motley crew of NPCs together and then drops an inciting incident on their unsuspecting heads, driving them away from the static tavern life and sets them on a quest of their own.
I loved the way the nostalgic gaming vibes were mixed in with the twists on the character tropes. The plot is very fast paced and sparse, driving the characters forward relentlessly through the levels of the story as they collect gear, upgrades, and confidence in their skills. And at the outskirts, just beyond their awareness, strange bridges are built between worlds that were not intended to be aware of each other.
The plot was a bit of a headlong rush, which occasionally took me off guard and pulled me away from the story because we never really got a chance to really delve into the characters as much as I often like to. Thistle was my favorite character, and I feel as though he was given the most nuance out of the four companions.
I think overall Hayes has a really awesome concept with this story, and the foundation for some great characters as the series continues.
CAWPILE Score: 6.1/10
Characters: 6
Atmosphere/Setting: 5
Writing Style: 6
Plot: 6
Intrigue: 6
Logic/Relationships: 7
Enjoyment: 7
April 22, 2018
Simplistic, not as clever as it might have been, and essentially an unlikely hero fantasy novel. Also, not quite as dark or adult for my usual tastes. Yet, despite all that, amazingly fun. An old-fashioned fantasy tale with a feel not unlike Ready Player One. I really enjoyed it and will likely pick up the next in the series if it sticks with me after all the other books I have to read.
March 4, 2015
I've never played a tabletop roleplaying game, though I've been thinking about it lately. One more thing to check off to achieve my official geekdom badge. I do know enough about this gaming concept to easily wander into this book, though it might be just a little too niche for someone completely ignorant of the medium. Still, Hayes does a reasonable job of explaining some of the logistics without bogging down the story with over exposition.
One thing you would need to know is that NPC is the "acronym" for "non-player characters." These are all the characters within a game that interact with, but are not controlled by players. Often these characters have very specific roles, such as bartender, mayor, etc.
When a group of four players critically fail a trip to the bar, four NPCs discover that they can't just rid the bodies of gold and dump the bodies in the woods. These adventures have some connection to a brutal king who, upon discovery of their death, might just burn the NPCs' village down. Despite never having left their village before, the four NPCs take up the adventurers' quest, and learn a little something about themselves and each other along the way.
From here, the story is quaint, though not particularly enlightening. There are a few amusing or poignant moments where the NPCs discover that there's more to adventuring that just following what seems to be the "rules" of the game. For example, the NPC whose life has been little more than waiting to be kidnapped so that adventures can rescue her over and over again, finds that she's got some rage issues that need to be worked out, while the seemingly two dimensional gnome minion who actually has brains, as well as a heart of gold.
There's a lot of action, which Hayes does a good job of portraying in a way that doesn't simply sound like he's rattling off spells and abilities from a list. And the characters certainly did grow on me. I had assumed this to be a kind of "toys come alive while you're not looking, hilarity ensues" sort of scenario, but for one thing, the NPCs, while they know they are not adventurers, don't quite realize that there's a whole other world out there. And their goal, as the story progresses, isn't simply to become real adventurers. Hayes gives them very real and relatable purpose and backstory, and changes point of view between them to tell their stories.
Much of the comic relief comes in the form of the players themselves, whose actions are occasionally interjected into the story. This could easily have gotten tedious, as they weren't particularly interesting -- in fact, they were realistically annoying at times -- but thankfully, they didn't factor in much beyond serving as plot devices to help advance the NPCs.
This was a quick, fun read that any gamer and maybe even someone with a passing fancy in gaming can enjoy. I've certainly thought about what the NPCs I've played with in video games have gotten up to when I'm not looking. This book gives me an interesting new perspective.
One thing you would need to know is that NPC is the "acronym" for "non-player characters." These are all the characters within a game that interact with, but are not controlled by players. Often these characters have very specific roles, such as bartender, mayor, etc.
When a group of four players critically fail a trip to the bar, four NPCs discover that they can't just rid the bodies of gold and dump the bodies in the woods. These adventures have some connection to a brutal king who, upon discovery of their death, might just burn the NPCs' village down. Despite never having left their village before, the four NPCs take up the adventurers' quest, and learn a little something about themselves and each other along the way.
From here, the story is quaint, though not particularly enlightening. There are a few amusing or poignant moments where the NPCs discover that there's more to adventuring that just following what seems to be the "rules" of the game. For example, the NPC whose life has been little more than waiting to be kidnapped so that adventures can rescue her over and over again, finds that she's got some rage issues that need to be worked out, while the seemingly two dimensional gnome minion who actually has brains, as well as a heart of gold.
There's a lot of action, which Hayes does a good job of portraying in a way that doesn't simply sound like he's rattling off spells and abilities from a list. And the characters certainly did grow on me. I had assumed this to be a kind of "toys come alive while you're not looking, hilarity ensues" sort of scenario, but for one thing, the NPCs, while they know they are not adventurers, don't quite realize that there's a whole other world out there. And their goal, as the story progresses, isn't simply to become real adventurers. Hayes gives them very real and relatable purpose and backstory, and changes point of view between them to tell their stories.
Much of the comic relief comes in the form of the players themselves, whose actions are occasionally interjected into the story. This could easily have gotten tedious, as they weren't particularly interesting -- in fact, they were realistically annoying at times -- but thankfully, they didn't factor in much beyond serving as plot devices to help advance the NPCs.
This was a quick, fun read that any gamer and maybe even someone with a passing fancy in gaming can enjoy. I've certainly thought about what the NPCs I've played with in video games have gotten up to when I'm not looking. This book gives me an interesting new perspective.
June 14, 2017
This books pulls together some great 'what if' ideas from fantasy tabletop role playing. In a nutshell, it's what happens to a group of NPCs after the player characters are no longer around. The game world is persistent and continues on even when there is no active game session. The author introduces quite a few RPG tropes, and then turns some of them on their heads. Things don't quite as expected and I really enjoyed most of this book. My only problem problem was that the fight scenes were a bit dragged out and became somewhat boring.
The ending was quite clever and left me wondering on the implications of how the game world and the real world would interact in the future. There are two additional books in this series, so far, so I will find out at some point.
The only obvious trope I think the author missed was he didn't put the female barbarian in a Red Sonja like chain mail bikini :)
The ending was quite clever and left me wondering on the implications of how the game world and the real world would interact in the future. There are two additional books in this series, so far, so I will find out at some point.
The only obvious trope I think the author missed was he didn't put the female barbarian in a Red Sonja like chain mail bikini :)
January 7, 2025
Love Drew Hayes a little more with each book
I'd skipped over this books so many times because I didn't recognize the authors name.
Another book from the NPC's point of view or a comedy farce about D&D playing losers would be about as welcome as another modern romance with vampires in it.
...BUT once I'd read my first book by Drew I went back a gobbled up every other thing he's written, and this one is a treat.
Yes, I must confess That Drew does play fast and loose with some stereotypes and tropes, even then he's playing against expectations. Mr. Hayes has such a deft touch with caring about his characters that he avoids most of the pitfalls.
A bright and fun enjoyable book that feels like an antidote to the Grimdark, without getting sappy or schmaltzy.
I'd skipped over this books so many times because I didn't recognize the authors name.
Another book from the NPC's point of view or a comedy farce about D&D playing losers would be about as welcome as another modern romance with vampires in it.
...BUT once I'd read my first book by Drew I went back a gobbled up every other thing he's written, and this one is a treat.
Yes, I must confess That Drew does play fast and loose with some stereotypes and tropes, even then he's playing against expectations. Mr. Hayes has such a deft touch with caring about his characters that he avoids most of the pitfalls.
A bright and fun enjoyable book that feels like an antidote to the Grimdark, without getting sappy or schmaltzy.
June 4, 2018
An enjoyable romp. Most LitRPG you've read probably took place in a videogame. NPCs takes place in a table-top game. A fun concept executed proficiently.
December 14, 2019
What happens when the haggling is done and the shops are closed? When the quest has been given, the steeds saddled, and the adventurers are off to their next encounter? They keep the world running, the food cooked, and the horses shoed, yet what adventurer has ever spared a thought or concern for the Non-Player Characters?
In the town of Maplebark, four such NPCs settle in for a night of actively ignoring the adventurers drinking in the tavern when things go quickly and fatally awry. Once the dust settles, these four find themselves faced with an impossible choice: pretend to be adventurers undertaking a task of near-certain death or see their town and loved ones destroyed.
3.5 stars. You know those characters in the game that you buy your supplies from, the bartender at the local tavern, the town guard, the one you have to rescue from the goblins, or the one that sends you on that annoying quest to rescue the girl from the goblins? Well those are the characters that are front and center in this book. Who knew they really had more to them, than just standing there doing their job?
This is only the second litrpg I've read (they were both for my book club) and it was enjoyable enough. I liked the concept of the NPCs taking over the adventure. I would say that this book is very entertaining and good at being what it is, but if you are looking for something deep then don't look here. I wasn't, so it worked for me, and hopefully no one who is reading litrpg thinks they are going to get a deep, complex story. That's not what the genre is about.
The characters here were quite likable, and I liked that they tried to fit the stereotypes of certain types of role playing characters, but things didn't go the way they planned. It was fun watching them each discover their hidden talents. I'm mildly interested in seeing what happens to the characters in the next book, but not enough to read a whole series so I will probably stop here.
Overall this was a fun read, but it's just not really my thing. I was tempted to give it 4 stars just for doing what it does so well, but decided 3.5 was enough.
Review also posted at
In the town of Maplebark, four such NPCs settle in for a night of actively ignoring the adventurers drinking in the tavern when things go quickly and fatally awry. Once the dust settles, these four find themselves faced with an impossible choice: pretend to be adventurers undertaking a task of near-certain death or see their town and loved ones destroyed.
3.5 stars. You know those characters in the game that you buy your supplies from, the bartender at the local tavern, the town guard, the one you have to rescue from the goblins, or the one that sends you on that annoying quest to rescue the girl from the goblins? Well those are the characters that are front and center in this book. Who knew they really had more to them, than just standing there doing their job?
This is only the second litrpg I've read (they were both for my book club) and it was enjoyable enough. I liked the concept of the NPCs taking over the adventure. I would say that this book is very entertaining and good at being what it is, but if you are looking for something deep then don't look here. I wasn't, so it worked for me, and hopefully no one who is reading litrpg thinks they are going to get a deep, complex story. That's not what the genre is about.
The characters here were quite likable, and I liked that they tried to fit the stereotypes of certain types of role playing characters, but things didn't go the way they planned. It was fun watching them each discover their hidden talents. I'm mildly interested in seeing what happens to the characters in the next book, but not enough to read a whole series so I will probably stop here.
Overall this was a fun read, but it's just not really my thing. I was tempted to give it 4 stars just for doing what it does so well, but decided 3.5 was enough.
Review also posted at
December 18, 2015
For a while, I've wondered why no one has tackled this very topic. So when I was brought on to proofread Hayes's latest project, I was beyond excited to discover he'd ventured into the "gamer lit" world. And what a unique presentation he's brought to the table! (Pun intended.)
NPCs starts with what feels like a very traditional, high fantasy world. Except that we quickly find out it's an RPG, as in a table-top role-playing game set in our modern world. But what happens when the players return to their normal lives? Does the RPG world just disappear, everything in it paused until the gamers return? That's the very question this book attempts to answer.
And, according to Hayes, that answer is a resounding "no!" The majority of the story is told through the various perspectives of four individuals--NPCs (non-player characters) who simply happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. When the "adventurers" drop dead in the local tavern (a by-product of the gamers behind them finding something else to do), these four non-adventurous types decide to step into their shoes in the hopes of preventing the town's destruction. The ensuing adventure is at once witty and touching, and watching each character develop was perhaps one of my favorite aspects.
I also completely appreciated how Hayes chose to mock the conventional stereotypes of RPG character roles. I won't spoil it, because I believe that discovery is integral to enjoying the story, but I really loved that the roles the characters assume they'll play are not necessarily the ones they end up in.
Overall, this is an incredibly fun story. Told with Hayes's signature blend of tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, it will appeal to anyone who is a fan of RPG games, whether digital or table-top. Coming from a background in video game art and design, I fully appreciated the brilliant way Hayes described game mechanics from the POV of characters who had no concept of things like spawn points and game physics.
But while the gamer in me applauded the technical aspects, the reader in me was fully satisfied with story at large. I sincerely hope there is a sequel, and will be first in line to read it if there is.
NPCs starts with what feels like a very traditional, high fantasy world. Except that we quickly find out it's an RPG, as in a table-top role-playing game set in our modern world. But what happens when the players return to their normal lives? Does the RPG world just disappear, everything in it paused until the gamers return? That's the very question this book attempts to answer.
And, according to Hayes, that answer is a resounding "no!" The majority of the story is told through the various perspectives of four individuals--NPCs (non-player characters) who simply happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. When the "adventurers" drop dead in the local tavern (a by-product of the gamers behind them finding something else to do), these four non-adventurous types decide to step into their shoes in the hopes of preventing the town's destruction. The ensuing adventure is at once witty and touching, and watching each character develop was perhaps one of my favorite aspects.
I also completely appreciated how Hayes chose to mock the conventional stereotypes of RPG character roles. I won't spoil it, because I believe that discovery is integral to enjoying the story, but I really loved that the roles the characters assume they'll play are not necessarily the ones they end up in.
Overall, this is an incredibly fun story. Told with Hayes's signature blend of tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, it will appeal to anyone who is a fan of RPG games, whether digital or table-top. Coming from a background in video game art and design, I fully appreciated the brilliant way Hayes described game mechanics from the POV of characters who had no concept of things like spawn points and game physics.
But while the gamer in me applauded the technical aspects, the reader in me was fully satisfied with story at large. I sincerely hope there is a sequel, and will be first in line to read it if there is.
September 1, 2017
TR;DL
If you've never played a role playing game then you might be missing some information to enjoy this at it finest.
If you've played an RPG then you'll probably agree that "it's finest" is good but not epic. I enjoyed it for what it was but I would recommend something else if someone asked for my honest opinion.
My Full Honest Opinion
Anyone who's played a TRPG knows how bad it sucks to have your character die; It's even worse having everyone at your table wiped out, destroying your band of adventurers. The suddenness and cause of the player's characters' deaths in the beginning of the book would have left most of us in a state unfavorable of the GM but from the beginning this book's players were the epitome of a dysfunctional gaming group: ignoring the GMs warnings and quibbling over basic rules and character actions.
About half way through, I came to the conclusion that this book is the result of a disappointed GM. I think we've (GM/DMs) all been there at some point. You have a detailed story, amazing NPCs, and a well thought out world with just rewards and consequences but your players decided to hack'n'slash the campaign leaving you to daydream what could have been. That's this book.
Once I reached this conclusion, I couldn't shake it. It occurs to me that this could have been -and was likely intended to be- a colorful description of the overarching story working in the background as the players are doing something else. However, the way the players are described it doesn't seem their characters are the stars of the show in any capacity--it's quite sad really.
That being said it wasn't a bad read. I liked that the adventuring NPCs were unusual in their race to class pairing. There were a few witty moments but nothing overtly chuckle inducing. I found it fun to read and got a few ideas. I'm not sure how well someone could appreciate this from a Non-player perspective but the story itself can stand alone, providing adequate entertainment.
If you've never played a role playing game then you might be missing some information to enjoy this at it finest.
If you've played an RPG then you'll probably agree that "it's finest" is good but not epic. I enjoyed it for what it was but I would recommend something else if someone asked for my honest opinion.
My Full Honest Opinion
Anyone who's played a TRPG knows how bad it sucks to have your character die; It's even worse having everyone at your table wiped out, destroying your band of adventurers. The suddenness and cause of the player's characters' deaths in the beginning of the book would have left most of us in a state unfavorable of the GM but from the beginning this book's players were the epitome of a dysfunctional gaming group: ignoring the GMs warnings and quibbling over basic rules and character actions.
About half way through, I came to the conclusion that this book is the result of a disappointed GM. I think we've (GM/DMs) all been there at some point. You have a detailed story, amazing NPCs, and a well thought out world with just rewards and consequences but your players decided to hack'n'slash the campaign leaving you to daydream what could have been. That's this book.
Once I reached this conclusion, I couldn't shake it. It occurs to me that this could have been -and was likely intended to be- a colorful description of the overarching story working in the background as the players are doing something else. However, the way the players are described it doesn't seem their characters are the stars of the show in any capacity--it's quite sad really.
That being said it wasn't a bad read. I liked that the adventuring NPCs were unusual in their race to class pairing. There were a few witty moments but nothing overtly chuckle inducing. I found it fun to read and got a few ideas. I'm not sure how well someone could appreciate this from a Non-player perspective but the story itself can stand alone, providing adequate entertainment.
November 13, 2019
Loved it! I had a great time and its made me more interested in trying to track down a group to teach me tabletop gaming.
:-)
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Ok. This will not be a great review. There. i said it. This review will be a bit crappy. But I felt it was way past time I did this space a bit more justice.
I have now read NPCs a total of I'm not sure how many times, lol. The ebook I've only read once. The audio (which is flipping excellent) a shitton more. I have to be clocking about 3 times by now (entire series read). Considering that I only read this for the first time in May... ^.^
This book is amazing! It's great even if you don't play tabletop games. It's just that much better if you do! I've now done both: my first read was pre-tabletop (BT) and the rest of the reads have been post tabletop (AT) and MAN! Amazballs!
:-)
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Ok. This will not be a great review. There. i said it. This review will be a bit crappy. But I felt it was way past time I did this space a bit more justice.
I have now read NPCs a total of I'm not sure how many times, lol. The ebook I've only read once. The audio (which is flipping excellent) a shitton more. I have to be clocking about 3 times by now (entire series read). Considering that I only read this for the first time in May... ^.^
This book is amazing! It's great even if you don't play tabletop games. It's just that much better if you do! I've now done both: my first read was pre-tabletop (BT) and the rest of the reads have been post tabletop (AT) and MAN! Amazballs!
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