I’m certainly going to check out the rest of the series.Īnd in case you have already read this and are looking for something similar, I’d heartily recommend ‘Rocks Fall. If you enjoyed (or still do) table-top role-playing games like D&D and are in the mood for light entertainment, this is a perfect read. Still, he thought the tone was excellent, a perfect entertainment for a summer night, and that should he meet some of the real heroes (the NPCs) of the books he’d happily share a glass of wine with them and swap tall tales. He would like to point out that while the ‘adventurers’, ie the players, do let themselves run wild because it’s a game, there were plenty of instances in history of real people behaving just as, if not more, obnoxiously. Felix’s Reviewįelix certainly much prefers the tight stories of everyday people (aka ‘low-level characters’ to some of the explosive, brick-sized epic fantasy that are common today. Instead read this for what it is - a lighthearted fantasy based on RPGs. This also isn’t about some world-saving sagas or intense emotional dramas.

What to be aware ofĭon’t expect an overly original world (kinda the point, of reflecting the faux-mediaeval generic RPG setting), or an overly complicated plot. It had enough behind it to make you think a little, while still enjoying a fast ride. I liked how Hayes plays with the stereotypes, both of characters and of players.

It made for a wonderful read at a time that one wasn’t after anything heavy or demanding, and yet it still captivated. The plot is fun and fast-paced, and the tone light and entertaining. The main characters (the NPCs) are solid, well drawn and relatable. This book brought me back to the days of playing D&D, both the good and crazy times as my and my friends’ storytelling abilities evolved. What makes this book different, is that the adventurers are from a role-playing group from our world, while the main focus is on the ‘NPCs’, the ‘non-player characters’, those who would normally just be the background interactions for the players.Īs this semi-random group of everyday people take up arms and try to fake being adventurers, we get fun story that will be familiar to anyone who played table-top role-playing games with beginning (low-level) characters. When a group of careless adventurers dies in a local pub from mushroom poisoning, a few of the locals decide to impersonate them rather than risk the ire and retaliation from the mad king. Now I’m glad I pulled it out 🙂 What to Expect I was in the mood for something light and quick (and fantasy), and found NPCs languishing in my TBR pile.

Drew hayes npc series book 5