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The Dark Profit Saga #2
Son of a Liche
A doubly disgraced Dwarven hero. A band of accident-prone adventurers. Giving redemption a second shot may have been a grave mistake…
Still bruised and heartbroken from their last calamitous quest, Gorm Ingerson and his band of washed-up heroes try to make amends for the Orcs they accidentally betrayed. But justice is put on hold when an old foe marches to the city gates. Gorm is horrified to discover a liche pitching the frightened city-dwellers on the merits of the undead lifestyle… at the head of a corpse army.
To save the city from high-pressure sales tactics and an inevitable siege, the Dwarf warrior and his misfit band hatch a harebrained scheme that lands them at the top of the king’s kill list. With death and dark magic on his heels, Gorm must craft his own pitch to round up the troops and put the undead snake-oil salesman and his army of pushers permanently out of business.
Still bruised and heartbroken from their last calamitous quest, Gorm Ingerson and his band of washed-up heroes try to make amends for the Orcs they accidentally betrayed. But justice is put on hold when an old foe marches to the city gates. Gorm is horrified to discover a liche pitching the frightened city-dwellers on the merits of the undead lifestyle… at the head of a corpse army.
To save the city from high-pressure sales tactics and an inevitable siege, the Dwarf warrior and his misfit band hatch a harebrained scheme that lands them at the top of the king’s kill list. With death and dark magic on his heels, Gorm must craft his own pitch to round up the troops and put the undead snake-oil salesman and his army of pushers permanently out of business.
618 pages, ebook
First published May 3, 2018
About the author
J. Zachary Pike
10 books830 followersJ. Zachary Pike was once a basement-dwelling fantasy gamer, but over time he metamorphosed into a basement-dwelling fantasy writer. By day Zack is a web professional and creative-for-hire, but at night he returns to his lair to create books, films, and illustrations that meld fantasy elements with offbeat humor. A New Englander by birth and by temperament, Zack writes strangely funny fiction on the seacoast of New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
October 17, 2022
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4.5 stars. An extremely entertaining read that did not quite match the charm of it's predecessor.
This sequel to Orconomics has been highly anticipated by me ever since finishing that book due to how blown away I was by the quality, humor, and fun I had from start to finish. And while much of those qualities do exist in this sequel, I found myself ultimately not enjoying myself to quite as high of a level, in part due to the pacing issues that existed and in part due to the change in story structure.
While the first book had a somewhat forgettable plot, it was legitimately one of the funniest books I have ever read in my life - and it was entertaining 100% of the time. Unfortunately, I found almost the opposite to be true here, where the plot was significantly better but the comedy was noticeably toned down and the pacing caused several sections of this book to just drag on for far too long without anything entertaining happening.
This book is much longer than the first book, and I think this would have greatly benefitted by either being trimmed down or split into two books. Two books would actually have made a ton of sense because at about the halfway mark of this story a major conflict happens that wraps up a major part of the story, and then the second half of the book tells a brand new arc of the story.
I think part of the problem here from the comedy perspective is that a large part of what made the first book funny was how original the world was here. And in this book the hilarious world has already been created with not much more development here. If this were the first book in the series it would likely be just as hilarious as the first, but something was lost with how little was original here.
This sounds like I didn't like this book - which is simply no true. I had a wonderful time reading it and the plot was fantastic. But it's hard for me to review this without comparing it to the first book, which I just thought was quite a bit better than this one.
I'm still very much intrigued by this series and will pick up the final book in this trilogy the moment it gets released.
4.5 stars. An extremely entertaining read that did not quite match the charm of it's predecessor.
This sequel to Orconomics has been highly anticipated by me ever since finishing that book due to how blown away I was by the quality, humor, and fun I had from start to finish. And while much of those qualities do exist in this sequel, I found myself ultimately not enjoying myself to quite as high of a level, in part due to the pacing issues that existed and in part due to the change in story structure.
While the first book had a somewhat forgettable plot, it was legitimately one of the funniest books I have ever read in my life - and it was entertaining 100% of the time. Unfortunately, I found almost the opposite to be true here, where the plot was significantly better but the comedy was noticeably toned down and the pacing caused several sections of this book to just drag on for far too long without anything entertaining happening.
This book is much longer than the first book, and I think this would have greatly benefitted by either being trimmed down or split into two books. Two books would actually have made a ton of sense because at about the halfway mark of this story a major conflict happens that wraps up a major part of the story, and then the second half of the book tells a brand new arc of the story.
I think part of the problem here from the comedy perspective is that a large part of what made the first book funny was how original the world was here. And in this book the hilarious world has already been created with not much more development here. If this were the first book in the series it would likely be just as hilarious as the first, but something was lost with how little was original here.
This sounds like I didn't like this book - which is simply no true. I had a wonderful time reading it and the plot was fantastic. But it's hard for me to review this without comparing it to the first book, which I just thought was quite a bit better than this one.
I'm still very much intrigued by this series and will pick up the final book in this trilogy the moment it gets released.
June 2, 2023
Despite giving J. Zachary Pike’s Orconomics a high rating, there was one part of my review that has been stuck in my head. I expressed that until the very end, the story was secondary to the many clever and humorous attacks on capitalism, the housing market crash, immigration, racism, and countless other social fallacies that modern Americans face. While the focus of the story wasn’t always centered on character and plot development, the satire was so damn funny and sharp that it overshadowed the book’s shortcomings. So, did Pike improve some of these story aspects in his sequel, Son of the Liche? Not only did the overarching plot significantly improve, but my love for the characters grew exponentially throughout the story. Son of a Liche manages to one-up its predecessor by weaving an epic fantasy tale with a relentless stream of humor and a surprising amount of heart. Overall, it is one of the most genuinely entertaining books I’ve read.
Once again, Pike sets its sights on taking down modern-day capitalism. Like Orconomics, most of the business leaders in the story demonstrate that the only motivation to do good is for financial gain. But this time the satire casts a much wider net, lampooning targets that include pop culture, marketing tactics (when informing your victims via a flyer that an undead army is about to raze your town, make sure you use a clear call-to-action!), a scrutiny pool that shares many similarities with the Patriot Act, the use of focus groups (one of the biggest laughs of the book), drug rehab, charity events, another homage to “Arrested Development” (there’s always gold in the banana stand), role-playing games (fans of Gelatinous Cubes and NPCs will enjoy some clever wordplay), and a legitimately spit-take-inducing bit that involves a famous television Collie. I’m only barely scratching the surface here. Pike also attacks tropes by either exploiting them to absurdity or subverting and destroying them altogether. He is fully aware of what the reader might expect, so he stays a step ahead and toys with our expectations before turning them sideways. The results are often as insightful as they are hilarious.
(*If only I had read this book and watched old episodes of Frisky Dingo, I might have saved a hundred grand on a marketing degree.)
I could go on to discuss how this sequel benefits from feeling like two full books packed into one volume, or the various reasons why the characters felt more fully developed this time around. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t call attention to Pike’s standout prose. There is a palpable rhythm to the story, achieving the ideal blend of dialogue and description that moves the narrative along like a steady thrum of a heartbeat. One of the reasons why this stood out to me is Pike’s complete commitment to building clever transitions between scenes. There are dozens upon dozens of scene changes throughout the book, and every single one of them carries a theme over from the end of one scene to the beginning of the next. Sometimes it is through similar dialogue, and other times the next scene answers the question that the previous scene asks. It all adds up to an incredibly smooth narrative that never feels jilted while we bounce between the many character POV’s.
While this story worked for me on pretty much every level, I can see how some of the humor might not land for everyone. I found Pike’s relentless assault on such a wide range of topics to be refreshing, though I can also see how others might think it unfocused. Regardless of your views on its humor, it is commendable to see a book so dedicated towards establishing its viewpoints in such an entertaining fashion. The fact that the story and characters are also so well-developed helps elevate this series into rare territory. While Orconomics made me a fan of J. Zachary Pike, Son of a Liche has solidified me as someone who will seek out Pike’s entire body of work. Read this series.
9.2 / 10
It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. In the same vein, desperation is the father of compromise, panic is the sister of slapdash improvisation, and despair is the second cousin of quiet apathy. By that reckoning, dinner was a dismal family reunion.
Once again, Pike sets its sights on taking down modern-day capitalism. Like Orconomics, most of the business leaders in the story demonstrate that the only motivation to do good is for financial gain. But this time the satire casts a much wider net, lampooning targets that include pop culture, marketing tactics (when informing your victims via a flyer that an undead army is about to raze your town, make sure you use a clear call-to-action!), a scrutiny pool that shares many similarities with the Patriot Act, the use of focus groups (one of the biggest laughs of the book), drug rehab, charity events, another homage to “Arrested Development” (there’s always gold in the banana stand), role-playing games (fans of Gelatinous Cubes and NPCs will enjoy some clever wordplay), and a legitimately spit-take-inducing bit that involves a famous television Collie. I’m only barely scratching the surface here. Pike also attacks tropes by either exploiting them to absurdity or subverting and destroying them altogether. He is fully aware of what the reader might expect, so he stays a step ahead and toys with our expectations before turning them sideways. The results are often as insightful as they are hilarious.
The key to managing failure was to make it sound like success. “Our forecasts predicted this particular demographic, especially given their geographic location and particular needs, would be very reluctant to embrace our message. So I’m happy to report that we’ve confirmed our forecasting model to be accurate.” It also helped to make everything sound as complicated and technical as possible.*
(*If only I had read this book and watched old episodes of Frisky Dingo, I might have saved a hundred grand on a marketing degree.)
I could go on to discuss how this sequel benefits from feeling like two full books packed into one volume, or the various reasons why the characters felt more fully developed this time around. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t call attention to Pike’s standout prose. There is a palpable rhythm to the story, achieving the ideal blend of dialogue and description that moves the narrative along like a steady thrum of a heartbeat. One of the reasons why this stood out to me is Pike’s complete commitment to building clever transitions between scenes. There are dozens upon dozens of scene changes throughout the book, and every single one of them carries a theme over from the end of one scene to the beginning of the next. Sometimes it is through similar dialogue, and other times the next scene answers the question that the previous scene asks. It all adds up to an incredibly smooth narrative that never feels jilted while we bounce between the many character POV’s.
“Well, I know where I’m not wanted.”
“I suspect that makes you an expert on geography,” snapped Poldo.
While this story worked for me on pretty much every level, I can see how some of the humor might not land for everyone. I found Pike’s relentless assault on such a wide range of topics to be refreshing, though I can also see how others might think it unfocused. Regardless of your views on its humor, it is commendable to see a book so dedicated towards establishing its viewpoints in such an entertaining fashion. The fact that the story and characters are also so well-developed helps elevate this series into rare territory. While Orconomics made me a fan of J. Zachary Pike, Son of a Liche has solidified me as someone who will seek out Pike’s entire body of work. Read this series.
9.2 / 10
March 10, 2020
A masterpiece, plain and simple.
I LOVE this series, and although I'd heard book 2 was even better than the first I didn't believe it until I'd heard it for myself.
While being really consistently funny, these books have wonderfully developed characters and some beautifully poignant moments. As well, they have some EXTREMELY important things to say about the pitfalls of capitalism and a society where the rich get richer by exploiting the poor. Eviscerating, but never (in my opinion) heavy-handed.
So, so, so excited to read the third instalment.
I listened to the audiobooks for these, and while the narrator doesn't have the 'gravelly gravitas' I tend to enjoy, his flippant and matter-of-fact tone is PERFECT for these books--so perfect, in fact, that I can't imagine preferring reading these to listening. The character voices especially are hilarious and incredibly fitting.
Lastly, this: if you like my books, you'll almost certainly like these as well. What higher praise can I give ;)
I LOVE this series, and although I'd heard book 2 was even better than the first I didn't believe it until I'd heard it for myself.
While being really consistently funny, these books have wonderfully developed characters and some beautifully poignant moments. As well, they have some EXTREMELY important things to say about the pitfalls of capitalism and a society where the rich get richer by exploiting the poor. Eviscerating, but never (in my opinion) heavy-handed.
So, so, so excited to read the third instalment.
I listened to the audiobooks for these, and while the narrator doesn't have the 'gravelly gravitas' I tend to enjoy, his flippant and matter-of-fact tone is PERFECT for these books--so perfect, in fact, that I can't imagine preferring reading these to listening. The character voices especially are hilarious and incredibly fitting.
Lastly, this: if you like my books, you'll almost certainly like these as well. What higher praise can I give ;)
December 26, 2018
After sitting on it for a few weeks, I'm bumping this to a 5 star - one of those books that I was on the fence between 4 and 5 stars, but it's also one that I keep thinking about and just went back to the first book to listen to it over again while doing christmas clean up.
June 18, 2018
SON OF A LICHE is the sequel to the Dark Profit Saga's first book, ORCONOMICS. The premise of the series is that Dungeons and Dragons is how the world is set up. Adventurers go into dungeons, grab a bunch of loot, and kill the monsters inside. However, this has attracted venture capitalists who wagered fortunes on this activity. This brought the dark sides of capitalism to monster slaying and it soon became a racism-and-murder based economy which was unsustainable since eventually you're going to run out of orcs to murder for their meager savings. The satire was inspired by the 2008 housing crisis and the present novel also brings up some elements of Donald Trump, though he's only got a few pot shots taken at him.
In this volume, picking up after the previous one, our protagonists are suffering mild PTSD from the fact they witnessed the biggest and most heinous massacre of orcs which has occurred in a century. Worse, they were indirectly responsible for the crime and have been outlawed as part of the Heroes' Guild's attempts to cover up their role in the set up. Unfortunately, our heroes aren't very good at trying to make up for their mistakes. They've wandered around trying to find the orcs who survived and have absolutely no luck. They do soon get an opportunity to save the world by stopping a Liche King's seemingly unstoppable army. Just, there's the slight issue they're not actually good enough or strong enough to do it.
The Dark Profit Saga is a unique combination of modern political and economic satire with dramatic examination of prejudice plus gutbustingly hilarious humor. The closest analog I can think of is Terry Pratchett's Discworld where, comparatively, I think it stands on equal terms. That's praise I don't throw around lightly. These books are every bit as funny as Pratchett and has just as good an amount of world-building. The treatment of capitalism is critical but it's not attacking the system of making money itself but the greed as well as criminal lack of responsibility or consequences even when they break the law.
Basically, one of the prevailing themes is the corrupt bankers and investors behind the Heroes' Guild are always willing to bend the rules to their favor as long as it means more revenue for them. Whenever there's a problem, they blame F.O.E.S (Forces of Evil) or beat the drum of racism against against NPCs (non-evil monsters). They even throw their legitimate enterprise NPCs under the bus as long as it means more for them. I'm not a big fan of Wallstreet so this kind of nasty criticism and accusation of race baiting didn't bother me.
I was a big fan of one plotline where a Wall(street) banker is "woke" to the injustices of the system where the Wood Elves, local family of Trolls, and other NPCs around him are slowly killed off. We also see how the Orc survivors are dealing with the temptations between turning back to the "Old Ways" for vengeance versus trying to make a fortune as aggressive bargainers. Mind you, while the author sides strongly with the orcs who don't want bloody revenge, I'm not sure the ones that do are in the wrong since the people who TRIED legitimate business were murdered for it. Why, exactly, is going back to it a smart decision?
The section from the perspective of the undead horde is also hilarious. The Liche is trying to figure out ways to kill everyone in the world before adding them to his undead army. He'd very much like them all to join his organization willingly (so he doesn't have to fight them). That means trying to make better pamplets as well as slogans to persuade people to serve him. The cowardly head of the city guard who deserted his post, only to run accidentally straight into the armies of evil, provides an interesting perspective on the whole thing.
As for the main party, we have development in ways I didn't expect. Gorm the Dwarf tries to deal with the loss of his two best friends as well as his attempts to be a hero despite being very bad at it. Their elven ranger is addicted to salves as well as the object of affection for a troll. The mages have to deal with the fact their forms of magic are completely incompatible (or are they?). Plus, one of them is the Liche King's son. There's even a Bard in deep debt to a magical artifact hook that is also a crime lord.
In conclusion, SON OF A LICHE, is a great novel. It has a lot of good character development for the protagonists, interesting twists, and detestable villains. I personally am hoping that Johann the Paladin eventually gets his (since he's a terrible example of his class) but we'll see how that goes in the third novel. This is a truly well-realized fantasy world with likable characters and a wide-variety of references for people who love D&D, MMORPGs, and fantasy in general.
9/10
In this volume, picking up after the previous one, our protagonists are suffering mild PTSD from the fact they witnessed the biggest and most heinous massacre of orcs which has occurred in a century. Worse, they were indirectly responsible for the crime and have been outlawed as part of the Heroes' Guild's attempts to cover up their role in the set up. Unfortunately, our heroes aren't very good at trying to make up for their mistakes. They've wandered around trying to find the orcs who survived and have absolutely no luck. They do soon get an opportunity to save the world by stopping a Liche King's seemingly unstoppable army. Just, there's the slight issue they're not actually good enough or strong enough to do it.
The Dark Profit Saga is a unique combination of modern political and economic satire with dramatic examination of prejudice plus gutbustingly hilarious humor. The closest analog I can think of is Terry Pratchett's Discworld where, comparatively, I think it stands on equal terms. That's praise I don't throw around lightly. These books are every bit as funny as Pratchett and has just as good an amount of world-building. The treatment of capitalism is critical but it's not attacking the system of making money itself but the greed as well as criminal lack of responsibility or consequences even when they break the law.
Basically, one of the prevailing themes is the corrupt bankers and investors behind the Heroes' Guild are always willing to bend the rules to their favor as long as it means more revenue for them. Whenever there's a problem, they blame F.O.E.S (Forces of Evil) or beat the drum of racism against against NPCs (non-evil monsters). They even throw their legitimate enterprise NPCs under the bus as long as it means more for them. I'm not a big fan of Wallstreet so this kind of nasty criticism and accusation of race baiting didn't bother me.
I was a big fan of one plotline where a Wall(street) banker is "woke" to the injustices of the system where the Wood Elves, local family of Trolls, and other NPCs around him are slowly killed off. We also see how the Orc survivors are dealing with the temptations between turning back to the "Old Ways" for vengeance versus trying to make a fortune as aggressive bargainers. Mind you, while the author sides strongly with the orcs who don't want bloody revenge, I'm not sure the ones that do are in the wrong since the people who TRIED legitimate business were murdered for it. Why, exactly, is going back to it a smart decision?
The section from the perspective of the undead horde is also hilarious. The Liche is trying to figure out ways to kill everyone in the world before adding them to his undead army. He'd very much like them all to join his organization willingly (so he doesn't have to fight them). That means trying to make better pamplets as well as slogans to persuade people to serve him. The cowardly head of the city guard who deserted his post, only to run accidentally straight into the armies of evil, provides an interesting perspective on the whole thing.
As for the main party, we have development in ways I didn't expect. Gorm the Dwarf tries to deal with the loss of his two best friends as well as his attempts to be a hero despite being very bad at it. Their elven ranger is addicted to salves as well as the object of affection for a troll. The mages have to deal with the fact their forms of magic are completely incompatible (or are they?). Plus, one of them is the Liche King's son. There's even a Bard in deep debt to a magical artifact hook that is also a crime lord.
In conclusion, SON OF A LICHE, is a great novel. It has a lot of good character development for the protagonists, interesting twists, and detestable villains. I personally am hoping that Johann the Paladin eventually gets his (since he's a terrible example of his class) but we'll see how that goes in the third novel. This is a truly well-realized fantasy world with likable characters and a wide-variety of references for people who love D&D, MMORPGs, and fantasy in general.
9/10
May 21, 2018
Its always a worry when getting book two in a series with a first book as good as Orconomics that the book will be a letdown, not being able to capture the same magic as the first. Well, after reading and listening to Son of a Liche, I can attest that this is not an issue. While it follows in the same vein as Orconomics, it improves in a lot of ways what was already a fantastic series debut. More action, deeper plot, character revelations, bigger stakes for the overall world. In other words, it is a fantastic book in its own right.
One year after the events of Orconomics, the party of Gorm, Kaitha, Jynn, Heraldin, Gaist and Laruna are still hunting for the remnants of the betrayed Gazvarda tribe of orcs, and having no success. In fact, they haven't had nearly the success they planned on. The Heroes Guild and kingdom have a a huge bounty after them, and they haven't had the impact helping protect the Darklings they had hoped to. The Darkling races of Orcs, goblins and other assorted races that were screwed out of their NPC status have formed the Red Horde, forsaking their clans. Meanwhile, the bankers and King that had betrayed them all are starting to haul in the loot from revoking the NPC's papers.
Deciding to put the Gazvarda quest on hold, the party comes across a skeleton that is animated. This is bad news, since the only one who could animate a skeleton is a necromancer, and the group only knows of one of them operating currently: Datarr Urmayan, Jynn's father, currently a powerful undead Liche! Following the skeleton, they discover Jynn has gathered an army of the undead and plans to invade the Freedlands. Hatching a plan to recover some artifacts that may help them fight Datarr, they meet some old companions of Gorm to help equip them, and recover a powerful artifact to use against him.
Facing Datarr in battle as he attempts to destroy the bulk of the Kingdom's army and Heroes Guild, the group is defeated, and Datarr gains even more converts to his cause. you know, the cause of undeath. It does have a great benefits plan, after all, and he actually goes recruiting with surprising results. Licking their wounds as they barely escape, The party comes up with a last dich plan to stop the necromancer and get an army of their own: Namely, the Red Horde. Now, if only the Red Horde didn't want the party dead, thinking they were the ones that betrayed them to the Heroes. All of this leads to a climactic battle in the Kingdom's capital of Andoran, with an amazingly staged battle scene that has more twists than seem possible. The book ends with plot lines resolved, but the story isn't over. In fact, it will be continued in Dragon Fired.
I can't stress again how fantastic I found this books. The characters were all fleshed out even more, with more revelations about their pasts, some of which were just completely unseen. The dialogue is crisp and witty, and it just comes across as banter that real friends and companions would use. You really sympathize with their struggles, and cheer at their successes. The setting is expanded even more, and the author's world building is some of my favorite in all of fantasy. You just feel like you are right there in the middle of the action at all times. The same issues from the first book are addressed. The nature of heroics, the good and ills of a market economy, especially when its abused by those in charge. Those same individuals, though, also show how easy it is to fall from grace. Even the least of us has it in them to be a hero, as several of the characters show.
Doug Tisdale, Jr. did his usual fantastic work narrating this one. He had an even bigger cast to work with, and he still managed to give them all a life of their own. While Gorm may be my favorite character he does, several others were almost at that level this time. His narration is smooth and flowing, never lagging or monotonous. He has crept up into my top 3 narrators with this performance, it's that good.
All in all, this is probably my favorite read this year, a year that included Kings of the Wyld, Blackwing and The Great Hearts. Lofty company, but it has something for everyone who likes a fantasy novel, with elements of comedic, epic and grimdark fantasy woven throughout. I can't recommend it highly enough, and you are missing out if you don't try these out for yourself. If I did stars, this would be a 10 out of 10 stars. Its that good.
One year after the events of Orconomics, the party of Gorm, Kaitha, Jynn, Heraldin, Gaist and Laruna are still hunting for the remnants of the betrayed Gazvarda tribe of orcs, and having no success. In fact, they haven't had nearly the success they planned on. The Heroes Guild and kingdom have a a huge bounty after them, and they haven't had the impact helping protect the Darklings they had hoped to. The Darkling races of Orcs, goblins and other assorted races that were screwed out of their NPC status have formed the Red Horde, forsaking their clans. Meanwhile, the bankers and King that had betrayed them all are starting to haul in the loot from revoking the NPC's papers.
Deciding to put the Gazvarda quest on hold, the party comes across a skeleton that is animated. This is bad news, since the only one who could animate a skeleton is a necromancer, and the group only knows of one of them operating currently: Datarr Urmayan, Jynn's father, currently a powerful undead Liche! Following the skeleton, they discover Jynn has gathered an army of the undead and plans to invade the Freedlands. Hatching a plan to recover some artifacts that may help them fight Datarr, they meet some old companions of Gorm to help equip them, and recover a powerful artifact to use against him.
Facing Datarr in battle as he attempts to destroy the bulk of the Kingdom's army and Heroes Guild, the group is defeated, and Datarr gains even more converts to his cause. you know, the cause of undeath. It does have a great benefits plan, after all, and he actually goes recruiting with surprising results. Licking their wounds as they barely escape, The party comes up with a last dich plan to stop the necromancer and get an army of their own: Namely, the Red Horde. Now, if only the Red Horde didn't want the party dead, thinking they were the ones that betrayed them to the Heroes. All of this leads to a climactic battle in the Kingdom's capital of Andoran, with an amazingly staged battle scene that has more twists than seem possible. The book ends with plot lines resolved, but the story isn't over. In fact, it will be continued in Dragon Fired.
I can't stress again how fantastic I found this books. The characters were all fleshed out even more, with more revelations about their pasts, some of which were just completely unseen. The dialogue is crisp and witty, and it just comes across as banter that real friends and companions would use. You really sympathize with their struggles, and cheer at their successes. The setting is expanded even more, and the author's world building is some of my favorite in all of fantasy. You just feel like you are right there in the middle of the action at all times. The same issues from the first book are addressed. The nature of heroics, the good and ills of a market economy, especially when its abused by those in charge. Those same individuals, though, also show how easy it is to fall from grace. Even the least of us has it in them to be a hero, as several of the characters show.
Doug Tisdale, Jr. did his usual fantastic work narrating this one. He had an even bigger cast to work with, and he still managed to give them all a life of their own. While Gorm may be my favorite character he does, several others were almost at that level this time. His narration is smooth and flowing, never lagging or monotonous. He has crept up into my top 3 narrators with this performance, it's that good.
All in all, this is probably my favorite read this year, a year that included Kings of the Wyld, Blackwing and The Great Hearts. Lofty company, but it has something for everyone who likes a fantasy novel, with elements of comedic, epic and grimdark fantasy woven throughout. I can't recommend it highly enough, and you are missing out if you don't try these out for yourself. If I did stars, this would be a 10 out of 10 stars. Its that good.
January 5, 2019
Son of a Liche manages to do something quite rare - it is the middle book in a trilogy which actually moves the story forward and does not feel like a filler.
It is a more refined form of Orconomics. The wordplay is a bit more clever, there are more trope twists and the humour is stronger. The underlying message is still as strong (if not stronger) and the book is getting a lot closer to being a Terry Practchett (while retaining its originality). The book is a lot longer too (yay!).
It is a more refined form of Orconomics. The wordplay is a bit more clever, there are more trope twists and the humour is stronger. The underlying message is still as strong (if not stronger) and the book is getting a lot closer to being a Terry Practchett (while retaining its originality). The book is a lot longer too (yay!).
May 9, 2024
4.5 / 5
Son of a Liche is the 2nd book in the Dark Profit Saga by Zachary Pikes. The first one is Orconomics and it was a big hit for me. It received 4.5 stars, narrowly missing out a 5-star rating due to some minor gripes. So, I'm very happy to say that this one is maybe even slightly better than the first book.
I won't go into much detail about the book specifics. If you're reading this review, it means you've already read book 1 and maybe you've read my review here as well. I will only comment on the few differences between the first and second book.
- The obvious thing people will notice first is that book 2 is bigger, almost double the size of book 1. Some reviewers have found this a negative, thinking that book 2 is drawn out too much or that there are lots of needless chapters. Personally, I didn't think or notice this at all. I think all chapters were enjoyable and promoted the story and the characters.
- Humour is on similar top-notch levels as the first with one little exception. While the humour during the main party POVs was even better than before, the humour during the undead POV felt a bit stale and forces some times. Mind you, this is just a personal preference, as I'm sure most people will find the undead POV parts totally hilarious.
- The plot was really great and much more robust this time. I never felt lost or indifferent and that's an achievement for a humorous book of this size. It is interesting to note that the book feels as if it's made of 2 parts or 2 books plot-wise. There's a culmination of sorts happening right at the middle point when and where there's a kind of a reset and things begin again.
- Pike's prose has actually improved. In book 1 his prose was already very good, but here it's smoother, flows better and at times becomes really beautiful. It fits the style perfectly with that little extra as a bonus from time to time. And his dialogues were simply amazing and spotless. Rarely have I read a book with so much dialogue that each and every character (and there are tones of them) have such a unique and distinguishable speaking style. Dialogues were both realistic and hilarious at the same time. Excellent stuff! Which brings me to my last point...
- I left the best for last. I gloated over the characters in my review for the 1st book but here they were even better. Character interaction and development is definitely Pike's strongest point. I loved and cared so much for each one of them. All of them were so immaculately crafted and presented that I kept being impressed to the end. Few books have done this to me lately and it was the main reason that I gave the ultra-rare full 5-star rating for a 4.5 book. I can't wait to read more about all these favorite characters in book 3.
In summary, book 2 was a definite improvement on most aspects compared to book 1. If you liked or loved the first book, read this without worry. For me, this series is becoming one of my favorites.
Totally recommended.
4.5 / 5
Son of a Liche is the 2nd book in the Dark Profit Saga by Zachary Pikes. The first one is Orconomics and it was a big hit for me. It received 4.5 stars, narrowly missing out a 5-star rating due to some minor gripes. So, I'm very happy to say that this one is maybe even slightly better than the first book.
I won't go into much detail about the book specifics. If you're reading this review, it means you've already read book 1 and maybe you've read my review here as well. I will only comment on the few differences between the first and second book.
- The obvious thing people will notice first is that book 2 is bigger, almost double the size of book 1. Some reviewers have found this a negative, thinking that book 2 is drawn out too much or that there are lots of needless chapters. Personally, I didn't think or notice this at all. I think all chapters were enjoyable and promoted the story and the characters.
- Humour is on similar top-notch levels as the first with one little exception. While the humour during the main party POVs was even better than before, the humour during the undead POV felt a bit stale and forces some times. Mind you, this is just a personal preference, as I'm sure most people will find the undead POV parts totally hilarious.
- The plot was really great and much more robust this time. I never felt lost or indifferent and that's an achievement for a humorous book of this size. It is interesting to note that the book feels as if it's made of 2 parts or 2 books plot-wise. There's a culmination of sorts happening right at the middle point when and where there's a kind of a reset and things begin again.
- Pike's prose has actually improved. In book 1 his prose was already very good, but here it's smoother, flows better and at times becomes really beautiful. It fits the style perfectly with that little extra as a bonus from time to time. And his dialogues were simply amazing and spotless. Rarely have I read a book with so much dialogue that each and every character (and there are tones of them) have such a unique and distinguishable speaking style. Dialogues were both realistic and hilarious at the same time. Excellent stuff! Which brings me to my last point...
- I left the best for last. I gloated over the characters in my review for the 1st book but here they were even better. Character interaction and development is definitely Pike's strongest point. I loved and cared so much for each one of them. All of them were so immaculately crafted and presented that I kept being impressed to the end. Few books have done this to me lately and it was the main reason that I gave the ultra-rare full 5-star rating for a 4.5 book. I can't wait to read more about all these favorite characters in book 3.
In summary, book 2 was a definite improvement on most aspects compared to book 1. If you liked or loved the first book, read this without worry. For me, this series is becoming one of my favorites.
Totally recommended.
4.5 / 5
May 15, 2024
King Handor wants Gorm and his crew dead, the Heroes' Guild has branded them traitors, and someone keeps sending assassins to kill them. The Shadowkin aren’t faring much better, their papers being revoked so they are free game for heroes to kill. Not to mention, there’s an undead army of the liche Detarr Ur' Mayan on the March.
It’s not looking great. Except for the economy. All the danger has got business booming!
Not only does Pike poke fun at speculation, the stock market, and corruption; he also shows insight into drug addiction, otherness, and prejudice.
”Oh? I never liked trickle-down economics," said Ortson, watching the crimson wine drip down the glass. "It implies that there's a leak somewhere."
Sadly, there was a lot of sorcery info dumping (necromancy etc) that just went over my head. Not only did it give me whiplash and a headache and take me out of story, but it felt like a whole tonal shift from the relative easiness of the rest of the book.
However, I still have to applaud Pike’s sharp wit and realistic, pessimistic view of our world converted into a comedic fantasy satire.
Proposals were deferred to committees that would be formed at a future date. Of course, that meant that a committee to form the committees was required. The sun was setting by the time the committee to form the committee that would form the committees was decided upon.
Bookstagram
It’s not looking great. Except for the economy. All the danger has got business booming!
Not only does Pike poke fun at speculation, the stock market, and corruption; he also shows insight into drug addiction, otherness, and prejudice.
”Oh? I never liked trickle-down economics," said Ortson, watching the crimson wine drip down the glass. "It implies that there's a leak somewhere."
Sadly, there was a lot of sorcery info dumping (necromancy etc) that just went over my head. Not only did it give me whiplash and a headache and take me out of story, but it felt like a whole tonal shift from the relative easiness of the rest of the book.
However, I still have to applaud Pike’s sharp wit and realistic, pessimistic view of our world converted into a comedic fantasy satire.
Proposals were deferred to committees that would be formed at a future date. Of course, that meant that a committee to form the committees was required. The sun was setting by the time the committee to form the committee that would form the committees was decided upon.
Bookstagram
November 22, 2018
I try not to talk about my personal life much in book reviews, but I feel its necessary for context here.
Its been really, really hard as of late. Its not surprising - teaching new classes, working on my dissertation, recent kitty medical emergencies, illness, looming deadlines, and have you SEEN the political quagmire we're in lately? Florida is kinda fucked for years to come. I'm not sleeping well and need to wear a back brace all day otherwise my shoulders ache for days on end.
What I'm trying to say is I really needed this book. I quite enjoyed Orconomics and wanted to dive into more. I primarily listened to this - its hard for me to justify text reading ("Why read this you should be reading journal articles!") but I can listen while doing other tasks/errands.
Pike knocked it out of the park with this one. The humor is great and manages to not be lolrandommonkeycheese, and it doesn't elbow you in the ribs with how clever it is. The satire, too, is also great - nothing is sacred here, from the capitalist greed of the housing crisis, to the major fantasy tropes, to D&D mechanics. There's even a few jabs at Trump, but they are blink-and-you-miss it.
The characterization is strong, the plot is bigger and more complex than the previous book, and there's some great arcs (although a couple, like Kaitha's drag on a bit too long). Characters that didn't get much spotlight time in the first book got plenty this time around, such as Burt and Duine Poldo, and they are a treat. Considering this is such a satire/humor-heavy book, the worldbuilding is surprisingly complex and satisfying.
But really, the big draw of the book was the humor. I laughed at loud so many times during this book. Shit, even the glossary at the end was funny. It wasn't just punny or self-aware humor either, there's some biting and cynical stuff there. And some nostalgia, too - brought back a lot of memories of D&D, Pathfinder, Fallout, Paranoia. Its so hard for me to find a funny fantasy book that doesn't fall flat or make me roll my eyes. Finding this one when I did probably helped keep me sane.
Read the trilogy. You can't go wrong.
Its been really, really hard as of late. Its not surprising - teaching new classes, working on my dissertation, recent kitty medical emergencies, illness, looming deadlines, and have you SEEN the political quagmire we're in lately? Florida is kinda fucked for years to come. I'm not sleeping well and need to wear a back brace all day otherwise my shoulders ache for days on end.
What I'm trying to say is I really needed this book. I quite enjoyed Orconomics and wanted to dive into more. I primarily listened to this - its hard for me to justify text reading ("Why read this you should be reading journal articles!") but I can listen while doing other tasks/errands.
Pike knocked it out of the park with this one. The humor is great and manages to not be lolrandommonkeycheese, and it doesn't elbow you in the ribs with how clever it is. The satire, too, is also great - nothing is sacred here, from the capitalist greed of the housing crisis, to the major fantasy tropes, to D&D mechanics. There's even a few jabs at Trump, but they are blink-and-you-miss it.
The characterization is strong, the plot is bigger and more complex than the previous book, and there's some great arcs (although a couple, like Kaitha's drag on a bit too long). Characters that didn't get much spotlight time in the first book got plenty this time around, such as Burt and Duine Poldo, and they are a treat. Considering this is such a satire/humor-heavy book, the worldbuilding is surprisingly complex and satisfying.
But really, the big draw of the book was the humor. I laughed at loud so many times during this book. Shit, even the glossary at the end was funny. It wasn't just punny or self-aware humor either, there's some biting and cynical stuff there. And some nostalgia, too - brought back a lot of memories of D&D, Pathfinder, Fallout, Paranoia. Its so hard for me to find a funny fantasy book that doesn't fall flat or make me roll my eyes. Finding this one when I did probably helped keep me sane.
Read the trilogy. You can't go wrong.
March 23, 2019
Well this was a lovely sequel. I loved it just as much if not more than Orconomics (my review for that book here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ), for all the same reasons. It's incredibly consistent in terms of quality, humor, characters, and plotting. All the same minor complaints I had about the first book still apply, although this book does manage to resolve one of the villains. I put it down wishing a bit more had been accomplished in terms of overcoming the antagonists, because after going through all of Orconomics without any of them getting their comeuppance I really, desperately wanted more resolution from this book, which was nearly twice as long. Flynn's still going, with an upgrade in baddiness, Golds and Baggs are still out there. The paladin's results were mixed, but he's still very much in play as well. Jin and Laruna (sorry if I misspell any names, I listened to the excellent audio) are still a tease. A certain elf/troll relationship is also left agonizingly dangling. The liche thing was brought to a complete arc, though.
All in all, the books are turning out to be one of the most tantric reading experiences I've ever read. I would have been perfectly satisfied if it had been a duology, if this book had buttoned up everything. The fact that the series is branded as a "saga" rather than being constrained to a promised trilogy or quintet or something is downright terrifying. But, destination aside, the journey is magnificent. I love these books to death and I will happily suffer more. I'm nowhere close to tired of these characters' antics.
One part that particularly impressed me was a character introduced mid way into the plot, a sort of stand-in for all the mid-level managers you've ever known, who ended up being remarkably compelling and rounded. I was surprised how happy I was every time it shifted to his POV, because an inserted character like that would normally aggravate the hell out of me.
The book doubles down and expands on a strength from the first book, in that the villains consistently tear down my faith in humanity while the heroes are equally capable of restoring it. That might sound like an easy thing, like a given for any good-vs-evil story, but it's not. Many stories might successfully evoke these feelings one time, many not at all. The first book did it once or twice. This book did it over and over again. It's impressive.
I see from Pike's website that he's working on book three, and I'm as loathe and frustrated to wait as I would be for any of my other top tier reads.
All in all, the books are turning out to be one of the most tantric reading experiences I've ever read. I would have been perfectly satisfied if it had been a duology, if this book had buttoned up everything. The fact that the series is branded as a "saga" rather than being constrained to a promised trilogy or quintet or something is downright terrifying. But, destination aside, the journey is magnificent. I love these books to death and I will happily suffer more. I'm nowhere close to tired of these characters' antics.
One part that particularly impressed me was a character introduced mid way into the plot, a sort of stand-in for all the mid-level managers you've ever known, who ended up being remarkably compelling and rounded. I was surprised how happy I was every time it shifted to his POV, because an inserted character like that would normally aggravate the hell out of me.
The book doubles down and expands on a strength from the first book, in that the villains consistently tear down my faith in humanity while the heroes are equally capable of restoring it. That might sound like an easy thing, like a given for any good-vs-evil story, but it's not. Many stories might successfully evoke these feelings one time, many not at all. The first book did it once or twice. This book did it over and over again. It's impressive.
I see from Pike's website that he's working on book three, and I'm as loathe and frustrated to wait as I would be for any of my other top tier reads.
March 8, 2024
Continuing on from the last book Gorm and his band of misfits are faced with a new threat. I was quite amused to find out what they were up against and also the mount of dry whit and humour that's packed into this book.
”Most of the heroes he knew approached prophecy as a formula, a set of detailed instructions along the lines of ‘Place object of legend A into slot B on sacred altar C, and wait for the path to treasure D to appear.’”
I love the characters even more if it's possible each one's personality getting stronger with the story. I don't have a favourite as they are all unique and quirky in their own ways and get equal air time which I really like. There’s a lot of character development in this story which was very pleasing and enjoyable to read.
”Success and status are a gilded cage. But when you let go of those things, or life takes them from you, the expectations don’t matter anymore. Strip it all away, and nothing can hurt you. You lose the fear.”
To sum up an immensely addictive read with outstanding writing and did I mention dry whit and humour? Terrific world building in all aspects of the story, lots of sarcasm, humour, adventures and not quite heroes trying to be better. Can’t wait for the next.
”Most of the heroes he knew approached prophecy as a formula, a set of detailed instructions along the lines of ‘Place object of legend A into slot B on sacred altar C, and wait for the path to treasure D to appear.’”
I love the characters even more if it's possible each one's personality getting stronger with the story. I don't have a favourite as they are all unique and quirky in their own ways and get equal air time which I really like. There’s a lot of character development in this story which was very pleasing and enjoyable to read.
”Success and status are a gilded cage. But when you let go of those things, or life takes them from you, the expectations don’t matter anymore. Strip it all away, and nothing can hurt you. You lose the fear.”
To sum up an immensely addictive read with outstanding writing and did I mention dry whit and humour? Terrific world building in all aspects of the story, lots of sarcasm, humour, adventures and not quite heroes trying to be better. Can’t wait for the next.
November 28, 2023
I loved Orconomics. And somehow, SON OF A LICHE still blew it out of the water.
Writing a genuinely funny book is an incredibly difficult task. Oftentimes, I feel like authors try way too hard to make a story funny, while completely forgetting substance, whether that be lovable characters, good pacing, decent prose. You know, an actual story. Those things books are supposed to have.
When facing the treacherous dragon that is genre-based comedy, well, I’ve definitely read my fair share of satires that feel more like a really crappy SNL sketch that won’t take a hint to just end.
Over the years, I’ve come across books that just hit that sweet spot. Good Omens is one of them (and most of Terry Pratchett’s work). Nicholas Eames’s The Band series is another. And after reading the first two books in this series, J. Zachary Pike’s Dark Profit Saga deserves to be among them.
Writing a genuinely funny book is an incredibly difficult task. Oftentimes, I feel like authors try way too hard to make a story funny, while completely forgetting substance, whether that be lovable characters, good pacing, decent prose. You know, an actual story. Those things books are supposed to have.
When facing the treacherous dragon that is genre-based comedy, well, I’ve definitely read my fair share of satires that feel more like a really crappy SNL sketch that won’t take a hint to just end.
Over the years, I’ve come across books that just hit that sweet spot. Good Omens is one of them (and most of Terry Pratchett’s work). Nicholas Eames’s The Band series is another. And after reading the first two books in this series, J. Zachary Pike’s Dark Profit Saga deserves to be among them.
May 27, 2018
I have been looking forward to this sequel for a very long time, and I am glad to say it did not disappoint. This book was a whirlwind of action-packed adventure from start to finish, and the occasional mood whiplash did not derail the excitement of following our heroes' quests.
All of the band find some kind of character development along their journey, and while some turns their characters took were odd, it made them a little more unique. I like how fraught the relationships are, it just makes for so much entertaining drama. Still, you get the sense of how much they all actually like each other, since they only .
Detarr and his minions cross a very strange line between funny and horrifying, and the mood whiplash is very strange. Detarr is incredibly patient with his minions (considering everything) and he really steals the scene whenever he appears. The whole undead-recruitment situation was so over the top it was cartoonish, but still, the plot moves along quickly enough not to let it become silly.
All in all worth the time spent reading, and looking forward yet again to the third book.
All of the band find some kind of character development along their journey, and while some turns their characters took were odd, it made them a little more unique. I like how fraught the relationships are, it just makes for so much entertaining drama. Still, you get the sense of how much they all actually like each other, since they only .
Detarr and his minions cross a very strange line between funny and horrifying, and the mood whiplash is very strange. Detarr is incredibly patient with his minions (considering everything) and he really steals the scene whenever he appears. The whole undead-recruitment situation was so over the top it was cartoonish, but still, the plot moves along quickly enough not to let it become silly.
All in all worth the time spent reading, and looking forward yet again to the third book.
January 26, 2024
After finish the fantastic Orconomics I just had to dive right into Son of a Liche. And it doesn’t disappoint, but sets the bar even a little higher.
It still difficult for me though to decide if it was better than the first book or not. While the first book introduced the characters and the world, and in my opinion put more emphasis on the humor and the capitalism satire, Son of a Liche focusses more on the actual story and the character development. And does so successfully. What threw me off a little at the beginning, however, were too many economical details as part of the satire (specifically the CTOs), because as I have mentioned in my first review, I am not particularly well-versed in economical matters. At all. So, readers who know about stock market, brokering, etc. might get a kick out of this, but for me it was basically a distraction from the story. But the aforementioned improvements of the storyline and the broadened focus on the characters and their development more than made up for it. Gorm is still the main character, but other characters get a lot more stage-time and their interactions here have more impact, the group-dynamics are even the center of attention at some point.
There are quite a few topics that are dealt with here, capitalism being the most up-front, but also racism, classism, colonialism, immigration, and quite a few other problems many societies are dealing with nowadays. The satire not subtle, often quite brutal, but incredibly well done, so it doesn’t draw away from the story. And that story is entertaining, funny, fast-paced, not foreseeable, and still leaves enough room for all the implications of a satire to sink in. It also has quite a lot of heart. I enjoyed myself immensely while also getting a lot of food for thought. There is actually one point pretty much in the middle of the book that could have been made into an extremely annoying and therefore well-placed cliffhanger for a bookending, but luckily the author decided to continue the story right there. The writing is impeccable and easy to follow.
In my opinion, this is a great story to read even if you’re not a fan of satires (If you’re a fan of satyrs, however, you will be disappointed).
It still difficult for me though to decide if it was better than the first book or not. While the first book introduced the characters and the world, and in my opinion put more emphasis on the humor and the capitalism satire, Son of a Liche focusses more on the actual story and the character development. And does so successfully. What threw me off a little at the beginning, however, were too many economical details as part of the satire (specifically the CTOs), because as I have mentioned in my first review, I am not particularly well-versed in economical matters. At all. So, readers who know about stock market, brokering, etc. might get a kick out of this, but for me it was basically a distraction from the story. But the aforementioned improvements of the storyline and the broadened focus on the characters and their development more than made up for it. Gorm is still the main character, but other characters get a lot more stage-time and their interactions here have more impact, the group-dynamics are even the center of attention at some point.
There are quite a few topics that are dealt with here, capitalism being the most up-front, but also racism, classism, colonialism, immigration, and quite a few other problems many societies are dealing with nowadays. The satire not subtle, often quite brutal, but incredibly well done, so it doesn’t draw away from the story. And that story is entertaining, funny, fast-paced, not foreseeable, and still leaves enough room for all the implications of a satire to sink in. It also has quite a lot of heart. I enjoyed myself immensely while also getting a lot of food for thought. There is actually one point pretty much in the middle of the book that could have been made into an extremely annoying and therefore well-placed cliffhanger for a bookending, but luckily the author decided to continue the story right there. The writing is impeccable and easy to follow.
In my opinion, this is a great story to read even if you’re not a fan of satires (If you’re a fan of satyrs, however, you will be disappointed).
July 30, 2020
Laugh-out-loud funny, has likeable well-developed characters AND an engaging plot.
I thought you had to choose 2 out of 3, but I guess Zachary Pike have missed the memo and wrote a book that delivers on absolutely all possible fronts. Genuinely one of the most fun and entertaining reads out there, even better than Orconomics (which is excellent as well). On par with Pratchett's Discworld novels, cannot recommend it enough!
I thought you had to choose 2 out of 3, but I guess Zachary Pike have missed the memo and wrote a book that delivers on absolutely all possible fronts. Genuinely one of the most fun and entertaining reads out there, even better than Orconomics (which is excellent as well). On par with Pratchett's Discworld novels, cannot recommend it enough!
March 23, 2019
This book took a long time to finish but it made me so happy I’m wondering if I simply didn’t want it to end. ‘Son of a Liche’ is the second book of a trilogy. They say middle books are often the weakest but I’m not sure it applies to this one. Pike keeps it up with the amazing, rich and living world that changes as the characters' actions affect it, and challenges the characters in turn.
In this book, they have a foe to defeat (within oneself too), a city to save, a purpose to find, names to clear, redemption to earn, and eventually hearts to mend. Not all of that goes successfully but what are you going to do. I loved tiny details from the first book returning with added significance. I generally loved that the story wasn’t just a line from point A to point B, but a complicated bundle of interwoven stories. That's always a bonus to me, but here the elements I thought were just for the mention in ‘Orconomics’ have jumped over the point B into the new plotlines.
There were too many characters to love and I especially liked the dynamics between… some of them. The Gaist-Heraldin line was amazing. We could add Gaist-Gorm to that. I think I almost cried at some point. Some points. Yeah, that’s more correct. I think Heraldin of all the primary characters grew the most. I liked him more than in the first book. Gorm’s progress was significant too. His past as a hero, shared with Kaitha, and their mutual respect for each other were more important in the first book but they also played a role here. His realization, however, was quite something. Jynn is probably my favourite character. His growth was kind of expected so it didn’t impress me that much, but the way it was executed and the way Pike kept it reasonable without painting his decisions easy because they were “right", that was quite impressive.
Of the new and new-ish characters. Burt was a great addition to the team. His interactions with Thane were some of the best to read. There’s another character whose storyline made me feel things. Best part is, I would never guess this character was important, so I won’t mention the name. I think that’s my favourite thing about Pike’s writing: he makes small details big and interesting. I just love that. And of course, his villains are fantastic!
What was disappointing, though, were the romantic storylines. Because they were basically all that Laruna and Kaitha got. Kaitha has it better, she's got an addiction to handle, and at least she has a past. Her main problem is love life but there are other things too, albeit small. But at least I can name them. Laruna has nothing except love life as a story. Which is extra frustrating because she had more in ‘Orconomics’. She could have more here too, yet romance is all she has to deal with (I don't count the major aim that the whole party shares. Everyone has this problem. It doesn't qualify). Additionally, she’s not a character I want to succeed in love life at all because of the way she treats her partners, but that’s intentional so it's not a drawback.
That said, ‘Son of a Liche’ is definitely a 5-star book and one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The problem I mentioned is not a small one because it concerns 2 of the 3 (ok, 4) leading women and those it doesn’t concern are an Orc and a Gnoll, aka underprivileged characters. And I don’t like this tendency. Still, I could take off half a star of it at most. Everything else was just too good.
Pike is certainly the author who understands what he’s doing. You see it in the dialogues, you see it in descriptions. You see it in the way the scenes make you feel. ‘Orconomics’ has immediately become the book I knew I’d want to re-read. Today ‘Son of a Liche’ has joined it.
In this book, they have a foe to defeat (within oneself too), a city to save, a purpose to find, names to clear, redemption to earn, and eventually hearts to mend. Not all of that goes successfully but what are you going to do. I loved tiny details from the first book returning with added significance. I generally loved that the story wasn’t just a line from point A to point B, but a complicated bundle of interwoven stories. That's always a bonus to me, but here the elements I thought were just for the mention in ‘Orconomics’ have jumped over the point B into the new plotlines.
There were too many characters to love and I especially liked the dynamics between… some of them. The Gaist-Heraldin line was amazing. We could add Gaist-Gorm to that. I think I almost cried at some point. Some points. Yeah, that’s more correct. I think Heraldin of all the primary characters grew the most. I liked him more than in the first book. Gorm’s progress was significant too. His past as a hero, shared with Kaitha, and their mutual respect for each other were more important in the first book but they also played a role here. His realization, however, was quite something. Jynn is probably my favourite character. His growth was kind of expected so it didn’t impress me that much, but the way it was executed and the way Pike kept it reasonable without painting his decisions easy because they were “right", that was quite impressive.
Of the new and new-ish characters. Burt was a great addition to the team. His interactions with Thane were some of the best to read. There’s another character whose storyline made me feel things. Best part is, I would never guess this character was important, so I won’t mention the name. I think that’s my favourite thing about Pike’s writing: he makes small details big and interesting. I just love that. And of course, his villains are fantastic!
What was disappointing, though, were the romantic storylines. Because they were basically all that Laruna and Kaitha got. Kaitha has it better, she's got an addiction to handle, and at least she has a past. Her main problem is love life but there are other things too, albeit small. But at least I can name them. Laruna has nothing except love life as a story. Which is extra frustrating because she had more in ‘Orconomics’. She could have more here too, yet romance is all she has to deal with (I don't count the major aim that the whole party shares. Everyone has this problem. It doesn't qualify). Additionally, she’s not a character I want to succeed in love life at all because of the way she treats her partners, but that’s intentional so it's not a drawback.
That said, ‘Son of a Liche’ is definitely a 5-star book and one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The problem I mentioned is not a small one because it concerns 2 of the 3 (ok, 4) leading women and those it doesn’t concern are an Orc and a Gnoll, aka underprivileged characters. And I don’t like this tendency. Still, I could take off half a star of it at most. Everything else was just too good.
Pike is certainly the author who understands what he’s doing. You see it in the dialogues, you see it in descriptions. You see it in the way the scenes make you feel. ‘Orconomics’ has immediately become the book I knew I’d want to re-read. Today ‘Son of a Liche’ has joined it.
January 18, 2019
Unquestionably 5* from me. Brilliant, funny, satirical, heroic adventure.
I enjoyed the preceding book in the series, Orconomics. With just the slight caveat that cramming so much into it maybe made the characters slightly distant for me, an important aspect for my appreciation of fiction. But at least that first book laid all the world building groundwork; the characters, the nature of the world, the bizarre and satirical economics of heroism and also the threat to the world of the Liche and the undead.
This volume plunged straight into the adventure involving our heroic characters with all that background defined. In particular it’s especially merciless with its satirical treatment of the financial system in the world where the increasing insurance against danger threatens to destabilise everything. A marvellous twist on recent banking crises in the real world!
Aside from the satire the characters do come into their own in this book. Not just some in the main heroic band but also figures in the background like Poldo, and the development of the brash ‘hero’, Johann. And one of the undead leaders, who becomes rather sympathetic as the story progresses! There’s a nice interplay between the Liche (the undead Mage) and his living son too.
A cracking pace, a fine fantasy adventure, plenty of incidents, always laced with a dash of wit and humour. I don’t want to overdo comparisons to Terry Pratchett but they seemed much more apparent to me here than maybe in the first volume.
I’m very much looking forward to the follow up book. This second book does resolve a lot of issues built up from Orconomics and from within the story told in this book. But enough is left for more to be told, and I hope particularly for a continuing satire on business and finance in this excellent fantasy world.
Highly recommended.
I enjoyed the preceding book in the series, Orconomics. With just the slight caveat that cramming so much into it maybe made the characters slightly distant for me, an important aspect for my appreciation of fiction. But at least that first book laid all the world building groundwork; the characters, the nature of the world, the bizarre and satirical economics of heroism and also the threat to the world of the Liche and the undead.
This volume plunged straight into the adventure involving our heroic characters with all that background defined. In particular it’s especially merciless with its satirical treatment of the financial system in the world where the increasing insurance against danger threatens to destabilise everything. A marvellous twist on recent banking crises in the real world!
Aside from the satire the characters do come into their own in this book. Not just some in the main heroic band but also figures in the background like Poldo, and the development of the brash ‘hero’, Johann. And one of the undead leaders, who becomes rather sympathetic as the story progresses! There’s a nice interplay between the Liche (the undead Mage) and his living son too.
A cracking pace, a fine fantasy adventure, plenty of incidents, always laced with a dash of wit and humour. I don’t want to overdo comparisons to Terry Pratchett but they seemed much more apparent to me here than maybe in the first volume.
I’m very much looking forward to the follow up book. This second book does resolve a lot of issues built up from Orconomics and from within the story told in this book. But enough is left for more to be told, and I hope particularly for a continuing satire on business and finance in this excellent fantasy world.
Highly recommended.
September 29, 2019
Ludilo koliko Pajk ume dobro da balansira humor sa izvesnom ozbiljnošću narative. Ono što mi je neretko bilo klimavo kod Pračeta (a nema puno toga klimavog kod Pračeta) jeste to što njegov humor i parodiranje izvesnih šablona u fantastici, pa onda i kasnija satirizacija i izmeštanje stvarnih ljudskih problema u fantastično okruženje, umeju da ukradu srž dinamičnosti narative. Pračet nije postao poznat po tenziji radnje.
Pajk, međutim, u tome ga sasvim sigurno nadmašuje. Sem što je zabavna i smešna, veoma empatična - sve kvaliteti koje deli sa Disksvetom, doduše ne uvek u istom redu veličine, jer ipak je Teri Teri - Dark Profit saga savršen je primer kako jedno samoobjavljeno ostvarenje može da potpuno zaseni cca 95% modernih naslova velikih izdavača. Tom savršenstvu i globalnoj ironiji (tri principa ironije, nešto kao one in a million kod Pračeta, meta su oslonac Pajkovog serijala) još više doprinosi činjenica da je ovo ekstremna. kritika (hiper)kapitalističkog društva koje, eto, igrom slučaja se zasniva na kvestovima i RPG mehanikama. Ovom delu buduće trilogije još je teže zameriti bilo šta, jer iako sledi neke ustaljeni obrasce, ima veće srce od bezmalo svih skorijih knjiga koje sam pročitao. Ne sećam se kada sam voleo neku družinu fantastike kao što volim ovu.
Prvi deo sam pročitao, a drugi deo odslušao, i mislim da oba formata imaju svojih prednosti, od kojih je narator audioknjige ona koja možda sija sjajnije.
5
Pajk, međutim, u tome ga sasvim sigurno nadmašuje. Sem što je zabavna i smešna, veoma empatična - sve kvaliteti koje deli sa Disksvetom, doduše ne uvek u istom redu veličine, jer ipak je Teri Teri - Dark Profit saga savršen je primer kako jedno samoobjavljeno ostvarenje može da potpuno zaseni cca 95% modernih naslova velikih izdavača. Tom savršenstvu i globalnoj ironiji (tri principa ironije, nešto kao one in a million kod Pračeta, meta su oslonac Pajkovog serijala) još više doprinosi činjenica da je ovo ekstremna. kritika (hiper)kapitalističkog društva koje, eto, igrom slučaja se zasniva na kvestovima i RPG mehanikama. Ovom delu buduće trilogije još je teže zameriti bilo šta, jer iako sledi neke ustaljeni obrasce, ima veće srce od bezmalo svih skorijih knjiga koje sam pročitao. Ne sećam se kada sam voleo neku družinu fantastike kao što volim ovu.
Prvi deo sam pročitao, a drugi deo odslušao, i mislim da oba formata imaju svojih prednosti, od kojih je narator audioknjige ona koja možda sija sjajnije.
5
December 3, 2019
The second instalment of the Dark Profit Saga builds upon the already excellent work that was Orconomics to achieve something even greater. Son of a Liche takes everything good in Orconomics (the characters, the humour) and wonderfully improves on the aspects that were lacking. It's hard to write satire and not seem redundant but this book manages it, being both a critique of the modern financial system and a parody of the fantasy and roleplaying game genres whilst also building up its particular style. The plotline advances well, developing its rich characters and intra-party dynamics that anyone that's been around roleplaying games for a while will be able to relate to. I personally preferred it to the first instalment in the series that felt occasionally, like most satires must, slightly clichéd and tired. Son of a Liche is fresh and full of fun, with the poignancy and tragic moments that we expect after Orconomics to tie us into the plot. It’s a very worthy successor that manages to improve on pretty much all aspects of the predecessor.
April 19, 2023
Лич заплашва света, а личият син дири разплата за миналото: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/l...
Човешките обитатели на Зем – и основно тези, които прибират големите печалби от създадената система на добре планирани и печеливши геройства – изобщо не подозират какво им се готви. Цели две противостоящи им сили се формират – едната е оркска армия, която жадува мъст за постоянната и често напълно непредизвика човешка агресия, а другата… пак армия, но немъртва, която е оглавена от лича и притежател на могъщи магьоснически умения Детар Ур’Маян, който планира обичайното: покоряване на света и избиване на всички живи в него. С което, трябва да му се признае, се справя със завиден успех. Защото за първи път в тази армия се прилагат модерни мениджърски похвати, които обхващат от фокус групи за изследване на правилните начини за сплашване на враговете до нови маркетингови стратегии за привличане на попълнения с умело ребрандиране на умирането и живота след смъртта.
Artline Studios
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/l...
Човешките обитатели на Зем – и основно тези, които прибират големите печалби от създадената система на добре планирани и печеливши геройства – изобщо не подозират какво им се готви. Цели две противостоящи им сили се формират – едната е оркска армия, която жадува мъст за постоянната и често напълно непредизвика човешка агресия, а другата… пак армия, но немъртва, която е оглавена от лича и притежател на могъщи магьоснически умения Детар Ур’Маян, който планира обичайното: покоряване на света и избиване на всички живи в него. С което, трябва да му се признае, се справя със завиден успех. Защото за първи път в тази армия се прилагат модерни мениджърски похвати, които обхващат от фокус групи за изследване на правилните начини за сплашване на враговете до нови маркетингови стратегии за привличане на попълнения с умело ребрандиране на умирането и живота след смъртта.
Artline Studios
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/l...
May 29, 2019
4 to 4.5 stars. Really enjoyable: excellent plotting, excellent character development, and excellent humor and smartly humorous writing (above and beyond the generally also well-down satire). The only thing that that I didn’t care for as much was the satirical bits re the undead army, as I thought that at times somewhat strained. Sometimes still funny, but often jarring (in contrast to the rest of the humor and satire, which blended in seamlessly).
June 15, 2018
Fun story
Really hits the highs and lows of an adventuring party. Great read, dynamic characters, fun story, and solid verbiage. Recommend immensely
Really hits the highs and lows of an adventuring party. Great read, dynamic characters, fun story, and solid verbiage. Recommend immensely
February 21, 2021
I loved Orconomics, and Son of a Liche is the rare sequel that not only lives up to the first book, it surpasses it. The jokes are solid, the emotions deep, and Pike's understanding of how economies are driven by simple human needs makes every conflict multi-layered.
You can read it for the humor, you can read it for the whip-smart satire, or you can read it for the classic fantasy adventuring. (If you're like me, you read it for all of the above.)
If you liked Orconomics, picking up this book is a no-brainer.
You can read it for the humor, you can read it for the whip-smart satire, or you can read it for the classic fantasy adventuring. (If you're like me, you read it for all of the above.)
If you liked Orconomics, picking up this book is a no-brainer.
May 17, 2018
The only bad thing about finishing this book is the length of time I have to wait for the third book to come out!!! I devoured this book in just a few days and could happily listen to more! What a fantastic adventure! I love every single character in these books (even the villains) and wish there was more for me to listen to! They also could not have picked a better narrator for this audiobook and I just can't imagine enjoying this story without Gorm's voice in my head! I thought it was very clever the way that the different perspectives of characters came together throughout the story as well and gave a real big picture view of this world.
I also downloaded the other two short stories by the same author off Amazon to my Kindle in the hopes that they are just as entertaining as this series.
Can't wait to see what happens next with the dragon!!! Also it's killing me not knowing when they'll be able to get ENTIRE party back together, but the epilogue gave me hope!
I also downloaded the other two short stories by the same author off Amazon to my Kindle in the hopes that they are just as entertaining as this series.
Can't wait to see what happens next with the dragon!!! Also it's killing me not knowing when they'll be able to get ENTIRE party back together, but the epilogue gave me hope!
October 8, 2020
J. Zachary Pike's Son of a Liche is a delight and a wonderful follow up to Orconomics. Reading this series has given me the experience of falling into a expertly crafted mirror of our world, poking fun and provoking thought whilst still having a deeply engaging narrative, characters who feel genuinely human (or Dwarf, Elf, Orc, Gnoll, Troll and more) wrapped up in a consistently amusing and enthralling Arth running on its own narrative rules.
The only other series that has had quite the same feeling of satire, depth and heart for me was Terry Pratchett's Discworld. I truly hope to be exploring Arth for years to come, because at this point the only complaint I could level would be that there isn't more.
The only other series that has had quite the same feeling of satire, depth and heart for me was Terry Pratchett's Discworld. I truly hope to be exploring Arth for years to come, because at this point the only complaint I could level would be that there isn't more.
May 17, 2018
Son of a Liche retains the same wit, charm, and humor from the first book in the series.
The party continues on in their world mixed of RPG and economic turmoil, and they remain the underdogs we've come to know and love. Wrongly accused and targeted by "heroes", the band is forced into difficult decisions - do they split the party? Will they compromise in their goals? Will they sacrifice to save each other?
I highly recommend Orconomics, and following that, Son of a Liche. Both will make you laugh out loud, and are also written with great story and humanity.
Note, I was given an Advanced Reader Copy to review. I liked Orconomics so much that I corresponded with the author, and was offered an early copy, which I immediately accepted.
The party continues on in their world mixed of RPG and economic turmoil, and they remain the underdogs we've come to know and love. Wrongly accused and targeted by "heroes", the band is forced into difficult decisions - do they split the party? Will they compromise in their goals? Will they sacrifice to save each other?
I highly recommend Orconomics, and following that, Son of a Liche. Both will make you laugh out loud, and are also written with great story and humanity.
Note, I was given an Advanced Reader Copy to review. I liked Orconomics so much that I corresponded with the author, and was offered an early copy, which I immediately accepted.
July 13, 2019
Good, but nowhere near as good as the first book. Son of a Liche suffered some severe pacing issues, and would have *greatly benefitted* from being split into two books. In fact, it reads like two books, with two distinct series of character development, and two distinct action peaks in the book.
Perhaps for this reason, the book drags on, and the puns and segueways that happily connected chapters in the first book here became groanworthy.
I'll probably still read the third book? Probably? But after this, it won't be at the top of my list.
Perhaps for this reason, the book drags on, and the puns and segueways that happily connected chapters in the first book here became groanworthy.
I'll probably still read the third book? Probably? But after this, it won't be at the top of my list.
December 27, 2023
Pretty good but nowhere near Orconomics for me. Still funny and clever as hell and overall I’m feeling positive. I just think this one was a little too long for what this series is trying to do. There’s probably ~200 pages you could cut from this easily as the whole middle section pretty much grinds to a halt. Also a lot of the stakes start to seem non existent due to plot armor. Mindless action is a chore to read for me. Still going to continue because I think this series is special.
December 12, 2020
I finally finished this! It took me a while, not because it wasn't excellent, but because long books are kind of intimidating and I got distracted by other shiny new things. But I'm so glad I got to dive back into this one (half on audiobook) because it was amazing.
All the things I loved about the first book - from the worldbuilding to the characters to the clever writing - are brought back here and expanded on even further. The setting is so fun and feels so familiar but at the same time is presented in such a delightfully unique way. The characters we came to know and love in the previous book each show further growth and development here, and I loved getting to know them better and exploring their relationships with each other. The book does a fantastic job of balancing emotional character moments with it's humor so that even while you're laughing and having a grand old time, you still become really invested in the main characters and feel for them when they're struggling. Jynn's character development here was especially well done, and I cannot wait to see what happens with Kaitha and Thane in the next book. Even Burt got a nice little character arc here that was fun to see, and Gorm will forever be my favorite jaded professional hero dwarf.
I cannot count how many times this book made me laugh out loud. It is absolutely hilarious in places and there are plenty of running jokes throughout that just get better and better each time they pop up. The whole Benny Hookhand subplot took a fantastic turn that I'm still grinning about. Johan the Mighty is even more ridiculous than before here and remains a constant source of entertainment to me. And then all the humor involved with the undead army and their marketing department was *chef's kiss* perfection.
I really hope the next book in the series comes out soon. I loved this so much and can't wait to dive back into this world and see where the characters end up.
All the things I loved about the first book - from the worldbuilding to the characters to the clever writing - are brought back here and expanded on even further. The setting is so fun and feels so familiar but at the same time is presented in such a delightfully unique way. The characters we came to know and love in the previous book each show further growth and development here, and I loved getting to know them better and exploring their relationships with each other. The book does a fantastic job of balancing emotional character moments with it's humor so that even while you're laughing and having a grand old time, you still become really invested in the main characters and feel for them when they're struggling. Jynn's character development here was especially well done, and I cannot wait to see what happens with Kaitha and Thane in the next book. Even Burt got a nice little character arc here that was fun to see, and Gorm will forever be my favorite jaded professional hero dwarf.
I cannot count how many times this book made me laugh out loud. It is absolutely hilarious in places and there are plenty of running jokes throughout that just get better and better each time they pop up. The whole Benny Hookhand subplot took a fantastic turn that I'm still grinning about. Johan the Mighty is even more ridiculous than before here and remains a constant source of entertainment to me. And then all the humor involved with the undead army and their marketing department was *chef's kiss* perfection.
I really hope the next book in the series comes out soon. I loved this so much and can't wait to dive back into this world and see where the characters end up.
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