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Villains by Necessity
With the banishment of Evil from the realms, the final victory of Good is assured-unless a few stalwart antiheroes can save the world from a serious and potentially fatal imbalance. First novelist Forward explores the complications that arise from a surfeit of "goodness" in the world. The result is a skewed version of the epic fantasy that features an assassin, a thief, an evil sorceress, a dark knight, and an implacable druid as the villains-turned-heroes who must restore the delicate balance of opposing forces before their world disappears in a blinding flash of Goodness and Light. -- Library Journal
Forward's first novel gives the concept of the balance between good and evil a most ingenious twist: What if good were so totally triumphant that it became a worse danger than evil, and a band of unemployed evil characters had to go on a desperate quest to find the means of putting the saving bit of evil back into the world? The result of this twist is an almost straightforward quest tale, with numerous well-drawn characters (including a centaur who starts off as a secret agent for good and eventually joins the side of evil), great ingenuity about magic, very creditable world-building, and considerable wit. Although bearing its share of first-novel flaws, it has many more virtues, which include an underlying, serious examination of the good-evil dichotomy that is the basis of so many role-playing games. -- Roland Green
Forward's first novel gives the concept of the balance between good and evil a most ingenious twist: What if good were so totally triumphant that it became a worse danger than evil, and a band of unemployed evil characters had to go on a desperate quest to find the means of putting the saving bit of evil back into the world? The result of this twist is an almost straightforward quest tale, with numerous well-drawn characters (including a centaur who starts off as a secret agent for good and eventually joins the side of evil), great ingenuity about magic, very creditable world-building, and considerable wit. Although bearing its share of first-novel flaws, it has many more virtues, which include an underlying, serious examination of the good-evil dichotomy that is the basis of so many role-playing games. -- Roland Green
544 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Eve Forward
4 books46 followersEve Forward is an author and television screenwriter. She is the daughter of the late American physicist and popular science fiction author Robert L. Forward and the sister of Bob Forward, also a writer and film director.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
January 6, 2015
"In a game of chess, someone has to take the black pieces." - In that one sentence, Eve Forward brilliantly summarizes the premise of her debut novel. Most fantasy writers feature a battle between good and evil where good wins at the end. However, "Villains By Necessity" takes a different approach, and explores exactly what happens AFTER good has triumphed over evil...and the result is one of the most compelling books I've ever read!
In Eve's novel, the ultimate triumph of good over evil has left the world dangerously out of balance. Days are lasting much longer, night is almost non-existent, and almost everyone is blissfully unaware that the overwhelming presence of light over dark is threatening to burn out everything in existence. Thus, five villains team up to reintroduce evil into the world in order to save it.
There's so much to like about this book. On the surface, you have an intriguing plot and the five villains are all fascinating characters. The villains are made up of a brooding assassin, an enthusiastic thief, a wise female Druid, a mysterious silent knight, and a twisted sorceress. Each one has their own distinct personality and are fun to read about. (One of Forward's greatest tricks is how she was able to inject so much personality even into the black knight character while he's completely mute and concealed in armor.) There's a lot of humor that works, and more than enough action to keep things exciting.
While the main story is more than enough to make this a good read, what really won me over was how Forward used the premise to explore the concepts of "good" and "evil" more deeply. For example, the supposedly "good" guys are very morally ambiguous at times...one uses his wizardry to brainwash villains and force them to become good, which raises ethical questions throughout the novel. Furthermore, the fact that "evil" people are trying to save the world also brings into question people's tendencies to apply labels on others. There's one scene where the villains engage in a brilliant debate over whether there's really that much difference between good and evil...for example, the assassin foiled an attempted rape by killing the attacker...is he "good" for preventing the rape, or "evil" for killing someone? By tackling such themes on morality, Forward takes an already-epic tale and builds it into something truly profound.
There are some flaws in this book. While Forward does most things well, the fact that she is a novice writer does show at times. Her prose can be somewhat clumsy, and she doesn't do a very good job of establishing the world where this all takes place...sometimes city names are thrown at the reader as if we already knew the history of this fictional world before even reading this book. And then there's Robin...a centaur who joins the villains in order to act as a spy for the good guys. Robin is so very whiny and annoying at times! Normally, these flaws would have made me knock a star off...except that the good parts of this book are SO darn good! "Villains By Necessity" has been out-of-print for some time, making it hard to find, but trust me, it's worth the effort!
In Eve's novel, the ultimate triumph of good over evil has left the world dangerously out of balance. Days are lasting much longer, night is almost non-existent, and almost everyone is blissfully unaware that the overwhelming presence of light over dark is threatening to burn out everything in existence. Thus, five villains team up to reintroduce evil into the world in order to save it.
There's so much to like about this book. On the surface, you have an intriguing plot and the five villains are all fascinating characters. The villains are made up of a brooding assassin, an enthusiastic thief, a wise female Druid, a mysterious silent knight, and a twisted sorceress. Each one has their own distinct personality and are fun to read about. (One of Forward's greatest tricks is how she was able to inject so much personality even into the black knight character while he's completely mute and concealed in armor.) There's a lot of humor that works, and more than enough action to keep things exciting.
While the main story is more than enough to make this a good read, what really won me over was how Forward used the premise to explore the concepts of "good" and "evil" more deeply. For example, the supposedly "good" guys are very morally ambiguous at times...one uses his wizardry to brainwash villains and force them to become good, which raises ethical questions throughout the novel. Furthermore, the fact that "evil" people are trying to save the world also brings into question people's tendencies to apply labels on others. There's one scene where the villains engage in a brilliant debate over whether there's really that much difference between good and evil...for example, the assassin foiled an attempted rape by killing the attacker...is he "good" for preventing the rape, or "evil" for killing someone? By tackling such themes on morality, Forward takes an already-epic tale and builds it into something truly profound.
There are some flaws in this book. While Forward does most things well, the fact that she is a novice writer does show at times. Her prose can be somewhat clumsy, and she doesn't do a very good job of establishing the world where this all takes place...sometimes city names are thrown at the reader as if we already knew the history of this fictional world before even reading this book. And then there's Robin...a centaur who joins the villains in order to act as a spy for the good guys. Robin is so very whiny and annoying at times! Normally, these flaws would have made me knock a star off...except that the good parts of this book are SO darn good! "Villains By Necessity" has been out-of-print for some time, making it hard to find, but trust me, it's worth the effort!
January 16, 2008
I first read this book when I was 15. I now have a bachelor's in English, and this is the only book I've read more than 2-3 times. I LOVE this book. I think there's a clear message here that is beyond a classic fantasy story with great humor and an epic plot. This book says to me that we choose (and have a right to choose) who we are, "good" or "evil." Some reviewers criticize the book for making evil characters that aren't 100% evil. In actuality, THAT IS THE POINT! People are not "good" or "evil" completely. What we perceive as "evil" often is simply misunderstood. What makes Eve's story so great IS her characters. If you ever take the time to truly get to know a person that on the surface seems shallow or cruel, you know that underneath... they are (in my experience) not what they seem on the surface. Read it if you can find it... it's a fantastic book! PS. Sam (the ASSASIN! not thief...) is my favorite character of course.
March 30, 2008
No, this book isn't heavy, thought-provoking reading, and it isn't a huge, epic thing like Lord of the Rings. It's just a good book! The characters are likeable, the plot is straightforward, but involved enough to pull you in. It's a good rainy-day book, or as a mental break from heavy, complicated fantasies (or English textbooks).
If you can find a copy, read and enjoy it-- that's all!
I read this book the summer I turned fifteen; I'd checked it out from the local library. From start to finish, I was totally in love. Once I had to return the book to the library, I searched high and low for my own copy. Even then, the book was so close to my heart that I tracked down the author and started a correspondence with her that lasts to this day.
If you can find a copy, read and enjoy it-- that's all!
I read this book the summer I turned fifteen; I'd checked it out from the local library. From start to finish, I was totally in love. Once I had to return the book to the library, I searched high and low for my own copy. Even then, the book was so close to my heart that I tracked down the author and started a correspondence with her that lasts to this day.
August 3, 2007
Unforunately, this gem of a book has been out of print for quite some time and is worth $50 paperback and $100 hardback.
This is not your typical fantasy novel, it is written in a fantasy realm where good has prevailed. There is no murder, no stealing, no mugging. Fortunately, the ex-head of the theives guild is set to make things right in the world. Travel with the band fo merry theives as they set out to open the portals of darkness and unleash evil back into the world.
Villains by Necessity is one of the most enjoyable books to read, it is easy to understand and full of quirky humor.
If you ever ind this book in a used bookstore, trashcan, or library, you will not regret giving Eve Forwards masterpeice a try.
This is not your typical fantasy novel, it is written in a fantasy realm where good has prevailed. There is no murder, no stealing, no mugging. Fortunately, the ex-head of the theives guild is set to make things right in the world. Travel with the band fo merry theives as they set out to open the portals of darkness and unleash evil back into the world.
Villains by Necessity is one of the most enjoyable books to read, it is easy to understand and full of quirky humor.
If you ever ind this book in a used bookstore, trashcan, or library, you will not regret giving Eve Forwards masterpeice a try.
December 23, 2020
I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I figured it would follow a pretty standard plot line but it had some nice twists and turns throughout. I wished the writer had done more books in her Career, I would like to see how she handled different plots and stories. well worth the read. Very recommended
March 2, 2007
I... loved this book. It is an imaginative and refreshingly new take on the classic ´save the world´ fantasy adventure novel, with nods to the world of D&D and the popular fantasy universes we´re all so familiar with. The characters are wonderfully believable and imperfect, but loveable, and the plot takes many unexpected turns. An old favorite from the first time I read it, and highly recommended for all fans of fantasy novels.
March 9, 2023
This is such a fun book, what a shame it has been out of print for so long. I hope more people can discover this story. Absolutely in my reread list! Sure it's tropey and predictable but it's kind of the point of the tale. The characters are all fun and likeable, even if they are murdering villains (except one idiot six-limbed bungler, but he's still cute).
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
May 24, 2014
This was a fun read; not a serious one or one that added to
the fantasy genre.
The highlights of this book are:
(1) Evil has to save the world by trying to restore the
game balance; so good people are after them;
(2) the humor is fairly good in this tale;
(3) the pacing is well done;
(4) the story is light on evil so if you don't want a serious
spread, you got it in this tale; and
(5) There are some clever outcomes for the villains; in other words, they succeed in ways that aren't usual
The areas that aren't so great are:
(1) If you wanted an in depth discussion of how evil characters would really be, you won't get it. The evil characters in this tale are more;
(2) while the characters are detailed, it lacks heart and
emotional resonance (slight exception for the main character);
(3) Not enough on details or legends;
(4) Several things remind me of a D&D game so if you hate
the game, be warned.; and
(5) A few points don't make logical sense (no spoilers here)
Overall, an above average read for veteran fantasy readers,
but this is no George R.R. Martin nor Raymond E. Feist. But then, this is her first book so I might eat my hat later. :)
the fantasy genre.
The highlights of this book are:
(1) Evil has to save the world by trying to restore the
game balance; so good people are after them;
(2) the humor is fairly good in this tale;
(3) the pacing is well done;
(4) the story is light on evil so if you don't want a serious
spread, you got it in this tale; and
(5) There are some clever outcomes for the villains; in other words, they succeed in ways that aren't usual
The areas that aren't so great are:
(1) If you wanted an in depth discussion of how evil characters would really be, you won't get it. The evil characters in this tale are more;
(2) while the characters are detailed, it lacks heart and
emotional resonance (slight exception for the main character);
(3) Not enough on details or legends;
(4) Several things remind me of a D&D game so if you hate
the game, be warned.; and
(5) A few points don't make logical sense (no spoilers here)
Overall, an above average read for veteran fantasy readers,
but this is no George R.R. Martin nor Raymond E. Feist. But then, this is her first book so I might eat my hat later. :)
October 29, 2018
This is one of my favorite books of all time. Villains by Necessity is one of those books that you pick up and never forget. The characters and scenes are so entertaining and the story just keeps pressing you forward.
In Dungeons and Dragons, playing a villain is often a hard thing, especially since everyone around you is usually (if not lawful good) then usually closer to the good guy side of things than normal. Playing a villain is difficult because a team full of Chaotic Evil characters will do everything in their power to kill everyone else. Eve Forward found the perfect reason for a band of villains to work together to a common goal.
I'm so proud to have been the narrator for this audiobook and to have helped Eve in developing the eBook version that is being released soon. I hope that everyone who picks this book up will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed reading it.
In Dungeons and Dragons, playing a villain is often a hard thing, especially since everyone around you is usually (if not lawful good) then usually closer to the good guy side of things than normal. Playing a villain is difficult because a team full of Chaotic Evil characters will do everything in their power to kill everyone else. Eve Forward found the perfect reason for a band of villains to work together to a common goal.
I'm so proud to have been the narrator for this audiobook and to have helped Eve in developing the eBook version that is being released soon. I hope that everyone who picks this book up will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed reading it.
September 16, 2011
Truly awful and simplistic. I picked it up hoping for a reasonably intelligent take on the relationship between "good" and "evil."
I wasn't expecting Kant or Spinoza but I didn't even get Moorcock. I didn't make it past the first 50 pages before tossing it aside in disgust.
PS - I'm adding it to my shelves now (Sept 2011) because I just saw it on the new Recommendations page that they added to the site. Until now I had mercifully forgotten it.
Thanks, GoodReads!
I wasn't expecting Kant or Spinoza but I didn't even get Moorcock. I didn't make it past the first 50 pages before tossing it aside in disgust.
PS - I'm adding it to my shelves now (Sept 2011) because I just saw it on the new Recommendations page that they added to the site. Until now I had mercifully forgotten it.
Thanks, GoodReads!
Want to read
July 29, 2016I recently asked you guys what your single favourite book is, this recommendation is courtesy of David.
Keep on recommending, friends, broaden my horizons!
Keep on recommending, friends, broaden my horizons!
June 11, 2019
I enjoyed this a lot. It was not the most well written book (OMG yep we get it they're evil) but it was interesting, unique, and funny. It felt like a premise for an RPG game. Pretty decent audiobook too.
I think I'll be reading this again in the future :)
I think I'll be reading this again in the future :)
September 19, 2021
2.5 / 5
Villains by Necessity is a fantasy novel by Eve Forward. Apparently, it is the author's debut novel and it shows. The word that can best describe my feelings after having read that book is disappointment. I was disappointed because the premise was great and promising but its execution failed in so many ways that by the mid-point it was just tiring.
I think the main problem of the book was the characters. All of them feel like caricatures, often predictably two-dimensional. The protagonists embark on a difficult adventure, often life threatening, and with a grim future at stake and still their actions lack justification and sense. Their depiction is usually nonchalant, casual and sometimes borders on silly. The antagonists are even more ridiculous, constantly showing levels of ineptitude and folly that can be compared only to their lack of wisdom, intelligence, judgement and rationale.
And here's the main and major problem of the book. Because of the above, it's nearly impossible to actually like ANY of the characters of the book, good or bad! They are so predictably cliched and unlikable that you can't root for either side. I'd say the most likable character is the mute knight and that's because he doesn't say a word and gets so little page-time (ok, that's my expression, adapted from "screen-time").
The plot is messy as well, as it often moves erratically and at times it can be a bit confusing. The various events that take place often remind of typical D&D or similar role-playing games but that is not bad.
The writing is also not without faults. The dialogues are often cringy, especially when Arcie and Sam are involved, but the antagonists also have their fair share of bad dialogue as well. The descriptions are all over the place, sometimes great and to the point, sometimes off the mark and confusing. Finally, there are several mistakes and typos (in my version at least).
If you follow my reviews regularly, you must know by now that I usually and mostly focus on the negatives of a work, even if it deserves and gets a near perfect score from me. So far, I've indicated many of my gripes and complains about this novel. I won't say that everything is bad though. If you get past the above annoyances or if they don't matter much to you, then there's a lot of fun to be had while reading this book. The whole adventure is both epic in scope and action packed. There are are a lot of crazy things happening at any moment and it can keep your interest going. And that under-mountain chapter was by far the most interesting and entertaining of the novel for many reasons! It's just too bad the author didn't use those specific antagonists more often to give the encounters and interactions a much-needed dynamic.
All in all, it's a fun book, but ultimately a missed opportunity as it could have been much better and much more. It has its good points and maybe more of the bad ones. Recommended with reservations for fans of the genre!
2.5 / 5
Villains by Necessity is a fantasy novel by Eve Forward. Apparently, it is the author's debut novel and it shows. The word that can best describe my feelings after having read that book is disappointment. I was disappointed because the premise was great and promising but its execution failed in so many ways that by the mid-point it was just tiring.
I think the main problem of the book was the characters. All of them feel like caricatures, often predictably two-dimensional. The protagonists embark on a difficult adventure, often life threatening, and with a grim future at stake and still their actions lack justification and sense. Their depiction is usually nonchalant, casual and sometimes borders on silly. The antagonists are even more ridiculous, constantly showing levels of ineptitude and folly that can be compared only to their lack of wisdom, intelligence, judgement and rationale.
And here's the main and major problem of the book. Because of the above, it's nearly impossible to actually like ANY of the characters of the book, good or bad! They are so predictably cliched and unlikable that you can't root for either side. I'd say the most likable character is the mute knight and that's because he doesn't say a word and gets so little page-time (ok, that's my expression, adapted from "screen-time").
The plot is messy as well, as it often moves erratically and at times it can be a bit confusing. The various events that take place often remind of typical D&D or similar role-playing games but that is not bad.
The writing is also not without faults. The dialogues are often cringy, especially when Arcie and Sam are involved, but the antagonists also have their fair share of bad dialogue as well. The descriptions are all over the place, sometimes great and to the point, sometimes off the mark and confusing. Finally, there are several mistakes and typos (in my version at least).
If you follow my reviews regularly, you must know by now that I usually and mostly focus on the negatives of a work, even if it deserves and gets a near perfect score from me. So far, I've indicated many of my gripes and complains about this novel. I won't say that everything is bad though. If you get past the above annoyances or if they don't matter much to you, then there's a lot of fun to be had while reading this book. The whole adventure is both epic in scope and action packed. There are are a lot of crazy things happening at any moment and it can keep your interest going. And that under-mountain chapter was by far the most interesting and entertaining of the novel for many reasons! It's just too bad the author didn't use those specific antagonists more often to give the encounters and interactions a much-needed dynamic.
All in all, it's a fun book, but ultimately a missed opportunity as it could have been much better and much more. It has its good points and maybe more of the bad ones. Recommended with reservations for fans of the genre!
2.5 / 5
August 10, 2012
Must read. Kill the nifty gnomes!
February 19, 2015
Torturously boring. I'm just so glad I'm done with it I can't even be bothered to write a proper reviw right now. Maybe later.
June 20, 2019
Note: I listened to an audio book.
So this book originally came to my attention as a comedy fantasy- WHICH IT IS NOT. Whoever put this book on that list on goodreads.com should be flogged. My expectations were completely wrong and as a result I got bored with this book. It is a good book but much more of an epic high fantasy quest book with a twist. Had I come prepared to sink into a fantasy land for a good long while I believe I would have enjoyed this book much more. As it is, I am thinking I may attempt to reread this book at some point in the future with the right mind set.
Bottom line: This should be a rewarding read when approached with appropriate expectations.
So this book originally came to my attention as a comedy fantasy- WHICH IT IS NOT. Whoever put this book on that list on goodreads.com should be flogged. My expectations were completely wrong and as a result I got bored with this book. It is a good book but much more of an epic high fantasy quest book with a twist. Had I come prepared to sink into a fantasy land for a good long while I believe I would have enjoyed this book much more. As it is, I am thinking I may attempt to reread this book at some point in the future with the right mind set.
Bottom line: This should be a rewarding read when approached with appropriate expectations.
August 31, 2021
Though there were a few elements of this that made it worth reading, as a whole I feel it doesn't really work. It raises several potential different themes: "good and evil are natural forces that must be balanced", "evil ain't so bad after all", and "good and evil are far too simplistic to describe people". Yet it doesn't commit to any of these or really delve deep into them, except arguably some interesting imagery regarding the first. Add to that a standard campaign plot and fairly basic characters and the result is more an interesting artifact than anything.
Shelved as 'tried-but-couldn-t'
July 7, 2022DNF - 60ish pages 🤷🏻♀️
This wasn’t for me. The writing style was bland. The cover blurb felt misleading. I couldn’t let go of what I wanted based on the summary and enjoy what was given instead.
I also couldn’t get past the fact that it was written by a female author but still sounded exactly like it was written by a man. The two main characters were men. The women were oversexualized.
This wasn’t for me. The writing style was bland. The cover blurb felt misleading. I couldn’t let go of what I wanted based on the summary and enjoy what was given instead.
I also couldn’t get past the fact that it was written by a female author but still sounded exactly like it was written by a man. The two main characters were men. The women were oversexualized.
August 27, 2018
This book is by far my favorite piece of fantasy literature. Forward does an excellent job of exploring the themes of good vs. evil and what being a hero means. This book engaged me in a way that very few books have recently. I believe this book is out of print currently, which is a pity, but it is a must read for any person interested in fantasy literature.
May 30, 2020
This is my best friend's favorite book and after reading it I can see why! A great fantasy filled with a unique plot, humor and fantastic characters!
February 4, 2021
At one point the book got to be a bit slow, but it picked up again. Overall I think this was a 3.5, but I'm rounding up to 4 stars. The premise was interesting and was pulled off rather well.
February 27, 2023
Very fun! DnD campaign in book form. Enjoyable. Makes you think about how the world works.
August 26, 2017
It hasn't aged well. The idea is clever, but aside from the basic concept it comes off as a fairly turgid Tolkien retelling, and the 'bad guys as good guys' idea has been done better since. Not uninteresting, but I can't say I enjoyed it much.
September 16, 2020
Eve Forward does an excellent job of turning the bad guys into good guys while maintaining their innate badness. A true delight, with intricate, round characters and a well paced, action packed adventure.
September 18, 2020
A really fun read. Cheering on the bad guys!
September 26, 2018
An excellent book I recommend it to anyone looking for a great read that you cant put down. I hope they come out with a Kindle version soon so I can add that to my collection and can keep my hardcover on my shelf. I also would love to see a sequel to Villains by necessity. there is so much more that could be told for the story and Eve is a true storyteller, who's stories pull you in and make you feel for the characters involved.
August 9, 2017
A hidden gem if ever there was one!
An epic adventure with a simple twist - what if the bad guys had to save the world - unfolds like a classic D&D party adventure, but with characters whose alignments range from true neutral down to chaotic evil rather than the norm. None of them are perhaps as grim or dark as today's anti-heroes, most having scruples and honor-amongst-thieves and all that. But they are characters you can get behind and grow fond of, even the annoying centaur.
The heroes are arrayed against them are exactly the smug sort of do-gooders they need to be to demonstrate that total victory for Lawful Good would be a Bad Thing, though somehow you still admire them for winning the previous war (the one in all normal Epic fantasies - who says Sanderson and Morgan were the first to do "after the war" stories?).
The worldbuilding is straight from the D&D handbook in a lot of cases, but with some interesting twists and some good puns (the lands names!), and there are a lot of magical spells, potions, and devices that serve to keep things moving and characters alive - just like in your RPGs, so it works.
All in all a remarkable book, bursting at the seems with ideas and dialogue with its banal contemporaries (which it sometimes struggles to contain), packing a trilogy's-worth of quest into one epic volume. In some ways it's very like a lost Discworld novel, though in a completely different style. In other ways it's totally unique, and both of and ahead of its time along with a few others, completely disproving the idea that late 20th C fantasy was all farmboys and by-the-numbers, while still, in a way, celebrating that era in all its shiny, questy splendour.
Heck, it makes me want to go back and play Icewind Dale with these characters...
An epic adventure with a simple twist - what if the bad guys had to save the world - unfolds like a classic D&D party adventure, but with characters whose alignments range from true neutral down to chaotic evil rather than the norm. None of them are perhaps as grim or dark as today's anti-heroes, most having scruples and honor-amongst-thieves and all that. But they are characters you can get behind and grow fond of, even the annoying centaur.
The heroes are arrayed against them are exactly the smug sort of do-gooders they need to be to demonstrate that total victory for Lawful Good would be a Bad Thing, though somehow you still admire them for winning the previous war (the one in all normal Epic fantasies - who says Sanderson and Morgan were the first to do "after the war" stories?).
The worldbuilding is straight from the D&D handbook in a lot of cases, but with some interesting twists and some good puns (the lands names!), and there are a lot of magical spells, potions, and devices that serve to keep things moving and characters alive - just like in your RPGs, so it works.
All in all a remarkable book, bursting at the seems with ideas and dialogue with its banal contemporaries (which it sometimes struggles to contain), packing a trilogy's-worth of quest into one epic volume. In some ways it's very like a lost Discworld novel, though in a completely different style. In other ways it's totally unique, and both of and ahead of its time along with a few others, completely disproving the idea that late 20th C fantasy was all farmboys and by-the-numbers, while still, in a way, celebrating that era in all its shiny, questy splendour.
Heck, it makes me want to go back and play Icewind Dale with these characters...
March 1, 2014
Oh my goodness, I finally finished a novel over 500+ pages this year and it was excellent!
Usually my big beef with chunky books is often they are so bloated that sometimes parts feel unnecessary or convoluted, but that is totally not the case with this book. Villains by Necessity is hilarious, charming and is easily one of the best novels I read where the villains are the stars (outside of may be Vicious by V.E Schwab) and they mean business... if business is trying to restore order to the world. Peace is boring! Being a dick is awesome! is really what this story starts out as and grows into something more interesting.
I don't want to spoil it though it is a hard book to obtain with it now being out of print, but if you can find a copy it's highly worth the read for the entertaining characters alone. Sam was my favourite, but then again I always seem to love the Sam characters in books.
Usually my big beef with chunky books is often they are so bloated that sometimes parts feel unnecessary or convoluted, but that is totally not the case with this book. Villains by Necessity is hilarious, charming and is easily one of the best novels I read where the villains are the stars (outside of may be Vicious by V.E Schwab) and they mean business... if business is trying to restore order to the world. Peace is boring! Being a dick is awesome! is really what this story starts out as and grows into something more interesting.
I don't want to spoil it though it is a hard book to obtain with it now being out of print, but if you can find a copy it's highly worth the read for the entertaining characters alone. Sam was my favourite, but then again I always seem to love the Sam characters in books.
December 16, 2012
Have you ever wondered what happens when the epic battle of good (light) versus evil (light) is won? Is it all as peaceful and loving and happy as typical stories make it out to be? This book says no! "It all goes to pot", according to Sam the assassin and Arcie the master thief. Ultimately, it is conflict that drives progress in the world and without it it begins to stagnate.
This is an enjoyable story, terrible prose and all. All questions of morality and ethics aside it entertains in a fun way that other 'serious' fantasy usually misses. The 'heroes', despite being an assassin, a thief, a flesh-eating sorceress, a non-conforming druid, and a black knight, are all very likable. The forces of light are presented as vain, self-important, shallow, close-minded, and blind to the true world.
I've always been a fan of the anti-hero, and here are a whole group of them! Even when the 'badguys' win there can be a happy ending.
This is an enjoyable story, terrible prose and all. All questions of morality and ethics aside it entertains in a fun way that other 'serious' fantasy usually misses. The 'heroes', despite being an assassin, a thief, a flesh-eating sorceress, a non-conforming druid, and a black knight, are all very likable. The forces of light are presented as vain, self-important, shallow, close-minded, and blind to the true world.
I've always been a fan of the anti-hero, and here are a whole group of them! Even when the 'badguys' win there can be a happy ending.
August 16, 2008
Genre: Epic Fantasy
This is a basic twist on the generic D&D style "group of adventures must do x (usually a widgit hunt) in order to save the world". The twist is that since Good has won the war the group of adventures are Evil, trying to bring Evil back into the world, to keep the world from exploding due to perfection. There were some really cute stabs at the books it's parodying - at one point you meet a group of adventures that are pretty much the DragonLance characters. It's a fun read, but it never really gets beyond parady. Actually I'm not sure it's parody so much as a pastiche - since the author is obviously a fan of the style, and it's affectionately treated.
This is a basic twist on the generic D&D style "group of adventures must do x (usually a widgit hunt) in order to save the world". The twist is that since Good has won the war the group of adventures are Evil, trying to bring Evil back into the world, to keep the world from exploding due to perfection. There were some really cute stabs at the books it's parodying - at one point you meet a group of adventures that are pretty much the DragonLance characters. It's a fun read, but it never really gets beyond parady. Actually I'm not sure it's parody so much as a pastiche - since the author is obviously a fan of the style, and it's affectionately treated.
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