Reviews with content warning for Addiction - Kings of the Wyld

Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

8 reviews

banjo_hammer's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I regularly saw this book recommended to people who wanted a standalone adventurous fantasy story instead of multi-volume epics or grimdark stories. And while it has its flaws, it certainly delivered.

A few critiques: first, it drags on at times. There are side adventures and party members keep getting added. There's also a fair bit of overwriting, repeating details from earlier chapters before verbatim (helpful, but done more than necessary) or using a paragraph for something that only needs 3-5 words. If you're someone comfortable skimming such sections, then it's not so bad.

Second, the idea of mercenary bands being an allegory for real world rock bands was at times amusing, and at others groan worthy. The conceit seemed to come and go throughout the story. A few chapters in I found it annoying, wishing the author would go full-on satire or just lay off with the cute nods and references. I mostly got over it by the middle of the book.

And third, there's a fair bit of Dad the Protector fantasy that's very Taken-esque, in the sense that the dads indeed have "a very particular set of skills." This will appeal to some readers but, I'm sure, not others. That said, I'm a middle aged dad so it hit home with me. Others' mileage may vary.

That said, overall the story was dang fun. The characters are all likeable, if not loveable, in their own ways. Lots of classic D&D style adventure elements, for folks who dig that. I liked that most of the heroes were old and past their glory days. The world felt lived in and its mythology was interesting. I spent the whole book rooting for Clay, Gabe, Moog, and all the rest, curious to see how they would make it all the way across the map. Despite some eye rolls along the way, it was a good time cover to cover

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billyjepma's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A proper hoot and a half. The writing is solid and somehow finds a great balance between maintaining tangible stakes and not taking itself seriously. Eames has played a lot of D&D because the vibes here are exactly that—chaotic, heartfelt, and bursting with a bravado that’s only sometimes earned but is always entertaining. It didn’t rock my world, and the pacing is too meandering for its own good, despite feeling authentic to the kind of adventure it is. The momentum never stalls, though—things move too fast for that to happen, which is a good thing. But the narrative does suffer slightly since the drama rarely has the time it needs to properly crystallize. But yeah, I had a great time and will pick up the sequel because this is the platonic ideal of a fantasy world.

Also, I picked this up to fill the Baldur’s Gate 3 hole in my life, and it rose to the occasion! So, if anyone else is feeling similarly, this might help.

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kliberty21's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Phenomenal book that I regret finishing. This book had me giggling in one chapter, then immediately panicking the next. With so many tales of "coming of age", it's fascinating to read a story of "getting the band back together one more time".

Clay Cooper is a fantastic lead, who is so human and relatable, and the entire group is just incredibly unique and I loved their interactions together along the journey.

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