Reviews

Lesser Evils by Erin M. Evans

lemmily's review against another edition

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4.0

I absolutely loved this book. It gave me more ideas for my Tiefling character I’m about to play.

This is the story of a couple of tiefling twins. They were abandoned in their infancy and raised by an outcast Dragonborn. I love how well Erin shows the sisterly bond between the two. How you see the petty fights of all siblings and the overpowering love that will keep them together, no matter how angry they may get.

In this book the small family is changed when Farideh accepts the bond to a cambion and becomes a warlock. They become bounty hunters and end up on Neverwinter, and in a ton of trouble. There are Ashmadai, Succubus, more devils and Erinyes, hell wasps, and so much more. It’s very well written. A great adventure. Enjoy!

franklin56709's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

3.5

morvrun's review against another edition

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adventurous dark lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

spikypango's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Just really enjoyable fantasy. This whole series is a fun read that still has substance. Breathes new life into sword & sorcery novels. Incidentally set in Forgotten Realms, so if you like D&D, get into it.

returner424's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

jeremiah_mccoy's review against another edition

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3.0

So, game fiction is often not awesome. Some like the books of Paul S Kemp are down right insultingly bad. Some are just good adventure tales with little depth. This on is more the later. It is a solid adventure tale with a likable protagonist and her family. The downside here is the Lorkin character. He is the devil that provides Farideh's pact. D&D has never made devils interesting. They are like devils from the heavy metal album covers. This book is filled with that and it is why this 3 stars instead of 4. That said, the Farideh and Havilar are excellent characters, flawed in human ways but still heroic. Their Dragonborn adoptive father is a bit one note, but still nice. This book is not going to win a Pulitzer or anything but I found most of the main characters likable and the action was good.

jeremiah_mccoy's review

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4.0

This is better than the first book. There are less devils involved in this story, so I was less distracted by there annoying portrayal in D&D. This is a straight up D&D adventure for the most part. The new characters are a bit shallow but enjoyable non the less. Farideh and company get sucked into a races to a lost netherese archive against Shadovar forces. Good comradery. The mysteries in the archive are fun to see unfold.

My one problem, which is a little of hold over from the previous story, is the parts involving the devils. A more annoying thing is the fact Farideh is still swooning over her abuser, Lorkin. In the first book it could be forgiven, she is young and he holds power over her. Book two, she goes out of her way, risks her life and her friends lives to rescue a guy who is emotionally abusive, manipulative, and also a freaking Devil. This is super irritating in the way that Twilight and other romances often go. It is a trope I kind of hate and I want it to go away.

That said, the rest of the book is excellent. I like all the main characters with the exception of Lorkin. The heroine gets to be pretty heroic.

reddjena's review against another edition

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5.0

Pros:
Extensive background knowledge of Forgotten Realms unnecessary to enjoy
Twin sisters dynamic differences and personalities
Read like a novel but easy to visualize as a campaign
Characters were all a lot of fun

Cons:
Sometimes there seemed to be a bit too much description
There was an end

This book was a lot of fun to read for a variety of reasons, but I most liked the characters. We were given several different POVs throughout, which worked well to carry the story. My favorite was seeing through the demon's eyes! I'm glad these characters have not only a sequel but two more books as well.

kamatari2021's review against another edition

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4.0

I don't read as many "franchise" fantasy books anymore (books tied to Dungeons and Dragons or other media properties), but this one was good. It had interesting characters and an engaging story.

telegramsam's review against another edition

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5.0

This book was amazing. Great characters, great pacing on the story, and just enough loose threads to draw you forward to the sequels.

I fall in love with just about every character, but especially Farideh and her twin Havilar. I can't think of any book I've read recently that captured the tensions and challenges of a teen on the cusp of becoming an adult. Throw in the troubles of having a devil trying to control you as well, and I just have so much more respect for Farideh for coming out as she had.

Audiobook note: The story was also excellently narrated by Dina Pearlman. Skillful variations on the different voices as well as emoting actions and the feelings of the characters.