A review by kiraly
One for the Morning Glory by John Barnes

5.0

The best way I can think of to describe this story is "a tongue-in-cheek homage to fantasy adventure tales". The characters accept that they are part of a story, and occasionally they correct each other when someone assumes something will happen in way that wouldn't fit the tale. There are sneaky references to other bits and bobs from the fantasy/adventure universe, like the "gazebo" (which are often mentioned as creatures which people hunt and eat) and the Riddling Beast's question ("What goes on four legs in the morning, shaves the barber at noon, and crosses the road in the evening, and what does it have in its pockets?") All in all, it reminds me of what would happen if The Princess Bride met Terry Pratchett's Discworld books and someone threw in a dash of [b:The Mouse That Roared|149153|The Mouse That Roared|Leonard Wibberley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347739012s/149153.jpg|1305]. I definitely recommend it for anyone who feels like reading a fantasy novel that doesn't take itself too seriously.