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A review by monstroustea
Tournament of Losers by Megan Derr
4.0
I love the tournament trope and I'm a big fan of Derr, so I was excited the moment she started talking about writing this book. When I finally got to buy it, I ended up staying up past sunrise reading it, because there just wasn't a good point to set it down!
Right away, I fell in love with the protagonist, Rath. He can be so crude but he's also just Too Good. I was so happy to be reading his story, to know that whatever rough stuff continued to happen he was going to get a happy ending. I loved every moment he spent talking with anyone, whether it was a friend or guard or what, every interaction he had was so great.
I felt about Tress exactly the way Rath did at first. I was taken with him but also a bit wary...
SpoilerIt quickly became apparent that Tress was the prince, as was only appropriate for the story. I felt so frustrated that Rath didn't realize it, but Tress did very well at hiding it. And they are such a good pair. I know I had a ridiculous smile on my face every time they'd have a cute moment together. They were killing me with the sweetness of it all.
This review feels a little all over the place because I just finished it and am giddy from the ending. Their relationship developed so well, it felt so real and all the sweeter for it. I was so nervous when Rath mentioned Tress to Quintin that things were going to downhill because of that. Rath's anger when things did get revealed was surely understandable and I was with him on that... then he went back and there was Tress's note and my heart broke.
Speaking of heart breaking: tears! I didn't give a damn about Rath's dad, but the writing was so strong that his visceral emotions just tore into me. I had to take off my glasses and just keep a tissue at hand while Rath checked on his mother and then until he Fynn had met back up with Teller–I was feeling as on edge as Rath at that moment and was worried about leaving Teller behind. And then I may have cried a bit at the end because everything went smoothly once Rath arrived at the tournament grounds and I was so damned happy that he and Tress were back together and Rath was getting everything he wanted and everyone was so happy for him. Rath is just such a truly great guy that I was so happy to see other characters appreciating him.
And the other characters were all great, too (except Jessa, of course). I loved how you could feel the camaraderie between Rath and everyone he knew, how they were all ready to do whatever they reasonably could to help him deal with his father's latest debt. Fynn and Teller were great and I was thrilled that Rath was as fond of them as I was. (I can only hope someday he'll tell Fynn and Teller the story of Lord Tress.)
The world-building was spot on. There was a lot of information given without information dumps, it was all put in very skillfully. Things like High City and Low City and the villages, the different colored flags to show what was offered by brothels, the goddesses (and the reveal of just why Rathatayen was a name everyone had such a reaction to).
I have nothing but good things to say about this book. A part of me wishes there were more, but everything was wrapped up very nicely. (Though I don't think we ever did learn what that wedding present was... perhaps Megan Derr will need to write a ficlet or two to cover that and some moments of Rath living the hoity-toity life. I would dearly love to see some Royal Rath.) This has absolutely become a new favorite and I'm sure I'll read it many more times.
Right away, I fell in love with the protagonist, Rath. He can be so crude but he's also just Too Good. I was so happy to be reading his story, to know that whatever rough stuff continued to happen he was going to get a happy ending. I loved every moment he spent talking with anyone, whether it was a friend or guard or what, every interaction he had was so great.
I felt about Tress exactly the way Rath did at first. I was taken with him but also a bit wary...
SpoilerIt quickly became apparent that Tress was the prince, as was only appropriate for the story. I felt so frustrated that Rath didn't realize it, but Tress did very well at hiding it. And they are such a good pair. I know I had a ridiculous smile on my face every time they'd have a cute moment together. They were killing me with the sweetness of it all.
This review feels a little all over the place because I just finished it and am giddy from the ending. Their relationship developed so well, it felt so real and all the sweeter for it. I was so nervous when Rath mentioned Tress to Quintin that things were going to downhill because of that. Rath's anger when things did get revealed was surely understandable and I was with him on that... then he went back and there was Tress's note and my heart broke.
Speaking of heart breaking: tears! I didn't give a damn about Rath's dad, but the writing was so strong that his visceral emotions just tore into me. I had to take off my glasses and just keep a tissue at hand while Rath checked on his mother and then until he Fynn had met back up with Teller–I was feeling as on edge as Rath at that moment and was worried about leaving Teller behind. And then I may have cried a bit at the end because everything went smoothly once Rath arrived at the tournament grounds and I was so damned happy that he and Tress were back together and Rath was getting everything he wanted and everyone was so happy for him. Rath is just such a truly great guy that I was so happy to see other characters appreciating him.
And the other characters were all great, too (except Jessa, of course). I loved how you could feel the camaraderie between Rath and everyone he knew, how they were all ready to do whatever they reasonably could to help him deal with his father's latest debt. Fynn and Teller were great and I was thrilled that Rath was as fond of them as I was. (I can only hope someday he'll tell Fynn and Teller the story of Lord Tress.)
The world-building was spot on. There was a lot of information given without information dumps, it was all put in very skillfully. Things like High City and Low City and the villages, the different colored flags to show what was offered by brothels, the goddesses (and the reveal of just why Rathatayen was a name everyone had such a reaction to).
I have nothing but good things to say about this book. A part of me wishes there were more, but everything was wrapped up very nicely. (Though I don't think we ever did learn what that wedding present was... perhaps Megan Derr will need to write a ficlet or two to cover that and some moments of Rath living the hoity-toity life. I would dearly love to see some Royal Rath.) This has absolutely become a new favorite and I'm sure I'll read it many more times.