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Majordomo: A Novella
A plucky underdog. A powerful necromancer. And the idiot heroes bent on killing them.
Kobolds are supposed to run away—it’s what they’re best at. But Jack? Born with a club foot, he’s had to adapt. Resilient and clever, he clawed his way to respectability as majordomo of a premiere subterranean estate. He even found a father figure in the famed necromancer who owns the place.
Life was perfect… until a superband of overpowered do-gooders arrived bent on burglary and murder. These mercilessly righteous warriors of light cannot be beaten, or at least that’s how it looks on paper.
Jack must choose between survival and the people he loves… unless he can somehow defy the stats and find an unconventional solution.
If you like Terry Pratchett, J. Zachary Pike, or Nicholas Eames, you’ll love Majordomo. Buy now, before the price goes up or the murderhobos descend.
Kobolds are supposed to run away—it’s what they’re best at. But Jack? Born with a club foot, he’s had to adapt. Resilient and clever, he clawed his way to respectability as majordomo of a premiere subterranean estate. He even found a father figure in the famed necromancer who owns the place.
Life was perfect… until a superband of overpowered do-gooders arrived bent on burglary and murder. These mercilessly righteous warriors of light cannot be beaten, or at least that’s how it looks on paper.
Jack must choose between survival and the people he loves… unless he can somehow defy the stats and find an unconventional solution.
If you like Terry Pratchett, J. Zachary Pike, or Nicholas Eames, you’ll love Majordomo. Buy now, before the price goes up or the murderhobos descend.
135 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2024
29 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Tim Carter
2 books37 followersTim Carter writes fantasy fiction, video games, and movies. He draws inspiration from a lifelong love of strategy and role-playing games, especially Dungeons and Dragons.
He is best known for writing the console game Sleeping Dogs, writing and producing the Dead Rising series of movies, and producing the digital series Mortal Kombat: Legacy.
He lives with his wife and two dogs in Vancouver, Canada.
He is best known for writing the console game Sleeping Dogs, writing and producing the Dead Rising series of movies, and producing the digital series Mortal Kombat: Legacy.
He lives with his wife and two dogs in Vancouver, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
November 23, 2024
This was phenomenal. It's clever, heartwarming, and damn-near impossible not to read in one sitting. If you're a fan of Travis Baldree's Legends and Lattes, J. Zachary Pike's Orconomics, or the unimpeachable masterwork that is my own Kings of the Wyld (listen, this is MY review and I can say what I want, okay?) then this, I think, is a must-read.
Tim's got a full-size novel on the way next year, and I'll be reading that thing the moment it has a physical form.
Tim's got a full-size novel on the way next year, and I'll be reading that thing the moment it has a physical form.
October 19, 2025
3.5 stars but I am rounding up, because I had fun in this novella. Groundbreaking? Probably not, you have a Kobold trying to save his evil castle and boss from the Good Guys. But what it did it did well.
I have to say it's more a cozy read, (with some murder, hey they are the bad guys) than a grimdark/ bloody fantasy.
Writing was engaging and you get some emotional moments on top.
If you have some time on a week end and don't know what to read, you wouldn't do to bad with this.
I have to say it's more a cozy read, (with some murder, hey they are the bad guys) than a grimdark/ bloody fantasy.
Writing was engaging and you get some emotional moments on top.
If you have some time on a week end and don't know what to read, you wouldn't do to bad with this.
December 22, 2024
This was exactly the read I didn’t know I needed!
Fantastically well-written, endearing, and contains some incredibly poignant moments, this is a story of the underdogs, the misrepresented, the unjustly treated, and my goodness me I loved every single page.
Kobolds. Ghouls. Orcs. Spiders. Necromancers.
Good or evil?
I am so bored of “the chosen one” being special just because of the circumstances of their birth. People are a result of their actions and thoughts, not where they come from. This incredible novella subverts all the expected tropes of high fantasy and turns everything on its head. There is humour, but mostly this is full of heart.
The characters are brilliant, the story is perfectly paced (even as a novella, it feels deep enough and not at all rushed), and several points made me well up.
Go into this without any expectations, and I’m sure you’ll have just as great a read as I did.
HIGHLY recommend!
Fantastically well-written, endearing, and contains some incredibly poignant moments, this is a story of the underdogs, the misrepresented, the unjustly treated, and my goodness me I loved every single page.
Kobolds. Ghouls. Orcs. Spiders. Necromancers.
Good or evil?
I am so bored of “the chosen one” being special just because of the circumstances of their birth. People are a result of their actions and thoughts, not where they come from. This incredible novella subverts all the expected tropes of high fantasy and turns everything on its head. There is humour, but mostly this is full of heart.
The characters are brilliant, the story is perfectly paced (even as a novella, it feels deep enough and not at all rushed), and several points made me well up.
Go into this without any expectations, and I’m sure you’ll have just as great a read as I did.
HIGHLY recommend!
March 9, 2025
Review originally on JamReads
Majordomo is a humorous fantasy novella, written by Tim Carter; a trope twisted story, which takes many classic elements and uses them to create a compelling and fun novella, inverting the roles between the bad ones and the good ones. A kobold running a necromancer's estate, a group of do-gooders that pretend to burglar and murder their occupants and an excellent character development to bring a novella that was so different from most I've read.
Born with a club foot and a father that wouldn't accept this flaw, Jack soon found how difficult life could be for a kobold; but his luck changed when a famous necromancer offered him a work. With his hard work and his ethic, he eventually became the majordomo and the one that runs the subterranean estate; and Carter plays excellently to interchange the roles between evil and good, putting us in the position to cheer our kobold and the necromancer when a group of adventurers came to loot and murder at the estate.
Particularly, it is heartwarming to see how Jack is not only a hard working and honest character, but how he almost considers the necromancer as a father figure; he's suffering, watching how his master is slowly devoured by dementia, becoming a shadow of what he was. He also has to take care of the estate and those that work with him, and we can see how all those creatures that usually play the antagonist roles in fantasy become those that we cheer for, all through the eyes of Jack. And vice versa, those that would have been the heroes are, in reality, the baddies.
The way the story describes the role of the majordomo remembers me of videogames like Dungeon Keeper, while the humour and that social critic that is centered around making the disabled ones, those that wouldn't be the chosen ones our main characters, in a way that remembers to Pratchett's Discworld. Despite it is a relatively short story, it has space to be cozy and dark at the same time (remember, we are the villains, right?); and the pacing is quite on point, making reading this an authentic delight.
Majordomo is an excellent presentation letter, a different fantasy novella, perfect if you are looking for something fun but with a ton of heart. Definitely I need to keep an eye on Tim Carter, because he promises to be a name to watch!
Majordomo is a humorous fantasy novella, written by Tim Carter; a trope twisted story, which takes many classic elements and uses them to create a compelling and fun novella, inverting the roles between the bad ones and the good ones. A kobold running a necromancer's estate, a group of do-gooders that pretend to burglar and murder their occupants and an excellent character development to bring a novella that was so different from most I've read.
Born with a club foot and a father that wouldn't accept this flaw, Jack soon found how difficult life could be for a kobold; but his luck changed when a famous necromancer offered him a work. With his hard work and his ethic, he eventually became the majordomo and the one that runs the subterranean estate; and Carter plays excellently to interchange the roles between evil and good, putting us in the position to cheer our kobold and the necromancer when a group of adventurers came to loot and murder at the estate.
Particularly, it is heartwarming to see how Jack is not only a hard working and honest character, but how he almost considers the necromancer as a father figure; he's suffering, watching how his master is slowly devoured by dementia, becoming a shadow of what he was. He also has to take care of the estate and those that work with him, and we can see how all those creatures that usually play the antagonist roles in fantasy become those that we cheer for, all through the eyes of Jack. And vice versa, those that would have been the heroes are, in reality, the baddies.
The way the story describes the role of the majordomo remembers me of videogames like Dungeon Keeper, while the humour and that social critic that is centered around making the disabled ones, those that wouldn't be the chosen ones our main characters, in a way that remembers to Pratchett's Discworld. Despite it is a relatively short story, it has space to be cozy and dark at the same time (remember, we are the villains, right?); and the pacing is quite on point, making reading this an authentic delight.
Majordomo is an excellent presentation letter, a different fantasy novella, perfect if you are looking for something fun but with a ton of heart. Definitely I need to keep an eye on Tim Carter, because he promises to be a name to watch!
June 10, 2025
English version below
*****************
Ich bin hier ganz überraschend auf eine wundervolle kleine Fantasy-Novelle gestoßen. Die Geschichte schafft es, gleichzeitig spannend, humorvoll und herzzerreißend zu sein.
In der Story geht es um einen behinderten Majordomo, der sich hingebungsvoll um das Wohlergehen seines Arbeitgebers, eines alten und mächtigen Totenbeschwörers, kümmert.
Ich kann und will jetzt an dieser Stelle gar nicht mehr dazu sagen, weil jede weitere Erläuterung bereits ein Spoiler wäre, da das Büchlein so kurz ist.
Ich lege diese Novelle jedem Fantasy-Fan wärmstens ans Herz.
-------------------------
I surprisingly came across a wonderful little fantasy novella. The story manages to be exciting, humorous and heartbreaking at the same time.
The story is about a disabled majordomo who devotes himself to the welfare of his employer, an old and powerful necromancer.
I can't and don't want to say any more about it at this point, because any further explanation would already be a spoiler, as the booklet is so short.
I warmly recommend this novella to every fantasy fan.
*****************
Ich bin hier ganz überraschend auf eine wundervolle kleine Fantasy-Novelle gestoßen. Die Geschichte schafft es, gleichzeitig spannend, humorvoll und herzzerreißend zu sein.
In der Story geht es um einen behinderten Majordomo, der sich hingebungsvoll um das Wohlergehen seines Arbeitgebers, eines alten und mächtigen Totenbeschwörers, kümmert.
Ich kann und will jetzt an dieser Stelle gar nicht mehr dazu sagen, weil jede weitere Erläuterung bereits ein Spoiler wäre, da das Büchlein so kurz ist.
Ich lege diese Novelle jedem Fantasy-Fan wärmstens ans Herz.
-------------------------
I surprisingly came across a wonderful little fantasy novella. The story manages to be exciting, humorous and heartbreaking at the same time.
The story is about a disabled majordomo who devotes himself to the welfare of his employer, an old and powerful necromancer.
I can't and don't want to say any more about it at this point, because any further explanation would already be a spoiler, as the booklet is so short.
I warmly recommend this novella to every fantasy fan.
October 16, 2024
This came to me as a recommendation, and I went in completely blind.
I then proceeded to pick it up and finished it in one sitting !
I honestly didn't expect such a wonderful story, and despite it only being a 100 pages, it delivered absolutely everything I need in a story.
The character work is just marvellous. I felt so deeply for everyone involved. I adored the integrity and honesty of the MC. I felt the vulnerability and sadness for some of the characters, and I was also furious with the betrayals and villains.
I completely fell in love with the world building and imagery. The book is simple, but so cleverly done. I couldn't help but feel involved
This book has blown me away. A fully deserved 5 stars and I need to read more from this author desperately
I then proceeded to pick it up and finished it in one sitting !
I honestly didn't expect such a wonderful story, and despite it only being a 100 pages, it delivered absolutely everything I need in a story.
The character work is just marvellous. I felt so deeply for everyone involved. I adored the integrity and honesty of the MC. I felt the vulnerability and sadness for some of the characters, and I was also furious with the betrayals and villains.
I completely fell in love with the world building and imagery. The book is simple, but so cleverly done. I couldn't help but feel involved
This book has blown me away. A fully deserved 5 stars and I need to read more from this author desperately
December 25, 2024
Loved this so much ❤️! Perfect little story that didn't overstay its welcome if that makes sense.
A story of family, friends, and defending what you love, risking your own life and hoping everyone else makes it out.
There was laughter, tears, and rage...this was a balm to me yesterday and today.
Both are rough days because of very personal reasons and I was drawn to this after seeing a review from L.L. MacRae (her review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).
Highly recommend and super excited for his next book!
A story of family, friends, and defending what you love, risking your own life and hoping everyone else makes it out.
There was laughter, tears, and rage...this was a balm to me yesterday and today.
Both are rough days because of very personal reasons and I was drawn to this after seeing a review from L.L. MacRae (her review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).
Highly recommend and super excited for his next book!
September 24, 2024
4.5
I wasn’t really sure if I should pick this one up right now because I’m not really into a lot of adventure stories lately. I’m really glad I did though because the vibes of the book were quite different from what I had expected based on the blurb. It kept me interested effortlessly with its dry humor and the attitude of the narrator, whose voice I liked a lot. The story flowed well as he told it and the chapters flew by.
It had a bit of a lumbering feel at the start, but not in a bad way. In a comfortable way that fit the story. It also turned out to be cozier (in a murderous way) and more heart-warming than I’d anticipated. Most of it was pretty satisfying, though the ending did feel a little rushed. That’s really my only complaint though.
This was the first novella I read because of SFINCS2 and it kicked things off nicely for me. I’m not a judge but as an organizer, I do try to support our entrants where I can by reading as many of them as possible. I don’t know yet which one will be the next but if they’re all this well told, then I’ll be a very happy reader.
If you’re a fan of A Necromancer Called Gam Gam, then give this one a try as well. I think they could share a lot of fans.
I wasn’t really sure if I should pick this one up right now because I’m not really into a lot of adventure stories lately. I’m really glad I did though because the vibes of the book were quite different from what I had expected based on the blurb. It kept me interested effortlessly with its dry humor and the attitude of the narrator, whose voice I liked a lot. The story flowed well as he told it and the chapters flew by.
It had a bit of a lumbering feel at the start, but not in a bad way. In a comfortable way that fit the story. It also turned out to be cozier (in a murderous way) and more heart-warming than I’d anticipated. Most of it was pretty satisfying, though the ending did feel a little rushed. That’s really my only complaint though.
This was the first novella I read because of SFINCS2 and it kicked things off nicely for me. I’m not a judge but as an organizer, I do try to support our entrants where I can by reading as many of them as possible. I don’t know yet which one will be the next but if they’re all this well told, then I’ll be a very happy reader.
If you’re a fan of A Necromancer Called Gam Gam, then give this one a try as well. I think they could share a lot of fans.
July 12, 2025
“Does your heart make a sound when it breaks? Mine did it silently.”
This was a rejuvenating read. I had had a couple of disappointing reads and was falling into a reading slump. But right before the slump could overwhelm me, I was bullied (affectionately) into starting this novella. It is exactly what I needed to rediscover my love of reading. It is so very good. I only found out after I finished the book that the author was also the writer behind one of my absolute favorite video games - sleeping dogs.
This book was excellent. It is a short, cozy, funny D&D romp with a lot of heart. From the very first chapter, the author sets the tone and lulls the reader into comfort before expertly subverting all the tropes. The balance with which it is done is so good that one doesn’t even feel the subversion and decides that yes- this is indeed where the story was always going. Masterful. It is very easy to be invested in the main character. Within 10 pages, I was hooked enough to keep following the MC despite some very despicable behavior.
I want to rave more about the writing, the plot, the characters, but this novella is sincerely best enjoyed going in blind. So I’ll simply say that this book is chock full of fantasy elements- kobolds, ghouls, spider gods, necromancers, undead skeletons, basilisks, paladins, orcs, gnomes, archers, thieves, bards, ogres, but most of all it has that emotional gut punch that accompanies all great epic fantasies. It is spectacular skill to weave so much fun, magic, and make the reader feel the feels in just 100 pages. If that is not enough, I’ll add one more hook- people with daddy issues, or people who know people with daddy issues will love this book.
This was a rejuvenating read. I had had a couple of disappointing reads and was falling into a reading slump. But right before the slump could overwhelm me, I was bullied (affectionately) into starting this novella. It is exactly what I needed to rediscover my love of reading. It is so very good. I only found out after I finished the book that the author was also the writer behind one of my absolute favorite video games - sleeping dogs.
This book was excellent. It is a short, cozy, funny D&D romp with a lot of heart. From the very first chapter, the author sets the tone and lulls the reader into comfort before expertly subverting all the tropes. The balance with which it is done is so good that one doesn’t even feel the subversion and decides that yes- this is indeed where the story was always going. Masterful. It is very easy to be invested in the main character. Within 10 pages, I was hooked enough to keep following the MC despite some very despicable behavior.
I want to rave more about the writing, the plot, the characters, but this novella is sincerely best enjoyed going in blind. So I’ll simply say that this book is chock full of fantasy elements- kobolds, ghouls, spider gods, necromancers, undead skeletons, basilisks, paladins, orcs, gnomes, archers, thieves, bards, ogres, but most of all it has that emotional gut punch that accompanies all great epic fantasies. It is spectacular skill to weave so much fun, magic, and make the reader feel the feels in just 100 pages. If that is not enough, I’ll add one more hook- people with daddy issues, or people who know people with daddy issues will love this book.
August 29, 2025
Majordomo' made me smile. Not because it was cosy or even comic but because I'd always suspected the heroes and paladins of the light were violent narcissists rather than righteous warriors, and it was nice to see someone take them on.
It was an engaging story with a strong climax that also allowed me to understand the emotional attachment between the lethal, club-footed, should-have-been-drowned-at-birth Majordomo and the much-feared necromancer who gave him a home and treated him like a son.
In 103 pages, Tim Carter built a small world, shared the story of an outcast's life and showed me how a Superband of Heroes can seem like Murdering Hobos to the people whose home they are trying to sack. The plot kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. The action scenes were fun, and the main character was the most likeable killer I met in a while.
I'd like to read more of Tim Carters' work, so I've downloaded his latest novel, 'Jester' which was published in April 2025.
It was an engaging story with a strong climax that also allowed me to understand the emotional attachment between the lethal, club-footed, should-have-been-drowned-at-birth Majordomo and the much-feared necromancer who gave him a home and treated him like a son.
In 103 pages, Tim Carter built a small world, shared the story of an outcast's life and showed me how a Superband of Heroes can seem like Murdering Hobos to the people whose home they are trying to sack. The plot kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. The action scenes were fun, and the main character was the most likeable killer I met in a while.
I'd like to read more of Tim Carters' work, so I've downloaded his latest novel, 'Jester' which was published in April 2025.
March 6, 2025
Fantastic novella that reads like an evil D&D session combined with the Boss Monster board game. A flippant tone from the main character, a disabled kobold, really makes the story tick. Despite its light-hearted approach on the surface there are still touching moments packed in.
Had so much fun reading this one.
Had so much fun reading this one.
July 22, 2025
Majordomo absolutely blew me away. In just 113 pages, Tim Carter delivers a novella that’s action-packed, emotionally resonant and deeply human. It’s rare to find a short book with this much depth, but somehow, this one does it all.
The battle scenes are brilliantly choreographed, vivid, intense, and perfectly paced. But what really sets this apart is the emotional weight behind all the action. The relationship between the main character and his “boss” is so beautifully written, tender, loyal and layered in a way that stuck with me long after I finished.
There’s also some stellar disability rep here the MC has a club foot and there is also a dementia storyline that hits hard. As someone who’s watched multiple grandparents face dementia, those moments were incredibly moving. The portrayal is honest, respectful, and heartbreaking in the best way, it added a whole new layer of heart to the story.
For something this short, the character development is seriously impressive. Every moment counts and Carter doesn’t waste a single word. I was fully in it from page one to the end.
This was my first read from Tim Carter, but it won’t be my last, not even close. Majordomo is a knockout. If you want something short but powerful, with heart, grit, and unforgettable characters, this is it.
The battle scenes are brilliantly choreographed, vivid, intense, and perfectly paced. But what really sets this apart is the emotional weight behind all the action. The relationship between the main character and his “boss” is so beautifully written, tender, loyal and layered in a way that stuck with me long after I finished.
There’s also some stellar disability rep here the MC has a club foot and there is also a dementia storyline that hits hard. As someone who’s watched multiple grandparents face dementia, those moments were incredibly moving. The portrayal is honest, respectful, and heartbreaking in the best way, it added a whole new layer of heart to the story.
For something this short, the character development is seriously impressive. Every moment counts and Carter doesn’t waste a single word. I was fully in it from page one to the end.
This was my first read from Tim Carter, but it won’t be my last, not even close. Majordomo is a knockout. If you want something short but powerful, with heart, grit, and unforgettable characters, this is it.
March 1, 2025
So much fun
Underdogs - don't you just love 'em. Jack is a club footed kobold and majordomo to the most powerful necromancer in the land. Life would be fine if people would just stop trying to steal all their treasure - and now the best heroes in the land are on the doorstep, the necromancer is facing away and our underdogs haven't got a hope in hell of escaping - or have they??
This novella was a whole heap of fun as well as being littered with characters I really ended up caring about. Well worth a look
Underdogs - don't you just love 'em. Jack is a club footed kobold and majordomo to the most powerful necromancer in the land. Life would be fine if people would just stop trying to steal all their treasure - and now the best heroes in the land are on the doorstep, the necromancer is facing away and our underdogs haven't got a hope in hell of escaping - or have they??
This novella was a whole heap of fun as well as being littered with characters I really ended up caring about. Well worth a look
December 25, 2025
Picked this up recently, think it was on sale, and shocked that of the best novellas I read this year came towards the end of it. Needed something to read a chapter at a time on Kindle to keep up reading streak while reading hardback of Magician, but ended up reading it within 2 days.
A great short tale of a put upon kobold with a club foot working as a majordomo for a mighty necromancer, protecting his fortress against thieving barsted heroes.
Fun story that ended up being more heartwarming and touching than I anticipated.
A great short tale of a put upon kobold with a club foot working as a majordomo for a mighty necromancer, protecting his fortress against thieving barsted heroes.
Fun story that ended up being more heartwarming and touching than I anticipated.
December 24, 2024
Star rating witheld until round one of SFINCs concludes.
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Majordomo
Majordomo takes the concept of good vs evil and flips it entirely on its head. Born with a club foot and a father who could never accept his flaw, Jack found out early how cruel life can be. He did everything he could to survive but kept to his own moral code. As a Kobold, he was bound to be looked down on, until he offered to work for one of the most notorious necromancers.
Despite working for a necromancer, Jack’s story does not take a dark turn. Instead, Majordomo shows readers how titles and stories can take a life of their own and twist individuals in a harsher light. Jack endured ridicule just for being a kobold, yet he remained an honest and hard worker. The same can be said for the necromancer and the home he found refuge in. Those seeking power and glory would storm the gates, and what else is there to do but defend what is yours?
Majordomo does so much more than simply show the opposite view. It also tells a tale of love and found family. Though it isn’t the typical found family readers may be used to, it is no less heartbreaking to see certain elements of the story unfold. This novella is truly a unique experience that packs so much emotion into a short tale. Readers who enjoy fantasy need to give this one a try.
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Majordomo
Majordomo takes the concept of good vs evil and flips it entirely on its head. Born with a club foot and a father who could never accept his flaw, Jack found out early how cruel life can be. He did everything he could to survive but kept to his own moral code. As a Kobold, he was bound to be looked down on, until he offered to work for one of the most notorious necromancers.
Despite working for a necromancer, Jack’s story does not take a dark turn. Instead, Majordomo shows readers how titles and stories can take a life of their own and twist individuals in a harsher light. Jack endured ridicule just for being a kobold, yet he remained an honest and hard worker. The same can be said for the necromancer and the home he found refuge in. Those seeking power and glory would storm the gates, and what else is there to do but defend what is yours?
Majordomo does so much more than simply show the opposite view. It also tells a tale of love and found family. Though it isn’t the typical found family readers may be used to, it is no less heartbreaking to see certain elements of the story unfold. This novella is truly a unique experience that packs so much emotion into a short tale. Readers who enjoy fantasy need to give this one a try.
October 25, 2024
What can you find here?
☠️A Necromancer
🧌A Kobold
🧑💼A Majordomo
⚔️Idiots with swords
🫂A found family
First thing first, I love necromancers and kobolds. And I want more of them!! (If you loved a book with necromances and or kobolds in it, please recommend it to me!). So I know I was in for a treat from the beginning, and I am so happy to say that I wasn’t wrong. Not only that, but this short story was even better than I hoped!
First thing first, Nepherous the Necrotic is an amazing necromancer. I love the idea of necromancers as characters, but usually, I am not so satisfied with their development in books. I think that they have so much potential, but it is pretty hard to find a necromancer who meets my expectations (I know that they are high and I am hard to please here, but still…). Here I didn’t have a problem. I loved him, and I’d love to read a book (or two) about his adventure when he was younger, because he was not disappointing at all! I loved him! And I wanted more!
Then we have Jack, our MC, and a kobold. I love to see diversity in fantasy too, and I know that diversity has a lot of meanings, but we have so many different creatures you can portray in books, so I am always happy to see some less-talked-about races take the spotlight! And Jack is an amazing MC.
And there is more because he is a majordomo for the necromancer’s estate. And I loved this idea so much!
But the characters are not the only good thing in there: I loved the dry sense of humor that we find here, I loved that every chapter has a title, and I loved that even if this is a short novella, it packs a punch, and it talks about moving and important topics.
It is about finding your place, and we see it with Jack, but also with the last batch of people he recruits to work in the necromancer’s estate, and it is so good.
But the best thing about this book is Jack and Nepherous’s relationship and how the author deals with the themes of losses. Because it is not only about losing a loved one in general, but is also about losing a loved one to time and the loss of self.
Nepherous is a really powerful necromancer and he did a lot during his life, but there is no magic against the passing of time, and he is slowly losing himself. The author is so good at portraying this and at talking about how this reflects on Jack. How difficult it is to deal with this. And it is so raw, so emotional, so heartbreaking!
The emotional punch that this book packs is strong, and I wasn’t expecting it. At all.
I started this one on a whim, because I saw it recommended on X and it is on KU, so I just went “Why not?” and dug into it. But I wasn’t expecting to love this one so much. It is really short so I wasn’t expecting to find so much between these pages! But really, we have it all: an interesting plot (because there is a plot too, obviously, and hence the idiots with swords I mentioned at the beginning ) with action and twists and fights (I loved to see how ingenious Jack can be), great characters, the found family trope, and some deeper topics.
It is good. So so good! And what’s even better is that the author is working on a full-length book that, if I understood things correctly, should be set in the same world. I have to say that now I have expectations! I cannot wait, I am so excited!
☠️A Necromancer
🧌A Kobold
🧑💼A Majordomo
⚔️Idiots with swords
🫂A found family
First thing first, I love necromancers and kobolds. And I want more of them!! (If you loved a book with necromances and or kobolds in it, please recommend it to me!). So I know I was in for a treat from the beginning, and I am so happy to say that I wasn’t wrong. Not only that, but this short story was even better than I hoped!
First thing first, Nepherous the Necrotic is an amazing necromancer. I love the idea of necromancers as characters, but usually, I am not so satisfied with their development in books. I think that they have so much potential, but it is pretty hard to find a necromancer who meets my expectations (I know that they are high and I am hard to please here, but still…). Here I didn’t have a problem. I loved him, and I’d love to read a book (or two) about his adventure when he was younger, because he was not disappointing at all! I loved him! And I wanted more!
Then we have Jack, our MC, and a kobold. I love to see diversity in fantasy too, and I know that diversity has a lot of meanings, but we have so many different creatures you can portray in books, so I am always happy to see some less-talked-about races take the spotlight! And Jack is an amazing MC.
And there is more because he is a majordomo for the necromancer’s estate. And I loved this idea so much!
But the characters are not the only good thing in there: I loved the dry sense of humor that we find here, I loved that every chapter has a title, and I loved that even if this is a short novella, it packs a punch, and it talks about moving and important topics.
It is about finding your place, and we see it with Jack, but also with the last batch of people he recruits to work in the necromancer’s estate, and it is so good.
But the best thing about this book is Jack and Nepherous’s relationship and how the author deals with the themes of losses. Because it is not only about losing a loved one in general, but is also about losing a loved one to time and the loss of self.
Nepherous is a really powerful necromancer and he did a lot during his life, but there is no magic against the passing of time, and he is slowly losing himself. The author is so good at portraying this and at talking about how this reflects on Jack. How difficult it is to deal with this. And it is so raw, so emotional, so heartbreaking!
The emotional punch that this book packs is strong, and I wasn’t expecting it. At all.
I started this one on a whim, because I saw it recommended on X and it is on KU, so I just went “Why not?” and dug into it. But I wasn’t expecting to love this one so much. It is really short so I wasn’t expecting to find so much between these pages! But really, we have it all: an interesting plot (because there is a plot too, obviously, and hence the idiots with swords I mentioned at the beginning ) with action and twists and fights (I loved to see how ingenious Jack can be), great characters, the found family trope, and some deeper topics.
It is good. So so good! And what’s even better is that the author is working on a full-length book that, if I understood things correctly, should be set in the same world. I have to say that now I have expectations! I cannot wait, I am so excited!
March 21, 2025
I read this novella as part of the Secret Scribes judging group for the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS). This review is my personal opinion and does not solely determine if this story will win the competition.
Jack the kobold is the majordomo of the infamous Craggenrack dungeon; a place under the rule of Nepherous the necrotic, the renowned necromancer. Tasked with defending Craggenrack from looters, do-gooders, and adventuring parties. But things aren't as they seem and Jack is doing his best to keep his home safe.
Masquerading as a D&D style dungeon looter, Majordomo is actually a deeply introspective story about aging and found family. The thing that elevates Majordomo above other stories is Jack's relationship with Nepherous. The reader is clued into the fact that there are deeper ties than steward and master, and once they have an interaction on page, the entire story takes on a new light as the team prepares for the next wave of murder-hobos (I mean adventurers).
It's also a love letter to role-playing games, with the jokes, references, and sometimes even chapter titles hinting at these tropes. Anyone who has played or just enjoys watching RPG content will find themselves laughing along at Jack's traps, concerns, and grievances with adventurers.
While I loved Jack's voice on the page, there were times where it felt a bit too modern and the prose could've flowed a bit better in spots. These are tiny complaints in an otherwise phenomenal story.
I cannot recommend Majordomo enough. If you like D&D style fantasy, you'll love this story. Go give it a read.
Jack the kobold is the majordomo of the infamous Craggenrack dungeon; a place under the rule of Nepherous the necrotic, the renowned necromancer. Tasked with defending Craggenrack from looters, do-gooders, and adventuring parties. But things aren't as they seem and Jack is doing his best to keep his home safe.
Masquerading as a D&D style dungeon looter, Majordomo is actually a deeply introspective story about aging and found family. The thing that elevates Majordomo above other stories is Jack's relationship with Nepherous. The reader is clued into the fact that there are deeper ties than steward and master, and once they have an interaction on page, the entire story takes on a new light as the team prepares for the next wave of murder-hobos (I mean adventurers).
It's also a love letter to role-playing games, with the jokes, references, and sometimes even chapter titles hinting at these tropes. Anyone who has played or just enjoys watching RPG content will find themselves laughing along at Jack's traps, concerns, and grievances with adventurers.
While I loved Jack's voice on the page, there were times where it felt a bit too modern and the prose could've flowed a bit better in spots. These are tiny complaints in an otherwise phenomenal story.
I cannot recommend Majordomo enough. If you like D&D style fantasy, you'll love this story. Go give it a read.
January 1, 2026
I don't know why I'm crying in the club right now
December 26, 2024
I was given a complimentary digital copy of this book as part of the SFINCS judging process. My review is honest and my opinions are my own. 9.5/10
Author Tim Carter’s love of role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons is obvious from the beginning of this novella. Majordomo tells the story of one of the area’s ‘Big Bads’, a fearsome necromancer, Nepherous, from the point of view of his glorified butler, Jack.
As the world is developed we learn that this fearsome bad guy is actually a loving, sweet old man who suffers from dementia and his club-footed kobold majordomo loves him like a father.
The whole LitRPG genre is turned on its head by this imaginative tale. We are not rooting for a band of adventurers, bravely taking on quests and killing monsters along the way, instead we find ourselves passionately hoping that the traps work and the spells go off at the right time when the ‘heroes’ reach the necromancer’s castle. Stocked with skeletons and giant spiders it is in fact a majorly misunderstood place. Jack will do all he can to protect his beloved home and father, while ensuring no adventurers live to tell of their location and that their secrets are kept just that.
Despite this refreshing take on the genre, it was not the interesting back to front view of a tried and tested adventure story that hooked me, but rather the heart-wrenching way his master’s dementia is gradually robbing Jack of someone he loves like a father. The emotion felt by this brave and dependable kobold was palpable:
“And he’s dying. Not just dying—fading away in the most horrific manner possible. No curse, no hex or jinx or spell could be worse. Little by little, he simply disappears. Moreover, it terrifies him, and he doesn’t know why. When he’s strong, he’s strong. When he goes, all that’s left is a frail old man with a shapeless terror that he can’t fight and can’t outrun.“
The world is built with skill and every Dungeons and Dragons player will delight in seeing the characters they love make cameo appearances, but Jack and his relationship with his fatherlike boss is painted in so much detail we can’t help but feel our own hearts breaking with his sadness. The necromancer is mostly still in control but his moments of fading are getting longer and he may not be able to come and scare away the bands of adventurers for much longer:
“I might not be me,” he whispered. “I see him, that man. But he fades. I try to hold on, in here.” He tapped his head. “He slips through my fingers. Runs away, like water down a drain.” He sucked in a deep breath. “I have looked on many horrors in my life, Jack. None worse than this.”
Not everything is heartbreak and sadness in this novella, however. There is also a fair dollop of wry wit and an overarching theme of love in all its flavours. The demon worshippers love and protect the enormous spiders who may or may not be an incarnation of their favorite demon. Nepherous’s best friend, now a ghoul, loves his old friend enough to hang around, keeping a discrete distance from the living so he doesn’t steal anyone’s life force. Even lonely Jack finds someone other than his boss to love him before the end of the story.
The stakes get higher when a superband of adventurers descends on the castle, with all of its overpowered members gunning for the death of Nepherous. As they make their way through the castle, the pace increases and the excitement level is ramped up substantially.
Majordomo is a surprisingly emotional, yet funny little story with so much heart, which will pull on all your emotions.
Author Tim Carter’s love of role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons is obvious from the beginning of this novella. Majordomo tells the story of one of the area’s ‘Big Bads’, a fearsome necromancer, Nepherous, from the point of view of his glorified butler, Jack.
As the world is developed we learn that this fearsome bad guy is actually a loving, sweet old man who suffers from dementia and his club-footed kobold majordomo loves him like a father.
The whole LitRPG genre is turned on its head by this imaginative tale. We are not rooting for a band of adventurers, bravely taking on quests and killing monsters along the way, instead we find ourselves passionately hoping that the traps work and the spells go off at the right time when the ‘heroes’ reach the necromancer’s castle. Stocked with skeletons and giant spiders it is in fact a majorly misunderstood place. Jack will do all he can to protect his beloved home and father, while ensuring no adventurers live to tell of their location and that their secrets are kept just that.
Despite this refreshing take on the genre, it was not the interesting back to front view of a tried and tested adventure story that hooked me, but rather the heart-wrenching way his master’s dementia is gradually robbing Jack of someone he loves like a father. The emotion felt by this brave and dependable kobold was palpable:
“And he’s dying. Not just dying—fading away in the most horrific manner possible. No curse, no hex or jinx or spell could be worse. Little by little, he simply disappears. Moreover, it terrifies him, and he doesn’t know why. When he’s strong, he’s strong. When he goes, all that’s left is a frail old man with a shapeless terror that he can’t fight and can’t outrun.“
The world is built with skill and every Dungeons and Dragons player will delight in seeing the characters they love make cameo appearances, but Jack and his relationship with his fatherlike boss is painted in so much detail we can’t help but feel our own hearts breaking with his sadness. The necromancer is mostly still in control but his moments of fading are getting longer and he may not be able to come and scare away the bands of adventurers for much longer:
“I might not be me,” he whispered. “I see him, that man. But he fades. I try to hold on, in here.” He tapped his head. “He slips through my fingers. Runs away, like water down a drain.” He sucked in a deep breath. “I have looked on many horrors in my life, Jack. None worse than this.”
Not everything is heartbreak and sadness in this novella, however. There is also a fair dollop of wry wit and an overarching theme of love in all its flavours. The demon worshippers love and protect the enormous spiders who may or may not be an incarnation of their favorite demon. Nepherous’s best friend, now a ghoul, loves his old friend enough to hang around, keeping a discrete distance from the living so he doesn’t steal anyone’s life force. Even lonely Jack finds someone other than his boss to love him before the end of the story.
The stakes get higher when a superband of adventurers descends on the castle, with all of its overpowered members gunning for the death of Nepherous. As they make their way through the castle, the pace increases and the excitement level is ramped up substantially.
Majordomo is a surprisingly emotional, yet funny little story with so much heart, which will pull on all your emotions.
March 27, 2025
Majordomo by Tim Carter is an obvious crowd-pleaser. From the first page, character and authorial voice are clear and immediate, and the humour of this D&D-inspired comedy is thoughtful yet unpretentious. Using familiar set pieces and archetypes that readers may recognize from tabletop gaming (but also its descendants: Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, and Critical Roll to name but a few), Carter takes us on a joyride that layers humour and heart with elements of real-world tragedy that will be familiar and validating to many readers.
Refreshingly, the protagonist of Majordomo isn't the chisel-chinned paladin, brooding dark elf, or the plain (yet somehow conventionally gorgeous) adventurer of much heroic fantasy, but a disabled kobold named Jack whose surrogate father just happens to be a world-famous necromancer that half the kingdom wants to see dead (and the entire kingdom wants to rob). As a child, and true to kobold tradition, Jack's biological father tried to drown him in a sack after recognizing that Jack's disability means he won't be able to embody the fleetness of foot most valued in kobold society. For Jack, Nepherous the necromancer's kindness stands in striking contrast to this childhood abuse, and Jack would do anything to protect his found family. Jack's main duties as master of the house for Nepherous are managing the ragtag staff of mercenaries and spider-demon-worshipping sorcerers employed by the castle, and ensuring that no would-be hero makes it out of the hideout unmaimed (leaving one party member alive allows the tale to be told, after all). Unfortunately, when Jack's kindness inspires him to rescue a halfling from the booby traps littering the halls, the halfling sees her knowledge of the traps as an opportunity for exploitation instead of a lucky escape. Betraying Jack, the halfling spreads word of treasures ripe for the thieving, and traps she can now help the right band of heroes to overcome.
Before reading Majordomo, I'd seen a lot of praise heaped its way and did my best to avoid spoilers so as not to influence my own experience. That said, it's nearly impossible not to let the hype around a work impact your enjoyment of (whether positively, because you want to be part of the community singing its praises, or negatively because your expectations can't possibly be met). I tend to fall into the latter camp more often than not, and so was very pleased when Majordomo met the expectations I had for a good story well told. Humour in particular is such a personal thing--what one reader finds hilarious can easily be obnoxious or cloying to another--but Majordomo worked perfectly for me, in part because it's clear throughout how earnestly Carter threw himself into Jack as a character.
Amongst the many strengths of Majordomo is its consistent voice and sense of style. It would be easy to call Jack cynical, yet his acerbic tone and dark (yet accurate) observations of the world he lives in are accompanied by genuine kindness and a sense of hope for a better future for himself and those he loves. There was a little of the protagonist of K. J. Parker's Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City to the narration, which featured the same happy marriage of wit and gravity. This depiction of a person on the margins who finds himself struggling to squeeze himself into the molds others construct for him feels real and personal. Jack's humour is more than a means to sell the story to readers, it rings true as Jack's internal means of interfacing with a world that wishes he wasn't in it--something I'm sure many readers will relate with, whether because they're part of a marginalized group themselves, or because at some point they felt Othered or bullied in some way (and really, isn't that most of us?).
The themes at the centre of Majordomo could easily feel tired and trite. Many genres, including fantasy (with rising prominence in the 1990s), have been used to promote the positive message that you can't judge a book by its cover and that sometimes those we may consider outwardly beautiful disguise a malice far worse than any we project onto the less conventionally attractive. Due to the layering of the text, however, and Carter's realization of Jack as a full person within the context of the narrative, that message never felt simplistic, nor did the story feel as though it could be reduced to an inspirational wall decal. Crucially, the book never asks us to pity Jack, rather, but instead to empathize with and relate to him.
Although I loved Jack's narration throughout, and although the opening was strong, the real hook for me came almost midway through the novella, when we learn a key piece of information about one of the characters that substantially deepens and enriches the story. I'd love to discuss that in more depth--and perhaps will if I ever have the opportunity to discuss it with the author or in a spoiler-friendly context--but given that Carter positioned it where he did in the novella, my assumption is that it's something he wanted to reveal at a specific moment. That said, I did feel that the novella could have been slightly tighter in the first half, and drawing the revelation closer to the start would have hooked me that much deeper, much earlier. The moments in the novella related to this specific plot point are by far the strongest, most compelling elements of the story.
In terms of character work, it isn't only Jack who leaps off the page and enchants. Nepherous himself felt fully fleshed (especially in contrast to his skeletal and ghoulish comrades!), and there's a trainee necromancer who's quite a lot of fun and whose confidence is a cute contrast to Jack's self-doubt. One of the most affecting stories in Majordomo was, for me, part of Nepherous's backstory, when we learn early on about a childhood (or, at least, youthful) friend of his who died, and who he raised from the dead rather than lose. Despite not being able to touch anyone for fear of cursing them, or verbally speak, this ghoul friend of Nepherous feels like one of the deeper side characters in the novella, and one who clearly means a lot to both Nepherous and his co-workers. Some of the other side characters don't feel fully developed, but it's not much of a drawback in a book that's obviously intended to be fun and breezy, and whose focus is very much on the main character and his relationship with his aging father figure.
Majordomo is comedic fantasy in the vein of Nicholas Eames, Sean O'Boyle's The Ballad of Sprikit the Bard (and Company), and the work of Dave Dobson. It takes a D&D setting that will be very familiar to many fantasy fans, and uses that familiarity as a springboard for exploring themes and relationships that run much deeper and hit much harder than the genre is typically known for. Featuring humour that relies on a rich examination of grief, family, and love, Majordomo strikes that rare but coveted balance of fun and emotional weight. I recommend Majordomo for anyone looking for a good time with a side-helping of strong character work, as well as fans of adventure fantasy looking for a critical but loving examination of the genre. Majordomo isn't so much a story about finding your place in the world as it is about occupying space in a world determined to push you out of it, and for myself at least, that's the type of story I need right now.
Refreshingly, the protagonist of Majordomo isn't the chisel-chinned paladin, brooding dark elf, or the plain (yet somehow conventionally gorgeous) adventurer of much heroic fantasy, but a disabled kobold named Jack whose surrogate father just happens to be a world-famous necromancer that half the kingdom wants to see dead (and the entire kingdom wants to rob). As a child, and true to kobold tradition, Jack's biological father tried to drown him in a sack after recognizing that Jack's disability means he won't be able to embody the fleetness of foot most valued in kobold society. For Jack, Nepherous the necromancer's kindness stands in striking contrast to this childhood abuse, and Jack would do anything to protect his found family. Jack's main duties as master of the house for Nepherous are managing the ragtag staff of mercenaries and spider-demon-worshipping sorcerers employed by the castle, and ensuring that no would-be hero makes it out of the hideout unmaimed (leaving one party member alive allows the tale to be told, after all). Unfortunately, when Jack's kindness inspires him to rescue a halfling from the booby traps littering the halls, the halfling sees her knowledge of the traps as an opportunity for exploitation instead of a lucky escape. Betraying Jack, the halfling spreads word of treasures ripe for the thieving, and traps she can now help the right band of heroes to overcome.
Before reading Majordomo, I'd seen a lot of praise heaped its way and did my best to avoid spoilers so as not to influence my own experience. That said, it's nearly impossible not to let the hype around a work impact your enjoyment of (whether positively, because you want to be part of the community singing its praises, or negatively because your expectations can't possibly be met). I tend to fall into the latter camp more often than not, and so was very pleased when Majordomo met the expectations I had for a good story well told. Humour in particular is such a personal thing--what one reader finds hilarious can easily be obnoxious or cloying to another--but Majordomo worked perfectly for me, in part because it's clear throughout how earnestly Carter threw himself into Jack as a character.
Amongst the many strengths of Majordomo is its consistent voice and sense of style. It would be easy to call Jack cynical, yet his acerbic tone and dark (yet accurate) observations of the world he lives in are accompanied by genuine kindness and a sense of hope for a better future for himself and those he loves. There was a little of the protagonist of K. J. Parker's Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City to the narration, which featured the same happy marriage of wit and gravity. This depiction of a person on the margins who finds himself struggling to squeeze himself into the molds others construct for him feels real and personal. Jack's humour is more than a means to sell the story to readers, it rings true as Jack's internal means of interfacing with a world that wishes he wasn't in it--something I'm sure many readers will relate with, whether because they're part of a marginalized group themselves, or because at some point they felt Othered or bullied in some way (and really, isn't that most of us?).
The themes at the centre of Majordomo could easily feel tired and trite. Many genres, including fantasy (with rising prominence in the 1990s), have been used to promote the positive message that you can't judge a book by its cover and that sometimes those we may consider outwardly beautiful disguise a malice far worse than any we project onto the less conventionally attractive. Due to the layering of the text, however, and Carter's realization of Jack as a full person within the context of the narrative, that message never felt simplistic, nor did the story feel as though it could be reduced to an inspirational wall decal. Crucially, the book never asks us to pity Jack, rather, but instead to empathize with and relate to him.
Although I loved Jack's narration throughout, and although the opening was strong, the real hook for me came almost midway through the novella, when we learn a key piece of information about one of the characters that substantially deepens and enriches the story. I'd love to discuss that in more depth--and perhaps will if I ever have the opportunity to discuss it with the author or in a spoiler-friendly context--but given that Carter positioned it where he did in the novella, my assumption is that it's something he wanted to reveal at a specific moment. That said, I did feel that the novella could have been slightly tighter in the first half, and drawing the revelation closer to the start would have hooked me that much deeper, much earlier. The moments in the novella related to this specific plot point are by far the strongest, most compelling elements of the story.
In terms of character work, it isn't only Jack who leaps off the page and enchants. Nepherous himself felt fully fleshed (especially in contrast to his skeletal and ghoulish comrades!), and there's a trainee necromancer who's quite a lot of fun and whose confidence is a cute contrast to Jack's self-doubt. One of the most affecting stories in Majordomo was, for me, part of Nepherous's backstory, when we learn early on about a childhood (or, at least, youthful) friend of his who died, and who he raised from the dead rather than lose. Despite not being able to touch anyone for fear of cursing them, or verbally speak, this ghoul friend of Nepherous feels like one of the deeper side characters in the novella, and one who clearly means a lot to both Nepherous and his co-workers. Some of the other side characters don't feel fully developed, but it's not much of a drawback in a book that's obviously intended to be fun and breezy, and whose focus is very much on the main character and his relationship with his aging father figure.
Majordomo is comedic fantasy in the vein of Nicholas Eames, Sean O'Boyle's The Ballad of Sprikit the Bard (and Company), and the work of Dave Dobson. It takes a D&D setting that will be very familiar to many fantasy fans, and uses that familiarity as a springboard for exploring themes and relationships that run much deeper and hit much harder than the genre is typically known for. Featuring humour that relies on a rich examination of grief, family, and love, Majordomo strikes that rare but coveted balance of fun and emotional weight. I recommend Majordomo for anyone looking for a good time with a side-helping of strong character work, as well as fans of adventure fantasy looking for a critical but loving examination of the genre. Majordomo isn't so much a story about finding your place in the world as it is about occupying space in a world determined to push you out of it, and for myself at least, that's the type of story I need right now.
Want to read
November 12, 2024Domo arigato Mr. Tim Carter, domo. Domo.
🤖 Price drop to .99! 🤖
🤖 Price drop to .99! 🤖
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April 9, 2025I read this books as part of Team Booked Solid, judging the SFINCS novella competition. This review reflects only my own thoughts and does not represent the team’s final score.. I received a free copy of the book for the purpose of judging.
Also take note that out of the one hundred books that entered the competition, this is one out of only ten that passed two qualifying rounds and made it to the competition finals.
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Jack is a kobold. He’s small and weak, and with his malformed foot, he can barely walk, much less run. He’s the kind of monster adventurers dispose of with barely a thought and even less effort.
Jack is also the majordomo of the estates of the great and ancient necromancer Nepherous. This means he’s responsible for staff, maintenance, and supplies at the kind of secret underground dwelling usually only heard of in legends.
The problem is it’s actually heard of outside of legends too (quite a bit, in fact) and adventurers regularly come to seek out the treasures such a place might hold – not to mention the glory that would come from slaying a fabled evil such as Nepherous the Necrotic.
The other problem is that Nepherous is old. He’s been old for centuries already, but now he’s becoming the kind of old where his mind starts to go, and where he’s no longer quite there all the time. Plus, it’s not like he’s bothered anyone for a really long time, so why can’t those pesky do-gooder murder hobos leave him to fade away in peace and quiet on his own?
This is Jack’s dilemma. Nepherous is the only one who’s really cared for him, and the old mage has become something of a father figure to Jack.
Majordomo was not at all the book I expected it to be (I didn’t read the description and barely looked at the cover before I started). My first impression was that I was in for an attempt at hard-boiled fantasy badass-ness, but what I got was a heartwarming and humorous tale of getting by in a world where you’re judged, not for who you are, but for what the common man’s wisdom (prejudice) says you are.
Everyone knows necromancers are evil, because they raise the dead. Never mind that Nepherous’s greatest and most well-known feats were ultimately what you’d call “good” if you looked at them from the perspective of anyone not a noble or in a position of power. Had Nepherous been a paladin, what he did would have been considered valorous and heroic, but since he’s a necromancers, it’s vile and horrific.
In a way, the story is also a timely and on-point commentary on the world we live in (the real world, right now) and how we experience it – like all great comedy.
What I Didn’t Like
There may have been details here and there that I could remark upon, but after having sat here for several minutes trying to come up with something, it’s starting to feel a bit silly I don’t want to complain for the sake of complaining.
[A week later, as I’m preparing to share this review, my memory has no complaints about the book]
What I Liked
The tone. The narrative voice initially threw me off, but I quickly grew used to it and came to enjoy it a lot. There’s a kind of world-weary cynicism in Jack’s telling of his story, but there’s no bitterness. He’s resigned to the hand life has dealt him, and while he complains about the injustice of everything, he doesn’t expect anyone else to do anything about it.
References. The way heroes and monsters are referred to in the book draws heavily on popular tropes and terminology. It’s a bit like Jack is on the wrong side of a lopsided Dungeons & Dragons adventure.
Final Words
A heartwarming and humorous tale of life on the wrong side of history.
Also take note that out of the one hundred books that entered the competition, this is one out of only ten that passed two qualifying rounds and made it to the competition finals.
---
Jack is a kobold. He’s small and weak, and with his malformed foot, he can barely walk, much less run. He’s the kind of monster adventurers dispose of with barely a thought and even less effort.
Jack is also the majordomo of the estates of the great and ancient necromancer Nepherous. This means he’s responsible for staff, maintenance, and supplies at the kind of secret underground dwelling usually only heard of in legends.
The problem is it’s actually heard of outside of legends too (quite a bit, in fact) and adventurers regularly come to seek out the treasures such a place might hold – not to mention the glory that would come from slaying a fabled evil such as Nepherous the Necrotic.
The other problem is that Nepherous is old. He’s been old for centuries already, but now he’s becoming the kind of old where his mind starts to go, and where he’s no longer quite there all the time. Plus, it’s not like he’s bothered anyone for a really long time, so why can’t those pesky do-gooder murder hobos leave him to fade away in peace and quiet on his own?
This is Jack’s dilemma. Nepherous is the only one who’s really cared for him, and the old mage has become something of a father figure to Jack.
Majordomo was not at all the book I expected it to be (I didn’t read the description and barely looked at the cover before I started). My first impression was that I was in for an attempt at hard-boiled fantasy badass-ness, but what I got was a heartwarming and humorous tale of getting by in a world where you’re judged, not for who you are, but for what the common man’s wisdom (prejudice) says you are.
Everyone knows necromancers are evil, because they raise the dead. Never mind that Nepherous’s greatest and most well-known feats were ultimately what you’d call “good” if you looked at them from the perspective of anyone not a noble or in a position of power. Had Nepherous been a paladin, what he did would have been considered valorous and heroic, but since he’s a necromancers, it’s vile and horrific.
In a way, the story is also a timely and on-point commentary on the world we live in (the real world, right now) and how we experience it – like all great comedy.
What I Didn’t Like
There may have been details here and there that I could remark upon, but after having sat here for several minutes trying to come up with something, it’s starting to feel a bit silly I don’t want to complain for the sake of complaining.
[A week later, as I’m preparing to share this review, my memory has no complaints about the book]
What I Liked
The tone. The narrative voice initially threw me off, but I quickly grew used to it and came to enjoy it a lot. There’s a kind of world-weary cynicism in Jack’s telling of his story, but there’s no bitterness. He’s resigned to the hand life has dealt him, and while he complains about the injustice of everything, he doesn’t expect anyone else to do anything about it.
References. The way heroes and monsters are referred to in the book draws heavily on popular tropes and terminology. It’s a bit like Jack is on the wrong side of a lopsided Dungeons & Dragons adventure.
Final Words
A heartwarming and humorous tale of life on the wrong side of history.
May 16, 2025
If you like your fantasy to play with stereotypes with a streak of dark humor, this compact boyish novella will be for you. An anti-hero is the hero of his own story, mixing clever quips and a surprisingly squishy emotionally intelligent center.
What I Loved:
- Short, sharp, and to the point plotting. There's no wasted space or superfluous detail.
- Our narrator Jack is a kobold who knows his worth despite his troubles (be that physical disability, his inner critic, or his chronic inability to be as evil as an evil henchman probably should be)
- Did I mention the emotional squishiness? Jack's relationship with his employer... You don't expect that in a D&D love letter, but there it is.
What I Noticed:
- Boy fantasy. The main female character came across a tad cliche "boy fantasy" - lacking the emotional bit Personal preference stuff.
TL;DR: Fantasy. Funny. Heroes are villains and villains are heroes. An intelligent quick read.
What I Loved:
- Short, sharp, and to the point plotting. There's no wasted space or superfluous detail.
- Our narrator Jack is a kobold who knows his worth despite his troubles (be that physical disability, his inner critic, or his chronic inability to be as evil as an evil henchman probably should be)
- Did I mention the emotional squishiness? Jack's relationship with his employer... You don't expect that in a D&D love letter, but there it is.
What I Noticed:
- Boy fantasy. The main female character came across a tad cliche "boy fantasy" - lacking the emotional bit Personal preference stuff.
TL;DR: Fantasy. Funny. Heroes are villains and villains are heroes. An intelligent quick read.
October 27, 2024
Jack, a club-footed kobold, is taken under the wing of a famous necromancer, Nepherous the Necrotic. A kobold is a spirit that haunts houses or lives in underground places. Jack is the latter, but because of his deformity, he can’t stay with his family. He has a job now and is very devoted to his boss.
Lots of action and betrayals ensue. There’s a bit of romance. Yay for Jack! Everyone wants to steal Nepherous’ treasure so we encounter lots of different mythical creatures. But there’s lots of booby traps throughout the house, so it’s not easy to steal anything.
Feno, a loyal ghoul, is a particular favorite for me. Even though not all characters have depth as this is a novella, the important ones we get to know well enough.
Jack admits his weaknesses but shows his mettle when the time comes. He’s a wonderful main character along with his master, Nepherous.
Highly recommend this first time author!
Lots of action and betrayals ensue. There’s a bit of romance. Yay for Jack! Everyone wants to steal Nepherous’ treasure so we encounter lots of different mythical creatures. But there’s lots of booby traps throughout the house, so it’s not easy to steal anything.
Feno, a loyal ghoul, is a particular favorite for me. Even though not all characters have depth as this is a novella, the important ones we get to know well enough.
Jack admits his weaknesses but shows his mettle when the time comes. He’s a wonderful main character along with his master, Nepherous.
Highly recommend this first time author!
December 19, 2024
I really, really enjoyed this novella.
It's charming, adventurous, humorous, and might even tug on your heartstrings. It follows the story of a Kobold who works for a Necromancer to keep the "good guys" who keep attacking the manor from surviving.
It draws on some well known D&D tropes, which just adds to the fun.
In the acknowledgements it is mentioned that the author has a pile of boardgames and I have to wonder if he's ever played Dungeon Lords.
Also, as an aside, the author apparently also wrote the video game Sleeping Dogs which is such a good game/story that I played it twice.
But I digress. Read this whole thing in one sitting and I'm very much looking forward to his forthcoming full novel set in the same world!
It's charming, adventurous, humorous, and might even tug on your heartstrings. It follows the story of a Kobold who works for a Necromancer to keep the "good guys" who keep attacking the manor from surviving.
It draws on some well known D&D tropes, which just adds to the fun.
In the acknowledgements it is mentioned that the author has a pile of boardgames and I have to wonder if he's ever played Dungeon Lords.
Also, as an aside, the author apparently also wrote the video game Sleeping Dogs which is such a good game/story that I played it twice.
But I digress. Read this whole thing in one sitting and I'm very much looking forward to his forthcoming full novel set in the same world!
April 13, 2025
Wow, this is showing off the true strength of a novella!
The story had no extra fat on it and moved at a brisk pace. Despite this the characters were compelling with a moving storyline about loss, love, grief, and family.
I’m definitely going to get this authors next book, which releases tomorrow??!
The story had no extra fat on it and moved at a brisk pace. Despite this the characters were compelling with a moving storyline about loss, love, grief, and family.
I’m definitely going to get this authors next book, which releases tomorrow??!
April 28, 2025
A nice little read! I truly enjoyed this little novella about Jack the kobold. The story works great in this shorter format, it might have become dragged out if it was a 300pages+ book. Here the flow was great! I hope Tim Carter writes many more short novellas in the same world as Majordomo, or even more standalone stories with Jack. Bravo!👏
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July 15, 2025Note to self: search revealed 13 instances of the F-word. Didn't need to search further to hard nope this.
July 4, 2025
Such a fun, short, heartfelt adventure
September 7, 2025
My only complaint is that I wish it was longer. It was very fun to root for the bad guys for once.
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