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The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse
Kept hidden by the United States government for decades, the Site is a place where magic is real. But that doesn't mean that everything happening there is sparkly. Soul-sucking policies and layers of stifling bureaucracy threaten to take all the fun out of magic.
Harris, a newbie Conjurer, starts his first day of work at the Site bursting with excitement: he's been brought on for an extremely big project happening the very next day. In a triumph over its habitual inefficiency, the Site manages to carry out its plan and conjure an actual dragon to be used by the military.
The dragon (Zoth-Avarex, the self-proclaimed greatest dragon in the multiverse) immediately eats the person next to him, snatches a "princess" from the ranks of the Conjuring Department, and flies away to the Space Needle. There he manipulates the media, outwits the Site's bumbling management, demands sixty-three billion dollars' worth of treasure (because Smaug was said to have had sixty-two billion in his hoard), threatens to destroy the city—and installs a couple of food trucks.
While this book skewers the same fantasy genre it gleefully inhabits, it also pokes fun at corporate culture, today's obsession with wealth and celebrity, and our denial that life is anything more than meets the eye. Hapless Harris, believing in magic all along, learns to apply what he's picked up between the pages of fantasy literature.
Harris, a newbie Conjurer, starts his first day of work at the Site bursting with excitement: he's been brought on for an extremely big project happening the very next day. In a triumph over its habitual inefficiency, the Site manages to carry out its plan and conjure an actual dragon to be used by the military.
The dragon (Zoth-Avarex, the self-proclaimed greatest dragon in the multiverse) immediately eats the person next to him, snatches a "princess" from the ranks of the Conjuring Department, and flies away to the Space Needle. There he manipulates the media, outwits the Site's bumbling management, demands sixty-three billion dollars' worth of treasure (because Smaug was said to have had sixty-two billion in his hoard), threatens to destroy the city—and installs a couple of food trucks.
While this book skewers the same fantasy genre it gleefully inhabits, it also pokes fun at corporate culture, today's obsession with wealth and celebrity, and our denial that life is anything more than meets the eye. Hapless Harris, believing in magic all along, learns to apply what he's picked up between the pages of fantasy literature.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2021
9 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
K.R.R. Lockhaven
6 books69 followersK.R.R. (Kyle Robert Redundant) Lockhaven writes humorous, fun fantasy books with a pinch of social satire.
He lives with his wife and two sons. Together they conjured a bearded dragon who rules over a hoard of sand and devours crickets by the dozens.
When not writing or raising kids, he works as a firefighter/paramedic.
He lives with his wife and two sons. Together they conjured a bearded dragon who rules over a hoard of sand and devours crickets by the dozens.
When not writing or raising kids, he works as a firefighter/paramedic.
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January 18, 2023Goodreads prompted me to write a review of my own book, so...here it goes. I think it's great. I mean, it would have been pretty silly of me to write a book I didn't like. If you have half as much fun reading it as I had when writing it, I think it will have been worth your time.
My favorite books have always had an element of humor to them. I absolutely love authors like Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. The main inspiration for this book is Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett. But my favorite book of all time is The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. That book's reveal of the purpose for humanity is the ultimate in dark comedy. Vonnegut was always able to make us laugh at the absurdities of modern life, and to ultimately find real meaning in love, and the comedy of it all.
My dearest hope is that people who read this book have a fun time with it. If you happen to find a little meaning here or there, that'd be great, too. Thank you for considering my work!
My favorite books have always had an element of humor to them. I absolutely love authors like Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. The main inspiration for this book is Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett. But my favorite book of all time is The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. That book's reveal of the purpose for humanity is the ultimate in dark comedy. Vonnegut was always able to make us laugh at the absurdities of modern life, and to ultimately find real meaning in love, and the comedy of it all.
My dearest hope is that people who read this book have a fun time with it. If you happen to find a little meaning here or there, that'd be great, too. Thank you for considering my work!
August 10, 2021
I read this for SPFBO. More about the contest and links at the bottom.
Harris, recently hired at the Site (think Eureka, the fantasy edition) has spent the last year at a supersecret magical training school. His new job begins just as a new project- one that has been in the works for the past 37 years, is ready to be put into motion.
The Site plans to conjure another Dragon. Hopefully with better results than their last effort.
The conjuring is a success but the results are predictably, no better, as Zoth- Avarex the aforementioned conjured dragon from the Titan realm, promptly steals the most beautiful girl in the room, and parks himself on the top of the Seattle Needle, like King Kong but with hostage negotiation skills.
***
This book tickled me to no end. I swear I am going to have to eat my words because I always say I don’t care for comedy/fantasy books, but this was just so delightfully charming with a bit goofiness rolled in. I enjoyed it a lot. It’s also a very quick read for an almost 400-page book. I loved Zoth and his arrogance and sarcasm, and his footnotes were hilarious.
Most of the humour was right up my alley. I am fan of the tongue-in-cheek and stabs at our society etc. and there were lots of fun references throughout; everything from books to current day stuff. (Think Ready Player One kind of idea but with that light-hearted warm humour you would find in Eureka.)
Harris is like most of us fantasy lovers and wouldn’t mind having some of the stuff we read about in books be real. He is easy-going and likeable. I enjoyed his pov. Actually, the characters were all likeable, eccentrics.
I do have to gripe about the mid-point pov switch (everyone knows how much I love that) we begin with Harris and Zoth, after that we get everyone. So, it was a bit of an adjustment trying to place which person the new pov was in.
I did wish there was more character building because we don’t get a lot of time exploring them but the book is just so ridiculously entertaining, it was hard to care for long.
It could have used a minor edit to catch those some stray letters and words (This actually could have been a format error too since I do use an app). The cover is wonderful. I had seen it on twitter before the contest opened and the whimsical style caught my eye. I had even added it to my Amazon Wishlist based on the cover.
All in all, needs a teeny bit of love in places but the book is a barrel of laughs and I smiled though the whole thing. What a wonderfully fun story! I hope everyone will check it out.
SPFBO score 7.5 or 4 stars
4 stars (6.5-8/10)
other notes-
Zoth’s world gave me such Wizard of Oz vibes while walking though the flower field but the size of everything made me think Jack the Giant Slayer- I couldn’t decide if we were going to get a giant or a man behind a curtain or neither…
I read this for SPFBO. Go here to find out more about SPFBO contest and to find links to all the participating bloggers/authors and reviews.
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Team reviews at Fantasy Book Critic
https://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.co...
Harris, recently hired at the Site (think Eureka, the fantasy edition) has spent the last year at a supersecret magical training school. His new job begins just as a new project- one that has been in the works for the past 37 years, is ready to be put into motion.
The Site plans to conjure another Dragon. Hopefully with better results than their last effort.
The conjuring is a success but the results are predictably, no better, as Zoth- Avarex the aforementioned conjured dragon from the Titan realm, promptly steals the most beautiful girl in the room, and parks himself on the top of the Seattle Needle, like King Kong but with hostage negotiation skills.
***
This book tickled me to no end. I swear I am going to have to eat my words because I always say I don’t care for comedy/fantasy books, but this was just so delightfully charming with a bit goofiness rolled in. I enjoyed it a lot. It’s also a very quick read for an almost 400-page book. I loved Zoth and his arrogance and sarcasm, and his footnotes were hilarious.
Most of the humour was right up my alley. I am fan of the tongue-in-cheek and stabs at our society etc. and there were lots of fun references throughout; everything from books to current day stuff. (Think Ready Player One kind of idea but with that light-hearted warm humour you would find in Eureka.)
Harris is like most of us fantasy lovers and wouldn’t mind having some of the stuff we read about in books be real. He is easy-going and likeable. I enjoyed his pov. Actually, the characters were all likeable, eccentrics.
I do have to gripe about the mid-point pov switch (everyone knows how much I love that) we begin with Harris and Zoth, after that we get everyone. So, it was a bit of an adjustment trying to place which person the new pov was in.
I did wish there was more character building because we don’t get a lot of time exploring them but the book is just so ridiculously entertaining, it was hard to care for long.
It could have used a minor edit to catch those some stray letters and words (This actually could have been a format error too since I do use an app). The cover is wonderful. I had seen it on twitter before the contest opened and the whimsical style caught my eye. I had even added it to my Amazon Wishlist based on the cover.
All in all, needs a teeny bit of love in places but the book is a barrel of laughs and I smiled though the whole thing. What a wonderfully fun story! I hope everyone will check it out.
SPFBO score 7.5 or 4 stars
4 stars (6.5-8/10)
other notes-
Zoth’s world gave me such Wizard of Oz vibes while walking though the flower field but the size of everything made me think Jack the Giant Slayer- I couldn’t decide if we were going to get a giant or a man behind a curtain or neither…
I read this for SPFBO. Go here to find out more about SPFBO contest and to find links to all the participating bloggers/authors and reviews.
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Team reviews at Fantasy Book Critic
https://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.co...
May 4, 2021
Fresh out of magic school, Harris is nervously starting a new job as a Conjuror at The Site, a place in Washington state where magic was discovered in the 1940s and kept secret from the general public by a magical protective bubble.The Site is described as a kind of cross between the ultimate bureaucracy found in movies such as Office Space and an Area 51 for magic.
The story is told in third person from the perspective of Harris. When Harris first enters The Site, the chaos described reminded me of Will Smith entering the HQ for the first time in the movie, Men in Black. In fact there are many nods to popular movies and fantasy novels throughout the book.
The Conjuring of Zoth Avarex is also full of plenty of tongue in cheek wit. For example, when Harris conjurs a cute sloth-like flying imp called Xop we are told:
“It was almost too cute, as if some writer was trying way too hard to create a clichéd adorable animal companion.”
The scene having been set, the dragon is conjured and immediately the pace starts to pick up. Zoth-Avarex has a big ego and a snarky attitude:
“I’ve got more magic in a scale on my ass than Merlin, Gandalf, Dumbledore, and Tim the Enchanter combined.”
Marian, Harris’s manager seems to be the only laid back member of management at The Site, who is not completely obsessed with rule-following and form-filling. She along with nerdy Harris the Conjuror, heroic Jake the firefighter and brave Ana the Caster end up forming a team trying to rescue beautiful Sylvia, Ana’s sister, who the dragon has taken off to the Space Needle as his “princess”. He demands as much gold as Smaug had in his lair in The Lord of The Rings as a ransom.
Meanwhile Peter and Chris from the Site are off on another quest, searching for the ring of Broceliande, undertaking challenges and meeting Merlin along the way, and the dragon is courting the media with his ideas on how to improve the politics and societal failings on Earth and particularly in America.
There is a particularly funny alternative ending where the dragon ends up getting voted in as the President of the USA, hoarding gold in the White House and gaining a female princess/companion who is of royal blood from Europe.
I would thoroughly recommend this book to fans of humorous light-hearted fantasy who like dragons, quests, found family, magic carpets and adorable animal companions.
January 7, 2022
I enjoyed this... but it was a bit short, and way too referential... every other sentence felt like a reference... and then there's an alternate ending that kinda felt like padding for a short book...
February 5, 2021
I received an ARC of this title through BookSirens.com
Right from the first paragraph this book had me. I don't remember ever liking a first paragraph as much as I liked this one.
The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse is about a secret government site where they discovered magic and kept it hidden from the public. Our protagonist, Harris, starts his first day as the book opens. We're immediately thrown into a pretty cool concept. The Site is a place out in the forest in the pacific northwest, hidden by this magical bubble. Harris is likable enough. He's a pretty typical lead character- a nerdy guy without much confidence. He acts as our avatar as he learns about the strange Site, which is overflowing with bureaucracy and incompetence.
Anyway, I wouldn't say the first few chapters were slow, but things don't really pick up until the conjuring of the dragon, which is relatively quick. Zoth-Avarex is an egotistical asshole, but somehow endearing at the same time.
The three women characters; Ana, Silvia, and Marian, are all strong, independent thinkers. This is a relief, because in fantasy, that's not always the case. If anything, they tend to drag Harris along with them as they work to defeat the dragon.
At times the humor in this book reminds me of Monty Python. It can get pretty silly, but it really worked for me. The author doesn't operate like a Terry Pratchett, where every other line is funny, but he does inject humor pretty regularly. There are a ton of fantasy references, some of which I didn't understand. But I got most of them, and they made me laugh. The pace of the book is fast, and the action is fun and compelling. I read the entire thing in three sittings.
I would highly recommend this book for any fans of comic fantasy. It was a lot of fun!
Right from the first paragraph this book had me. I don't remember ever liking a first paragraph as much as I liked this one.
The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse is about a secret government site where they discovered magic and kept it hidden from the public. Our protagonist, Harris, starts his first day as the book opens. We're immediately thrown into a pretty cool concept. The Site is a place out in the forest in the pacific northwest, hidden by this magical bubble. Harris is likable enough. He's a pretty typical lead character- a nerdy guy without much confidence. He acts as our avatar as he learns about the strange Site, which is overflowing with bureaucracy and incompetence.
Anyway, I wouldn't say the first few chapters were slow, but things don't really pick up until the conjuring of the dragon, which is relatively quick. Zoth-Avarex is an egotistical asshole, but somehow endearing at the same time.
The three women characters; Ana, Silvia, and Marian, are all strong, independent thinkers. This is a relief, because in fantasy, that's not always the case. If anything, they tend to drag Harris along with them as they work to defeat the dragon.
At times the humor in this book reminds me of Monty Python. It can get pretty silly, but it really worked for me. The author doesn't operate like a Terry Pratchett, where every other line is funny, but he does inject humor pretty regularly. There are a ton of fantasy references, some of which I didn't understand. But I got most of them, and they made me laugh. The pace of the book is fast, and the action is fun and compelling. I read the entire thing in three sittings.
I would highly recommend this book for any fans of comic fantasy. It was a lot of fun!
Read
February 5, 2021This was such a fun book. The concept was surprisingly original, and the humor (especially all the references) kept me laughing throughout. The satire wasn't exactly ground-breaking, but it made a few good points without being too preachy.
The first few chapters are good. They introduce us to the Site, a secret government...site where magic was discovered and kept hidden since the 1940s. The silliness starts pretty quick, with ridiculous levels of governmental bureaucracy making magic nearly mundane. But the book truly takes off with the arrival of the dragon, Zoth-Avarex, a few chapters in. He immediately steals the show with his quick wit and smart-ass personality. I won't go into the plot from that point, but things move pretty fast, and the humor rarely relents.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read.
The first few chapters are good. They introduce us to the Site, a secret government...site where magic was discovered and kept hidden since the 1940s. The silliness starts pretty quick, with ridiculous levels of governmental bureaucracy making magic nearly mundane. But the book truly takes off with the arrival of the dragon, Zoth-Avarex, a few chapters in. He immediately steals the show with his quick wit and smart-ass personality. I won't go into the plot from that point, but things move pretty fast, and the humor rarely relents.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read.
July 21, 2021
Once there was a show named Eureka about a secret government facility that was hidden from the prying eyes of the general population. All kinds of wild and crazy things occurred there – many of them even seemed magical. Oh, how I loved that show and I thought about it more than a few times as I was reading The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex (The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse) by K. R. R. Lockhaven. No, there weren’t any dragons in Eureka, Oregon but to be honest, if the inept brainiac scientists there had accidentally let one into our world, Sheriff Jack Carter would have known how to handle it.
Sadly, that show ended in July of 2012 but this book could easily be turned into a screen play to take its place. Lockhaven’s world building is reminiscent of the worlds of many past and present sci-fi authors. I love the concept of the magical community, called the Site, that is hidden in a forest near Seattle, Washington. Similar to the magical conscripts in the Harry Potter novels, young US citizens with a proclivity towards anything magical are secretly invited to live and work at the Site and to do their duty to save the country from all enemies foreign and national. The story of Zoth-Avarex revolves around a young conjurer named Harris who has just arrived for his first day of work there. Other main players are the beautiful sisters, Sylvia and Anna; Fireman Jake, and an adorable little imp named Xop. Then, there’s Marian and Eddie and Bill and the General, among others, who all have interesting parts to play.
Lastly, let’s not forget the mighty red dragon, Zoth-Avarex. This one, like most of them, loves precious jewels and shiny gold. . .and royal princesses. But he is also beyond-wise to the follies of human nature. I found this line, from the mouth of the dragon when asked about his pet peeve, particularly insightful, “I’ve seen unaccountable worlds and I have yet to find beings as lame and cowardly as comment-section bullies here on Earth. You know, internet tough guys who hide behind their keyboards. F them.” Too true. And some of these guys might just be dumb enough to bully a dragon.
Yes, the red dragon appears to be my kind of guy. Who wouldn’t vote for someone like him as President of the good ole USA after a speech like this? “…You can’t sit around all day listening to some radio or television program b-tch and complain about how horrible the other side is and tell you how to think. ‘The dragons’, so to speak, in your country are getting richer and richer while you all squabble amongst yourselves over whatever issues they’ve chosen for you to squabble over.” Hmmm…this fantasy seems eerily familiar to real life. Too bad the almighty Zoth is just playing the people like fiddles.
Back to the heroes, Harris and friends. . . They find themselves traveling through different dimensions in a mad dash to collect dragon binding artifacts to try to save the world from the villainous dragon. Yes, that’s right. . .Zoth IS NOT Mr. Nice guy. And one can only hope, he’s not almighty, either. After all, “There’s always a bigger fish…” That’s what the Phantom Menace says, anyway.
The best part about this story is that it is funny. It is both laugh out loud and snicker to yourself knowingly funny. It is also thoughtful and touches upon current events in ways that will make you think, too. I give this book 5 stars and extra bonus points because a continuation K. R. R. Lockhaven’s very entertaining story is on the horizon. I can’t wait to read book 2.
Sadly, that show ended in July of 2012 but this book could easily be turned into a screen play to take its place. Lockhaven’s world building is reminiscent of the worlds of many past and present sci-fi authors. I love the concept of the magical community, called the Site, that is hidden in a forest near Seattle, Washington. Similar to the magical conscripts in the Harry Potter novels, young US citizens with a proclivity towards anything magical are secretly invited to live and work at the Site and to do their duty to save the country from all enemies foreign and national. The story of Zoth-Avarex revolves around a young conjurer named Harris who has just arrived for his first day of work there. Other main players are the beautiful sisters, Sylvia and Anna; Fireman Jake, and an adorable little imp named Xop. Then, there’s Marian and Eddie and Bill and the General, among others, who all have interesting parts to play.
Lastly, let’s not forget the mighty red dragon, Zoth-Avarex. This one, like most of them, loves precious jewels and shiny gold. . .and royal princesses. But he is also beyond-wise to the follies of human nature. I found this line, from the mouth of the dragon when asked about his pet peeve, particularly insightful, “I’ve seen unaccountable worlds and I have yet to find beings as lame and cowardly as comment-section bullies here on Earth. You know, internet tough guys who hide behind their keyboards. F them.” Too true. And some of these guys might just be dumb enough to bully a dragon.
Yes, the red dragon appears to be my kind of guy. Who wouldn’t vote for someone like him as President of the good ole USA after a speech like this? “…You can’t sit around all day listening to some radio or television program b-tch and complain about how horrible the other side is and tell you how to think. ‘The dragons’, so to speak, in your country are getting richer and richer while you all squabble amongst yourselves over whatever issues they’ve chosen for you to squabble over.” Hmmm…this fantasy seems eerily familiar to real life. Too bad the almighty Zoth is just playing the people like fiddles.
Back to the heroes, Harris and friends. . . They find themselves traveling through different dimensions in a mad dash to collect dragon binding artifacts to try to save the world from the villainous dragon. Yes, that’s right. . .Zoth IS NOT Mr. Nice guy. And one can only hope, he’s not almighty, either. After all, “There’s always a bigger fish…” That’s what the Phantom Menace says, anyway.
The best part about this story is that it is funny. It is both laugh out loud and snicker to yourself knowingly funny. It is also thoughtful and touches upon current events in ways that will make you think, too. I give this book 5 stars and extra bonus points because a continuation K. R. R. Lockhaven’s very entertaining story is on the horizon. I can’t wait to read book 2.
October 9, 2021
Oookay. First of all, I don't think I have ever devoured a 400-page book within one day. Somewhat confused, thinking it can't possibly be that long, I headed towards the SPFBO (Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off) review where I read that the reviewer found it an incredibly quick read for a 400-page book. It simply doesn't let go of you until you're done. A bit like the dragon (completely unlike the dragon).
Zoth-Avarex, self-proclaimed or not, steals the show. The dragon gets all the best lines and… I was kinda rooting for him to… let's say I was hoping it wouldn't end with A Typical Fantasy Ending Featuring Swords And Such. Maybe it did. Maybe it didn't. I was twice as satisfied as expected. The humour was right up my alley – the author thanks Sir Terry Pratchett for inspiration and it's definitely there. An homage, too, not plagiarism. If you're a fan of Sir Terry's humour, you're a fan of Lockhaven's, too.
I found myself in a bit of a conundrum when it came to rating the book. It reads great. It's great fun. (The author owes me two t-shirts and knows why.) Unfortunately, which I don't think I have seen before, while the dialogue flows, smooth and realistic, the internal monologue sometimes doesn't. I'm not even sure how to describe it – the action's great, the dialogue's great, the dragon's great, and the bits in-between are sometimes not-so-great. (In related news, I'm a picky reader.) So there I was, cursing Goodreads for not allowing for 3.5 stars, when suddenly:
DID HE DO IT? YES HE DID. HE DID IT. THE AUTHOR, I MEAN. TOTALLY DID IT.
This is why I love indie books. This, that thing the author did, that's exactly it. If someone can do THAT, occasionally stiff internal monologues don't count. (What I am saying is that you MUST read until the very end. DNF-ing this book is not an option, unless you want your life to be actively worse.)
There is a choose-your-own-adventure sequel. I thought my TBR pile would shrink a TINY bit once I finish this book. There's no way I can leave that sequel alone, though. Well played, Zoth-Avar– I mean, KRR Lockhaven. Well played.
(My preferred t-shirt size is XL.)
Zoth-Avarex, self-proclaimed or not, steals the show. The dragon gets all the best lines and… I was kinda rooting for him to… let's say I was hoping it wouldn't end with A Typical Fantasy Ending Featuring Swords And Such. Maybe it did. Maybe it didn't. I was twice as satisfied as expected. The humour was right up my alley – the author thanks Sir Terry Pratchett for inspiration and it's definitely there. An homage, too, not plagiarism. If you're a fan of Sir Terry's humour, you're a fan of Lockhaven's, too.
I found myself in a bit of a conundrum when it came to rating the book. It reads great. It's great fun. (The author owes me two t-shirts and knows why.) Unfortunately, which I don't think I have seen before, while the dialogue flows, smooth and realistic, the internal monologue sometimes doesn't. I'm not even sure how to describe it – the action's great, the dialogue's great, the dragon's great, and the bits in-between are sometimes not-so-great. (In related news, I'm a picky reader.) So there I was, cursing Goodreads for not allowing for 3.5 stars, when suddenly:
DID HE DO IT? YES HE DID. HE DID IT. THE AUTHOR, I MEAN. TOTALLY DID IT.
This is why I love indie books. This, that thing the author did, that's exactly it. If someone can do THAT, occasionally stiff internal monologues don't count. (What I am saying is that you MUST read until the very end. DNF-ing this book is not an option, unless you want your life to be actively worse.)
There is a choose-your-own-adventure sequel. I thought my TBR pile would shrink a TINY bit once I finish this book. There's no way I can leave that sequel alone, though. Well played, Zoth-Avar– I mean, KRR Lockhaven. Well played.
(My preferred t-shirt size is XL.)
July 29, 2021
I was granted complimentary access to The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with Goddess Fish Promotions. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Hidden in plain sight, right in the middle of the USA, is a place where magic exists, dragons are real, and the fae are up to date with all of our memes. If you love tongue-in-cheek nods to all of the tired old tropes in science fiction & fantasy, Douglas Adams style absurdist comedy, and the occasional Rickroll, you're going to laugh your way all through this book!
This book is absolutely full of references to all your favourite works. Some are more overt, like acknowledging that Westeros is a real place and our friendly neighbourhood dragon character is a cousin of Smaug (and someone wants to do a pub crawl in Middle Earth.) Others are more subtle, like an orientation training quiz question that opens with the premise that you know the name of the wind, or when said dragon character says "you tickled a sleeping dragon" and "I am the one who knocks."
On one hand, I really loved the non-stop train of references and fourth-wall-breaking trope moments. On the other hand, some of these things are very much of this decade and won't necessarily land for the average reader in the not too distant future. Is everybody still going to know what a Rickroll is in 2031? I mean sure, Rick Astley's never gonna give you up, but will we eventually let him down? I want that to still be funny when my daughter's old enough for this sort of novel but I'm not 100% convinced it will be.
Overall this is a very fun read and I absolutely recommend it to every SFF reader with a healthy sense of humour!
Hidden in plain sight, right in the middle of the USA, is a place where magic exists, dragons are real, and the fae are up to date with all of our memes. If you love tongue-in-cheek nods to all of the tired old tropes in science fiction & fantasy, Douglas Adams style absurdist comedy, and the occasional Rickroll, you're going to laugh your way all through this book!
This book is absolutely full of references to all your favourite works. Some are more overt, like acknowledging that Westeros is a real place and our friendly neighbourhood dragon character is a cousin of Smaug (and someone wants to do a pub crawl in Middle Earth.) Others are more subtle, like an orientation training quiz question that opens with the premise that you know the name of the wind, or when said dragon character says "you tickled a sleeping dragon" and "I am the one who knocks."
On one hand, I really loved the non-stop train of references and fourth-wall-breaking trope moments. On the other hand, some of these things are very much of this decade and won't necessarily land for the average reader in the not too distant future. Is everybody still going to know what a Rickroll is in 2031? I mean sure, Rick Astley's never gonna give you up, but will we eventually let him down? I want that to still be funny when my daughter's old enough for this sort of novel but I'm not 100% convinced it will be.
Overall this is a very fun read and I absolutely recommend it to every SFF reader with a healthy sense of humour!
April 2, 2021
Possibly four and a half stars, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. This book was way more entertaining than I expected. From the outset it seemed to be a Pacific North West variant on "Harry Potter goes to college", with a specifically magical university, a nerd who has to create his own found family, and an academic establishment which is both rather hidebound and careless when it comes to exploiting magic for personal gain.
It all changed when the dragon arrived, set himself up on a major local landmark and started demanding vast quantities of gold and a personal princess. Inevitably one of our hero's team is dragged into it, and the rest have to go hunting through magical realms to find the solution. Meanwhile, back home, a mess threatens to turn into a catastrophe.
I found this consistently entertaining and at times laugh-out-loud funny. The discovery of the true nature of the dragon is priceless. OK, you can find the odd plot hole, and the characterisation of minor characters is a little thin at times, but at a time of deep lockdown and depressing news everywhere, this was just the tonic needed.
I received an advance review copy from Book Sirens for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
It all changed when the dragon arrived, set himself up on a major local landmark and started demanding vast quantities of gold and a personal princess. Inevitably one of our hero's team is dragged into it, and the rest have to go hunting through magical realms to find the solution. Meanwhile, back home, a mess threatens to turn into a catastrophe.
I found this consistently entertaining and at times laugh-out-loud funny. The discovery of the true nature of the dragon is priceless. OK, you can find the odd plot hole, and the characterisation of minor characters is a little thin at times, but at a time of deep lockdown and depressing news everywhere, this was just the tonic needed.
I received an advance review copy from Book Sirens for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
May 4, 2021
When we were given a free copy of this book prior to release, we couldn’t wait to read it based on the summary alone, and boy were we right.
This book is a delightful exploration of your first day on the job… at what amounts to Area 51 but for magic (hidden away in the PNW). We loved the way this novel skips past the overdone “magic school” trope and instead gets into the anxiety-ridden “imposter syndrome” experience of feeling in over your head at your first job. The characters all felt like real people - from their sympathetic motives to their genuine best efforts (even when they had mixed success). The influence of Terry Pratchett was clear in the dry humor and irreverent trope reversals. Some of the pop culture references land better than others, but overall this book was a fun adventure from start to finish.
This book is a delightful exploration of your first day on the job… at what amounts to Area 51 but for magic (hidden away in the PNW). We loved the way this novel skips past the overdone “magic school” trope and instead gets into the anxiety-ridden “imposter syndrome” experience of feeling in over your head at your first job. The characters all felt like real people - from their sympathetic motives to their genuine best efforts (even when they had mixed success). The influence of Terry Pratchett was clear in the dry humor and irreverent trope reversals. Some of the pop culture references land better than others, but overall this book was a fun adventure from start to finish.
March 23, 2021
This was great fun. I love dragons so thought I would be a fan of Zoth Avarex ,and I was right but then again who wouldn't like a snarky self proclaimed greatest dragon in the multiverse.
A fun read, just what I needed with everything else going on in the world. I enjoyed the humour and the characters, having worked in organisations full of bureaucracy I particularly enjoyed The Site. For a longer book it is faced paced and the injection of humour makes this a fast and enjoyable read.
I received an advance review copy for free via BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A fun read, just what I needed with everything else going on in the world. I enjoyed the humour and the characters, having worked in organisations full of bureaucracy I particularly enjoyed The Site. For a longer book it is faced paced and the injection of humour makes this a fast and enjoyable read.
I received an advance review copy for free via BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 6, 2021
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE CONJURING OF ZOTH-AVAREX ABOUT?
Harris Reed is fresh out of magical training school and arrives at the Site to begin his career as a conjurer—he couldn't be more excited about it. He'd grown up on fantasy literature and movies, and in college finds out that so much of what he'd dreamed about is actually true. Not only that, he can be part of the incredibly secret world.
What he discovers is a corporate culture that basically mimics that which is in the mundane world (Harris would use the adjective "Muggle," he's that kind of nerd). Petty rivalries, careerists focused on climbing the ladder, budget issues, inter-department squabbles, and a devotion to bureaucracy over the well-being of the employees—or common sense.
Harris and his fellow graduates have been brought to the Site to add some last-minute power to a long-term project set to launch on their second day of work, which sounds exciting to them all.
What they don't know is that the project is summoning a dragon into this world from another universe. To you and I, this might sound as dumb as John Hammond's plan for a park full of dinosaurs, but the managers of the Site (and the U. S. Military, which expects to be the eventual recipient of said dragon) don't see it that way. It turns out that, in comparison, Hammond looks like a safety-conscious genius—it takes less than one sentence for the dragon to show that the humans have no control over him. He kills one staff member, snatches a woman that Harris knew from school, and flies off.
Zoth-Avarex takes Silvia to the top of the Space Needle and makes it his base. He brought Silvia along because he needs a princess in addition to his treasure. There's no threat implied to her (as long as she doesn't try to escape)—he basically wants to keep her safe and pamper her. It doesn't keep this from being a horrible experience for her, but it sure could be much worse.
On their first day, Harris has befriended (or tried to) Siliva, her fiancé, and her sister. The three of them quickly realize that Management and the military are going to be of little use in getting Silvia back, and decide to take matters into their own hands in the tradition of fantasy protagonists everywhere. They get support and a little guidance from Silvia and Harris's direct supervisor, as well as a long-term employee who's got his heart set on retirement.
EDDIE
One of the first people that Harris meets on campus is a conjurer just days away from retirement. He's named Eddie, but might as well be named Dr. Perry Cox. Eddie's a legend on the Site for some heroics back in the '70s but is now an iconoclastic grump. The kind of guy every office has one or two of—they've been around forever and understand the way things work in ways that management doesn't. They also don't care about anything anymore and aren't afraid to show it. He gives the new hires a hard time but actually gives good advice and assistance.
I personally love to get to know those figures and try to learn as much as I can from them (and have likely taken on that role a time or two), maybe that's why Eddie resonated with me so much. He was hands-down my favorite character—he's one of those supporting characters that could overshadow the protagonists if used too much, but Lockhaven doesn't let that happen. Which is probably good, too much of him could've hurt the novel.
FOOTNOTES
I am a sucker for a good (generally comedic) use of footnotes in novels—it's not something I see often, but when I do, there's a high correlation between their presence and a novel I enjoy.* Lockhaven nails the practice—they give him an added vehicle for jokes and help add to the reader's understanding of the world and some characters. He also includes one note that's so long could be a Steinbeck-ian intercalary chapter. It takes a certain audacity to try that, and it paid off.
* See Lisa Lutz, Thomas Lennon, Josh Bazell.
SATIRE
The book is primarily a fantasy adventure, but throughout—sometimes more pronounced than others—it's also a workplace satire. As such it's a winner—even if the fantasy storylines and broader comic bits didn't work, I'd be pretty positive about this book for the workplace satire alone.
Like Harris, Lockhaven is pretty clearly someone who has drunk deeply from Fantasy fiction. At once he celebrates tropes, themes, and ideas from all sorts of Fantasy—and pokes fun at them. If he just ridiculed them (as several tropes and themes deserve), it'd likely come across as mean-spirited and wouldn't be that entertaining. If all he did was unleash his favorite tropes to use in telling his story, it's be unoriginal and clichéd. Mixing avoids the pitfalls and makes for an entertaining read.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE CONJURING OF ZOTH-AVAREX?
It's de rigueur when talking about a humorous work of Fantasy or SF to invoke Pratchett, Adams, and Asprin, and it's de rigueur when I talk about that kind of fiction that I go out of my way to not do that. It's easy this time because I find them completely inapplicable. On the other hand, TCoZA:TSPGDitM brought to mind: John Scalzi (I'm thinking Agent to the Stars and The Android's Dream), Scott Meyer (Magic 2.0 series), Joe Zieja (Epic Failure Trilogy), and Eoin Colfer (Highfire). You put those works in a blender and pulse for 30 seconds and you're going to get something akin to this book.
* Actually, does anyone Asprin anymore? I probably need to update my references.
This would be an easy book for me to go on too long about—I'd love to spend a few paragraphs on Zoth-Avarex alone. But it's best experienced rather than being told about.
Most of the Independently published Humorous/Light Fantasy that I've come across hasn't worked for me—at least not as much as I wanted it to. Either on the humor front or the story front. But Lockhaven nailed it, I'm happy to say. I laughed—audibly and hard—a couple of times, I chuckled and grinned a lot. I thought the relationships between the characters worked well, and I enjoyed the characters you're supposed to enjoy and was annoyed by the ones that are supposed to bother you. This is largely one of those novels whose journey is more important than the destination—but I enjoyed the way Lockhaven wrapped things up, too.
In short, I had a lot of fun with this and expect that you will, too. Give this one a try.
---
"We’ve had years and years of preparations to ensure everything will run smooth. We have learned from the mistakes of the past and will use that knowledge to make better mistakes in the future. Er. . . to avoid those mistakes altogether.”
WHAT'S THE CONJURING OF ZOTH-AVAREX ABOUT?
Harris Reed is fresh out of magical training school and arrives at the Site to begin his career as a conjurer—he couldn't be more excited about it. He'd grown up on fantasy literature and movies, and in college finds out that so much of what he'd dreamed about is actually true. Not only that, he can be part of the incredibly secret world.
What he discovers is a corporate culture that basically mimics that which is in the mundane world (Harris would use the adjective "Muggle," he's that kind of nerd). Petty rivalries, careerists focused on climbing the ladder, budget issues, inter-department squabbles, and a devotion to bureaucracy over the well-being of the employees—or common sense.
Harris and his fellow graduates have been brought to the Site to add some last-minute power to a long-term project set to launch on their second day of work, which sounds exciting to them all.
What they don't know is that the project is summoning a dragon into this world from another universe. To you and I, this might sound as dumb as John Hammond's plan for a park full of dinosaurs, but the managers of the Site (and the U. S. Military, which expects to be the eventual recipient of said dragon) don't see it that way. It turns out that, in comparison, Hammond looks like a safety-conscious genius—it takes less than one sentence for the dragon to show that the humans have no control over him. He kills one staff member, snatches a woman that Harris knew from school, and flies off.
Zoth-Avarex takes Silvia to the top of the Space Needle and makes it his base. He brought Silvia along because he needs a princess in addition to his treasure. There's no threat implied to her (as long as she doesn't try to escape)—he basically wants to keep her safe and pamper her. It doesn't keep this from being a horrible experience for her, but it sure could be much worse.
On their first day, Harris has befriended (or tried to) Siliva, her fiancé, and her sister. The three of them quickly realize that Management and the military are going to be of little use in getting Silvia back, and decide to take matters into their own hands in the tradition of fantasy protagonists everywhere. They get support and a little guidance from Silvia and Harris's direct supervisor, as well as a long-term employee who's got his heart set on retirement.
EDDIE
One of the first people that Harris meets on campus is a conjurer just days away from retirement. He's named Eddie, but might as well be named Dr. Perry Cox. Eddie's a legend on the Site for some heroics back in the '70s but is now an iconoclastic grump. The kind of guy every office has one or two of—they've been around forever and understand the way things work in ways that management doesn't. They also don't care about anything anymore and aren't afraid to show it. He gives the new hires a hard time but actually gives good advice and assistance.
I personally love to get to know those figures and try to learn as much as I can from them (and have likely taken on that role a time or two), maybe that's why Eddie resonated with me so much. He was hands-down my favorite character—he's one of those supporting characters that could overshadow the protagonists if used too much, but Lockhaven doesn't let that happen. Which is probably good, too much of him could've hurt the novel.
FOOTNOTES
I am a sucker for a good (generally comedic) use of footnotes in novels—it's not something I see often, but when I do, there's a high correlation between their presence and a novel I enjoy.* Lockhaven nails the practice—they give him an added vehicle for jokes and help add to the reader's understanding of the world and some characters. He also includes one note that's so long could be a Steinbeck-ian intercalary chapter. It takes a certain audacity to try that, and it paid off.
* See Lisa Lutz, Thomas Lennon, Josh Bazell.
SATIRE
The book is primarily a fantasy adventure, but throughout—sometimes more pronounced than others—it's also a workplace satire. As such it's a winner—even if the fantasy storylines and broader comic bits didn't work, I'd be pretty positive about this book for the workplace satire alone.
Like Harris, Lockhaven is pretty clearly someone who has drunk deeply from Fantasy fiction. At once he celebrates tropes, themes, and ideas from all sorts of Fantasy—and pokes fun at them. If he just ridiculed them (as several tropes and themes deserve), it'd likely come across as mean-spirited and wouldn't be that entertaining. If all he did was unleash his favorite tropes to use in telling his story, it's be unoriginal and clichéd. Mixing avoids the pitfalls and makes for an entertaining read.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE CONJURING OF ZOTH-AVAREX?
“Well, Bill, I know the answer to life is simply to live with love. Well, actually it’s forty- two, but you humans can’t comprehend that.” The dragon paused wistfully. “I know the best things in life are free. But the birds and bees can have all of that. I need gold! Gold! And to hang here with my beautiful maiden. That’s all I want in this crazy mixed-up world.”
It's de rigueur when talking about a humorous work of Fantasy or SF to invoke Pratchett, Adams, and Asprin, and it's de rigueur when I talk about that kind of fiction that I go out of my way to not do that. It's easy this time because I find them completely inapplicable. On the other hand, TCoZA:TSPGDitM brought to mind: John Scalzi (I'm thinking Agent to the Stars and The Android's Dream), Scott Meyer (Magic 2.0 series), Joe Zieja (Epic Failure Trilogy), and Eoin Colfer (Highfire). You put those works in a blender and pulse for 30 seconds and you're going to get something akin to this book.
* Actually, does anyone Asprin anymore? I probably need to update my references.
This would be an easy book for me to go on too long about—I'd love to spend a few paragraphs on Zoth-Avarex alone. But it's best experienced rather than being told about.
Most of the Independently published Humorous/Light Fantasy that I've come across hasn't worked for me—at least not as much as I wanted it to. Either on the humor front or the story front. But Lockhaven nailed it, I'm happy to say. I laughed—audibly and hard—a couple of times, I chuckled and grinned a lot. I thought the relationships between the characters worked well, and I enjoyed the characters you're supposed to enjoy and was annoyed by the ones that are supposed to bother you. This is largely one of those novels whose journey is more important than the destination—but I enjoyed the way Lockhaven wrapped things up, too.
In short, I had a lot of fun with this and expect that you will, too. Give this one a try.
February 21, 2023
I found this book with a dragon on the space needle at a bookstore and got excited because I’m from Seattle. Then I look at the author and his first two names are Kyle Robert, WHICH ARE MY FIRST TWO NAMES. So I obviously bought it.
Great writing, it was def my type of humor. Didn’t really get why Harris never calmed the fuck down. I loved the Papa Smurf reference. 5 stars. Hoping there’s a sequel.
Great writing, it was def my type of humor. Didn’t really get why Harris never calmed the fuck down. I loved the Papa Smurf reference. 5 stars. Hoping there’s a sequel.
August 5, 2021
3.75 stars
“The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse” by K.R.R. Lockhaven describes the challenges faced by Harris Reed, as he and his fellow trainees arrive at the Site, where he will put his training in magic to practical use. Unfortunately, their arrival coincides with the unwilling arrival of the dragon Zoth-Avarex. Somehow, the banishing of Zoth-Avarex becomes the first task of Harrris and his new colleagues.
This tongue-in-cheek fantasy takes many popular tropes from this genre and tweaks them a bit with humorous results. There are plenty of zany characters who face a quest that constantly morphs, with unexpected results, and lots of sly allusions to modern society and its ills. I love the postulation that authors’ ideas are coming from multiverses, and the revelation at the end was a perfect quirky twist…as were the alternate ending and epilogue.
I would have liked to have a bit more depth for all of the characters, since the roller-coaster ride of events just kept providing more puzzles to solve, but I never felt I got to know anyone. The story itself reflected the frustration many of us face when dealing with the mindless bureaucracy that constrains our lives, and I found myself gritting my teeth at some of the crazy turns the story took. I think that those who like satirical fantasy will enjoy this story, and fantasy fans will enjoy the melange of inside jokes.
A copy of this title was provided for review
“The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse” by K.R.R. Lockhaven describes the challenges faced by Harris Reed, as he and his fellow trainees arrive at the Site, where he will put his training in magic to practical use. Unfortunately, their arrival coincides with the unwilling arrival of the dragon Zoth-Avarex. Somehow, the banishing of Zoth-Avarex becomes the first task of Harrris and his new colleagues.
This tongue-in-cheek fantasy takes many popular tropes from this genre and tweaks them a bit with humorous results. There are plenty of zany characters who face a quest that constantly morphs, with unexpected results, and lots of sly allusions to modern society and its ills. I love the postulation that authors’ ideas are coming from multiverses, and the revelation at the end was a perfect quirky twist…as were the alternate ending and epilogue.
I would have liked to have a bit more depth for all of the characters, since the roller-coaster ride of events just kept providing more puzzles to solve, but I never felt I got to know anyone. The story itself reflected the frustration many of us face when dealing with the mindless bureaucracy that constrains our lives, and I found myself gritting my teeth at some of the crazy turns the story took. I think that those who like satirical fantasy will enjoy this story, and fantasy fans will enjoy the melange of inside jokes.
A copy of this title was provided for review
July 23, 2021
What a funny thrilling adventure this story turned out to be. With a blurb like that how could I pass up to the chance to read about a magical world within our own. I am here to tell you, this book will not disappoint. It is full of snark, sass, mischief, and a dragon who is just a pleasure of a character.
From the very first page I immediately liked Harris. He was as awkward as one would expect a newly trained wizard to be. Conjuring his very first illegal imp on the day of his induction was very “on brand” of what was to come. The world is presented through an interesting lens in this story as Harris narrates all the sights, sounds, and feelings that come with entering the Site for the first time. Day 2, dragon conjuring, and the rest they say, is history.
This story is great for people who don’t take themselves too seriously and those who enjoy poking fun at the bureaucracy that plagues our nation. Red tape, rules, and limits all must go out the window when you’re dealing with Zoth-Avarex. The alternate ending is one for the multiverses and made me laugh out loud. Definitely grab this book for yourselves, you won’t be disappointed.
From the very first page I immediately liked Harris. He was as awkward as one would expect a newly trained wizard to be. Conjuring his very first illegal imp on the day of his induction was very “on brand” of what was to come. The world is presented through an interesting lens in this story as Harris narrates all the sights, sounds, and feelings that come with entering the Site for the first time. Day 2, dragon conjuring, and the rest they say, is history.
This story is great for people who don’t take themselves too seriously and those who enjoy poking fun at the bureaucracy that plagues our nation. Red tape, rules, and limits all must go out the window when you’re dealing with Zoth-Avarex. The alternate ending is one for the multiverses and made me laugh out loud. Definitely grab this book for yourselves, you won’t be disappointed.
April 14, 2021
This was a delightfully witty and funny read. It's like someone decided to turn a D&D gaming session into a novel. The pacing of the plot really tied into the theme of man vs. bureaucracy. Reading this was relaxing and enjoyable; it wasn't like trying to keep up with high fantasy and political intrigue. A perfect read for when you're in a reading slump from surviving a pandemic.
The pop culture references made me laugh out loud and read parts to my husband. I was invested in reading about Harris and his work with his new peers, but I was also excited to see what else the author would throw in there (like an epilogue and an alternative ending).
If I ever taught a college course, I would gladly add reading this for extra credit or a book club. Fans of Critical Role will enjoy this book.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The pop culture references made me laugh out loud and read parts to my husband. I was invested in reading about Harris and his work with his new peers, but I was also excited to see what else the author would throw in there (like an epilogue and an alternative ending).
If I ever taught a college course, I would gladly add reading this for extra credit or a book club. Fans of Critical Role will enjoy this book.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 2, 2021
This book 100% deserves it's Kirkus Star. I haven't enjoyed reading something this much in sixteen years. It's just FUN.
The plot is a standard High Fantasy fetch-quest set in the "real world," mixed with a heist and kidnapped princess. But you don't read this book for the plot. You read it to watch Lockhaven use a mix of parody and satire to systematically dissect every single High Fantasy trope in the funniest way possible. (He sort of alternates between acknowledging & skewering them, and playing them so straight to the hilt that it's hilarious.)
It's basically everything I've ever wanted in a High Fantasy story, right down to the running joke built off a Farside reference.
I want more of this. Please.
The plot is a standard High Fantasy fetch-quest set in the "real world," mixed with a heist and kidnapped princess. But you don't read this book for the plot. You read it to watch Lockhaven use a mix of parody and satire to systematically dissect every single High Fantasy trope in the funniest way possible. (He sort of alternates between acknowledging & skewering them, and playing them so straight to the hilt that it's hilarious.)
It's basically everything I've ever wanted in a High Fantasy story, right down to the running joke built off a Farside reference.
I want more of this. Please.
February 12, 2021
What an unexpected surprise! I wasn't sure what expect from a book with a dragon and a taco truck on top of the Space Needle on the cover, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. The concept of this book is completely original, and the humor was great. It had me laughing from the first paragraph. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Terry Pratchett, even though the humor is much different. The story moves fast, and there isn't a lull to be found. This book is a must read for anyone looking for a fun, original story.
I received an advanced copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advanced copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 21, 2021
This book had me smiling and laughing. Think, Men In Black, but with magical creatures instead of aliens...and a lot more bureaucracy. After all, we know the government excels most at red tape. I would love to meet Zoth-Avarex in real life, despite his appetite for people, he seems like he'd be a blast to spend a day with. Who knows, maybe he'd do a better job running things. With all the bad things going on in the world, this was a light-hearted, humorous escape from the mundane of dreary, everyday life.
August 3, 2021
I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. Read an excerpt from the book here.
If you’re looking for humorous fantasy that pokes fun at damsels in distress, the hero’s journey, and corporate red tape, look no further. Plus, there’s a dragon! I mean, who doesn’t love a good dragon, where “good” is interesting because this dragon is definitely not the hero. He’s just amusing and kind of obsessed with having gold and a pretty human. Whatever floats your boat. As you can probably tell, I enjoyed this. I especially liked the comments on procedure and “we can’t do that because the proper forms aren’t signed.” I interned for my state government one summer in college. This brought back memories.
While I definitely got the humor and many of the pop culture references (Hitchhiker FTW), I found that this had the same small issue that a lot of humor has, which is places where the entire thing feels like it’s trying a little too hard. This may be a personal preference, but I prefer my humor more on the subtle side. This was a bit too “and now for the jokes” for me, but if that’s your type of humor, you’ll probably love this to pieces. There’s even an alternative ending in case you didn’t care for the first one.
All in all, worth a read. Recommend to humor fans who like dragons and pop culture references. Oh, and there are little cute creatures because cuteness!
If you’re looking for humorous fantasy that pokes fun at damsels in distress, the hero’s journey, and corporate red tape, look no further. Plus, there’s a dragon! I mean, who doesn’t love a good dragon, where “good” is interesting because this dragon is definitely not the hero. He’s just amusing and kind of obsessed with having gold and a pretty human. Whatever floats your boat. As you can probably tell, I enjoyed this. I especially liked the comments on procedure and “we can’t do that because the proper forms aren’t signed.” I interned for my state government one summer in college. This brought back memories.
While I definitely got the humor and many of the pop culture references (Hitchhiker FTW), I found that this had the same small issue that a lot of humor has, which is places where the entire thing feels like it’s trying a little too hard. This may be a personal preference, but I prefer my humor more on the subtle side. This was a bit too “and now for the jokes” for me, but if that’s your type of humor, you’ll probably love this to pieces. There’s even an alternative ending in case you didn’t care for the first one.
All in all, worth a read. Recommend to humor fans who like dragons and pop culture references. Oh, and there are little cute creatures because cuteness!
January 6, 2022
I don't often read comedic speculative fiction in the vein of Hitchhikers or Discworld, but I'm thinking maybe I should try it out more. This was more fun than I was expecting.
After the first few chapters, I started reference hunting. There's a lot of obvious ones, but some more subtle references too. I felt definite satisfaction when I was able to recognize them.
After the first few chapters, I started reference hunting. There's a lot of obvious ones, but some more subtle references too. I felt definite satisfaction when I was able to recognize them.
unfinished-dnf
March 13, 2025Picked this up randomly because someone online was calling this a soulmate if books could be soul mates. Wish I remembered where that came from so I could recommend better examples of this genre of humorous fantasy. I’ll just go reread Craig Shaw Gardner or Robert Asprin instead.
March 5, 2022
A little bit too campy for me, had some interesting ideas though.
February 21, 2025
fun and clever, an enjoyable and easy-going read
March 23, 2024
Story went along well, sometimes a little to politically forward... the story got lost a bit when it went that way. I will try some other books by the author.
August 9, 2021
In the middle of the woods, there is a place known as the Site. The Site is kept hidden by the government with a magic bubble. The Site is a place where magic exist but it is kept hidden from the outside world. No one can enter the Site without an invitation from the government.
Harris arrives at the Site for his first day at work. He is excited and more than ready to begin work on his first day. Harris is a conjurer and on his first day, he uses his magic without permission and conjurers up a sloth-like creature by the name of Xop.
In the meantime, the Site does a little conjurer of its own it conjurers up a dragon to be used in Harris’s big project which is to start the next day. The first thing the dragon does is eat the person next to him and then take a princess hostage. The princess is Harris’s new friend, Jake’s girlfriend, Silvia, and the twin sister of Ana the girl Harris has a crush on. The dragon demands a ransom for the princes, he is asking for sixty-three billion dollars.
The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex is a fun-filled, magical read that will have you laughing out loud on more than one occasion. It is filled with magic and chaos as the dragon stomps around making all his demands known. I really liked the sloth-like creature, Xop. I liked that he wanted to hang around with Harris and help them find the princess. I could just see all this in my head as if I was standing right beside them.
I would recommend The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex to anyone who is into fantasy, dragons, and a magic-filled world! One-click your copy of The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex to begin this epic fantasy today!
Harris arrives at the Site for his first day at work. He is excited and more than ready to begin work on his first day. Harris is a conjurer and on his first day, he uses his magic without permission and conjurers up a sloth-like creature by the name of Xop.
In the meantime, the Site does a little conjurer of its own it conjurers up a dragon to be used in Harris’s big project which is to start the next day. The first thing the dragon does is eat the person next to him and then take a princess hostage. The princess is Harris’s new friend, Jake’s girlfriend, Silvia, and the twin sister of Ana the girl Harris has a crush on. The dragon demands a ransom for the princes, he is asking for sixty-three billion dollars.
The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex is a fun-filled, magical read that will have you laughing out loud on more than one occasion. It is filled with magic and chaos as the dragon stomps around making all his demands known. I really liked the sloth-like creature, Xop. I liked that he wanted to hang around with Harris and help them find the princess. I could just see all this in my head as if I was standing right beside them.
I would recommend The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex to anyone who is into fantasy, dragons, and a magic-filled world! One-click your copy of The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex to begin this epic fantasy today!
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