Too Many Curses by A. Lee Martinez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
“Too Many Curses” is a buoyant, fun read about the humble keeper of an evil wizard’s castle, the hundreds of hilariously cursed denizens of said castle, and how they all cope with the wizard’s unexpected death. When Magic was the only thing holding the weird castle more or less together, there are consequences when the wielder is gone.
The jokes are Pratchett-worthy. My personal favorite was the Sword in the Cabbage, which is exactly the story of the Sword in the Stone of the legacy of swords stuck in places had continued. I also found the Scotsman-turned-bat and owl who can only speak in alliteration quite wonderful.
But while the jokes were silly and jaunty, the book lacks the deeper insight of a Pratchett book, so it’s not really a fair comparison. I was also a bit disappointed in the ending, which seemed to rely heavily on deus ex machina to unkink the tangle of problems.
That said, it is highly enjoyable if you’re looking for some frivolity!
M.E. Kinkade 