Dark Lord of Derkholm

Full review now posted! Original review can be found at Booknest. You’ve probably heard it said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I think that’s true to an extent, but there is an art form that goes beyond imitation that, when done well, can often be the best representation of that whi......more

I had forgotten how utterly brilliant and hilarious this book was. Listening to the audiobook (a very fine production), I found myself walking around grinning, laughing out loud, and wanting to punch Mr. Chesney. All the feelings!......more

Rereading via the Audible audiobook which is very good. I'd forgotten so many details and, indeed, the whole second half of the book since I first read this back in 2011. It is such a fun and enjoyable book. Original review below. ========= Imagine that your world has real elves, dragons, wizards, and......more

The Dark Lord of Derkholm is one of those novels that provides an entertaining story as well as subverting the typical ideas and expectations of the fantasy genre. Diana Wynne Jones is one of those authors who writes wittily and absurdly at the same time, weaving bizarre ideas together into a mix th......more

From what I'd heard, this is meant to be a parody of the tropes of traditional fantasy - and all the tropes do seem to be represented - but , as a parody, I expected it to be much funnier than it was. Maybe it's just because when I think of parody I think of "lovingly tongue-in-cheek" but this book......more