Misadventurous Episode One: It Has to Start Somewhere by Shawn Drew

I received this novella to judge for SFINCS. Opinion is my own, and does not represent that made by the team.

This is posed as humorous fantasy, and it certainly delivers just that. It’s enjoyable, witty, a little inappropriate, and adventurous. I love the idea of a team of adventurers just being awful at it. They may end up being in the right or wrong place at any given time, and lord only knows how they’ll fumble it. Beden just wants to prove himself. He just can’t seem to get things right. Oz, his wizard companion, cannot keep his pants on long enough to cast a spell, and his remaining partner is all brawn and no brains. So when they get buddied up with another group led by Jyden, they can’t seem to mesh. She’s hard headed, determined to lead, and breaking the group apart with her personality.

The character work is fun, with witty banter, and each person being unique in their own abilities (if you can call them that). My only gripe is that as it’s titled “episode one” it does feel like the first piece of something, not like it’s own story. The ending and really only the start of explaining the world feels more like a couple of chapters of something rather than it’s own novella.

Personally a 4/5* for me as it’s fast and fun and real easy to read