Game of Gnomes: The Necrognomicon

Review originally posted on Geeky Galaxy.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I'll start by saying, if you're looking for a serious read, this is not it. From the very first line, the humour in this is clear, and it doesn't let up throughout. In my opinion, that's marvellous. I read a lot of dark fantasy, a lot of gruesome deaths, gore and destruction. This isn't that. I mean, it is, there's actually plenty of death and destruction, but it's not got that heavy, sincere tone. It's a pretty hilarious read from the start through to the end. It made such a change to read something lighter, something that had me smiling. For that alone, it's worth it. It's also worth mentioning, this book is still definitely adult, or at least, it's not a kid's book. There's swearing, violence, death, chaos and... a gnome that loves erotica?

Game of Gnomes: The Necrognomicon (Once you figure out how to say it, it's actually pretty easy) is a short and quick read too. I devoured it in less than 2 hours, so it's also a book that's easy to pick up, read and enjoy without too much thought about the time spent because you're spending that time smirking and enjoying yourself. So why not?

One aspect that caught my attention, and particularly made me smile, is the “easter eggs” of sort. The fantasy or gnome versions of other popular items from the real world. One of the first being “The Rolling Gnomes” magazine. And shortly after that, there's discussion of a certain bear that would break in and steal the main character's honey.

Oh, and the character I'm referring to? His name is Gassy Bedchambers, and then we're quickly introduced to Borty Beetle-Bowel. Which brings me back to my original point. None of this book is serious. Please don't take it that way. If you do, you won't enjoy it. Take it for the humourous, parody it is, because it's not just in the naming. Nothing about this book takes itself too seriously. Even the style it's written in, with a narrator that is a character within itself; a character that isn't afraid to make a joke and self-deprecate.

Like I say at the start, it's not my usual sort of book. And sometimes the humour felt a little too much. The section on why all the gnomes are named like they are for instance, was more eye-rolling than anything else. There were a few other points that felt a little OTT to me, but I still enjoyed the book as a whole and didn't let the few odd moments interrupt an otherwise fun read.

I fear repeating myself, but it is again, so hilariously ridiculous I don't even know where to begin. The story itself is almost like a chaotic D&D game where the DM is doing their best to keep the party on track, but the party is determined to blow something up or start a fight. It was also like the sort of D&D game where the DM is pretty chill, so they make sure everything works out for the party, no matter what completely insane thing might have to happen to make it work. It's not necessarily a bad thing, if you remember the golden rule for this book: don't take anything too seriously.

And finally, we wend with a prologue, which lines thing up nicely for the reader to wonder what's happening next in this strange and wonderful world.

I'd like to thank Critical Tales for the copy of this book for an honest review.
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When I was asked to read a fantasy book about gnomes, I needed no other prerequisite to say “Oh hell, yes!”. Especially when it revolves around a group of criminal gnomes looking to compete in a crime convention. I mean, many may not know this, but I play a gnome rogue in my D&D group. The book leans heavily on the comedic side, which sadly fell flat for me at times, but overall was still a joy to read. It was hard not to smirk as it was definitely a story that was ok laughing at itself. Unfortunately, sometimes it felt a bit forced, and those moments took me out of the experience. That being said, it was still a big adventure for our small heroes (anti-heroes at times), filled with lots of unique characters and a fair share of laughs. If you're a D&D nerd like me, or just like comedic fantasy, I definitely recommend giving it a shot.