Science Fiction
Halfway through Mogworld and it’s still doing that slightly dangerous thing where the premise is so odd it ought to collapse, but doesn’t.
A dead former-magic student being dragged back into the world is already a decent hook. What’s keeping me in, though, is the voice. It makes the absurd feel almost routine, which is a trick I always enjoy when it’s done well. The book has enough bite to stay interesting, but also enough deadpan to stop it feeling too self-consciously quirky.
A dead former-magic student being dragged back into the world is already a decent hook. What’s keeping me in, though, is the voice. It makes the absurd feel almost routine, which is a trick I always enjoy when it’s done well. The book has enough bite to stay interesting, but also enough deadpan to stop it feeling too self-consciously quirky.
Croshaw’s good at making the ridiculous feel administratively normal, which is half the joke here. That can go stale if the voice starts doing all the work, but in this one the premise keeps tugging against it enough to stay lively. I’d also say the deadpan matters more than the fantasy trappings. Without that, it’s just a very odd necromancy problem.