The Demon, the Hero, and the City of Seven

The first book of A.E. Kincaid’s Widdershins series, THE DEMON, THE HERO, AND THE CITY OF SEVEN is a delightful comic adventure fantasy romp. Hero-ing isn’t what it used to be in Widdershins, and Reginald accidentally called up the demon Mal through sloppy paperwork. A misadventure involving dryads and a shattered stone with magical properties means they are bound, and can’t move more than a few feet from each other. Their best option is to go on a quest to the City of Seven to find a wizard to repair the stone and break the spell. Only it’s not that easy: Mal has no sense of direction, and Reg throws up every time he gets nervous. The two have to overcome fairy rings, dwarves inventing strange communication devices, terrifying creatures, a lonely giant, and power-hungry wizards. The writing is excellent: bright, funny, and incisive. The worldbuilding is a delight, playing with familiar tropes and turning them inside out. The humor is organic to character and situation, and skillfully builds comic beats to each successive payoff. It has action, adventure, humor, friendship, conflict, family dynamics, and all are handled with a joyful, affectionate voice that adds to the narrative drive and escalating stakes. A fantasy adventure filled with mirth and heart.