Drew Hayes (2)

If the movie Free Guy had been about a tabletop D&D game you might have ended up with something like NPCs, the first book in the Spells, Swords and Stealth series by Drew Hayes. A small group of players has gotten together to try out a new game called Spells, Swords and Stealth. Their game master tries to warn them that this game is a lot more realistic than other role playing games they've played. It comes as no surprise when the players ignore this advice make bad decisions which leaves show more them dead in the inn of the small town of Maplebark. What is a surprise is that four of the non-player characters, NPCs, who witness the adventurer's deaths end up with an impossible choice: pretend to be adventurers undertaking a task of near-certain death or see their town and loved ones destroyed. In an attempt to save the lives of everyone they know and love, the four NPCs don the adventurer's gear and set out on a quest that is likely to get them killed.

While the book seems aimed mostly at gamers, I think it could have a broader appeal as the world mechanics, while mentioned, aren't really the focus. The bulk of story is a fairly standard high fantasy tale with a clever meta narrative about the gaming group interacting with the world of the NPCs and vice versa. I was so glad when the player characters died. They were mostly a bunch of jerks! The NPCs are much more interesting and likeable. In a rarity, I like all four of the main characters (Grumph the half orc, Thistle the gnome, Eric and Gabrielle the humans) about equally, having a heck of a time picking a favorite. The story takes a while to find its stride as we're introduced to all the characters involved. There is some fun sorting out who will play what amongst the NPCs with some fun role subversion. About mid way through is when I felt myself engaged and by the end I enjoyed the small twist Hayes had thrown in that I assume is the hook for the rest of the series. If so, this should get very very interesting for future players, PC and NPC alike.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Roger Wayne. He does a great job of bringing the characters to life and has quite a vocal range. show less

Vampires aren't just scary, they're cool, right? I'm not talking about the wimpy sparkly kind, but the cool classic kind, like Dracula. They're powerful, suave, and handsome - especially the accent - and have an irresistible charm to women. But what if you were turned into a vampire, and were a boring person to begin with? Would you automatically become cool, or would you still be boring old you?

Apparently, you'd still be you, and if you were a boring accountant, you'd keep doing accounting show more - only you wouldn't be able to go out in the day. That's what Fred finds out when he's 'turned,' and he realizes he has to make some adjustments in his life (or rather, death) and routine if he wants to avoid becoming a heap of ashes. He might have incredible strength and heightened senses, but he's still a gentle soul and can't bring himself to attack others to satisfy his need for blood. So, he makes an arrangement with a friend at the blood bank, puts foil over his windows, and continues his accounting practice. He also finds out there's a whole new world out there - full of werewolves and other were-creatures, zombies, sorcerers, and even a governmental agency to regulate them all.

This is a funny look at the boring side of the parahuman world, where a sweater vest-wearing vampire with a tendency to run at the first sign of trouble makes some new friends and actually gets a life - even if it's in death. It's told in a series of short stories - which isn't really my favorite format - but it works well enough here. It's a clever twist on the classic story and quite funny, but I never found myself laughing out loud at it - although that might be because I'm an accountant, too (plus, the profanity towards the end kind of turned me off). Still, I liked it and expect lots of others probably will laugh out loud at Fred's "unadventures." show less

This is one of those cases where I took a chance on a book based on liking the only other work I've read by the author and that it had been given positive reviews by a couple friends. I am so glad I did. The Case of the Damaged Detective by Drew Hayes is a great re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes with a scifi/thriller twist and a healthy dose of comedy.

Someone dumped a biological weapon into a nightclub killing all but one man who woke up with no memory of his past calling himself Sherman, an show more off the charts IQ and believing himself to be the descendant of the fictional character Sherlock Holmes. Naturally the government wants to study Sherman's newfound genius and needs to transfer him to a different facility. Assigned to the task is agent code-name Watson. Watson is in for a more difficult than expected task as the government aren't the only ones looking to study the survivor's brain.

Sherman and Watson are a great odd couple. Sherman's condition has given him a superiority complex where he disdains the common man. What Sherman lacks in people skills he makes up for with his quick insights into everything going on around him. This leads to some hilarious conversations that would be utterly horrifying to hear in real life, though I'm right there with him on his logic to why cats secretly rule the world. As we grow to understand the nature of Sherman's condition it's easy to sympathize with the guy as he attempts to manage not going insane while staying relatively functional. Watson is an extremely competent special agent with a high level of paranoia and severe trust issues due to both his chosen profession and his recent past. Dealing with Sherman's unique requirements forces Watson to leverage his agent training in creative ways. It was great seeing these two unlikely companions grow into a good working relationship and friendship by the end.

I suspect enjoyment of this book will depend on how well you tolerate Sherman's quirks. I enjoyed it and found him entertaining though I can see how someone would find him incredibly irritating.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Scott Aiello. Aiello does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.

This was such a fun listen. The series has lots of potential. I'll be rotating the second book into my audio cycle soon. show less

The World's Greatest Detective and his Watson are on the case in The Case of the Felonious Faire, the third book in the 5-minute Sherlock series by Drew Hayes. "When a fiendish fraudster has been fomenting financial falsehoods, who can find the finagler?" That is the question that gets Sherman Holmes and Joel Watson hired to investigate a Renaissance Faire's crooked books. With the initial evidence pointing directly at their client, it will take some creative investigating, and cosplay show more participation, to prove their client's innocence.

That was a lot of fun. The author sure loves his alliteration! It's peppered throughout the book. Sherman's unique style of speaking really works while "in character" at a Renaissance Faire. I love how vendors and visitors just roll with it assuming it's all part of the fabulous faire fun and not just Sherman being Sherman. It's nice that Watson got to lean into his protector role while being "in character" too.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Scott Aiello. You can tell he's having fun with narrating this series.

That ending has me intrigued. There is a much bigger plot afoot. I'm glad this series is going to be continuing. show less