Too Many Curses

Nessy is the servant of a dark wizard named Nargle, her job is to keep his cursed castle in relative order. Which is kind of difficult considering her master's penchant for cursing his enemies and collecting them in his castle. Nessy has her hands full with haunted staircases, bleeding walls, and gargoyles that won't stop talking when they need to be polished.

Nessy is at peace with her place in the world though, and takes pride in her work. That is, until her master gets swallowed by a nargax. Now she is left to tend the castle in his absence, which she is perfectly capable of doing, except the castle seems to have a mind of its own, and things quickly spiral out of her control.

I really liked just about everything about Too Many show more Curses, the characters were great and the humor was spot on for me. I've said numerous times that Martinez doesn't get enough attention for his contribution to the fantasy/humor genre, and this is another prime example of why I feel that way.

My only one complaint is that, because there is no firm antagonist throughout most of the book, it feels a little directionless, particularly in the middle of the novel. I didn't mind this at all, because I was still adequately entertained by the antics of the characters, but it's what kept me from giving it a full 5-star rating. It's still a great book though! show less

Nessy, a lowly kobold, works for her dark wizard master Margle, and helps take care of the massive castle and all of its quirks and cursed inhabitants, including Echo, a poet turned into a body-less voice; Sir Thedeus, a hero turned into a bat; and even Margle's own brother, turned into a jar of body parts and stuck on a shelf. Nessy approaches her job with a practical, staid nature, and treats her inevitable demise at the hands of Margle the same. However, when a chance accident leaves Margle eaten alive by a nurgax, and Nessy unexpectedly the only non-cursed inhabitant of the castle, she has to contend with an evil wizardess who seems determined to take over, a mysterious door that wants to be opened, and break the curses of her show more friends. One problem at a time...

This was a delightful book, full of interesting characters and a rollicking plot. Some of it seemed to get sidetracked - for instance, the hellhound, while interesting, didn't seem to have much bearing on the ending, but they were always fun. Nessy herself is a great character and reminds me a good deal of Flora Poste of Cold Comfort Farm, with a matter-of-fact approach to the zany happenings around her. A well-ordered mind is just what the castle needs, in fact.

With a lot of humor, a little wit, and a dash of heart, this is a fun fantasy romp to enjoy. show less

This was one of the most fun and enjoyable books I've read in a long time.
The characters are incredibly well crafted and the world he creates here, while technically a small and contained one feels believable and vast.

The mix of peril, drama and humor is perfect and never feels forced and the pacing was perfect.

12/6/24:
I just finished my first reread of this book since I first read it in 2011, and I loved it more then I did the first time.
I had forgotten enough of the details that there were still a few surprises for me, and I feel there were details I probably missed the first time around so it had a freshness for me. I love the humor, I love the wide variety of characters and how they interacted with their world and each. I love how show more it all feels insane and overfilled, but it all works together and feels cohesive.
And I love how gentle this book is, and how kindness matters. This world needs more of that right now.
Reading this book was like snuggling under a fuzzy blanket with a mug of hot tea to spend some precious time in a place and with people that wanted to be with. show less

This a fun book - Nothing too deep, just a plucky heroine in charge of a menagerie of cursed creatures in a castle with a door that should never be opened. Nessy is a great character, she is exactly as she is potrayed, a bit stubborn, ever practical, an caring for her cursed charges.

This one overtakes Monster as my favorite Martinez book so far, the language was humerous and whimsical, the story was magical and full of suspense. This book had everything I like in a good solid read, horror, suspense, romance, fairy tale like fantasy and a small furry hero, or in this case, heroine.
Nessy's practical, no nonsense sense attitude coupled with her integrity and her cute as a button physical form make her an unlikely savior to the monsters left in her care after thier joint master is accidentally eaten. I almost cheered outloud at every twist and turn when it seemed that all hope was lost and then suddenly, a very logical turn of events saved the day time and time again.
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, I loved this show more delicious book and can not possibly say enough good things about it. show less

Nessy is a kobold, a dog like creature with a heart of gold. Her job is to tend the wizard Margle’s castle. Margle is truly evil and he has cursed everyone who has ever crossed his path, including his own family. The curses come in various shapes and sizes including; a voice without form, a fruit bat, a vampire that plays bells when he moves, an owl that can only speak in alliteration, and many more varied creatures. When Margle unexpectedly gets killed, Nessy sticks to her post and continues to manage the castle and its inhabitants even when things start to go a rye.

This is a sweet little story. The afflicted beings are a family with Nessy as the parent. They band together when the going gets tough and they all truly care for one show more another. show less

A fun and silly book, written in a similar style to Jasper Fforde and Robert Rankin. A horrible wizard named Margle lives in a castle surrounded by his defeated foes--which he has turned into all manner of creatures and beings...from a bat to a mechanical contraption for sorting meat to a bleeding wall. Nessy is the doggish humanoid charged with the care and upkeep of all of them and the castle too. When Margle is eaten by a one-eyed one-horned flying purple people eater, the fate and future of the castle and its inhabitants falls into her capable hands (paws)...and all kinds of wacky misadventures ensue.