I have nothing but great things to say about How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. I picked up the book purely because of the title and was laughing uncontrollably by page three. Wexler has created the perfect protagonist on an insane literally neverending quest. It’s hilarious, endlessly compelling, and surprisingly heartwarming at times, making it one of my favorite books of the past few years.

The Best Bits

A Few of My Favorite Things

The Protagonist’s Voice

I can’t recall a first person protagonist I enjoyed more. Wexler has created a hilarious primary character in Davi, the jaded sometimes overlord, sometimes savior, always sarcastic hero who finds herself reliving the same loop endlessly for a thousand years. We get to see her changing things up and dying dozens of times along the way. She’s hilarious, never shy about saying what she feels, and I just couldn’t have loved her more. 

The Band of Supporting Characters

This is where worldbuilding truly shined. Most fantasy novels have dozens of characters with complicated names and honestly, I typically have trouble remembering them as I go. In this case, every character was so well presented and structured into the story that I felt connected with each and every one of them. By the end, you have a band of a dozen supporting characters you’re genuinely rooting for, and that makes for an exciting reading experience. 

A Creative World

For a book that feels like a tongue in cheek take on the typical fantasy novel, it sure has a well drawn, extremely detailed world attached to it. The history is well established, though suitably murky as all fantasy worlds are. There are strong social and societal dynamics alongside cultural touchpoints of architecture, dress, and political structures that made this a rich world. The magic system felt typical but the stone aspect made it interesting and increasingly hectic as the bosses progressed in difficulty. 

Finally, the Footnotes

I loved this gimmick – it added to the fun of the protagonist, gave the author a chance to insert even more humor, and somehow was able to incorporate modern day pop culture references where possible. Just another solid choice all around.