In an irreverent series in the tradition of Monty Python, the bestselling authors of the Iron Druid Chronicles and Star Wars: Phasma reinvent fantasy, fairy tales, and floridly written feast scenes.“Ranks among the best of Christopher Moore and Terry Pratchett.”—Chuck Wendig“When you put two authors of this high caliber together, expect fireworks. Or at least laughs. What a hoot!”—Terry Brooks … least laughs. What a hoot!”—Terry Brooks
Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, a hero, the Chosen One, was born . . . and so begins every fairy tale ever told.
This is not that fairy tale.
There is a Chosen One, but he is unlike any One who has ever been Chosened.
And there is a faraway kingdom, but you have never been to a magical world quite like the land of Pell.
There, a plucky farm boy will find more than he’s bargained for on his quest to awaken the sleeping princess in her cursed tower. First there’s the Dark Lord, who wishes for the boy’s untimely death . . . and also very fine cheese. Then there’s a bard without a song in her heart but with a very adorable and fuzzy tail, an assassin who fears not the night but is terrified of chickens, and a mighty fighter more frightened of her sword than of her chain-mail bikini. This journey will lead to sinister umlauts, a trash-talking goat, the Dread Necromancer Steve, and a strange and wondrous journey to the most peculiar “happily ever after” that ever once-upon-a-timed.
Praise for Kill the Farm Boy
“A rollicking fantasy adventure that upends numerous genre tropes in audacious style . . . a laugh-out-loud-funny fusion of Monty Python–esque humor and whimsy à la Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Dawson and Hearne’s reimagining of a traditional fairy tale is reminiscent of William Goldman’s The Princess Bride and William Steig’s Shrek! Irreverent, funny, and full of entertaining wordplay, this will keep readers guessing until the end.”—Library Journal
“Will have you laughing out loud until strangers begin to look at you oddly.”—SyFy
“A smart comedy . . . nuanced, complicated, and human.”—Tordotcom
“[Delilah Dawson and Kevin Hearne] make fun of the typical ‘white male power fantasies,’ and in that, they succeed, with their heroes all characters of color and/or falling somewhere under the LGBTQ umbrella.”—Publishers Weekly
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When you put two authors of this high caliber together, expect fireworks. Or at least laughs. What a hoot!
Let me start by saying that I did not finish this book, and it truly pains me to say that. I’m a bit obsessive about finishing anything I start, and I tried, but a person can only stand so much drivel. While Ms Dawson is new to me, I absolutely loved Hearne’s Iron Druid series – the wit, the action, the characters, etc. So, when I saw this one, I had to read it. I didn’t expect this to be anything like the Iron Druid series, but I also didn’t expect so much adolescent humor and well, that’s pretty much it. I get the idea of taking a trope, or several of them, in a particular genre and creating a fun parody, but despite the claims, Monty Python this is not. From the very first page, it felt like the authors were trying to see how many puns, bad jokes, and satirical moments they could cram into each and every page. I’m sure there was some kind of story in there somewhere, but I don’t think plots and storylines were the point here. Sometimes less is more, and that certainly could’ve been put to good use in this case. Add to that the feeling that a lot of words in the book came from a word-a-day calendar and I was over it. Don’t get me wrong, I did find the occasional funny line, but what’s funny once can become old when it’s done over and over – On the same page! (Again, the less is more adage comes into play here.) If you like corny lines about poo, boogers, vomit, and penises, then this may be the book for you, but the ‘humor’ was lost on me. Color me disappointed in this one.
Warning: If you hate fun, do not read this book. Go read something else instead, like, say, a phone book.
(Are phone books still a thing?)
Juvenile potty jokes, over-the-top characters, a wacky plot line…this book was just what I needed!
In the reviews I notice a marked difference between people who have read the book and people who have listened to it. The readers are neutral about or unimpressed by the book, while listeners seem to rave about it. I was a listener and have to admit to being one of the ravers. The performance of the book really is the key to enjoying it because I can’t imagine the sarcasm and jokes comes across very well on the page.
That said, while I was dipping into this every chance I got, the adventures our heroes undertake does get a little long. I’d probably give the book five stars if a few of the stops along the way had been trimmed down or edited out.
Still, the humor in this is perfect…a perfect blend of those middle-school potty jokes, dark comedy, and subtle stabs. If you need a laugh and are looking for a fun story with memorable characters, give this a try.
Don’t go into this with the expectation that it will be The Princess Bride. Think more along the lines of Monty Python. That being said, this book will not appeal to everyone. It’s zany, full of puns and double entendres, aggressively quirky characters and the hero isn’t who you think it’s going to be. Honestly, the whole hero gig gets upended here. I’m all for a silly read that may or may not (it does) have some underlying social commentary, but it got a little old after a while.
The authors threw everything they possibly could into the stew here, nothing is sacred, no joke left unsaid. I enjoyed the characters, the world building was fun, but the shtick got stale after a while. I wanted to know how it all ends, I wanted to know what type of happily ever after everyone finally got, but I stalled out. I honestly would recommend this book to my reader friends, but with a warning that there actually may be such a thing as too much silliness…
Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne have rigged up an absurdly funny fantasy riff on the Chosen One story, and it had me laughing from literally the name of the first chapter. Kill the Farm Boy ranks among the best of Christopher Moore and Terry Pratchett and is not to be missed.
I don’t think the humor in this book will appeal to everyone but it definitely appealed to me. Turning almost every fairytale trope on its ear, I laughed throughout the entire book.
It just wasn’t for me.
Some laughs, some puns
Tried a little to hard to be funny. Stunted the story telling.
Funny, irreverent’ silly, with lots of strange twists and turns. A great summer read, for the less serious side.
Funny and very Monty Python-y.
Horrifying bad
Definitely not Terry Pratchet. Story lost its way after a promising first third, in the end difficult to finish
This is a fun book. I liked the play on words.
A high fantasy adventure, but along the lines of Fractured Fairy Tales from the Rocky & Bullwinkle show or The Princess Bride. I could say Kill the Farm Boy is a raucous romp or a thrilling laugh riot, but I would just be falling into the fantasy tropes the authors skewer. Instead, let me say Kill the Farm Boy is far more clever and fun than any book about a boy who cleans up after farm animals has a right to be.
Couldn’t get through it and I love Kevin hearne. So disappointing.
Would have made it 1 star except for how much I love the Iron Druid stuff…
I first discovered Delilah Dawson as Lila Bowen in the Hawk series and them them so much that I googled to find out what else she had and was writing. The title alone had me signing up for the pre-order and I was not disappointed. I already knew she could make any world seem as familiar as right now and I knew her mind flies an unorthodox route to anywhere so I happily surprised that my wildest imagings of what was in store were not even close. It’s so much better. The reluctant hero who’s afraid of chickens, the brave Knight is a woman in sexy chain mail, and the hapless princess, isn’t so much. She takes a traditional fairy tale and turns it on its head and then jiggles it sideways till you almost believe that Discworld came calling. Do yourself a favor, read it.
Monty Python meets the Brothers Grim.
A rogue, a witch, a dark lord, and a talking goat walk into a bar. It sounds like a joke, but it’s just another day in this clever fantasy adventure. Not since Bored of the Rings have I read a book this entertaining. Kill the Farm Boy borrows tropes from practically every fantasy written in the past hundred years and yet somehow makes it all incredibly original and compelling. Excellent work by Kevin Hearne and Delilah Dawson.