Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook through NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: This was a very cute and entertaining read. I enjoyed it. This is compared to "Legends and Lattes" by Travis Baldree and also T. Kingfisher's novels. That is an apt comparison, this has a very "swords and sorcery" type of feel with a lot of cozy elements.

This follows Gav, who when he wakes up in a tower missing his eyebrows, doesn't know he is Gav the evil wizard. As he is faced with a convocation of dark wizards he is hosting, a bevy of heroes who are trying to rescue the princess he kidnapped (he has no idea why he kidnapped her), and a last minute garlic festival, he has to figure out how to survive this while pretending he totally understands what is happening and hasn't completely lost his memory. Through it all he is trying to figure out why he decided to be evil to begin with. It's a wonderful look at what makes an evil wizard evil; are they innately evil or did someone push them in that direction? Is it possible to change?

This was very entertaining and funny. I enjoyed the premise and enjoyed how the story played out. There are a number of entertaining side characters as well. The only struggle I had with this book was that I felt t a bit distanced from the characters. Since the main character doesn't know himself, it's a bit hard for the reader to really engage with and connect with both him and the side characters. I was starting to really grow to understand and engage with the character when the book ended. The plot was also very predictable despite all the hilarious antics going on, I would have liked some surprising twists and turns.

My Summary (4/5): Overall, I did end up enjoying this. It was humorous and fun. I do wish I had engaged with the characters a bit better and I would love to see where these characters end up in the future. This is a fun and feel good cozy fantasy that has a nice amount of humor and some unique characters. It is fairly predictable but if that doesn't bother you I would recommend it. I will definitely check out future book by Rozakis.

Well this is a genuinely entertaining and irreverent look at dark wizard life -- especially borderline incompetent dark wizards with amnesia. It's hilarious -- clever plotlines, a sympathetic narrator, sharp moments of holding to account, excellent goblin action and solid village survival tactics. I don't want to spoiler anything, but I definitely would read more by this author in the future.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss. ( )