Too Many Curses

by A. Lee Martinez

Book Overview

The wizard Margle the Horrendous takes special pride in never killing his enemies. Instead, he transforms them into various accursed forms and locks them away in his castle. His halls are filled with his collection of fallen heroes and defeated villains, along with a few ordinary folk who were just unfortunate enough to draw Margle's attention.

It's Nessy's duty to tend this castle. It's a lot of work, but she manages, taking pride in housekeeping...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765318350
• ISBN13: 9780765318350
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Is there a sequel under the bed?

This book is decent fantasy satire put together in a way that you can read it in one sitting. Those who worry that the main character (a veteran kobold housekeeper for dark wizards), lacked some measure of personality early on shouldn't, as the book jumped around from supporting character to supporting character. It's wrapped up neatly with no really noticeable loose ends, but if I had to think of one complaint, it would be that the world was restricted to the interior of the (albeit colorfully-written) castle. Brief mention was made here and there to the outside world, but who, after reading this, wouldn't want to see a kobold uprising in a followup?

Too Many Curses, Not Enough Pages

Nessy is the Kobald housekeeper for the Wizard Margle the Horrendous. She keeps his collection of fallen enemies clean, all while hoping for some adventure of her own. In the inevitable twist, she gets what she wishes for, and finds it isn't as much fun as it seems. His entire collection is suddenly free, though not returned to pre-cursed versions. The wizardess Tiama the Scarred shows up, originally looking to make Margle her slave, now interested in taking over his collection. Martinez has a good sense of comedy, and "Too Many Curses" is good as his previous books. Fans of humor fantasy or science fiction (Robert Asprin--the "Myth Series," Terry Pratchett--"Diskworld") will enjoy this or Martinez's "Gil's All Fright Diner."

Fun fantasy minus the unicorns and rainbows

This was a highly enjoyable and humorous read that I would recommend for fantasy lovers. If you like fantasy but are tired of recycled tales of beautiful maids and blossoming romances, this is a great book. No romance to speak of. Good laughs and an interesting plot that winds its way to an enjoyable finish. Worth the money for the read, and I'll be checking out more by A. Lee Martinez.

Another hit

Having read all of Martinez's books, I keep waiting for a dud. I'll have to wait longer, because "Too Many Curses" is another great book from one of the most innovative fantasy writers working. From soldiers who can't stay dead (and we better hope he doesn't) to a good ol' boy team of a vampire and a werewolf, to a not-so-ugly witch, to a killer robot turned pin stripped gumshoe, Martinez continues to produce interesting, funny, and likable heroes. Who else has a kobold housekeeper for a hero. Nessie proves that decency, level-headedness, and common sense outperform evil and wizardry every day. For some reason, you wouldn't expect fantasy like this to come from Texas, but Yippie Ki-Yay.

Another Great Book from Martinez

A. Lee Martinez has done it again. "Too Many Curses" is comic yet serious, has great characterization, and is absolutely zany in regards to the variety of creatures, ghosts, etc. In short, it fits right in with his previous books. The story centers around Nessy, the housekeeper at the Wizard Margle's castle. When Margle dies unexpectedly, Nessy must take charge and ensure that the castle, and its motley crew of inhabitants, continue functioning in an orderly manner. Nessy must deal with a hell-hound, a visiting wizard, a demon lord, and the highly dangerous "The Door At The End Of The Hall." For help she has a bodiless voice and a hero turned into a small bat. Each time I read a book by Martinez, I become more and more enamored of his writing style. I definitely recommend all of his books, with "Too Many Curses" being one of the best.