Professional heroes kill and loot deadly monsters every day, but Gorm Ingerson’s latest quest will be anything but business as usual.
The adventuring industry drives the economy of Arth, a world much like our own, but with more magic and fewer vowels. Monsters’ hoards are claimed, bought by corporate interests, and sold off to plunder funds long before the beasts are slain. Once the contracts and paperwork are settled, the Heroes’ Guild issues a quest to kill the monster and bring back its treasure for disbursement to shareholders.
Of course, while professional heroics has been a great boon for Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and all the other peoples of light, it’s a terrible arrangement for the Shadowkin. Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds, and their ilk must apply for to become Noncombatant Paper Carriers (or NPCs) to avoid being killed and looted by guild heroes. Even after getting their papers, NPCs are treated as second class citizens, driven into the margins of society.
Gorm Ingerson, a Dwarven ex-hero with a checkered past, has no idea what he’s getting himself into when he stands up for an undocumented Goblin. His act of kindness starts a series of events that ends with Gorm recruited by a prophet of the mad goddess Al’Matra to fulfill a prophecy so crazy that even the Al’Matran temple doesn’t believe it.
But there’s more to Gorm’s new job than an insane prophecy: powerful corporations and governments, usually indifferent to the affairs of the derelict Al’Matran temple, have shown an unusual interest in the quest. If his party of eccentric misfits can stop fighting each other long enough to recover the Elven Marbles, Gorm might be able to turn a bad deal into a golden opportunity and win back the fame and fortune he lost so long ago.
Our final stop in SPFBO 10 Round 3 takes us somewhere a little different, sharp, satirical, and uncomfortably close to home. J. Zachary Pike’s Orconomics blends classic fantasy adventuring with biting economic satire, wrapping absurdity, heart, and bureaucracy into a story that knows exactly what it’s doing.
This book sparked a wide range of reactions among our team, from outright love to an early DNF (did not finish), which feels entirely fitting for a novel that leans so hard into humour and genre subversion. Below, you’ll find our thoughts on Orconomics, and with that, our SPFBO 10 Round 3 coverage is officially done and dusted.
Ratings wise this goes between Murder at Spindle Manor and Small Miracles.
Julia
Orconomics is definitely not for everyone, but it absolutely worked for me, even more so on the second read. From the first chapter, it kept me thoroughly entertained, and that’s really what this book is all about: entertainment. The humor hit the right notes more often than not; I found myself grinning, snorting, and occasionally laughing out loud at the clever satire and sharp dialogue.
Though it’s a clear parody of RPG tropes, heroic quests, and the economics of adventuring (lovingly poking fun at the genre rather than mocking it), Orconomics still manages to deliver a story with stakes and heart. That balance is rare. What usually puts me off “humorous fantasy” is the plot often takes a backseat to the jokes, but here, I was genuinely invested in the characters and curious about what would happen next.
The book isn’t flawless. Some plot points were a bit predictable, and a few side characters could’ve used more depth. But those are small quibbles in an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable read. The ragtag team of adventurers, each with wildly different backgrounds and conflicting personalities, made for fantastic banter and group dynamics that were a joy to follow.
Absurd quests, unexpected twists, and a steady undercurrent of satire kept the pacing brisk and the tone light, without slipping into pure farce. I had a great time with this book, and the smirk it gave me stuck around long after the final page.
I’d happily recommend Orconomics to anyone in the mood for a light, clever, and fun fantasy romp, especially if you’ve ever rolled a d20 or read a quest log.
Yaniv
I tried this book 2–3 times, I think it would really work for people who enjoy a quirky, LitRPG book. The atmosphere and original premise sounded fun and very different from almost anything I’ve read before, but the characters and plot turned me off, so I unfortunately ended up DNFing this one.
Adawia
Such a clever, clever story, riddled with absurdities that made me feel right at home given our world’s current economic climate. With projected calamity, both fiscal and physical, around every corner, hero and bureaucrat alike are forced to navigate ever-changing known unknowns to meet their goals and targets.
This book is seriously so much fun. It’s very well-written and will appeal to fans of most fantasy genres, particularly those who’ve ever wondered why Great Eagles aren’t used more on heroes’ quests. It’s quite dark, but has a strong urban fantasy feel, with definite epic fantasy elements in the sheer scope.
Yes, there is a deep satirical message here about how the world is run by economics, but it’s so thoroughly silly and intelligent that you’ll fall in love, or at least in serious like, with this story. From aggressive marketing that comes across as hostage-taking, to undead marketing focus groups, and speculating on theoretical fungible hedge obligation participles (I may have made up that bit), this book will have you alternately clutching your pearls and rolling on the floor laughing. It’s loaded with cheeky references and is written in a dialogue-heavy style, which I happen to love, particularly because it’s done so well.
I love the variety and nuance of the characters, even within the various fantasy races. And even though I’d probably hate to live there, I do love the bureaucracy-laden world.
Yes, Orconomics is fun and funny, but it will also pull on your heartstrings. There is tragedy in this tale, and it leaves a tiny broken-heart-shaped mark. There’s also love and found family, and lost family, and found-lost family.
“May you always follow the path of the aggressive seller,” oh my heart, so good!
Kerry
Due to being ill these past couple of weeks my brain hasn’t had the wherewithal to write a full review, and in all honesty, if I did, it would just be repeating a number of points that both Julia and Adawia have alluded to in their reviews, but less succinctly. I love this book and its sequels and they all have been reread a few times now.
And the final ratings order for the Champion’s League is:
- The Thief Who Pulled On Trouble’s Braids by Michael McClung (our choice for winner) (champions’ review/original review)
- The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson (champions’ review/original review)
- The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang (champions’ review/original review)
- By Blood, by Salt by J. L. Odom (champions’ review/original review)
- Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang (champions’ review/original review)
- Orconomics by J. Zachary Pike (original review)
- Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater (champions’ review/original review)
- The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French (champions’ review/original review)
- Reign & Ruin by J. D. Evans (champions’ review/original review)
- Where Loyalties Lie by Rob J. Hayes (champions’ review/original review)
You can see the full score sheet for all the other blogs judging the contest here.
