Journal of an Outlaw by Mick McArt

I discovered Mic McArt about two years ago, at an event in Midland, Michigan. My delay in reading has nothing to do with the caliber of his writing. When it comes to books, I tend to buy at a rate that far outmatches my pace at reading.

I found Mick to be a wonderful person, filled with enthusiasm and passion for his work. After hearing a bit about his books (this is the first in a series) I felt compelled to purchase it. I'm happy I did!

Journal of an Outlaw pokes fun at every fantasy trope and D&D game you've ever encountered. It's snarky, silly, and a nice escape from the drudgery of the day.

More a collection of short stories than a novella, we travel along with an anti-hero, magic user, rouge warrior, and sometimes thief as he traverses the Unremembered Realms in search of a little coin and a lot of adventure. A character who is known by many names, his life and times are presented in a series of journal entries that are not chronological, or even logical, for that matter. But theses snippets of his daily life are certainly entertaining. If you consider if Monty Python and gang from The Fellowship of The Ring had a love child, under duress... you'll begin to understand this book. 😉

Because of the unusual format, it took me a little while to find my flow reading, and I found myself slowing my pace as new characters were introduced and others reintroduced. The haphazardness of the order compelled me to read a bit more slowly, but in some aspects, taking my time with it enhanced the experience.

I'm curious to read more of Mick McArt's books, and also investigate his games, too. He is an author with a very vivid imagination who tickles my snarky side with delight.