The Tabletop Roleplayers' Book Club

About AJ Lancaster

RichardAbbott — Wed, 13 May 2026 11:10:44 +0000

AJ Lancaster writes romantic, whimsical fantasy and lives in New Zealand with two ridiculous cats and far too many house plants.

Go to ajlancaster.com/details if you're a reader who prefers to know certain details about my books upfront (such as sexual content, violence levels, and presence of common triggers).

About How to Find a Nameless Fae

RichardAbbott — Wed, 13 May 2026 11:09:49 +0000

'Witty, heartfelt, romantic and utterly charming'
– Stephanie Burgis, author of Wooing the Witch Queen

A spectacularly cosy fantasy which reimagines the Rumpelstiltskin story – where the havoc of an unpaid debt leads to an unlikely romance.

Princess Gisele has spent her life waiting for an evil fae sorcerer to claim her. It was the price of her mother’s crown – her first-born child for the ability to spin straw into gold. But it’s been decades, and he still hasn’t shown up. Now, the magic has curdled into a curse.

So Gisele marches into the fae realm to hunt down her ‘Malediction’. Yet instead of a monster, she finds a scholarly, cat-eared sorcerer and his meddling, sentient house. And he wants nothing to do with the angry, knife-wielding princess on his doorstep. Unfortunately, the magic that binds them won’t let them go that easily. And in a house that rearranges itself to keep them together, Gisele discovers that the man who ruined her life might just steal her heart.

She came to end him, but she might stay to save him.

Readers love this book:

'I absolutely adored the characters, their connection and their story. I laughed and smiled so hard through the whole book. 100% recommend'

'This felt like Howl’s Moving Castle meets Emily Wilde. There’s a talking cat, a magical house, a curse and a romance'

'I LOVE this book! It's really soft and lovely'

'Loved it, absolutely perfect escapism, all aspects are brilliantly balanced, the magic, the stakes, the humour, the romance'

'Funny, fresh and binge-read worthy'

The Works of Vermin F: A Certain Je-ne-sais-quoi

Apocryphal — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:10:06 +0000

And then finally there's that F-Factor, that special something that elevates a book to wow territory. This is hard to define, but it might be a really compelling Big Idea with implications I never imagined, or maybe the book can be read in more than one mode or some other transcending wow factor. If you've seen these modern tier lists that are popular now, it's the thing that elevates a book from the A tier to the S (special) tier. Usually books have it or they don't. Did this one? Can you name another book that did have the F-Factor for you?

The Works of Vermin E: World-Building

Apocryphal — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:07:00 +0000

What did you think of the setting? Is it imaginative or derivative? Well-thought out? Well-described? How compelling is it, esp. compared to settings you've loved?

The Works of Vermin D: Structure

Apocryphal — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:05:22 +0000

What did you think of the structure of the novel? Did the author do something creative with this? Does it flow, or is there something jarring about it?

The Works of Vermin C: Prose Style

Apocryphal — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:04:07 +0000

What's the writing like? Poetic? Plain? Busy? Purple? Overly adjectived? Is it nice to read? Does it serve the subject matter? Did you find yourself noting down passages from the book because I you them?

The Works of Vermin B: Plotting and Events

Apocryphal — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:02:44 +0000

How was the plotting of the novel? Are the events believable, interesting, dramatic? Are they coherent and well described? What about the pacing?

The Works of Vermin A: Characters

Apocryphal — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:00:48 +0000

As mentioned in our discord, I did not get on with this book (despite it being my pick) and didn't finish. It seems that most of you also didn't get on with it, though perhaps those who pushed to the finish may have found the post of gold at the end of the verminous rainbow.

Not having finished it, it's difficult for me to ask specific questions about the book, but it did cause me to reflect on the kinds of things I look for in fantastic fiction and allow us to discuss the book in those more generic terms. Naturally, if anyone has a specific topic they'd like to bring up, please feel free to start a new question topic.

In general, the things I evaluate in fiction are (A) Characters, (B) Plotting/Events, (C) Prose Styling, and (D) Structure. For fantastic fiction, I also add (E) World Building and (F) a transcendental quality, the F-Factor, if you will.

This question is about (A) The Characters Did you find them well-drawn, believable, or rich in personality? Are there too many or not enough?

City Question 2: Leaving the City

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:23:37 +0000

What did you think of the idea of advanced technology eventually leading to people leaving the City and going out into more rural communities?
Did you find this plausible? Would a lack of scarcity mean that people would begin to scatter away from the City and from each other?

City Question 9: Gaming

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:38:22 +0000

Was there anything in this book which would lend itself to a good gaming experience? I suspect it might be difficult due to the way the book was structured but I'd be interested to hear what you think.

City Question 8: Epilogue

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:36:45 +0000

If your copy included the ninth story, Epilogue, then did it feel like it fit well with the rest of the stories? Was it a satisfying way to wrap everything up or would it have been better to have not included it at all. Was there any significance to mice being the final inheritors of the entire planet?

City Question 7: Ants and Violence

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:36:33 +0000

The final tale of the book for a very long time, how did the concept of the entire planet being consumed by ants land with you? Did you find Jenkins' moral dilemma of whether to tell the dogs how to deal with the ant an interesting one. Did it make sense for this robot to be the one who ultimately decides the fate of all of the creatures on the planet, and to have made that particular choice?

City Question 6: Jovian Bliss

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:34:40 +0000

Was the idea of most of humankind eventually choosing to become "Lopers" on Jupiter a reasonable one? Do you think that that many humans would have been convinced to do something as "final" as that, through the use of the "kaleidoscope" or would there have been a lot more who would have resisted? Or would ANY have been truly able to resist if becoming a Loper was as good as it was claimed to be? How was Fowler able to resist, even for a short time, to try and bring the rest of humanity to Jupiter? Does that imply that there is some sort of relational aspect on Jupiter, where having others there also adds value to the experience?

City Question 5: Parallel Universes and the Cobblies

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:34:14 +0000

How did the cobblies and the parallel universes fit in with Simak's themes and ideas in the story? Did they work well to flesh out his ideas or did they fall a little flat?
Are they even really tied into the main themes or more of a lighter plot device?

City Question 4: The Dogs

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:31:29 +0000

Did you enjoy the concept of the Dogs who were created to be a sort of caretaker as humankind continued to vacate earth? Do you think dogs were a good choice for this role or would another animal have worked better? Did the narration from the Dogs from the future work for you?

City Question 3: Agoraphobia

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:23:50 +0000

Does agoraphobia seem like a likely, or at least possible, outcome from the social scattering and post-scarcity society that was setup early
on in the book? Do we see any correlatives in society today? Are there other ways that you feel society and individuals might change instead
in a situation like the one presented in the book?

City Question 1: General Thoughts

kcaryths — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:23:19 +0000

What were your thoughts on the book? It seems to have its fans and its detractors. Do you enjoy fix-ups generally? How did this one work for you?
Did you have any expectations coming into it, perhaps from reading Huddling Place in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame?

About Hiron Ennes

RichardAbbott — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:28:32 +0000

Hiron Ennes is from the Pacific Northwest of the United States. They have a background in both physics and medicine, which heavily influences their writing, particularly in the realms of authenticity and realism. Ennes's storytelling is characterized by rich world-building and a compelling narrative style that often explores themes of identity, bodily autonomy, and the macabre.

Ennes's writing is noted for its straightforward yet immersive approach, often transporting readers to vividly imagined worlds. Their stories frequently incorporate elements of horror and suspense, creating an atmosphere that captivates and engages the audience. Ennes is also recognized for pushing genre boundaries, taking traditional tropes in new directions.

About The Works of Vermin

RichardAbbott — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:23:52 +0000

A dark, decadent horror adventure about revenge, decay and toxic bugs

He was sent to kill a pest. Instead, he found a monster.
'An intriguing work of whimsi-grotesquerie' – Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

Monster hunters tangle with court politics in this horror adventure by the critically acclaimed author of Leech.

Enter the decadent, deadly city of Tiliard.

In a complex, chaotic metropolis, Guy Moulène has a simple goal: keep his sister out of debt. For her sake, he’ll take on any job, no matter how vile.

As an exterminator, Guy hunts the uncanny pests that crawl up from the river. These vermin are all strange, and often dangerous. His latest quarry is different: a worm the size of a dragon with a deadly venom and a ravenous taste for artwork. As it digests Tiliard from the sewers to the opera houses, its toxin reshapes the future of the city. No sane person would hunt it, if they had the choice.

Guy doesn’t have a choice.

'A lush and seductive story, rife with opulent horror and decaying decadence' – Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Book Eaters

'I will follow this writer anywhere going forward' – Gillian Flynn, New York Times bestselling author of Gone Girl

The Doloraid - Question 7 - Gaming

kcaryths — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:22:59 +0000

Are there any potential gaming uses for this story or book? The world, the characters, or the plot.

The Doloriad - Question 2 - Power in a Dying World

kcaryths — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:12:52 +0000

The Matriarch maintains complete power in a world that appears to have competely died. Does this book have anything to say about power and authority, or how and why it is maintained, even in situations where what is being ruled over seemingly is in its end stages of existence? What about when that power begins to crumble as the book goes on?

The Doloriad - Question 1 - General Thoughts

kcaryths — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:07:39 +0000

Curious what people thought of this book in general. It seems like the kind of book that can have a variety of opinions on it. Were you aware of this book before reading it and if so, did it meet expectations? Did you enjoy the reading experience? If not, did it evoke other emotions?

The Doloriad - Question 4 - The Aquinas Show

kcaryths — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:16:44 +0000

The author seemingly has a reason for this show's existence throughout the story. At times it seemed hard (for me anyways) to separate out when the show and the rest of the story were distinct. What was the purpose of this aspect of the story? the absurdist aspects of it seemed to be a litte bit at odds with the bleak nature of the rest of the story. Was this intentional and if so, why?

The Doloriad - Question 6 - The Prose

kcaryths — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:21:58 +0000

I found the prose very difficult to get through at times, particularly in how the narrative perspective would shift seemingly out of nowhere. I had to look up a number of words and sentences would string together in long rambing trails at times. Did you enjoy this as a reader? Why do you think Wiliams did this as the author?

The Doloraid - Question 5 - Eden bookended

kcaryths — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:20:06 +0000

One aspect of this story that struck me was the concept of a single mating pair being tasked with populating the earth, similar to the biblical myth of Adam and Eve, and with some of the same questions that possibly arise about what that might have looked like, and whether others may have existed in the story, but were never explicitly shown. Perhaps this was an overreading on my part, but did these themes come across to anyone else, or perhaps other literary references that or stylistic choices that I may have missed? I feel like I am not smart enough to catch a lot of what the author may have been trying to do in this book in this regards. Interested to hear what others think.

The Doloriad - Question 3 - A Protagonist?

kcaryths — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:14:39 +0000

Though the book is named after Dolores, can we claim that she is the central character? Could we call her a protagonist or something else? Or would it be a different character, or perhaps no specific character? Did you like this aspect as the reader?

Nada The Lily Q7 - Gaming

clash_bowley — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:25:11 +0000

Would this book have any impact on your gaming, in any way? Could you use the setting or any of the characters in your games?

Nada The Lily Q6 - Race

clash_bowley — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:24:42 +0000

Nada The Lily is unusual in that all of the characters in the main story are Zulu or Swazi, and the book was written in the 1890s. How do you feel about Haggard's treatment of his characters race?

Nada The Lily Q5 - Writing

clash_bowley — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:24:07 +0000

The novel is written in the first person past for the most part, though sometimes action is related in present tense. What did you think about the writing? Would you read any more by Haggard? Haggard was very influential on both Kipling and Tolkien, among others. Does he deserve this?