Voyage of the Damned

White debuts with an equally campy and tender tale that answers the question: what happens when Agatha Christie meets queer fantasy? Ganymedes Piscero is among the Empire of Concordia’s 12 Blessed, wielders of magical powers said to stem from the Goddesses they worship who each rule one of the empire’s 12 provinces. Together, the Blessed set out on a 12-day team-building journey on an enchanted ship, with the aim of fostering friendship and connection between their lands. Instead, the Blessed start dying off, and as they are the only people on the ship, one of them must be the culprit. Ganymedes harbors a big secret: he’s not actually capable of magic, but has been forced to fake it by his father. Even so, he intends to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the killer. Notwithstanding some slightly farcical magical happenings, there’s real heart here, and Ganymedes—a fat bisexual man from the lowest and least respected province in Concordia—makes an indisputably lovable hero. Studded with puns and dad jokes, this is a fun romp with a wholesome message about believing in oneself and lending a helping hand to others. (Aug.)