An Orc on the Wild Side

J.R.R. Tolkien gets what’s coming to him in this hilarious fifth YouSpace novel (after The Good, the Bad, and the Smug), a witty parody of high fantasy. A few contemporary humans travel to an alternate reality known as the Hidden Realms and immediately attempt to gentrify it, though it is one of the oldest and most feared places in the multiverse. Their plans clash with the bureaucratic obsession of the elves, the strangely progressive New Evil governance style of the goblin king, and the avarice of the dwarves, and may also bring about an ancient prophecy spelling out the end of the world. The broad cast includes a wraith who’d rather be a supermodel, a Dark Lord fixated on benevolent reform, a con artist hoping to make her fortune, and some snooty married couples who imagine they’re retiring in style to their very own magical towers. Holt’s dry silliness is the perfect vehicle for critiquing both current events and classic fantasy novels. Clever and entertaining all the way through, this should find a place in the hearts of anyone who likes their fantasy with a side of irreverent humor. (Sept.)