SFINCS2 Champion: Majordomo by Tim Carter

A big congratulations to the winner of our second year of the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship: Majordomo by Tim Carter.

About Majordomo:

A plucky underdog. A powerful necromancer. And the idiot heroes bent on killing them.

Kobolds are supposed to run away—it’s what they’re best at. But Jack? Born with a club foot, he’s had to adapt. Resilient and clever, he clawed his way to respectability as majordomo of a premiere subterranean estate. He even found a father figure in the famed necromancer who owns the place.

Life was perfect… until a superband of overpowered do-gooders arrived bent on burglary and murder. These mercilessly righteous warriors of light cannot be beaten, or at least that’s how it looks on paper.

Jack must choose between survival and the people he loves… unless he can somehow defy the stats and find an unconventional solution.

If you like Terry Pratchett, J. Zachary Pike, or Nicholas Eames, you’ll love Majordomo. Buy now, before the price goes up or the murderhobos descend.

What our judges had to say about Majordomo:

“This novella is truly a unique experience that packs so much emotion into a short tale.” - Behind the Pages

“The world is built with skill and every Dungeons and Dragons player will delight in seeing the characters they love make cameo appearances, but Jack and his relationship with his fatherlike boss is painted in so much detail we can’t help but feel our own hearts breaking with his sadness.” - Sue’s Musings

“A heartwarming and humorous tale of life on the wrong side of history.” - Read Indie Fantasy (Nils)

“…there are a number of twists right from page one that immediately made me sit up and pay attention.” - Read Indie Fantasy (Trudie)

“The prose is spectacular and you get lost in Jack’s voice (it’s in 1st Person POV) because he is just a funny narrator.” - FanFiAddict

“Humour in particular is such a personal thing–what one reader finds hilarious can easily be obnoxious or cloying to another–but Majordomo worked perfectly for me, in part because it’s clear throughout how earnestly Carter threw himself into Jack as a character.” - Before We Go Blog

“It's also a love letter to role-playing games, with the jokes, references, and sometimes even chapter titles hinting at these tropes. Anyone who has played or just enjoys watching RPG content will find themselves laughing along at Jack's traps, concerns, and grievances with adventurers.” - Alex Scheuermann

“Majordomo is an excellent presentation letter, a different fantasy novella, perfect if you are looking for something fun but with a ton of heart.” - Jam Reads

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Thank you to all the participating authors and judges as well as our followers! Keep an eye out for more spotlights for our participants and the info for SFINCS3!