John Moore

Heroics For Beginners — (2004)  Publisher: Prince Kevin Timberline must retrieve Ancient Artifact Model Seven from the clutches of the evil Lord Voltmeter — He Who Must Be Named — before said evil Lord unleashes his Diabolical Plan. Luckily, Kevin wields a secret weapon that will cause the forces of Darkness to tremble: The Handbook of Practical Heroics.

Heroics for Beginners: Highly Entertaining

This is one of my favourite fantasy books ever. It might not have the epic scope of The Lord Of The Rings, nor the immersive quality of Feist's Riftwar Saga, but what it does have going for it it has in spades: it's very clever. This is The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy of fantasy novels. Forget Terry Pratchett, Tom Holt, and Robert Rankin. John Moore is far funnier. Plus, his comic style of writing isn't the only attraction; this book has an exciting, original plot and some very cool characters.

I guess the one potential problem for some readers might be that this book isn't a serious, dramatic story that you can lose yourself in. It's light and entertaining. But with so many serious, dark fantasy novels out there, this aspect in itself in like a breath of fresh air. —Mark Pawlyszyn

Slay and Rescue — (1993)  Publisher: It's not easy being a prince and Charming had just about enough of it: dragons to slay, villains to fight, and one beautiful princess after another demanding to be rescued from a fate worse than death. But in the Slay and Rescue business, you're always on call.

The Unhandsome Prince — (2005) Publisher: "There's magic in a kiss," the young sorceress Emily tells Caroline. But the beautiful Caroline knows that already, for kissing an enchanted frog has earned her the right to marry a handsome Prince. There is one catch — Prince Hal is far from good-looking. So both girls set off for the city of Melinower, where princes abound, hoping to trade Hal up for a handsomer model. But the pair soon learn that it's easier to find your prince than to marry him, and before long they're tangled in a plot involving a mysterious dwarf, a magic sword, a kidnapped bride, a Dark Tower — and the unhandsome Hal has plans of his own for our two heroines.

Bad Prince Charlie — (2006) Publisher: Damask:  A kingdom that couldn't get ransacked if it tried.  But that's exactly what its rulers have in mind.  And when they need a puppet to put on the throne, Bad Prince Charlie seems perfect for the job. But Charlie has second thoughts when he's forced to imprison the beauteous Lady Catherine.  Ransacking Damask, it turns out, is only a cover for the real plot.  And it's up to Charlie to rescue Catherine from prison, the country from destruction, and his own neck from the noose!

A Fate Worse Than Dragons — (2007) Publisher: In the Kingdom of Medulla, there are only two ways for a brave knight to marry a beautiful princess.  One is to be born rich.  The other is to rescue her from a fate worse than death. Terry chose the second method. But he didn't count on Princess Gloria having her own ideas on the subject.  And when her plans go awry, the two must team together to rescue not only themselves, but every girl in the kingdom from the talons of evil.  And stale toast.