Review: Calling All Villains

Calling All Villains by James Cox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Ruthless women, bromance and blundering criminals, this first in the new series is a delight. This fantasy world is filled with magic, betrayal and miscommunications. In some ways, this story is written in an over the top manner perhaps poking fun at more serious sci-fi fantasy tales. Personally, I think it's witty and charming. I enjoyed it from the start to the end.

What I like about Mr. Cox's stories is the fast past. These are condensed tales filled with action and snarky dialogue. There are a few serious scenes thrown in but overall, this story is fun even when it gets a little dark. I have a hard time putting my finger on it, but this story reminds me of The Princess Bride. Similar to that iconic movie, the adventure in this story is riddled with pitfalls and a quirky sense of humour. For me, this is the erotic version of Westley, Buttercup and Inigo.

Alexander is the anti-hero Westley. He befriends Aneen (Buttercup) under false pretenses. Stefan the bodyguard reminds me of Inigo with his loyalty, integrity and admiration of Alexander. This con Alexander is trying to pull on Aneen ends up with twists and turns that are slightly anticipated. When my guesses turn into reality, I feel a bit letdown because I was hoping I would be wrong. It seems, human or supernatural, people are just selfish and evil.

The plot of this story is just developing and I expect it to carry through the rest of the series. The story does not exactly end in a cliffhanger. It is more a hook that draws a reader in and make her want to read more. I am hoping the next story will expand up the world. I find Mr. Cox focuses more on the erotic content than the world crafting. Since his erotic scenes are delicious, it is no hardship. This magical world is recommended for erotic readers who enjoy plot twists and mmf ménage.