The Reluctant Barbarian

He didn't want a quest. He wanted a nap. Arthur Jenkins was perfectly content with his quiet, unremarkable life. He had no desire for glory, no interest in destiny, and a very firm policy against physical exertion. But when an angel crashes into his office with a divine mandate, Arthur's dreams of a peaceful retirement vanish. Forced into the role of a hero in a world determined to kill him, Arthur must navigate a landscape of bizarre monsters, incompetent allies, and ancient prophecies that really should have picked someone else. From sharp wit to the sprawling scale of a classic adventure, this is fantasy for anyone who has ever looked at a "Chosen One" and thought: Better them than me. Written by 2019 Writers of the Future winner John T. Haas, The Reluctant Barbarian is the first book in the Impossible Quests trilogy. This revised second edition from Black Lantern Press brings a fresh feel to the hilarious story of a man trying to survive a destiny he never asked for. With over thirty published short stories and seven novels to his name, Haas delivers a polished, satirical subversion of epic fantasy tropes that fans of the genre will adore.