The Swamp is the second instalment in Palmer Pickering’s Tales of Temerity series. It’s a Lit-RPG-lite with a jewel-based magic system. Super simple, super fun. Don’t believe me? Peep Dark Town, the first in the series, here. Book Review: Dark Town by Palmer Pickering | FanFiAddict
Anyway, let’s plunge into The Swamp!
Synopsis
A Seer, a Potion-Maker, a Fighter, and a Bard walk into a tavern…
Join our merry band of adventurers as they brave Level Two of the Dragon’s Crawl.
“Fear was a potent enemy, one she was unable to slay with the edge of a blade.”
Review – The Swamp
Hold up a sec. We have to talk about something. Firstly, I received a copy of The Swamp from the author in exchange for an honest review. See? Comments, thoughts, and opinions remain my own.
Secondly, I want to recognise the author’s commitment to the human side of indie publishing. Specifically, the fact that The Swamp was the result of a team of human collaborators. At a time where generative AI is polluting our planet and our beloved industry, it’s nice to see someone champion a team of indie artists, editors, and proofreaders that made The Swamp happen.
See these lines? Every one marks a full page bleed of individual artwork commissioned for The Swamp. This wasn’t a cheap book to make but it’s a hell of a specimen.
So, I doff my cap to Pickering and any author who holds the line and refuses to release AI slop. The books are infinitely better for it.
Anyhoo, you’re probably wondering what I thought about The Swamp, so let me tell you. It was alright.
Who am I kidding? I’m super absorbed into Palmer Pickering’s take on the LitRPG genre and I had a great time with The Swamp. There’s a very Runescape feel to this one.
I like Temerity as a main character. She puts on a brave face as she battles her way through the dragons’ game, despite the perils that litter the journey ahead. Her triple orange jewels grant her the power of premonition. It means she’s not an out-and-out warrior or mage. She’s just a gal trying to find her father and brothers in this here dragon’s fantasy MMO.
The affable curmudgeonly fae, Half-Pint makes a welcome return to provide a fine balance of exposition and comic relief. Tomasz, Keenan, and Dorian make up the remaining central cast. Pickering’s character work throughout The Swamp is simple efficiency. Tomasz’ awful, awful attempts at being the party bard are suitably chastised by his friends. Half-Pint’s intelligence jewel makes him insufferable until he realises he’d best dial it down. Dorian arrives late on but causes delightful tension in almost every scene.
At times it’s prickly and at others everyone’s best friends again. It’s all so believable. Friends forced together to fight through hordes of enemies while being soaked to the skin in a mire are bound to annoy each other. But this only makes the downtime elements of the book so much more enjoyable. Whenever the party happen upon a settlement, the book shifts its tone to cozy. The Swamp takes us out of the firing line of alligators, rat monkeys, poisonous snakes and the rest and gives us, well, a rest.
We meets dwarves, orcs, elves, all with their own livelihoods within the Dragon’s Crawl. Temerity and her friends get jobs in taverns in order to regroup and prepare for the trials ahead. We explore a vivid world with never a dull moment. Every nook and cranny has something to discover and appreciate. It certainly gives the book’s “oh s***!” moments a little extra gravitas.
The Swamp delivered everything good about its predecessor, Dark Town and then gave even more. We learn more about the Dragon’s Crawl, and see more appearances from the dragons themselves. They are, naturally, suitably imposing moments. Nothing is difficult to follow, so there’s no need to memorise a string of complicated rules in order to have a clue what’s going on. Still, there’s plenty more experiences and nuances to discover about the game for those curious to know.
Ultimately, this straddling of brutal battles and cozy camaraderie is an eclectic yet charming combination. It’ll tick along until you find the 700 pages have gone by in a breeze. The good news on that front is the next book, The Pastoral Lands, is on the horizon.
Definitely look this one up if you’re interested in the LitRPG genre but don’t want to pick up something overly daunting.
About the Author
Palmer has been writing fiction since she was eight. She received her BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University, with concentrations in Religion and Race Relations.
She currently works in Silicon Valley in the gaming industry and high tech. In addition, Palmer holds a certificate in Chinese Acupressure, is a certified solar panel installer, and studied Tibetan Buddhism with the 14th Dalai Lama.
She lives and writes in the magical redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, California.
Catch up on Palmer’s other books by visiting her website: Home – Mythology Press
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