Non-Player Character

by Veo Corva

E-book, 403 pages

English language

Published Aug. 31, 2021 by Witch Key Fiction.

ISBN:: 978-1-9161009-2-3

(5 reviews)

32-year old Tar feels like a Non-Player Character in their own life. They’ve been utterly sidelined by their anxiety and they spend all their spare time playing video games. Then they get invited to play Kin, a table-top roleplaying game their friend swears will change their life. And it does, but not in the way Tar expects. Friendship, it turns out, is even better than escapism.

But what none of them knew was that it would change their life a second time. Because the world of Kin is real. And the whole party soon discovers that changing your setting doesn’t change you.

Non-Player Character is a cosy, queer portal fantasy for adults featuring a non-binary autistic protagonist and their found family of fantasy-loving nerds.

2 editions

fluffyfied reviewed Non-Player Character by Veo Corva

A Wonderful Book

5 stars

Content warning minor spoilers maybe

I really enjoyed reading it! The main character Tar and their anxieties were quite relatable for me. And it was very refreshing for me to see such a character as a main character and hero. In the story Tar and their TT-RPG group get teleported into the world of their game. They take over some traits and skills of the characters they invented for the game. I really love how, while being in a fantasy world and being able to do magic is like a dream come true, they run into multiple problems. Like suddenly they really have to sleep together in a crowded tent. Or like fighting and killing with a sword was fine while playing the game and giving your character a challenging drawback sounded nice, that's not something you want to do or have in real life. They have to solve all the problems in creative and non-violent ways which to me is very interesting. A very comforting book. 😌

David Bremner reviewed Non-Player Character by Veo Corva

a triumph of empathy

5 stars

At some level this is a standard sword-and-sorcery fantasy novel (mostly sorcery). The device of role-players cast into the game "for reals" has surely been done before. The interesting part is the characters, and how the plot progresses.

The hero (gender neutral) is extremely anxious, and the book presents their struggles in a way that is both relatable and interesting. The reader (at least this reader) sees themselves in these struggles even if they don't normally identify as neurodivergent.

Don't hate me for not giving it five stars, a few of the romantic(?) scenes didn't quite work for me. Maybe that says more about me though.

WelshPixie reviewed Non-Player Character by Veo Corva

Amazing Fantasy Wholesomeness

5 stars

SO great I can't even. A hugely diverse cast of characters - more of this in fantasy books please! - all treated with dignity and inclusivity and respect. The relationships, both friendships and otherwise, dealt with in NPC are utterly wholesome, healthy, and heartwarming. The tale itself is a grand 'people from Earth find themselves stranded in a fantasy land', but executed in a far more entertaining and endearing fashion than other attempts I've read at this kind of story.

Strong recommend, grab it immediately. <3

StoryDragon reviewed Non-Player Character by Veo Corva

Absolutely amazing

5 stars

Non-Player Character is an absolutely lovely book about adults who get unexpectedly teleported to a different world, where they have magic and other special abilities. It is not only about their wonderful adventure in Vanthis, but it is also about how changing your setting doesn't change you. It is about how everyone has their own difficulties and so much more. It is just an incredibly well-written book and I truly recommend you to read it if you haven't already. This might be one of the few books that I want to read a second or maybe even a third time. Maybe this has actually became one of my favourite books.

pdotb@wyrms.de reviewed Non-Player Character by Veo Corva

Just really, really charming

5 stars

A host of likeable, though varied, characters, good representation and a fun plot. Highly recommended.

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