While I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure and "Groundhog Day" style of conflict, the humor is very specific and is trying too hard at times. I think this will work for fans of 'Assistant to the Villain' though I will say it maintained my attention from start to finish. I would've liked to see more depth to our supporting cast. The narrator cusps on being a hollow source of jokes and i would've liked to see more internal work as the story progressed.

All in all, I enjoyed myself.

First I want to say thanks for receiving this arc even if the book was not my favorite. To keep it short, I did not really vibe with this book. Every thing about the premise seemed to be right up my alley. I’m not sure if it was because I didn’t like the protagonist or if it was the way the plot progressed but this was not that fun to read. I did like the concept of the book but the execution was a miss for me.

I read about 40% of the book, but couldn't get into it. The writing just isn't my thing, as I found it a bit difficult to connect with, and I didn't really enjoy the sense of humour.

*I received an e-arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler - 3.5 Stars

A fun time-loop RPG-inspired fantasy about a woman who has been isakai'd into a fantasy world, waking up her first day each time she dies, and decides she's tired of being the damsel, then tired of being the hero, so maybe it's time to try to become to big bad. The characters and world building are really fun, but the MC Davi started to really get on my nerves at times - in part because of the style of humor (at times very sexual) simply did not resonate with me at all and the violence-for-the-sake-of-violence. Davi comes across very much as a "female-MC -written-by-a-man" in a way that is off-putting at times. The book started to drag by the later third, but I'd still be interested in reading the sequel when I get the chance. A fun read for fans of the genre, with fun references to other media and a clear love and deep well of knowledge for RPGs and general fantasy.

This book is freakin' hilarious, a little bit gruesome, a whole lot exciting, and incredibly fun. I was worried, when I started reading it, that I wouldn't like the protagonist/POV character—she's a bit crass, totally disillusioned, and often more than a little bit mean—but she is so funny and by the end I couldn't help but absolutely love her, sarcasm and all. This book is a total romp—a bloody, action-packed, sarcastic romp.

This one took multiple attempts to finish, I was finally successful on my third attempt!

What I Didn’t Like:
- The content warning at the beginning isn’t enough.
- Davi’s sexual proclivities thrown in at the most random moments (this really detracted from the plot)
- How long it took for the story’s pace to pick up (like 70% of the book)
- The annotations in the eARC were at the end of the chapters, which by that point I’d lost the context (this is not the case in the print copy, I checked).

What I Did Like:
- Once the plot picked up (around Chapter 9), it got really good.
- The annotations were so much fun when I was able to flip back to where they were utilized. Probably my favorite part of the whole book.
- Genuinely fun and so unserious. I did laugh a lot.

I would give this 2.75 stars out of 5. Will I read it again - probs not. Will I read the second one - yes.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying is a fast-paced comedic fantasy. Overall a quick and fun read with fast pacing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Django Wexler, and Orbit Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was not a fan of the humor in this one. I thought I would love this book, which is why I requested it. I could see a lot of people enjoying this book. It's just not for me.

Davi is tired of her life. She dies over and over, coming back to live it again. She has been on the side of the Kingdom but maybe it's time to do something different. She decides if she can't make it being virtuous, she'll become the opposite. Why not become the leader of evil, The Dark Lord?

It isn't something that happens overnight. She would have to be chosen at the Convocation and she isn't sure where that happens or what it takes. She starts out but there are many instances of dying and starting over. Eventually, she becomes the leader of a ragtag group that can form the basis of her horde; mostly orcs with some fox-wilders and rock-wilders as well.

They start off on their journey to the Convocation picking up new horde members along the way. After running afoul of a kingdom which found them trespassing, Davi and her horde make a hasty escape and climb over the mountains, finally getting to the Conclave. Davi has three opponents there. Can she reach her goal?

Django Wexler started his career as a software engineer and that had to help with the intricate plotting and the creation of the magic used. But what is most noticeable about this book is the sheer fun of it. Davi is a villain but one with a heart of gold, who insists on finding love along the way. She is making it up as she goes but has an inborn ability to bond a group and share power that moves the story along. I can't wait to read the next one in the series and I'm thrilled to have found Wexler as another author whose work I can explore. This book is recommended for fantasy readers.

I think this is quite possibly the most tongue-in-cheek book I’ve ever read, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It’s like if Gru and his minions tried to make Gru the Dark Lord and then accidentally succeeded. What I really loved about it, is that the plot was GOOD. Like you could easily make this a “serious” fantasy, and it would work. But I loved the satirical and humorous nature of the writing. It made the book a lot of fun.
Also the blunt thoughts of the main character— I was not frustrated at all. Maybe my ADHD brain was just like yes these are how thought patterns should be— especially with the footnotes. I so so enjoyed this book, and if you want a fun read that is still fantasy, definitely read this one!
Thank you Orbit for the gifted copy!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler — A Wickedly Fun Fantasy Romp

Django Wexler's How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying is a delightful subversion of classic fantasy tropes, blending time-loop mechanics with sharp wit and a refreshingly irreverent tone. The story follows Davi, a heroine trapped in an endless cycle of attempts to defeat the Dark Lord, only to fail each time. Fed up with the futility, she decides to switch sides and become the Dark Lord herself.
The Lesbrary
+9
Barnes & Noble
+9
Goodreads
+9

Wexler masterfully balances humor and heart, crafting a narrative that is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. Davi's journey is filled with snarky commentary, pop culture references, and a cast of endearing misfits, including orcs, foxkin, and other fantastical beings. The novel's footnotes add an extra layer of comedy, reminiscent of Terry Pratchett's style.
Reddit
+1
jamreads.com
+1
Lightspeed Magazine

Critics have praised the book for its engaging prose and inventive storytelling. FanFiAddict notes that Wexler "hit the right notes when it came to the structure of the time loop and... balanced Davi’s fatalism and altruism" . Similarly, Lightspeed Magazine highlights the "deadpan morbidness" of Davi's internal monologues and the clever use of footnotes for layered humor .
Goodreads
+3
FanFiAddict
+3
jamreads.com
+3
Lightspeed Magazine

While some readers may find the protagonist's constant references and fourth-wall-breaking a bit overwhelming, many appreciate the novel's unique voice and fast-paced plot. As one Reddit reviewer aptly puts it, "It's a quick and quirky read. If that's the sorta thing you like then it's right up your alley" .
Reddit

Verdict: How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying is a must-read for fans of humorous fantasy and those looking for a fresh take on the genre. Wexler's inventive storytelling and memorable characters make this novel a standout addition to any fantasy lover's collection.

Absolutely hilarious and wildly inventive. I had such a good time with this—it skewers classic fantasy in the best way while still delivering a strong, action-packed story. If you’re a fan of chaos and snarky protagonists, this one’s a blast.

i have tried a few times to pick this up, but it just not holding my interest. i am so sorry. i am wishing everyone a lot of success for this, but i sadly think this is just not for me.

Davi has been the hero countless times, always ending in failure and death. This time, she's flipping the script—opting to become the Dark Lord herself. What follows is a snark-filled, footnote-laden romp through a fantasy world, complete with time loops, pop culture references, and a protagonist who's as horny as she is hilarious.

If you're into chaotic antiheroes, fourth-wall-breaking humor, and a plot that doesn't take itself too seriously, this one's for you. Just be prepared for a wild ride that's as irreverent as it is entertaining.

This book was written for you if:
1. You enjoy time-loop narratives with a twist.
2. You're a fan of dark humor and snarky protagonists.
3. You appreciate fantasy stories that subvert traditional tropes.

It took me way too long to get to this, and now it's one of my favorite books this year. Easily. I'm almost glad because I need to know what happens next and there's another!
Davi has died so many times in this off world and gets frustrated, so she decides to become the Dark Lord. There are orcs and betrayals and sex and negotiations -- and so so much action. Davi is snarky and smart and I love the pop culture references. I hope there are a lot of stories with Davi in this world.

Davi, a young woman from our Earth is somehow catapulted into a fantasy world where she is a princess who can save the kingdom. But she gets killed, and reboots into the same beginning over and over again every time she fails and is killed. It's not so much Groundhog Day as a video game restart. So she decides to flip the script and instead of trying to save the kingdom from the Dark Lord, she decides she'll BE the Dark Lord.

The book tells how she goes about recruiting a horde of orcs and other wild things to make her claim to the Dark Lord title.

It's kind of silly the way it plays her contemporary mindset against the fantasy milieu; she keeps saying things we understand but baffle her minions (as she calls them). Also, she's sort of raunchy and horny. Also, as a first-person narrator she's constantly making snide side remarks that are in the footnotes. This can be annoying (at least it was to me) since they're mainly snide remarks and not useful to the plot. Sure, this is a comedy (sort of) and the footnotes are funny, but I didn't think the mechanics of them worked.

I thought the best part of the book was the character development of the wilders, as they're known. Amitsugu the fox creature, her lieutenant with whom she has a few sexual romps with. Tsav, her sexy bald orc lieutenant with whom she has another series of romps with (and yes, this becomes a problem), and especially Droff the dour stone giant. Even the bad guys are well drawn, especially Virgith the super-powered Amazon warrior woman.

Davi is human like us, but has to pretend to have shape-shifted so she can claim to be not human, as the Dark Lord is supposed to be a wilder who is warring against humans. And this is the problem, because she's trying to be the Dark Lord so that the wilders don't try to kill all the humans.

How does she resolve that? Well, we aren't going to find out until the next book in the series. Fair warning.

(4.25/5 stars)

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler is a hilarious fantasy and the first in the Dark Lord Davi duology.

I had a lot of fun reading this book! I borrowed the audiobook from my local library and followed along in my physical review copy. The narrator, Jeanette Illidge, does a PHENOMENAL job. I truly believe that listening to this book really leveled up my appreciation of the narrative.

It's not a spoiler because it's mentioned in the blurb, but the point-of-view character in this book, Davi, appears to be stuck in some kind of time loop. We start the book in her life #237, in fact. And she's tired of all the choices she made in the last 236 lives, so she decides to maybe stop trying to be a hero and instead figure out how to become the Dark Lord instead.

There's a world map at the front of the physical book that is fantastic and really a good gauge for how irreverent the book truly is. The humor is either going to absolutely land for you, or you're going to hate it. I don't think there's any real in-between. It's also pretty raunchy, so know that going in.

If you are a video gamer, you may enjoy this book! There are tons of gaming references, like save scumming. I laughed so loudly at many points throughout this book. The author mentions that he was inspired by isekai anime (aka a regular person somehow finds themself in a fantasy/other world) and I really love those. I also appreciated that Davi is truly a chaos bisexual.

I'm so excited for the final book in the duology, which comes out at the end of May!

Loved the groundhog’s day/Edge of Tomorrow concept! The humor at the beginning cracked me up, and I enjoyed the MC. After a while it did feel a bit overwhelming with the amount of sarcastic references thrown in. In the end I had mixed feelings, it was fun but not quite addictive to pick up.

Davi doesn’t remember much about her life before she woke up in a fantasy land and was told she is the chosen one to defeat the dark lord. She’s given it her all and ended up dead… hundreds of times. Everytime she dies, though, she wakes up at the beginning and has a chance to do it all over again. But after hundreds of redos, she is getting sick of dying the hero. This time, she’s going to become the dark lord! It doesn’t really matter in the end, since once she dies she’ll just restart again, so why not fuck around and find out?

This premise is incredibly interesting and I was immediately captivated. The first 25% of the book had me so invested and I was feeling like this was going to be a 5 star read. However, once Davi figures out how to get past the initial phase of her villain plans, the story starts to lose steam. It starts feeling like everything happening in more of a side quest than the main plot. It starts to get repetitive as Davi travels with her ragtag army, stumbles upon a town/city, overtakes it and continues on with more companions just to do it all over again the next chapter. The plot picks up once again when she finally arrives at the dark lord trials, which is at the end of the novel.

My other cons are that the chapters are WAY too long and it’s very obvious that this female protagonist was written by a man given how crude her thoughts are. Women can be horny, for sure, but Davi didn’t feel very feminine to me. In fact, I kept forgetting she was a woman because of how masculine her thoughts and behavior were.

Still, with a boring middle and some other small complaints, I enjoyed this book overall and really enjoyed the humorous writing style. There’s also a fantastic twist towards the end that compelled me to continue with this duology whereas before I wasn’t sure. If you’re looking for a fun fantasy read, I would recommend Davi’s story.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for an eARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
By Django Wexler
Narrated by Jeanette Illidge
4 ⭐️

Pros
- Hilarious. Top notch humor of questionable taste
- Plethora of dorky, nerdy references
- Solid audiobook narration
- Entertainment level was high
- Creatures/humanoid species were plentiful which I always enjoy
- D&D/video game feel throughout

Cons
- Plot is a bit repetitive
- Could have used a few more serious moments to break up the sarcastic onslaught - Davi came across as a caricature at times

Thank you Orbit for a review copy of this book - I had a good time!!