Hyperbia

this book has made a surprising redemption arc. It was very close to being dnfed. to look back at my first impression:

"i'm on page 16/310 of hyperbia by K. Remington. if this book goes on like this i might just drop my ereader in frustration. i'm only barely in this so called "fantasy" novel but it's trying to make a story out of someone sitting in an office and almost throwing up? it's also desperately trying to be funny, and failing miserably"

but from around chapter 6 it started to pick up with actual world building, and diving head first into absurdist fantasy. The main character stayed quite insufferable for a while, occasionally feeling like a mockery of fantasy fans, but he got a decent arc with a great climax ( it is a massive shame the books ending seems to imply this was all for naught, though), when he returns to earth now homeless and hopeless. The characters introduced from the later chapters onwards are mostly really fun, though the bus stayed my favourite throughout. Interesting choices were made throughout and I could nag about a lot of technicalities, but that would mean taking this book for something it isn't trying to be.
If I could ask one thing of the author, though, is to calm down on the sex jokes. They grew stale really quickly and just became eye-rolly.

Epic fantasy gets turned on its head and slapped with a wet fish. Elves are snobby brunch enthusiasts, ogres are pacifistic yoga buffs, and the "hero" is a mild-mannered misfit who prefers strudels to swords. Welcome to Hyperbia.
Tubbart Schepps is a generally nice guy. Thus concludes his positive traits. The tragically named, socially inept, morbidly rotund dreamer gets through life on the comfort of food and imagination. One day, after a mortally embarrassing workplace mishap, Tubbart stumbles as far away as he can get. Which is the nearest bus stop. There, he is unwittingly spirited to the fantastical realm of Hyperbia, where magic larks and absurdity stumbles after. A noble elf prince takes Tubbart under his quiver, and the days are equal parts joyous and bizarre. But not all is sunshine and elfwine. An evil fairy bent on revenge is freshly risen, and seeks nothing less than utter annihilation of the realm.

Fantastically hilarious and exhilaratingly adventurous.

In Hyperbia Remington has created a world and characters in kin with Pratchett’s Disc World and I just couldn’t get enough.

Remington’s imagination knows no bounds and he has created enigmatic characters, fantastical settings and developed a plot infused with not only humour and magic, but with poignancy and flair regarding themes of friendship, loyalty, difference and love.

This was one hell of an amusing and emotional read and I just hope that this isn’t the last time I get to visit Hyperbia and spend time with it’s amazing citizens.