New York Times Best Seller

Dreadful

The Dread Lord Gavrax has had better weeks…

It’s bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard’s workshop with no eyebrows, no memories, and no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord Whomever shows up to murder you horribly and then turn your skull into a goblet or something.

It’s a lot worse when you realize that Dread Lord Whomever is… you.

Gav isn’t really sure how he ended up with a castle full of goblins, or why he has a princess locked in a cell. All he can do is play along with his own evil plan in hopes of getting his memories back before he gets himself killed.

But as he realizes that nothing—from the incredibly tasteless cloak adorned with flames to the aforementioned princess—is quite what it seems, Gav must face up to all the things the Dread Lord Gavrax has done. And he’ll have to answer the hardest question of all—who does he want to be?

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  • “Adding a surprising dose of heart to her quick-witted tale, Rozakis demonstrates her excellent comedic timing and keen ability to keep readers guessing. This clever, high-energy fantasy is a delight.”

    Publishers Weekly

  • "An absolutely magnificent comedic fantasy with a hint of bite. This book was a witty, empathetic, and genuinely funny meditation on the nature of good and evil. It was easily one of the best books I've read this year."

    Olivia Atwater

  • "DREADFUL is pure fun. Caitlin Rozakis delivers a (loving) send up of classic fantasy tropes alongside a compelling redemption story and plenty of quirky humour. The Dread Lord Gavrax (or Gav, as his memoryless alter ego prefers) is a fantastic character, alternately chilling and sympathetic, and readers will also love the cast of seemingly stock fantasy characters with endearing hidden depths. Highly recommended."

    Heather Fawcett, bestselling author of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

  • “It was very kind of Caitlin Rozakis to write this book for me. Sure, the rest of you should like it too, but it was clearly written for me, with all the elements I love: fun and humor, breaking fantasy tropes, interesting and complex questions about identity and redemption, and some delightful goblins!”

    Jim C. Hines, author of Goblin Quest

  • "A spellbinding (literally) massacre of all our favourite tropes, underscored with a pleasing dry wit."

    Tom Holt

  • "Outrageously funny and self aware, Dreadful is perfect for fans of The Princess Bride. Rozakis blends wit and whimsy with a deft hand in this charming debut that had me laughing with every page-turn. A vital addition to the cozy fantasy genre"

    Rosiee Thor, author of Tarnished are the Stars

  • "Dreadful is magnificent! Fun, funny, and brilliantly insightful, this book is such a joy! I absolutely loved every second of it!"

    Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Spellshop

  • “This book has all the vibes of a RPG/DnD party going off the rails and the DM sighing in the background while tearing up their carefully crafted plans and quests. This is a masterfully written adventure story which reminds me of many Terry Pratchett stories.”

    Bookseller Cori, The Green Dragon Bookshop

Peek into the world of Dreadful:

Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2022

Steal a statue back from a seductive evil sorceress…what could go wrong?

Want more of the world of Dreadful? Find out what else Valevna has been up to in the short story “Never Send a Man”, part of the pulp anthology Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2022!