Tournament of Losers By Megan Derr

Sheziss

Oh damn! I think I'm sick or something. What's this? I have this thing plastered on my face that refuses to let me be. A parasite? An octopus?

Oh, it's just a stupid charmed smile. Go figure.

I was most of the time like that, smiling like an idiot. No, happier than an idiot when finding a pencil. No difference at all.

This book is a fairy tale, the Cinderella with a big heart struggling to keep her head above water day after day in a miserable life, working for a little amount of money and selling her body when that’s not enough. But it doesn’t end here, because things can always get worse, like every time her father doesn’t pay his debts.

But now Cinderella is a guy. A cynical and a little of a rascal, with experience to prove that there is no such thing as wishes that come true, because reality will shatter them all. But still, he has dreams of his own, very very deep inside. You only have to scratch a little and a little more.

I loved Rath, he was just that kind of person. The genuine character that you immediately like in movies. Sort of Tyrion Lannister charm. Since page 1 I wanted to be with him at all hours. He has that kind of honesty and sense of humor and charisma that makes you want to pursue him everywhere.

Tress included. I can’t believe how much I liked to see his stupid handsome face appear, as much as Rath does, even though he doesn’t understand why he fancies this hoity-toity man so much. I don’t have words to express how much I longed for Tress to sneak out of home and find Rath yet again to do mischievous things I’m not going to tell here. Very mischievous. For him to smile and smile and kiss Rath every time he could. Any excuse was valid for that.

Yes, I’m head over heels for these two. They indeed fit together, their banter was hilarious and smile-inducing. They invited you to go on with them and never stop following and spying on them. They were literally A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E and I love cute characters with all my being.

Because the MCs were NICE, capital letters. Not in a way that make you feel like punching their smug handsome faces but in that sincere and raw way there is no sense to escape from. They had that vibe about them that intoxicate you into believing you can’t live without them. I didn’t expect to love the characters so much and enjoy the time spent with them like that. They were funny and impossible to get bored of. I wanted to squeeze and squeeze and never let go. It was a blast.

About the world building, it’s kind of a Medieval setting, with griffons and invented herbs and foods included. I liked the acceptance of pairs of the same sex. Nobody made a fuss about it here. I really appreciate the author decided to avoid the intolerance and prejudices that takes place in our reality. Simply everybody competed in the Tournament, and everybody had the same chances to win, and everybody could marry a man or a lady if they achieved to accomplish every challenge. It worked the other way around, there were female soldiers, female announcers and other female characters just everywhere. I liked that, although I will never truly buy ladies can punch men in the face like they do in some of the tasks and still win with equal results. However, I don’t care about that right now.

But then the Tournament makes a little less sense. It’s made for commoners to compete to marry aristocracy members and improve the “species”. But same sex pairs can’t have children, so what’s the point in mixing up with the commoners when there is no way for that to happen? I understand that blood is not the only important matter here, it’s keeping the feet on the ground that counts. Anchoring nobles to reality, reminding them the needs of the kingdom, in order to change the circumstances for the better. But still, it’s a little detail that nagged at me from time to time.

It goes without saying that the plot is predictable. Just because it’s a fairytale you already expect some kind of secret to be discovered and some misunderstandings to take place. Sometimes I resented bad people were that bad whereas good people where straightforwardly good. This dichotomy usually annoys me endlessly but here I just couldn’t bring myself to care after a minute or two. Because this book is to be read with pleasure. It brings out your Disney side. It’s a funny and entertaining read, but it’s also a heart-melting tale of love and the moral that, if you are a generous soul, you will always get your HEA with the prince of your dreams and do mischievous things together forever.

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***Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

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Second part (short)
here.

☆ Todd

I read the blurb for Megan Derr's "Tournament of Losers" and was immediately sold. This one was such a fun fantasy read and exactly what I was looking for.

At 33, Rathatayen, preferred name Rath, is a dock worker and 'mostly retired' prostitute, living a simple life, which is rarely as peaceful as he'd prefer.

As the story begins, Rath is awakened not by the handsome stranger in his bed, but by thugs beating the crap out of him, because, yet again, his drunken asshole father has pulled another moronic, incredibly expensive stunt for which Rath is expected to pay.

Rath's Madame at the whorehouse eventually convinces him to join the Tournament of Charlet, a contest to marry into a noble family, where a large stipend is awarded to participants. Money that can pay off most of the debt.

And this is where things begin to get interesting, when Rath finds out that the handsome stranger he'd bedded not long ago, Tress, is actually one of the nobles who will be married off to one of the contest winners when the tournament concludes.

While the contest proceeds, they continue to see one another and their affections grow. Then grow some more. But Rath knows they have no future, as he must marry the prince (if he wins) and Tress must marry the winner of his own hand.

However, it's a really fucking small world sometimes and things aren't always as they seem, so maybe they do have a shot at happiness after all, but you'll have to read it for more info there. : )

My only real complaint about the book is that the first fourth of the story seems to drag on a bit, as Rath fears how he will repay the debt to avoid winding up face down in the river. But even after joining the Tournament of Charlet for the cash, the story is still extremely slow moving.

The pace doesn't really begin moving fast enough until after the first challenge, which is a knock-down drag-out melee, think flag football meets rugby meets MMA, where Rath is lucky to keep his teeth.

Oh, but beginning with the 2nd challenge, it was ALL GOOD from there on out, as Rath excels in several challenges and begins to draw the wrath of those cheating in the games, leading to beatings and death threats, if he doesn't withdraw from the contest.

But despite the threats and a few pretty harsh beatings, I loved how Rath didn't succumb to the pressure and fold. Instead, he proved himself genuinely noble and worthy of the hand of His Royal Highness Prince Isambard.

I also adored how every time that Rath needed him, Tress was always there, without fail, providing Rath the support that he needed, whatever that might be. Tress was also worthy of a would-be prince like Rath.

These two were really great together, but if you're looking for a steamy read, this one is mostly fade-to-black steam-wise, which is fairly typical in my experience with Derr.

I was sort of hoping that since Rath is a self-professed "whore", we might see some action, but nope, kissing is as hot and heavy as we get on-page here.

When all is said and done, though, this is still a fairy tale type of fantasy, so you can guess as to whether we get an HEA or not, but I'm fairly confident you'll figure that one out. I did pretty early on. : )

Although the book's romance most definitely shared the spotlight with the adventure elements (or the other way around, actually), this tale was a blast to read and the last three-quarters of the book kept me constantly on the edge of my seat, usually smiling or laughing.

So this 'almost 5-star' book ranks overall at around 4 stars at the finish line, mainly due to the somewhat lengthy setup chapters, which I felt could have been trimmed down a bit.

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UPDATE 2016/12/07:

A short second "Tournament of Losers" story:

http://meganderr.blogspot.com/2016/12...

Enjoy! : )

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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.

Jilly

This reads a little bit like a fairy tale. Well, not the Disney kind because there is some bloodshed, murders, and the main guy is a part-time prostitute. So, maybe Disney+ ? I don't know. I don't have it, but I assume that Disney+ is Disney but with porn, right? I'm assuming that's what the plus sign means and that's why everyone has been so excited about it.

Oh yeah, and the baby yoda is also on it. On a porn channel? Baby Yoda is on a porn channel? That's just sick. You guys are sick bastards!

Anyhoo... So this book is like an old time story of where they hold a giant competition for the hand of the princess and all the rabble come from miles and miles to get them some princess-ass. I'm sure you've seen that kinda thing while watching your Disney porn.

The only difference is that there are many ~~young adults being auctioned off to keep the villagers happy~~ hands being sought. All of the noble families and the elite are allowing one of theirs to be married off in this way. And, instead of a princess, there is a prince. So, there will be many winners who get to marry up and improve their station in life.

Our hero is Rath, a guy who works part-time as a prostitute, lives over a butcher shop, and has a huge debt of his father's to pay off or he will be killed. He only enters the competition to get the stipend that they pay the finalists. He isn't in it to win it. He did come there to make friends. And, get free food. Maybe a few perks that will help his life.

Of course Rath is awesome. He wouldn't be a good hero if not. But, he's not a Gary Stu which is kind of a bad thing because now he has people who are trying to kill him to get him out of the competition. So, he needs the competition money so he doesn't get killed and he might get killed if he doesn't quit the competition. Rath just can't win.

The book is fun, fast-paced, and really really woke. I mean, it's awesome how woke the villages in this world are! There are people all over the LGBTQ spectrum and it is treated as completely normal. Gender and sexual identity are not even addressed. They just accept everyone. For that, at least. The rich still look down at the poor. So, you know, can't have it all.
Still. Pretty cool. And, great book if you are in a modern fairy tale mood, and you're a cool person too.

Yeah, I used the word woke. I stand by my decisions. You're the one watching Disney porn.

Bibi

*3.5 stars*

A predictable yet compulsive reading.

Vivian

Placed in a position to deal with his father's debts or else, Rath ponies up. Except he needs money fast. Hence his participation in the Tournament. Common folk enter with the chance to join the nobles.

Love the commoner to royalty trope. All the challenges set out to prove the contestants worth, to demonstrate that they deserve the shift in social status. Rath's in it for the money, so he just wants to play long enough to win some.

Rath takes a licking and keeps on ticking. He's got too much spirit and fortitude to be anything but a contender. Can't help but like him, he's a lovable guy.

Derr's fantasy novels have become the getaway books for me. There's adventure and romance in interesting worlds. This one was actually more romantic than the last one I read, THE HIGH KING'S GOLDEN TONGUE. Love manages to find Rath stumbling along and dodging trouble until the very end.

Overall, a triumph of good and the just desserts of true love.

~~Copy provided by Netgalley~~

Shin Mon Thway

I have heard about Megan Derr’s books being low steam and I have to say it’s true. This book for me, I feel like this one is more like a young adult fiction than adult content MM books. 😁 However, I really really enjoyed this novel despite the lack of sex. Special shoutout to my buddy
Todd for enthusiastically recommending me this book. 😘 And I’m really happy that I listened to his rec. 👏

Usually, fairy tales have innocent and gullible virgins and macho Prince Charmings and that’s definitely not the case here. 😁 Our MC and the one who’s supposed to play the ”damsel in distress” Rath is a dock worker who’s a former whore and still somewhat-active-prostitute-depending-on-the-condition. His life started very rough, father abandoned him very young and his mother and he were living on the streets and working with the wages just enough to feed themselves. So he turned to whoring when he’s old enough and now all he wants is an honest living with just some extra money to drink on the weekends. However, his bastard of a father is still giving him troubles even after 30 years and he found himself needing to pay the local gang leader a year worth of his wages in 3 days.

Tress – Tall, dark, handsome and mysterious. 😉 A noble man from high city and instantly attracted to our beautiful Rath and ended up being in bed with him on the night they first met.

In order to get the 10 marks that he desperately needed to pay for his debts, Rath decided to participate in the “Tournament of Losers” which is held every 75 years to let the peasants marry into royal and noble families. And all Rath wanted is to win a few rounds to earn the prize money and be able to pay the debts and lose. And ironically, he just can’t seem to lose no matter how much he tries to lose. The final winner of the competition will be married off to the prince of the kingdom and Rath’s lover, Tress is merely a noble man. Gradually, he really started to want to win for a better and stable future and yet, he’s already in love with tress. How will their fates work out? 😱

The thing is I knew how the storyline will unfold and yet, I kept reading because this story was damn interesting and well written. ❤️ So salutes to you
Megan Derr. 👏 It’s so much more than a fantasy novel, no, it’s a lot more than that. We can learn compassion, sympathy, bravery, empathy and most importantly, the power of love. 😌 I’m very very pleased with how everything turned out in the end. This was such a delightful and fun read and I’m very pleased. 😊

Favorite excerpts from the novel: 💙💚💙

”He just wanted to be left alone. No beatings. No threats. No scrambling desperately to come up with alarming sums of money. No more whoring. Just work and the pub and the occasional day off to do something fun.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts was a common utterance in Low City. Because nothing lasted forever, especially the good things.”

4.5 nothing is impossible and love conquers everything stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

UPDATE: a bonus shorty story after the tournament of losers event 💗💜💗

http://meganderr.blogspot.com/2016/12...

Argona

I loved every single moment of this book, smiling the whole time I was reading it! I didn’t want to put this book down and sleep felt unnecessary! This is one entertaining fairy tale, a new refreshing version of Cinderella! Honestly, I love how talented authors manage to breathe a fresh air into these classic fairy tales, making them their own.

Our Cinderella here is a very charming, cynical, witty, kind, loyal, honest, brave man that feels too old for everything most of the time and has a very ridiculous name. I loved him from page one!

The prince… first appeared where I didn’t expect him to be at all and that was one nice unpredictable twist! And he is a prince indeed, generous, open-minded, kind, adorable and of course, hoity-toity.

The chemistry was great! I wished to see the prince’s stupid handsome face just as much as Rath did and I sympathized with Rath and understood all his actions when it came to the prince. I also really liked the way their relationship developed and evolved into something special, well-paced and as realistic as possible.

The world-building wasn’t complex, but well-developed. Having the three Fates as deities was quite interesting.

In this world, same sex couples are perfectly normal, female guards and constables are throwing punches left and right..., you know, the kind of world that I love! Of course, this world isn’t completely fee of prejudice. There are still different classes of society, High City and Low City, concepts that are necessary for the plot.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and loved the story very much. If you are a fan of Fairy tales and M/M romance, then I strongly recommend this book to you.

Ami

I admit I liked the Megan Derr's stories I read for the past couple of years but I didn't love them. Not like I loved some of her earlier works such as
Dance with the Devil,
Dance in the Dark,
Midnight, or
The Bastard Prince. This one though, I definitely loved.

The world-built was well developed. Duly noted it wasn't too complex but it didn't matter. Because the idea was good: every 75 years, at least one immediate member of the royal and noble families must marry a commoner and to prove their suitability, the 'commoner candidates' will compete physically and mentally in a tournament of challenges called "Tournament of Losers". I loved reading about the challenges, even if the names were silly sometimes *lol*. But it was so much fun it kept me glued to the pages to know what challenges would be next for our hero, Rathatayen Jakobson.

Oh and how I loved Rath. While Rath kept saying that he was just a dock worker, a whore, basically a nobody, he was clearly more than meets the eye. Rath was noble, loyal, and brave. I loved him from the very start, when he was forced to produce money to pay his father's debt. I sympathized with his situation and it was easy for me to root for him for the winning prize. Oh, and I also loved the fact that Rath seemed 'older' than most of Megan Derr's characters in this kind of situation -- usually they're in their 20's, but Rath was 33 years old.

There was a lovely romance too between Rath and Tress, a younger High City noble who sometimes "slumming it in" at the Low City. At first Rath was dismissive of Tress; it was just for a good time in bed after all, because High City nobleman not really consort with Low City commoner. But Rath's grew caring for Tress when Tress showed him that he didn't look down on Rath. Tress took care of Rath when he needed it and the High City was really sweet. Their relationship was build wonderfully and my heart was content with how their love affair resolved.

I wish some of the challenges were written longer, for example the part where Rath needed to go to three villages. We only had the story in one village and not the other two. I also thought that the reason behind the threat for Rath's life was a little unclear. But when it comes down to everything, I enjoyed this book a great deal and it made me really happy.

The ARC is provided by the publisher via
Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

LenaRibka

4,5 stars!

Once upon a time there was a kingdom...maybe it was not much different from many other similar small kingdoms, except it had a very old tradition:

The plot:
Every seventy-five years one member of the royal and noble families must marry a peasant as reminders of arrogance and hostility that had nearly destroyed a kingdom many centuries ago.
It is how the Tournament of Charlet, commonly known as the Tournament of Losers was established. Only THOSE who could prove their suitability could marry into noble families.

Rath, our peasant hero, who indeed belongs to the lucky generation WHO could dream about this tiny possibility to marry a prince, but whose actual worries are in the first place about having something to eat and a roof over his head. And, who knows, if not his father's debts, if he would decide to take part in the competition. Once upon a time the Tornament of Losers was his boy's dreams, but could these dreams come true? He doesn't plan to win, the only thing he cares about is money, but...who knows...

I LOVE IT! THIS BOOK is charming and easy and there are so many great things in the story, YES, it brought my childhood back. It is a fairy tale, but even if there is not a lot of ADULT content in it, at least not in THAT details we maybe got used while reading MMs, but honestly, I didn't care. I don't think that smut would have made it better. It is perfect how it is, it is a perfect it-made-me-happy-read. I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

My final verdict:

Predictable from the very first page(I don't care!), light as a feather(it took a heavy weight of the sad news of the last days a bit away), wonderful(I felt myself like a little girl again!), sweat( as a delicious piece of Lindt chocolate after one year of chocolate's abstinence!), ingeniously simple(do we really need to rate high only very sophisticated books?!)...CAN you imagine that a book can make you happy? (like a single sun-ray in a cold winter day?)

THIS BOOK MADE ME HAPPY.
Thank you, Megan!

**Copy provided by Less Than Three Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
**This review has been crossed posted to
Gay Book Reviews.

Lauren Lanz

Despite being pretty predictable, Tournament of Losers was a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy novel. I had loads of fun with it, especially following a protagonist as loveable and humorous as Rath! An unbearably sweet romance paired with plenty of entertaining action to supplement the plot kept me consistently interested.

This book is categorized as an adult novel, but read more like YA. Of course, this was no problem for me, and I ended up quickly falling into the mainly simplistic / light hearted narrative. I sped through this in less than a day, which speaks volumes of its entertainment factor.

~★~ What is this book about? ~★~

33 year old Rath hopes for nothing but a peaceful life free of debts, but his father has made this impossible for years. As the story opens, Rath (instead of waking next to the beautiful stranger he slept beside) is violently woken and beaten by thugs seeking pay up for another one of his father’s screw ups. The thugs demand an impossible price for an impoverished dock worker and mostly-retired prostitute like Rath to scrape together. Desperate, Rath resorts to entering the Tournament of Losers, where every 75 years, peasants compete to marry a royal. Competitors are granted considerable coin to live on during the tournament--enough to pay off his fathers debt. Things become even more complicated when Rath discovers Tress, the handsome stranger he’d bedded earlier, is one of the royals being married of in the tournament.

~★~

“Love token? So far you've given me a farthing charm and a book of manners I don't need. No wonder you idiots need a tournament to get married."

The romance in Tournament of Losers was the sweetest thing I’ve read in a while! Tress and Rath’s love was fairly uncomplicated, which was a refreshing break from most other romances I’ve read recently. Both characters were intriguing in their own right, so every time they interacted with each other it was a joy to experience. It was nice to experience a fluffy romance amidst an otherwise pretty action filled story.

I really enjoyed Megan Derr’s writing! While not the most complex, it fit this story particularly well. I especially loved the dialogue between characters; scenes including banter were almost always spot on. There’s a ton of representation for all sexualities, and nearly every character has tan-brown complexions or darker!

I’m surprised more people haven’t read this book; I had so much fun following Rath through his tournament battles and developing love. This was a quick, (slightly predictable), and really really sweet book!

Corina

The style, story and overall feel reminded me of the Brother Grimm stories I adored when I was young. Especially the quest part. It had the feel of a fairytale.

So, the most important part of this review is that this story is DIFFERENT!!

Tournament of Losers has a unique plot, wonderful endearing characters, a fantastic quest, and the writing was right up my alley. I really enjoyed everything about this novel. And it satisfied my search for something different in every way.

I loved the part of the unwilling participant in a major tournament, the guy who doesn't want to win, but all stars align and there is just nothing he can do about it. And Rath was a really great guy. Smart, hard-working, kind - he was a wonderful hero, although a rather unorthodox one too. It was a sweet story, well written, with a great but also simple plot. Nothing too elaborated or complex, just a captivating story that got me out of my reading slump.

The M/M part was not explicit at all. It could have been a F/M couple and it wouldn't have made much of a difference. It was just a really good story, and the sex of the couple was secondary to the plot. The cast was wonderfully diverse without making it obvious. Again, the story was the gem here, not the sex or race of the characters.

I loved how it all came about. I loved the feel of the book, and how it made me feel while I read it. There is no doubt in my mind that I'll remember this novel for a long time. Like Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox the book was refreshingly different.

Renée

4.5 stars!

This book was an absolute pleasure to read! I love Megan Derr's writing style. This is probably going up there as my favorite of hers.

Rath is a poor man, just trying to make an honest wage, day to day, to keep a roof over his head and food in his belly. Unfortunately, Friar, his world's version of the big, bad bookie, comes to collect Rath's father's debt from him. Friar knows he will get it from Rath before he'll ever see it from Rath's father. Friar has unfortunate timing, however, when he interrupts Rath and Tress as they sleep. See, Tress is the man that Rath picked up the night before in a pub. He is beautiful and interesting....and watches Friar's goons beat up on Rath to scare him into paying a significantly large debt for his dead-beat father.

An amount of money in three days time that Rath could never hope to come up with. Until a friend gives him the idea to enter the Tournament of Charlet, which is about to begin. It's only offered every some-odd years, and it's a tradition where any non-royalty may enter for a chance to win a betrothal to a member of the royal family of the kingdom. Several different members actually. There are 4-5 winners within different layers of royalty who will marry an earl, a baroness, etc. with the Prince at the top. Just making it past the first two rounds will give Rath the money he needs to pay off his father's debt. And the first two rounds will be over within three days, within his time frame for Friar.

As he goes through the first and then second rounds, he sees some of his own "wrong side of the tracks" people along with "rich city folk." Oh, and Tress. He's there too. And Tress shares that he's one of the betrothals who will be marrying one of the winners of the tournament.

This book was quite a surprise. It's not light-hearted. It was fun, yes. But it's deep, too. It's got angst, heartache, regret, and hope. Rath learns a lot about himself along the way. He forms new friendships along the way and comes to realize he may have to let go of some of his own prejudices. The growing relationship with Tress and what that means for them the second Rath is out of the tournament is always at the forefront of his mind. Will he ever see Tress again?

I read this in one sitting. It was THAT good. So why not 5 stars? I've said it before, and I'll say it again. If Megan Derr put steam in her books, she would be on my list of all-time favorite authors in this genre. Unless that happens, I can't give higher than 4.5 stars. When I read m/m romance, I want to see the physical part of those relationships. I feel slighted otherwise. If I had steam here, this would have easily been a 5 star book. The story is brilliantly written and was an absolute joy to read. I'd still recommend!

Josy

Bonus story
http://meganderr.blogspot.com/2016/12...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Third time I listened to this wonderful book in 4 months. Every time I find myself between books, unsure of what to pick up next, this gem is calling to me and every time I enjoy it as much as the first time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I loved every second of this cute, amazing fairy tale including Michael Stellman's narration! It put a smile on my face the whole time I was listening to it and I was so sorry when it was over.

Certainly a book I'm going to re-visit often.

Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

You don't really see a lot of quality M/M fantasy out there. And since I just slogged through the atrocity that is
Prince's Gambit, it's possible that this is a rebound book of sorts. Because reading a fucking phonebook of all the gay guys in America would have been a sexier M/M romance than reading anything by C.S. Pacat.

But honestly this was a really good book!

33-year-old Rath is a low city laborer by day and sex worker by night. He's constantly being held accountable for his father's debts. This time, when he's up against the wall for a huge sum of cash, he decides to enter the infamous Tournament of Losers.

I really love the way Rath is characterized. He is very emotional while maintaining a manly essence of strength. He gets roughed up several times, one time in particular he's on the verge of tears. Nothing in the writing suggests this has any negative impact on his masculinity, which is a hella refreshing thing to read.

Because newsflash:

MEN HAVE EMOTIONS. MEN SHOULD EXPRESS THOSE EMOTIONS. IT IS UNHEALTHY THAT WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE EQUATED MASCULINITY WITH THE ABILITY TO SUPPRESS EMOTIONS.

*coughs* Ahem... anyway...

I always find it really annoying when characters could have avoided a section of conflict in the plot if they had just spoken up. Rath is a character who speaks up. And I appreciate him for that. When he's worried about something, he says so. He's honest, straightforward, and he tries to leave as little to chance as possible.

I also really loved the noble vs. commoner ideas that are present here. It was pleasant to watch both sides have their misconceptions about the other be proven false.

I wish the tournament would have been more interesting/challenging, and I wish that the side characters were fleshed out a little more. Both of which I think could have been addressed if this novel were longer!

Overall, a very cute feel-good novel. Things wrapped up a little too nicely, but I really enjoyed it for what it is.

MLE

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story. The world building was really well done, and had a grittier feel than many of the other m/m fantasy worlds I've read. I liked Rath, and could sympathize with the position he found himself in. I liked seeing him grow, and learn over the course of the story. I thought the relationship building was well paced, and I liked how much both men brought to the table, and how they helped each other. It wasn't one man saving the other, but both of them learning to understand and appreciate each other. I managed to guess one of the plot twists, but I found it didn't matter to me. It worked with the characters, their prejudices, and history. The secondary cast was well developed, and added a lot to the story. A really nicely developed story, and a fun, fast paced read. I basically devoured it in one sitting.

Xing

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Megan Derr is an author I hadn't have much experience with. I've read a couple of her books, but they tend to straddle that 3 star rating. Tournament of Losers was no exception for me.

If I had to describe this book, I would call it a Disney romance of sorts. The bad guys are obvious and, well, bad. The good guys are good. The outcome and romantic pairing are obvious. And I think this cookie-cutter shaped story was ultimately its downfall for me personally. I prefer the rough and gritty (and I'm not talking about sexy times!), and an emotional turmoil that will leave me breathless. I want a fire to be lit under me and twists-and-turns around every corner.

This wasn't the book for it. Does that make it bad? No, it doesn't. The world building and characterizations were not poorly written. And the tournaments themselves were entertaining - more entertaining than all the other parts of the story. Everything was nice. But nice isn't usually my style. Rath himself was likable, if not a little too biased against the upper class, but he was a pleasant main character nonetheless.

So overall, Tournament of Losers would be a good book to read if you needed a Disney-like experience with an M/M story. Good writing, but just not my kind of juice.

Loulou

This was so lovely.
The idea behind it, the inclusive characters and the diversity.

Both characters were well written and layered.
Such a great find!

The narration was good as well.

Adam

3.5 stars

After his deadbeat father lands himself into yet more debt to the local gang leader, Rath, a poor day-labourer and occasional prostitute, is forced to get creative in order to scrape together the money. He enters the Tournament of Charlet, colloquially known as the Tournament of Losers. Every seventy five years, peasants compete for a chance to marry into the royal and noble houses.

Rath doesn't think he'll win anyone's hand, but the living stipend competitors receive should cover his father's debts. Things become complicated when Rath begins winning competitions and attracting unwanted attention. Add in Tress, the nobleman Rath spent one night with but seems to want to get to know him better, and Rath's life takes a drastic turn.

As usual for Megan Derr, there's no descriptive on-page sex. Though there is some hot kissing, which made me wish for some dirty times, especially given that Rath is very popular for his bedroom skills. But it's alright, I just used my imagination to fill in the blanks.

However, what this book lacks in the sex department, it makes up for in the sweetness of Rath and Tress' romance. At first, Rath is dismissive of the rich kid out slumming. But Tress slowly works his way under Rath's walls, and the two are soon falling for each other. Each time Tress took care of Rath, my cold dead heart just melted. The two were a natural fit, and it didn't take me long to begin rooting for them.

The tournament challenges make up the bulk of the book. They aren't necessarily anything new or creative, but it was still fun to read about the different challenges and how Rath deals with each one. I've always enjoyed fantasy books revolving around a tournament of some sort. 'Tournament of Losers' was no exception.

Rath's success in the Tournament puts a target on his back, which adds some suspense and action to the plot. It was easy to guess who the culprit was, but I was still sucked in and eagerly reading to see how things would play out.

Overall, 'Tournament of Losers' was an enjoyable MM fantasy book. If you're looking for a fairy tale-like read, which Megan Derr does so well, I'd recommend this.

Review copy provided through NetGalley.

Ula'ndi Hart

Overall book rating: 4
Audio Book: Michael Stellman 4.5
Book Cover: 2

I read smut. I'm a smut reader. I love reading smut....so why on earth would I hopelessly fall in love with a story that contains...well...no smut? I asked myself this and I came up with the answer.

I think it's the end of the year, and I'm tired. And this book is just...non-tiring. I just sat back and let Michael Stellman paint brilliant pictures in head. And did he do that well! I loved his rendition of this story.

This was just a feel good fairytale story that made me feel ...well Good. I loved it. It's not overly angst or overly sad or overly frustrating. it's just right. And it kick-started my derailed little engine.

Oh how I love reading ;-)

Sara

I have a major crush on this book and it’s a bit silly and yet not.

I was looking for something that was not of the norm in my reading routine and this cover caught my eye. It looked like something that would tickle my funny bone and after reading the blurb, I needed to know about this Tournament.

We meet one Rathatayen Jakobson, aka Rath, getting pulled out of bed in the early morning by a few thugs who want money. Now, it’s not Rath that owes them money but the slime on the bottom of a shoe father of his who owes a debt, a big debt. Rath is told if he does not pay up, bad things will happen and Rath is too good of a man to let that happen, so he goes to speak to the Godfather, or um, Friar about what is owed and his timeline to pay it. Of course, dear old daddy couldn’t just owe a few pennies but fifteen slick (which I am assuming is about $15k as this book is set in its own world and not the one we live in) and Rath, he doesn’t make that kind of money, so what is a good boy to do?

How had the need for fifteen slick wound up stirring hopes and dreams long dead?

Ugh. This book, I just simply adored it. There is this minor world building that we get in the beginning, the ins and outs of those living in the kingdom and their social hierarchy. My darling Rath is of the low city with the laborers, whores and those who work hard for their meager earnings and that bed he was pulled out of in the first few pages… did I mention he had a gorgeous boy in bed with him who is part of the nobility or high city?? Yeah, he had a boy with him and it was a pity he was taken away so fast as to not get a repeat performance. *grins* Le Sigh.

So back to the money being owed. There is no way Rath can earn the money with his work in the time the Friar wants it repaid and then a ridiculous idea is thrown his way; enter the Tournament of the Charlet or affectionately called, the Tournament of Losers... problem solved. Right? Goodness, I loved the reason behind this tournament coming to fruition and who created it. I loved that this book, this story, this world I was so drawn into was inclusive of race, gender and sexuality. There was never a step taken back that the tournament competitors would be fighting those of the opposite sex, or that the winners would be married to someone of the same sex or someone of a different skin color, it just was and it was fantastic! It was so inclusive and so well written that it wasn’t preached about, it was just there on the page as if that were the normality of it and yeah, well done on the authors part with that. The tournament itself it a character and it was so much fun to go on each challenge with Rath. ACK! I want to say so much about each one but that would be telling you what I really want you to read for yourself.

I keep getting off on tangents but this book, it was so much more than I expected. Yes, there is romance and the steam with the romance was very low but the emotions were not. The emotions are there with the romance, (which I refuse to spoil who it is with or a anything about it) and the emotions are there they whole way with Rath. From him loathing his father yet bailing him out of debt, the unconditional and heroic love he has for his mother, the way he sees his life, his worth and the things that he doesn’t usually let himself want for yet… creep up on him and floods him with so much that I fell head over heels for this man. I mean, when you realize what his name means and why he was named it? *swoon* Just, yeah, the author killed me with that and I have so many highlights where I made a one word note of “Yes’, or “Use” or “Sigh”, this book hit so many check marks for me with what I love about romance.

This author is new to me but after this, I am going to go check out her backlist because if this book about a reluctant hero can affect me this way? I so need more of her words in my life.

So at the end of it all... this book, it was lovely. It reminded be a bit of the movie, A Knights Tale, with its blend of a historical/fantasy setting with a modern twist. The romance is swoony, the challenges are magnificent, and the story telling is gorgeous and… I kinda liked this book. Like, A LOT! If you couldn’t tell.

ARC received from Less Than Three Press via NetGalley

Eli Easton

Loved this on audiobook! Amazing story.

Kaity B

4.5-5 stars

this was such a fun read, i loved it all, but this was a fade to black story which was fine but i would have liked a little something something ;) haha

i do also wish this was longer, but from page one i was hooked!

can't wait to read more of Megan Derr's backlist! Also Michael Stellman did a great job with the narrations!

BWT

While I was ultimately happy with who Rath ends up with, and I liked a lot of the story, I wasn't blown away by either the narration, by Michael Stellman, or the story.

There was too much action off page, and I'm not just referring to the sexy times. Pretty much anything of note occurs off page, which became increasingly more surprising as the story went on.

I wanted more than just kisses, I wanted more than just hearing that Rath'd made it through another challenge...I just wanted more.

So, yes, this was enjoyable, both to read and listen to...but it felt like it was missing a lot at the same time.

Lily

This is the awesome kickass version of fairytale romance. Predictable, cliche but so very heart warming and endearing I had to stop reading to wipe away my girly tears.
Rath lives a tough life as a street rat, but he's honest, clever, and has a good heart. In order to pay his father's debts he participates in a crazy matchmaking tournament he normally chides people for entering. But anyone who passes the first round gets a huge pay off he desperately needs. It's not like he'll actually win and marry the prince. Rath is just Rath. Not some prince consort. He needs to focus on getting the money and stop thinking about princes and noblemen named Tress with really green eyes. Rath tries not to fall in love with pretty Lord Tress as he is tested in heart, body and soul for the chance to win the tournament for the prince's hand in marriage.
I loved it. A totally unique tale that brings out the best attributes of old fairytales and folklore.

Saioa

This was a total fairytale! Sweet, light and angst free, just the way I like it ♥
I knew what was going to happen pretty much since the begining but that didn't spoil my enjoyment at all.

I could totally see this as a movie. It reminded me of those classic ones that you watch again and again and never get tired of, like The Princess Bride or Ever After.
I read this book with a smile on my face the whole time, it genuinely made me happy :*)

description

iam

Aaaah I have so much love for this book <3 It's one of those that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! It's one of my favourite comfort reads.

Content warnings include: violence and murder, death threats, death of a parent, poverty and homelessness, sex work, semi-explicit sex on-page, theft, class difference in the main relationship.

Tournament of Losers is about Rath, who's good-for-nothing father once more managed to piss off the wrong people, who now demand of Rath to pay the debt. Rath needs money, and fast. His usual jobs won't be able to cut it this time, but then a friend suggests he take part in the Tournament of Losers - which Rath might think is absolute nonsense, but it will give him the money he needs.

The Tournament of Losers (a nickname, not the official term) is an old tradition that gives commoners the chance to marry into nobility, meant to bring in new blood and grant new perspectives. Any commoner can enter, and the canditates go through various challenges that are meant to determine who best fits the role of new nobility.

Rath knows it's all rigged - he has no chance of winning anyways, all he has to do is get far enough to receive the payment that's given to candidates who get far enough to compensate them for the amount of time the challenges take.
But many things prove to be unexpected.

The twists and turns of the story aren't exactly unpredictable, but they are nevertheless exciting and pleasant, and I enjoyed them a lot. Despite the rough life full of threats Rath leads, the book feels positive and is a feel-good read to me.

Rath is such a wonderful protagonist too. He's in his early thirties, often works at the docks but sometimes also takes up sex work or pickpocketing, both of which he used to do more frequently when he was younger.
He's kind and generous despite the roughness of his life and the blows it deals him again and again. His father might be a jerk, but he has a loving mother and great friends.

I have so much love for this book and I recommend it to anyone, it's such a delight to read and one of my favourite rereads!

Lisazj1

This was a delightful, sweet fairytale, a sort of twisted around Cinderella. Only Rath was no pushover letting anyone boss him around, and the evil parent in his world was his own worthless father, damn his ass! I completely fell in love with Rath. *sigh*

This was my first listen to the narrator, Michael Stellman. I'm pretty sure his voice performance was responsible for at least one of these stars and I'm going to look for more of his books right now. And though I do own a few Megan Derr books, this is the first one I've actually read. I'll be fixing that too.

My thanks to the sweet, amazingly generous Jolly Sparkledust for this gift that I'll be enjoying many times in the future. <3

*****

Review 12/3/18

Jolly Sparkledust must think I've been waaaay better than I actually have been. :) They continue to spoil me with this awesome Audible book! I can't wait to read, THANK YOU!!! <3

Santy

Re-read 6-years later and still sooo GOOD

******************************************************

Megan Derr has done it again! She is now firmly in my auto read category for authors. :)

I absolutely loved this book and had no issues with it! Well... except that it was shorter than I expected( I always have this issue with her books as they are sooo good!). Write longer books Megan, I promise I'll read them.

The world building was impeccable as usual, the characters engaging, and it had a very satisfying, tear-jerking end. I just gobbled this all up in one sitting.

This goes straight to my "books to re-read" shelf as a look for another one of Megan Derr's book to fall in love with! :D

Nerea

A kingdom divided into low and high status, welcome the tournament of losers, where any low class person could apply and win a marriage with a noble man or woman. Even a prince!!!

Although this book has the classic division of low and high classes for the main plot must say it was very positive in some society aspects : An absolute gender equality and a normalized sexual preference.

This book is a travel to search the main character's happy ever after, very well build with the reminiscences of the classic fantasy quests! A poor brave man who with the help of his intelligence, abilities, friends and some lucky could pass the challenges of the quest and the ones of his own life <3

Eugenia

Sweet and Fun Fantasy Adventure!

Re-listen 3/29/19: LOVED IT STILL!! Fabulous narration!!!!

Reading like a YA book geared toward adults, I very much enjoyed following Rath as he unwillingly progressed through the Tournament of Losers.

Although predictable in plot and lacking great complexity in characters, I happily cheered Rath on in his quest to win the tournament.

Megan Derr created an intriguing world were sexual identity and gender roles played NO part in society--Very, very refreshing! Just imagine a world where gender labels don't exist!!

A definite comfort read!

Title	:	Tournament of Losers
Author	:	Megan Derr
Rating	:
ISBN	:	1620046695
ISBN-10	:	9781620046692
Language	:	English
Format Type	:	ebook
Number of Pages	:	229
Publication	:	First published November 22, 2015
Awards	:	Rainbow Award Gay Fantasy (The Eric Arvin Award) (2016)

Tournament of Losers by Megan Derr

Tournament of Losers Reviews

Tournament of Losers Reviews

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