The Witchstone

Laszlo is an 800-year-old demon with a penchant for card games and a decided lack of ambition. He’s in charge of keeping a cursed family down in the depths of despair, but after so many years, the family has gotten used to turning into monsters. Then Laszlo’s boss summons him for a meeting in which he watches helplessly as his friend is turned into goo, and he’s informed that his numbers aren’t up to snuff. Neff’s (Impyrium) latest sounds grim but it isn’t, more like a Dynasty with magic. Laszlo gets a week to redeem himself, which gives the novel a tight structure that keeps up the tension. When Laszlo meets Maggie, they set off on a spirited adventure full of strange places and screwball errors. The novel brings to mind the fabulous early days of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld mixed with The Office’s winking sensibility.