How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps Book Chat

About this episode

MJ Munoz discusses Andrew Rowe's book 'How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps' and explores the nuances of first person narration in fantasy storytelling.

I usually dislike first person narration in fantasy books. But Andrew Rowe’s How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps completely won me over. In this Fortress Fiction book chat, I talk about why this Zelda-style fantasy parody works so well, and what it taught me about two different styles of first person storytelling. It turns out not all first person narration is the same. Some books use a confessional style that focuses heavily on internal thoughts and emotions. Others feel more like someone telling you the story of an adventure. Andrew Rowe’s book uses that second approach, and it makes all the difference. I also talk about: • why Yui Shaw is such a compelling narrator • how the book cleverly plays with classic Zelda-style adventure logic • a great example of suspense created through first person narration • why the final battle still feels exciting even though we know the narrator survives If you enjoy fantasy parody, game-inspired worlds, or clever adventure stories, this one is definitely worth checking out. Book: How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe Question for you: Do you like first person fantasy novels, or do you usually avoid them? And what…

People in this episode

Host: MJ Munoz

Topics covered

• fantasy books
• first person narration
• book review
• Zelda-style parody
• storytelling techniques

Keywords

• fantasy parody
• first person narration
• book chat
• Zelda-style adventure
• suspense in storytelling

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps, The Legend of Zelda

More episodes of Fortress Fiction

• The Book of Three Chapter 11: Taran Grows Up · March 27, 2026 · 9 min
• The Book of Three Chapter 10 On Lore and Lineage · February 6, 2026 · 24 min
• Is The Nixie's Song Off Key? - Beyond The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1 |FF 18 · August 7, 2025 · 17 min
• Kid-Lit Audit: 30+ Middle Grade Books Reviewed: What I Loved, Loathed, and Would Never Give to a Kid · July 22, 2025 · 26 min
• The Hidden Peril of Wing of Fire - Wings of Fire Book 1 The Dragonet Prophecy |FF 16 · April 25, 2025 · 26 min
• The Book of Three Chapter by Chapter 9 |CXC44 · April 24, 2025 · 9 min