Critical Failures IV (Caverns and Creatures) (Volume 4)

This is a funny 4th part to the critical failures series. Good continuation of the whole story and has some hilarious things in it. The interpretation of religion in the fantasy world is great. This book could use more editing and there are a lot of words that missed a space in between and some misspelling, but it was a fun and enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed this series and the short story books D6,2D6, 3D6 as well. For a really immersive experience I recommend paying extra for the audible versions (available for 1-3 D6, and 2D6). They are very well narrated by a talented reader.
geeky
low brow
D&D (or rather "C&C")
humor

I was either recoiling or reading more in-depth and laughing my ass off. It's definitely not something for the more gentrified of reader. But if you want some funny s*** and don't really give a crap about any politically correct b******* it's funny as hell.

this series just keeps getting better! the interaction between the characters leaves me with alot of true laugh out loud moments! I really suggest the audio versions of these, the narrator does a great job of giving each character a unique voice and has great comedic timing! i sure hope they make these books into a movie!

This novel was a bit different from the first three: more morose, also a bit more real, you could say. Tim's antics were ridiculous, but who doesn't act that way when rejected? I still enjoyed its quirks and one-liners.

CF4 really grew this series in terms of scope and character depth. It did this while still being hilarious and unique. Roberts writing gets more amazing with every entry. Worth every star and every penny.

May contain spoilers...and I'm reviewing the 4 books, not just this one.
I'm actually annoyed with myself for buying this book... Even more so because I could have bought the bundle of 4 at a lower price or, better yet, not bothered at all with this series.
The simple truth is that I was hoping for some resolution to the main plot... Otherwise I wouldn't even have finished reading the third book, let alone buy the 4th.
If I'd at least gotten that, I would've given it 2 stars.
It's a shame really, because all through reading these books, I couldn't help feeling that the author actually has the writing chops to write some pretty good stuff, but he was dragged down by his own material and his passion for scatological humour.
Don't get me wrong, I will laugh at fart jokes and unintentional bodily function mishaps just as much as the next guy... I actually enjoyed reading most of the first book. The premise of the story is actually sound and engaging.
To put things in context: I play d&d on a regular basis and sexual innuendos do occur on a semi-regular basis (mostly coming from one guy, so there you go, Cooper), and yes, we do have the occasional chuckle because of them, when they're really good. Also, I just finished reading the NPCs books by Drew Hayes which I thoroughly enjoyed, so was in the market for something in the same vein, where real world and d&d settings interact.
I'm in my late thirties, so one could say I could have outgrown that particular phase, but fart jokes remain funny...so I thought I'd give the series a chance.
That said, as a literary device they grow old fast. Gratuitous scatology and vulgarity can serve a purpose, but when it becomes the main theme of 4 books... Well... Houston, we have a problem.
There are a bunch of other problems with these books too...
Hate inducing characters: Cooper again. When you're 30, in a dead-end job and everything you say or do makes you look like a 12 year old bully with 0 manners or social grace, you shouldn't be allowed out in public unsupervised. Don't even get me started on Dennis, who is as coherent and believable a character as a 3 dollar bill.
Interchangeable characters: on more than one occasion I found myself confusing several of the characters, who are depicted almost identically in terms of characterisation, personality, behaviour (which can be summed up as: get drunk, pee, poop, vomit, laugh at pee and poop, laugh because someone said pee or poop, or something vaguely reminiscent of something sexual, forget what they're supposed to do, get distracted, completely forget or ignore the life-threatening situation they find themselves in, repeat in random order, spruce up occasionally with playground level antics).
Characters that make terrible decisions both in and out of the game: decisions that no single experienced player who found himself in that situation would make (how has nobody thought to even try editing their character sheets and give themselves extra levels?? Why aren't they scrying everything for all they're worth? "they went fishing"???? Really anybody could seriously think that's what your palls who are on an important mission decided to do???? )...
Characters that are barely two-dimensional, who don't grow in any noticeable manner except for occasionally leveling up. Some have the occasional spurt (hur, hur, he said spurt... I spurted all over yo mama, hur, hur) of growth/moment of insight, only to be completely brought back to heel by the next batch of stale scatological jokes. Characters who apparently have careers and families and responsibilities that come with age act and react like the dumbest teenager to the slightest stimuli towards lewd jokes or irresponsible behaviour.
Also, what self-respecting nerd who sees himself as a victim, underdog or hero would ever pick the name Mordred for himself?
Language isn't just a problem the characters have, since even the author describing the scene will use the same language all of his characters use.
Still, it remains largely a character issue. I find it hard to believe that practically every character in the books is comfortable with the level of profanity everybody slings around. Get enough people together and there's bound to be a couple who just don't swear that much, or at all. Not in this book though..
This really becomes tiring, not because I'm uncomfortable with it, I am not, but because it just doesn't ring true. It does make me wonder if the author actually has the skills to depict different characters and make the reader feel the difference without identifying them by name or physical description.
The plot gets derailed in a few occasions, but the real issue I have is that it doesn't actually get resolved at all.
Over the course of 4 books, none of the characters has learned a single thing, everybody has held onto the idiot ball at least a couple of times, picking booze or sex over escaping a life endangering situation that should by rights be the only thing they think of in every waking moment. The plot itself doesn't move forward other than "things happen, but they don't make a difference"... A number of times. If any of my game masters spun such an idle thread, I wouldn't be playing their game.
A book that is sold as a bundle of four should have an ending of sorts at the end of the fourth, other than "yeah, I ballsed it up again."... Especially when said mess up comes for idiotic reasons that should at most have influenced a sub-plot, by a character who in the first three books seemed to have his wits together.
I won't be buying any further chapter of this sorry excuse for a series, should they come out, nor will I be buying any of the short stories.
I did have quite a few moments of genuine laughter and for some reason I want to believe that the author can do better, which is why I'd have given it 2 stars if not for the non-existent ending.
I'd love to see something written by the same guy, under the provision that he's not allowed profanity or poop jokes.

Tl;Dr unless you have an unhealthy obsession for scatological humour and don't really care for anything beyond that, I suggest you avoid this author altogether
Edit: ironically, my review was bounced for profanity (I used the f-word 3 times in total)

Bevans has outdone himself with this book in the Critical Failures series. Things keep going wrong, but his characters keep trying. Hilarity ensues. The next books is to be released soon. Can't wait.

Since I have just finished the forth book I wanted to do a short review. This series is funny with some laugh out loud moments. You have to know at least a bit about d and d to enjoy it thoroughly and a love of fart jokes won’t hurt.

These books are some of the funniest books I have read in such a long time! It reminds me of some of the crazy games my friends and I would play back in the day. This is great anyone and everyone should read these books!

Tim's character had basically been completely rewritten from the first three books. The love interest between Tim and Stacy that was introduced in book 3 is totally ignored. At one point Stacy said "I have a crush on Tim" then in book 4 she turns around and can't stand him. The author really needs to read his own books before continuing to write.

The series started off with a nonstop barrage of below the belt jokes and mocking the stereotypical "C&C" player. It's evolved into mocking DM's, religion, game life and modern life with a dash of scatological humor.

I'm not convinced on some of the character arcs in this book, it doesn't quite ring with the humor and game night spirit of the earlier books. The climactic scene (no spoilers!) was a bit much, even by game standards, a dice bag full of natural 20's for all of it to fall into place.

And so we return to the universe Bevan has created. After the gang returns from their brief sojourn into the real world, they find a few new friends (and an extremely horny dwarf). Meanwhile they must race against the clock to locate Mordred before he can turn the world he's created against them. Will Mordred awaken an ancient evil and turn it against them? Will Ravenus ever shut the f*** up? Will Tim ever see sobriety again? Will Julian kill yet another horse? Will Dave ever not suck? And will Cooper finally learn The ancient Chinese art of bowel control? Read on and find out!
As with every other book in the series, this one is well-written and gut-bustingly funny. I honestly don't recommend reading this on the bus or the subway unless you want your fellow commuters to think you're daft as a jaybird from laughing so much. The humor is on point, the characters are extremely well-written, and the world is surprisingly rich. Meanwhile, we get to ask ourselves - how would I react if I were suddenly cast into a fantasy world, granted great power, and there were no rules?
This series shows no signs of slipping or slowing. Bevan is a fantastic storyteller, and I for one hope for many more books in this series.