# Critical Failures

By Robert Bevan · Caverns and Creatures, book 1

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/critical-failures-4bc42d93/

Tim, Dave, Julian and Cooper mock their new game master, then find themselves inside the fantasy game as the characters they created. Surviving magic and monsters now requires living with decisions they made at the table, as well as surviving each other’s company.

## What makes it funny?

Character creation acquires uncomfortable consequences. Tim has a halfling’s small voice, Dave is an armored dwarf, and Cooper has tusks and bowel trouble. Cooper also has to deal with a head he chopped off when the violence was still part of a game.

### The comedy at work

A choice that costs nothing at a gaming table can leave a player physically stuck once the game is real. Bevan adds the friends’ petty arguments and insults to the danger, letting their usual behavior complicate the work of keeping themselves alive.

### Try this if…

Familiarity with tabletop fantasy gives the jokes about rules and character builds extra context. The appeal depends heavily on enjoying foolish adventurers, insulting exchanges and crude humor.

### Good to know

Heavy profanity, offensive jokes and bodily humor are central to the book. The setup includes gastrointestinal trouble and a severed head.

## What to expect

- Genre: Fantasy · LitRPG
- On the shelf: Portal fantasy
- Kind of humor: Banter · Situational comedy
- The atmosphere: Irreverent
- Story ingredients: Incompetent heroes
- Format: Novel
- Length: 284 pages
- Audiobook: 8 hr 4 min

## A few distinguishing details

- Gamers physically stuck with their own character builds
- An adventuring party still arguing like friends around a gaming table

## Sources & further reading

- Book information: [Bookseller bibliographic listing](https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Critical-Failures/Robert-Bevan/9781481952439)
- Review: [Swords & Spectres review](https://swordsandspectres.wordpress.com/2017/09/09/critical-failures-caverns-creatures-book-1-by-robert-bevan-a-book-review)
- Author commentary: [Author’s printed books](https://www.caverns-and-creatures.com/books)
- Book information: [Audiobook listing](https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/critical-failures-caverns-and-creatures-book-1-unabridged/id915075371)