# One Bad Card: Murf's First Law

By Kyle Johnson · Murf's Laws, book 1

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/one-bad-card-murf-s-first-law-d7f47478/

Murf earns his living at cards and has carefully avoided the magical ones people bind into their souls. Then the Mother of the Deck takes up residence inside him without his consent. A gambler who wanted money and pleasant company now has bounty hunters and dangerous card Holders on his trail.

## What makes it funny?

A reader in a LitRPG discussion singles out the dirty jokes and companion banter, describing the appeal as friends sharing crude stories. Murf’s sexual innuendo is part of that appeal, so a tolerance for risqué dialogue matters more here than an appetite for polite wit.

### The comedy at work

Murf introduces himself as a liar, thief and coward. Giving that man an unwanted magical calling leaves him approaching a dangerous adventure with a gambler’s priorities: profit, pleasure and getting away alive.

### Try this if…

Card-based fantasy and a disreputable protagonist are the main attractions. Readers who like companions trading dirty jokes may find more to enjoy than those looking for a dutiful hero.

### Good to know

The book description warns of violence and mild profanity, with sexual encounters kept non-explicit. It also specifies that this is not a harem story.

## What to expect

- Genre: Fantasy · LitRPG
- Kind of humor: Banter
- The atmosphere: Irreverent
- Format: Novel
- Length: 674 pages
- Published: 2024

## A few distinguishing details

- A professional gambler forced to bind a magical card
- Risqué jokes and companion banter

## Sources & further reading

- Reader discussion: [Reader review of the first book](https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1t703t7/murfs_first_law_is_fantastic)
- Author commentary: [Author release announcement](https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1gu88pd/one_bad_card_a_new_release)
- Book information: [Paperback edition details](https://www.booksamillion.com/p/One-Bad-Card/Kyle-Johnson/9781737709473)
- Book information: [Book description and bibliography](https://www.fantasticfiction.com/j/kyle-johnson/one-bad-card-murfs-first-law.htm)