There may be other light novel authors as well suited to penning an adaptation/spin-off of the popular RPG series Wizardry than Kumo Kagyu of Goblin Slayer fame, but after reading the first volume of Blade & Bastard, it's hard to think of one. Kagyu's brand of dark RPG-inspired fantasy is a good fit for this approach to the famous franchise, carefully seeding in familiar names (Llygamyn, for example) with more modern tropes that are familiar from any number of other game-based/inspired light novels. There's an edge to the story that doesn't tread too close to the line between dark and cringey, and while there are some Easter eggs for Wizardry fans, it's just as readable to those unfamiliar with the original games.

The story follows Iarumas, a mysterious swordsman with no memories of his past. Given that his corpse was found in a part of the dungeon thought to be unexplored, this is a significant issue: how did he end up there? How long was he there? Although many of the characters in the book are unaware of the fact, the narration tells us that the dungeon is a naturally occurring phenomenon that happens every few hundred years, which means that there's a remarkably good chance that Iarumas was dead for centuries – and that if he can regain his memories, he'll know a lot more about the dungeon than anyone currently living. But he doesn't have that knowledge, and between that and his unusual fighting style (he uses a katana and magic), he's something of an outsider among the adventurers. Everyone knows him, but only one or two people could be counted as more than acquaintances, and even then, Iarumas might not think of them as friends.

It is, therefore, a surprise to everyone, Iarumas included, when he ends up with a couple of kids as a vestigial party. Garbage is a swordsman who appears unable to talk; she can only bark like a dog and was a slave before unforeseen and largely unknown circumstances resulted in her de facto freedom. Raraja is the lone survivor of his exploitative party, and both become part of Iarumas' group almost without anyone realizing it, the three of them included. In both cases, it's more that they begin following Iarumas, and he just automatically takes care of them, which may be a hint about his past. Their addition to his life doesn't change his stated job of bringing back the bodies of dead adventurers to the surface for resurrection, and it may be part of what appeals to Raraja about him since he lost a friend whose body was left behind by their party after her death.

Much like Goblin Slayer and other RPG-inspired light novels, this one follows the basics of the genre in that everyone has a set class and terminology like "levels" and whatnot are present in the text. Interestingly, the gamer terms are often put in parentheses after a more mundane term is used, so when someone's "focus" is mentioned, the text reads "focus (HP)." It's a little jarring and a bit annoying. Still, it does get the point across and feels a little more organic than if only the game terminology were used, which many readers are growing weary of due to genre oversaturation. Each group that delves into the dungeon is meant to be composed of six members, with less being considered foolhardy and more meaning that the dungeon will swallow the group whole for reasons no one understands. Iarumas' party consists of a swordsman/mage, a tank, and a thief, and their lack of a priest is generally considered a major danger. It is worth mentioning that "tank" isn't a word used in the book to classify frontline fighters like Garbage, which I do like, even if I used it here.

Despite all of its strengths, there are some less brilliant moments. The nun Ainikki runs very close to being annoying in the way she's written, combining traits of being possessive and overbearing, and the fact that "Iarumas" is just "Samurai" spelled backward (and there's another character whose name is "Mage Five" spelled backward) is a more than a little cheesy. But the fact that there's a very pointed line about how slavery is always bad and that Iarumas and Raraja never consider Garbage to be a possession rather than a person makes up for some of the ills, and the combination of solid action scenes and quiet character moments makes this a good reading experience overall.

Blade & Bastard feels like the story that deserved its hardcover release. It's reminiscent of the heyday of Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance novels, and like those, you don't have to be familiar with the source game. If swords and sorcery is your preferred fantasy flavor, this is worth picking up – it's almost a throwback in the best way to the genre's glory days.