The damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armor to come save her isn’t anything new. The princess gets kidnapped, she waits for her savior, and is endlessly thankful to him. The concept has gotten old, and Princess Silga Goldenfield would agree with you. The heroine is one of two protagonists in The First Rule of Adventuring, the second being her adventuring mentor Asmund Alefson. In a world where music is magic, instruments are money, and princesses just can’t seem to catch a break, this dynamic duo strives to find a new purpose in their lives.
Vichet Ou’s comedic fantasy novel takes the cliché “princess and her savior” dynamic and turns it on its head. Adventurer-for-hire Asmund might have been paid to rescue Silga, but Silga rescues Asmund from being down on his luck, and gives him a new purpose: to teach her how to be an adventurer just like him. Both coming from strained relationships with their parents, Silga and Asmund are desperate for a change. Asmund just wants to leave the adventuring business behind so that he can open up a restaurant; meanwhile, Silga is hopeful to find a new life of adventuring after telling Asmund that she doesn’t want to go home to a life of royalty.
They set off together to rescue another princess and complete some odd jobs along the way. Asmund takes the time to teach Silga the essentials of being an adventurer, and Silga spends her time pondering the existence of vampires and whether or not they’ll need to fight them (Asmund insists they aren’t real, much to her chagrin).
Every adventure Silga and Asmund find themselves on impacts their next mission. Whether it be Asmund’s father or fellow adventurers, each character serves a purpose in the greater scheme of the story. The book’s foreshadowing is hidden so perfectly and disguised so well by the characters’ personalities that you don’t realize it until it’s unfolding right in front of you as you’re connecting the dots in your mind.
The clearest callout to what might happen next is one of Asmund’s many first rules of adventuring: “The first rule of adventuring: every enemy you let go is another you’ll meet again.” It should be obvious upon reading this line that Silga and Asmund will be met by their enemy again, but the hint is blanketed by Silga ignoring Asmund’s typical, lighthearted jabs. Asmund’s first rules of adventuring are often humorous, so who can blame her for not thinking much of it?
Something Vichet Ou also does incredibly well is developing an antagonist. In the beginning, we are met by a disgruntled Asmund with a distaste for the Heroes’ Guild due to being a past member. By the end, however, Asmund has every right to hate the organization whose leader has sacrificed all of his morals for a quick buck by kidnapping Silga and Asmund.
Despite being a comedic fantasy, The First Rule of Adventuring doesn’t just throw jokes at its readers. Humor is a strategy, not something to rely on in lieu of plot development. In fact, there’s two recurring jokes throughout the book that double as plot devices. Asmund’s “first rules of adventuring” are a brief treat every chapter or so. From actually good pieces of adventuring advice, such as “always assume the highest level of danger,” to jokes like “lay off the mushrooms for a while,” these rules always matter to the story. They’re never just thrown in, but instead mark a point in the story that’s fundamental to Silga and Asmund’s ability to grow together.
Perhaps the best joke in the entire book is the recurring goose, “Gerald.” Having first met the goose in the same room the two adventurers meet, the pair eventually begin to call Gerald an “omen.” Is it a good omen? A bad omen? A mixed one? It’s up for debate between the two adventurers each time he appears, but it never stops being a hilarious break from the long and hard work it takes to track down a princess.
An unlikely duo with unlikely dreams, Silga and Asmund show that’s nothing’s impossible if you put your mind to it. With the help of those around them, the pair are able to encourage each other to face their demons and take their lives into their own hands. Though their relationships with their families are strained, The First Rule of Adventuring demonstrates that family is far more than just who you’re related to. Sometimes a family is a vampire-obsessed princess and her omen-giving pet goose, and that’s all right. Other times it’s your witty rescuer-turned-mentor-turned-chef and his armorer girlfriend, and that’s okay, too. At the end of the day, what matters is that you collected some copper whistles, made some friends and unlikely allies, and learned a thing or two along the way.
The First Rule of Adventuring
By Vichet Ou
Published by Vichet Ou
Published on November 15, 2019
217 pages
Caitlyn is a junior at Drexel University studying Entertainment Communications. She is the founder and head of Philadelphia-based music publication Ascribe Magazine, and writes for her photography blog Captured By Caitlyn in her spare time.