Brief Synopsis
“The Tenfold Tenants” is a cozy fantasy novel by debut indie author E.V. Belknap. Corvinian Hark really wants you to believe he’s the next big villain…but right now he’s just a simple landlord for supernatural tenants.
Content Warnings: Child abuse (mentioned), Character Death
What Do I Think?
Weirdly, despite the fact that general fantasy is very much my jam, I’ve had a hard time buying into the whole “cozy fantasy” craze that has cropped up in recent years. I’m not exactly sure why, because it isn’t like I’m just against the ‘cozy’ genre in general – video games like Stardew Valley, Minecraft, and Animal Crossing, which are absolutely categorized as ‘cozy’, are some of my go-to favorites. Regardless, I went in with cautious optimism for this book, partly because I know the author and partly because the premise sounded fun.
Color me surprised when I realized that this is less a ‘cozy’ book and more just a funny one. Like, really funny. If you’ve ever read Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books or watched something like Good Omens, then you’ll have a pretty good idea of the kind of humor Belknap employs here. It’s snarky, it’s dry, but at the end of the story manages to avoid the pitfall of becoming discouraging and instead is full of genuine heart. The wide cast of characters are fun and varied – each of them brings their own unique perspectives to the story, and each has their own voice and arc that keeps you wanting to read more. In general, the story’s writing is just fantastic.
If I had to levy any criticism of this book, it is simply that the middle section dragged on for a bit. Was it necessary for the novel to reach its conclusion? Absolutely. But especially when compared with the beginning and ending of Tenfold Tenants, it was noticeably weaker. Not enough to ruin my enjoyment of the novel – far from it! – but still something that seems worth noting.
Overall, The Tenfold Tenants is a delightful, funny book with a fantastic premise and a strong message about found families. If you’re a fan of Pratchett or Gaiman, this is an excellent book to pick up.
Jacob Ryckman 