Kings of the Wyld

The thing is, I like this. Fantasy books that don't take themselves too seriously, that feel like something happening to actual people, instead of a story told by a stuffy history teacher. They have a lot of heart, something that makes the stories really approachable instead of some way too complicated nightmare of stiff characters.
This one is a really great example.

Remember how most stories end with the heroes separating and going home their own way? Something like 20 years passed since then. The heroes are out of shape, cool became extremely eccentric and weird. Joints pop and creak. The new generation is doing their stuff now, one of them, our band's old frontman's daughter, who got caught in a city under siege.
The old guys group up again to save her, just this one time.

Old guys are usually characters I love and I can't explain it. Somehow I feel for them, I enjoy reading their things, so in that regard this book was a win in my head. I especially like the dynamic with the new bands being cocky, ridiculous and not always respectful to the old ones, without actually being right about it. (Way too many of today's YA spreads this ridiculous idea that adults are idiots and young people are magical fairies that solve everything because they are perfection.)
The old glory days are gone. Now the new heroes are more in for the fame and honestly, a lot of it is just posturing. It's amazing, very entertaining and something different enough from all the other books. (It kind of reminds me of this brilliant anime called Tiger & Bunny, but that is with superheroes. I recommend it.)

Books with characters that have a long previous history can have the issue of you simply not knowing. They mention the things, they are obviously a big deal, but that's ridiculous, you don't know, you “weren't there”. You have no emotional connection, so it's just meaningless page filling.
Here it's pure fun. It's all hilarious stuff about the stories of the band, like one night stands with mermaids, being drunk during battles, all kinds of cool. You don't have to understand why it was a big deal, it all just makes you have a good chuckle.
(Not gonna lie, I would kiss the footsteps of Mr. Eames if he wrote all that, so I hope he is young and in reasonably good health, because it sounds like a crazy amount of stuff. DO IT!)

Some moments were incredibly touching, though. It's probably connected to how light-hearted and friendly the whole thing is, but you get attached. You do get attached, I warned you. You can't even emotionally separate yourself through the writing style, because it is all done it a way that pulls you in with its approachable ways.
That is a thing I enjoy; writing that feels close, that is not a march through boring and so overwrought that it makes things detrimental for the story. It just fits. It's fast, fun, lively.

A team of weirdos is always nice, if they are developed enough to feel truly like a group of very different people who somehow still work together. The dynamic needs to be there, which was actually happening here. They all had their strength and weaknesses, nobody was dead weight or totally invincible. Some characters had more humour about them, but they were not just comic relief. It all worked out so well. SO WELL.
Apparently the author built the whole thing with inspiration from rock bands. I like that. I like that, because it really made sense and it wasn't used in a way that made the book gimmicky. You don't have to be into rock bands to enjoy it or to be able to get it.

Yes, I loved it. Yes, I recommend it. Yes, I want more. Yes, I will get more once more is published. Go ahead, get it, it's freaking hilarious, exciting, fun, just... good. It is good. Okay? Okay.

Good night and rock on!