How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps Book Chat

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps Book Chat

Author: MJ Munoz March 12, 2026 Duration: 11:57

I usually dislike first person narration in fantasy books. But Andrew Rowe’s How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps completely won me over.

In this Fortress Fiction book chat, I talk about why this Zelda-style fantasy parody works so well, and what it taught me about two different styles of first person storytelling.

It turns out not all first person narration is the same. Some books use a confessional style that focuses heavily on internal thoughts and emotions. Others feel more like someone telling you the story of an adventure.

Andrew Rowe’s book uses that second approach, and it makes all the difference.

I also talk about:

• why Yui Shaw is such a compelling narrator

• how the book cleverly plays with classic Zelda-style adventure logic

• a great example of suspense created through first person narration

• why the final battle still feels exciting even though we know the narrator survives

If you enjoy fantasy parody, game-inspired worlds, or clever adventure stories, this one is definitely worth checking out.

Book:

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

Question for you:

Do you like first person fantasy novels, or do you usually avoid them? And what are some first person books that actually work?

BONUS LoZ ALTTP - https://mjmunoz.com/2021/01/25/the-legend-of-zelda-comic-showcases-shotaro-ishinomoris-mastery-celebrateishinomori-2021-stc-56/


Hosted by aspiring author MJ Munoz, Fortress Fiction is a quiet space built for anyone fascinated by the architecture of a good story. Here, the focus isn't just on what happens in books, films, or television, but on how those stories are built from the ground up-the careful craft of making a reader or viewer invest in something they know isn't real. Each episode feels like a shared notebook, where MJ studies narratives of transformation and heroism, breaking down what makes them resonate. You'll hear his personal reflections on the creative process, reviews that dig into the mechanics of storytelling across different media, and chronicles from his own writing endeavors. This podcast is for those who find equal magic in a perfectly turned phrase, a compelling character arc, or a well-framed scene. It’s an ongoing conversation about the alchemy of art, offering both analysis and a candid look at one writer’s journey to build something meaningful, sentence by sentence.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Fortress Fiction
Podcast Episodes
The Book of Three Chapter by Chapter 5 |CXC40 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:31
What did you think of The Book of Three Chapter 5 by Lloyd Alexander?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheBookof Three #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2025/03/07/cxc40/SOE CATALOG -…
The Book of Three Chapter by Chapter 4 |CXC39 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:53
What did you think of The Book of Three Chapter 4 by Lloyd Alexander?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheBookof Three #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/12/13/cxc39/SOE CATALOG -…
The Secret Garden Chapter by Chapter 11 |CXC38 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:16
What did you think of The Secret Garden Chapter 10 by Frances Hodgson Burnett?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheSecretGarden #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/11/18/cxc38/SOE C…
The Book of Three Chapter by Chapter 3 |CXC37 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:54
What did you think of The Book of Three Chapter 3 by Lloyd Alexander?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheBookof Three #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/11/15/cxc37/SOE CATALOG -…
The Secret Garden Chapter by Chapter 10 |CXC36 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:13
What did you think of The Secret Garden Chapter 10 by Frances Hodgson Burnett?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheSecretGarden #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/11/14/cxc36/SOE C…
The Secret Garden Chapter by Chapter 9 |CXC35 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:59
What did you think of The Secret Garden Chapter 9 by Frances Hodgson Burnett?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheSecretGarden #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/11/13/cxc35/SOE CA…
The Secret Garden Chapter by Chapter 8 |CXC34 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:04
What did you think of The Secret Garden Chapter 8 by Frances Hodgson Burnett?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheSecretGarden #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/11/12/cxc34/SOE CA…
The Secret Garden Chapter by Chapter 7 |CXC33 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:44
What did you think of The Secret Garden Chapter 7 by Frances Hodgson Burnett?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheSecretGarden #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/11/11/cxc33/SOE CA…
The Book of Three Chapter by Chapter 2 |cxc32 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:32
What did you think of The Book of Three Chapter 2 by Lloyd Alexander?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheBookof Three #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/11/08/cxc32/SOE CATALOG -…
The Secret Garden Chapter by Chapter 6 |CXC31 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:57
What did you think of The Secret Garden Chapter 6 by Frances Hodgson Burnett?#amreading #middlegrade #bookreview #Book #ChapterXChapter #TheSecretGarden #FOTRESSFICTIONSOURCE - https://mjmunoz.com/2024/11/07/cxc31/SOE CA…