History Literature / TheFrugalWizardsHandbookForSurvivingMedievalEngland

* LampshadeHanging: Interspersed in the story are sections from the handbook from which the novel takes its name - essentially a big explanation slash advertisement for buying exclusive access to a dimension from Frugal Wizard, a rather shady-seeming company. One bit of the FAQ is wondering how it's at all possible to go to a Medieval England dimension and find people there speaking perfectly comprehensible ''modern'' English because that's incredibly unlikely. The cheerful response is that it just ''is'' possible.

* AdaptationalVillainy: In classic North Mythology, Wotan is a rather dark antihero who at least is motivated by trying to stop Ragnarok. Here, he's an outright JerkassGod who delights in sacrifice, favors the Hordamen and takes his anger out on his own followers.

** In the backstory, Wotan's wife, Frigga, saved the world from Fenrir but died in the process. This is what drove Wotan over the edge making him a JerkassGod.
* HiddenDisdainReveal: [[spoiler: Sefawynn claims to be devoted to Wotan, but in truth she loathes him. When he helps the Hordamen launch an invasion of the entire country, she snaps and starts insulting him causing her [[NotSoPhonyPsychic Skop powers to activate]] as the wights flock to her.]]

* MagicFromTechnology: Travellers from further upstream to derivative dimensions are equipped with futuristic technology to impress the natives, so that they are revered as wizards. [[spoiler: The epilogue heavily implies that this might be tue of ''gods'' as well.]]

* NotSoPhonyPsychic: [[spoiler: Sefawynn explains that the power of the skops ''was'' quite real and helped her people to survive by making deals with well-inclined wights and chasing off malevolent ones, but ever since Wotan's wife was killed that power has been on the wane. Sefawynn herself has very little power and considers herself shamefully akin to a conwoman doing what she has to in order to survive by scamming people. Near the end of the book she defies Wotan, which inspires the cowed wights around her to protect her and the city.]]

* TheTrickster: Goddess Logna, which is only fitting, as she is an {{Expy}} of [[Myth/NorseMythology Loki]].

* ActualPacifist: [[GoodShepherd Yazad]], who is a Zoroastrian, believes in love, peace and friendship among people and preaches to those around him -- even though life in the dimension's verion of medieval England is brutal and overall dangerous.

* GodOfGood: Ahura Mazda is said to be this just like in real world Zoroastrianism.
* GreaterScopeVillain: [[BeastOfTheApocalypse Fenrir]] is as real as the other Norse gods here and is lurking somewhere in the world, plotting when he'll bring the end of days.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Nothing explicit is shown, but it's repeatedly noted the Hordamen love to kidnap women, usually right after murdering their husbands.
* RealAfterAll: [[spoiler: The pagan gods of this world are very real, as is the Skop's magic.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Runian]] is ready for it as he believes this is the only way to save the reality. Logna proves him wrong.

* MenOfSherwood: Since he arrived in the dimension alone and with no chance of backup, Ryan Chu has enlisted help from the local outlaws -- who turn out to be decent men in general and good fighters.

* ShowedTheirWork: The author has a particular interest in this period of history, when Anglo-Saxons were the dominant people of the British Isle, and boasts in the afterword about having a period-checker who barely had to change anything.

* JerkassGods: Woden, who forbids his faithful from writing and demands sacrifices, without giving anything in return and finally abandoning them.

* NotSoPhonyPsychic: [[spoiler: Sefawynn believes she's basically a conwoman with no power doing what she has to in order to survive by scamming people. Near the end of the book she learns her power is very real, but it only works after she stands up to Wotan.]]

* GodOfGood: Ahru Mazda is said to be this just like in real world Zoroastrianism.

* EmbarassingNickname: The protagonist's real name is John and that's how he always introduced himself in his world, but old friends and associates constantly call him Johnny. He's pleased when Sefawynn and Ealstan continue to use Runian for him.

* LampshadeHanging: Interspersed in the story are sections from the handbook from which the novel takes its name - essentially a big explanation slash advertisement

* TheBard: Skops are variaton on that, as they not only tell stories (and histories) but also perform ritual magic based on poetry.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler: Sefawynn is a mild case of this. While she is a kind and brave woman, she's also knowingly scamming other people. She doesn't believe in the magic power she supposedly has and is just using it to con people out of their money. She's still willing to risk her life to protect others at least. Jen, on the other hand, is a much straighter version of this.]]
* BorrowedBiometricBypass: At the end of the novel, [[spoiler: Ealstan cuts an arm off a mook to use his biometrically locked gun]].

* ChekhovsSkill: Drawing, which Runian learnt at art school, turns out to be the best way to impress Sefawynn and Ealstan, as well as helping him to [[spoiler: scare off the Hordamen]].

* NotSoPhonyPsychic: [[spoiler: Sefawynn believes she's just a conwoman with no power doing what she has to in order to survive by scamming people. Near the end of the book she learns her power is very real, but it only works after she stands up to Wotan.]]

A crossover science-fiction/fantasy novel by Creator/BrandonSanderson, illustrated by Steve Argyle. Not part of Franchise/TheCosmere.

A crossover science-fiction/fantasy novel by Creator/BrandonSanderson, illustrated by Steve Argyle. Not part of his cosmere multiverse.

* MagicFromTechnology: Travellers from further upstream to derivative dimensions are equipped with futuristic technology to impress the natives, so that they are revered as wizards.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler: Sefawynn is a mild case of this. While she is a kind and brave woman, she's also knowingly scamming other people. She doesn't believe in the magic power she supposedly has and is just using it to con people out of their money. She's still willing to risk her life to protect others at least. Jen, on the other hand, is a much straighter version of this.]]

* NotSoPhonyPsychic: [[spoiler: Sefawynn believes she's just a conwoman with no power doing what she has to in order to survive by scamming people. Near the end of the book she learns her power is very real, but it only works after she stands up to Wotan.]]

* ActualPacifist: [[GoodShepherd Yazad]], who is a follower of Ahura Mazda, believes in love, peace and friendship among people and preaches to those around him -- even though life in the dimension's verion of medieval England is brutal and overall dangerous.

* ConMan: Sefawynn suspects Runian is one, pretending to be an [[OurElvesAreDifferent aelv]] to scam the locals.

* ActualPacifist: [[GoodShepherd Yazad]], who is a follower of Ahura Mazda, believes in love, peace and friendship among people and preaches to people around him.

* ShoutOut: One illustration contains a quotation from ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice'', a quotation from Creator/FriedrichNietzsche and an allusion to ''[[Creator/WoodyAllen Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask)''.