Product Description

"Chicago, 1929. There are a thousand stories in the naked city; and when you're a dwarf at four-foot-one, they all look that much taller." It is The Era of Prohibition, where crime runs rampant in the streets and a city divided into territories serves as the ultimate prize. Somewhere in this Underworld of Chicago, an enchanted weapon holds the key to ending The Gangland Wars. In the wake of The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, only one is man enough to stand up against Al Capone... ...a four-foot-one dwarf named Billibub Baddings. "Billi," as his friends come to know him, is a working stiff dwarf in the all too-human sized world of Chicago. Seems that a brood of orcs and a renegade warlock had opened a Portal of Oblivion in his homeworld and was planning to submerge his nine lands of Acryonis into an Age of Darkness. Billi had managed to throw a monkey wrench into those plans...but not before getting himself caught in the pull of that portal. When he came to, he found himself in the heart of The Windy City during The Roaring Twenties. After dealing with trolls, goblins, and rock dragons, Al Capone and Bugs Moran are about as intimidating as choir boys. Billi sets himself up as a tough-talking, waist-high, straight-dealing detective, and business was looking bleak, until a dark-eyed beauty crossed his threshold with the case that involved the mob, the upper-crust of Chicago society, and Billi's past. Get ready for The Lord of the Rings written by Mickey Spillane! Poking fun at the hard-boiled detective novel, Fantasy mainstays, and even the legend of Chicago's 1920 underworld!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1112729 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10
• Released on: 2007-08-17
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 370 pages

Joe Murphy of The Dragon Page Radio Talk Show
Tee thoroughly lampoons both the fantasy and hard-boiled detective genres while still paying close attention to good storytelling.

Michael Pederson, Nth Degree
I haven't enjoyed a cross-genre detective story this much since Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

The Fractured Publisher
The story is a true page-turner.

Customer Reviews

A book everyone needs to read
I about fell over laughing when I read the blurb and promptly ordered the book.

I received it yesterday and have had a hard time putting it down (however it's very hard to type and hold a book at the same time). The idea of a standard fantasy dwarf materializing in Chicago in the Roaring 20's and turning into a private eye is a marvelous new direction for both mystery and fantasy. I'm happy to say, Tee pulls it off perfectly.

Anyone that enjoys a good detective story, anyone that loves fantasy and is fond of dwarves and anyone that just finds reading a delightful pastime will want to own a copy of this book.

A Perfect Blend of Detective Story and Fantasy!
Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword is the latest podcast novel by Tee Morris. Billibub Baddings is available in print format through Dragon Moon Press, and as a free download in podcast format at teemorris.com.

If the name of the book has you intrigued, it should. The book is described as "Lord of the Rings, as if written by Mickey Spillane." I'm not sure if that description is fully accurate or not, but it sets the tone. The basic premise is that a dwarf from a fantasy world comes to our world, becomes a detective, and is hired onto a case that leads to an ancient talisman from his world of immeasurable power.

Billibub is a cross-genre book, combining gangland thuggery with high fantasy action. Crossovers of this sort seem to be a theme Tee Morris likes to delve into, as evidenced with Morevi. Despite what seems at first glance like a formula that probably wouldn't work, Tee Morris pulls off the cross-genre story perfectly. It is first and foremost a detective story, yet Billi's background is thoroughly believable on how he acclimated himself to our world.

One area where Tee shines is in his ability to keep the reader guessing. I will admit that I guessed who the true villain of the book was, but even so, it was handled so nicely that it didn't feel like a let-down.

Where Billibub shines, though, is with the audio production of the podcast. Tee sets the tone with jazz music by Rubber Band Banjo, and a personal favorite of mine, "Think For Yourself" by George Hrab. Tee further sets the tone with his version of the "story so far," which is done in the format of an old-time radio broadcast.

The players on this podcast did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. Leann Mabry steals the show as Billi's client, Julia Lessinger. Phil Rossi does an excellent Mick, and Scott Sigler just nailed Benny Riletto. Orion nails Al Capone, making him not only a charismatic personality, but also someone who gives me the chills. Did I mention Tracy Hickman as Chief O'Malley?

Unfortunately, this strength proves to be a weakness in one way. Tee did not get a different person to play Miranda, the secretary. Having different voices for different characters transforms the book from a simple novel to an audio play. This is a minor quibble, but still worth mentioning.

All in all, a great book and a fun ride. The balance between detective story and fantasy tale is perfect. The audio production is a vast improvement over Morevi. Billibub is a story that evokes emotion, from passion to adventure to melancholy. And with an ending that belongs on the silver screen, it is a great buy and a fantastic listen.

Billibub Baddings is one smooth player
A Dwarf in Al Capone's Chicago?? What was Morris thinking? I guess he was thinking that it would be a heck of a lot of fun. Tee has created a character from fantasy who manages to embody the everyman ideal. With a penchant for baseball and cracking wise in the face of gangland thugs, Billi is the four foot literary answer to Han Solo.

While as far distant from Morevi as you can get, Tee has brought the same creative engergy and lust for adventure to Billibub that he gave to Rafe Rafton.