We’re excited to be giving away two copies of The Dreadlord’s Accountant by Piers Furney to our GrownUps members!
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A darkly witty fantasy of bureaucracy, power and a devilishly bad workplace
In Piers Furney’s fantasy novel, The Dreadlord’s Accountant, the deserts of The Timeless Sands are ruled by a system of demonic houses that rule by force and magical legitimacy.
Abigail Ashhurst works for the Treasury Department, fighting daily to fund the wild spending and logistical nightmare that a predatory and cruel system demands. Abigail was born to inherit a frozen empire. Unfortunately, she was cursed with both a conscience and a talent for numbers.
Abigail’s job is simple in theory: refill Aarkand’s treasury before the annual state tribute arrives. In practice, this means squeezing coin from squabbling dreadsworn houses, navigating ministers who treat fiscal responsibility as a personal attack, and preventing powerful jinn from sabotaging one another long enough to pay their taxes.
Then the bodies begin appearing. Demons are discovered butchered across the desert, marked with ancient ritualistic symbols no one dares discuss openly. Abigail quickly realises someone is moving against the state from the shadows. As political alliances fracture and the desert itself seems to whisper with something ancient and vengeful, Abigail must navigate murderous court intrigue and increasingly suspicious nobles, all while keeping her head attached to her body.
“I’ve always been fascinated by super competent people doing their roles,” says Furney. “I wanted to write a story about someone really good at their job who is hemmed in by bureaucracy. Then twist the premise into absurdity by taking the concept ‘is this company actually bad?’ into the more absurdist ‘this government is literally run by demons and led by the worst people, yet still bound by departments and budgets’. The story examines how ordinary complicity operates — what it does to a person who disagrees with the broader picture — and how small choices have real consequences.”
Furney examines themes of duty, morality, and revenge across generations. “I use cause and effect to guide a lot of my plotting and character actions. Revenge as a concept is a strong driving force for characters to do big, terrible things, but it also gives a narrative scope to set up some interesting ‘best-laid plans’ that, while taking a long time to set up, have a great payoff for readers.”
The Dreadlord’s Accountant is for readers who have ever finished a novel and wished the smart, tired professional in the corner had been the main character. It is a fresh, character-driven fantasy novel that blends sharp satire, high-stakes political intrigue, and humour. Furney’s prose moves briskly and balances moral urgency with playful plotting, creating a story that entertains while asking timely questions about power and responsibility.
About the author
Piers studied Psychology and English Literature at Otago University. His first novel, Alkaline Dawn — a sci-fi thriller — provided a much-needed escape during the academic writing of his Master’s Thesis in Psychology. Piers lives in Christchurch. In his day job, he is a software Product Manager, working in the EdTech space.
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Terms and conditions
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You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
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The competition closes on 14th October 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 15th October 2026.
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It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
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Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
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GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
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One entry per household.
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The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
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You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
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You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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