Book Review: C. S. Boyack’s The Yak Guy Project

Imagine waking up in the desert with no idea what happened to you. You have clear memories of situations and places, but a complete loss in personal matters… like your own name. This situation is bad, and you have no idea how to get home.

When you’re rescued by a talking yak, the situation gets exponentially worse. You’ve obviously lost your mind. The immediate needs of a ride off the salt pan and searing heat, along with a drink of water, outweigh the concerns about your mental state.

This is exactly what happened to the Yak Guy. In fact, he’s been placed in an alternate world and given a chance to start over in life.

Can this selfish, almost parasitic, young man learn to start over in a world where charity is hard to find? Life is brutal and short here, but he’s going to have to adapt or perish.

The Yak Guy project is loosely based around The Fool’s Journey from the Tarot. Those with experience in Tarot will spot people and situations from the Major Arcana.

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My Review:

Original, Inventive, and Completely Relatable

Who doesn’t love fiction with memorable characters, strong plot, vivid settings, and distinctive voice? Of course I loved THE YAK GUY PROJECT — it had all of those things and then some.

Boyack is a master at taking a common situation, flipping it on its head, and showing the world a slice of life that is both originally inventive and completely relatable. In this case, the main character is a lazy mooch — probably someone we all know. But instead of real-life drama, we watch him learn his lesson in an alternate reality. The yak is part Jiminy Cricket, part Gandalf. He’s a guide, he’s a sage, he’s a moral compass. His wisdom and sardonic wit kept me entertained throughout.

I mention the guy because he’s the main character and the yak because he’s my favorite, but there are several other fascinating characters, too, each as important and impactful as the last. I don’t want to talk about them all and give too much away, though. Suffice it to say, this book has quite a cast!

So many lessons to learn, so many chances at redemption. An opportunity to form romantic and community bonds, too. All while embarking on a fantastic, potentially life-altering journey. This book has it all. If you’re looking for a fresh, strong voice and a darn good story, this is the one for you.

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C. S. Boyack visited us last week to share more about The Yak Guy Project. You can read that post here or connect with him via his website.