Ebenezum
#11083.66 adjusted 3.69 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 6 books Status Complete 1986–1989 Reading commitment Medium Craig Shaw Gardner Last reviewed 2026-11-02
Overview
Craig Shaw Gardner's Ebenezum books are a comic fantasy series of six novels published between 1986 and 1989, in two trilogies set in the same world. The Ebenezum trilogy follows the wizard Ebenezum, cursed by the rhyming demon Guxx Unfufadoo with an allergy to magic, and his apprentice Wuntvor as they travel to the city of Vushta in search of a cure. The Ballad of Wuntvor trilogy continues with the apprentice, who is sent to the distant Eastern Kingdoms and carries the story himself. Both sub-series are listed together under one heading in reference works.
Comic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (6 works) counts toward ranking
The Ebenezum Trilogy Craig Shaw Gardner
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | A Malady of Magicks; The first three books are also collected in the omnibus The Exploits of Ebenezum. | 1986 | 1 | core | 3.60 (2,721 ratings) |
 | A Multitude of Monsters | 1986 | 2 | core | 3.73 (1,283 ratings) |
 | A Night in the Netherhells | 1987 | 3 | core | 3.71 (1,004 ratings) |
The wizard Ebenezum and his apprentice Wuntvor seek a cure for the wizard's allergy to magic.
The Ballad of Wuntvor Craig Shaw Gardner
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | A Difficulty with Dwarves | 1987 | 1 | core | 3.55 (925 ratings) |
 | An Excess of Enchantments | 1988 | 2 | core | 3.75 (796 ratings) |
 | A Disagreement with Death | 1989 | 3 | core | 3.76 (502 ratings) |
Ebenezum's apprentice Wuntvor takes the lead in a second trilogy.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Ebenezum? Ebenezum's Core Canon is 6 books.
- What is the reading order for Ebenezum? Publication order, starting with A Malady of Magicks. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is Ebenezum finished? Complete (1986–1989).
- How much reading does Ebenezum take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 6 Core Canon books).
- How is Ebenezum ranked? #1108 in this site's official ranking, based on 7,231 reader ratings across 6 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #1108?
Ranked #1108 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.66 across 6 core books.
- A smaller readership (7,231 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #1107, The Well of the Unicorn (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 6 books · Complete · 7k ratings · Ranks #1108 overall
Good choice if you want a moderate-length comic fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
Publication order (6 Core Canon books)
- A Malady of Magicks (1986)
- A Multitude of Monsters (1986)
- A Difficulty with Dwarves (1987)
- A Night in the Netherhells (1987)
- An Excess of Enchantments (1988)
- A Disagreement with Death (1989)
Documented internal/story order
- A Malady of Magicks (1986)
- A Difficulty with Dwarves (1987)
- A Multitude of Monsters (1986)
- An Excess of Enchantments (1988)
- A Night in the Netherhells (1987)
- A Disagreement with Death (1989)
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
You might also like
Suggestions computed from what Ebenezum and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- Erdwelt Epic fantasy / Comic fantasy · Complete · High commitment · 3.75
- Labyrinths of Echo Comic fantasy / Portal fantasy · Unfinished · High commitment · 4.42
- Dragaera Sword & sorcery / Comic fantasy · Ongoing · High commitment · 4.12
- The Checquy Files Urban fantasy / Comic fantasy · Ongoing · Medium commitment · 4.10
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.66 across 7,231 ratings on 6 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 28 universes; 3 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-02
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
Rule: Core Canon = the six Ebenezum and Ballad of Wuntvor novels, A Malady of Magicks (1986) to A Disagreement with Death (1989). Excluded: the omnibus editions The Exploits of Ebenezum and The Wanderings of Wuntvor.