Is it worth a read? Yeah, it is. It's one of those that's interesting enough to keep you invested in it, even though you know it might not be that "OMG MASTERPIECE" kind of series. The story doesn't try to over-complicate things way too quickly, and instead sticks to exactly what the title suggests - the strange adventures of a broke mercenary. It takes a little while to roll into the meat of the story, and if you don't like a series that burns kinda slow and low (it takes three whole books before you get introduced to a hint of a large scale plot), youmight not like it. And when it gets to the story, it seems rather simple even close to eight volumes in - some ancient bad guys are showing up and their powers are pretty much divine.... better go stop them. Or not, because the main characters really don't see it as their problem to solve even though they keep running into these beings when they just want some normal jobs for once.

It's the concept and the characters that keep you invested in the series. While the plot is competent, the character dynamics are more appealing. Loren is a mercenary turned adventurer after a stroke of bad luck obliterates his company. His bad luck continues to chase him as he end up indebted to a demonic priestess named Lapis who's more than happy to exploit Loren's financial struggles for her own gain and takes every opportunity to try and sink him further into debt to her so he's forced to be her adventuring companion. Fortunately for her, Loren's bad luck never goes away - and every job he takes turns disastrously sour and generally results him accruing more medical debt, equipment expenses, and housing fees he just cant afford. Eventually, he just accepts the fact that he's stuck with the scoundrel priest for the foreseeable future. The dynamic between them ends up being that Lapis (far more sinister and conniving than her outwardly appearance would suggest) and Loren (a battle hardened mercenary with a better head on his shoulders than 95% of the other adventurers around him) form an odd friendship between a priestess with a twisted personality and a very cynical, standoffish mercenary with better morals than his "Saintly" companion.

The story is more appealing because of the fun that takes place on the adventure, rather than the adventures themselves. And with the story getting spruced up by some rather unheroic heroes, it makes for a good read. But yeah, the story burns slow and doesn't give much of the "incredible, well structured narrative" vibe.