One of Jones's intentions, as in virtually all her novels, is to play out an interesting idea. What if one lived on a world of magic that was visited and practically taken over by tourists expecting an Adventure Experience? On one level, Dark Lord of Derkholm can be read just for the fun of seeing how this premise is worked out.

On another level, the story can be read as a spoof of the adventure fantasy genre. All the conventional elements are there—wizards, dragons, people on a quest, even a Dark Lord—but these elements are turned sideways. The people on a quest have paid admission; the Dark Lord is drafted to play the part. The parody aspect of the book is reinforced by the fact that just before writing Dark Lord of Derkholm, Jones published The Tough Guide to Fantasyland...