Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Home    Challenges    Reviews    Features    Contests    Review Policy    Contact

Friday, June 12, 2015

Review + Giveaway: The Dungeoneers by John David Anderson



 

Buy It 
Goodreads

Title: The Dungeoneers
Author: John David Anderson
Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Pub. Date: June 23, 2015
Genre: Middle Grade
Rec. Age Level: 8-12
Pages: 448
More by this author: Sidekicked, Minion
Description:

The Dungeoneers is an action-packed, funny, and heartbreaking middle grade fantasy-adventure from the author of the acclaimed Sidekicked and Minion, John David Anderson.

The world is not a fair place, and Colm Candorly knows it. While his parents and eight sisters seem content living on a lowly cobbler's earnings, Colm can't help but feel that everyone has the right to a more comfortable life. It's just a question of how far you're willing to go to get it.

In an effort to help make ends meet, Colm uses his natural gift for pickpocketing to pilfer a pile of gold from the richer residents of town, but his actions place him at the mercy of a mysterious man named Finn Argos, a gilded-toothed, smooth-tongued rogue who gives Colm a choice: he can be punished for his thievery, or he can become a member of Thwodin's Legions, a guild of dungeoneers who take what they want and live as they will. Colm soon finds himself part of a family of warriors, mages, and hunters, learning to work together in a quest to survive and, perhaps, to find a bit of treasure along the way.
I am so incredibly excited about this new book from John David Anderson! The Dungeoneers has  action and humor in spades, as well as some really fantastic friendships. Plus, I am sincerely hoping that it will inspire readers to take part in some role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons!

When Colm Candorly discovers he's a natural pickpocket, his parents are worried - after all, the punishment for pickpocketing is the loss of a hand. So they send Colm to train with Thwodin's Legions, a guild of dungeoneers who will be able to give Colm the training he needs. Soon Colm is training with Finn Argos, learning the art of being a rogue. 

Of course, a dungeoneer rarely works alone and Colm is no exception. Three new friends train alongside him: Lena Proudmore, a barbarian-to-be; Serene Willowtree, an almost-druid; and Quinn Frostfoot, a mageling. I loved this group of goofy Dungeoneers. Each has hilarious and memorable little quirks, but, together, they're quite the team. I honestly can't say which character I liked best!

One of the things that I really love about this book is how it has the potential to be a gateway to role-playing games. I very recently played Dungeons & Dragons for the first time and I am so disappointed that I didn't discover it at a younger age. Role-playing games are great excuse to gather with friends, as well as a fantastic way to stretch your imagination. Creating characters and figuring out how those characters will react to situations and fellow players is a really wonderful way to foster creativity. I found the whole experience really inspiring and can only imagine the impact it would have had when I was younger.  On the other hand, The Dungeoneers is also a stellar option to get gamers who might be non-readers reading.

I'm hoping that we'll see more of these characters in the future. The book has a satisfying conclusion, but there was definitely room for Colm and his friends to embark on more adventures. Fingers crossed!

Highly recommended.

Check out the book trailer:


_____________________

WIN IT!

1 winner. US Only. Ends 7/3/15.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Follow the Blog Tour:

6/2/2015 Maria's Melange                                    ​mariaselke.com                                 
6/5/2015 Unleashing Readers                             unleashingreaders.com                    
6/6/2015 The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia      hauntedorchid.blogspot.com          
6/7/2015 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers     insatiablereaders.blogspot.com     
6/8/2015 This Kid Reviews Books                     thiskidreviewsbooks.com                  
6/8/2015 Ms Yingling Reads                             ​msyinglingreads.blogspot.com           
6/9/2015 Read Now Sleep Later                         http://www.readnowsleeplater.org/ 
6/10/2015 Charlotte's Library                         charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com          
6/11/2015    Nerdy Book Club                     https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/    
6/12/2015 The Hiding Spot                         thehidingspot.blogspot.com     
 
 

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Make sure you whisper, I'm hiding!