Publication Date: 8/3/21
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62972-850-6
Synopsis
Opportunity will always be within reach for those clever enough to claim it.
Lucas Silver’s life is about to change. He thinks it’s because he’s made plans to escape from his foster home and make his way to New York, but then he and some unlikely friends find Hob and Bogie’s Curiosity Shoppe and agree to play a game of Champion’s Quest.
When the four kids walk out the front door of the Curiosity Shoppe, they immediately discover they’re no longer in West Virginia, but transported into the game and a wild fantasy world of dangerous goblins, brutish ogres, and a powerful witch.
They must work together as a team, overcome their real-world weaknesses, and believe in themselves and each other if they are to outwit, outplay, and survive their foes in this ultimate quest to defeat a treacherous monster.
“The Die of Destiny may be one of my favorite reads of the year. I was hooked from page one. With adventure, humor, friendship, and courage, readers will love this middle grade fantasy! By the end, my only question, was ‘Where’s the next book?’” —Jennifer Nielsen, New York Times best-selling author
About the Author
FRANK L. COLE was born into a family of southern storytellers and wrote his first book at age eight. Some of his favorite stories involve ghosts and Bigfoot. Currently, along with his wife and three children, he resides in the shadow of a majestic western mountain range. The Die of Destiny is Frank’s thirteenth published book.
He’s an active promoter of reading and using imagination and has presented to more than 250 schools nationwide. As part of his research for Champion’s Quest, he has acquired hundreds of role-playing campaign modules and loves immersing himself in those worlds.
Author Interview
Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write Champion’s Quest: The Die of Destiny?
Frank L. Cole - Really, the inspiration for this book came from 2 names: Hob & Bogie. I was brainstorming ideas for my next book to write when those 2 names kind of just dropped out of my head and onto my computer. They became these mysterious owners of the Curiosity Shoppe and then the story just began to take shape. I joined a Dungeons & Dragons group to learn more about role-playing games and the story continued to flow. Writing this book really has been an amazing journey. I don’t know when I’ve been more excited and nervous and anxious for people to read one of my stories.
Life Is What It's Called - How many books will there be in the Champion Quest series?
Frank L. Cole - I’m hoping for it to be at least 3 books, but there are so many possibilities for future volumes as well.
Life Is What It's Called - How does this series stand out against other middle grade fiction series?
Frank L. Cole - I think what really makes this story stand out, is the ability for readers to experience a role-playing adventure and discover the different elements of this new game right along with the characters as they discover it themselves. You don’t have to play games like D&D or other adventure-type games in order to understand the story.
Life Is What It's Called - What do you think readers will like most about Champion’s Quest: The Die of Destiny?
Frank L. Cole - The characters are some of my all-time favorites. Lucas, Miles, Jasmine, and Vanessa are so different from each other and yet they form this bond that really develops as they face the difficult challenges throughout the game. They become friends and eventually a family, which is so important for each of them. I think readers are really going to see themselves in one of these characters.
Life Is What It's Called - How will this series be similar to your other series and how will it be different?
Frank L. Cole - As with all my books, there will be strong character relationships, magic, mystery, and a lot of humor, but this one will take place in another world, with monsters, wizards, and all sorts of new settings and creatures, which is totally new for me. It has been such a fun book and series to write and it has stretched my imagination beyond it’s normal limits.
Life Is What It's Called - How could this book be used in a classroom discussion?
Frank L. Cole - Each of the characters come different backgrounds and have very clear challenges they need to overcome. And the only way they can truly do this is by facing those challenges head-on and working together as a Band of Champions. I think this would be a fantastic classroom discussion as the students can find ways to face their own challenges and work together in groups to be successful in any setting.
Life Is What It's Called - What writing projects are you working on next?
Frank L. Cole - Currently, I’m writing the sequel to Champion’s Quest. It is taking up most of my focus, but I do have some other somewhat secretive projects I’m working on as well.
Review
I was blown away from this book Champion Quest: The Die of Destiny. I think it's the author's best book ever. The characters were engaging, well-developed and interesting. The side characters were fun, memorable and engaging. There was humor, exciting twists and turns and a little bit of drama. I felt like the world creation was well done. I wanted to explore the world and get to know all the characters. The author did a great job at describing the world, the characters, and the experiences that characters encountered. It was an entertaining and easy read. The book felt like the inside of a game with obstacles and challenges. The villains in the book felt like more like obstacles and not overly scary. I think my seven year old, almost eight year old, would love this book, but he looked at the cover and wasn't interested. That was the only downside of the book was that the cover didn't draw my son in to the story. It was a little discouraging to me because this is exactly the story type that he likes. It has adventure, fantasy and excitement that's appropriate for his age and maturity. The same thing happened when I showed him another book series that he wouldn't try for awhile because of the cover and then once he got past the cover and started reading the series, he loved it and read it over and over again. I plan on reading this book out loud to him to get him past the cover. I think this would be a very good book to read out loud and listen to on car trips. I plan on getting the audiobook to listen in the car for travelling. I was disappointed it wasn't out yet for our summer vacation, but the audiobook is coming out soon and is available for preorder, which will be in time for anyone planning holiday travel. Fans of adventure and fantasy will really enjoy this book. This is one of the best middle grade fiction series that I've read in a long time. It's worth checking out! To learn more, click here.
Please note: Shadow Mountain Publishing is doing a special launch bundle for Champion's Quest. Everyone who purchases a copy of the book and submits their receipt via the form linked here will receive a special bundle of goodies that includes a collectible metal bookmark, dice, a signed bookplate, and a poster. The publisher plans to start shipping out to recipients the beginning of September.
Please note that I received a free copy of this book, however, I gave my honest opinion. This post also contains affiliate links that help support the maintenance of this blog.
No comments :
Post a Comment