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Underdogs: The Dream | Book 1
In the midst of a war, the Vema people have recruited children to become military weapons. Alice, at the bottom of her class, has been struggling with sleep lately. She keeps having this dream that wakes her in the middle of the night, and it makes her physically sick. Then, when an Imbra ship randomly attacks her high school, she must meet the enemy head-on—and... help him?
Book 1 of the Underdogs Series
Book 1 of the Underdogs Series
113 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2023
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
K. Weikel
111 books59 followersK. Weikel writes dark fantasies about survivors that save the world, even if they have to become monsters themselves.
Her Wattpad exclusive, "The One-Hundred," won the Wattys Award in 2015 and has reached over two million reads. Weikel has also won the 2017 Writers Awards for Building Monsters. She has written over 60 books, including her first manga, "Katharsis". To learn more, visit her website: kweikel.com
Her Wattpad exclusive, "The One-Hundred," won the Wattys Award in 2015 and has reached over two million reads. Weikel has also won the 2017 Writers Awards for Building Monsters. She has written over 60 books, including her first manga, "Katharsis". To learn more, visit her website: kweikel.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 3, 2023
I can’t recommend this book enough! If you enjoy fast paced action books, or have teens looking for some shorter reads, grab this one! It’s well worth the time. The characters are engaging and the world is so fun. I love sci-fi so much and I can tell that this series is off to a promising start. I’m so excited to see where book two goes.
April 4, 2023
I couldn't put down the book. Watching the characters come together and how they interact was really well done. This book feels like a great start for a long series.
April 27, 2023
With its engaging writing, it hooked me after the first page. It is clear from the author's writing that she is adept at engaging her readers. As a reader, I liked the book's premise when I learned about Imbra and the attack and the war in Alice's world. Undoubtedly, it was a page-turner and I couldn't put it down until I knew what the next chapter was about. Besides the storyline, I enjoyed reading the characters as well. The parallel dreams shared by Alice, the main character from Vema, and Malcolm, the main character from Imbra, kept me reading, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.
April 28, 2023
I liked the book from the first page, it was very engaging with the writing. The author certainly knows how to engage her readers. I liked the premise of the book when you hear about Imbra and the attack, also the war that is happening in Alice’s world. We meet Alice and Ian first before the attack that happens at their high school. And then we meet the Imbra intruders, Esme and Malcolm, who claims that he and Alice are having prophetic dreams together. And both of them are part of a prophecy! That is intriguing, it made me as a reader want to find out what prophecy they were talking about, so obviously I had to keep reading😉 The gem is super important to the story and both Alice and Malcolm. They agree to find it together. I love the journey of the story as a reader, the thrills, the drama, the trouble they get into. I loved the ending, which leaves the book open for Book #2 and the sneak peek of that one told from another character’s POV, Ian’s to be specific.
April 23, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this, it was gripping from the very first chapter and only got better. It was a page turner for sure and I couldn’t put it down wanting to find out what will happen next. I really liked the characters in the book as well which made it an even better read. I loved the idea of both Alice the main character from Vema and Malcolm the main character from Imbra having the same dream it kept me hooked and I am so excited to read the next book in the series.
April 28, 2023
In this book, we follow Alice as she finds herself being at the bottom of her class during an interplanetary war. The Vema take children and raise them to be military weapons. Alice has been struggling to sleep as she has a reoccurring nightmare. This nightmare wakes her up and makes her sick. One day, an Imbra ship attacks her school at random and Alice has to step up to fight the enemy head on in order to protect her people, and to help Malcolm, who is also having prophetic dreams like Alice. This book was a page-turner. It had a lot of excitement and twists and turns. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I can't wait to see what happens next in this series!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 30, 2023
Cliffhanger
This was a great read between two alien clans who are in search for a magic gem. The story leaves off on a cliffhanger and the next is sure to be great!
This was a great read between two alien clans who are in search for a magic gem. The story leaves off on a cliffhanger and the next is sure to be great!
June 4, 2023
I received Underdogs: The Dream as an Advanced Reader Copy. My review is voluntary.
Underdogs by K.Weikel is a story about war between two people, the Imbra and Vema. Vema is war orientated while Umbra seems to have priorities in culture and its people. There is a legend about a mysterious and power granting stone that could sway the war to either side, or if in the wrong hands, end both peoples. That is when our main characters Alice and Malcom come in. Alice from Vema and Malcom from Imbra. Forced to meet by strange dreams/nightmares bestowed upon them from fate.
Genre 5/5
Characters 5/5 I also really like Mrs. Cole (the Vema Principle) and Isis is super cool.
Plot/themes 5/5 While the prose makes this 13+, just note that this does feature war, difference in politics/rhetoric/beliefs/values, some violence (not too adult detailed), and is overall really fun.
Pacing 5/5
Prose 5/5 Written to be age friendly and easy to read. I can see this being okay for 13+. If I was a parent, I would be reading this with my child(ren)/pre-teen(s)/teen(s).
Overall 5/5
I enjoyed this short read, it is only 126 pages and the pacing through out is even. Alice's friends Ian, Isis, and Isis's group of eclectic loners are really a great ensemble cast. Malcom is also really interesting and a stark difference between him and Alice shows their societies's difference is values.
The plot is very interesting as it seems like it takes place in outer space with some people, including Alice coming from earth and others from Mars and presumably other plants/galaxies as well. The Bijek stone is also very unique. The stone is rumored to grant a person unfathomable power and could save the two people, have either side win, or if in the wrong hands, ruin both societies in favor of tyranny.
Features are YA (and finally no spicy or anything inappropriate for all ages to read), enemies to friends, fate forced proximity, prophecy, war torn planets, and a cliffhanger of an ending. Starting the sequel asap.
Thank you to the author for my copy of the book.
Underdogs by K.Weikel is a story about war between two people, the Imbra and Vema. Vema is war orientated while Umbra seems to have priorities in culture and its people. There is a legend about a mysterious and power granting stone that could sway the war to either side, or if in the wrong hands, end both peoples. That is when our main characters Alice and Malcom come in. Alice from Vema and Malcom from Imbra. Forced to meet by strange dreams/nightmares bestowed upon them from fate.
Genre 5/5
Characters 5/5 I also really like Mrs. Cole (the Vema Principle) and Isis is super cool.
Plot/themes 5/5 While the prose makes this 13+, just note that this does feature war, difference in politics/rhetoric/beliefs/values, some violence (not too adult detailed), and is overall really fun.
Pacing 5/5
Prose 5/5 Written to be age friendly and easy to read. I can see this being okay for 13+. If I was a parent, I would be reading this with my child(ren)/pre-teen(s)/teen(s).
Overall 5/5
I enjoyed this short read, it is only 126 pages and the pacing through out is even. Alice's friends Ian, Isis, and Isis's group of eclectic loners are really a great ensemble cast. Malcom is also really interesting and a stark difference between him and Alice shows their societies's difference is values.
The plot is very interesting as it seems like it takes place in outer space with some people, including Alice coming from earth and others from Mars and presumably other plants/galaxies as well. The Bijek stone is also very unique. The stone is rumored to grant a person unfathomable power and could save the two people, have either side win, or if in the wrong hands, ruin both societies in favor of tyranny.
Features are YA (and finally no spicy or anything inappropriate for all ages to read), enemies to friends, fate forced proximity, prophecy, war torn planets, and a cliffhanger of an ending. Starting the sequel asap.
Thank you to the author for my copy of the book.
May 16, 2023
A while ago I got a brand new book by an author I had never heard of before. It all started out with me looking for middle-grade graphic novels. Instead of a graphic novel, I got an offer to read this one. I was told it is a middle-grade science fiction chapter book. Ok. Sure. Bring it on!
Let me start by saying that I do not think this is a middle-grade book. More like YA. Even though the storyline might be exciting for younger kids, the language feels slightly more complex than what would work for any average middle-grade reader’s level.
Also, I would not call it science fiction. More like a dystopian fantasy.
The blurb really does not tell much about what the book is going to be. The book is way better than the blurb implies! There are 14yr old kids who are trained to be deadly weapons. At some point, it gave me major Hunger Games vibes when kids’ school and combat training is described. There are unlikely friendships and extraordinary alliances being formed. There is way more than I expected to be, in a good way.
Yes, the very short blurb says --
“In the midst of a war, the Vema people have recruited children to become military weapons. Alice, at the bottom of her class, has been struggling with sleep lately. She keeps having this dream that wakes her in the middle of the night, and it makes her physically sick. Then, when an Imbra ship randomly attacks her high school, she must meet the enemy head-on—and... help him?”
But. No. This is not it. This is way deeper.
This is a quick and short read (about 100 pages), so it might work as a quick fix for dystopian/fantasy fans who are looking for a quick fix.
Let me start by saying that I do not think this is a middle-grade book. More like YA. Even though the storyline might be exciting for younger kids, the language feels slightly more complex than what would work for any average middle-grade reader’s level.
Also, I would not call it science fiction. More like a dystopian fantasy.
The blurb really does not tell much about what the book is going to be. The book is way better than the blurb implies! There are 14yr old kids who are trained to be deadly weapons. At some point, it gave me major Hunger Games vibes when kids’ school and combat training is described. There are unlikely friendships and extraordinary alliances being formed. There is way more than I expected to be, in a good way.
Yes, the very short blurb says --
“In the midst of a war, the Vema people have recruited children to become military weapons. Alice, at the bottom of her class, has been struggling with sleep lately. She keeps having this dream that wakes her in the middle of the night, and it makes her physically sick. Then, when an Imbra ship randomly attacks her high school, she must meet the enemy head-on—and... help him?”
But. No. This is not it. This is way deeper.
This is a quick and short read (about 100 pages), so it might work as a quick fix for dystopian/fantasy fans who are looking for a quick fix.
July 20, 2024
The Dream is the first of a series of books ((Underdogs), set in the future, about a girl at a military college who experiences a strange and recurring dream about a gem of power. In this story, told first person, she encounters infiltrators from the enemy, particularly one boy who shares her dream. These two track down the real-life location of the gem, attempting to put their differences aside and avoid detection by others at the school. The ending resolves nothing and demands readers buy the next book to discover more.
I have mixed feelings about this piece. Certainly, the author can write, and there is good narrative drive to the story, and I further suspect that this is well calibrated for a teen audience. However, it is a short work and I find it frustrating when volumes end as this does, essentially cheated of a complete story. On top of this, the world seen through the protagonist’s eyes is rather mundane: she has the same dream; does the same things; eats the same food; has similar emotional responses to her colleagues. It’s all a bit grey; I would have liked greater elaboration, more information about the universe of the protagonist (e.g. why are the competing worlds at war?). And then the actual story - including dreams, a magical gem, improbable creatures - in the end didn’t make a great deal of sense, simply being a meshing of familiar tropes.
Still, rating is difficult. I’d probably edge to a 3.5 if I could, and teens might appreciate it a bit more.
I have mixed feelings about this piece. Certainly, the author can write, and there is good narrative drive to the story, and I further suspect that this is well calibrated for a teen audience. However, it is a short work and I find it frustrating when volumes end as this does, essentially cheated of a complete story. On top of this, the world seen through the protagonist’s eyes is rather mundane: she has the same dream; does the same things; eats the same food; has similar emotional responses to her colleagues. It’s all a bit grey; I would have liked greater elaboration, more information about the universe of the protagonist (e.g. why are the competing worlds at war?). And then the actual story - including dreams, a magical gem, improbable creatures - in the end didn’t make a great deal of sense, simply being a meshing of familiar tropes.
Still, rating is difficult. I’d probably edge to a 3.5 if I could, and teens might appreciate it a bit more.
May 8, 2023
This book gets better as you get closer to the ending.
The page length of this novella is good, and it is one of the reasons I chose to read it. This book has world-building in it, so in the future, it would be splendid if the author chooses to hire a cartographer to give us a visual of it.
My reading engagement wasn't high during the beginning of the story, but I noticed it increased when Andrews was introduced. The variety of vocabulary used in this tale is great and I took notes; props to K. Weikel for that.
Seasoned readers will observe a few grammatical and punctuation errors. One example is the author using the incorrect spelling of judgment (in the prose, the author uses the UK rendition of the word "judgement" rather than the US version). Going forward, the author should consider hiring a proofreader to catch minor mistakes.
Please be forewarned: there is a steep cliffhanger at the end of the story. To be honest, I was distressed and disheartened that it finished the way it did, as the climax was riveting. The freebie given after the conclusion of this chronicle helps alleviate that, and it will be fascinating to see a different perspective as the narrative shifts to a new POV in the sequel.
This adventure falls short of a five-star rating due to the above-mentioned explanations.
The page length of this novella is good, and it is one of the reasons I chose to read it. This book has world-building in it, so in the future, it would be splendid if the author chooses to hire a cartographer to give us a visual of it.
My reading engagement wasn't high during the beginning of the story, but I noticed it increased when Andrews was introduced. The variety of vocabulary used in this tale is great and I took notes; props to K. Weikel for that.
Seasoned readers will observe a few grammatical and punctuation errors. One example is the author using the incorrect spelling of judgment (in the prose, the author uses the UK rendition of the word "judgement" rather than the US version). Going forward, the author should consider hiring a proofreader to catch minor mistakes.
Please be forewarned: there is a steep cliffhanger at the end of the story. To be honest, I was distressed and disheartened that it finished the way it did, as the climax was riveting. The freebie given after the conclusion of this chronicle helps alleviate that, and it will be fascinating to see a different perspective as the narrative shifts to a new POV in the sequel.
This adventure falls short of a five-star rating due to the above-mentioned explanations.
April 28, 2023
🦋 Alice is a young girl and a freshie in her school in Vema. She has a best friend Ian.
🦋 Alice has been getting dreams which don't let her sleep and she gets sick in the morning because of these dreams.
🦋 One day her school gets attacked by the Imbra. Alice notices two people disappear into the woods.
🦋 Alice thinks she has seen the 2 people in her dreams.
Who are these 2 people and how are they connected to Alice? What are these dreams Alice keeps getting? Are Alice's dreams changing into reality?
This is the 1st book in the series. It is an interesting fantasy fiction of the search for a magical gem. It is fast-paced and intriguing. Love the determination of Alice not to fight and end the war. Waiting to read the next book in the series to know what happens further in the story. Overall a nice read.
🦋 Alice has been getting dreams which don't let her sleep and she gets sick in the morning because of these dreams.
🦋 One day her school gets attacked by the Imbra. Alice notices two people disappear into the woods.
🦋 Alice thinks she has seen the 2 people in her dreams.
Who are these 2 people and how are they connected to Alice? What are these dreams Alice keeps getting? Are Alice's dreams changing into reality?
This is the 1st book in the series. It is an interesting fantasy fiction of the search for a magical gem. It is fast-paced and intriguing. Love the determination of Alice not to fight and end the war. Waiting to read the next book in the series to know what happens further in the story. Overall a nice read.
May 1, 2023
Alice has moved a long way to attend military school and help with the Vema war efforts but when reoccurring nightmares start to impact her studies, she would do almost anything to make them stop.
Malcolm is Imbra. The sworn enemies that the Vema are currently at war with. He has snuck onto the Vema planet because he, too, is having the same nauseating nightmares.
Will Alice and Malcolm be able to overcome their prejudices to seek out what is in their shared nightmares? Do the nightmares display the future or just one possible path? And what will happen if they decide to go against the nightmares?
This was a wonderful short read. Definitely a YA science fiction fantasy, which is a little outside my wheelhouse, but I love to give new authors a go, and I am glad I did. The cliffhanger was intense, and I am glad the next in the series is not too far away. No spice.
Malcolm is Imbra. The sworn enemies that the Vema are currently at war with. He has snuck onto the Vema planet because he, too, is having the same nauseating nightmares.
Will Alice and Malcolm be able to overcome their prejudices to seek out what is in their shared nightmares? Do the nightmares display the future or just one possible path? And what will happen if they decide to go against the nightmares?
This was a wonderful short read. Definitely a YA science fiction fantasy, which is a little outside my wheelhouse, but I love to give new authors a go, and I am glad I did. The cliffhanger was intense, and I am glad the next in the series is not too far away. No spice.
April 17, 2023
The Underdogs is a fast paced, creative, science fiction novel. This is the first in the series and perfectly introduced the characters, set up the world, and showed the conflict. The ending left me with some answers and a lot more questions. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t put it down until I knew how it ended… and then it ended with a major plot twist! Perfectly executed. If YA SciFi is your genre, give this one a read!
April 27, 2023
It was a delightful reading, page-turner with an heart touching cliffhanger like never had read before.
A teen fantasy that catch your attention since the first chapter of it.
I dare to say that is like The Alchemist (Paolo Coelho) and Harry Potter: the philosopher stone (J.K.Rolling) merged together in this interplanetary war.
Will be eagerly waiting for the upcoming book in this series cause still I have some tears from the end of the first book that denies to go.
A teen fantasy that catch your attention since the first chapter of it.
I dare to say that is like The Alchemist (Paolo Coelho) and Harry Potter: the philosopher stone (J.K.Rolling) merged together in this interplanetary war.
Will be eagerly waiting for the upcoming book in this series cause still I have some tears from the end of the first book that denies to go.
April 27, 2023
A new fav added . Definitely a five star . Starting with the story , it was amazing . I absolutely love the story building. It's a quick read . Took not even fully one day to finish . It was unpredictable. I want Alice to be with her bestfriend. Definitely waiting for the second book . The dream phenomenon was amazing to be included . It made the story so interesting.
Recommended to science fiction lover . It's a ya book .
Recommended to science fiction lover . It's a ya book .
May 11, 2023
If you’re a kid, buy this book, it’s a super fun story!
If you’re a fussy grown-up, you might get waylaid by some details. The first 2/3rds went quickly for me as I was caught up in the story and it was easy to forgive a few minor flow/description/discrepancy issues. But then they started to pile up.
I got caught by a few inconsistencies and I felt it harder to enjoy the story. Why in such a distant future does everyone still have “phones”? And descriptions were lacking. Does the alien look different somehow? Is he human? The narrator keeps remarking about the alien’s irises, but I never had a good description of why they are remarkable. The story is written in first person, but narration sometimes veers off track into things the main character can’t know or doesn’t know.
Then there’s lots of old fashioned sayings, which just doesn’t feel future-y to me. I’m not sure if the author intended it to be ironic, but for me it pulled me out of the story. I think this would work better as a fictional world instead of a distant future.
I don’t like thinking about the writing when I’m reading. I want to sink into the story. So this didn’t quite hit the mark for me. But I think for less fussy people that don’t read as closely or don’t care about that stuff, it will be a most satisfying read.
One last thing, not crazy about how it ends basically in the middle of the story. You have to (presumably) buy all the books to get to that satisfying ending.
2.5 stars
If you’re a fussy grown-up, you might get waylaid by some details. The first 2/3rds went quickly for me as I was caught up in the story and it was easy to forgive a few minor flow/description/discrepancy issues. But then they started to pile up.
I got caught by a few inconsistencies and I felt it harder to enjoy the story. Why in such a distant future does everyone still have “phones”? And descriptions were lacking. Does the alien look different somehow? Is he human? The narrator keeps remarking about the alien’s irises, but I never had a good description of why they are remarkable. The story is written in first person, but narration sometimes veers off track into things the main character can’t know or doesn’t know.
Then there’s lots of old fashioned sayings, which just doesn’t feel future-y to me. I’m not sure if the author intended it to be ironic, but for me it pulled me out of the story. I think this would work better as a fictional world instead of a distant future.
I don’t like thinking about the writing when I’m reading. I want to sink into the story. So this didn’t quite hit the mark for me. But I think for less fussy people that don’t read as closely or don’t care about that stuff, it will be a most satisfying read.
One last thing, not crazy about how it ends basically in the middle of the story. You have to (presumably) buy all the books to get to that satisfying ending.
2.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2023
K. Weikel has started a series that has so much promise. I cannot recommend trying this out enough. It's such a good book, even though it's quite short, and I'm very excited for the second one.
April 28, 2023
It's finally been released! Get it on Amazon as a paperback, hardcover, and/or ebook now!
***
Introducing the first installment of my new series: Underdogs!
It’s a scifi/fantasy set in the far future, with fate laying a heavy hand upon a handful of teenagers. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.
It’s inspired by Star Wars and Animorphs (which is always a given), and a few of my own books as well. I’ve been sitting on the first three books for three years, and it’s finally time to unveil it.
I’m currently looking for ARC readers, if anyone’s interested. Message me on Instagram @kweikelofficial for more info!
***
Introducing the first installment of my new series: Underdogs!
It’s a scifi/fantasy set in the far future, with fate laying a heavy hand upon a handful of teenagers. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.
It’s inspired by Star Wars and Animorphs (which is always a given), and a few of my own books as well. I’ve been sitting on the first three books for three years, and it’s finally time to unveil it.
I’m currently looking for ARC readers, if anyone’s interested. Message me on Instagram @kweikelofficial for more info!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews