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Land of Nod #3
Land of Nod, The Child
Jeff Browning needs every one of his newfound powers to face increasingly difficult challenges as he travels across an ocean for an inevitable showdown with a ruthless warlord.
Jeff believes the fate of the world that has adopted him depends on his success, and he is determined to find his father and go home – or die trying.
Jeff believes the fate of the world that has adopted him depends on his success, and he is determined to find his father and go home – or die trying.
260 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2014
16 people are currently reading
4723 people want to read
About the author
Gary Hoover
3 books182 followersOnce ate a single potato chip (followed by thirty more, but there was a pause after that first one). Has no shadow. Can divide by zero. When scared, curls into a ball and sings show-tunes. Once mistaken for King Richard III during a Met gala.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 1, 2017
I think this was my favourite book of the trilogy. I found it gripping and exciting. The story running through all three books was interesting and engaging- and I think this was a great end to an enjoyable series.
November 13, 2019
Loved the third book of this series. Jeff goes to destroy the Pheerion and bonds are formed and many secrets revealed. Overall very enjoyable read!
June 3, 2015
This is the third book in the Trilogy, Land of Nod.
Jeff and his friends are heading into battle with Pheerion Rex and Jeff thinks that's who is holding his missing father. Jeff has decided that the locket he carries is too powerful and gets rid of it. The other one, he hopes, doesn't end up in dangerous hands. Will Jeff find and rescue his father. Will he make it back home to have pizza and vanilla Coke?
I enjoyed reading this book as well as the other two. Gary made his characters true to life, including the monsters and other animals. I could find myself in that other world, thinking and feeling what Jeff feels about losing his parent and wanting to get back home.
Jeff and his friends are heading into battle with Pheerion Rex and Jeff thinks that's who is holding his missing father. Jeff has decided that the locket he carries is too powerful and gets rid of it. The other one, he hopes, doesn't end up in dangerous hands. Will Jeff find and rescue his father. Will he make it back home to have pizza and vanilla Coke?
I enjoyed reading this book as well as the other two. Gary made his characters true to life, including the monsters and other animals. I could find myself in that other world, thinking and feeling what Jeff feels about losing his parent and wanting to get back home.
July 10, 2016
Hohum
This trilogy was very juvenile. It was hard to care about any of these characters. Maybe I missed the fact that this was written for middle schoolers.
This trilogy was very juvenile. It was hard to care about any of these characters. Maybe I missed the fact that this was written for middle schoolers.
April 28, 2019
The first book (4/5) was really good, it was mysterious, we are discovering a new world which is much like our own but not quite, get a series of prophecies and the characters introduced are different and interesting. 3 (4?) factions are introduced that are in conflict and Jeff is the key to resolving it. Jeff is quite slow in realizing he has strange powers but I'll let stat slide. It was fast paced but not to fast and overall I wanted more from the next book.
The 2nd book (3/5) however was less good, some of the introduced characters are just there to fill in plot holes (looking at you Benji) and have no real purpose or personality. The are sometimes slight hints of romance and then they are completely ignored by the writer so they are just obsolete and unnecessary. Jeff is realizing (finally) he has powers but he get's a little bit to op, there is no one who can oppose him. If everyone sais it's impossible he just goes in scared as shit, uses his cheats to his advantage and his opponents just run if he would lose or just miss every shot or tactical way to capture him very conveniently. Problem solved in less then 15 minutes let's not talk about it anymore.
The dreams are getting more interesting though and we find out more of the history of the land.
***there is a slight spoiler below here, care if you have not read the book***
The 3rd book (2/5) was, after letting it settle in for a few days, not really good actually. Most thing did not make any sense, I HATED the assassin's character and he didn't do anything meaningful other then harass his victim and make stupid comments. The other even felt that it should be normal because it was a difficult mission they were on. Why did he join their group after his weird (but I could accept his reason) 180 in the 2nd book considering his background. He even died for no reason at the end of the book (thank god!) so all he was good for was some page filler. Tbh, if this character was never mentioned in book 3 it would have made the book allot better.
Apart from that, the prophecies keep being mentioned but are never all explained, so why even add those 'fake' ones with the real ones. I tried to figure them out to find some hidden hints in all 3 books but none came up besides the obvious one.
The end was way to abrupt, an epilogue about the ones left behind would have been nice. The final fight was 'okay' but very predictable and rather boring because of it.
The books started strong with allot of good elements but as you go on the writing gets worse, not to bad to want to stop reading but bad enough to feel frustrated and unsatisfied during book 3 and at the end.
The 2nd book (3/5) however was less good, some of the introduced characters are just there to fill in plot holes (looking at you Benji) and have no real purpose or personality. The are sometimes slight hints of romance and then they are completely ignored by the writer so they are just obsolete and unnecessary. Jeff is realizing (finally) he has powers but he get's a little bit to op, there is no one who can oppose him. If everyone sais it's impossible he just goes in scared as shit, uses his cheats to his advantage and his opponents just run if he would lose or just miss every shot or tactical way to capture him very conveniently. Problem solved in less then 15 minutes let's not talk about it anymore.
The dreams are getting more interesting though and we find out more of the history of the land.
***there is a slight spoiler below here, care if you have not read the book***
The 3rd book (2/5) was, after letting it settle in for a few days, not really good actually. Most thing did not make any sense, I HATED the assassin's character and he didn't do anything meaningful other then harass his victim and make stupid comments. The other even felt that it should be normal because it was a difficult mission they were on. Why did he join their group after his weird (but I could accept his reason) 180 in the 2nd book considering his background. He even died for no reason at the end of the book (thank god!) so all he was good for was some page filler. Tbh, if this character was never mentioned in book 3 it would have made the book allot better.
Apart from that, the prophecies keep being mentioned but are never all explained, so why even add those 'fake' ones with the real ones. I tried to figure them out to find some hidden hints in all 3 books but none came up besides the obvious one.
The end was way to abrupt, an epilogue about the ones left behind would have been nice. The final fight was 'okay' but very predictable and rather boring because of it.
The books started strong with allot of good elements but as you go on the writing gets worse, not to bad to want to stop reading but bad enough to feel frustrated and unsatisfied during book 3 and at the end.
November 5, 2018
Land of Nod:The Child is the third book in this series. I love the concept behind these books and was enchanted by the 'other' world that Jeff fell into. The people, human and nonhuman came across as believable to me. The creatures the author thought up were the kind I'd like to encounter in other books. The quest, finding Jeff's father was a noble effort. It seemed too easy to me, but then I had to keep reminding myself this book is for young teens. Yet there were parts that I felt was too real/adult for a middle schooler in that the right/wrong action was not clear. The humor was just right. I thoroughly enjoyed what I read. Still, I thought the ending was abrupt. Yes, that'was how a young teen would act, but....what about the others left behind? The author made me care about the other characters and world. So maybe another book?
October 30, 2019
The Land of Nod conclusion
This is the final installment of Land of Nod. Jeff and his friends are slowly learning to be a team and to work for the greater good. Friendships are formed, secrets revealed, scary monsters encountered, unlikely bonds are formed. I enjoyed the series. I have it 4 stars, because it was often has predictable outcomes. The story of a teen in search of his father and freeing the populace is a good plot. Jeff uncertainties are easy to relate to.
This is the final installment of Land of Nod. Jeff and his friends are slowly learning to be a team and to work for the greater good. Friendships are formed, secrets revealed, scary monsters encountered, unlikely bonds are formed. I enjoyed the series. I have it 4 stars, because it was often has predictable outcomes. The story of a teen in search of his father and freeing the populace is a good plot. Jeff uncertainties are easy to relate to.
July 6, 2020
Children's book
Considering that this is a YA/Child's book, it was an OK read. There were a few misspelled words and a couple of areas where the story line was shaky but I enjoyed it and will recommend it to my grandchildren.
Considering that this is a YA/Child's book, it was an OK read. There were a few misspelled words and a couple of areas where the story line was shaky but I enjoyed it and will recommend it to my grandchildren.
January 21, 2021
Enjoyable Read
The characters were solid. Your typical bad guys, enjoyable cast of characters and the reluctant hero. He had a head full of doubt and a heart full of hope. His sense of humor at situations made me laugh out loud. All in all, an enjoyable, well written series.
The characters were solid. Your typical bad guys, enjoyable cast of characters and the reluctant hero. He had a head full of doubt and a heart full of hope. His sense of humor at situations made me laugh out loud. All in all, an enjoyable, well written series.
September 2, 2022
The trilogy is a good read.
Liked the imagination with the things that the hero could do. Only a 12 year old(not sure that was his age, may have been 14) could believe in the things that happened.
Liked the imagination with the things that the hero could do. Only a 12 year old(not sure that was his age, may have been 14) could believe in the things that happened.
May 23, 2018
Terrific! Well done! Great conclusion to the trilogy.
May 23, 2018
Terrific job
October 3, 2014
I've been a fan of Gary Hoover's LAND OF NOD, a YA Scifi action adventure since the first book in the series, The Artifact. The series deals with Jeff Browning's search for his physicist father, and is as enjoyable from an adult perspective as any series of books I've read. The first two books in the series cover the disappearance of Jeffery Browning Sr. and his son Jeff's discovery of an artifact in his father's locked office that is really a portal to another dimension. Realizing his father has gone through the portal, Jeff follows him, armed only with his baseball bat.
He finds himself in a world that is full of dangerous, prehistoric creatures, and is glad he has his trusty bat as he must make good use of it. Eventually he meets a family who give him hope that he will find his father. The world is strange and has many amazing technologies, and yet they are awaiting the advent of one special person, the Prophet--and they believe Jeff is that person. It's a lot for a teenager to take in, but he embarks on helping them with the war they are fighting against the Pheerions. The Child is the third and final book in the series.
But first, THE BLURB:
In this action-filled conclusion to the Land of Nod Trilogy, Jeff Browning needs every one of his newfound powers to face increasingly difficult challenges as he travels across an ocean for an inevitable showdown with a ruthless warlord.
Jeff believes the fate of the world that has adopted him depends on his success, and he is determined to find his father and go home – or die trying.
My REVIEW:
The book kicks off with Jeff being thrust into a battle. He is desperate to get a locket that may have fallen into enemy hands. He is still armed with his trusty bat, and as with the lockets, it's so much more than a simply bat.in this strange world. He is unsure if the side who he is traveling with are the good guys or the bad guys, and the officer in charge of him, Major Abel, seems like a cold, unfriendly woman. He also fears his father may be working with the Pheerions,
Jeff is a great character. He's a bit cocky like any fifteen-year-old, and and also humble. He is loyal to his friends and thinks about the wider view of things, and his actions reflect that. The worry that his father may be on the side of the Pheerions, combined with the fact that he has a friend who is a Pheerion makes him wonder what is really right and wrong. He has an ally who is an assassin, and who may have killed two people Jeff cared about. His growing realization that things are not as cut and dried as Major Abel would wish colors his viewpoint.
More than anything, Jeff fears what he will become in his efforts to find his father and get home to his mother.
All in all this is a great finish to an excellent series. If you have a young science-fiction fan in your family this is a perfect series. Written for a wide range of readers, this series is not 'dumbed-down' in any way. Hoover writes with respect for his readers, and this final book in the series reflects that commitment to excellence. It is a tale full of the core truths of hard-scifi: plausible science, a moral dilemma, and a cast of fabulous characters. It is well plotted and has a terrific and satisfying conclusion. I am giving this book 5 full stars.
He finds himself in a world that is full of dangerous, prehistoric creatures, and is glad he has his trusty bat as he must make good use of it. Eventually he meets a family who give him hope that he will find his father. The world is strange and has many amazing technologies, and yet they are awaiting the advent of one special person, the Prophet--and they believe Jeff is that person. It's a lot for a teenager to take in, but he embarks on helping them with the war they are fighting against the Pheerions. The Child is the third and final book in the series.
But first, THE BLURB:
In this action-filled conclusion to the Land of Nod Trilogy, Jeff Browning needs every one of his newfound powers to face increasingly difficult challenges as he travels across an ocean for an inevitable showdown with a ruthless warlord.
Jeff believes the fate of the world that has adopted him depends on his success, and he is determined to find his father and go home – or die trying.
My REVIEW:
The book kicks off with Jeff being thrust into a battle. He is desperate to get a locket that may have fallen into enemy hands. He is still armed with his trusty bat, and as with the lockets, it's so much more than a simply bat.in this strange world. He is unsure if the side who he is traveling with are the good guys or the bad guys, and the officer in charge of him, Major Abel, seems like a cold, unfriendly woman. He also fears his father may be working with the Pheerions,
Jeff is a great character. He's a bit cocky like any fifteen-year-old, and and also humble. He is loyal to his friends and thinks about the wider view of things, and his actions reflect that. The worry that his father may be on the side of the Pheerions, combined with the fact that he has a friend who is a Pheerion makes him wonder what is really right and wrong. He has an ally who is an assassin, and who may have killed two people Jeff cared about. His growing realization that things are not as cut and dried as Major Abel would wish colors his viewpoint.
More than anything, Jeff fears what he will become in his efforts to find his father and get home to his mother.
All in all this is a great finish to an excellent series. If you have a young science-fiction fan in your family this is a perfect series. Written for a wide range of readers, this series is not 'dumbed-down' in any way. Hoover writes with respect for his readers, and this final book in the series reflects that commitment to excellence. It is a tale full of the core truths of hard-scifi: plausible science, a moral dilemma, and a cast of fabulous characters. It is well plotted and has a terrific and satisfying conclusion. I am giving this book 5 full stars.
February 19, 2017
Land of Nod, The Child is the third book in the trilogy from Gary Hoover. Though this review is for the third book I will comment a bit about the trilogy as a whole.
I found the idea to be engaging though at times I felt the story was either dragging or had a few scenes that served very little purpose. All in all I think the writing improved steadily through the series, from the characters to the flow of the story. I have gotten away from reading fantasy and this trilogy will not keep me away from other fantasy but it also did not make me want to dive back into another series.
I would recommend this to teens and some young adults. For me, what was missing from this that most great fantasy or science fiction has was some kind of larger statement about society, culture, life, whatever. These stories certainly accentuate positive ideas and traits but they seemed to be smaller in scale than what I want to read. That said, if someone got something "bigger" from it, great! That is what is fun about these kinds of books, different readers bring different perspectives so take different things away.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads' First Reads.
I found the idea to be engaging though at times I felt the story was either dragging or had a few scenes that served very little purpose. All in all I think the writing improved steadily through the series, from the characters to the flow of the story. I have gotten away from reading fantasy and this trilogy will not keep me away from other fantasy but it also did not make me want to dive back into another series.
I would recommend this to teens and some young adults. For me, what was missing from this that most great fantasy or science fiction has was some kind of larger statement about society, culture, life, whatever. These stories certainly accentuate positive ideas and traits but they seemed to be smaller in scale than what I want to read. That said, if someone got something "bigger" from it, great! That is what is fun about these kinds of books, different readers bring different perspectives so take different things away.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads' First Reads.
March 3, 2015
OK so I get to the last book in the Triolgy and I of course have to read it through the same day I finished number 2. This one kept me guessing more. Who was "the child". Was it him? Or her? The Baby? Was he going to find for whom he was searching? Would he get home? I had my doubts at times of any of those conclusions. As always when I finish a book or a set of books, I am happy to have read them, glad or unhappy at the endings...as the cases might be, but mostly sad I do not have another one to look forward to with those same characters.
Gary Hoover as written many very adult books, about business, science, what ever. It is interesting to see his jump into childrens/young adult/those of us who like to read anything books. In my opinion he has done a good job and parents need to give these books a try for those children of theirs who think they don't want to read. That everything has to be on the big screen, in a game or on their phone.
Gary Hoover as written many very adult books, about business, science, what ever. It is interesting to see his jump into childrens/young adult/those of us who like to read anything books. In my opinion he has done a good job and parents need to give these books a try for those children of theirs who think they don't want to read. That everything has to be on the big screen, in a game or on their phone.
November 7, 2016
Amazing third story is this land of nod trilogy an exquisite piece of literature this story keeps you hooked and still you want more. A truly wonderful book a gift from a truly amazing author as this book is number three I do so hope there will be more stories like this wonderful trilogy. This book I would be so delighted to recommend this amazing book to my friends. My truly sincere thanks to the amazing author Gary Hoover for giving me the utmost pleasure of reading his wonderful books. A treasure in quality and beautifully written so to all happy, happy reading to all you lovely people out there from wee me. xx☺♥
April 18, 2015
Book 3 of The Land of Nod trilogy finally gets to end of the story, but the writing did not improve. Read this one only if you were hooked by the earlier books. It left me feeling like I was hungry for pizza, and only got to have about 5 bites from one slice of crust only. I was left wanting more. It's too bad, because the potential for a really good story was there.
September 3, 2016
In this book Jeff and his friends spend the whole time tracking the locket to Pheerion Rex. He discovers and experiments with his powers and travels through enemy territory and wild forest. Jeff has to prove himself to a village of Pheerions that he is the one prophesied to come. The ending was a little abrupt, but satisfying.
October 16, 2014
Third in the "Land of Nod" series. I loved the first two books! As soon as I saw this one was available, I bought it.
I enjoyed this light fantasy series. It had likeable characters and was easy, lightweight escapism.
I enjoyed this light fantasy series. It had likeable characters and was easy, lightweight escapism.
March 19, 2015
Excellent end to a very wonderful trilogy. I fell in love with every character, good and bad. At times I forgot that I had things to do in the real world. Great series to get lost in. Can't wait to see what else this author has up his sleeves.
Want to read
February 11, 2016Seems to be an interesting trilogy. I'm really hoping to win the giveaway.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews