The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James

by Mike Dawson

Loner Geordie James joins four other struggling fifth graders in a science fair group project that answers the question "what is our place in this world?" When Geordie becomes obsessed with the fate of a pig who escaped from a factory farm, the group project gets put in jeopardy. As Geordie starts to push harder into difficult questions, he finds everything changing--his friendships, his ability to express himself, even how he plays his favorite online role-playing game, DOMINION..
 
The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James is about kids coming to terms with a world that feels outside of their control, ending with the uplifting message that we humans do not exist apart from nature, but rather as an integral part of it.
 

Genres: Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Friendship, Death, Gaming, Realistic Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published May 19, 2026

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, this book has a lot of gaming in it.Yes, the games very important to Geordie, and while that is part of the point, it is also a point that we should pay attention to.


Geordie is upset that the news, which reported a pig that escaped the slaughter house, hasn’t been found yet. He wants the pig to survive, but he says, why have all the other pigs not been able to escape too.


His father works at home. Geordie says he didn’t used to, but now he does. In the flashbacks, there is a mother, but not in the present. We don’t know what happened to her. We only know that she is not here now, and no one talks about it.


And the only solace that Geordie has is his Dominion game. His father doesn’t understand. He keeps thinking Geordie needs friends. That’ll fix things.


This is a heartwarming story told from a kids point of view. A world view that doesn’t understand why we have to kill pigs, and why can’t we care about them, and the planet more.
And yes, towards the end, we find out what became of Geordie’s mother.


This was one of those books that I thought i would just take a look at, and found myself reading all the way through. Very engaging. Good middle-grade graphic novel.

[Jamo B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible graphic novel with great messages and gorgeous art. My only gripe with this is it feels like the first in a series, didn't wrap up the ending as well as I wanted and also doesn't explain the hidden dominion at all. Since Dominion is a fake game based on many, (Minecraft, Fortnite, Rust) it's hard to make set rules for it. Meaning that some parts of the book just didn't have any weight behind them even though they were supposed to. I didn't like the pig since it should need a human player to control and I didn't like that they never explain how they get wifi. With some expansion of the plot this could make for a really great series about battling depression in your youth and how nature helps with it but instead they dismiss the early theme of how video games are damaging. While this felt really cozy and very very relatable, it just felt like Mr. Dawson could have made it less surface-level for middle schoolers. OR just continue this series.

[Dolores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geordie discovers that not only is he failing science, he is being assigned a group project with other kids who are failing in a last-ditch effort to raise their grades. Shy Geordie finds the idea of a group project painful. He likes being alone and he especially likes the MMORPG of Dominion, where he can spend hours in solitary intricate builds. When his father insists he spend time outside, getting fresh air, Geordie finds a hidden away glade that he transforms into his private fort. He can spend hours there in solitude--and wonder of wonders--he has wifi access. Dominion seems to work miraculously well there, and eventually he shares his secret with one of the kids in his group. Geordie's small world begins to expand, but can the happiness he has found go on forever? This one was delightful in every way.

[Gazbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art in this book is at times simple and at times very complex in detailed, but always clear and flowing. Dawson is clearly a master of the art of cartooning and comic books in general. The story likewise on the surface is relatively simple, but with hints that deeper meaning peppered throughout culminating in the finale. He’s smartly utilizes the trope of kids playing video games and while there are shades of Minecraft Fortnite Warcraft, etc. none of them are explicitly mentioned making this feel timeless. Should definitely be a fun thought-provoking and mildly challenging read for youngsters and even a fun round for adults.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those rare books that speaks to tweens and their grandparents alike. It will make you both laugh and tear up as it touches on the ups and downs of middle school through parenthood: the little pleasures, childhood struggles, and deeper tragedies of life. Past and present, fantasy and reality are expertly woven via splashes of color or monochromatic scenes on every page. The writing is raw, authentic, and immediately immersive. A must read for everyone in the family. I cannot recommend it enough!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Fifth Quarter books, but this felt like a big step forward for Mike Dawson. The illustrations were impressive, the story was entertaining and engaging, and all the different environments felt really lived in and well realized. I think this will become a favorite story for many children.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel was ambitious and very inventive. It was funny and the main character was very relatable. I think a lot of kids will see themselves in this story. It moved along at a good pace, and even though there was some jumping around in time, primarily in the form of flashbacks, it was not confusing to read, and always easy to follow.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is kind of a quirky little graphic novel that will appeal greatly to kids who like online gaming.