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The Dungeon Book
Enter a world of dungeons and dragons, magic and manticores, goblins and gargoyles in this captivating standalone fantasy from the author of The Gutter Prayer
'Full of wit and adventure, twists and turns, wonderful monsters and astonishing revelations. An absolute joy' M. R. Carey, bestselling author of Once Was Willem
Bait doesn't remember a time before the dungeon. Before the dragon stole her from her cot. She doesn't know what her name was before she was handed over to the monstrous denizens of the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower. Luckily for Bait, they decided not to eat her. And so, she grew up in the dark - the goblins her adopted family, a vengeful minotaur her protector, a sentient skull her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime her main source of nutrition.
But the labyrinthine dungeon, with its haunted halls, buried temples and forgotten magics, draws treasure hunters like moths to a flame. And as the outside world starts to intrude, Bait will learn what it means to be monstrous, and she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
'For a story set in the deepest, darkest dungeon, The Dungeon Book absolutely bursts with warmth, heart, and energy. One of the best things you're going to read this year'
Jackson Ford, author of The Bone Raiders
'The Dungeon Book manages the difficult task of being epic and heartfelt both at once, and does it with style. I fell in love with Bait and her menagerie of friends immediately'
Django Wexler, author of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
'Full of heart . . . will delight anyone who has ever been brave enough to roll the dice and delve a dungeon'
RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships
'Witty and charming . . . A completely delightful book'
Justin Lee Anderson, author of The Lost War
'The Dungeon Book is chock-full of wit and weirdness . . . This book was terrific'
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
'Full of wit and adventure, twists and turns, wonderful monsters and astonishing revelations. An absolute joy' M. R. Carey, bestselling author of Once Was Willem
Bait doesn't remember a time before the dungeon. Before the dragon stole her from her cot. She doesn't know what her name was before she was handed over to the monstrous denizens of the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower. Luckily for Bait, they decided not to eat her. And so, she grew up in the dark - the goblins her adopted family, a vengeful minotaur her protector, a sentient skull her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime her main source of nutrition.
But the labyrinthine dungeon, with its haunted halls, buried temples and forgotten magics, draws treasure hunters like moths to a flame. And as the outside world starts to intrude, Bait will learn what it means to be monstrous, and she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
'For a story set in the deepest, darkest dungeon, The Dungeon Book absolutely bursts with warmth, heart, and energy. One of the best things you're going to read this year'
Jackson Ford, author of The Bone Raiders
'The Dungeon Book manages the difficult task of being epic and heartfelt both at once, and does it with style. I fell in love with Bait and her menagerie of friends immediately'
Django Wexler, author of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
'Full of heart . . . will delight anyone who has ever been brave enough to roll the dice and delve a dungeon'
RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships
'Witty and charming . . . A completely delightful book'
Justin Lee Anderson, author of The Lost War
'The Dungeon Book is chock-full of wit and weirdness . . . This book was terrific'
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
512 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 11, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
December 4, 2025
Delve into dark and dangerous depths of the Dungeon to meet the strangest of found family. The Dungeon Book is effortlessly charming and packed full of adventure. It's the kind of novel full of whimsical wonder that makes people fall in love with fantasy.
Don't go in expecting gritty epic fantasy and brutal battle, this is more like a gentle stroll exploring the nooks and crannies of the treacherous depths and meeting the weird denizens. It's not a kid's book by any means, but it is the sort of book you wanted to read as a kid, with a story and characters that shows a real love for fantasy, and evokes a nostalgia for classic fantasy with all its terrible dragons and dark be-trapped dungeons.
Don't go in expecting gritty epic fantasy and brutal battle, this is more like a gentle stroll exploring the nooks and crannies of the treacherous depths and meeting the weird denizens. It's not a kid's book by any means, but it is the sort of book you wanted to read as a kid, with a story and characters that shows a real love for fantasy, and evokes a nostalgia for classic fantasy with all its terrible dragons and dark be-trapped dungeons.
May 10, 2026
Here there be goblins. And many other denizens of the deep. Gareth Hanrahan certainly has a way with dungeony words. If you are looking for a book that feels like a D&D campaign but doesn’t take itself too seriously, this is for you.
To be sure there is goop and gore and slime and death. And have I mentioned the talking skull? Yet the overall tone is light and adventurous. You will be treated to all manner of descriptions of a dungeon, its dirt and grime and its many creatures. Minotaur, manticore, trolls, wraiths, sorcerers, and even a store-brand beholder.
It’s a coming of age tale of a small girl who gets unceremoniously dropped off in the dungeon by a dragon. Raised by a group of goblins. If you are looking for a dark and gritty sword and sorcery fantasy, this isn’t the book you seek. But if you have been feeling a serious lack of trickster goblins, The Dungeon Book has you covered.
My only complaint is it felt long at 500 pages. It was worth the ending. You’d do well to read it in sections.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy. All opinions are my own.
To be sure there is goop and gore and slime and death. And have I mentioned the talking skull? Yet the overall tone is light and adventurous. You will be treated to all manner of descriptions of a dungeon, its dirt and grime and its many creatures. Minotaur, manticore, trolls, wraiths, sorcerers, and even a store-brand beholder.
It’s a coming of age tale of a small girl who gets unceremoniously dropped off in the dungeon by a dragon. Raised by a group of goblins. If you are looking for a dark and gritty sword and sorcery fantasy, this isn’t the book you seek. But if you have been feeling a serious lack of trickster goblins, The Dungeon Book has you covered.
My only complaint is it felt long at 500 pages. It was worth the ending. You’d do well to read it in sections.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy. All opinions are my own.
June 9, 2026
I’ve had to sit with this review for a minute before I started. One minute I’m really into this book and the next it takes a sharp left turn I wasn’t expecting. The dungeon itself is more than just a setting—it feels like a living, evolving character with its own rules and history.
Hanrahan introduces compelling fantasy concepts that reward readers who enjoy uncovering lore and piecing together mysteries. There is a sense of danger and discovery that keeps the story moving but somewhat disjointed. Some sections spend significant time developing the setting and mythology, which may slow momentum for readers looking for a more action-driven story.
I’d give this a 3 out of 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!
Hanrahan introduces compelling fantasy concepts that reward readers who enjoy uncovering lore and piecing together mysteries. There is a sense of danger and discovery that keeps the story moving but somewhat disjointed. Some sections spend significant time developing the setting and mythology, which may slow momentum for readers looking for a more action-driven story.
I’d give this a 3 out of 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!
August 10, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
In the dungeon book we follow the adventures of Bait, a human girl, with all the different creatures that live in the dungeon. The story however is told by Cornelius a deceased magician.
When I started off this book I was so excited to get to know all the different creatures that inhabits the dungeon. And for the first couple chapters that’s the case. I wish we had more than that and stayed in that direction. The plot was so fun in the beginning , but I don’t know if I just didn’t like the narration or if the pacing felt off after the beginning. It was a cute read nonetheless, I just had very high expectations for it.
In the dungeon book we follow the adventures of Bait, a human girl, with all the different creatures that live in the dungeon. The story however is told by Cornelius a deceased magician.
When I started off this book I was so excited to get to know all the different creatures that inhabits the dungeon. And for the first couple chapters that’s the case. I wish we had more than that and stayed in that direction. The plot was so fun in the beginning , but I don’t know if I just didn’t like the narration or if the pacing felt off after the beginning. It was a cute read nonetheless, I just had very high expectations for it.
July 10, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
I wanted to read The Dungeon Book because I wanted a book that would feel like Dungeons and Dragons, an adventure delving into a dangerous and mysterious unknown. And in the beginning, I thought that’s what I was going to get. I loved the first chapters, with the descriptions of the dungeon and its various denizens. I found Cornelius quirky and funny as a narrator. I was really enjoying it, which is why I was so confused when the story took an early turn which completely changed what I thought I was getting in this story. I was disappointed, but kept going. That was unfortunately a repeated experience for the entire rest of the book - I’d like where it was going, then be thrown by a switch up, reluctantly continue, repeat.
While Cornelius started out charming and funny, I quickly grew bored and even annoyed with his ramblings. Prose started to feel repetitive and sluggish.
Overall, there were parts I enjoyed but this was a disappointment for me.
I wanted to read The Dungeon Book because I wanted a book that would feel like Dungeons and Dragons, an adventure delving into a dangerous and mysterious unknown. And in the beginning, I thought that’s what I was going to get. I loved the first chapters, with the descriptions of the dungeon and its various denizens. I found Cornelius quirky and funny as a narrator. I was really enjoying it, which is why I was so confused when the story took an early turn which completely changed what I thought I was getting in this story. I was disappointed, but kept going. That was unfortunately a repeated experience for the entire rest of the book - I’d like where it was going, then be thrown by a switch up, reluctantly continue, repeat.
While Cornelius started out charming and funny, I quickly grew bored and even annoyed with his ramblings. Prose started to feel repetitive and sluggish.
Overall, there were parts I enjoyed but this was a disappointment for me.
July 16, 2026
Six stars. One of my top reads for the year.
So fun, different, quirky, and… dare I say cozy… if you can imagine a dungeon of monsters as cozy. Bait is now one of my favorite MCs. The story leans full tilt left field. I loved all of it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Gareth for the ARC and introduction to this wonderful weird world that I never want to step foot in but will miss greatly.
Long live Bait!
So fun, different, quirky, and… dare I say cozy… if you can imagine a dungeon of monsters as cozy. Bait is now one of my favorite MCs. The story leans full tilt left field. I loved all of it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Gareth for the ARC and introduction to this wonderful weird world that I never want to step foot in but will miss greatly.
Long live Bait!
July 17, 2026
Received a digital copy through GoodReads giveaway.
A fun story that tips the standard tale around to look more from the “monsters” point of view.
A fun story that tips the standard tale around to look more from the “monsters” point of view.
June 26, 2026
Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for the gifted eARC!
This story was just so wonderfully charming and moving, and I didn’t think I’d be saying that about a story with goblins, manticores, and oozing slime! I adored Bait’s journey from a human girl taken in by goblins in the dungeon to someone who truly carves a space for herself in the world above and below. I loved every denizen of the dungeon, even the grumpy ones, and thought the idea of these monsters forming a community was so brilliantly executed. If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy that is maybe a little grittier than some of the others out there, I highly recommend checking this one out!
This story was just so wonderfully charming and moving, and I didn’t think I’d be saying that about a story with goblins, manticores, and oozing slime! I adored Bait’s journey from a human girl taken in by goblins in the dungeon to someone who truly carves a space for herself in the world above and below. I loved every denizen of the dungeon, even the grumpy ones, and thought the idea of these monsters forming a community was so brilliantly executed. If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy that is maybe a little grittier than some of the others out there, I highly recommend checking this one out!
July 16, 2026
The Dungeon Book by Gareth Hanrahan
I had such a delightful time with this book.
The premise alone hooked me, a girl raised by monsters in a dungeon instead of humans. Gareth Hanrahan somehow made it even better than I expected. Before long, I was fully invested in Bait and her very unconventional family. I honestly found myself becoming attached to goblins, a minotaur, a talking skull, and even a corridor slime, which is not something I thought I’d ever say.
One of my favourite aspects of the book is how it challenges the usual fantasy perspective. Instead of cheerfully supporting the adventurers charging into the dungeon, I found myself rooting for the monsters and hoping they’d be left in peace. It really encourages you to think about who the real monsters are.
The moment that completely won me over was when another group of adventurers entered the dungeon. Usually, that’s the point in a fantasy novel where you root for the heroes to survive, but here I was anxious for Bait and her dungeon family instead. It’s such a clever reversal of expectations, and it made me realise just how deeply I had become attached to these so-called “monsters.”
The book balances humour, adventure, and genuinely emotional moments very well. It’s funny without being silly, heartfelt without veering into sentimentality, and Bait is such an easy character to root for.
If you’re searching for a fantasy that plays with familiar tropes while still delivering a truly engaging story, I’d definitely recommend picking this up. It’s clever, funny, unexpectedly wholesome, and just a lot of fun to read.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy and an honest opinion.
I had such a delightful time with this book.
The premise alone hooked me, a girl raised by monsters in a dungeon instead of humans. Gareth Hanrahan somehow made it even better than I expected. Before long, I was fully invested in Bait and her very unconventional family. I honestly found myself becoming attached to goblins, a minotaur, a talking skull, and even a corridor slime, which is not something I thought I’d ever say.
One of my favourite aspects of the book is how it challenges the usual fantasy perspective. Instead of cheerfully supporting the adventurers charging into the dungeon, I found myself rooting for the monsters and hoping they’d be left in peace. It really encourages you to think about who the real monsters are.
The moment that completely won me over was when another group of adventurers entered the dungeon. Usually, that’s the point in a fantasy novel where you root for the heroes to survive, but here I was anxious for Bait and her dungeon family instead. It’s such a clever reversal of expectations, and it made me realise just how deeply I had become attached to these so-called “monsters.”
The book balances humour, adventure, and genuinely emotional moments very well. It’s funny without being silly, heartfelt without veering into sentimentality, and Bait is such an easy character to root for.
If you’re searching for a fantasy that plays with familiar tropes while still delivering a truly engaging story, I’d definitely recommend picking this up. It’s clever, funny, unexpectedly wholesome, and just a lot of fun to read.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy and an honest opinion.
August 6, 2026
***Full review of this NetGalley ARC coming soon. I must digest this.
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Okay. Book fully digested. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC; here is my honest review.
I wanted to love this book. I DO love the idea and the premise of this book. The execution was lacking. Throughout much of the book I felt it might have been better as a series of short stories/an anthology that explored each character's story. Was the main character Bait or Cornelius? We may never know.
I really enjoyed the world that was built around the characters just as much as I loved the characters. The issue was the narration style. It was very distracting, and while there was *plenty* of it, I didn't feel satisfied with the depth of detail. We had many tangents on random "historical events" to give context, but I would have rather had more in the moment events to show the character development and goings on. A third person omniscient narrator (even if it still was a character in the book) would have serve this story much better than a character of the book relating the details to another character of the book.
Overall, three stars. Didn't hate it. Didn't love it. Probably won't recommend it.
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Okay. Book fully digested. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC; here is my honest review.
I wanted to love this book. I DO love the idea and the premise of this book. The execution was lacking. Throughout much of the book I felt it might have been better as a series of short stories/an anthology that explored each character's story. Was the main character Bait or Cornelius? We may never know.
I really enjoyed the world that was built around the characters just as much as I loved the characters. The issue was the narration style. It was very distracting, and while there was *plenty* of it, I didn't feel satisfied with the depth of detail. We had many tangents on random "historical events" to give context, but I would have rather had more in the moment events to show the character development and goings on. A third person omniscient narrator (even if it still was a character in the book) would have serve this story much better than a character of the book relating the details to another character of the book.
Overall, three stars. Didn't hate it. Didn't love it. Probably won't recommend it.
July 13, 2026
The Dungeon Book was such a pleasant surprise, a warm hug of a book perfect for fans of classic ‘sword and sorcery’ fantasy. I hesitate to class this as cosy fantasy purely because it just doesn’t give me the same atmosphere as other books in the genre - there’s no romance, there are worldwide threats and tragedy - but I came away from the book with such a smile on my face. It’s a story about finding your own found family despite being an outsider, about persevering in the face of impossible odds, the nature of ‘monstrosity’, and the power of kindness and acceptance (as silly as that may seem). I loved it so much!
The book revolves around the titular Dungeon - a maze of subterranean chambers and tunnels, crawling with creatures and brimming with magic - and its strangest inhabitant. As a human child, Bait was not born in the dungeon but, after being rescued from the clutches of the great dragon Nithscalpa, she found a home. First amongst the goblins with her eponymous role, but also amongst the manticores, nixies, hagworms, wraiths and other denizens that inhabit the dark. Instead of etiquette and humanity, Bait grew learning the rules of the dungeon, navigating the dark, taking history lessons from a talking skull and trapmaking with her goblin family. She wasn’t without an education. But, she isn’t accepted by all members of the dungeon. Nithscalpa hungers for the meal that was stolen from him. Denizens whisper that she more resembles the monstrous adventurers than one of their own and, as the surface world encroaches closer and closer on the dungeon, Bait must decide where her allegiance lies and what she is willing to do protect her home.
I expected a lot of humour going in, which there was but the story was also so wonderfully genuine. Striking the balance between humour and ‘seriousness’ can be difficult but Gareth Hanrahan did it perfectly. There was so much whimsy and a brilliantly colourful cast of characters, but that never undercut the emotional beats of the story or Bait’s journey. Speaking of Bait, she was such a brilliant protagonist. Her personality felt really unique but, for a person raised in a very different situation to most of us in the modern day, deeply relatable. Her struggles with feelings of being an outsider and questioning where she belongs felt really authentic, as did her ultimate development and journey over time. I loved how imperfect she was, how she failed and shied away from the world yet kept going at the end of the day. She’s definitely one of my favourite protagonists in recent memory, and I really hope there’s at least some chance of a sequel so I can get more of her!
The worldbuilding felt like a love letter to the classic roleplaying games (which shouldn’t be surprising given Gareth Hanrahan wrote for a lot of them!) with kobolds, goblins, multilayered dungeons, a deliciously evil dragon and even an off-brand beholder. However, there’s also plenty of innovation! The take on the ‘dungeon master’ was brilliant and I loved the unique perspective of the denizens on adventurers. The worldbuilding somehow managed to feel very ‘low-key’, restricted to only one location of the world with very little focus on details outside the story, but simultaneously very rich. Everything that was mentioned was important the story, there was no unnecessary information-dumping or extraneous details (some fantasy authors need to take notes) and it was really tight and effective in a way I’ve very rarely seen. I imagine that this is partly due to Hanrahan’s background worldbuilding and writing for RPGs and I’m now really interested to check out his other books and see if they’re similarly well crafted.
I’ve also got to talk about the found family represented in this book, it has my whole heart. I love how Hanrahan has taken traditionally evil and monstrous beings - manticores, minotaurs, ghouls and ghasts and goblins - and transformed them into a wonderful cast of characters perhaps representing those cast aside by society, depicted as monstrous and treated as such yet far from it. I did appreciate that their perspective and actions remained definitely non-human. Making them moral paragons would have weakened the point of the book.
Having a third party as a narrator is always a bit of a risk as it can distance the reader from the story, but it worked really well in this book. Cornelius’ narration lent an almost ‘fairytale-like’ quality to the writing and his internal conflict added a whole new dimension to the story that tied the themes together really nicely. He was a perfect foil to bait, having been born outside of the dungeon and having to adapt to life within it rather than vice versa and his unreliability and dry tone added to the sense of humour wonderfully.
I’ve seen some other reviewers saying it feels a little disjoined in pacing. And I do think the somewhat meandering style of the book, with some rapid time jumping and interspersing of other stories won’t work for some readers. But, for me, the meandering was more of a feature than a bug. I really loved the long-term look at Bait’s life and it complemented the whimsical, fairy-tale like atmosphere.
Ultimately, The Dungeon Book is a love letter to outcasts and the found families we form. It’s heartwearming, heartwrenching, really funny, and just a fantastic read. It’s the Jungle Book meets Dungeons and Dragons and fans of roleplaying games, classic yet original fantasy, character driven stories and books subverting the meaning of ‘monstrous’ will absolutely love it.
The book revolves around the titular Dungeon - a maze of subterranean chambers and tunnels, crawling with creatures and brimming with magic - and its strangest inhabitant. As a human child, Bait was not born in the dungeon but, after being rescued from the clutches of the great dragon Nithscalpa, she found a home. First amongst the goblins with her eponymous role, but also amongst the manticores, nixies, hagworms, wraiths and other denizens that inhabit the dark. Instead of etiquette and humanity, Bait grew learning the rules of the dungeon, navigating the dark, taking history lessons from a talking skull and trapmaking with her goblin family. She wasn’t without an education. But, she isn’t accepted by all members of the dungeon. Nithscalpa hungers for the meal that was stolen from him. Denizens whisper that she more resembles the monstrous adventurers than one of their own and, as the surface world encroaches closer and closer on the dungeon, Bait must decide where her allegiance lies and what she is willing to do protect her home.
I expected a lot of humour going in, which there was but the story was also so wonderfully genuine. Striking the balance between humour and ‘seriousness’ can be difficult but Gareth Hanrahan did it perfectly. There was so much whimsy and a brilliantly colourful cast of characters, but that never undercut the emotional beats of the story or Bait’s journey. Speaking of Bait, she was such a brilliant protagonist. Her personality felt really unique but, for a person raised in a very different situation to most of us in the modern day, deeply relatable. Her struggles with feelings of being an outsider and questioning where she belongs felt really authentic, as did her ultimate development and journey over time. I loved how imperfect she was, how she failed and shied away from the world yet kept going at the end of the day. She’s definitely one of my favourite protagonists in recent memory, and I really hope there’s at least some chance of a sequel so I can get more of her!
The worldbuilding felt like a love letter to the classic roleplaying games (which shouldn’t be surprising given Gareth Hanrahan wrote for a lot of them!) with kobolds, goblins, multilayered dungeons, a deliciously evil dragon and even an off-brand beholder. However, there’s also plenty of innovation! The take on the ‘dungeon master’ was brilliant and I loved the unique perspective of the denizens on adventurers. The worldbuilding somehow managed to feel very ‘low-key’, restricted to only one location of the world with very little focus on details outside the story, but simultaneously very rich. Everything that was mentioned was important the story, there was no unnecessary information-dumping or extraneous details (some fantasy authors need to take notes) and it was really tight and effective in a way I’ve very rarely seen. I imagine that this is partly due to Hanrahan’s background worldbuilding and writing for RPGs and I’m now really interested to check out his other books and see if they’re similarly well crafted.
I’ve also got to talk about the found family represented in this book, it has my whole heart. I love how Hanrahan has taken traditionally evil and monstrous beings - manticores, minotaurs, ghouls and ghasts and goblins - and transformed them into a wonderful cast of characters perhaps representing those cast aside by society, depicted as monstrous and treated as such yet far from it. I did appreciate that their perspective and actions remained definitely non-human. Making them moral paragons would have weakened the point of the book.
Having a third party as a narrator is always a bit of a risk as it can distance the reader from the story, but it worked really well in this book. Cornelius’ narration lent an almost ‘fairytale-like’ quality to the writing and his internal conflict added a whole new dimension to the story that tied the themes together really nicely. He was a perfect foil to bait, having been born outside of the dungeon and having to adapt to life within it rather than vice versa and his unreliability and dry tone added to the sense of humour wonderfully.
I’ve seen some other reviewers saying it feels a little disjoined in pacing. And I do think the somewhat meandering style of the book, with some rapid time jumping and interspersing of other stories won’t work for some readers. But, for me, the meandering was more of a feature than a bug. I really loved the long-term look at Bait’s life and it complemented the whimsical, fairy-tale like atmosphere.
Ultimately, The Dungeon Book is a love letter to outcasts and the found families we form. It’s heartwearming, heartwrenching, really funny, and just a fantastic read. It’s the Jungle Book meets Dungeons and Dragons and fans of roleplaying games, classic yet original fantasy, character driven stories and books subverting the meaning of ‘monstrous’ will absolutely love it.
May 15, 2026
Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC copy of The Dungeon Book.
For a very dark in the dungeon depths story filled with trials, it was very warm and cozy. I’m not sure if that’s due to feeling like you’re wrapped in a warm blanket next to a hearth, being told a tall tale by a talking skull. Or if fantasy is just a cozy spot in general. But I believe it’s the former.
Long winded is Cornelius the Tale Weaver, but you learn there is eventually a lesson or reason for every digression.
A baby is stolen from a castle by a dragon and left to a wizard’s experimentation. After she’s left to the dungeon’s mercy and raised by the goblins of The Arcade. Named Bait by her guardians, one might wonder what kind of child you end up with after such an upbringing. There’s one way to find out. Many laughs and woes are to be had.
I write this review from the coziness of my couch, but I’ll be thinking of little Bait and her escapades in the cold dungeon.
For a very dark in the dungeon depths story filled with trials, it was very warm and cozy. I’m not sure if that’s due to feeling like you’re wrapped in a warm blanket next to a hearth, being told a tall tale by a talking skull. Or if fantasy is just a cozy spot in general. But I believe it’s the former.
Long winded is Cornelius the Tale Weaver, but you learn there is eventually a lesson or reason for every digression.
A baby is stolen from a castle by a dragon and left to a wizard’s experimentation. After she’s left to the dungeon’s mercy and raised by the goblins of The Arcade. Named Bait by her guardians, one might wonder what kind of child you end up with after such an upbringing. There’s one way to find out. Many laughs and woes are to be had.
I write this review from the coziness of my couch, but I’ll be thinking of little Bait and her escapades in the cold dungeon.
July 17, 2026
3.5⭐️ rounded up.
Cosy fantasy with a different perspective. This time the found family is mainly made up of monsters.
Our protagonist is stolen by a dragon at a young age, and finds herself in a dungeon. And not just any dungeon, but one with many, many floors and a myriad of monsters. The sort of dungeon where adventurers go to die.
Our narrator is the skull of a long dead sorcerer, who is not the most reliable, in either his account of events or his behaviour.
Cosy fantasy with a different perspective. This time the found family is mainly made up of monsters.
Our protagonist is stolen by a dragon at a young age, and finds herself in a dungeon. And not just any dungeon, but one with many, many floors and a myriad of monsters. The sort of dungeon where adventurers go to die.
Our narrator is the skull of a long dead sorcerer, who is not the most reliable, in either his account of events or his behaviour.
July 18, 2026
An excellent read
Ahhhh Bait what a fun character. The Dungeon book has heart, humor and a lot of colorful, enjoyable characters. The stories told, adventures, and finding out what’s outside of the dungeon. If you’re looking for a book that’s full of thrills, odd encounters, and heartfelt moments definitely snag dungeon guide. I sure enjoyed it!
Ahhhh Bait what a fun character. The Dungeon book has heart, humor and a lot of colorful, enjoyable characters. The stories told, adventures, and finding out what’s outside of the dungeon. If you’re looking for a book that’s full of thrills, odd encounters, and heartfelt moments definitely snag dungeon guide. I sure enjoyed it!
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July 27, 2026Nothing wrong with this book. In fact I'm finding it a funny and interesting read. However, I'm not in the mood for this at the moment so I'm going to put it aside to pick up later on. But I will certainly get back to it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Dungeon Book by Gareth Hanrahan is a fantasy novel featuring elements of adventure, humour, dark fantasy and cosy fantasy. At times, the story is reminiscent of The Jungle Book or a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and explores themes such as found family, identity, belonging and the question of what actually defines a monster.
I approached the book expecting a classic dungeon adventure story full of exploration, danger and curious creatures. The opening in particular delivered exactly that: the world of the dungeon was fascinating, the unusual inhabitants were imaginatively conceived, and Cornelius, the talking skull who serves as the narrator, initially came across as wonderfully quirky and entertaining. Unfortunately, the book couldn’t sustain that feeling for me throughout. Time and again, the plot took turns that didn’t match my expectations or felt somewhat aimless to me. As a result, my reading experience constantly wavered between entertainment and disappointment.
What worked particularly well for me were the characters - at least to some extent. Bait was a likeable protagonist whose development I enjoyed following, and many of the monsters inhabiting the dungeon, particularly the Minotaur and the goblins, added a great deal of charm to the story. Cornelius, on the other hand, was a double-edged sword for me: At first, I liked his dry humour and quirky manner, but as time went on, his long digressions became increasingly tiresome and often sapped the momentum of the actual story.
I also liked the world-building on the whole. The idea of a princess raised by goblins in a dungeon is original and full of creative ideas. The dungeon itself felt alive, mysterious and was full of interesting details. I particularly enjoyed the humorous take on classic fantasy and dungeon tropes.
The atmosphere was a successful blend of humour, quirkiness and, at times, a surprisingly dark tone. It was precisely this contrast that often made the book particularly entertaining. At the same time, however, I sometimes felt that the book couldn’t quite decide which target audience it actually wanted to appeal to. For a children’s book, it seemed too brutal in places; for adult readers, I sometimes felt it lacked a bit more narrative edge.
My biggest criticism was definitely the pacing. After a strong start, the story kept losing momentum for me. Many passages felt unnecessarily long, information and jokes were repeated several times, and the plot dragged on considerably, particularly in the middle section. On top of that, the story changed direction several times - at times it felt like a found family story, then again like a classic hero’s journey, before returning to the ensemble narrative once more. As a result, I felt there was no clear overarching theme, and the ending felt a bit rushed compared to the detailed build-up.
I also found the writing style somewhat inconsistent. Hanrahan’s prose isn’t overly sophisticated and is full of wordplay, which I generally enjoyed. At the same time, I often found Cornelius’s narrative style to be rambling and, at times, repetitive, which repeatedly disrupted the flow of the story.
Overall, I found The Dungeon Book to be an unusual fantasy story with plenty of charming ideas, likeable characters and a brilliant central concept. Unfortunately, the uneven narrative pace, the frequent digressions and some structural weaknesses failed, for me, to match up to the strong moments. I certainly enjoyed reading it, but on the whole the book fell short of my initial impression and my expectations.
I would recommend the novel above all to readers who enjoy humorous fantasy featuring quirky characters, unusual world-building, found family elements and a blend of cosy and dark fantasy. Anyone who also appreciates stories in the style of The Jungle Book, Monty Python, The Princess Bride or classic Dungeons & Dragons adventures, and doesn’t mind a rather leisurely narrative pace, is likely to enjoy this immensely.
Thank you alot Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book early with my honest opinion <3
I approached the book expecting a classic dungeon adventure story full of exploration, danger and curious creatures. The opening in particular delivered exactly that: the world of the dungeon was fascinating, the unusual inhabitants were imaginatively conceived, and Cornelius, the talking skull who serves as the narrator, initially came across as wonderfully quirky and entertaining. Unfortunately, the book couldn’t sustain that feeling for me throughout. Time and again, the plot took turns that didn’t match my expectations or felt somewhat aimless to me. As a result, my reading experience constantly wavered between entertainment and disappointment.
What worked particularly well for me were the characters - at least to some extent. Bait was a likeable protagonist whose development I enjoyed following, and many of the monsters inhabiting the dungeon, particularly the Minotaur and the goblins, added a great deal of charm to the story. Cornelius, on the other hand, was a double-edged sword for me: At first, I liked his dry humour and quirky manner, but as time went on, his long digressions became increasingly tiresome and often sapped the momentum of the actual story.
I also liked the world-building on the whole. The idea of a princess raised by goblins in a dungeon is original and full of creative ideas. The dungeon itself felt alive, mysterious and was full of interesting details. I particularly enjoyed the humorous take on classic fantasy and dungeon tropes.
The atmosphere was a successful blend of humour, quirkiness and, at times, a surprisingly dark tone. It was precisely this contrast that often made the book particularly entertaining. At the same time, however, I sometimes felt that the book couldn’t quite decide which target audience it actually wanted to appeal to. For a children’s book, it seemed too brutal in places; for adult readers, I sometimes felt it lacked a bit more narrative edge.
My biggest criticism was definitely the pacing. After a strong start, the story kept losing momentum for me. Many passages felt unnecessarily long, information and jokes were repeated several times, and the plot dragged on considerably, particularly in the middle section. On top of that, the story changed direction several times - at times it felt like a found family story, then again like a classic hero’s journey, before returning to the ensemble narrative once more. As a result, I felt there was no clear overarching theme, and the ending felt a bit rushed compared to the detailed build-up.
I also found the writing style somewhat inconsistent. Hanrahan’s prose isn’t overly sophisticated and is full of wordplay, which I generally enjoyed. At the same time, I often found Cornelius’s narrative style to be rambling and, at times, repetitive, which repeatedly disrupted the flow of the story.
Overall, I found The Dungeon Book to be an unusual fantasy story with plenty of charming ideas, likeable characters and a brilliant central concept. Unfortunately, the uneven narrative pace, the frequent digressions and some structural weaknesses failed, for me, to match up to the strong moments. I certainly enjoyed reading it, but on the whole the book fell short of my initial impression and my expectations.
I would recommend the novel above all to readers who enjoy humorous fantasy featuring quirky characters, unusual world-building, found family elements and a blend of cosy and dark fantasy. Anyone who also appreciates stories in the style of The Jungle Book, Monty Python, The Princess Bride or classic Dungeons & Dragons adventures, and doesn’t mind a rather leisurely narrative pace, is likely to enjoy this immensely.
Thank you alot Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book early with my honest opinion <3
Read
June 11, 2026The Dungeon Book is a found family story, a coming of age tale, an epic adventure with heartstopping action, and a redemption story, all wrapped up in the most typical of D&D-esque settings- a dungeon (although it doesn’t start in a tavern…)
Imagine me holding my hands in the classic director’s “picture this” pose… the book opens on a shot of a dragon swooping into a castle and snatching a child up out of a cradle, spiriting her away and into the clutches of one bad mother–well, you know. After he does his wizardly, dastardly deed, the evil Master gives the child into the clutches of one of his minions with the instructions to dispose of her in the usual, villainous way. Only the minion doesn’t. Instead, Bait, as she becomes known, is adopted by the strangest found family a fantasy reader can hope for and raised in the Dungeon, becoming one of the things that go bump in the night. Until everything changes, that is, and Bait has to decide who she really is and where she really belongs.
It’s already been established that onions have layers and ogres have layers. Guess what? Dungeons also have layers, and this particular multi-layered dungeon makes for a brilliant backdrop for a standout fantasy. The Dungeon Book made my dungeon-delving, D&D-playing self so very, very happy. The setting is absolutely genius. Nothing is taken for granted by the author, who seems to have enjoyed breathing new and unique life into well-known fantasy creatures. We are treated to ghasts, kobolds, goblins, and quite possibly the only dragon I have ever actively rooted against. I loved seeing new twists on old standbys. There was nothing generalized or run-of-the-mill about either the Dungeon or its denizens. There was just enough familiarity for me to smile in recognition before things went in completely different directions. I was a particular fan of Squinter, because who doesn’t love a beholder with a name like that?
The narrator just happens to be the talking skull of a previous Master of the Dungeon. I loved that, due to being immobile unless carried, kicked, rolled, etc, Cornelius the skull has to fill in some of the blanks in the story with hearsay or his own inference. I love a good unreliable narrator, and while he does his best, an immovable skull is going to fit at least slightly into the unreliable category.
Then there’s Bait herself. If dungeons and ogres have layers, they’re nothing compared to the nuance with which she is written. She is so at odds with herself and so unsure of her place that it is sometimes heartbreaking. Seeing her character grow and mature through the pages of the book (and the eyes of a skull) was wonderful. I became incredibly invested in her story. She’s the sort of character that you really want to see succeed, even when she doesn’t yet know what her success would look like.
And that’s part of what makes The Dungeon Book so special. The characters are works in progress, just like actual people. They all have their quirks, motivations, regrets, and secrets. None of them is a “finished product”; instead, they evolve naturally throughout the course of the book. The fact that half of the characters fall firmly under the Fantastical Creatures category is the icing on the cake. Delightful, monstrous icing.
One last thing I must rave about: the chapters have actual, honest-to-goodness, human-made chapter art! The artist, Edel Ryder-Hanrahan, channeled that classic 80s and 90s epic fantasy feel that I adore so very much.
I loved this book so much! The Dungeon Book is a must-read for dice goblins, epic fantasy lovers, or anyone who wants a found family story unlike any other. You’ll be geeking out from page one and utterly absorbed by page two. Put this book at the very top of your TBR. You’ll thank me.
Thank you to Orbit Books for providing me with a copy of this book. My review is voluntary and my opinions are completely my own.
Imagine me holding my hands in the classic director’s “picture this” pose… the book opens on a shot of a dragon swooping into a castle and snatching a child up out of a cradle, spiriting her away and into the clutches of one bad mother–well, you know. After he does his wizardly, dastardly deed, the evil Master gives the child into the clutches of one of his minions with the instructions to dispose of her in the usual, villainous way. Only the minion doesn’t. Instead, Bait, as she becomes known, is adopted by the strangest found family a fantasy reader can hope for and raised in the Dungeon, becoming one of the things that go bump in the night. Until everything changes, that is, and Bait has to decide who she really is and where she really belongs.
It’s already been established that onions have layers and ogres have layers. Guess what? Dungeons also have layers, and this particular multi-layered dungeon makes for a brilliant backdrop for a standout fantasy. The Dungeon Book made my dungeon-delving, D&D-playing self so very, very happy. The setting is absolutely genius. Nothing is taken for granted by the author, who seems to have enjoyed breathing new and unique life into well-known fantasy creatures. We are treated to ghasts, kobolds, goblins, and quite possibly the only dragon I have ever actively rooted against. I loved seeing new twists on old standbys. There was nothing generalized or run-of-the-mill about either the Dungeon or its denizens. There was just enough familiarity for me to smile in recognition before things went in completely different directions. I was a particular fan of Squinter, because who doesn’t love a beholder with a name like that?
The narrator just happens to be the talking skull of a previous Master of the Dungeon. I loved that, due to being immobile unless carried, kicked, rolled, etc, Cornelius the skull has to fill in some of the blanks in the story with hearsay or his own inference. I love a good unreliable narrator, and while he does his best, an immovable skull is going to fit at least slightly into the unreliable category.
Then there’s Bait herself. If dungeons and ogres have layers, they’re nothing compared to the nuance with which she is written. She is so at odds with herself and so unsure of her place that it is sometimes heartbreaking. Seeing her character grow and mature through the pages of the book (and the eyes of a skull) was wonderful. I became incredibly invested in her story. She’s the sort of character that you really want to see succeed, even when she doesn’t yet know what her success would look like.
And that’s part of what makes The Dungeon Book so special. The characters are works in progress, just like actual people. They all have their quirks, motivations, regrets, and secrets. None of them is a “finished product”; instead, they evolve naturally throughout the course of the book. The fact that half of the characters fall firmly under the Fantastical Creatures category is the icing on the cake. Delightful, monstrous icing.
One last thing I must rave about: the chapters have actual, honest-to-goodness, human-made chapter art! The artist, Edel Ryder-Hanrahan, channeled that classic 80s and 90s epic fantasy feel that I adore so very much.
I loved this book so much! The Dungeon Book is a must-read for dice goblins, epic fantasy lovers, or anyone who wants a found family story unlike any other. You’ll be geeking out from page one and utterly absorbed by page two. Put this book at the very top of your TBR. You’ll thank me.
Thank you to Orbit Books for providing me with a copy of this book. My review is voluntary and my opinions are completely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Jungle Book but make it a classic 80s dark epic fantasy. Charming and wholesome when it sticks with the monsters, but exhausting when it comes to the lore-dumps and information overload.
Narrated by Cornelius the sentient skull, The Dungeon Book tells the story of Bait, a lost princess who was whisked away from her crib by an evil sorcerer’s dragon. Instead of growing up as pampered royalty, she was raised by goblins in the Dungeon, a sprawling labyrinth beneath the sorcerer's tower. All Bait has ever known is the dark cavern halls, her monstrous friends, and the Rules every Dungeon Denizen follows. But as she grows older, so too does her curiosity about the outside world, and the kingdom is still looking to save their lost heir. As Bait ventures outward, and the kingdom’s forces plunder inward, Bait must decide which world she belongs to.
This was pretty fun! It's a solid standalone that loves all things strange and is chock-full of dark, sarcastic humor. I enjoyed the classic feel of the world and the nods to fantasy tropes we all know and love. Even though this book is obviously a new release and I was reading it on my phone, it still felt like one of those hidden gem mass market paperbacks you’d find in a used book store.
The book is at its strongest when it focuses on the Dungeon itself and the found family aspects of its Denizens. I really enjoyed the concept of a feral little girl bringing together a ragtag team of monsters to protect the dungeon they call home. It was weirdly wholesome, and I treasured those moments in the story. It’s hard to explain, but at times this almost felt like an ode to being a girl dad, with the way the narrator and Bait’s many caretakers adored their adopted daughter and supported her as best they could.
Unfortunately, the majority of the story didn’t work that well for me. The narrator’s (or perhaps the author’s) tendency to go on lengthy monologues about the lore of the world made this a dry read. There was a lot of info-dumping about certain towns or kings or history or whatever that wasn't very interesting or relevant. At times, there would be multiple pages in a row of exposition or Cornelius yapping that had me itching to get back to the more engaging story bits. With the writing already having a whimsical fairytale-esque feeling, it made me wonder if this could have worked better as a novella similar to T. Kingfisher’s retellings. Either way, I found the overwrought descriptions to be more tiring than interesting.
I think something else that harmed my enjoyment was the detachment I felt from the characters, particularly Bait. It's tough being stuck with a character if we don't know what's going on in their head. We watch Bait through the years and learn about her from Cornelius’s perspective, but we’re lacking that connection with her thoughts and desires. Plus, Bait is a girl of few words, preferring to only speak in one-word statements such as “No” and “Gloop” so there’s not much we can extrapolate from her dialogue either. As a result, I just didn't connect with her much, and with the monsters mostly playing background supporting roles, I only ended up caring about the standouts like the manticore sisters and the minotaur. Between the pacing and the distance I felt from Bait, this made for a slower and more frustrating read than I'd hoped for.
I’m glad I read this, but ultimately it just wasn’t the right fit for me. As I mentioned above, I think this would be great for someone interested in a modern interpretation of 80s/90s epic fantasies, or anyone looking for some classic tropes like found family, dark lord, coming of age, and mythical creatures.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Narrated by Cornelius the sentient skull, The Dungeon Book tells the story of Bait, a lost princess who was whisked away from her crib by an evil sorcerer’s dragon. Instead of growing up as pampered royalty, she was raised by goblins in the Dungeon, a sprawling labyrinth beneath the sorcerer's tower. All Bait has ever known is the dark cavern halls, her monstrous friends, and the Rules every Dungeon Denizen follows. But as she grows older, so too does her curiosity about the outside world, and the kingdom is still looking to save their lost heir. As Bait ventures outward, and the kingdom’s forces plunder inward, Bait must decide which world she belongs to.
This was pretty fun! It's a solid standalone that loves all things strange and is chock-full of dark, sarcastic humor. I enjoyed the classic feel of the world and the nods to fantasy tropes we all know and love. Even though this book is obviously a new release and I was reading it on my phone, it still felt like one of those hidden gem mass market paperbacks you’d find in a used book store.
The book is at its strongest when it focuses on the Dungeon itself and the found family aspects of its Denizens. I really enjoyed the concept of a feral little girl bringing together a ragtag team of monsters to protect the dungeon they call home. It was weirdly wholesome, and I treasured those moments in the story. It’s hard to explain, but at times this almost felt like an ode to being a girl dad, with the way the narrator and Bait’s many caretakers adored their adopted daughter and supported her as best they could.
Unfortunately, the majority of the story didn’t work that well for me. The narrator’s (or perhaps the author’s) tendency to go on lengthy monologues about the lore of the world made this a dry read. There was a lot of info-dumping about certain towns or kings or history or whatever that wasn't very interesting or relevant. At times, there would be multiple pages in a row of exposition or Cornelius yapping that had me itching to get back to the more engaging story bits. With the writing already having a whimsical fairytale-esque feeling, it made me wonder if this could have worked better as a novella similar to T. Kingfisher’s retellings. Either way, I found the overwrought descriptions to be more tiring than interesting.
I think something else that harmed my enjoyment was the detachment I felt from the characters, particularly Bait. It's tough being stuck with a character if we don't know what's going on in their head. We watch Bait through the years and learn about her from Cornelius’s perspective, but we’re lacking that connection with her thoughts and desires. Plus, Bait is a girl of few words, preferring to only speak in one-word statements such as “No” and “Gloop” so there’s not much we can extrapolate from her dialogue either. As a result, I just didn't connect with her much, and with the monsters mostly playing background supporting roles, I only ended up caring about the standouts like the manticore sisters and the minotaur. Between the pacing and the distance I felt from Bait, this made for a slower and more frustrating read than I'd hoped for.
I’m glad I read this, but ultimately it just wasn’t the right fit for me. As I mentioned above, I think this would be great for someone interested in a modern interpretation of 80s/90s epic fantasies, or anyone looking for some classic tropes like found family, dark lord, coming of age, and mythical creatures.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley and Orbit Books for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.
Witty and kinetic, The Dungeon Book is a fairy tale turned on its head. A princess is stolen by a dragon and a dark wizard as a baby and is raised in exile, far from the rightful inheritance of her kingdom. But nothing goes quite the way the classic tales would lead us to expect—the stolen princess, named Bait by the goblins who raise her, grows wild and free in the dungeon she comes to call home. The brave knight sent to rescue her does become her protector—but by nurturing and teaching her where she's planted rather than by bringing her back home. And the evil wizard that started it all proved to be less a grand mastermind and more a mediocre conman, always scrambling to keep his plans from collapsing around him.
The core of the appeal in this book is Bait herself. She is headstrong and confident, but also observant, resourceful, and even patient at times. (For fans of the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, she reminds me a lot of Lift!) The book strikes a wonderful balance between the confidence and belonging she feels within the dungeon, and the wariness she has about the outside world. Ultimately, this is a book about how we as we grow up, we must continually ask the question: Where is home? Where do we belong? Bait longs for easy answers to these questions, and when the world won't give them to her she finds a way to carve out her own path. When the world won't give her a home, she finds a way to make one for herself.
Bait is supported by a delightful cast. First and foremost is Cornelius, a former con-man-turned-one-time-Master-of-the-Dungeon, who died and is now a talking skull. He narrates the book, and his voice suffuses the book with a background level of humor that elevates the whole experience. We also have Cornelius mentors Bait alongside Sir Pelinor, a former knight-turned-Minotaur by the dungeon's twisted magics. The broader cast of minor characters, from a protective gargoyle to friendly village boy to a combative castle cook, all have a unique voice that makes them entertaining elements throughout the story.
If the book has one weakness, it is that it kind of stumbles in the home stretch. The climax is exciting and gripping, but the main characters have very little agency in how it goes down. It feels a little bit like the blocks that are set up all fall down on their own, and the main characters are there to witness it more than to do anything about it. I found this a little disappointing.
That said, I do like where the ending of the book lands, so it doesn't drag down my overall rating of the book too much. I would especially recommend it to readers who enjoyed Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir.
4/5 stars
Witty and kinetic, The Dungeon Book is a fairy tale turned on its head. A princess is stolen by a dragon and a dark wizard as a baby and is raised in exile, far from the rightful inheritance of her kingdom. But nothing goes quite the way the classic tales would lead us to expect—the stolen princess, named Bait by the goblins who raise her, grows wild and free in the dungeon she comes to call home. The brave knight sent to rescue her does become her protector—but by nurturing and teaching her where she's planted rather than by bringing her back home. And the evil wizard that started it all proved to be less a grand mastermind and more a mediocre conman, always scrambling to keep his plans from collapsing around him.
The core of the appeal in this book is Bait herself. She is headstrong and confident, but also observant, resourceful, and even patient at times. (For fans of the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson, she reminds me a lot of Lift!) The book strikes a wonderful balance between the confidence and belonging she feels within the dungeon, and the wariness she has about the outside world. Ultimately, this is a book about how we as we grow up, we must continually ask the question: Where is home? Where do we belong? Bait longs for easy answers to these questions, and when the world won't give them to her she finds a way to carve out her own path. When the world won't give her a home, she finds a way to make one for herself.
Bait is supported by a delightful cast. First and foremost is Cornelius, a former con-man-turned-one-time-Master-of-the-Dungeon, who died and is now a talking skull. He narrates the book, and his voice suffuses the book with a background level of humor that elevates the whole experience. We also have Cornelius mentors Bait alongside Sir Pelinor, a former knight-turned-Minotaur by the dungeon's twisted magics. The broader cast of minor characters, from a protective gargoyle to friendly village boy to a combative castle cook, all have a unique voice that makes them entertaining elements throughout the story.
If the book has one weakness, it is that it kind of stumbles in the home stretch. The climax is exciting and gripping, but the main characters have very little agency in how it goes down. It feels a little bit like the blocks that are set up all fall down on their own, and the main characters are there to witness it more than to do anything about it. I found this a little disappointing.
That said, I do like where the ending of the book lands, so it doesn't drag down my overall rating of the book too much. I would especially recommend it to readers who enjoyed Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir.
4/5 stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A big thank you to Orbit Books for the e-Arc via NetGalley! The following is my honest review:
How to rate one of the most bizarre books I've ever had the pleasure of reading? The Dungeon Book is... wonderfully peculiar, and certainly not what I was expecting. Within its pages the theater of the absurd meets the macabre in a meandering story, full of digressions that, as the friendly neighborhood Minotaur points out, are 'Irrelevant!' It's a book that subverts expectations at every turn, with a Princess raised by monstrous creatures in a dungeon, surviving the darkness on a diet of sentient corridor slime, not a silver spoon or a gown in sight. This hero's journey is actually that of a heroine, and it doesn't begin in a picturesque Shire or castle, but in the depths of a sprawling dungeon, its supposedly monstrous inhabitants actually unfailingly caring and protective.
The tone of the story highlights these playful subversions, presented from the point of view of Cornelius, a disembodied skull, whose narration is wry, cynical, wildly unreliable, and often very funny. I loved the initial chapters- reading with a smile on my face, immediately drawn in by the whimsy and humor of the narrator's recounting. Unfortunately, that enjoyment dissipated as the story went on due to its pacing. The narration is full of tangents, personal asides, generally irrelevant commentary, and stories within the story, making it hard to parse actual plot from tangential details. The plot meandered and rambled in a way that no amount of quirkiness could counteract. For me, the slow pacing hugely overshadowed the enjoyable aspects of the book.
For the best reading experience, set your expectations. This was not the epic story I was anticipating, reminding me more of Waiting For Godot than its fantasy counterparts. The Dungeon Book is not a tale of action and adventure. In fact, it subverts the genre so successfully that, more than anything, it's a cosy read. Imagine that for such a title! There's a lot here to enjoy and this will likely work well for fans of highly character driven stories, cosy fantasy, and found family dynamics.
Early reviews draw comparisons to The Jungle Book, given the child-raised-away-from-humans element of the story, but I think a more apt comparison is not a book, but a movie. The Dungeon Book, for me, is very reminiscent of Monty Python & The Holy Grail: irreverent, bizarre, and... what the heck just happened?
I just wish I'd enjoyed the whole book as much as I enjoyed the first few chapters.
How to rate one of the most bizarre books I've ever had the pleasure of reading? The Dungeon Book is... wonderfully peculiar, and certainly not what I was expecting. Within its pages the theater of the absurd meets the macabre in a meandering story, full of digressions that, as the friendly neighborhood Minotaur points out, are 'Irrelevant!' It's a book that subverts expectations at every turn, with a Princess raised by monstrous creatures in a dungeon, surviving the darkness on a diet of sentient corridor slime, not a silver spoon or a gown in sight. This hero's journey is actually that of a heroine, and it doesn't begin in a picturesque Shire or castle, but in the depths of a sprawling dungeon, its supposedly monstrous inhabitants actually unfailingly caring and protective.
The tone of the story highlights these playful subversions, presented from the point of view of Cornelius, a disembodied skull, whose narration is wry, cynical, wildly unreliable, and often very funny. I loved the initial chapters- reading with a smile on my face, immediately drawn in by the whimsy and humor of the narrator's recounting. Unfortunately, that enjoyment dissipated as the story went on due to its pacing. The narration is full of tangents, personal asides, generally irrelevant commentary, and stories within the story, making it hard to parse actual plot from tangential details. The plot meandered and rambled in a way that no amount of quirkiness could counteract. For me, the slow pacing hugely overshadowed the enjoyable aspects of the book.
For the best reading experience, set your expectations. This was not the epic story I was anticipating, reminding me more of Waiting For Godot than its fantasy counterparts. The Dungeon Book is not a tale of action and adventure. In fact, it subverts the genre so successfully that, more than anything, it's a cosy read. Imagine that for such a title! There's a lot here to enjoy and this will likely work well for fans of highly character driven stories, cosy fantasy, and found family dynamics.
Early reviews draw comparisons to The Jungle Book, given the child-raised-away-from-humans element of the story, but I think a more apt comparison is not a book, but a movie. The Dungeon Book, for me, is very reminiscent of Monty Python & The Holy Grail: irreverent, bizarre, and... what the heck just happened?
I just wish I'd enjoyed the whole book as much as I enjoyed the first few chapters.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
A lot of people were excited about this book and that put it on my radar. When I read the premise it was giving me a bit of a Terry Pratchett vibe which made me want to read it right away. The Dungeon Book is set in the Underhalls, a magical dungeon full of magical creatures, loot and danger, and also one small child. One of the dungeon’s denizens, a cruel mean dragon, stole a princess from her castle and brought her back to the dungeon for the Master of the Dungeon. The dragon was promised the sweet meat of the child once the sorcerer was done with her but instead the dungeon’s guardian gargoyle decides to save the child by putting her in the tomes with Cornelius the Skull. The child, Bait, grows up in the dungeon and becomes one of its denizens but her past will eventually catch up with her.
This book is told from the perspective of Cornelius the Skull, who is the ex-dungeon master and is not really dead but has lost his body and become a talking skull. It is written like a compilation of perspectives that Cornelius has gotten about Bait’s story and so at times you wonder how trustworthy of a narrator he could possibly be. I did enjoy the character work in this book. There are a lot of the expected evil and good characters you might see in a classic fantasy but there are also a lot of grey characters. Cornelius is an obviously flawed character and he has his moments of evil, weakness and also greatness. I think Bait’s character was slightly lacking at times. She came off as just a savage wild character, and she is also not very vocal so I feel like her thoughts and feelings get a bit lost in the story. This could also just be a natural effect of the format the book is written in but for me the plausibility of the ending seemed unlikely because of this missing piece. Ultimately, I liked the pacing of the story and the plot was good for it so I was not too bothered about one of the main characters being a bit flatter than I would like.
I am going to recommend this book to people who enjoy more of the classic style of fantasy. It has almost a cosy feeling despite the high stakes for many of the characters. I also just really liked the storytelling of Cornelius the Skull and loved the idea of a talking skull being the narrator. Especially when he is narrating things he hasn’t even witnessed himself. How does that guy see anyway? Extra bonus: It’s a standalone! Those are hard to come by these days. Anyways, I rated this book a 4 out of 5.
This book is told from the perspective of Cornelius the Skull, who is the ex-dungeon master and is not really dead but has lost his body and become a talking skull. It is written like a compilation of perspectives that Cornelius has gotten about Bait’s story and so at times you wonder how trustworthy of a narrator he could possibly be. I did enjoy the character work in this book. There are a lot of the expected evil and good characters you might see in a classic fantasy but there are also a lot of grey characters. Cornelius is an obviously flawed character and he has his moments of evil, weakness and also greatness. I think Bait’s character was slightly lacking at times. She came off as just a savage wild character, and she is also not very vocal so I feel like her thoughts and feelings get a bit lost in the story. This could also just be a natural effect of the format the book is written in but for me the plausibility of the ending seemed unlikely because of this missing piece. Ultimately, I liked the pacing of the story and the plot was good for it so I was not too bothered about one of the main characters being a bit flatter than I would like.
I am going to recommend this book to people who enjoy more of the classic style of fantasy. It has almost a cosy feeling despite the high stakes for many of the characters. I also just really liked the storytelling of Cornelius the Skull and loved the idea of a talking skull being the narrator. Especially when he is narrating things he hasn’t even witnessed himself. How does that guy see anyway? Extra bonus: It’s a standalone! Those are hard to come by these days. Anyways, I rated this book a 4 out of 5.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Non capita spesso di fare il tifo per i mostri invece che per gli eroi, ma questo libro ci riesce con una naturalezza sorprendente.
Sto parlando di The Dungeon Book, fantasy epico standalone di Gareth Hanrahan, autore già noto per The Gutter Prayer e per la saga Lands of the Firstborn. Qui però lascia da parte i toni più cupi e ci regala qualcosa di diverso: un romanzo autoconclusivo, raccontato dal punto di vista (letteralmente) del dungeon stesso.
La protagonista è Bait, rapita da un drago quando era ancora molto piccola e consegnata ai mostruosi abitanti del dungeon che per sua fortuna, decidono di non mangiarla: crescerà così nell'oscurità, con i goblin come famiglia adottiva, un minotauro vendicativo come protettore, un teschio senziente come tutore, e una melma di corridoio come principale fonte di nutrimento. Ma il dungeon labirintico, con le sue sale infestate e le sue magie dimenticate, attira cacciatori di tesori e quando il mondo esterno inizia a intromettersi, Bait dovrà capire cosa significhi davvero essere "mostruosa"...
A raccontarci tutto questo è Cornelius, il teschio di un precedente Signore del Dungeon. Ed è una scelta narrativa che ho adorato: essendo immobile a meno che qualcuno non lo trasporti, calci o faccia rotolare, Cornelius deve colmare i vuoti della storia con supposizioni e sentito dire, il che lo rende un narratore inaffidabile quanto basta per tenere alta l'attenzione e dare alla narrazione un pizzico di ironica. Divaga, va fuori tema, mette moltissima personalità in ogni pagina...l'ho adorato!
Il worldbuilding è probabilmente il punto più forte del romanzo. Il dungeon non fa solo da sfondo ma è quasi un personaggio attivo a tutti gli effetti che nonostante riesca da dare sempre un senso di avventura ha un'atmosfera stranamente...accogliente! Sale infestate, templi sepolti, magie dimenticate: è ricchissimo e originale, sicuramente l'aspetto più bello e riuscito!
Sul fronte della caratterizzazione, Bait è scritta molto bene e mi èpiaciuta molto. é sempre in conflitto con se stessa, incerta del proprio posto nel mondo e alla ricerca della sua identità. La vediamo crescere e maturare pagina dopo pagina e lo stesso vale per il resto del cast: i personaggi, mostri compresi hanno manie, motivazioni, rimpianti e segreti. Tutti evolvono nel corso della storia e questo è un altro aspetto per me molto riuscito.
Le tematiche anche sono ben gestite e non manca un sottile umorismo (ma anche momenti più "toccanti"). Abbiamo la found family, il capire chi sia davvero il "mostro" della storia, Il libro ribalta di continuo le aspettative tipiche del fantasy. Infatti si fa il tifo per i mostri, si spera che gli avventurieri se ne stiano a casa loro, e si scopre che la crudeltà, spesso, è più umana che "mostruosa".
Quello che mi ha convinta meno è il ritmo. La storia fatica a ingranare, e in alcuni tratti centrali la lettura si trascina e indugia più del necessario su alcune cose. Sicuramente se cercate un libro molto incentrato sull'azione e meno "contemplativo" non ve lo consiglierei.
📌 Consigliato a chi ama: found family tra creature fantastiche, narratori non convenzionali (e un po' inaffidabili), dungeon crawl visti dalla parte "sbagliata", storie di crescita che non hanno fretta di arrivare al punto.
Grazie ancora a Netgalley e alla casa editrice per l' e-ARC
Sto parlando di The Dungeon Book, fantasy epico standalone di Gareth Hanrahan, autore già noto per The Gutter Prayer e per la saga Lands of the Firstborn. Qui però lascia da parte i toni più cupi e ci regala qualcosa di diverso: un romanzo autoconclusivo, raccontato dal punto di vista (letteralmente) del dungeon stesso.
La protagonista è Bait, rapita da un drago quando era ancora molto piccola e consegnata ai mostruosi abitanti del dungeon che per sua fortuna, decidono di non mangiarla: crescerà così nell'oscurità, con i goblin come famiglia adottiva, un minotauro vendicativo come protettore, un teschio senziente come tutore, e una melma di corridoio come principale fonte di nutrimento. Ma il dungeon labirintico, con le sue sale infestate e le sue magie dimenticate, attira cacciatori di tesori e quando il mondo esterno inizia a intromettersi, Bait dovrà capire cosa significhi davvero essere "mostruosa"...
A raccontarci tutto questo è Cornelius, il teschio di un precedente Signore del Dungeon. Ed è una scelta narrativa che ho adorato: essendo immobile a meno che qualcuno non lo trasporti, calci o faccia rotolare, Cornelius deve colmare i vuoti della storia con supposizioni e sentito dire, il che lo rende un narratore inaffidabile quanto basta per tenere alta l'attenzione e dare alla narrazione un pizzico di ironica. Divaga, va fuori tema, mette moltissima personalità in ogni pagina...l'ho adorato!
Il worldbuilding è probabilmente il punto più forte del romanzo. Il dungeon non fa solo da sfondo ma è quasi un personaggio attivo a tutti gli effetti che nonostante riesca da dare sempre un senso di avventura ha un'atmosfera stranamente...accogliente! Sale infestate, templi sepolti, magie dimenticate: è ricchissimo e originale, sicuramente l'aspetto più bello e riuscito!
Sul fronte della caratterizzazione, Bait è scritta molto bene e mi èpiaciuta molto. é sempre in conflitto con se stessa, incerta del proprio posto nel mondo e alla ricerca della sua identità. La vediamo crescere e maturare pagina dopo pagina e lo stesso vale per il resto del cast: i personaggi, mostri compresi hanno manie, motivazioni, rimpianti e segreti. Tutti evolvono nel corso della storia e questo è un altro aspetto per me molto riuscito.
Le tematiche anche sono ben gestite e non manca un sottile umorismo (ma anche momenti più "toccanti"). Abbiamo la found family, il capire chi sia davvero il "mostro" della storia, Il libro ribalta di continuo le aspettative tipiche del fantasy. Infatti si fa il tifo per i mostri, si spera che gli avventurieri se ne stiano a casa loro, e si scopre che la crudeltà, spesso, è più umana che "mostruosa".
Quello che mi ha convinta meno è il ritmo. La storia fatica a ingranare, e in alcuni tratti centrali la lettura si trascina e indugia più del necessario su alcune cose. Sicuramente se cercate un libro molto incentrato sull'azione e meno "contemplativo" non ve lo consiglierei.
📌 Consigliato a chi ama: found family tra creature fantastiche, narratori non convenzionali (e un po' inaffidabili), dungeon crawl visti dalla parte "sbagliata", storie di crescita che non hanno fretta di arrivare al punto.
Grazie ancora a Netgalley e alla casa editrice per l' e-ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Orbit UK and Gareth Hanrahan for the ARC of The Dungeon Book.
What an unexpected delight this was. It's like you've been dropped into Labrinth and a D&D campaign all at the same time and it was wonderful. A story with so much heart and warmth, that makes you sympathise with those who are supposed to be the villains.
The Dungeon Book, a standalone fantasy, tells the story of human Bait, who finds herself living amongst the monsters and creatures of The Dungeon, after being kidnapped by a dragon as a toddler. She grows up with goblins, befriends tutor Cornelius the Skull (who tells the story) and is protected by a knight-turned-minotaur. I would say this is more cosy fantasy than epic fantasy, as it is really about found family, finding yourself and wondering where you are supposed to belong, than high-stages quests or adventures.
The writing in this is truly what makes it special. Cornelius is a brilliant narrator. Funny, witty, sharp. He retells the story of Bait, but of course was not present for every event, and so has to fill in the blanks with hearsay or what he was told happened. I laughed out loud so many times, at his witty, sarcastic commentary. An oustanding character! The characterisation as a whole is also very good. Bait is a beautiful character, who acts and matures believably, and Hanrahan characterises every monster in the dungeon so well that you worry about them, feel sympathy for them and are rooting for them to win and do well the entire time.
The worldbuilding is also something spectacular. It's unique and special, and every ounce of the dungeon has been thought out and executed so very well. It's a living, breathing, character in its own right and felt so vivid and real. I could see every part of the place. I do wish there was perhaps a map in the book to help visualise the different layers and floors, but appreciate that this is an uncorrected proof and there may be one in the actual published book. Not that it detracts from the book in any way, but I did find myself getting lost with the different locations and lairs etc.
All in all, this is a wonderful, well-written fantasy that explores identity, family and belonging. It's humerous, heartwarming and emotional and left me wishing I could peer into the dungeon and meet the multitude of characters Hanrahan has created. A fantasy with an enormous heart, one that you will absolutely fall in love with,
Thank you NetGalley, Orbit UK and Gareth Hanrahan for the ARC of The Dungeon Book.
What an unexpected delight this was. It's like you've been dropped into Labrinth and a D&D campaign all at the same time and it was wonderful. A story with so much heart and warmth, that makes you sympathise with those who are supposed to be the villains.
The Dungeon Book, a standalone fantasy, tells the story of human Bait, who finds herself living amongst the monsters and creatures of The Dungeon, after being kidnapped by a dragon as a toddler. She grows up with goblins, befriends tutor Cornelius the Skull (who tells the story) and is protected by a knight-turned-minotaur. I would say this is more cosy fantasy than epic fantasy, as it is really about found family, finding yourself and wondering where you are supposed to belong, than high-stages quests or adventures.
The writing in this is truly what makes it special. Cornelius is a brilliant narrator. Funny, witty, sharp. He retells the story of Bait, but of course was not present for every event, and so has to fill in the blanks with hearsay or what he was told happened. I laughed out loud so many times, at his witty, sarcastic commentary. An oustanding character! The characterisation as a whole is also very good. Bait is a beautiful character, who acts and matures believably, and Hanrahan characterises every monster in the dungeon so well that you worry about them, feel sympathy for them and are rooting for them to win and do well the entire time.
The worldbuilding is also something spectacular. It's unique and special, and every ounce of the dungeon has been thought out and executed so very well. It's a living, breathing, character in its own right and felt so vivid and real. I could see every part of the place. I do wish there was perhaps a map in the book to help visualise the different layers and floors, but appreciate that this is an uncorrected proof and there may be one in the actual published book. Not that it detracts from the book in any way, but I did find myself getting lost with the different locations and lairs etc.
All in all, this is a wonderful, well-written fantasy that explores identity, family and belonging. It's humerous, heartwarming and emotional and left me wishing I could peer into the dungeon and meet the multitude of characters Hanrahan has created. A fantasy with an enormous heart, one that you will absolutely fall in love with,
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
If you love D&D and delving through dungeons and are fascinated by the monsters lurking down there, or if you're a big Delicious in Dungeon/Dungeon Meshi fan, this is definitely the book for you. Bait, our protagonist, was kidnapped as a baby from her royal parents and brought down into the dungeon to be devoured by a dragon. Fortunately for her, a kind-hearted gargoyle intervened, and she was instead delivered to goblins to be raised a dungeon denizen. Bait is one of my favorite kinds of protagonists: feral and stubborn and vicious and loyal to a fault. She loves the dungeon that she grew up in, she thinks of it as home while the human world is terrifying and full of unspoken rules that she doesn't understand, and she very much resents the dragon of the dungeon waking up again and trying to drive her out while eating her. She's also torn between the quest her protector knight-turned-minotaur set upon her to return to her father the king and reclaim her rightful place as princess since she wants to please him but at the same time, this is very much not a place that she feels like she belongs.
Besides Bait, the book is filled with other intriguing characters, like Cornelius the talking skull and former Master of the Dungeon, Ser Pelinore, the knight-turned-minotaur, Neb, the human village boy that Bait befriends, Gloop, Bait's loyal slime companion, and . The setting is a character itself, with so many twists and turns of the various rooms of the dungeon as Bait delves deeper and maps it out in her book, and you will come to love it as much as Bait by the climax of the book.
I will say that the one thing that I thought could be improved on in this book is that the pacing at the end was a bit too fast. .
Still, this is a wonderful, funny, moving celebration of dungeons and its monsters (more human sometimes than the humans) and everyone should definitely check it out!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
If you love D&D and delving through dungeons and are fascinated by the monsters lurking down there, or if you're a big Delicious in Dungeon/Dungeon Meshi fan, this is definitely the book for you. Bait, our protagonist, was kidnapped as a baby from her royal parents and brought down into the dungeon to be devoured by a dragon. Fortunately for her, a kind-hearted gargoyle intervened, and she was instead delivered to goblins to be raised a dungeon denizen. Bait is one of my favorite kinds of protagonists: feral and stubborn and vicious and loyal to a fault. She loves the dungeon that she grew up in, she thinks of it as home while the human world is terrifying and full of unspoken rules that she doesn't understand, and she very much resents the dragon of the dungeon waking up again and trying to drive her out while eating her. She's also torn between the quest her protector knight-turned-minotaur set upon her to return to her father the king and reclaim her rightful place as princess since she wants to please him but at the same time, this is very much not a place that she feels like she belongs.
Besides Bait, the book is filled with other intriguing characters, like Cornelius the talking skull and former Master of the Dungeon, Ser Pelinore, the knight-turned-minotaur, Neb, the human village boy that Bait befriends, Gloop, Bait's loyal slime companion, and . The setting is a character itself, with so many twists and turns of the various rooms of the dungeon as Bait delves deeper and maps it out in her book, and you will come to love it as much as Bait by the climax of the book.
I will say that the one thing that I thought could be improved on in this book is that the pacing at the end was a bit too fast. .
Still, this is a wonderful, funny, moving celebration of dungeons and its monsters (more human sometimes than the humans) and everyone should definitely check it out!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is one of those books that makes me hate having to give a star rating. Overall, The Dungeon Book wasn’t for me, but I by no means thought it was a bad book. It was funny; it was entertaining, and the characters were quirky and so lovable. The main character is an absolute gremlin that you can’t help but adore. Unfortunately, I was having such a hard time with the long chapters. As much as I did enjoy the adventure, there wasn’t enough high stakes to keep me entertained through the long chapters. I strongly believe that if the chapters were broken up a little bit more, I would have devoured this story in a day or two. With the chapters being on the longer side, and because it is a bit of a slower story, I was struggling to pick it up, and then when I did, I had to get back into the story.
Let me get into why I enjoyed this story and talk a little bit about the adorable Bait. Stolen from her cot by a nasty dragon when she was just a baby, the goblins of said dragon's dungeon welcomed her as their own, despite a few who weren’t on board with this decision. So, instead of growing up as a princess, she grew up in the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower alongside the goblins and various other grotesque creatures. She ate like a goblin, slept like a globin, and explored the dungeon better than a goblin; basically, she was an honorary goblin. She was one of my favourite characters; she had a lot of personality, and it was a joy to follow along with her journey.
She grew up in the dark with a vengeful minotaur as her protector, a sentient skull, my second favourite character, her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime as her main source of nutrition. They were quite the spectacular group, providing a great deal of entertainment. After years of living in the dungeon, Bait’s adventure takes a turn, and she’s forced to set out on a journey back to her father despite not wanting to go at all. The outside world is a lot different from the world of the dungeon. Despite the new adventures Bait travels on, she meets a lot of different people, but she stays true to her character the entirety of the story, and I loved that. I do recommend this read, but if you are a short-chapter girlie like me, be prepared.
Let me get into why I enjoyed this story and talk a little bit about the adorable Bait. Stolen from her cot by a nasty dragon when she was just a baby, the goblins of said dragon's dungeon welcomed her as their own, despite a few who weren’t on board with this decision. So, instead of growing up as a princess, she grew up in the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower alongside the goblins and various other grotesque creatures. She ate like a goblin, slept like a globin, and explored the dungeon better than a goblin; basically, she was an honorary goblin. She was one of my favourite characters; she had a lot of personality, and it was a joy to follow along with her journey.
She grew up in the dark with a vengeful minotaur as her protector, a sentient skull, my second favourite character, her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime as her main source of nutrition. They were quite the spectacular group, providing a great deal of entertainment. After years of living in the dungeon, Bait’s adventure takes a turn, and she’s forced to set out on a journey back to her father despite not wanting to go at all. The outside world is a lot different from the world of the dungeon. Despite the new adventures Bait travels on, she meets a lot of different people, but she stays true to her character the entirety of the story, and I loved that. I do recommend this read, but if you are a short-chapter girlie like me, be prepared.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have two ratings for The Dungeon Book, as an Adult going into this book being presented as a SciFi/Fantasy Adult book, I am landing at about 3 Stars. Now, if this book was being presented as a Children's book for young readers, then I would rate it 5 Stars.
I strongly feel this is a children's story, for young children. Not that any one of any age wouldn't or may not enjoy it. But, knowing a grade or age level does help a reader determine if the book is in their interest and if it's a potential good match for what they want to read. It also helps in keeping expectations within a certain threshold.
I thought I was going to get something within the realm of "The Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff" but make it quirky. However, it instead felt in the realm of numerous Disney films and whatnot, that popped up on tv for me as a child.
There is a lot of adventure and fantastic themes that would be very impressionable to very young minds. I could see myself in 2nd or 3rd grade finding a lot of excitement in this story if it existed back then. There are themes of Good Vs. Evil, Good Prevails, Moral Compasses, Bravery, Cowardice, Befriending Foes, Forgiveness, Adapting, Love, Trust, Loyalty, etc....that I think are great for younger readers to experience and learn from, or at least be inspired to think on and carry with them throughout their childhood.
The Dungeon Book is a cozy, low stakes fantasy that I expected more from a presenting Adult Fantasy tale. It was a mild adventure that I truly think has a lot of great messages. I personally kept waiting for Bait (MC) to age up eventually and for things to start getting Rated-R violent, twisty, and gruesome...but, it remained wholesome and by the end the MC was still just a young girl...it wasn't confirmed (or I simply did not catch it) but I think she was only 13, possibly 14 by the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a digital advanced reading copy!
I strongly feel this is a children's story, for young children. Not that any one of any age wouldn't or may not enjoy it. But, knowing a grade or age level does help a reader determine if the book is in their interest and if it's a potential good match for what they want to read. It also helps in keeping expectations within a certain threshold.
I thought I was going to get something within the realm of "The Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff" but make it quirky. However, it instead felt in the realm of numerous Disney films and whatnot, that popped up on tv for me as a child.
There is a lot of adventure and fantastic themes that would be very impressionable to very young minds. I could see myself in 2nd or 3rd grade finding a lot of excitement in this story if it existed back then. There are themes of Good Vs. Evil, Good Prevails, Moral Compasses, Bravery, Cowardice, Befriending Foes, Forgiveness, Adapting, Love, Trust, Loyalty, etc....that I think are great for younger readers to experience and learn from, or at least be inspired to think on and carry with them throughout their childhood.
The Dungeon Book is a cozy, low stakes fantasy that I expected more from a presenting Adult Fantasy tale. It was a mild adventure that I truly think has a lot of great messages. I personally kept waiting for Bait (MC) to age up eventually and for things to start getting Rated-R violent, twisty, and gruesome...but, it remained wholesome and by the end the MC was still just a young girl...it wasn't confirmed (or I simply did not catch it) but I think she was only 13, possibly 14 by the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a digital advanced reading copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What an excellent, entertaining novel overall! Hopefully, others will discover this novel and realize what a gem it is. This is the kind of novel parents need to buy and read to their children at bedtime. It has the potential to be a bedtime classic. I want to thank Orbit and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The novel is inspired by the Jungle Book and Dungeons and Dragons. It is a standalone fantasy novel A baby princess, who will be known as Bait later, is kidnapped by a dragon, Nithscalpa. The dragon takes the princess to the Master of the Dungeon, Orphir. Orphir, a wizard, agrees that the dragon can eat the princess, after he is done with her. This satisfies the dragon because he is angry with losing an eye by the queen before the dragon killed the queen. Once Orphir is done with the princess, he asks his gargoyle to return the princess to the dragon. But the gargoyle, refuses and the dragon becomes angry. But like all dragons, it is time for the dragon to slumber. The gargoyle consults with Cornelius, the narrator of the story, who is now just an enchanted skull because there can only be one Master of the Dungeon. They decide that the princess should be given to the goblins, where it is possible they will not eat her right away.
So begins the story of Bait as she learns how to survive in a Dungeon full of monsters. Some of the denizens will come to protect her, while there are others that would rather eat her or once the dragon wakes return her to the dragon.
What a unique narrator, an enchanted skull. Cornelius brings plenty of humor through puns that he reminds the reader he is just a skull, retelling the story of Bait. Other denizens of the Dungeon also bring some comic relief like the goblins that take Bait in and raise her in the Dungeon.
The ending is heartfelt and is satisfying to make this a gem of a novel. I hope other readers will enjoy this novel as much as I did.
This is the fourth book I’ve read from this author. He is slowly becoming one of those must read authors. I look forward to his next novel.
The novel is inspired by the Jungle Book and Dungeons and Dragons. It is a standalone fantasy novel A baby princess, who will be known as Bait later, is kidnapped by a dragon, Nithscalpa. The dragon takes the princess to the Master of the Dungeon, Orphir. Orphir, a wizard, agrees that the dragon can eat the princess, after he is done with her. This satisfies the dragon because he is angry with losing an eye by the queen before the dragon killed the queen. Once Orphir is done with the princess, he asks his gargoyle to return the princess to the dragon. But the gargoyle, refuses and the dragon becomes angry. But like all dragons, it is time for the dragon to slumber. The gargoyle consults with Cornelius, the narrator of the story, who is now just an enchanted skull because there can only be one Master of the Dungeon. They decide that the princess should be given to the goblins, where it is possible they will not eat her right away.
So begins the story of Bait as she learns how to survive in a Dungeon full of monsters. Some of the denizens will come to protect her, while there are others that would rather eat her or once the dragon wakes return her to the dragon.
What a unique narrator, an enchanted skull. Cornelius brings plenty of humor through puns that he reminds the reader he is just a skull, retelling the story of Bait. Other denizens of the Dungeon also bring some comic relief like the goblins that take Bait in and raise her in the Dungeon.
The ending is heartfelt and is satisfying to make this a gem of a novel. I hope other readers will enjoy this novel as much as I did.
This is the fourth book I’ve read from this author. He is slowly becoming one of those must read authors. I look forward to his next novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A human princess is stolen by a dragon when she is an infant on behalf of the dungeon master, and ends up being claimed by the goblins living in the Dungeon. They name her Bait, and she makes excellent bait whenever the goblins make a trap. She grows up a denizen of the Dungeon, living by its rules, the only human there. Until a new denizen turns out to know where she came from, and makes her promise to go find her father in the outside world...
After reading and enjoying The Gutter Prayer years ago, I was excited to see the author was publishing another novel, that it was Dungeons and Dragons inspired. I was not disappointed! The cast of characters was excellent: the book is narrated by Cornelius the skull (Bait's tutor) and features all the monsters you'd expect in something called The Dungeon Book. There are goblins, kobolds, wraiths, manticores, a Minotaur, and my personal favourite: Baits unexpected 'animal sidekick' Goop - a slime. And just because they're monsters doesn't mean they're evil - they're friends! It's human adventurers, on the other hand, that show up in their Dungeon indiscriminately killing everyone and breaking all its rules.
I really enjoyed seeing the inside workings of a dungeon - having a DnD session full of monster slaying halfway through made an interesting contrast. The world building felt original: what if the Dungeon is real and set in a medieval fantasy type world which generates all the adventurers? And then what if a human infant gets raised in it?
Aside from the general weirdness and violence that comes with LitRPG, it's a coming of age story about a very odd girl trying to decide who she is and where she belongs - as told by an exceedingly cynical skull who used to be a wizard. I can't say much more without spoilering a lot I'm afraid. If you're a fan of RPGs, this one's for you!
Many thanks to the publisher for letting me read an ARC or this via Netgalley - as always, my opinions are my own.
After reading and enjoying The Gutter Prayer years ago, I was excited to see the author was publishing another novel, that it was Dungeons and Dragons inspired. I was not disappointed! The cast of characters was excellent: the book is narrated by Cornelius the skull (Bait's tutor) and features all the monsters you'd expect in something called The Dungeon Book. There are goblins, kobolds, wraiths, manticores, a Minotaur, and my personal favourite: Baits unexpected 'animal sidekick' Goop - a slime. And just because they're monsters doesn't mean they're evil - they're friends! It's human adventurers, on the other hand, that show up in their Dungeon indiscriminately killing everyone and breaking all its rules.
I really enjoyed seeing the inside workings of a dungeon - having a DnD session full of monster slaying halfway through made an interesting contrast. The world building felt original: what if the Dungeon is real and set in a medieval fantasy type world which generates all the adventurers? And then what if a human infant gets raised in it?
Aside from the general weirdness and violence that comes with LitRPG, it's a coming of age story about a very odd girl trying to decide who she is and where she belongs - as told by an exceedingly cynical skull who used to be a wizard. I can't say much more without spoilering a lot I'm afraid. If you're a fan of RPGs, this one's for you!
Many thanks to the publisher for letting me read an ARC or this via Netgalley - as always, my opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for this ARC ❤️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I did not expect to fall this hard for a book narrated by a talking skull.
*The Dungeon Book* takes the premise everyone in fantasy loves to riff on, monsters as the heroes, adventurers as the threat, and actually builds a full, aching story out of it instead of stopping at the joke. Bait doesn't remember life before the dungeon. A dragon stole her from her cot as a baby, and instead of becoming dinner, she became family. Goblins raised her. A minotaur guards her. A slime feeds her. And Cornelius, the wry, unreliable skull who narrates the whole thing, taught her everything else.
What makes this book sing is that none of these characters read like set dressing for a punchline. They're messy and evolving and full of regrets, goblins included. Hanrahan clearly loves these creatures too much to let them stay simple, and that affection is contagious. You root for the dungeon. You dread every adventurer who comes crawling down those stairs with a sword and a quest log.
The tone threads a needle I didn't think was possible. It's genuinely funny, laugh out loud in places, but it never undercuts the real stakes underneath. Bait's slow reckoning with what she is and where she belongs hits harder than I expected from a book this playful. This is nostalgia fantasy done right, evoking that old-school sense of wonder without ever feeling dated.
And I have to mention the chapter art. Hand-illustrated, styled straight out of 80s and 90s fantasy paperbacks. It's a small touch that makes the whole reading experience feel like a treasure you found rather than a book you bought.
This is the kind of story that reminds you why you fell in love with fantasy in the first place. Funny, tender, strange, and impossible not to love. Can't wait for the audiobook!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I did not expect to fall this hard for a book narrated by a talking skull.
*The Dungeon Book* takes the premise everyone in fantasy loves to riff on, monsters as the heroes, adventurers as the threat, and actually builds a full, aching story out of it instead of stopping at the joke. Bait doesn't remember life before the dungeon. A dragon stole her from her cot as a baby, and instead of becoming dinner, she became family. Goblins raised her. A minotaur guards her. A slime feeds her. And Cornelius, the wry, unreliable skull who narrates the whole thing, taught her everything else.
What makes this book sing is that none of these characters read like set dressing for a punchline. They're messy and evolving and full of regrets, goblins included. Hanrahan clearly loves these creatures too much to let them stay simple, and that affection is contagious. You root for the dungeon. You dread every adventurer who comes crawling down those stairs with a sword and a quest log.
The tone threads a needle I didn't think was possible. It's genuinely funny, laugh out loud in places, but it never undercuts the real stakes underneath. Bait's slow reckoning with what she is and where she belongs hits harder than I expected from a book this playful. This is nostalgia fantasy done right, evoking that old-school sense of wonder without ever feeling dated.
And I have to mention the chapter art. Hand-illustrated, styled straight out of 80s and 90s fantasy paperbacks. It's a small touch that makes the whole reading experience feel like a treasure you found rather than a book you bought.
This is the kind of story that reminds you why you fell in love with fantasy in the first place. Funny, tender, strange, and impossible not to love. Can't wait for the audiobook!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars, rounded up ⭐️
“Now this is the Rule of the Dungeon, writ many levels deep. Those who abide here must know it, for this is the Rule they shall keep. All who dwell in the darkness, all those who shelter in stone, All creatures are bound by this statute, so long as the Dungeon’s their home.”
While The Dungeon Book is definitely not a children’s book, it has the feeling of a strange, slightly darker fairy tale. I kept thinking of The Jungle Book—a human child raised by another species, growing up in a world that isn’t technically hers and eventually having to figure out where she belongs.
I loved watching Bait grow up, find her courage, and develop her own sense of right and wrong. Her unconventional family and community were easily one of my favorite parts of the story, and I became surprisingly attached to the dungeon’s various inhabitants. Goblins, a talking skull, manticores, a minotaur, sentient slime… apparently this is all it takes for me to get emotionally invested.
I especially loved that the dungeon itself became a character rather than simply serving as the setting. It had its own personality, history, and place in Bait’s story.
The book also does a great job of turning traditional fantasy perspectives on their head. Instead of focusing on the human adventurers as our heroes, we find ourselves rooting for the “monsters”. It’s a clever shift that made the story feel fresh without losing the fun of classic fantasy.
There were some unexpected twists, and we ultimately ended up somewhere I didn’t expect. Overall, this was a really enjoyable coming-of-age story with an unconventional family, plenty of wit, and a genuinely refreshing take on fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the denizens of the Dungeon.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Gareth Hanrahan for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
“Now this is the Rule of the Dungeon, writ many levels deep. Those who abide here must know it, for this is the Rule they shall keep. All who dwell in the darkness, all those who shelter in stone, All creatures are bound by this statute, so long as the Dungeon’s their home.”
While The Dungeon Book is definitely not a children’s book, it has the feeling of a strange, slightly darker fairy tale. I kept thinking of The Jungle Book—a human child raised by another species, growing up in a world that isn’t technically hers and eventually having to figure out where she belongs.
I loved watching Bait grow up, find her courage, and develop her own sense of right and wrong. Her unconventional family and community were easily one of my favorite parts of the story, and I became surprisingly attached to the dungeon’s various inhabitants. Goblins, a talking skull, manticores, a minotaur, sentient slime… apparently this is all it takes for me to get emotionally invested.
I especially loved that the dungeon itself became a character rather than simply serving as the setting. It had its own personality, history, and place in Bait’s story.
The book also does a great job of turning traditional fantasy perspectives on their head. Instead of focusing on the human adventurers as our heroes, we find ourselves rooting for the “monsters”. It’s a clever shift that made the story feel fresh without losing the fun of classic fantasy.
There were some unexpected twists, and we ultimately ended up somewhere I didn’t expect. Overall, this was a really enjoyable coming-of-age story with an unconventional family, plenty of wit, and a genuinely refreshing take on fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the denizens of the Dungeon.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Gareth Hanrahan for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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