Wondrous

by Travis M. Riddle

Miles went to sleep tucked tightly in bed in his Austin apartment and woke up in the middle of a damp, dark forest in the kingdom of Rompu, a land being torn apart by a civil war between its king and queen. Miles has few companions in this vast kingdom, which is filled with fantastical animals and flora yet sprinkled with familiar items like digital clocks and vinyl records. As he searches for a way to return home, he discovers that certain memories trigger magical he can shoot fireballs from his palms, heal with nothing but a touch, and more. But as he struggles to make sense of this new world, his thoughts are punctuated by painful memories of his sick grandmother, quarreling parents, and an icy school therapist. When Miles learns that a monstrous entity flying through the countryside and killing for sport was summoned from a portal to another realm, he believes this creature is the key to learning how to open another rift and return home. Tracking down this beast and mastering his newfound magical abilities may be the only way for Miles to help save Rompu and get back to his family in Texas.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Ebooks, Magic

390 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 2017

About the author

TRAVIS M. RIDDLE lives with his girlfriend in Austin, TX, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University. His work has been published in award-winning literary journal the Sorin Oak Review. His novels "Flesh Eater," "On Lavender Tides," and "Spit & Song" were all semi-finalists in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO.

Reviews

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another SPFBO4 contestant.

I received a copy from the author. Thank you, Travis M. Riddle.

Wondrous is a wondrous little book with a peculiar and interesting young protagonist, Miles.

Nine-year-old Miles has just gone to bed when suddenly he finds himself in the middle of the woods in the kingdom of Rompu.

The author is extremely skilled at developing a very relatable young boy who worries about germs (which killed his grandmother in Texas) and suffers because of his parents' failing relationship.

The writing is straightforward and appropriate for any young reader.

The world building is imaginative and the story entertaining, though there were some slow moments. Travis M. Riddle weaves two stories together that mirror each other. One is the unfolding action in the fantasy world and the other memories from Miles' life in Texas.

I thought the way coming to terms with some unpleasant things he experienced in the real world helped him succeed in the fantasy world, while at the same time his experience in the fantasy world helped him come to terms with his life in Texas made the book a very interesting read.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys portal fantasy and a classic coming of age story with a very young protagonist.

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through TBRindr. This is the second book that I have read by the author (Travis M. Riddle) this month, after enjoying Balam, Spring. Like its shelf mate, Wondrous has been entered into this year’s SPFBO and as of the writing of this review is still in the running.

Nine-year-old Miles has just gone to bed one night when he suddenly and inexplicably finds himself in the middle of some woods in the kingdom of Rompu. He is quickly caught by some guards who are a human-scorpion hybrid creature. They believe Miles is a spy (having never seen a human before) and lock him up in their camp in a cell with another creature, this one (Mortimer) with human and froglike features. They are able to escape and flee from their captors, eventually becoming friends, and they travel back to Mortimer’s home. Unfortunately there is a war going on, and Miles offers to help.

We quickly discover that Miles is a very troubled boy. He is a paranoid germ-ophobe, afraid that he will come in contact with the germs that are killing his grandmother back in Austin, Texas. We also learn that Miles’ parents’ relationship is very strained and is heading toward a divorce. We also find out, in this world, Miles apparently has some emerging magical abilities.

After reading Balam, Spring, I was very hopeful that I would like this book just as much, and there were parts that were certainly well done. The variety of creatures that Miles encounters are very well done, and are fairly easy to connect with. And, much like Balam, the world-building in Wondrous is given a careful touch. Countless passages describe the disgusting swamps, the incessant rain, and the baking sun, not to mention the variety of foods indigenous to this world. It was very creative and rich in detail.

I don’t doubt that some people will love this story, Unfortunately I struggled through it.

Probably the biggest problem for me was that it somewhat triggered emotions that weren’t always good. Much like Miles, my parents divorced when I was nine, and while this boy’s situation was not very similar to mine (both his parents tried to talk to him about the divorce while no one talked to me and it took me years to overcome – don’t worry, I’m fine now) it brought back old feelings from my own childhood. I think for me it was almost too realistically portrayed (so I guess I should applaud the author for that), but it was a hard book for me to read.

On a more practical note, this book did a lot of shifting between his fantasy world and memories from his life in Austin with his parents, often from one paragraph to the next. The result was, I believe, meant to craft two storylines that are travelling in parallel to each other, but for me came across as too jarring and abrupt. Perhaps using two distinct fonts, one for each world, would have helped? For me, I had to often go back and re-read passages to figure out what or who was being described.

I am sure many will like this book, and I hope many will give this book a chance. I am glad that I read it, and I am grateful for Travis sending it to me.

I honestly would have given a 3/5 for the Austin parts, and a 4/5 to the fantasy storyline. That would average to a 3.5/5 for this book.

[Calvin Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t typically go for portal fantasy outside of the classics like Narnia or The Neverending Story. But Travis M. Riddle’s Wondrous is a modern portal fantasy that put me very much in mind of those greats from years past. It’s an edgier story that deals with emotions from broken relationships. The main character, Miles, is relatable and I found myself aching for his situation at multiple points.

Like most portal fantasy, Wondrous takes us to a strange land filled with stranger creatures. There are half people half scorpion things, as well as bulbous, green people. And falcon-people. There are a lot of people in Wondrous that feel like something out of a nine year old’s dreams. This is far from a criticism, however, since Miles is a nine year old who is dealing with some difficult stuff at home. Riddle excels at writing that brings out the strangeness of the word. He also excels at writing stories that sort of stick with you and make you think. While I was reading Wondrous there were times when I just had to set the book down for a moment and process. Not because there was a lot of action taking place, but because I needed a moment to sort through the emotions.

I do have two criticisms of the book. The first is that the pacing sometimes felt a little slow. A few times I found myself wondering what end Miles was working toward, exactly. Happily these times weren’t frequent, but they did happen. I think tighter pacing would have served the story well. The second criticism is that Miles sometimes seemed a bit mature for a nine year old, or to have knowledge that he seemed unlikely to have. Perhaps the book wasn’t meant to be a strictly third person limited perspective, but it felt like it. Yet at times Miles knows the geography of this strange land he is in, or other bits of information that he either shouldn’t know because the world is new to him or seemed unlikely to know or understand because of his age. I think keeping a tighter third person limited perspective would have really helped this book to stand out.

In any case, Wondrous is an entertaining read. If you’re looking for something that puts you in mind of some classic portal fantasy, but with a modern edgier ambience, than this book is for you. It also does a wonderful job of making you care for Miles. This young boy and his personal demons are what really makes this book shine. 3.7/5 stars.

5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – I liked it, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who grew up on Alice In Wonderland, Narnia and Bruce Coville, Wondrous seemed like it would be a slam dunk for me, and while it didn't end up being a favorite, it was a fun read nonetheless.

Pros

Miles (our main character) is the glue that holds this story together. He's experienced a lot for a 9 year old, his parents are fighting all the time, his grandma just died, and now he's a prisoner in another world. But despite all of that, Miles tries his hardest to be friendly, understanding, and considerate of those around him (even when those around him are throwing him in cages and getting mad at him for being hungry).

Travis M Riddle also did a good job with the secondary characters. Miles has his trusty dog like buddy Clint (named after Clint Eastwood), who is impossible not to like, and his surrogate father figure Mortimer, who had such a unique character description that I was immediately intrigued.

"Now that he was closer, Miles was struck by how frog-like the creature the others referred to as "Rompun" appeared. He was much taller and fatter than Miles, his skin a grimy shade of green that glistened with fallen rain drops. His head was round and shiny, and his lower jaw jutted out in an impressive underbite. His nose was flat, with wide nostrils. The eyes were large and amphibious, a dirty yellow color with a black slit slicing vertically down the middle."

Another pro of Wondrous is the classic (and not so classic) coming of age style story we get with Miles. He has a lot of issues with emotion, and doesn't like being around strong emotions or feeling them, which was incredibly easy to identify with. What was not so classic about this story was the magic system. Miles is able to do elemental type magic (fire, water, earth and healing), but the magic only works when he is feeling certain strong emotions (which is very difficult for obvious reasons). This means that the only way that he can control his magic is by understanding his own emotions, and the easiest way to do that is by reliving stressful memories. In the end, that's what Wondrous ends up being about. It isn't about a unique fantasy world, it's about a scared, confused little kid that finds the strength to face his fears and soldier on despite his parents upcoming divorce and his Grandma's death.

Cons

The biggest issue for me with this book is that I felt like it could've been a good 50-100 pages shorter. I really enjoy it when I can imagine for myself the details of the world or that world's history, but Mr. Riddle doesn't really give me a chance to do that. Every little thing is described in detail, which as an adult is kind of annoying, but if I were younger, in the middle reader group that this book is intended for, it might not have bothered me. The incredibly descriptive writing almost made the book flow more like a movie script than a novel for me, which depending on your preference, might not be a bad thing.

Conclusion

This book surprised me on a lot of levels, I was expecting way more fantasy, and got more of a coming age type story instead, which isn't a bad thing, but definitely threw me for a loop at first. Overall this book was a fast, enjoyable read, that tackles a lot of difficult to talk about topics in a very relate able way, but ended up not being much more than a 3 star rating for me. But if you're looking for a fun, kid friendly story with minimal, non graphic violence and no sex or swearing, this book might well be a 4 or 5 star read.

(Slightly condensed, full review can be found on my blog http://bookstocombattherain.blogspot....)

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whole lot of fun to read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Pros:
Interesting how the author combined the backstory of his parents and grandmother whilst also remaining in the current storyline.

There was a pattern of what had happened with his parents corresponding with what was currently happening to the main character Miles which made me enjoy the book further.

The secondary characters were given the right amount of detail and provided comedic timing when it was needed most - my favourites being Clint and Kricket.

The book also deals well with life problems that would otherwise be difficult to explain to younger audiences, like death, grief and parental divorce.

Cons:
Was a bit let down by the ending, would like to have seen what really happened when he got home, for example, had he been missing or maybe passed out?

Overall a great read and perfect for younger audiences, will now be passing on the book to my younger cousin.

[The Library Ladies · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Originally reviewed at thelibraryladies.com.)

I received an ARC for this book from the author, and after checking out the plot synopsis, it sounded like a book that might be up my alley! I always love an “other world” story where our hero is plopped down with as much confusion as we the readers have, and I was intrigued by the idea of the protagonist being such a young boy.

The story doesn’t waste any time getting started. I was a bit concerned after reading the first chapter and having Miles so suddenly transported to this new land with very little explanation for how/why he was transported and no backstory to support the reader’s interest in Miles story. While I still wish there had been a bit more set up to Miles’ trip to this new world, I was pleased to discover the clever way the author provided this backstory and connected Miles’ real life problems to his own burgeoning powers in this new world.

The magic system was rather simple, but the way Riddle connected the use of the power to Miles’ memories of his home life and the emotions that these memories inspired was an interesting take. I appreciated the inclusion of these aspects of Miles’ life. It would have been all too easy to simply write a fun, adventurous romp for this character. But instead, through Miles, Riddle addresses many aspects of childhood that are challenging, such as parental conflict, the death of aged relatives, and struggles with school.

I wavered back and forth with regards to my opinion of Miles himself. In many ways, he was a very likeable, young boy. But at other times, perhaps realistically, he came off as a spoiled brat and it became hard to understand the patience with which the adult beings in this new world had for him when they were in the midst of a very trying war. My other struggle with Miles was his age. Nine years old is very young, and at times it was hard to buy-in to Miles’ inner voice and thought process that sometimes verged into what felt like an older child’s range, perhaps 12 or so. Ultimately, I still did enjoy Miles when I could get past these few distractions.

As for these side character, they also had varying mileage. The species we meet are creative, but there were a few stylistic choices that sat oddly, like a frog-like species called Rompun speaking French. But these choices may work better for young readers.

Speaking of young readers, some of these concerns, simple world-building, a lack of depth to certain narrative choices like Miles trip to this land and the relationships between the different species that make up this world, could be explained by the target audience of this book. Though it isn’t explicitly stated anywhere in the book description, I’m guessing that this book is aimed towards middle grade readers. In this case, some of these choices make more sense (in particular, in the end there were a few rather implausible, narrow escapes for our supporting cast) if Riddle was wanting to keep the tone of the book more light. However, I would also suggest that middle grade fiction should still be held to a similar high standard with regards to some of these choices. It is possible to add depth to a fantasy world and create positive, but more believable, outcomes to dangerous situations that is still approachable to middle grade readers.

All in all, I had a fun time reading this book, but feel that it is an example of middle grade fiction that might be received better by its intended age range, rather than adult readers. If you have a middle grader who likes escapists fantasy, this might be the book for them!

[Chiqui · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 2.5

A bit of background here: aside from Young Adult books, I also adore Middle Grade ones because I feel that Middle Grade books are either fun as all hell, or hold a lot of universal truths that we might have forgotten as adults, and in such an emotional, hard-hitting way. So is it really weird that most of the books I cried over and that have stayed with me are middle grade books?

Thus, when the author approached me to read and review his book, I was immediately enchanted by the mechanic of Miles' magic. I've never encountered a book with magic that's tied to memories, and I believed there was so much potential (and heartbreak) to be had and explored with. I was excited and prepared to dive into this book, tissues and all.

[image error]

I'm pleased to say that there were difficult issues addressed in this book. Miles, before getting teleported to the strange, fantasy world, had been struggling with his parent's upcoming divorce. And to top it all off, his grandmother just died. It's easy for me to get all emotional over deaths of grandmothers--and yes, I bawled my eyes out during Moana. I had been very close to my grandmother and when she died, I felt that little something inside me disappear as well, and I can definitely relate to anyone who's lost a beloved grandparent. So one of my favorite heartbreaking moments of the books, unsurprisingly, were the ones wherein Miles had to confront his memories of his grandmother despite how scared and sad it made him.

I also liked the way the flashbacks were written in. In some instances I got a bit confused at the transitions, but those were rare and mostly the flashbacks melded seamlessly with the present scenes. I imagine it like in a movie or game, wherein the protagonist is walking and then suddenly they encounter an event that's oddly similar to something in the past, and then it flashbacks to said event in the past. That Miles' memories were the key to his magic was an interesting concept too, and I liked how each emotion elicited by certain memories were the key to what type of element Miles could create.



Miles also has mysophobia, which intrigued me because how would a little boy struggle through a journey through a fantasy world with his phobia? The first few chapters detailing his feelings about his fear was well-done, I think, and I was rooting for him to win and return home.

The first act was strong; it dove right into the action and introduced us to the fantasy world that Miles had been thrust into. I liked the first friendly character Miles came across, Mortimer, a frog-like humanoid with a cheery and caring attitude and who, for some reason, spoke French. When they escape from the encampment they were held in and journey back to Mortimer's home, I'm introduced to an aspect of Mortimer's life that was utterly heartbreaking and probably one of my favorite moments in the book. It seemed like the novel was heading in the right direction and that I'd learn more about the characters and love them all by the time I reach the end of Miles' story.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.

After the first few promising chapters, the story began to meander a bit. Miles gets to I-forgot-what-the-hell-that-place-was-even-called, he meets Mortimer's wife, he goes to training and then by the time he gets kidnapped I wanted to throw my Kindle away because at least that would have been mildly entertaining. The initial excitement I had for the book had dwindled, and scenes like the one where Miles tries to escape and gets caught again anyway just confused me because why add that scene if it did nothing to progress the novel? I didn't gain any new information about Miles' character, the other characters, or the plot. Same goes for many conversations, especially after the kidnapping. They were just there.



Aside from those many scenes and conversations that are just there, Miles' narration was dragging. He would narrate what he's going to do in his mind, why he thinks doing so would be best, why he thinks the other strategies won't work, and only then will he finally go out and do it, which I found boring and repetitive. Take note, a lot of these were in action scenes. Action scenes that I skipped over.

By around 3/4 of the book I was skimming. I wasn't enjoying myself anymore and I just wanted to get it over with.

Now I have a confession to make: I can forgive glaring plotholes, weak world-building, and meandering scenes if I love the characters. I've read numerous books to the end and enjoyed them because of the life the characters gave to it. In fact my favorite novel, Les Miserables, is notorious for going in tangents because man did Victor Hugo love to rant for chapters and chapters about France's social issues. But I stayed with it because I adored the characters, especially the lovestruck, Imma-be-a-rebel-but-really-I'm-just-a-dork, Bonapartist-speech-ranter Marius Pontmercy.



But there wasn't any more to Miles or Mortimer, or any other character for that matter, and I felt disappointed with the lack of multi-dimensional characters. It's not even the case of "but it's a middle-grade book", because a lot of middle-grade books I've read had multi-dimensional characters. To name a few: The Percy Jackson series, A Monster Calls, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like rooting for Miles and the only times I felt a mild connection with him was when he was having his flashbacks. He did grow, though, in that he confronted his feelings about his parents and the death of his grandmother, but I felt that there could have been more to it than that.

I felt that the book could have done more emotionally. The potential to delve deeper into Miles' thoughts and feelings was there but, except in some instances, it fell short. I suppose it's because I couldn't connect to the writing itself. There are ways certain authors weave the right words that even a simple sentence or two can gut me. I was yearning for lines such as, “Open your heart. Someone will come. Someone will come for you. But first you must open your heart.” That line is from The Mysterious Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo and to this day is one of my favorite quotes found in a middle-grade book. Unfortunately, if asked for a quote from Wondrous, I'm afraid I couldn't give any.



By the end I still hadn't gotten my explanation as to why Miles had been thrown into a fantasy world in the first place. I also thought the monster from another world was something more profound than just "some creature from another world" and I had been looking forward to what it symbolized or what it was in relation to Miles, since they were both not from the fantasy world after all. When I was reading the last few chapters I convinced myself that the creature was a physical manifestation of Miles' inner pain and suffering, the "monster" he's been carrying ever since his grandmother died and his parents got a divorce, and to get back to his world he must defeat this demon and come to terms with his feelings. That didn't happen, though, and it disappointed me to find out that the creature was just some random creature from another world and nothing more than that.

Most importantly, Miles' mysophobia just disappeared all of a sudden just because he kept getting exposed to dirt and germs, I guess? I don't have mysophobia so I can't speak on behalf of those who do have it, and I've read that desensitization is one of the treatments prescribed to help people with mysophobia. But is it possible without a trained therapist guiding Miles? I'm not sure, admittedly, so if anyone has insight on to how they struggle with mysophobia please do comment down below and let me know, and only if you want to, of course!

Overall: Great Ideas & Strong Start, but Mediocre Conclusion.

This book isn't even close to the worst indie book I've read. I actually think the writing was okay, despite the lack of any memorable quotes, and that it had a strong, solid beginning. The magic system was one of the more unique ones I've read and it had a lot of potential, and I did like some scenes from Miles' memories. But the characters weren't anything special and the book felt several chapters too long. That, and the ending that just fell flat, is why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I expected and wanted to.

Disclaimer: The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at YA Lit Reads!

[Brooke Leith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s rare to read a book where you so strongly want to see how it ends, while at the same time, wanting to read slowly so you don’t have to ever stop reading. I remember feeling this way the first times I read the Harry Potter books — such an internal struggle comes with reading a book that exciting. That’s how I felt about “Wondrous” by Travis M. Riddle. I was thoroughly impressed at the excitement and depth in this middle grade fantasy novel, a genre that can so easily hide safely on the surface.

To me, “Wondrous,” Riddle’s first novel, was like a combination of “Eragon” by Christopher Paolini and Pixar’s 2015 film “Inside Out.” Like the protagonist of Paolini’s young adult fantasy novel, Miles from “Wondrous” finds himself thrust into a magical world, suddenly given powers that he is unequipped to deal with physically and mentally. After somehow traveling to a magical world called Rompu, Miles realizes he has the ability to control the elements and even heal the wounded.

The intriguing part about these newfound powers, while they are truly intriguing on their own, is their connection to Miles’ fragile emotional state, which bears the comparison to “Inside Out.” In the Disney movie, Riley’s home life feels uncertain and unstable and she has to learn to deal with the mature emotions that she’s feeling for the first time. This same idea was apparent in “Wondrous,” as Miles too has an uncertain home life. His parents have recently divorced and he has been hit with feelings that he’s never before felt. His initial reaction has been to shut these feelings out. Now in Rompu, when he has to harness these feelings, along with painful memories of death and divorce, Miles has to face the feelings head on.

Through his experience surviving in the magical world, Miles has to learn the power of his past and that adversity is only worth the pain if we embrace it, rather than hide from it. This is a vital lesson for young adults to learn, as so many of us pretend that all is right with the world, even when it’s anything but.

Before these deeper themes came to light, what intrigued me most about “Wondrous” was the vivid detail. Riddle had a clear vision of his universe in his mind and he brings his readers into it from the very beginning. In fact, when I visited my sister’s 7th grade English class recently, she was teaching a lesson about imagery in writing. I volunteered to read this excerpt of “Wondrous” to her students:

“It seemed the only thing Rompuns ate for breakfast, as far as Miles could tell, was scrambled eggs with chopped green bell peppers and a spicy blue sauce mixed in. He didn’t like the sauce at first, but he was growing accustomed to it as he ate more meals there. Rompuns doused most of their food in it.

After breakfast, Jaselle would depart to work with the queen, leaving behind a spare key in case Miles decided to go exploring.

He never strayed too far from the palace doors; there was a small enclosure a short distance down a trail that he usually visited and occupied all day. It had two iron benches and a fountain with a statue of a chubby fish built in the middle of a pond that was filled with the glowing pink blobs he had seen in the water before.

…

On her lunch break one day, Jaselle stopped by and explained to Miles that the pink blobs were actually called forn. They were tiny, gelatinous animals that lived exclusively in the Jesieu Marshes. Rompuns often ate forn as snacks, which was a fact Miles had learned when Jaselle snatched one straight out of the murky pond and casually tossed it in her mouth.

…

The pond was surrounded by smooth, crystalline stones with a blue sheen. Miles would often take one of the rocks and throw it as far as he could, grinning halfheartedly as Clint chased after it. The maylan would trot back to the pond, rock in mouth, and drop it into the pond rather than return it to Miles. They both enjoyed the plop! of it hitting the water.”

I knew it was the perfect book to share with them, especially when it came to descriptive writing, because of the picture that was painted in my head throughout the entire book. There was no detail left undescribed; no moment where I couldn’t see exactly what Riddle had dreamt up.

An action story at heart, “Wondrous” kept me on the edge of my seat on many occasions. Whether Miles is experiencing a sort of panic attack, where he’s switching between memories of the past and the present, unable to tell where reality ends and fantasy begins, or if he’s on the practice field, honing his craft while preparing for the final battle, Riddle has a gift for describing action scenes. He knows how to strike the balance between chaos and clarity.

And lastly, the characters. I finished the book wanting to give Miles a big ole high five for everything he’d been through. I wanted to jump up and give Mortimer, Miles’ large trusty guide and support system, a bear hug. I wanted to scoop up Clint, the dog-like creature that adopted Miles and helped him cope, and give him all the pats and head scratches he could want. The characters were fun and relatable. They grounded the story while it traveled to new heights.

I absolutely loved this debut novel from new author Travis M. Riddle. It was a blast to read. It was just compelling enough to express the fragility of the human emotional system and the importance it has on making you a stronger person, and just simple enough to have a truly good time reading. Bravo!

[Saffron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will try not to spoil! But it probably won’t work so I’m gonna press that spoilers button anyway.

Okay now, where to begin.
I have read some other reviews and agree with criticisms, while disagreeing with others as my own opinions of the novel will show later on. It is definitely child-friendly, yes and it is certainly easy to read. Of course, that isn’t always a bad thing. As I truly believe the saying that “easy reading is damned hard writing” and I find that, even when I try to write myself, that I get carried away and suddenly plots become thin and confusing. This definitely doesn’t happen in this novel, which I actually think is quite impressive when it is constantly jumping between different moments in time.

I think, if anything, the fact that the third person narration is mostly omniscient (not fully since it is through protagonist Miles’ perspective a lot of the time) it can be limiting. By that, I mean that, we are almost looking through the eyes and perspectives of the child. While that can be interesting, I think it can prevent further exploration of this great, new, expansive world that is built within the novel. Also, kudos for coming up with original species names and things like that ( I cannot do it for the life of me).

Im gonna use a quote now- yay. As Susan Sontag once said: “the writing must strike a nerve in me” and I think this is a hard “must” to deliver on with everyone’s different opinions and experiences. Especially if the novel is a personal one too, which honestly, I think all the best novels are on some level. However, this book did strike a nerve in me and I thought it was very powerful at points. The fantasy world created in ‘Wondrous’, is not so distant from its mirrored reality. Everything it stands for is a metaphor for the protagonist, Miles’, past. The way Miles learns to utilise the memories of his troubled past to make him stronger in the present, I think, is a really lovely idea. A nice way of describing how a nine-year-old boy might be able to work through problems that, perhaps, nine-year-olds shouldn’t have to deal with. For me, it is slightly reminiscent of an idea in Jim Henson’s ‘Labyrinth’, which may be one of the reason why this resonates with me so much. It’s where a supposed “fantasy” world can be used to develop and fix our problems. And is maybe, just maybe, not even such a “fantasy” after all. As a child always living in a bit of a fantasy, I always loved that idea. And I still love it now. The ending of this book has a similar feel to it and makes a powerful conclusion to Miles’ turbulent situation. Take, for example, when Miles is at his weakest and wants to give up on everything. He remembers his mother and how she shares the same emotions that he has. With that, they seem to combine their strengths, showing the reader and Miles himself, that he is not-and never really was-fighting this emotional battle alone. He has the strength to stand up against his monster(s) and say: “you have no power over me!” And, man, that just made me really emotional.
This similar feeling manages to pass throughout the whole novel however, as the magical powers are linked to his memories and, as a reader, you find a really wonderful metaphor for how Miles comes to really learn how to understand and use all of his confusing emotions as he practices magic. I just think it’s a great message to portray, and it is portrayed thoughtfully and creatively.


Hopefully that wasn’t too babbly and mostly understandable. I really think you should give this book a chance.

Oh-nearly forgot- (hah more spoilers whoops) that little bit at the end where the Veratt leaves in a different coloured portal to the one it enters WHICH seems to have the same colours as the one Miles leaves in to go home is rather interesting. Or am I reading too much into it?

[Sage Knightly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wondrous is an adventure full of friendship, loyalty, magic, and righting wrongs. In this novel, we follow nine-year-old Miles as he wakes up in a whole new and strange world full of creatures he had never before heard of. Miles eventually learns that he holds power, a spectacular and dangerous power, that makes him the only one capable of defeating the horrible monster that is attacking and destroying everything in it's path. This is his journey to harnessing that power and using it to defeat the bad in the world.

The premise of this novel drew me in. Who wouldn't want to read about a young boy trying to survive in a strange new world where everything and everyone is unknown and dangerous? I found his urge to get home mesmerizing, as his home life was difficult and painful for him. His love for his family shone strongly throughout the novel, and it was evident how much he missed them when he became close with a couple who had recently lost their son similar in age to Miles. I also found the species and their history to be engaging. They were all once united, until the King made a mistake that cost them everything. Miles has a chance to make it right and unite them again, but can he do it?

Miles, though he is only nine, is rather very mature and busies himself with details of the war and reading in his spare time away from training. What keeps you from forgetting he is nine is his fear of germs, since his grandma died of them. He cries, finds the simplicity in most things, and he does complain, but he also sees things others may have missed, and he is determined and strong. Miles knows what's what, and he does everything he can to help defeat the monster.

One thing I found myself struggling with was the transitions between flashbacks and present tense. I found myself having to re-read paragraphs multiple times just to discern where a flashback began and ended. It would change so suddenly I would find myself wondering what happened, which led to re-reading some lines. Other than the transitioning however, I really enjoyed the flashbacks and how they intertwined with Miles' powers. I was also shocked by the amount of violence and how descriptive it was, as I assumed it wouldn't be delved into too much since the main character was a young child. However, I enjoyed the dark, gritty details we were given and couldn't have asked for better!

Overall, Wondrous is an engaging, entertaining adventure you won't want to miss! It's rich in unity and war, and can teach us all a lesson or two for sure.

*A huge thanks to the author for allowing me to read an early copy!

[Tawallah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Wondrous is a portal fantasy with a nine year old protagonist Miles who is transported one night to Rompu, a kingdom divided in loyalty to either the queen (Rompuans) or king(Skyr- scorpion-man hybrid). In this secondary world there are fantastical beings which seem more suggestive of a middle grade fantasy novel. In this world Miles develops certain skills which become vital to the resolution of this civil war. Please try not to read too much of the synopsis as it has a few spoilers.

This seems to be a debut novel for the author and it shows. The use of flashbacks throughout the novel is jarring and makes initial reading confusing initially. I had to slow down and pay careful attention. However, once I settled into this style of writing it was easy for me to understand the reason for the format. Especially as the flashbacks continue throughout the entire novel. Another rookie error was that author had quite a bit of repetition which often slowed the pacing of the story and often didn't add much to the plot. With better editing this could have been a better reading experience. And due to repetition the story dragged in parts. Placing a bit more of the secondary world in terms of conflict between the Skyr and Rompuans as well as other features of Ruhig would have boosted the enjoyment and wonder of this novel.

As a portal fantasy, the author chose to deal with grief and loss as his major themes. To his credit, it is either well-researched or he is quite familiar with this topic. And this is where this novel shines. As you delve deeper into the events which occur to Miles as well as Rompu, the author provides a healthy framework for understanding grief and anxiety on both a personal and relational aspect. If it had less gruesome scenes it would have been a great middle grade fantasy novel to recommend. I also enjoy that the author noted certain plot device weakness and dealt with them logically.

Overall this novel challenged my views on Ya and middle grade as well as confronting mental health challenges in children. Using the format of the portal fantasy as a means to resolve and not escape reality makes me wonder why more authors are not using this format, especially for children.

[Eliza ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Full review pending.
Wondrous was an interesting book. The author definitely had a unique imagination, coming up with some interesting characters and the world that they lived in. I was very into the book at the beginning, I liked how the readers almost jumped right into a world without explaination or an idea why Miles was supposed to be there. However on a larger scale, up to even the end of the book, I was left with a lot of questions. Miles narrative got a bit annoying at times and I had to remind myself that he was just 9 years old. Yet for a 9 year old, I felt that he spoke far older than his age.

The story was interesting and has a lot of potiental. I personally feel that it just got lost in a lot of explaination and narrative without actually explaining why Miles was there, what this world is that he ended up in, or even why he has powers?

Between the flashbacks and what was actually happening, I was left confused. My own conclusion of the story was that maybe between the stress of his parents fighting and Miles own sadness, this world he was in, was a figment of his imagination. One that he found himself lost in because he him was lost and scared in real life. Facing his fears, sadness, anger and the reality of his parents fighting as he fought to find a way back "home", as he longed to go back home.

All in all, the story had a rather special touch to it. The writing was okay, the idea was creative and the magic was quite unique. Some chapters just felt a little too long. The characters and ending just felt a little flat. And I admit, I didn't end up liking it as much as I expected to after reading the summary. But practise only makes perfect, and there is a creative and imaginative person writing behind the story so that's a plus!

[Melodie Ferrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun story and a good introduction to fantasy! I saw a review of this book that said that there “really wasn’t a dull moment”, and I must say that I agree! This book was always exciting; I was never really bored, and there were so many things where I was interested in knowing how they would play out in the end. Even during scenes that would seem like small things, such as characters having a conversation or eating, it contributes to the story. While this book takes place in a fantasy world, it’s not very complicated to understand, because you’re learning about the world at the same time that Miles (the protagonist) is. While there are fantasy creatures and some magic, it’s not too complicated and it’s described well. I think that the author describes things well, but doesn’t go overboard with descriptions. He describes something and then goes on with the rest of the story. The food descriptions, especially, are very nice. If a moment is slow in the book, that slowness doesn’t last for long, and even the slow parts are interesting and a contribution to the plot.
Another reason why I think this book is a good introduction to fantasy is that it’s a standalone. It’s only 300-something pages and it’s not, like, the first book in a 10-book (and going) series with books that are 500 pages each. So it shouldn’t feel so intimidating. However, if you’re ready for something like that from the same author, it is available. Well, not with 10 books, but one series with three and another with six.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was entertaining, funny, I cared about the characters and what would happen to them, and I think it’s a good book for anyone who would like to start reading fantasy but maybe feels intimidated by the long series out there and the very complicated worlds and systems in other books.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just start by saying I have had a strange obsession with Travis. I found out about Travis from his friend Awsten who is in the band Waterparks. I didn't know much about Travis in the beginning but it didn't take me long to find out that he was a writer and author of one book. Every since I found that out I have been wanting to read this book but never had the time to get around to buying and reading it. My best friend finally gifted it to me for my birthday this year.

This book was the best thing I had read in a really long time. Prior to this book I was going through a reading drought and very seldom read at all. The second I opened this book I couldn't put it down I was taken to another world. The characters and setting in this book are something from another world. The main character Miles starts off as a little boy that you just want to comfort and hold and turns into a strong hero.

I loved how Miles is just thrown into a new world and the reader gets no clue as to what happened. It really leaves a sense of mystery that I love. I love how Travis makes you fall in love with every character even the villains. Along the way as Miles discovers his powers you get his back story and clues as to why he might have gotten into this new world. Its a very powerful book with a slight message of getting to know yourself. I would 11 out of 10 recommend this book to anyone.

[Cary Morton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

For a brief moment when I picked this book up, I had hope. The synopsis sounded interesting, and in general, I love middle-grade books, so I was excited to pick up Wondrous by Travis M. Riddle. At worst, it certainly couldn't be less than 3 stars, could it?

Sigh - and then I started reading. I'll be honest, I only got about three pages in. The narrative was so disjointed that it was hard to understand what was even going on. It was like trying to read the story through the experiences of a child with severe Attention Deficit Disorder. There was description in clipped sentences with no heart or internal voice behind it - like it'd been sucked dry of personality. The main character flipped a blanket and ended up in another world, and met a creature that wasn't human… and there was no reaction.

Maybe the book has a fantastic plot, maybe it has amazing world-building - but if the entirety of this book is written as it was written in the first three pages, I don't see how it could be enjoyed. I am setting this one aside as a DNF.

[Bradley Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to read a lot when I was a little kid. I don’t read as much anymore, at least in terms of novels, but I had to read Wondrous. Despite being the author’s friend for a long time now, I was very intrigued by its story. Set in a magical land full of strange creatures, monsters, kingdoms, and characters, I was very intrigued by its magical and mystical story, especially when its main character was a nine-year-old kid named Miles. What I got, though, was a lot more than I thought I was going to get. I had no doubt about Riddle’s writing abilities, he’s a great lyricist in the hip-hop group DWHB, but his writing is very fluid, emotional, and poignant. The cover’s bright and lovely colors gave me the impression of a very lighthearted fantasy romp, but this book gets very dark in places. That’s mainly for its themes of divorce, death, and loss, but it’s all handled very well, poignantly, and interestingly, especially because it’s from the perspective of a child, leaning to cope with these drastic changes in his life. This book is wonderful, honestly, and I couldn’t put it down. I read the whole book in a single night, within the span of a few hours, because it was that good. I wanted to put it down, but I needed to know what happened. I needed to know what happened to these characters, as well as this whole world. The only real gripe I have with the story is that I have a lot of questions when it ends. Without giving anything away, I want to know what happens to certain characters, where certain things came from, and how this world works. That’s being incredibly vague, though, but if you’ve read it, you’ll understand what I mean. Either way, though, this book was great. Travis might be a friend of mine, and in one of my favorite bands, but he’s a great writer. That’s why I wanted to read this book. I’m kind of hoping this becomes a series of books, even just giving us a sequel, because that’s why I felt like some things were left unanswered. I’m hoping we get more, but in the meantime, I’ll be reading this book again sometime soon. It’s that good, folks.

[Matt Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wondrous takes us back to those great childhood classics like The Neverending Story and The Goonies. A kid is transported to a magical land where he discovers all sorts of awe-inspiring things.

The worldbuilding is great. The story is fun and whimsical, but has heft in the right places. The best part is the prose. As a longtime KU reader, I assure you the prose construction is miles above the standard you'll find. He even has consistent and interesting dialect to contribute to the characterization.

The one downside was the amount of tension. I like my adventures to have very clear goals with obstacles creating tension. For much of the book, the main character meanders and discovers with only a vague goal of getting home at some point. This made it lack compelling forward motion.

Overall, quite recommended!

[SamO · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of a 9-year old kid going watching his parents go through a divorce. He somehow gets teleported to another world, where the only way he can get out is by controlling all of the various emotions he's going through.

It's a fun little adventure, but a lot more emotional than I was expecting for a kids/YA book. Very quick read as the plot isn't too deep with any twists and turns. The ending was a bit anti-climatic though. I kinda wish we get to see a glimpse of how Miles grew/developed from this experience.

[Melia Glubka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing. I've never related to a character as much as I related to Miles. Of course, I haven't been transported to a strange dimension, I don't have magic powers, and of course, I didn't have to fight a strange purple demon thing with said powers. However, I still connected to his personal issues and problems. I loved reading a book I identified with. Wondrous was truly magical.

[Alyce Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miles is huddled under his duvet at home in Texas, trying to block out the sounds of his recently divorced parents arguing. A storm is raging outside, and when he opens his eyes he's surprised to find that he's been transported to a mysterious wood made up of trees covered in purple leaves.
Within moments he's being apprehended by two scorpion-esque creatures: the Skyr (the yellow person on the cover). They believe he's a spy for Queen Alys, and he gets thrown in a cage with a green frog-like man called Mortimer (also pictured on the cover).
Mortimer explains that Rompu are in the middle of a civil war: King Mykael used magic to summon an uncontrollable flying monster called the Veratt (you guessed it, the terrifying purple thing on Miles' head), and Queen Alys disagreed with his actions, so now the world is divided. The majority of Skyr and Omne (lizard men, who I think of as similar to komodo dragons) support the King, while the Queen is supported by the Rompuns - Mortimer's species - and the Ruhigans, who have wings (and who I picture looking like Hawlucha from Pokémon).
Miles and Mortimer manage to escape when a rouge lightning bolt strikes one of the trees surrounding the Skyr encampment, causing a fire. In the panic the two prisoners get away and Mortimer promises he'll take Miles to Trafier to speak to the Queen, who might be able to get him home.
But in the world of Rompu, Miles has magic. He finds a wild dog called a maylan, who has an injured leg. Mortimer tells him to leave the maylan behind which makes Miles distraught. He reaches out to stroke the animal and a blue-green aura surrounds them, after which the maylan able to walk unassisted when moments before he could barely stand. Miles calls the creature Clint, and he joins them on their quest to reach Trafier.
After a brief rest with the Ruhigans, Miles and Mortimer are given Carriers (which I imagine are like World of Warcraft Wyverns) to ride to get them back to the Rompun's home. The Veratt attacks during this leg of their quest, and Mortimer falls from his Carrier when it's swiped out of the air. Miles and Clint make it to Trafier, where he has to tell Jaselle, Mortimer's wife, the fate that has befallen her husband.
After Miles has had a couple of days to rest, he meets Queen Alys. Mortimer has been corresponding with Jaselle and the Queen during their journey, and he has told them that he believes Miles possesses magical powers. It's the first Miles has heard of it: he's just a regular boy who wants to go home. But after a few days of training, they all agree that Mortimer was right.
When Miles is angry, he conjures fireballs in his hands. When he's sad, it begins to rain, and when that sadness turns to fear lightning strikes all around. He can't work out what helped him heal Clint, but he knows that the adults are on to something.
It's difficult to keep random lightning storms under wraps. The King finds out that Miles has powers, and he sends in Jericho and Kricket, an Omne and a Skyr, to bring the boy back to him. He wants Miles to defeat the Veratt, because since he summoned in the King has had two warring personalities. The murderous, evil one seems to be becoming stronger the longer the Veratt is allowed to roam free.
But Miles is only nine, and saving the world is a big responsibility. He needs to focus on the memories that hurt him the most - his parents arguing over something his dad did, his grandmother telling him she thought she was dying - and it drains him. If he isn't strong enough to face his past, how can he be strong enough to take down the Veratt?

'Wondrous' was confusing. I often struggle to read fantasy because I find it difficult to picture the brand new species and exotic locations described, but because Travis adapted the Omne, Skyr, Ruhigans and Rompuns from creatures in our realm, this didn't plague me as much as it has in other high fantasy that I've read.
However, because Miles' powers are linked to his emotions, there are often rapid flashbacks interspersed with the action going on in the present, and the jumping back and forth made me feel dizzy. It was linked beautifully, sentences said in the present throwing Miles back into a scene from earlier in his life in a very intelligent way, but I feel as though it would work better on the screen than it does on the page. Despite the fact that the two scenes flowed into each other, I often found the blending obscured meaning and there were large sections that I had to read twice to properly understand.
That was my only complaint.
This book is a delight to read. Miles is only nine years old, but he lost his innocence early in life due to his parents' divorce and his grandmother's death. That makes 'Wondrous' a bit of a coming-of-age novel, with Miles learning to deal with his broken family and his mysophobia while journeying through Rompu and helping to save them from the evil Veratt.
Due to the death and destruction the Veratt causes, 'Wondrous' is definitely a young adult novel.

Read the rest of my review here!

[Angelina Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for a fun escape!

Amazing fantasy novel with richly creative characters and a magical world. Read this for a fun escape into a place that is both unfamiliar and relatable at the same time.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miles, a 9 year old trying to cope with family problems finds himself in another dimension and learns to use magic.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from my book review blog, emsbookcorner.blogspot.com

I was sent this book a couple of months ago by Travis, the author. I was really excited to start this book, mainly because it hadn't even been released yet! I've never read a book before it's been released before! And, today is this book's release day, so all of you can enjoy this book too. Look out for a link to the amazon page at the end of the review.

This book is a fantasy novel about a young boy called Miles going through a number of different problems, too many for his little head to handle. When things are on the verge of 'too much', Miles somehow ends up in a magical kingdom full of different creatures, foods and drama.

I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

One night in Austin, Texas, a nine year old boy called Miles settled down in his apartment, ready for bed. Little did he know, that when he woke up he'd be in a completely different world. A world that is full of magical kingdoms. The kingdom that Miles ends up in is in the middle of a civil war, torn into two.

Miles is suffering with many different troubles at home, he is grieving for the loss of his grandmother, his parents are having a divorce and he struggles with the constant worry of catching germs and touching dirt (this is something that Travis writes about with care, as someone that has gone through problems like this I felt like this was written well and wouldn't trigger any problems for other readers).

Miles is thrown straight into the middle of the Rompu, a magical kingdom that is in experiencing a massive feud between the king and queen, after the king summoned up a deadly beast from another world using magic from an old book.

Slowly but surely, Miles discovers that in this new world, he has the ability to use magical powers. Powers that can not only protect him and his friends, but can injure and even kill those who threaten to hurt those that he cares about.

Miles makes a number of new friends. To begin with, everyone was scared of him, they had never seen a human boy before. But after discovering that he is in fact just like everyone else (just without the green skin and wings), they all took care of him and were in awe of his powers.

Even though Miles becomes accustomed to this new world, he is still desperate to go back to his home in Texas. When an opportunity arises for Miles to return home, he does everything that he can to see that through.

A lot more happens in this book though, it is full of action, drama, magic and chaos. There really wasn't a dull moment.

Miles is a nine year old boy that just wants his old life back. His grandmother recently passed away, his parents have split up and he's always scared that he will catch germs or touch dirt. There isn't a moment when Miles is able to live like a happy, carefree child. That is, until he is transported into Rompu, where he discovers his magical powers and adapts to living without the constant worry of getting ill by walking without shoes, or sitting on grass.

Mortimer has to be one of my favourite characters, he is so caring and loves to have a laugh. He's gone through so much yet he always finds a way to cheer Miles up. Mortimer was the person that helped Miles when he was transported into Rompu. Mortimer isn't any old ordinary person though, he pretty much looks like a huge frog. He is a green giant.

There are all sorts of different creatures in these books, such as the Omne, Skyr, Ruhigans and Rompuns. Each have their own traits and personalities, they all have their own unique qualities, like some have wings and others look like scorpions. Travis, the author, managed to describe all of these creatures perfectly, I usually find fantasy novels quite complex but this book had great descriptions on all of the characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved how the story flitted between Miles' home life in Texas and his new life in Rompu, it made me wonder whether he was dreaming about his time in this magical kingdom or if he was actually there. I found that the characters in Rompu reflected those in Miles' real life, which was really interesting, because that brought back memories of the good times for Miles. I also loved watching Miles grow into a strong, confident child that was finally able to speak for himself.

However, the ending was left in such a way that I am desperate to know what will happen next! I really, really hope that there will be a sequel, I can't be left hanging like this!

I have given this book a four out of five stars.

[Gabbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wondrous was an adventurous and unique tale; Riddle has created a fascinating universe that will no doubt pique the interest of those who are fans of action packed fantasy novels. I found the first part of the novel to be a little slow paced, and it was a little hard to connect with characters and for these reasons it took me a while to get into the story. But all in all, a worthy debut novel!

If you’d like to buy a copy or download a sample, just click here and, you can check out my full review here!

[Jannin (The Booknerd Dragon) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First and foremost, I want to thank Mr. Riddle for providing me a copy of his book in exchange of an honest review. This book will be released this January 17th 2017. Be sure to check it out, peeps! Let’s get started.

Wondrous is about a nine year old boy named Miles who magically got teleported into a new world, a place called Rompu; a very new world where humans are not heard of but not totally new because there are also things that are the same from the world Miles came from, Austin. When Miles arrived in Rompu he discovered that he has the ability to control the elements of that world which are fire, water, earth, and lightning. Also, he has a healing ability. There’s a big problem in Rompu that Miles needs to solve first before he can go back home. All these while having thoughts of his life before he arrived in Rompu.


My first thought about this book is how did a nine year old boy survived being alone in a world where he never heard anything about. Though I can’t remember anything when I was nine year old but I know if I was in Miles shoes, I would be terrified. Though it was said that Miles was also terrified, he made a weird way not to show it too much.

But I won’t deny that I really admire Miles bravery all throughout the book. He is brave that sometimes I forget that the main hero in the book is a nine year old if it wasn’t for the constant reminder about his parents. He earned his strength and bravery from the memories of his parents.

Before Miles arrived in Rompu, his parents got divorced. Although his parents didn’t tell him the exact reason why, I think I know. Miles is training to master his ability to control elements and his way of doing it is to think of images about his parents and other people in his life that associated a certain emotion that could make him control a certain element. Though I think that part is a unique one I also think that it’s not a healthy thought when it’s a nine year old who’s thinking it. Thoughts about being mad at your parents, being sad at something you lost that you can’t actually fully understand are not healthy. That’s just an opinion for me. He’s a kid and if this book is ever going to have young readers, I don’t think that’s a good example to have. You know how kids are; they could easily get influenced by a lot of things. And if this book is meant to have a teenage reader or a young-adult reader like me, I would say that it didn’t have the same caliber as to what I usually read. Just saying.

Though there are things that I don’t like about this book, the adventure of the book make up for it. It has a lot of it. Travelling and learning magic is a really good one. And the characters were all supportive of Miles training his powers, which made me think that the book is really intended for young readers.

The ending though, I don’t know how to feel about it. The ending was supposed to be that Miles will be going back home in his parents in Austin. But it didn’t really say if he ever did make it home. And the way he found out how, it was like so easy. Which make me think that fighting the dragon in Rompu was a little useless? Useless for Miles’ point of view by the way but very helpful for the Rompuns because honestly I don’t think Miles have learned anything from his adventure all throughout the book. I don’t think he learned the reason why his parents got divorced or learned a way to understand it while he’s still in his age. I don’t even know what the essence of the story is for Miles. I think the story only benefitted the Rompuns but not Miles which is kind of unfair because Miles is the main hero and not the Rompuns.


When it comes to adventure, this book could pass. But when it comes to something else like character development and such, I don’t think so. I really think this book is intended for young readers out there and not for people like me. Haha!

Anyway if you peeps still want to read this because you’re too curious, go ahead and give it a shot. Like I always say, we all have different opinions on the same things.

[Shanayah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full Review Here


Wondrous was an OK book. The author clearly put a lot of effort into it, and it mostly pulled off. The author didn’t really have a distinctive storytelling ‘voice’, but the book was still easy enough to read and enjoyable. The story had a lot of flashbacks as a way of showing the protagonist’s backstory, which was creative, and definitely left me wondering, but could get confusing at times when the words and speech directly flowed from one setting to another, but this could just be due to the formatting of the ePub?

A few things confused me throughout the story, like how he suddenly gets transported into the other world?? But later as I got further into the story, I came up with my own assumptions as to how things came about, which were usually confirmed by another character in the story.

I didn’t really get a good grasp of the monsters and villains in the story, because at times the descriptions were slightly too much for my impatient soul, and I would just skim in order to get on with the story, so I wouldn’t say it’s the book’s fault. I’ll have to go back over those parts in order to fill the gap. I’m not too sure whether my interpretation of the monsters were what the author intended, but it seemed to me that they were a sort of metaphor for the struggles Miles had to overcome, and I liked that.

The worldbuilding was slightly confusing and very minimal. Truth be told, even after finishing the story, things were still a bit blurry, the world seemed to be an alien world, but they still had the Earthen foods and I think that threw me off a bit. In the beginning, when Miles first landed in the world, there were so many new characters and species being introduced and I was a tad bit confused, but as the story went on, I got to know the characters a bit better, and everything was OK from then on.

To be honest, the protagonist, Miles, really irritated me at the beginning. He was written in a way that made him seem much older than he was, when he was supposedly only 9 years old, which was not necessarily bad, but just struck me as odd. I got really annoyed at the way he was completely refusing help from those who tried to help him, and kept running off with no concern for those he was leaving behind.

The ending threw me off a bit, because I felt it was quite sudden? I’m not too sure, I would’ve liked an epilogue or something regarding how Miles’ family turned out, how his parents reacted when he came home, etc.

While I’m sure this review sounds fairly negative, it was actually quite an interesting book, and the idea is definitely something to work with. Regardless of the few faults, I think there is definitely potential for both the story and the author to expand further

I received a review copy from the author


Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr

[Jenna Jaco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating, evocative, and really fun. Lots of different species, delightfully hodge-podge world-building, and strong character exploration. Despite being an adventure novel with plenty of action, there's a quietness to the story that I think comes from its anchor in the protagonist's inner narrative. It works very well.

Riddle's inventive storytelling and naturalistic dialogue make for a refreshing addition to the fantasy/adventure genre. Hope there's more where this came from!

[Today We Did · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today We Did
In an attempt to block out his parents’ arguing, nine year old Miles hops into bed and tries to go to sleep. When he opens his eyes, instead of being in his room, he is in a strange, damp forest, in a land that is being torn apart by civil war. Rompu is also being ravaged by an evil dragonish creature conjured from another world. Could Miles be the only one strong enough to defeat it?

There was virtually no introduction to this story. I would have preferred a little more background, and setting of the scene before diving into the fantasy world of Rompu. My impressions of the story improved as I continued to read, and I came to really like it.

The characters were detailed and interesting. Each main character was meticulously described, and I felt like I got to know them all. Miles was a confused and complex child with some issues mostly stemming from his parents’ divorce and his grandmother’s death. His discomfort in Rompu is apparent, but he endeavours to be brave and to move forward into what must seem a terrifying experience for him. Mortimer and Jaselle were kindly characters with a bit of attitude, but it was Kriket that made me laugh the most!

There was a lot of action, some of it quite violent. At times, one action scene bled into another, moving so fast I felt like I wasn’t catching it all. Within the first two chapters alone, Miles had already been in several altercations, including two where some of the creatures were burnt. A few of these sequences contained confronting and graphic violence.

During the story, there would be scenes from Miles’ home life, before he ended up in Rompu. These scenes just flowed straight on from the rest of the story, and sometimes it took a moment for me to realise I was reading about a memory of Miles’, as there was nothing to separate the text between the scenes. I did get used to the way the scenes from Austin and from Rompu integrated, but I feel like a younger reader could become easily confused by the lack of distinction between the present and the past. I had a strong sense that Miles was simply having a rather vivid dream whilst trying to avoid the reality of his fighting parents.

I think a little polishing would transform Wondrous from great to awesome. Wondrous is suitable for upper primary through to high school students.


*I received this book from the author as a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a reading copy in exchange for an honest review

Miles goes to sleep one night in his familiar home in Austin, Texas, but wakes up alone in a forest in the Kingdom of Rompu, in the midst of a civil war. Confused and scared, Miles just wants to go back home. Plagued by memories and thoughts of his troubled home life, Miles is stretched thin by opposing forces and magical abilities that seem to manifest themselves through memories.

A straight-laced action-adventure and fantasy novel, Travis M. Riddle delivers a fantastical narrative of magical and other-beings world mixed in with the very real feelings of a child coping with the death of a family member and his parent’s divorce.

I was impressed by the fantasy world of Rompu. Riddle implemented lots of details from descriptions of food and cities, to animals and other humanoid species.

The writing itself is strong and the pacing works well. There were some instances where it got boring, but that might be from my own reading pace and not necessarily an issue with the book.

One issue I had with the book was how easily the adult characters of the book let Miles do whatever he wanted (to some extent). He’s being held against his will in some portions of the story, but can easily request things. Also, Miles doesn’t come off as very desperate to get home too often.

What really stood out to me was Miles’s issue with germs and how his feelings toward his parent’s divorce manifested throughout the story.

It’s all it comes down too. Did Miles really end up in this strange fantasy world or is it all in his head? But the thing is, it doesn’t really matter if it’s real or not in the end. What matters is how, what, and why Miles is feeling the emotions he’s feeling. Big changes like the death of a loved one or a parent’s divorce can lead children to create something new or use other means to cope.

The ending left me clenching my fist, but all the same, for Miles the feelings may never go away and his reality will be different forever. All we could hope for is to cope and learn how to move on.

While, Wondrous isn’t geared toward younger audiences, it’s suitable (but there is violence). Wondrous reminded me of Patrick Ness’s A Monster Calls, for similar themes and concept.

[J C Steel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wondrous is the story of Miles, a nine-year-old boy thrown across a rift between worlds to a place where several species are in the middle of a war. Magically transplanted, Miles slowly develops a number of magical skills, increasingly making him a weapon against the danger dividing the kingdoms.

While I feel that this book could make a worthwhile novel for younger readers, as it tells the story from the point of a small child whose parents are in the midst of a divorce and interweaves scenes of the family divorce as the basis of Miles’s burgeoning magical skills, I didn’t find that it pulled me in.

Although the range of species was impressively varied, they were all, at heart, good old guys willing to spend more or less endless time and resources looking after a somewhat spoiled nine-year-old while in the middle of a war. I didn’t find that beyond the scene-setting, there was any exploration of differences between the species. In addition, the frog-like Rompun species spoke bad French, and unfortunately my sense of humour is a very small verging on non-existent target to hit, so this didn’t really do much for me. The final nail in the coffin for me in terms of plausibility was that at least two of the main players walked away from certain death to come back and provide vital support for our young protagonist. If this book was designed for a very young audience, I can see why that decision might have been made, but the implausibilities made the story impossible for me to get into.

Reviewed for By Rite of Word.