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Cardslinger
A dangerous quest, a lost treasure, and the card game that started it all.
It's 1881, and a newfangled card game called Mythic is sweeping the nation. Twelve-year-old Jason "Shuffle" Jones doesn't like it. He and his father created the game for themselves, before his father went missing. Mythic should have disappeared with him. But when Shuffle discovers a clue in a pack of Mythic cards, he sets out on a quest to find his dad. Along the way he clashes with a devious card swindler, an epic twister, and the ruthless bounty hunter Six-Plum Skylla and her gang. As he gets closer to the truth, will he turn tail or push all-in to become a real hero?
It's 1881, and a newfangled card game called Mythic is sweeping the nation. Twelve-year-old Jason "Shuffle" Jones doesn't like it. He and his father created the game for themselves, before his father went missing. Mythic should have disappeared with him. But when Shuffle discovers a clue in a pack of Mythic cards, he sets out on a quest to find his dad. Along the way he clashes with a devious card swindler, an epic twister, and the ruthless bounty hunter Six-Plum Skylla and her gang. As he gets closer to the truth, will he turn tail or push all-in to become a real hero?
360 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 8, 2019
A western with a modern twist! You don't see too many westerns in the middle-grade category for kids, so when I saw this book I knew I had to give it a try, especially since it fused a modern-day style game to the core of its story.
To best understand the story, it's probably a good idea to understand how trading card games function. I freely admit that my knowledge on the subject is limited, but when most people think of the trading card games, they will immediately go to Pokemon, but there are others like Yu-Gi-Oh or Hearthstone, In the game you have a set of cards with some type of artwork that will depict a type of creature, being, etc. Each of these cards will provide text explaining the card's function, perhaps with defensive characteristics or offensive characteristics. Then, you play the cards based on that games specific rules. I have probably butchered all of that, but I hope you get the gist.
After all..."Deputy Bat Masterson Plays Mythic. Do you?"
In Cardslinger, Shuffle's father created a trading card game called Mythic. However, several years ago he went on an expedition and was never seen again, believed to have been killed. One day Shuffle finds someone selling his father's Mythic cards and realizes his father isn't dead after all. He is positive his dad would never abandon him, so something must be keeping him from coming home. No one, of course, believes him so he sets out to find him, along with his trusty black cat Katana. The journey west does not go as planned and soon he finds himself trying to outrun some guns for hire. But he is not completely ill-fortuned because it's not a western without a side kick and her name is Atalanta, who decides to go along with him on his quest and help him out.
"Of course, the escape couldn't be too easy. Skylla and her gang had to show up to make a game of it. What a pile of cow patties."
This book was such a fun read. As I mentioned earlier you don't see many westerns for middle age so to be able to read about stage coaches, horseback riding, shoot-outs, trains and railroads, not to mention Doc Holliday is going really excite some young readers. The main characters of Shuffle and Atalanta and written really well and it's just possible that you may find your favorite character is the side-kick Atalanta, who is tough as nails. There's a lot of activity that keeps the story moving along at a nice pace. The chapters are short, but if they run on the longer-side of short, then there are usually breaks within the chapter to give the reader a nice stopping point, if needed. Although the book has a lot of adventure, it never loses the heart of it's story line of a boy just trying to find his dad and bring him home.
To best understand the story, it's probably a good idea to understand how trading card games function. I freely admit that my knowledge on the subject is limited, but when most people think of the trading card games, they will immediately go to Pokemon, but there are others like Yu-Gi-Oh or Hearthstone, In the game you have a set of cards with some type of artwork that will depict a type of creature, being, etc. Each of these cards will provide text explaining the card's function, perhaps with defensive characteristics or offensive characteristics. Then, you play the cards based on that games specific rules. I have probably butchered all of that, but I hope you get the gist.
After all..."Deputy Bat Masterson Plays Mythic. Do you?"
In Cardslinger, Shuffle's father created a trading card game called Mythic. However, several years ago he went on an expedition and was never seen again, believed to have been killed. One day Shuffle finds someone selling his father's Mythic cards and realizes his father isn't dead after all. He is positive his dad would never abandon him, so something must be keeping him from coming home. No one, of course, believes him so he sets out to find him, along with his trusty black cat Katana. The journey west does not go as planned and soon he finds himself trying to outrun some guns for hire. But he is not completely ill-fortuned because it's not a western without a side kick and her name is Atalanta, who decides to go along with him on his quest and help him out.
"Of course, the escape couldn't be too easy. Skylla and her gang had to show up to make a game of it. What a pile of cow patties."
This book was such a fun read. As I mentioned earlier you don't see many westerns for middle age so to be able to read about stage coaches, horseback riding, shoot-outs, trains and railroads, not to mention Doc Holliday is going really excite some young readers. The main characters of Shuffle and Atalanta and written really well and it's just possible that you may find your favorite character is the side-kick Atalanta, who is tough as nails. There's a lot of activity that keeps the story moving along at a nice pace. The chapters are short, but if they run on the longer-side of short, then there are usually breaks within the chapter to give the reader a nice stopping point, if needed. Although the book has a lot of adventure, it never loses the heart of it's story line of a boy just trying to find his dad and bring him home.
July 2, 2019
Cardslinger has everything I love in a good story! From page one, I loved this adventure. If you like snappy dialogue, a Mythic card game, intrigue, a treasure hunt, a quest for a long-lost father, riddles, ciphers, and the wild west, this book is for you! I was rooting for the main character, Shuffle and his sidekick a cat name Katana with every turn of the page. This book belongs in the hands of every middle-grade reader with a thirst for adventure! Yeehaw!
July 25, 2019
A middle grade adventure story that blends the frontier era WIld West with a card game called Mythic ,where players battle using decks of cards based on various mythologies.
Our hero is Jason "Shuffle" Jones whose father invented the game for the two of them before disappearing on an archaeological quest. Shuffle has never believed that his father is dead despite what the rest of the world may think, and when a travelling salesman comes to town peddling the Mythic game he is more convinced than ever before that his father is out there somewhere. He sets off on a mission to find his father and along the way he encounters a gang of gun wielding bounty hunters and a cheating card sharp , but also makes friends and discovers he is braver and smarter than he ever thought.
The book is fast paced and fun , and I am sure there are plenty of young readers who will enjoy it . The characters are fun and feisty. I will say that repeated references to the Mythic cards when events were happening pulled me out of the story and I found that jarring, I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Our hero is Jason "Shuffle" Jones whose father invented the game for the two of them before disappearing on an archaeological quest. Shuffle has never believed that his father is dead despite what the rest of the world may think, and when a travelling salesman comes to town peddling the Mythic game he is more convinced than ever before that his father is out there somewhere. He sets off on a mission to find his father and along the way he encounters a gang of gun wielding bounty hunters and a cheating card sharp , but also makes friends and discovers he is braver and smarter than he ever thought.
The book is fast paced and fun , and I am sure there are plenty of young readers who will enjoy it . The characters are fun and feisty. I will say that repeated references to the Mythic cards when events were happening pulled me out of the story and I found that jarring, I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
August 24, 2019
What a rollicking adventure! I loved the whole Western/gaming mashup, and Shuffle charmed me from the opening scene. Chockfull of action and true-to-life characters, this was one wild ride of a read. Bravo to M.G. Velasco on his debut novel.
October 5, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed this fun, fast-paced middle grade western that centers around an intriguing mythology-based card game called Mythic. Perfect for young readers looking for action-packed adventure!
August 20, 2019
The only thing that would make this book better would be that the card game Mystic was real!! I totally want to play!!! This is one of those titles that will get reluctant readers to read! Especially boys!! I really enjoyed this tale and really hope that we get a book two. The characters were funny and the story was well paced. I loved learning more about the card game through out the story. If you love the blend of a game and the Wild West then this one is totally for you!!
September 18, 2019
5 out of 5 shining stars!
CARDSLINGER is middle grade adventure fun, combining the Wild-wild West with Mythic, a card game a la D&D or Magic but with a twist. For starters, it’s easy to tell that Mr. Velasco is a card game expert, and since I don’t know much about them, I learned a trick or two, thank you very much.
Shuffle Jones … Such a cool name that goes with the whole CARDSLINGER theme. So with Katana, his cat, on his shoulder–look at the cover!, Shuffle embarks in an adventure of a lifetime to find his father. But Six-Olum Skylla and her gang are there to stop him from figuring out what’s really going. This, along with an epic twister in the weirdest of places, a steam train, and whatnot complete the adventure.
On a side note, kudos to Mónica Armiño, the cover artist, who capture the gist of the novel–Shuffle, Katana, the villain and her gang, the devious card swindler, and … what’s with the girl riding the horse? (Read the book to find out.)
Overall, CARDSLINGER is an excellent middle grade adventure for kids who enjoy, well, adventure. Highly recommended. Read it, please. So much fun!
More on my blog: https://gerardowrites.wordpress.com/2...
CARDSLINGER is middle grade adventure fun, combining the Wild-wild West with Mythic, a card game a la D&D or Magic but with a twist. For starters, it’s easy to tell that Mr. Velasco is a card game expert, and since I don’t know much about them, I learned a trick or two, thank you very much.
Shuffle Jones … Such a cool name that goes with the whole CARDSLINGER theme. So with Katana, his cat, on his shoulder–look at the cover!, Shuffle embarks in an adventure of a lifetime to find his father. But Six-Olum Skylla and her gang are there to stop him from figuring out what’s really going. This, along with an epic twister in the weirdest of places, a steam train, and whatnot complete the adventure.
On a side note, kudos to Mónica Armiño, the cover artist, who capture the gist of the novel–Shuffle, Katana, the villain and her gang, the devious card swindler, and … what’s with the girl riding the horse? (Read the book to find out.)
Overall, CARDSLINGER is an excellent middle grade adventure for kids who enjoy, well, adventure. Highly recommended. Read it, please. So much fun!
More on my blog: https://gerardowrites.wordpress.com/2...
August 14, 2019
Overall, this was an interesting story. It was definitely different than what I have read before. I liked the card game, Mythic, and that Shuffle would reference the cards abilities for real life events. Mythic reminded me of Magic the Gathering, for what little I know about it. I don't usually read western books but the setting worked for this one. I would be interested in continuing this if it became a series.
I received an ARC via Netgalley; all opinions are my own.
I received an ARC via Netgalley; all opinions are my own.
August 7, 2019
A fun and adventure filled tale that is sure to keep your middle grade readers completely enthralled! Fast paced, well written, and with an intriguing mystery, Cardslinger is a great action story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions are my own.
January 16, 2022
An attempt to bring modern card type games in a combination with the old west, or that is how it seemed, I lost interest at some point and never regained it. Forgettable and uninteresting.
April 7, 2020
I LOVED this book. The MC is a young man who goes looking for his "dead" father. He is convinced that his dad is still alive since the card game that they created together has been released to the public. This is a great adventure story set in the wild west. It's full of mystery, danger, and friendships. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a fast paced, adventure.
September 10, 2020
If you have a familiarity with card games like Magic the Gathering, I think you'd get a kick out of this book. (I found myself thinking whether there are other books that have games as a key theme; the only one that came to mind was the Lemoncello series). I like that it was a slightly different take on the Western story
February 10, 2024
This is one of those rare times when I got a book based on the cover alone. The story setting seemed interesting enough though: A trading card game set in the old west. So like Magic the Gathering crossed with a western movie. It wasn't too bad, but the main character didn't feel real and I didn't believe the plot, so I DNFed it.
May 25, 2020
This would be of interest to those who play card strategy games or who like the "Wild West." Does contain some violence/death. I bought it for the school library as "something different" and it is that. Has enough suspense and action to keep you reading.
March 23, 2020
Really fun read. Great adventure story, I really enjoyed it.
December 24, 2019
1881. He thought the game had died with his father four years earlier, but when Mythic shows up in a traveling salesman’s inventory, Jason “Shuffle” Jones is stunned. Mythic is a strategy card game Shuffle and his father made up. The artwork and rules are all exactly the same, causing him to believe his father must be alive. When bandits attack his home and leave behind a cryptic message, Shuffle knows he must take matters into his own hands to uncover the message and the mystery behind his father’s disappearance. With his faithful cat as a travel companion, 12-year-old Shuffle will journey across the country from Missouri to California to make his family whole again.
The book opens to a playful map of Shuffle’s travels, setting the tone for the book early on. During the highs and lows of the journey, humorous card player metaphors are dealt out with Shuffle describing moments like he’s reading characteristics off a card. Shuffle is a hopeful, caring, determined boy who quickly learns things are not as simple as he first believed. Assisted by Atalanta, a feisty cowgirl he meets along the way, Shuffle will cross paths with an assortment of people during his series of non-stop adventures. Casually sprinkled into the mix are tongue-in-cheek newspaper articles which thread a few chapters together. I don’t often read westerns, but this story had me hooked with its enticing characters, sassy prose, breakneck pace, and card playing panache. “Magic the Gathering” meets the Wild West in this rollicking middle-grade adventure. Game on!
Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
The book opens to a playful map of Shuffle’s travels, setting the tone for the book early on. During the highs and lows of the journey, humorous card player metaphors are dealt out with Shuffle describing moments like he’s reading characteristics off a card. Shuffle is a hopeful, caring, determined boy who quickly learns things are not as simple as he first believed. Assisted by Atalanta, a feisty cowgirl he meets along the way, Shuffle will cross paths with an assortment of people during his series of non-stop adventures. Casually sprinkled into the mix are tongue-in-cheek newspaper articles which thread a few chapters together. I don’t often read westerns, but this story had me hooked with its enticing characters, sassy prose, breakneck pace, and card playing panache. “Magic the Gathering” meets the Wild West in this rollicking middle-grade adventure. Game on!
Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews