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The Tales of Pell #2
No Country for Old Gnomes
Go big or go gnome. The New York Times bestselling authors of Kill the Farm Boy return to the world of Pell, the irreverent fantasy universe that recalls Monty Python and Terry Pratchett.
The Skyr is a rich, verdant land claimed by both halflings and gnomes. For centuries, the halflings have worked to undermine gnomish power structures and seize total control--through legal means, certainly, but more insidiously through their extensive organized crime network. Now, threatened with being pushed out entirely, the gnomes are desperate and ready to fight back. Gustave the Goat King faces his first test as a leader: Can he bring peace to a fraught region or will a civil war consume the entire kingdom?
The Skyr is a rich, verdant land claimed by both halflings and gnomes. For centuries, the halflings have worked to undermine gnomish power structures and seize total control--through legal means, certainly, but more insidiously through their extensive organized crime network. Now, threatened with being pushed out entirely, the gnomes are desperate and ready to fight back. Gustave the Goat King faces his first test as a leader: Can he bring peace to a fraught region or will a civil war consume the entire kingdom?
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2019
297 people are currently reading
3890 people want to read
About the author
Delilah S. Dawson
182 books2,900 followersDelilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy's Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.
Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.
Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 479 reviews
March 31, 2019
Looking for some fantasy that is far off the beaten path? Quirky, humorous and filled with clichés, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD GNOMES by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne is whimsy at its best and is either going to nail your funny bone or send your eyes rolling skyward.
Halfings with an organized crime unit, gnomes being displaced, forced from their homes and the power they once enjoyed. Can the King Gustave the Goat save his kingdom from ruin or is it time to usher in a different world?
Some will venture out to discover new worlds and their quest will be filled with new friendships and trusts.
I think for me, this had too much quirky humor, too many clichés piled on top of each other, kind of like craving some chocolate, so someone generously offers you a ten pound box, and waits for you to eat it all.
A fun read, but just a little too much “funny” for me, maybe?
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Del Rey!
Series: The Tales of Pell - Book 2
Publisher: Del Rey (April 16, 2019)
Publication Date: April 16, 2019
Genre: Humorous Fantasy
Print Length: 394 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Halfings with an organized crime unit, gnomes being displaced, forced from their homes and the power they once enjoyed. Can the King Gustave the Goat save his kingdom from ruin or is it time to usher in a different world?
Some will venture out to discover new worlds and their quest will be filled with new friendships and trusts.
I think for me, this had too much quirky humor, too many clichés piled on top of each other, kind of like craving some chocolate, so someone generously offers you a ten pound box, and waits for you to eat it all.
A fun read, but just a little too much “funny” for me, maybe?
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Del Rey!
Series: The Tales of Pell - Book 2
Publisher: Del Rey (April 16, 2019)
Publication Date: April 16, 2019
Genre: Humorous Fantasy
Print Length: 394 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
May 13, 2019
Narrated by Luke Daniels, I once again found myself in the land of Pell a fantastical kingdom filled with mystical creatures as a group of quirky characters band together on an honorable quest. We will meet many new faces beginning with Offi, a gnome whose land is under attack and see some familiar faces like King Gustave.
From their play on words, to twists on beloved tales such as Macbeth, Dawson and Hearne quickly pulled me in once all the players joined up. As with the first, I found it best to listen to only one or two chapters a night.
Be warned their quest meanders a bit from side quests to personal growth slowing the pace down and at times it was a bit disjointed, but it also played in my favor as I listened at a slower pace picking up on all the clever bits.
I found the story to be tighter than the previous book and enjoyed the characters. The humor and puns was toned down, but there were plenty of fandom references including Star Wars.
A war is waging between a sector of halflings and gnomes. The quest is to go to the Great Library and find the original documents of the gnomeric and halfling civilizations. Joining the gnomes on their quest are an ovitaur named Agape. Agape is mostly human except for the bits that are sheep. I loved Daniels voice for her. We’ve got Halfling Faucon who loves upholding the law and toe rings. Then there is an outcast gryphon, named Gerd, and a dwarf named Båggi Biins. Each seeks answers to questions from the library. Omelettes, an automaatti, side-quests and dangers await them!
Luke Daniels completed this tale with his array of unique voices. Honestly, I do not understand how he kept them all straight. I laughed aloud at his antics. I generally listen to Daniels at 1.3x but slowed this down, as the story is meaty and requires through chewing. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
From their play on words, to twists on beloved tales such as Macbeth, Dawson and Hearne quickly pulled me in once all the players joined up. As with the first, I found it best to listen to only one or two chapters a night.
Be warned their quest meanders a bit from side quests to personal growth slowing the pace down and at times it was a bit disjointed, but it also played in my favor as I listened at a slower pace picking up on all the clever bits.
I found the story to be tighter than the previous book and enjoyed the characters. The humor and puns was toned down, but there were plenty of fandom references including Star Wars.
A war is waging between a sector of halflings and gnomes. The quest is to go to the Great Library and find the original documents of the gnomeric and halfling civilizations. Joining the gnomes on their quest are an ovitaur named Agape. Agape is mostly human except for the bits that are sheep. I loved Daniels voice for her. We’ve got Halfling Faucon who loves upholding the law and toe rings. Then there is an outcast gryphon, named Gerd, and a dwarf named Båggi Biins. Each seeks answers to questions from the library. Omelettes, an automaatti, side-quests and dangers await them!
Luke Daniels completed this tale with his array of unique voices. Honestly, I do not understand how he kept them all straight. I laughed aloud at his antics. I generally listen to Daniels at 1.3x but slowed this down, as the story is meaty and requires through chewing. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
April 14, 2019
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
No Country For Old Gnomes (The Tales of Pell #2) is the hilariously awesome sequel to Kill the Farm Boy. This time around we're following the gnomes of Skyr as they attempt to retake their home from the halflings. Gustave is about to face his first real test as the Goat King - will he bring peace or civil war to the kingdom. I can't believe I got approved for this on NetGalley. Book one was absolutely hilarious and exactly my thing and the sequel does a fantastic job of expanding the world of Pell all while keeping up with everything I loved about Kill the Farm Boy. Hearne's and Dawson's off-the-wall sense of humor is awesome and I have to admit I couldn't get enough of the pop culture references. If you love The Princess Bride, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Terry Pratchett, then you need to this series in your life. I can't wait to see what Dawson and Hearne do in the future.
No Country For Old Gnomes (The Tales of Pell #2) is the hilariously awesome sequel to Kill the Farm Boy. This time around we're following the gnomes of Skyr as they attempt to retake their home from the halflings. Gustave is about to face his first real test as the Goat King - will he bring peace or civil war to the kingdom. I can't believe I got approved for this on NetGalley. Book one was absolutely hilarious and exactly my thing and the sequel does a fantastic job of expanding the world of Pell all while keeping up with everything I loved about Kill the Farm Boy. Hearne's and Dawson's off-the-wall sense of humor is awesome and I have to admit I couldn't get enough of the pop culture references. If you love The Princess Bride, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Terry Pratchett, then you need to this series in your life. I can't wait to see what Dawson and Hearne do in the future.
January 25, 2019
I...don't know how to admit this so I'm just going to say it: I might have unconsciously started speaking in umlauts after reading this book. RESPECT THE UMLAUT!
But seriously. No, I'm kidding about seriousness. This book is a quagmire of word play and in-jokes and it is GLORIOUS. Goats who become kings and egregious feuds nobody remembers the beginning of and witches and ghosts and dentally-minded vampires. Plus, you know, gnomes and halflings.
A little death. A little destruction of property. A mildly larcenous half-goat. Familiar faces. Jerky, pompous despots. You know what? There's a little bit of everything in this book. And a few things you'll never expect.
Respect the umlaut, my friends. That's what it comes down to.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
But seriously. No, I'm kidding about seriousness. This book is a quagmire of word play and in-jokes and it is GLORIOUS. Goats who become kings and egregious feuds nobody remembers the beginning of and witches and ghosts and dentally-minded vampires. Plus, you know, gnomes and halflings.
A little death. A little destruction of property. A mildly larcenous half-goat. Familiar faces. Jerky, pompous despots. You know what? There's a little bit of everything in this book. And a few things you'll never expect.
Respect the umlaut, my friends. That's what it comes down to.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
April 18, 2019
I received a copy of this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my open and honest review.
"Red sky before night, no need for a fight. Red sky at dawn, don’t yawn. Halflings probably set your barn afire, so gather your war ponies, tie back their manes, and attack–then, my good gnomes, you burn them back.”
Gnute Yakkin, in The Compendium of Gnomeric Resistance Rhymes
First, let me say that I have a deep and intense love of humor, satire, and cheekiness. I am a smart ass in the most profound and deep sense of the word. This was much to my detriment growing up. I can say without hyperbole that this is one of the funniest books I have ever read. Maybe it is my particular brand of punny and silly humor, but this story speaks to me. It is hilarious. It isn’t perfect, the story trips over itself a few times and gets lost in the humor, but generally, this book is laughing out loud funny the whole way through.
The story is the second one thus far that takes place in the land of Pell; the first is the tale Kill the Farmboy. However, if you have read the first book in the series some of the characters are revisited, but this is very easy to keep up with as a stand-alone book.
“Few gnomes appreciate how stonking big the culinary accouterments must be to feed the taller folk. More than one gnome has mistaken an oven for cozy guest quarters, only to discover that it’s a box of deadly fire.”
Sonni Somnambulist, in How I survived Twenty-One Terrible Places to Sleep
Pell is a land full of creatures of myth and fantasy tropes. In this edition of the series, the brothers Offi, Onni, and their family head to a town for refuges after their home has been attacked by a halfling gang known as Rogues Under Bigly-Wicke. There is a lot of fun cheeky naming going on. With a cast of characters brought from the four corners of fantasy, a ragtag group set off to fight the halfling horde and by God RESTORE THEIR LAND.
All I am going to say is goth cardigans…
Read this if you want some light and fun humor. I wouldn’t call the story engaging in a deep plot sort of way, but more like an excellent vehicle for funny jokes which are actually quite good, so give it a try.
"Red sky before night, no need for a fight. Red sky at dawn, don’t yawn. Halflings probably set your barn afire, so gather your war ponies, tie back their manes, and attack–then, my good gnomes, you burn them back.”
Gnute Yakkin, in The Compendium of Gnomeric Resistance Rhymes
First, let me say that I have a deep and intense love of humor, satire, and cheekiness. I am a smart ass in the most profound and deep sense of the word. This was much to my detriment growing up. I can say without hyperbole that this is one of the funniest books I have ever read. Maybe it is my particular brand of punny and silly humor, but this story speaks to me. It is hilarious. It isn’t perfect, the story trips over itself a few times and gets lost in the humor, but generally, this book is laughing out loud funny the whole way through.
The story is the second one thus far that takes place in the land of Pell; the first is the tale Kill the Farmboy. However, if you have read the first book in the series some of the characters are revisited, but this is very easy to keep up with as a stand-alone book.
“Few gnomes appreciate how stonking big the culinary accouterments must be to feed the taller folk. More than one gnome has mistaken an oven for cozy guest quarters, only to discover that it’s a box of deadly fire.”
Sonni Somnambulist, in How I survived Twenty-One Terrible Places to Sleep
Pell is a land full of creatures of myth and fantasy tropes. In this edition of the series, the brothers Offi, Onni, and their family head to a town for refuges after their home has been attacked by a halfling gang known as Rogues Under Bigly-Wicke. There is a lot of fun cheeky naming going on. With a cast of characters brought from the four corners of fantasy, a ragtag group set off to fight the halfling horde and by God RESTORE THEIR LAND.
All I am going to say is goth cardigans…
Read this if you want some light and fun humor. I wouldn’t call the story engaging in a deep plot sort of way, but more like an excellent vehicle for funny jokes which are actually quite good, so give it a try.
February 21, 2025
No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne is almost as good as the first story in this trilogy (Kill the Farm Boy). In this sequel, a group of adventurers must brave attacks from a rogue organization of halfling gangsters to bring law of the land to the attention of the local leader in order to end the attacks of the gangsters on the gnomes and help the new king avoid a civil war.
This adventure explores the themes of found family but I didn’t find the new characters as enjoyable as the original story. I thought the characters in Kill the Farm Boy were a little more authentic and rough around the edges, where this group of adventurers felt more like a typical fairytale group.
The characters were still good and the ending was phenomenal. I liked that they tied it into the first story’s world and characters but gave new characters the spotlight. My favorite of this new group was a dwarf who struggled with his purpose in life and social skills due to a life of isolation.
This adventure explores the themes of found family but I didn’t find the new characters as enjoyable as the original story. I thought the characters in Kill the Farm Boy were a little more authentic and rough around the edges, where this group of adventurers felt more like a typical fairytale group.
The characters were still good and the ending was phenomenal. I liked that they tied it into the first story’s world and characters but gave new characters the spotlight. My favorite of this new group was a dwarf who struggled with his purpose in life and social skills due to a life of isolation.
April 10, 2019
No Country for Old Gnomes is the second tale set in the fantastical kingdom of Pell, a land filled with mythical creatures, silly misfortune, and heroic deeds. This time around, gnomes are under attack by the drubs, a halfing gang known as Dastardly Rogues Under Bigly-Wicke. After his gnomeric home is bombed, Offi and his family head to a refugee center, where he meets up with a motley crew of unlikely heroes. Together, the merry band sets off to find the king and restore law and order to the land.
No Country for Old Gnomes is a new adventure in the lands of Pell, separate from the first book. However, several of the previous characters make appearances in the story, with some, like King Gustave, playing a critical roll. But this is a standalone tale, and one could pick up the book without having read Kill the Farm Boy.
As in the first book, the humor is witty and fun, although sometimes the silliness seemed to get in the way of the tale. The play on words is fabulous: things like “Dique” and “smöl” and “Foine” all made me smile. The combination of subtle digs and pop culture references along side blatant ridicule and humor is brilliantly written. Yet… I struggled.
Although I enjoyed my return visit to Pell, meeting a whole new cast of characters, and revisiting familiar faces, it took me nineteen days to get through this book (about 4 times longer than usual). I loved the premise of the plot and found the group’s quest both noble and entertaining. But I struggled to get through this one. It’s not that it was bad; I just never could get into the story whole-heartedly. The storytelling is choppy, with the group going from one situation to another, each time meeting new people, finding new danger, etc. Although there is a cohesive mission in their journey, the constant interruptions, and often outrageous side quests, proved to be too much distraction, never allowing me to submerse into the adventure fully.
If you are a fan of Terry Pratchett’s anything-goes humor and storytelling, I urge you to give The Tales of Pell series a try. It’s a lot of fun, just not for everyone.
My Rating: C, Finished It – Liked some, didn’t like some
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by NetGalley/publisher
No Country for Old Gnomes is a new adventure in the lands of Pell, separate from the first book. However, several of the previous characters make appearances in the story, with some, like King Gustave, playing a critical roll. But this is a standalone tale, and one could pick up the book without having read Kill the Farm Boy.
As in the first book, the humor is witty and fun, although sometimes the silliness seemed to get in the way of the tale. The play on words is fabulous: things like “Dique” and “smöl” and “Foine” all made me smile. The combination of subtle digs and pop culture references along side blatant ridicule and humor is brilliantly written. Yet… I struggled.
Although I enjoyed my return visit to Pell, meeting a whole new cast of characters, and revisiting familiar faces, it took me nineteen days to get through this book (about 4 times longer than usual). I loved the premise of the plot and found the group’s quest both noble and entertaining. But I struggled to get through this one. It’s not that it was bad; I just never could get into the story whole-heartedly. The storytelling is choppy, with the group going from one situation to another, each time meeting new people, finding new danger, etc. Although there is a cohesive mission in their journey, the constant interruptions, and often outrageous side quests, proved to be too much distraction, never allowing me to submerse into the adventure fully.
If you are a fan of Terry Pratchett’s anything-goes humor and storytelling, I urge you to give The Tales of Pell series a try. It’s a lot of fun, just not for everyone.
My Rating: C, Finished It – Liked some, didn’t like some
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by NetGalley/publisher
February 10, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this arc.
This was a whimsical, fantastical read that should have taken less time to finish. But I just had to keep putting it down to laugh. As I'm not really a belly-laugher, my husband also kept checking in on me to make sure I was okay. He ended up laughing along with me and slowed me down even further.
I have not read the first book of Pell Tales so this was read as a stand alone for me (but I am looking forward to getting my hands on the first book of this series).
Offi, disgusted with his new "sanctuary accommodations", sets off on a mission with other fellow disgusted creatures set out on a mission and have a lot of adventures into new and different worlds. What fun!
This was a whimsical, fantastical read that should have taken less time to finish. But I just had to keep putting it down to laugh. As I'm not really a belly-laugher, my husband also kept checking in on me to make sure I was okay. He ended up laughing along with me and slowed me down even further.
I have not read the first book of Pell Tales so this was read as a stand alone for me (but I am looking forward to getting my hands on the first book of this series).
Offi, disgusted with his new "sanctuary accommodations", sets off on a mission with other fellow disgusted creatures set out on a mission and have a lot of adventures into new and different worlds. What fun!
April 23, 2019
Thank you so much to Del Rey Books (Random House - Ballantine) and NetGalley for the e-ARC of No Country for Old Gnomes! Received for free in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly - I loved this sequel so much more than Kill the Farm Boy. Hearne and Dawson outdid themselves on the puns, umlauts, gnomerisms, and general insanity - but also managed to tell a pretty dark story underneath it all.
A new motley crew of heroes find each other on the path to set right the atrocities being committed to the gnomes. The halflings seem to be mobilizing under Marquant Dique and his drubs, as he and another lord are attempting to overthrow the kingdom. The characters go on quite the quest to an ancient library then the home of the gnome/halfling leadership. Refugee situations, martial law, murder, treason, heroic deaths, coming of age...there is truly a bit of everything in this novel.
Not to plenty plenty of puns, umlauts, seering cabbages, and honestly a better cast of characters. Kirsi and Offi, the gyphon and the ovitaur (sheep person), and B¤ggi the dwarf each have their own revelations and heroics. No spoilers but I love who these two decide to kill off. The authors do so unapologetically and it allows for all the elements of a good quest story. The characters from book 1 make token appearances but I felt no loss with the new cast. The book also had a pretty satisfying ending - if there is a third book, I do hope it wraps up similarly well because the series is in a good place right now.
Along with all the laughs, I also HIGHLY recommend checking out at least the audiobook exerpt.
Thank you all again for the eARC, I highly recommend these to any fans of fantasy/comedy, epic quests, and fluffee omlets!
Honestly - I loved this sequel so much more than Kill the Farm Boy. Hearne and Dawson outdid themselves on the puns, umlauts, gnomerisms, and general insanity - but also managed to tell a pretty dark story underneath it all.
A new motley crew of heroes find each other on the path to set right the atrocities being committed to the gnomes. The halflings seem to be mobilizing under Marquant Dique and his drubs, as he and another lord are attempting to overthrow the kingdom. The characters go on quite the quest to an ancient library then the home of the gnome/halfling leadership. Refugee situations, martial law, murder, treason, heroic deaths, coming of age...there is truly a bit of everything in this novel.
Not to plenty plenty of puns, umlauts, seering cabbages, and honestly a better cast of characters. Kirsi and Offi, the gyphon and the ovitaur (sheep person), and B¤ggi the dwarf each have their own revelations and heroics. No spoilers but I love who these two decide to kill off. The authors do so unapologetically and it allows for all the elements of a good quest story. The characters from book 1 make token appearances but I felt no loss with the new cast. The book also had a pretty satisfying ending - if there is a third book, I do hope it wraps up similarly well because the series is in a good place right now.
Along with all the laughs, I also HIGHLY recommend checking out at least the audiobook exerpt.
Thank you all again for the eARC, I highly recommend these to any fans of fantasy/comedy, epic quests, and fluffee omlets!
March 27, 2019
Silly little gnomes, fantasies for kids! I am such a sucker for children’s fantasy books.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the copy!
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the copy!
April 14, 2019
I generally only post reviews of books if I love them, or they really challenge me in some way, but I got an ARC of this so review it I shall.
Meh.
The first book in the series was also meh. It was mostly along the lines of a satire as done by the Scary Movie guys - various pop culture references and plenty of leaning on the 4th wall, but no real bite to it the way someone like Pratchett does satire. This was in the same ball park.
On the whole I think I liked it better. The characters were deeper, and by the end I was pretty caught up in what would happen to them. The first book the jokes were better - I particularly liked the literal troll who also wore a fedora and who's final words were, "Well, actually..."
On the whole, if you're looking for something light and fun, this isn't a bad choice. I would probably have loved it if I'd gotten it in middle school. As it is: meh.
Meh.
The first book in the series was also meh. It was mostly along the lines of a satire as done by the Scary Movie guys - various pop culture references and plenty of leaning on the 4th wall, but no real bite to it the way someone like Pratchett does satire. This was in the same ball park.
On the whole I think I liked it better. The characters were deeper, and by the end I was pretty caught up in what would happen to them. The first book the jokes were better - I particularly liked the literal troll who also wore a fedora and who's final words were, "Well, actually..."
On the whole, if you're looking for something light and fun, this isn't a bad choice. I would probably have loved it if I'd gotten it in middle school. As it is: meh.
April 16, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.
3.75 Stars
No Country for Old Gnomes is the second book in the Tales of Pell trilogy. If you haven't read the first (Kill the Farm Boy), you should, but it's not necessary to enjoy this installment. In this story we follow Gnomes, Halflings, Sheep-people, and Dwarfs on an adventure to... well, you should read it and find out.
This book is a wonderfully funny satire on fairy tales, with a ton of pop culture references, puns, and good old fashioned immaturity. It took a bit of getting in to, with several chapters introducing us to each of our adventurers, but it's worth it once things really get rolling. I cannot wait for the third in the series. It's been a long while since I found a book (or series) that made me giggle as much as the Tales of Pell.
3.75 Stars
No Country for Old Gnomes is the second book in the Tales of Pell trilogy. If you haven't read the first (Kill the Farm Boy), you should, but it's not necessary to enjoy this installment. In this story we follow Gnomes, Halflings, Sheep-people, and Dwarfs on an adventure to... well, you should read it and find out.
This book is a wonderfully funny satire on fairy tales, with a ton of pop culture references, puns, and good old fashioned immaturity. It took a bit of getting in to, with several chapters introducing us to each of our adventurers, but it's worth it once things really get rolling. I cannot wait for the third in the series. It's been a long while since I found a book (or series) that made me giggle as much as the Tales of Pell.
May 1, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this e-book ARC from the author, publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When two dwarf brothers are sent away from their homes from evil halflings, they team up with a group of crazy and silly creatures to try and save their home and Skyr from them. Will they succeed? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good and silly fantasy novel. If you enjoy these types of books, be sure to check this book out available now at your local library and wherever books are sold.
When two dwarf brothers are sent away from their homes from evil halflings, they team up with a group of crazy and silly creatures to try and save their home and Skyr from them. Will they succeed? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good and silly fantasy novel. If you enjoy these types of books, be sure to check this book out available now at your local library and wherever books are sold.
July 11, 2019
Well, I was crying tears of sorrow and happiness at the end of this book, which is pretty wild since most of the ride is a heartful romp (even when it does tacitly point us to the most heartbreaking woes we see in the news). I guess I didn't realize how much each character meant to me until the end, and each one DID mean something to me. An excellent sequel.
April 18, 2024
Initially I couldn’t get into this book because it’s not really a type of humor that appeals to me. The story became more interesting to me as it progressed through. I liked the message of different “races” of beings working together for a common cause, trying to make peace, and getting rid of your preconceived notions regarding others.
March 21, 2020
I enjoyed number 3 so much that I came back to read number 2....but the cast of characters was so big for me that I kept thinking, ok, now this one is a what? gnome, halfing? which I think is like a hobbit? A lot of cute ideas, but really busy and tiring to read
May 7, 2019
Punny to the last drop! A laugh out loud romp full of ridiculousness at every turn. Can't wait for more.
April 18, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
As much as I loved 2018's Kill the Farm Boy -- and talked about it everywhere and repeatedly -- I wasn't sure how much I really wanted to pick up the sequel. There's no way it would be as good, the humor would be a little stale, and the whole approach wouldn't seem as novel. Still, I knew curiosity would get the better of me -- and it'd still have its moments. Also, I'm not at the point where I can live in a world with a Kevin Hearne book in print that I haven't read.
I was so, so wrong. Having established their off-kilter world, strong voice, and approach to the stories of Pell, Dawson and Hearne have come back to play in it. The result is superior in every way that I can think of. I lost track of how many times I said to myself while reading something along the lines of, "how did they improve things this much?"
So this book happens in different corner of the kingdom than Farm Boy did. The Skylar is a choice piece of the land that is home to two diminutive races --- halflings and gnomes. Gnomes want to live in their nice little homes, tinker with their little projects and inventions, and wear brightly colored cardigans (well, there was one gnome who wanted to wear a black cardigan, but let's leave that aside for now). The halflings have found their government hijacked by criminals and those particular halflings are waging a war of sorts on the gnomes, driving them from their homes for unknown reasons. Driven by desperation, two of these displaced gnomes are part of our questing party here. A halfling -- committed to (some may say obsessed with) the law that is being ignored by his people is another member of the party.
These three join themselves to an ovitaur named Agape -- an ovitaur is like a faun, but is humanoid with sheep characteristics (feet, legs, ears, etc). She's the last of a long family line serving as teh guardians of a rare treasure, and needs guidance. A gryphon, named Gerd, outcast from his people has been accompanying the halfling for some time, but is devoted to protecting Agape now. The last member of the party is a dwarf named Båggi Biins. Båggi is on his Meadschpringå -- a time when young dwarves leave their homes to purge the violence from themselves so they can return to their homes to pursue an ascetic life of creativity. He joins the others certain that journeying with them, protecting them along their way will provide all the outlet required to use his violence in a noble cause.
Their quest? To go to the Great Library, where the founding documents of the gnomeric and halfling civilizations are located -- which should prove invaluable to re-establish the peace and help the two societies get along. Agape should find resources to direct her in her guardianship, and hopefully provide Gerd with the proof that he broke no laws of the gryphons.
The fact that most people on Pell consider the Great Library to be a myth shouldn't be taken as an argument against this quest. What better place than a possibly mythical library to provide the answers they seek?
While these characters are on their quest, working for peace -- the king and his advisor are trying to solve the problems between the halflings and gnomes in a more direct approach. We also see (briefly in most cases) other characters from Farm Boy. We see just enough to know how things are going for them some months later -- and on the whole, it's just as you'd hoped/expected it to be for them. It is not essential to have read the previous volume to get 95% of this book. It's safe to hand this one off to family, friends and coworkers who are wondering what you're cackling about without making them do homework first.
Along the way, these characters meet a cult of cabbage worshipers, who have the ability to read prophecies in the vegetables; some very frightening mermaids (that look nothing like anything anyone expects); a very Tom Bombadil-esque character (and a few other Tolkien-inspired jokes). As in Farm Boy, the authors manage to use these ideas as sources of comedy and to propel the plot along in meaningful ways. Similarly, they use racial and personal characteristics of the characters to play with, play against and mock genre standards. But almost none of the characters are mere jokes, they're well-developed characters that happen to be able to comedic. This is not an easy balance to achieve -- and Hearne and Dawson are almost flawless on this front.
For example, gryphons are convinced that they perceive greater nuance and details in colors, sounds, tastes and the like and adjust their pronunciation of words via capital letters, umlauts and extra syllables. Gerd's dialogue is littered with these. It starts off as a joke that just won't stop, and instead of it getting tired or annoying (which I assumed it would), it becomes just part of the way that Gerd talks. His own particular dialect, that occasionally will strike you as amusing -- maybe even just funny occasionally. I wouldn't say it's because the authors show restraint with it, employing it just when needed to keep it funny. Quite the reverse, they seemingly take the approach of drowning you in the joke, figuring that it'll be funny often enough to justify it.
If you're like me, you have a tendency to skip chapter titles. Doing so with The Tales of Pell would be a mistake. The titles are long, fitting, and insanely goofy. The only thing better are the chapter epigraphs I imagine the drafts going back and forth between the authors, each trying to top the other with the next chapter title/epigraph. And generally succeeding.
These books are noted (as I've focused on) for their comedy -- as is right, because they are funny. But as anyone who's read other works by Dawson and Hearne know, they're about a lot more than comedy. The battle scenes are exciting. The emotional themes and reactions are genuine and unforced. And tragedy hits hard. It's easy to forget in the middle of inspiring moments or humorous aftermaths of battle that these kind of novels involve death and other forms of loss -- and when you do forget, you are open to getting your heart punched.
In case I haven't made it clear here, Dawson and Hearne knocked it out of the park here. I thought Kill the Farm Boy was outstanding, and No Country for Old Gnomes surpassed it on every front. I don't expect that the third volume of The Tales of Pell will continue this trend -- but I'm more than open to being proven wrong next year. But for 2019? I'm just going to revel in the goodness -- the laughs, the pathos, the excitement -- brought by this adventure and the wonderful cast of characters. Get your hands on this one.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine. via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this, I really appreciate it.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
As much as I loved 2018's Kill the Farm Boy -- and talked about it everywhere and repeatedly -- I wasn't sure how much I really wanted to pick up the sequel. There's no way it would be as good, the humor would be a little stale, and the whole approach wouldn't seem as novel. Still, I knew curiosity would get the better of me -- and it'd still have its moments. Also, I'm not at the point where I can live in a world with a Kevin Hearne book in print that I haven't read.
I was so, so wrong. Having established their off-kilter world, strong voice, and approach to the stories of Pell, Dawson and Hearne have come back to play in it. The result is superior in every way that I can think of. I lost track of how many times I said to myself while reading something along the lines of, "how did they improve things this much?"
So this book happens in different corner of the kingdom than Farm Boy did. The Skylar is a choice piece of the land that is home to two diminutive races --- halflings and gnomes. Gnomes want to live in their nice little homes, tinker with their little projects and inventions, and wear brightly colored cardigans (well, there was one gnome who wanted to wear a black cardigan, but let's leave that aside for now). The halflings have found their government hijacked by criminals and those particular halflings are waging a war of sorts on the gnomes, driving them from their homes for unknown reasons. Driven by desperation, two of these displaced gnomes are part of our questing party here. A halfling -- committed to (some may say obsessed with) the law that is being ignored by his people is another member of the party.
These three join themselves to an ovitaur named Agape -- an ovitaur is like a faun, but is humanoid with sheep characteristics (feet, legs, ears, etc). She's the last of a long family line serving as teh guardians of a rare treasure, and needs guidance. A gryphon, named Gerd, outcast from his people has been accompanying the halfling for some time, but is devoted to protecting Agape now. The last member of the party is a dwarf named Båggi Biins. Båggi is on his Meadschpringå -- a time when young dwarves leave their homes to purge the violence from themselves so they can return to their homes to pursue an ascetic life of creativity. He joins the others certain that journeying with them, protecting them along their way will provide all the outlet required to use his violence in a noble cause.
Their quest? To go to the Great Library, where the founding documents of the gnomeric and halfling civilizations are located -- which should prove invaluable to re-establish the peace and help the two societies get along. Agape should find resources to direct her in her guardianship, and hopefully provide Gerd with the proof that he broke no laws of the gryphons.
The fact that most people on Pell consider the Great Library to be a myth shouldn't be taken as an argument against this quest. What better place than a possibly mythical library to provide the answers they seek?
While these characters are on their quest, working for peace -- the king and his advisor are trying to solve the problems between the halflings and gnomes in a more direct approach. We also see (briefly in most cases) other characters from Farm Boy. We see just enough to know how things are going for them some months later -- and on the whole, it's just as you'd hoped/expected it to be for them. It is not essential to have read the previous volume to get 95% of this book. It's safe to hand this one off to family, friends and coworkers who are wondering what you're cackling about without making them do homework first.
Along the way, these characters meet a cult of cabbage worshipers, who have the ability to read prophecies in the vegetables; some very frightening mermaids (that look nothing like anything anyone expects); a very Tom Bombadil-esque character (and a few other Tolkien-inspired jokes). As in Farm Boy, the authors manage to use these ideas as sources of comedy and to propel the plot along in meaningful ways. Similarly, they use racial and personal characteristics of the characters to play with, play against and mock genre standards. But almost none of the characters are mere jokes, they're well-developed characters that happen to be able to comedic. This is not an easy balance to achieve -- and Hearne and Dawson are almost flawless on this front.
For example, gryphons are convinced that they perceive greater nuance and details in colors, sounds, tastes and the like and adjust their pronunciation of words via capital letters, umlauts and extra syllables. Gerd's dialogue is littered with these. It starts off as a joke that just won't stop, and instead of it getting tired or annoying (which I assumed it would), it becomes just part of the way that Gerd talks. His own particular dialect, that occasionally will strike you as amusing -- maybe even just funny occasionally. I wouldn't say it's because the authors show restraint with it, employing it just when needed to keep it funny. Quite the reverse, they seemingly take the approach of drowning you in the joke, figuring that it'll be funny often enough to justify it.
If you're like me, you have a tendency to skip chapter titles. Doing so with The Tales of Pell would be a mistake. The titles are long, fitting, and insanely goofy. The only thing better are the chapter epigraphs I imagine the drafts going back and forth between the authors, each trying to top the other with the next chapter title/epigraph. And generally succeeding.
These books are noted (as I've focused on) for their comedy -- as is right, because they are funny. But as anyone who's read other works by Dawson and Hearne know, they're about a lot more than comedy. The battle scenes are exciting. The emotional themes and reactions are genuine and unforced. And tragedy hits hard. It's easy to forget in the middle of inspiring moments or humorous aftermaths of battle that these kind of novels involve death and other forms of loss -- and when you do forget, you are open to getting your heart punched.
In case I haven't made it clear here, Dawson and Hearne knocked it out of the park here. I thought Kill the Farm Boy was outstanding, and No Country for Old Gnomes surpassed it on every front. I don't expect that the third volume of The Tales of Pell will continue this trend -- but I'm more than open to being proven wrong next year. But for 2019? I'm just going to revel in the goodness -- the laughs, the pathos, the excitement -- brought by this adventure and the wonderful cast of characters. Get your hands on this one.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine. via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this, I really appreciate it.
April 13, 2019
Free ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review:
I read the Iron Druid chronicles from Kevin Hearne last year and loved it, so when I saw this on NetGalley, I just knew I had to read it! I am a first time reader of Delilah S. Dawson, and I’m already a new fan. Although the Tales from Pell series is vastly different from Iron Druid, it still has the witty humor that I’ve come to expect from Kevin Hearne. In fact, No Country for Old Gnomes is by far even funnier.
“Mother, Father. Take Care,’ Onni said, injecting nobility into every word as he squinted to the horizon. ‘We will return.’
‘By gumballs, what do you think Mama and Papa are going to do?’ Offi scoffed pulling himself to stand beside his twin. ‘Beat a pudding pan with a stick and say, Hey, halflings, hows about you lob a foine firebomb me-wards, or something? Of course they’re going to be careful! And what’s with all the squinting? Do you need my glasses?”— No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S Dawson and Kevin Hearne
No Country for Old Gnomes takes us on an unusual ride in the wonderful world of fantasy. With unique characters and literal humor throughout, this book caught my interest quickly and I found myself laughing on just about every page. I highly recommend reading No Country for Old Gnomes if you’d like a book that’s unusual and fantastic!
“Looking off to the horizon, properly and heroically squinting, Onni added, ‘Get your washtub ready, brother. It will be a bloody business when the gnome empire strikes back.”— No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne
Review:
I read the Iron Druid chronicles from Kevin Hearne last year and loved it, so when I saw this on NetGalley, I just knew I had to read it! I am a first time reader of Delilah S. Dawson, and I’m already a new fan. Although the Tales from Pell series is vastly different from Iron Druid, it still has the witty humor that I’ve come to expect from Kevin Hearne. In fact, No Country for Old Gnomes is by far even funnier.
“Mother, Father. Take Care,’ Onni said, injecting nobility into every word as he squinted to the horizon. ‘We will return.’
‘By gumballs, what do you think Mama and Papa are going to do?’ Offi scoffed pulling himself to stand beside his twin. ‘Beat a pudding pan with a stick and say, Hey, halflings, hows about you lob a foine firebomb me-wards, or something? Of course they’re going to be careful! And what’s with all the squinting? Do you need my glasses?”— No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S Dawson and Kevin Hearne
No Country for Old Gnomes takes us on an unusual ride in the wonderful world of fantasy. With unique characters and literal humor throughout, this book caught my interest quickly and I found myself laughing on just about every page. I highly recommend reading No Country for Old Gnomes if you’d like a book that’s unusual and fantastic!
“Looking off to the horizon, properly and heroically squinting, Onni added, ‘Get your washtub ready, brother. It will be a bloody business when the gnome empire strikes back.”— No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne
February 19, 2021
I FINISHED TALES OF PELL!!! (in the wrong order, and yeah it did take me eight weeks but I DID IT) this series never failed to make me laugh, and i'm so glad i discovered it at the local library and that all three were available because damn i will never look at goats, otters or umlauts the same way again. i loved the hilarious storytelling and the even more hilarious characters, and this series is so underrated so show it some hype!!
January 25, 2024
I enjoyed this book. Funny, but not as much as the first one. 4.5 stars rounded up. It parallels lotr much more so it is fun having that background knowledge base, and also turns it on its head. Some reviews complain about the woke or liberal angles but i feel they are exaggerated for humor but also to skewer long-existjng tropes.
November 6, 2019
OMG, listen to the audiobook for the full effect. One of the funniest books I’ve ever read/listened to.
May 6, 2019
I got a copy of this book from netgalley and was happy to get a chance to read and review it. I'd read Kill the Farm Boy, and this is a sequel, but it could also stand by itself well - we see some of the "Farm Boy" characters, but the main characters in this one are new, and I really liked them. The primary conflict is between the inventive gnomes, and the halflings who are trying to take over We also meet a dwarf, a gryphon, a part sheep, and others, in a punny quest.
March 16, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be available for purchase on April 16th of this year.
I was so excited to receive this book, because I loved the first book in the Pell series (Kill the Farm Boy). I was hopeful that this would continue in the fun vein of the first, and I was not disappointed.
This fantastic book not only turns classic fantasy tropes upside down, it shakes their pockets for loose change. I loved it! It was chock full of puns, ridiculous situations, and hilarious characters.
Offi, the emo gnome might very well be my favorite. There’s nothing like a cute little gnome wearing gothic blacks, and rolling his eyes, to make a person chuckle. Reading his interactions with Onni was a lesson in how funny tweaking words here and there can be.
The writing was fantastic, the story was quick-moving and funny as Pell, and I honestly can’t think of a single thing I’d change. I enjoyed this book even more than the first, and that’s saying something. I’m still grinning, thinking about prophetic cabbages…
If you enjoy quirky books, word plays, and a healthy dose of humor, this book is for you.
*This review will go live on my blog (link posted below) on March 15th. It was also be posted on my Goodreads account at https://www.goodreads.com/WittyandSar....
I was so excited to receive this book, because I loved the first book in the Pell series (Kill the Farm Boy). I was hopeful that this would continue in the fun vein of the first, and I was not disappointed.
This fantastic book not only turns classic fantasy tropes upside down, it shakes their pockets for loose change. I loved it! It was chock full of puns, ridiculous situations, and hilarious characters.
Offi, the emo gnome might very well be my favorite. There’s nothing like a cute little gnome wearing gothic blacks, and rolling his eyes, to make a person chuckle. Reading his interactions with Onni was a lesson in how funny tweaking words here and there can be.
The writing was fantastic, the story was quick-moving and funny as Pell, and I honestly can’t think of a single thing I’d change. I enjoyed this book even more than the first, and that’s saying something. I’m still grinning, thinking about prophetic cabbages…
If you enjoy quirky books, word plays, and a healthy dose of humor, this book is for you.
*This review will go live on my blog (link posted below) on March 15th. It was also be posted on my Goodreads account at https://www.goodreads.com/WittyandSar....
February 22, 2019
I purposely read this in short bursts dragging out the time I had to finish for one simple reason - I couldn't bear for it to end. This hysterical tome is like Monty Python and THE PRINCESS BRIDE on steroids. In a land far away poor defenseless gnomes are being burned out of their homes and terrorized by despicable halflings (insert shudder here). It will take a ragtag group of gnomes, dwarves, a gryphon with a passion for omelets, an automaatti and a reformed halfling to bring the good creatures of Pell back together. Prepare thyself for hours of giggles, snorting and uncontrollable laughter. If I didn't know any better, I would say the two creative authors slipped in some morals, good advice and life lessons as well. Book two was almost more fun than book one and the best news of all - book three is in the making. Thank you for the much needed laughter and my thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
January 18, 2026
This is graveyard book #18. Like a lot of my graveyard books that I have been working through over the last couple of months, I loved this book. I am again so annoyed that I put this book down and didn't pick it back up until now. I started this book six years ago, got about a chapter in, and put it down to pick up something else. I picked it back up almost to the day, 6 years later. 5 stars, let's talk about it.
Our story starts off with a new set of characters. We are still in the world of Pell, but we are meeting more of its people. Our main characters are Offi, a gothic gnome who wants to stand out apart from his twin, who is always the leader, and everyone's first pick. Then there is Kirsi, a school friend who actually likes the twin brother, Onni. She has decided to go against gnomeric rules and go solo to Brooding for help. Then we meet Faucon, a halfling who is all about rules and laws. He is a hunter with beautiful toe rings. Next is Gert the Griffon, who loves anything egg-related. Mostly omelets. Then we have Baggi (pronounced Boggy), who carries a basket of dwarfish remedies and yummy snacks. Lastly, we have an Ovitaur named Agape, she is a sheep person. She likes to carve knick-knacks in exchange for salt shakers.
Our fellowship is on a quest to speak to King Gustave (He's the talking goat from To Kill the Farm Boy, the first book) because the gnome homes are being bombed by the dastardly halflings. They want help to bring peace to their world and stop the fighting. Along the way, they meet all sorts of new friends and some not-so-nice people.
If you like reading comedic adventures like The Princess Bride, definitely pick up this book. I listened to it on audio, and the narrator was amazing! His name is Luke Daniels, and I would listen to any book he narrates. He truly is a master at accents and voices.
Our story starts off with a new set of characters. We are still in the world of Pell, but we are meeting more of its people. Our main characters are Offi, a gothic gnome who wants to stand out apart from his twin, who is always the leader, and everyone's first pick. Then there is Kirsi, a school friend who actually likes the twin brother, Onni. She has decided to go against gnomeric rules and go solo to Brooding for help. Then we meet Faucon, a halfling who is all about rules and laws. He is a hunter with beautiful toe rings. Next is Gert the Griffon, who loves anything egg-related. Mostly omelets. Then we have Baggi (pronounced Boggy), who carries a basket of dwarfish remedies and yummy snacks. Lastly, we have an Ovitaur named Agape, she is a sheep person. She likes to carve knick-knacks in exchange for salt shakers.
Our fellowship is on a quest to speak to King Gustave (He's the talking goat from To Kill the Farm Boy, the first book) because the gnome homes are being bombed by the dastardly halflings. They want help to bring peace to their world and stop the fighting. Along the way, they meet all sorts of new friends and some not-so-nice people.
If you like reading comedic adventures like The Princess Bride, definitely pick up this book. I listened to it on audio, and the narrator was amazing! His name is Luke Daniels, and I would listen to any book he narrates. He truly is a master at accents and voices.
August 13, 2019
A marked improvement over the first in this series, less aggressively juvenile and a bit more nuanced. The new leads aren't quite as charming as the original crew (who make appearances), but the world is a little richer. Still, like many fantasy/comedies, it gets a little cloying.
This is a charming series, but nothing groundbreaking. Not quite parody but certainly not a straight take, it ain't Discworld, but still a notch above Xanth. Absolutely worth a look or listen for light-hearted genre fans.
This is a charming series, but nothing groundbreaking. Not quite parody but certainly not a straight take, it ain't Discworld, but still a notch above Xanth. Absolutely worth a look or listen for light-hearted genre fans.
June 8, 2019
I'm afraid the authors couldn't capture lightning in a bottle twice. I made it a hundred or so pages into the book, and they were still inorganically introducing new characters, whereas the first book in the series just flowed naturally.
Spoiler alert:
I made it past a part where the goat king from the last book decided to take care of the problem. That really should have ended the book!
Spoiler alert:
I made it past a part where the goat king from the last book decided to take care of the problem. That really should have ended the book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2019
First was okay. This one was... annoying. If you find deliberate typos funny then I guess this is for you. For $15 I felt ripped off.
March 8, 2020
That is NOT how you do an absurdist fantasy adventure
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