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Official Minecraft Novels #3
Minecraft: The Lost Journals: An Official Minecraft Novel
This official Minecraft novel is a journey into the unknown!
Max and Alison are proof that differences don't stand in the way of friendship. Max is always on the lookout for a new adventure--even if it means getting into trouble--while Alison prefers to follow the rules. But both of them are fascinated by the beat-up old journal Max finds and the strange gate its secretive author, the Enchanter, describes: a portal to an otherworldly realm of danger called the Nether.
After they use the journal's instructions to craft the portal, Max and Alison squabble over whether to remain safe in the Overworld or to journey into the Nether to find the Enchanter . . . until a fateful accident makes the decision for them.
Trapped in a scary new world, Max and Alison find an ally in Freya, a fierce warrior who has been living in the Nether with her beloved wolf, Bunny Biter. With Freya's help, and with the clues that lie in the pages of the mysterious journal, Max and Alison embark on a quest to find the Enchanter, even as the Nether pushes their skills--and their friendship--to the limit.
Collect all of the official Minecraft books:
Minecraft: The Island
Minecraft: The Crash
Minecraft: The Lost Journals
Minecraft: The Survivors' Book of Secrets
Minecraft: Exploded Builds: Medieval Fortress
Minecraft: Guide to Exploration
Minecraft: Guide to Creative
Minecraft: Guide to the Nether & the End
Minecraft: Guide to Redstone
Minecraft: Mobestiary
Minecraft: Guide to Enchantments & Potions
Minecraft: Guide to PVP Minigames
Minecraft: Guide to Farming
Minecraft: Let's Build! Theme Park Adventure
Minecraft for Beginners
Max and Alison are proof that differences don't stand in the way of friendship. Max is always on the lookout for a new adventure--even if it means getting into trouble--while Alison prefers to follow the rules. But both of them are fascinated by the beat-up old journal Max finds and the strange gate its secretive author, the Enchanter, describes: a portal to an otherworldly realm of danger called the Nether.
After they use the journal's instructions to craft the portal, Max and Alison squabble over whether to remain safe in the Overworld or to journey into the Nether to find the Enchanter . . . until a fateful accident makes the decision for them.
Trapped in a scary new world, Max and Alison find an ally in Freya, a fierce warrior who has been living in the Nether with her beloved wolf, Bunny Biter. With Freya's help, and with the clues that lie in the pages of the mysterious journal, Max and Alison embark on a quest to find the Enchanter, even as the Nether pushes their skills--and their friendship--to the limit.
Collect all of the official Minecraft books:
Minecraft: The Island
Minecraft: The Crash
Minecraft: The Lost Journals
Minecraft: The Survivors' Book of Secrets
Minecraft: Exploded Builds: Medieval Fortress
Minecraft: Guide to Exploration
Minecraft: Guide to Creative
Minecraft: Guide to the Nether & the End
Minecraft: Guide to Redstone
Minecraft: Mobestiary
Minecraft: Guide to Enchantments & Potions
Minecraft: Guide to PVP Minigames
Minecraft: Guide to Farming
Minecraft: Let's Build! Theme Park Adventure
Minecraft for Beginners
272 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2019
409 people are currently reading
797 people want to read
About the author
Mur Lafferty
114 books1,785 followersNOTE- Goodreads mail is NOT a good way to get in touch with me. I don't get notifications of questions and I'm rarely here. Please contact me via my website, murverse.com.
Mur Lafferty is the author of Solo: A Star Wars Story and the Hugo and Nebula nominated novel Six Wakes, The Shambling Guides series, and several self pubbed novels and novellas, including the award winning Afterlife series. She is the host of the Hugo-winning podcast Ditch Diggers, and the long-running I Should Be Writing. She is the recipient of the John Campbell Award for best new writer, the Manly Wade Wellman Award, the Best Fancast Hugo Award, and joined the Podcast Hall of Fame in 2015, its inaugural year.
Mur Lafferty is the author of Solo: A Star Wars Story and the Hugo and Nebula nominated novel Six Wakes, The Shambling Guides series, and several self pubbed novels and novellas, including the award winning Afterlife series. She is the host of the Hugo-winning podcast Ditch Diggers, and the long-running I Should Be Writing. She is the recipient of the John Campbell Award for best new writer, the Manly Wade Wellman Award, the Best Fancast Hugo Award, and joined the Podcast Hall of Fame in 2015, its inaugural year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
August 5, 2019
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/08/03/...
My kids are more heavily into Minecraft than I am these days, while for myself I’ve been more interested in checking out the tie-in novels. I had a good time with the first two books in the series (The Island and The Crash) and so my attention was piqued when I found out about a third one coming out, especially when I realized that it was going to be written by Mur Lafferty, an author whose work I’ve enjoyed in the past.
Titled The Lost Journals, this latest young adult novel taking place in the Minecraft universe follows Alison and Max, two friends who live in the blocky, digitized world of the game. In this dangerous setting, both of them have experienced tragedy in the past. In fact, Alison now lives with Max and his family because hers perished in a terrible incident involving a creeper attack. Max himself almost died from drowning while swimming in the cove, leaving his mother paranoid and overprotective. Alison and Max are thus watched closely, never allowed to have too much fun in between doing their chores at the farm.
But the pull of adventure is too powerful. Max, ever the one to look for new fun things to do, comes up with an idea after finding an old and weather-worn journal containing plans on how to craft a portal to a mysterious realm called the Nether. At first, Alison is hesitant about going along with Max’s plans, but then he tells her that the journal’s owner is his uncle Nicholas, also known as the Enchanter. Max clearly has a personal connection to the situation, so the two friends decide to embark on a quest to the Nether in order to find Nicholas. But once on the other side, an accident traps them both in this strange new world along with another girl named Freya and and her wolf dog Bunny Biter.
As you can probably tell, The Lost Journals skews towards younger readers, more so than the previous volumes, in my opinion. The style feels closer to Middle Grade, based on the behavior of the characters and the language used in the book. Lafferty appears to have a good grasp on the audience to write for, creating in Max and Alison a couple of protagonists that kids can relate to. Both of them are thirsty for a grand adventure, but Alison is a little more mature and prudent, while Max is a little more inclined to throw caution to the wind. Despite their frequent squabbles though, their friendship feels innocent, genuine and easygoing, with both of them offering each other a good support system. Their relationship is closer to that of a brother and sister, especially ever since Alison moved in with Max’s family, and even in the face of all the challenges and threats they find in the Nether, their bond remains strong.
If you’re not familiar with the Minecraft world though, I think this book will be somewhat challenging to get into. From the game’s distinctive environment all the way down to its little idiosyncrasies like the crafting and building systems, everything described in it will feel very strange. And while I enjoyed reading The Lost Journals, I can’t really say it really drew me in the same way previous Minecraft book did. Unlike The Crash which takes place in the context of the real world, this one feels like it has more in common with The Island, with its story unfolding entirely in-game so that the world of Minecraft is the “norm” for our characters. Not only is it more difficult to feel connected with a book like this, I also thought its tone and ideas were more simplistic, whereas The Crash dealt with some pretty mature topics and heavy themes like death, grief, or games as therapy.
In comparison, The Lost Journals was more a fluffy fun adventure strictly for kids, offering a very surface level experience. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, especially if you like a lot of action, the kind involving battling skeletons and pitting your survival skills against the elements. The characters are also so energetic and likeable, in a way it’s like watching a couple of highly imaginative kids playing Minecraft, and it’s hard to have a bad time with that. Still, this book isn’t going to be for you if you’re looking for something deeper and more memorable, and if you’re coming to this directly from The Crash, you’ll feel the difference even more keenly.
In other words, I’d probably only recommend this one for Minecraft enthusiast or for fans of the author who must read everything she writes. It was fun for what it was, but I must also confess that my expectations were raised after the poignancy of The Crash, the deepest and most meaningful of the Minecraft novels thus far. The Lost Journals felt younger and more simplistic in comparison, but Middle Grade age readers who love Minecraft will probably have a blast with it.
My kids are more heavily into Minecraft than I am these days, while for myself I’ve been more interested in checking out the tie-in novels. I had a good time with the first two books in the series (The Island and The Crash) and so my attention was piqued when I found out about a third one coming out, especially when I realized that it was going to be written by Mur Lafferty, an author whose work I’ve enjoyed in the past.
Titled The Lost Journals, this latest young adult novel taking place in the Minecraft universe follows Alison and Max, two friends who live in the blocky, digitized world of the game. In this dangerous setting, both of them have experienced tragedy in the past. In fact, Alison now lives with Max and his family because hers perished in a terrible incident involving a creeper attack. Max himself almost died from drowning while swimming in the cove, leaving his mother paranoid and overprotective. Alison and Max are thus watched closely, never allowed to have too much fun in between doing their chores at the farm.
But the pull of adventure is too powerful. Max, ever the one to look for new fun things to do, comes up with an idea after finding an old and weather-worn journal containing plans on how to craft a portal to a mysterious realm called the Nether. At first, Alison is hesitant about going along with Max’s plans, but then he tells her that the journal’s owner is his uncle Nicholas, also known as the Enchanter. Max clearly has a personal connection to the situation, so the two friends decide to embark on a quest to the Nether in order to find Nicholas. But once on the other side, an accident traps them both in this strange new world along with another girl named Freya and and her wolf dog Bunny Biter.
As you can probably tell, The Lost Journals skews towards younger readers, more so than the previous volumes, in my opinion. The style feels closer to Middle Grade, based on the behavior of the characters and the language used in the book. Lafferty appears to have a good grasp on the audience to write for, creating in Max and Alison a couple of protagonists that kids can relate to. Both of them are thirsty for a grand adventure, but Alison is a little more mature and prudent, while Max is a little more inclined to throw caution to the wind. Despite their frequent squabbles though, their friendship feels innocent, genuine and easygoing, with both of them offering each other a good support system. Their relationship is closer to that of a brother and sister, especially ever since Alison moved in with Max’s family, and even in the face of all the challenges and threats they find in the Nether, their bond remains strong.
If you’re not familiar with the Minecraft world though, I think this book will be somewhat challenging to get into. From the game’s distinctive environment all the way down to its little idiosyncrasies like the crafting and building systems, everything described in it will feel very strange. And while I enjoyed reading The Lost Journals, I can’t really say it really drew me in the same way previous Minecraft book did. Unlike The Crash which takes place in the context of the real world, this one feels like it has more in common with The Island, with its story unfolding entirely in-game so that the world of Minecraft is the “norm” for our characters. Not only is it more difficult to feel connected with a book like this, I also thought its tone and ideas were more simplistic, whereas The Crash dealt with some pretty mature topics and heavy themes like death, grief, or games as therapy.
In comparison, The Lost Journals was more a fluffy fun adventure strictly for kids, offering a very surface level experience. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, especially if you like a lot of action, the kind involving battling skeletons and pitting your survival skills against the elements. The characters are also so energetic and likeable, in a way it’s like watching a couple of highly imaginative kids playing Minecraft, and it’s hard to have a bad time with that. Still, this book isn’t going to be for you if you’re looking for something deeper and more memorable, and if you’re coming to this directly from The Crash, you’ll feel the difference even more keenly.
In other words, I’d probably only recommend this one for Minecraft enthusiast or for fans of the author who must read everything she writes. It was fun for what it was, but I must also confess that my expectations were raised after the poignancy of The Crash, the deepest and most meaningful of the Minecraft novels thus far. The Lost Journals felt younger and more simplistic in comparison, but Middle Grade age readers who love Minecraft will probably have a blast with it.
June 1, 2021
I'm of course not the target audience here. My 9 year old son (and Minecraft junkie) asked me to read this because he's getting to the age where we are reading the same things, which I'm really happy about.
Thematically the novel is a little thin, but it does appear to take elements of the game and weave them effortlessly into a narrative. I asked my son for clarification about several things and he was a excellent guide, lol.
I'm grateful for these books for they got my son excited about reading pretty big books without many pictures at all.
Thematically the novel is a little thin, but it does appear to take elements of the game and weave them effortlessly into a narrative. I asked my son for clarification about several things and he was a excellent guide, lol.
I'm grateful for these books for they got my son excited about reading pretty big books without many pictures at all.
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November 6, 2019The book “Minecraft: The Lost Journals” by Mur Lafferty is about an adventurous boy named Max and his friend Allison. Allison had recently ha her home blown up by a creeper nd only she survived out of her whole family, so she lives with Max. They go on many adventures together and get into HUGE trouble and travel to distant places. This book was very interesting to read and made m not want to put the book down! It was fun reading how Max got Allison and himself into dangerous places, but Allison saved them. I wish this book was longer or part of a series. I thought this book was action-packed, adventurous, and all around enjoyable. I would recommend this book to people who like adventure and friendship books.
March 10, 2020
Have you ever read a book as Exciting and with as much adventure as the book I'm about to explain? You probably have or not but I don’t care i'm about to explain so hold on to your hair. If you don't have hair go buy a hat and hold onto you hat. The book i will be telling you about is Minecraft: The lost journals by Mur lafferty. The genre of this book is fiction adventure. This book is a great book for anyone who likes adventure and minecraft or maybe just adventure.
The book Takes place in minecraft well in a forest. It also takes place in multiple places like Ally or Allison house. Maxes house, the nether, and a shack hidden deep in the forest. I think the nether fortress counts as a place. The main characters are Ally and Max. More into the book We meet Freya and bunny biter who are also main characters. More deeper into the book we find Uncle Nicholas which is Max's uncle. Max likes adventure and lives with her mom. Max’s Dad works in a village. Ally’s family is all dead She is the only one alive. She blames herself for killing her family because she accidentally lured a creeper and blew up her family. They were already friends and Max’s mom took her into her house. Ally takes care of the sheep her family owned.
The Main events are many so get ready. While The sheep escapes Max helps Ally rebuild the sheep pen but instead of using wood he uses obsidian. Ally and Max go to a shack and start looking around it and they find useful materials. They Burned Max’s farm well dug a hole and put lava. The kids get grounded. After that they keep on going to the shack this time for good. They are switching Max’s mom tools for better ones. After that they found a portal and built it. A creeper comes towards them and before it kills them both they jump into the portal. Max and Ally are now in the nether and are attacked by Chickens and zombie pigmen and they get saved by a stranger. The stranger is Freya and bunny biter. Max has a new sword. The try to find a way out but cant find their portal so Freya lets them stay at her fortress. They settle on an adventure to find Nicholas which is Max’s Uncle and they embark. They get attacked. They know more about their family. There's a place called the end and you can only leave if you kill the dragon. They find Nicholas. They almost died. Keep on fighting mobs. After that they are ready to go back home and they build a portal. Freya can't find Bunny bitter so they try to find bunny bitter. The others go through the portal then Freya to and they are on an island together ready to continue their adventure.
I think this book was great. It made me feel excited to read more. This book is more for people who played minecraft because they will understand it more. This book is about friendship also since they are trying to stay together and well not die. This is one of my Favorite books. Anyone would love this book I don't know if they would understand but maybe If you read this play minecraft first.
The book Takes place in minecraft well in a forest. It also takes place in multiple places like Ally or Allison house. Maxes house, the nether, and a shack hidden deep in the forest. I think the nether fortress counts as a place. The main characters are Ally and Max. More into the book We meet Freya and bunny biter who are also main characters. More deeper into the book we find Uncle Nicholas which is Max's uncle. Max likes adventure and lives with her mom. Max’s Dad works in a village. Ally’s family is all dead She is the only one alive. She blames herself for killing her family because she accidentally lured a creeper and blew up her family. They were already friends and Max’s mom took her into her house. Ally takes care of the sheep her family owned.
The Main events are many so get ready. While The sheep escapes Max helps Ally rebuild the sheep pen but instead of using wood he uses obsidian. Ally and Max go to a shack and start looking around it and they find useful materials. They Burned Max’s farm well dug a hole and put lava. The kids get grounded. After that they keep on going to the shack this time for good. They are switching Max’s mom tools for better ones. After that they found a portal and built it. A creeper comes towards them and before it kills them both they jump into the portal. Max and Ally are now in the nether and are attacked by Chickens and zombie pigmen and they get saved by a stranger. The stranger is Freya and bunny biter. Max has a new sword. The try to find a way out but cant find their portal so Freya lets them stay at her fortress. They settle on an adventure to find Nicholas which is Max’s Uncle and they embark. They get attacked. They know more about their family. There's a place called the end and you can only leave if you kill the dragon. They find Nicholas. They almost died. Keep on fighting mobs. After that they are ready to go back home and they build a portal. Freya can't find Bunny bitter so they try to find bunny bitter. The others go through the portal then Freya to and they are on an island together ready to continue their adventure.
I think this book was great. It made me feel excited to read more. This book is more for people who played minecraft because they will understand it more. This book is about friendship also since they are trying to stay together and well not die. This is one of my Favorite books. Anyone would love this book I don't know if they would understand but maybe If you read this play minecraft first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2024
I let my little boy choose this for us to read together before bed each night. He is, like many of child these days, absolutely obsessed with Minecraft, and I can't exactly blame him. Even I got into it all over again for a little while upon introducing him to the game.
In truth, this book was a bit too advanced for him. He did not enjoy it all the much, and so towards the end was happy to let me read it on my own and simply tell him what happened. Bit of a copout, but for God's sake, he is not yet five, and I was getting tired of the exasperatingly slow pace.
I would say it is best suited for Minecraft fans somewhere between the ages of 9 and 12. Upper-primary school, very early high school. There was a decent amount of action, some moments of peril and even some relatively thrilling showdowns with the mobs. The writing was quite good, and Lafferty definitely turns in a good job, nailing all the tropes and terms and concepts as laid out in Minecraft lore. I would be very surprised if she wasn't herself a big fan of it.
There were a fair number of minor gripes, and I definitely feel like the pacing could have been a little faster, and also that the story would have benefitted by exploring some more interesting questions - eg, Uncle Nicholas's theorised attempts to communicate with endermen - rather than just turning into a predictable "escape from the Nether" adventure.
But for what it is, I think it's a perfectly adequate novel.
In truth, this book was a bit too advanced for him. He did not enjoy it all the much, and so towards the end was happy to let me read it on my own and simply tell him what happened. Bit of a copout, but for God's sake, he is not yet five, and I was getting tired of the exasperatingly slow pace.
I would say it is best suited for Minecraft fans somewhere between the ages of 9 and 12. Upper-primary school, very early high school. There was a decent amount of action, some moments of peril and even some relatively thrilling showdowns with the mobs. The writing was quite good, and Lafferty definitely turns in a good job, nailing all the tropes and terms and concepts as laid out in Minecraft lore. I would be very surprised if she wasn't herself a big fan of it.
There were a fair number of minor gripes, and I definitely feel like the pacing could have been a little faster, and also that the story would have benefitted by exploring some more interesting questions - eg, Uncle Nicholas's theorised attempts to communicate with endermen - rather than just turning into a predictable "escape from the Nether" adventure.
But for what it is, I think it's a perfectly adequate novel.
February 9, 2021
I thought this book was good. Sometimes it got confusing of who the 3rd person view was focusing on. Also, not much happened. I do look forward to a sequel.
August 6, 2021
Really good book but the ending could have been a little better. I wanted to see Max's Mom's reaction to them coming back and to Nicholas/ Freya.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 18, 2024I am so not the target market for this book.
February 12, 2022
Read aloud to my 6 yo. It was a fine story and nothing too scary or inappropriate for my kid. Certainly better written than the unofficial books we’ve read!
April 20, 2020
I loved how they told us the back story of what happened and the flashbacks, also I know Mur Lafferty the author doesn't really know Minecraft but that's what makes it interesting because the book is from another perspective, the perspective of people who don't really play Minecraft.
What I didn't like about this book is how the story kind of repeats itself.
What I didn't like about this book is how the story kind of repeats itself.
October 26, 2020
This book was a very good book.I do recommend it
July 31, 2019
The book was very good and I enjoyed it a lot, even the beginning. the only thing that annoyed me was how over-protective Max's mom was. I liked how the plot changed when Allison found out who the enchanter really was, I was surprised to, several other things in this surprised me as well. I think out of this book and Minecraft The Crash, by Tracey Baptiste, I liked this one more.
September 11, 2019
I don't play Minecraft. I don't have any investment in it. That said, after Six Wakes, I figured I'd nab one of the author's books at random and try it out. Despite the occasional game-specific gaps on my side, a fun and well executed novel. Seriously didn't expect to connect with it, and did anyway.
Woo!
Woo!
September 24, 2019
She obviously never played Minecraft before she wrote this book. She describes a creeper like it was a turret from Portal. And mobs can come in hordes, but not in thousands. And you cant slay thousands of mobs in a minute.
August 25, 2020
Best book ever!
This was the best minecraft book ive ever read in my life the feelings the adventure its just simply amazing! I recommend this to everyone who loves minecraft its sad and happy the feelings is wild love this book!
This was the best minecraft book ive ever read in my life the feelings the adventure its just simply amazing! I recommend this to everyone who loves minecraft its sad and happy the feelings is wild love this book!
June 29, 2021
This book is amazing
I really recommend the book. It had an amazing story line, adventures and it also goes with mincraft. Most books that I read and that are based of a game does not go with the game’s story very well.
I really recommend the book. It had an amazing story line, adventures and it also goes with mincraft. Most books that I read and that are based of a game does not go with the game’s story very well.
September 24, 2020
The first ever minecraft novel I read and I liked it a lot!!! 5/5
February 5, 2021
I'm a Mum of two boys and we all share in the Minecraft experience, and have done for a few years now. Over all, this book is fairly good, however either the author hadn't played Minecraft before or chose to stretch the game structure a little to help with the plot. Some of the action blurred the edges on what occurs in the game but I was okay with it - apart from the description of the Creeper - Google images would have shown easily what one looks like. The author even managed to give it the wrong number of feet?? The Nether was well done, even with it's extra embellishments - that place really does scare the pants off you, especially now with the new game update. It is a shame this book wasn't written after that release because that would have been awesome. There are strong themes of loss, death and grief in this so I wouldn't recommend it to a child who would get very upset by this. As characters go, Max's Mum is an awful woman!! At a risk of a spoiler - the way she treated Max's uncle was a bit disgraceful in my opinion - he wasn't allowed to express himself as a person and was persecuted for chasing a dream because it didn't fit in with how she saw fit. As the main adult character, this was a poor role model. Her strict rules preventing Max and Alison from learning crafting and survival skills were 'to protect them'. But this is detrimental to how you survive in the Minecraft world - it didn't make sense to me. The decent role model was another child who came into the story and saved the day. Freya and Bunny Biter were the best characters. In fact, the backstory to this book would have made for a better story - 'Boots' and Nicholas sounded much more fun.
June 25, 2020
It was okay. Nothing really to elaborate on it. It wasn't spectacular, something I would talk about with friends but it wasn't bad. I just can't seem to get into the Minecraft novels even though I am franchise fanatic.
Basic plotline is: Allison and Max are best friends who are now living together with Max's mother after an terrible accident killed Allison's family. As they try to escape his mother's overprotectiveness, Max stumbles upon some weathered journals, some giving instructions on how to build a portal to another dimension, the Nether. On a mission to rescue whoever wrote the journals, Max and Allison journey to land of fire and lava to rescue him, only to find a girl and her wolf who are struggling just to survive, because the Nether is not for the weak.
My thoughts: First off, I think we can say with reasonable assurance that the author has not played Minecraft which might be a bad thing for others but I quite enjoyed it. If I were to write my story on a Minecraft world, I would not have the whole mob dies, mists into the area and you're left with a loot. Though it's a novel about a video game, I prefer realism over canon playing style. So I think we can let the inexperience slid.
The book was kind of repetitive and somewhat predictable but I enjoyed nevertheless. Characters were definitely more well established than the last Minecraft book I read, "The End #4" and overall this book is way better than the "The Island #1".
Basic plotline is: Allison and Max are best friends who are now living together with Max's mother after an terrible accident killed Allison's family. As they try to escape his mother's overprotectiveness, Max stumbles upon some weathered journals, some giving instructions on how to build a portal to another dimension, the Nether. On a mission to rescue whoever wrote the journals, Max and Allison journey to land of fire and lava to rescue him, only to find a girl and her wolf who are struggling just to survive, because the Nether is not for the weak.
My thoughts: First off, I think we can say with reasonable assurance that the author has not played Minecraft which might be a bad thing for others but I quite enjoyed it. If I were to write my story on a Minecraft world, I would not have the whole mob dies, mists into the area and you're left with a loot. Though it's a novel about a video game, I prefer realism over canon playing style. So I think we can let the inexperience slid.
The book was kind of repetitive and somewhat predictable but I enjoyed nevertheless. Characters were definitely more well established than the last Minecraft book I read, "The End #4" and overall this book is way better than the "The Island #1".
June 29, 2021
Here are the basic premises so far.
Book 1: Someone with amnesia gets sucked into vanilla Minecraft and has to figure out how to survive
Book 2: Real humans playing in a mod of Minecraft as a form of therapy
Book 3: Looking at vanilla Minecraft through the eyes of people who were born and live there
I like the different approaches that each author has taken to writing a Minecraft novel. This one was probably the most enjoyable so far, with the best storyline and characters. From the perspective of some teens/preteens and what it’d be like to actually live in the Minecraft world and encounter the dangers in your daily lives. It also ties in a lot of the adventurous mystery of the world, and the fact that there are different aspects of the game that appeal to different people. Looking forward to further adventures!
Book 1: Someone with amnesia gets sucked into vanilla Minecraft and has to figure out how to survive
Book 2: Real humans playing in a mod of Minecraft as a form of therapy
Book 3: Looking at vanilla Minecraft through the eyes of people who were born and live there
I like the different approaches that each author has taken to writing a Minecraft novel. This one was probably the most enjoyable so far, with the best storyline and characters. From the perspective of some teens/preteens and what it’d be like to actually live in the Minecraft world and encounter the dangers in your daily lives. It also ties in a lot of the adventurous mystery of the world, and the fact that there are different aspects of the game that appeal to different people. Looking forward to further adventures!
May 16, 2022
Great fun and fits the Minecraft universe wonderfully...EXCEPT- water in The Nether. I won't spoil the reasoning behind the water but on more than one occasion water is used in The Nether in a way that just isn't possible in game. Generally this kind of thing doesn't irk me enough to drop my rating down a full star but this book had done such a great job holding to the basics of the game that this breach was jarring and irritating. Other than my annoyance at the water, this book really is great fun mixed with just enough danger and intrigue to keep you invested.
I will also note that the ending leaves a lot in the air. It definitely feels like it was cut very very short and in turn has left me feeling mildly unsatisfied with how things worked out in the end.
I will also note that the ending leaves a lot in the air. It definitely feels like it was cut very very short and in turn has left me feeling mildly unsatisfied with how things worked out in the end.
January 25, 2020
For an old geezer who knows absolutely nothing about Minecraft, I seem to have read more than my share of this stuff! Anyway after reading this you discover it is book three of a series, which could have been helpful for some person somewhere in Minecraft land to put on the cover of the book they are producing, like anywhere, anywhere at all?
Anyway rant over, book was average and forgettable, it appears the unofficial stuff has more imagination than the offical stuff, no surprise there, it is probably been overseen by twenty executives in gray suits and no imagination, and who still can't figure out how to put somewhere on the book the titles and numbers of the books in the series.
Anyway rant over, book was average and forgettable, it appears the unofficial stuff has more imagination than the offical stuff, no surprise there, it is probably been overseen by twenty executives in gray suits and no imagination, and who still can't figure out how to put somewhere on the book the titles and numbers of the books in the series.
December 15, 2020
I gave this book 5 stars because of the story, also the great characters and the huge amount of details in the book that made it feel like you were really there. I think the reason someone else should read this book is because of action and a bit of mystery just wants to make you want to read more. The book was amazing but the things that I would change would be making the book more fast paced because some parts were a bit unnecessary. Making it faster to pass those parts would be better. Another thing I would change would be the ending because it was a bit bland and didn't feel right, out of place, well at least I think of it that way.
July 11, 2023
Great Minecraft book! I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Minecraft: The Island or Minecraft: The Mountain, but it was still pretty enjoyable. Much better than those TERRIBLE Minecraft graphic novels. The story follows three older tween/younger teen characters Max, Ali, and Freya, on their adventures in the Nether searching for a mysterious Enchanter. It probably wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense for those who don’t play Minecraft, but I still liked it. Definitely a more lighthearted read than Minecraft: The End. I gave it five stars… but HONEST rating 7/10
March 10, 2020
This is a must read for Minecraft fans not only is it entertaining book but becomes a very good guide to the nether as it is based on that.The plot also is very nice and as it is a novel it would be good to take it on long journeys to read.One more thing that I liked about it was that it had many idioms which were partially changed to relate to Minecraft.This book thoroughly entertaining for kids 8-13 who are familiar with Minecraft.
August 15, 2021
Minecraft: The Lost Journals is an interesting book. My kids and I read this together. We all enjoyed the book. It is interesting and engaging. The kids enjoyed being in the world of Minecraft and how well the book stuck to how the world works in the game. The book is full of adventure and action. The characters are well developed and interesting. This book is a great book.
August 4, 2023
It wasn't bad. The story was good. Some of the characters choices felt odd, I liked the characters, sometimes the story didn't flow well. It's not the best of the Minecraft books, but it's not the worst either. I will happily be handing this off to my kiddos to read. There are some parts of the story that feels like it doesn't have closure at the end. There is more to this story that feels like it would be better if it was told.
May 7, 2020
(Listened to the audiobook) I only listened to this book because I watch the Minecraft episodes of Game Theory. Mat said that this book might be related to the hidden story in Minecraft and wanted to see if it did. It did a little. Other than that the story was epic but I wish I got to listen to the part where they actually got home and how Max's mother, Rose reacted.
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September 28, 2021Not the best book . Contains the slightest bit of negativity . Alters your imagination but after all I'm not book critic !!! I really recommend it for Minecraft players . It is very effective to get someone to like the Nether . The end is very abrupt . The finish can have a bit of backstory or something as if it does not it can branch out to different things . It keeps lingering in your mind .
March 5, 2024
As much as I liked the first book, I found this and the second book in the series missed the mark. I think a lot of the heavier topics just aren't what people who read a Minecraft book are looking for. I'm interested to know if these are popular with kids or if they just sell because they are Minecraft.
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