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Dungeon Heart #2

Dungeon Heart: Halls of Stone

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Adventurers are coming, and they will do anything to steal the dungeon’s power…
Since awakening to his new life, Smit has hardly had a moment of rest. Goblins, ogres, and adventurers all seem to be attracted to him like flies to honey. Smit and his monstrous children only wanted to live out their days in peace, but now that his existence has been revealed to humanity, all eyes have fallen on the Dungeon of Origins.

Every noble in the kingdom has hired a team of adventurers to secure Smit’s core, guaranteeing both a victory against their political rivals and their rule over him. This time, he cannot run away from the encroaching greedy and power-hungry nobles and ambitious men – his new family depends on him. Time is running out to save his dungeon. Can Smit grow his power fast enough, or will he and his children be enslaved forever?

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 10, 2021

130 people are currently reading
31 people want to read

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David Sanchez-Ponton

11 books112 followers

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5 stars
447 (59%)
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212 (28%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for Jessica.
51 reviews12 followers
March 4, 2022
4 Stars

OVERALL: A pretty good sequel. It elaborated on things I liked, and while not perfect, I liked on where it focused the story and all of its action scenes.


NO WARNINGS APPLY

There is a lot to say on this book, most of it positive. I've often found that sequels do not do the original work justice (or the original sucks and its the second incarnation that saves it LOL), but I've found this to be a rather solid sequel- so feel no fear at giving it a go!

A big part of the story expands upon the relationship between Smit and his 'children', and I adored it. This was probably my favorite part of the book- because after I re-read the first book in anticipation to this one coming out, I found Smit to be a bit more apathetic and dismissive of his creations then I liked. This book erased my bad impression by showing how just strong their bonds were, and I loved every moment of it. Smit might be a crotchety old dwarf, but he made it clear by the end of book 2 that he considered his creations his children (at least the ones with souls).


Smit also gets a body! Mwhahaha! It fits him perfectly too, and I was so excited to see it happen, but the way it happens I'll admit was off-putting at first. Smit didn't help make the body- it was handed to him by the system because he 'reached the required level'. He also had no input on what body he was given, which I didn't really appreciate (but I thought to myself that the body fit him so PERFECT that the system had given him a better body then he could have ever given himself. So I came around to the idea- but still…). I remember that I honestly thought his level was too low for such a thing to occur, but I shook off my feelings because I admit that I DID like the payoff even if it didn't really feel earned.


The adventurers also receive a LOT of characterization in this book, which I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did. They are a huge focus in the story, because there is a large scale tournament involving them invading Smit, and so we learn about a lot of different groups and several more individuals are introduced that will probably become more relevant in the future. 😉

My favorite of them all was the Guildmaster though! It was subtle, but the author actually surprised me with how well they gave him character. In the first book the guild master just felt like just another powerful guy who guards the dungeon for the crown, whatever right? I'd written him off as a stock character, and was genuinely pleased to see his personality come to light in this novel. He went from someone I didn't care about to someone I really liked- someone who was also surprising playful!

Ikfes is my favorite adventurer now. I'm a fan.


The plot itself? 😍 I adored it! I LOVED the premise of this book- I cannot describe in enough words, just how pumped and excited I was while reading about the invasion! Competitions and Fights to the Death are literally my favorite tropes, so of course I enjoyed reading this book even more then the first one.

It was team against team, all of them competing to get the prize of Smit's dungeon- all the while Smit himself struggled to deal with the fallout of hosting such an event and trying to protect himself. *Chef's kiss* it was perfection~


But...

Unfortunately, now it is time to reveal my greatest critic of this novel- the reason why I gave it 4 stars and not 5. Oh, this part eats at me, because for the life of me, in spite of my enjoyment, I found it hard to suspend my disbelief once I thought this horrible thought-

'How in the world was this a viable tournament?'

Over 20 teams went into the dungeon AT ONE TIME! It should be well known that dungeons don't really reset WHILE ADVENTURERS ARE IN THE DUNGEON- and on top of that, this was well known to be an extremely young dungeon, even if it was special. The crown and his group were even shocked to see how far it had progressed before the delve. SOOOOO..... how in the world did they think this was viable in the first place? First- they send in B adventurer teams- over 20 of them- to a dungeon they didn't expect to be nearly as difficult as it was. Even if it was difficult though, none of them could have expected how elaborate the maze was and were wary of the results when Smit fended them off.
They measured success by how close to the core these groups would get- but seriously, with so many teams and only 5 for sure floors with adventures that should have been overpowered for this level of dungeon, how did they NOT expect multiple people to get to the core room? Or was it who got there first and then back out? Who knows... and how could they guarantee that no one would f*ck with the core, huh? Seriously. A noble could have destroyed it, stole it, corrupted it ect.

If Smit wasn't so adaptable, this plan would have fallen to shambles. I loved reading the action, but the poor planning (or at least explaining the plan) of the crown just left me shaking my head and sighing. If only. If only.

This story is still amazing, but if I didn't love these tropes so much- I'll admit this would be a solid 3 star book. But I DID enjoy it, so for me it deserves 4 stars. I'm going to read the sequal, but I'll admit, my inital ardor for this series has waned slightly and been replaced by cautiousness. I hope the 3rd book proves my caution unnecisary.

Happy reading everyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sydney.
1,339 reviews67 followers
June 6, 2022
4 And Then He Became A God That Held The World In The Palm Of His Hands

Halls of Stone is the second book in the Dungeon Heart series by David Sanchez-Ponto.

Minor-ish spoiler: I'm so glad that Azure Arrows managed to survive this battle Royale almost type setting within the bowels of the dungeon. Battling not only the traps, dungeon native inhabitants, and illusions to twist the mind; but alas the corruption of greed and arrogance that the nobility is so astutely known for.

There is an evil headed for Smit and his children creations. Brought to wakefulness by folly alone. Something far more deadly that 120-plus adventures and their almost infantile nobility to protect. Demonic or draconian, perhaps? Something that will shake the foundation of the kingdom and dungeon equally, especially if not conquered soundly.

I'm still hopeful that King Vas will come ally with Smit and the Dungeon of Origins for some version of a symbiotic relationship. But perhaps even the nearby Elven collective will try to reach out to this Dwarven and ancient sage masquerading in the skin his second life has cast upon him?

I wonder what will make up his next named creations? Who and what will become the newest of his frontliners, and Boss level defenders. Mysteries and intrigues still around within this authors wonderful world of fiction.

P. S.
Also, one hundred percent satisfied that at least one those disgustingly corrupt nobles didn't survive his own greed within the halls of the Dungeon of Origins.
Profile Image for Lana.
2,780 reviews59 followers
July 31, 2021
Smit, the creator of the dungeon of origins just wanted to live in peace, able to protect his monstrous children, Arturus, Pala and Echo, free to create his art and music but unfortunately this was not to be. King Vas had set his eyes on the dungeon, which had appeared on the border of his kingdom, and he wanted to own it in order to exploit it before his political rivals did so. He planned a competition, inviting the nobles of the land to get themselves a group of adventurers in order to carry out a dungeon dive. That meant that Smit was going to be overrun by rank B adventurers and he felt that he and his children were not yet prepared for such an invasion. He knew he had to step up his game quickly if they were to survive this dive. He did his best to teach his children how to meditate and cultivate to gain in strength but time was not in their favour, however the greed and ambition of the nobles themselves worked in his favour instead, as they sabotaged each other's groups making his job easier than he thought possible. I really enjoyed this 2nd book in the series, I love that Smit is a sentient dungeon and that he looks out for his own showing a humane side which no dungeon ever did but the ending to this book is a real bastard! Where the hell did that come from? Next book please ASAP!
Profile Image for Luke Molinar.
21 reviews3 followers
August 12, 2021
Enjoyable Read

Good second book in the series. The plot moves forward, characters develop, and I look forward to finding out what happens next. There is less dungeon development in this book, which is moderately disappointing (especially given that the next rank is theoretically unlocked during the book- since nothing happens with it, which was mildly frustrating... it might have been better to rank up at the end, especially since the next floors will be developed in the next book, and cause near the end a reference to limited expansion abilities at the current rank is made, despite being able to make new floors). Having said that, it's nice to see the current floors explored, and the kingdom is further fleshed out. The shifts of perspective and number of characters can be slightly disorienting at times, but honestly I'm still very happy with them, most of the characters are likeable, and it helps set the world up, not just the dungeon. The various characters are one of the greatest strengths of the series/book, and it's nice to learn more about them as the story progresses. I very much enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the next one!
2,361 reviews
September 7, 2021
Book 2: Halls of Stone, takes place right after the end of The Singing Mountain bk1 which is just what I was hoping for... with the addition of the new dungeon floors to explore, it didn't take long for our scout team (Azure Arrow) to dive ever deeper, trying if possible to map where traps are found and investigate any reward drops when defeating a boss...
On the other hand, Smit (the Dungeon Heart) only wants to keep his newly formed dungeon, and his children safe, he definitely does NOT want to be pwned by a human Lord or King while he's still vulnerable. So Smit's only recourse is to build stats and have his children fight to get stronger! All the while scouts and now other adventure teams are starting their dungeon crawl, posing a mighty threat for a newly formed Dungeon! This is a book that has you rooting for Smit, while still wanting Azure Arrow to survive and get out safely! So grab the book to watch the games unfold!
Henry Kramer hasn't been my favorite narrator, but he does a good job here, and I'm surely looking forward to the release of the audio copy of book #3!!!
57 reviews3 followers
August 10, 2021
I mean. It's set in the same story.

I really liked book one. I even stayed up all night too read book 2 and often I looked down going "Really? I'm already at _%? But nothing happened"
I kept waiting for something big to drop and I thought it did! Nope doesn't use it. Did he have to cram to protect himself? Nope he just sat and watched. Incredibly anticlimactic.
6 reviews
August 13, 2021
Pleasantly surprised! I saw a few not as great reviews, but this book isn’t as much about evolving and leveling as it is world building. It really is setting the stage for some big stuff that I am excitedly waiting for. There are no evolutions, but just the implications of some of the new things are very very exciting, the author really could go a million different ways. The new one excites me, the new arrival of out of town characters, especially a real serpent of one is real darn exciting, the new abilities, new potential for this story to be a lot more than what it seemed with the the last book, and that was already pretty great. I am waitin for the new book! Good work author, moi bueno
Profile Image for Jonathan.
638 reviews1 follower
November 24, 2021
Continuation

So Smit picks up where he left off last book. Adventurers are racing to him. The kingdom holds a contest and the one who beats the dungeon gets to claim it. So smit sets out to defend himself from the intruders. He succeeds but now he’s on the radar.

The book isn’t a stand alone, it is a straight continuation. The plot picks up where the last left off and the characters and story are not reintroduced. The pace is pretty good and the world is fun. The story did seem to just stop, but as it’s a continuation, I suspect there will be more. And I look forward to reading the next one. Enjoy.
42 reviews
August 24, 2021
Only Ok

I feel pretty let down by this sequel. It was lacking almost everything I liked from the first one. There was essentially no growth in the dungeon. It stayed the same size it was with the same number of floors. How lame is that?

There was tons and tons of delving which was OK, and a little growth of the minions but other than that everything felt very stagnant. The dungeon gets a "crazy" new ability and then never uses it again after a tiny trial. Very silly...
Profile Image for J.G. Johnson.
Author 4 books10 followers
August 14, 2021
A great sequel

It picks up nicely from where the first book ended and ramps up from there. The writing is also cleaner, and the butting in from secondary characters is reduced, so younger more Smit time. Overall a dungeon builder done right. The only downside is that not much dungeon building happens. So, I hope to see more in the next book.
170 reviews2 followers
August 15, 2021
Great additon, basic spoilers

This book had more of the political intrigue than the first book. I did enjoy the dungeon growth but I do wish there were more dungeon levels added. Really looking forward to Palla's evolution as I think that will be really powerful. Interested to see where this series goes.
Profile Image for Charles Daniel.
585 reviews6 followers
March 25, 2022
Invaders Charge Into The Dungeon Of Origins In Great Numbers

How will Smit, Echo, Pala, Arturas, and Smit's dungeon creatures repel dozens of B Ranked Adventurers? Read to find the the answer to this question.

This novel, and the trilogy of which it is a part, may be of interest to fans of the wider Fantasy genre and to those who enjoy playing RPGs.
Profile Image for Christopher.
501 reviews7 followers
March 9, 2024
A fun sequel that maintains the pace and quality of the first book. It does sometimes feel like Smit could make more strategic decisions if he is genuinely scared of people reaching his core. I will say that these books really are exactly what I’m looking for in a dungeon core, fun base building and relatively upbeat vibes.

Recommended if you enjoyed the first book!
17 reviews1 follower
August 12, 2021
Read it very quickly- Already craving the next book!

If you like the first book, you need to get this one. It was a little slower and I wished it focused more on Smit's POV but those are my only complaints. I can't wait to see how things progress in the next book!
Profile Image for michael hooper.
672 reviews2 followers
August 12, 2021
Decent but

The first book I couldn't stop reading it. This one wasn't quite as interesting. It was not bad just not as compelling. I will get book three hoping that it's better but read the blurbs and make up your own mind
Profile Image for Danny Moody.
1,421 reviews11 followers
August 15, 2021
I think this is one of the coolest dungeon core series out there. The tone is more serious than most dungeon core books which is refreshing. The plot was fun but everything felt like it was a set up for grander things. So basically I just want more. Is that too much to ask?
319 reviews4 followers
August 31, 2021
Good book but slightly unfulfilling

While the book is pretty good, it is a bit unfulfilling. The plot and the dungeon barely advances and too many things are left hanging. That said, there is plenty of action, suspense and drive.
320 reviews4 followers
September 14, 2021
I couldn't put it down

I have enjoyed this second book from cover to cover.it was a blast to read and I can't wait till you release the third book. You are crafting a wonderful story full of neat plots and rich charters.
2,537 reviews72 followers
February 28, 2022
More of the same.

Everything I said in the review for book one, all that again. And I am willing to bet book three will not be any different. This kind of consistency just makes me happy.
Profile Image for BiblioHippo.
14 reviews
January 19, 2025
Another good one

Great sequel to the first book. Without saying too much, I wonder what role the new addition is going to play? I don’t think we can expect them to join the others, conflicting interests and morals, so I’m not sure where they fit in. Moving to book #3 to find out!
122 reviews
February 7, 2025
Excellent dungeon core story

Dungeon Heart continues to be a fun Dungeon core story. Obviously start with book one, but the series does a good job of raising the stakes without going off the rails. Looking forward to reading more.
17 reviews
August 10, 2021
Book 3

So when can we expect to see book 3? Wish the book was longer but can't wait to see what happen next.
Profile Image for Erica Hernandez.
263 reviews5 followers
August 12, 2021
Good

I liked the book, seamless continuation of the previous book. The only thing that I disliked was that it felt very short, idk if it's just me. Still would recommend though.
32 reviews
August 13, 2021
Fantastic dungeon story

Loved reading the story which had a good take on how a dungeon could develop. The story set the sene well for other story.
90 reviews1 follower
August 19, 2021
Excellent Followup book

I have enjoyed both books in this series and cannot wait for the next one to come out. My favorite of the "dungeon core" series.
2 reviews
September 6, 2021
Good story, well-formed.

I was a fan of this story on the Royal Road site. But the author has fleshed it out, and made it even better. Good work.
Profile Image for John DeBlanc.
337 reviews2 followers
September 20, 2021
Fun

David Sanchez-Ponton takes us back to Smit and the kids in Dungeon Heart: Halls of Stone. Great addition to the series. Looking forward to the next one!
892 reviews4 followers
March 27, 2022
Good story

Same as the first, but this time with less of a story. Maybe the next one will fill the blanks.
2 reviews
June 22, 2022
Amazing sequel!

You love the first one, then this one is even better between the action from the adventurers and the dungeon you will not want to stop reading!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews

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