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Houndstooth #3
Dirt King
After unthinkable sacrifices, the Blighted have finally acquired all six ancient artifacts needed to re-seal the Houndstooth, keeping its dark energy at bay to save Ruska.
But everything they were told was a lie.
With Coal's newfound knowledge, they must now risk everything to reach the Dirt King's impenetrable Palace and attempt to undo centuries of turmoil that he has wrought upon the kingdom. If they fail, Ruska is doomed to wither away until only the Houndstooth itself is left.
But the immortal king possesses all of their magical abilities and more, making him the most powerful person in the entire kingdom. Do Coal and the others have what it takes to stop him, or is this cycle destined to continue until Ruska crumbles?
But everything they were told was a lie.
With Coal's newfound knowledge, they must now risk everything to reach the Dirt King's impenetrable Palace and attempt to undo centuries of turmoil that he has wrought upon the kingdom. If they fail, Ruska is doomed to wither away until only the Houndstooth itself is left.
But the immortal king possesses all of their magical abilities and more, making him the most powerful person in the entire kingdom. Do Coal and the others have what it takes to stop him, or is this cycle destined to continue until Ruska crumbles?
- GenresFantasy
634 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2022
3 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Travis M. Riddle
17 books397 followersTRAVIS M. RIDDLE lives with his girlfriend in Austin, TX, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University. His work has been published in award-winning literary journal the Sorin Oak Review. His novels "Flesh Eater," "On Lavender Tides," and "Spit & Song" were all semi-finalists in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 1, 2022
Is anyone really surprised it's another five star read for me?? I am so bummed this trilogy is over (but also very satisfied), and if you haven't started reading it yet, you really need to get started!
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
Dirt King is the final book in the highly original and endlessly entertaining Houndstooth series, and I am incredibly heartbroken to leave this world and these characters, but also ridiculously satisfied with how everything turned out.
I always find it so difficult to write reviews for the final book in any series or trilogy–especially one that I've loved–because I sometimes wonder what I can say that's different from what I've already said because clearly it’s already a great story. Still, an ending is momentous and leaves us with a final impression of the series, and it can easily be messed up. Fortunately, in this case, I’m happy to say that Dirt King was a truly perfect ending and I couldn’t be happier with it.
Dirt King picks up pretty much immediately after the events of Mother Pig–events which were pretty devastating and that I kept hoping wouldn’t stick (I won’t say what happened because there are some big spoilers, but just trust me). Still, I was excited to jump right back into the story and it felt like no time had passed since I finished the last book. I should also note that this was helped by Riddle’s wonderful inclusion of a “the story so far” section at the start of the book with a synopsis of the previous two books to make sure no detail was left unturned, which I always find immensely helpful. I wish more authors did this, and I’m glad so many are starting to!
In Dirt King, we continue following Coal's POV, but much like in Mother Pig, we get one new POV to follow as well, which is that of Noswen. I really adored this chance to get to know Noswen on a deeper level, and I think having the opportunity to dive deeper into Noswen’s experiences really added a lot of depth to both her character and the story itself as we get to know more about the characters in this world. I’ve also appreciated how Riddle carefully chooses which POVs to feature in order to get the most well-rounded view of the events of the story and perspectives from different angles and groups. I would honestly love to get at least one POV chapter from every character because they all have such distinct personalities that I think it would bring a lot of great insight to the story–and to me, that just shows how well Riddle developed each character if it means I'm willing to read more from every other character.
I really loved how Riddle handled the aftereffects and fall-out of some very momentous and intense events that occurred in Mother Pig and managed to put a clear amount of emphasis on it in a way that felt very realistic and effective. I think one of the things that I have most appreciated about this series and about this book in particular is that there is plenty of time taken to really explore different topics and situations that are often glossed over. People don’t tend to move on from intense experiences or huge responsibilities and obstacles in quick and easy ways, and Riddle manages to effectively capture many of the emotions involved in these circumstances, especially with showcasing how everyone reacts to things differently. Some people just want to forge ahead and keep doing whatever they’re doing and attack any big obstacles in front of them, others need a little more time to adjust and handle things more internally, and some people will just shut down and can’t keep going for a while. Each of the characters encapsulates these ideas and their individual reactions to different obstacles and events feel very authentic and realistic, and this is something that I have noticed in each book in this trilogy.
On a lighter note, we as readers are once again treated to some truly delicious food descriptions, which I am still a huge fan of. For me, not only is the food fun to explore, but it’s also a big part of the world-building in that it helps readers see what sort of foods are popular and what different areas and cultures eat in this universe, which adds a great deal of character to the world. And speaking of the world itself, I loved that we got to explore even more areas than in the previous two books. This world has been so vast and colorful with so much going on in so many different areas and tons of unique societies and locales.
The pacing of Dirt King remains very consistent with the pacing of the rest of the trilogy in the sense that it’s thoughtful and on the slower side, but not too slow and still includes plenty of more intense action scenes. In fact, I found that Dirt King had quite a lot of extended action scenes, so be ready for that. There are some pretty great battles in this book, if I'm being honest, and you won't want to miss them. The writing and pacing always leave me feeling very calm and content overall, though, and I think it’s just this sense of consistency and ability of the author to keep the story flowing in a very unhurried manner that still manages to convey urgency when needed that makes it feel so effortless and flowing.
Lastly, I just want to say that what has really drawn me in so much to this series is how much heart these books have. As I mentioned in a previous review, this is a pretty ragtag group that comes together and embarks on this momentous journey, people that likely wouldn’t have cross paths in life otherwise, and it’s really a fun and interesting experience to see how they play off of one another and develop some chemistry (or don’t, in some cases). These characters are all such individuals with their own hopes, goals, dreams, families, and lives, and I just really appreciated how Riddle developed all of that so well and made me feel so deeply connected to this story and these characters.
Overall, I've of course given Dirt King five stars! I'm so bummed to see this series end, but I also am just glad I got to go on this journey with Coal, Noswen, Yurzu, Jatiri, and every single character that appears on the pages. I cannot wait to see what Travis M. Riddle has in story for us next.
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
Dirt King is the final book in the highly original and endlessly entertaining Houndstooth series, and I am incredibly heartbroken to leave this world and these characters, but also ridiculously satisfied with how everything turned out.
I always find it so difficult to write reviews for the final book in any series or trilogy–especially one that I've loved–because I sometimes wonder what I can say that's different from what I've already said because clearly it’s already a great story. Still, an ending is momentous and leaves us with a final impression of the series, and it can easily be messed up. Fortunately, in this case, I’m happy to say that Dirt King was a truly perfect ending and I couldn’t be happier with it.
Dirt King picks up pretty much immediately after the events of Mother Pig–events which were pretty devastating and that I kept hoping wouldn’t stick (I won’t say what happened because there are some big spoilers, but just trust me). Still, I was excited to jump right back into the story and it felt like no time had passed since I finished the last book. I should also note that this was helped by Riddle’s wonderful inclusion of a “the story so far” section at the start of the book with a synopsis of the previous two books to make sure no detail was left unturned, which I always find immensely helpful. I wish more authors did this, and I’m glad so many are starting to!
In Dirt King, we continue following Coal's POV, but much like in Mother Pig, we get one new POV to follow as well, which is that of Noswen. I really adored this chance to get to know Noswen on a deeper level, and I think having the opportunity to dive deeper into Noswen’s experiences really added a lot of depth to both her character and the story itself as we get to know more about the characters in this world. I’ve also appreciated how Riddle carefully chooses which POVs to feature in order to get the most well-rounded view of the events of the story and perspectives from different angles and groups. I would honestly love to get at least one POV chapter from every character because they all have such distinct personalities that I think it would bring a lot of great insight to the story–and to me, that just shows how well Riddle developed each character if it means I'm willing to read more from every other character.
I really loved how Riddle handled the aftereffects and fall-out of some very momentous and intense events that occurred in Mother Pig and managed to put a clear amount of emphasis on it in a way that felt very realistic and effective. I think one of the things that I have most appreciated about this series and about this book in particular is that there is plenty of time taken to really explore different topics and situations that are often glossed over. People don’t tend to move on from intense experiences or huge responsibilities and obstacles in quick and easy ways, and Riddle manages to effectively capture many of the emotions involved in these circumstances, especially with showcasing how everyone reacts to things differently. Some people just want to forge ahead and keep doing whatever they’re doing and attack any big obstacles in front of them, others need a little more time to adjust and handle things more internally, and some people will just shut down and can’t keep going for a while. Each of the characters encapsulates these ideas and their individual reactions to different obstacles and events feel very authentic and realistic, and this is something that I have noticed in each book in this trilogy.
On a lighter note, we as readers are once again treated to some truly delicious food descriptions, which I am still a huge fan of. For me, not only is the food fun to explore, but it’s also a big part of the world-building in that it helps readers see what sort of foods are popular and what different areas and cultures eat in this universe, which adds a great deal of character to the world. And speaking of the world itself, I loved that we got to explore even more areas than in the previous two books. This world has been so vast and colorful with so much going on in so many different areas and tons of unique societies and locales.
The pacing of Dirt King remains very consistent with the pacing of the rest of the trilogy in the sense that it’s thoughtful and on the slower side, but not too slow and still includes plenty of more intense action scenes. In fact, I found that Dirt King had quite a lot of extended action scenes, so be ready for that. There are some pretty great battles in this book, if I'm being honest, and you won't want to miss them. The writing and pacing always leave me feeling very calm and content overall, though, and I think it’s just this sense of consistency and ability of the author to keep the story flowing in a very unhurried manner that still manages to convey urgency when needed that makes it feel so effortless and flowing.
Lastly, I just want to say that what has really drawn me in so much to this series is how much heart these books have. As I mentioned in a previous review, this is a pretty ragtag group that comes together and embarks on this momentous journey, people that likely wouldn’t have cross paths in life otherwise, and it’s really a fun and interesting experience to see how they play off of one another and develop some chemistry (or don’t, in some cases). These characters are all such individuals with their own hopes, goals, dreams, families, and lives, and I just really appreciated how Riddle developed all of that so well and made me feel so deeply connected to this story and these characters.
Overall, I've of course given Dirt King five stars! I'm so bummed to see this series end, but I also am just glad I got to go on this journey with Coal, Noswen, Yurzu, Jatiri, and every single character that appears on the pages. I cannot wait to see what Travis M. Riddle has in story for us next.
February 1, 2022
If you've made it this far you should really know what to expect by now, but suffice to say Dirt King delivers for the Houndstooth adventure's conclusion. It's a hefty bit longer than the predecessors, which is a joy because we get to spend more time with this oddball cast of characters trudging their way through an oddball world, and I'm definitely down for that. Relationships get more taut, characters are lost, unusual creatures and technology revealed, and all between a great sense of just taking in and experiencing this magical world.
Everything comes together dramatically in the end; you just know the team's in for a wild time when they finally encounter the Dirt King himself, but it's probably even wilder than you're thinking.
For all the madcap journeying and incredible world-building, there's also a heartfelt undercurrent here, to do with love and grief, that satisfyingly ties together themes introduced and built on in books 1 and 2.
A strong, suitably epic conclusion to a truly original saga.
Everything comes together dramatically in the end; you just know the team's in for a wild time when they finally encounter the Dirt King himself, but it's probably even wilder than you're thinking.
For all the madcap journeying and incredible world-building, there's also a heartfelt undercurrent here, to do with love and grief, that satisfyingly ties together themes introduced and built on in books 1 and 2.
A strong, suitably epic conclusion to a truly original saga.
March 5, 2022
What a fantastic read! It made me cry and laugh out loud and gave me chills. A perfect wrap-up to the houndstooth series
March 13, 2022
A great ending to a unique series.
I hope there are more books set in this world.
I hope there are more books set in this world.
February 11, 2022
A stunning and satisfying ending to a wildly original series.
July 17, 2025
This book is large, but I was way more excited to read it than intimidated by it, now being fully invested in this story and wanting questions to all the answers I had. After having read the first two installments (as well as a couple other novels by the author), I had high expectations that were not at all let down. I knew it would somehow make all 600+ pages enjoyable and fitting to the story. You’ll want to dive into this book right after Mother Pig and get all the answers to questions you’ve been wondering throughout the series.
Dirt King offers new, interesting perspectives. We see sides of characters we never saw before. Dirt King contains writing that is witty, beautiful, poetic, and humorous all at the same time.
You can tell that this series was carefully and heavily thought out and planned, seeing how everything comes together in this final volume.
The emotions are heavy in this one. After a tragic event which took place in the previous book, we follow one of the characters on a journey of grief, anger, and sadness. I felt the same grief, sadness, anger, and anxiety that these characters felt. It’s realistic; it doesn’t just move on and never get brought up again. It’s also realistic when it comes to these characters figuring out and trying to master their powers.
There’s time for the characters to really get to know each other and develop relationships, and they’re the kind of characters you’ll care about and hope the best for. Scenes of characters doing activities like eating dinner together or going to an art gallery together are not at all boring; rather, they’re very entertaining and they don’t feel at all like they’re used as filler content. They’re used to progress the story along in a fun, relatable way.
It was so exciting to finish this trilogy and see how everything would play out, and I am not disappointed. Exciting, heartwarming, hilarious, heartbreaking, suspenseful, disturbing, and entertaining- all in one.
Overall, a great series to get immersed and lost in. I decided long ago that I would read every book published by this author, and reading this fantastic series only further solidified that decision.
Edit 7/17/25: My BookTube review: https://youtu.be/PNgfBZrTAWo?si=XkTT8...
Dirt King offers new, interesting perspectives. We see sides of characters we never saw before. Dirt King contains writing that is witty, beautiful, poetic, and humorous all at the same time.
You can tell that this series was carefully and heavily thought out and planned, seeing how everything comes together in this final volume.
The emotions are heavy in this one. After a tragic event which took place in the previous book, we follow one of the characters on a journey of grief, anger, and sadness. I felt the same grief, sadness, anger, and anxiety that these characters felt. It’s realistic; it doesn’t just move on and never get brought up again. It’s also realistic when it comes to these characters figuring out and trying to master their powers.
There’s time for the characters to really get to know each other and develop relationships, and they’re the kind of characters you’ll care about and hope the best for. Scenes of characters doing activities like eating dinner together or going to an art gallery together are not at all boring; rather, they’re very entertaining and they don’t feel at all like they’re used as filler content. They’re used to progress the story along in a fun, relatable way.
It was so exciting to finish this trilogy and see how everything would play out, and I am not disappointed. Exciting, heartwarming, hilarious, heartbreaking, suspenseful, disturbing, and entertaining- all in one.
Overall, a great series to get immersed and lost in. I decided long ago that I would read every book published by this author, and reading this fantastic series only further solidified that decision.
Edit 7/17/25: My BookTube review: https://youtu.be/PNgfBZrTAWo?si=XkTT8...
September 21, 2025
An end to a long chapter, it feels like.
Solid end with no punches pulled. The characters are still very much human (or animal?) like by the end with different foibles and shortcomings. Everybody has their own personal hell to go through and td hat makes it memorable. Established a world, left room for revisit.
There are part where it feels.. sluggish, but, I felt like that is by design more than trying to pad things up.
If you're reading this, you are familiar with the earlier work. Quaint. Poignant. And somewhat.. Self Deprecating.
Looking forward for more things from Travis.
Worth a read? You are here. So, yes.
Solid end with no punches pulled. The characters are still very much human (or animal?) like by the end with different foibles and shortcomings. Everybody has their own personal hell to go through and td hat makes it memorable. Established a world, left room for revisit.
There are part where it feels.. sluggish, but, I felt like that is by design more than trying to pad things up.
If you're reading this, you are familiar with the earlier work. Quaint. Poignant. And somewhat.. Self Deprecating.
Looking forward for more things from Travis.
Worth a read? You are here. So, yes.
December 2, 2024
I would say the book is better than its predecessors, although only partially. The party is still split in two, and one of the parts remains boring with pretty much nothing happening except a lot of anger, sadness and depression because of what happened in book 2.
Couple that with a lot of bad jokes and forced humor (that frog in the Mud Lands was friggin ridiculous), and you have a book that is sometimes really a slog to get through. I'll admit I skipped through quite a bit of the first half of the book.
That being said, quality really improves once the party gets together and they start the final act. Exciting read and the action sequences are pretty good.
Couple that with a lot of bad jokes and forced humor (that frog in the Mud Lands was friggin ridiculous), and you have a book that is sometimes really a slog to get through. I'll admit I skipped through quite a bit of the first half of the book.
That being said, quality really improves once the party gets together and they start the final act. Exciting read and the action sequences are pretty good.
March 22, 2022
Solid conclusion to the series. Again, a little too long, and a bit of the detail could be edited down, but enjoyable action plot, good character work, and I never say no to a big gay . Points for reasonably good capitalism => environmental degradation metaphor, too.
June 23, 2024
4.5 stars
Really great ending to the trilogy! I read the last third pretty much in one go and loved the final few chapters.
Biror was my favourite character. Rude, difficult person but pretty funny.
Really great ending to the trilogy! I read the last third pretty much in one go and loved the final few chapters.
Biror was my favourite character. Rude, difficult person but pretty funny.
March 27, 2022
I actually finished a series for the first time in ages! fantastic book and a satisfying trilogy ending though I wasn't quite as engaged as I wanted to be (honestly probably my fault for reading it over an extended period of time). regardless, absolutely worth your while. full review to come!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews