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Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Academy #2
Dungeon Academy: Tourney of Terror: Dungeons & Dragons
Welcome to Dungeon Academy, where monsters and creatures train for the dark world that awaits just beyond the Dungeon walls. Something BIG has come knocking on the gates of Dungeon Academy! The undefeated Waterdeep Dragons have arrived for the Tourney of Terror games, which happens every fifty years and features every monster’s favourite Goreball! The Dungeon Academy Flumphs are outnumbered, outsized, and outmonstered! But our hero, Zelli Stormclash (a forbidden human, secretly disguised as a minotaur), is no stranger to impossible odds. Just a few weeks ago, Zelli and her crew, the Danger Club, came face-to-face with a maniacal necromancer and his army of undead! If this wasn’t enough to raise scales Zelli’s reoccurring nightmare of a dark entity annihilating her world may be more than just a bad dream. Something sinister is lurking in the halls of the academy, and only Zelli seems to notice. But when Zelli uncovers a dark past hidden beneath Dungeon Academy, she unlocks something that will concern everyone at school, every dragon at Waterdeep, and everything within the Forgotten Realms. Get ready for humor, heart, magic, and adventure as middle graders and beyond learn to embrace who they are, accept others' differences, and discover the hidden secrets that dwell deep within themselves, and within Dungeon Academy!
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2022
56 people are currently reading
2014 people want to read
About the author
Madeleine Roux
49 books4,855 followersNew York Times Bestselling Author of the ASYLUM series, Allison Hewitt Is Trapped, Sadie Walker Is Stranded and the upcoming House of Furies series.
MADELEINE ROUX received her BA in Creative Writing and Acting from Beloit College in 2008. In the spring of 2009, Madeleine completed an Honors Term at Beloit College, proposing, writing and presenting a full-length historical fiction novel. Shortly after, she began the experimental fiction blog Allison Hewitt Is Trapped. Allison Hewitt Is Trapped quickly spread throughout the blogosphere, bringing a unique serial fiction experience to readers.
Born in Minnesota, she now lives and works in Seattle, Washington.
MADELEINE ROUX received her BA in Creative Writing and Acting from Beloit College in 2008. In the spring of 2009, Madeleine completed an Honors Term at Beloit College, proposing, writing and presenting a full-length historical fiction novel. Shortly after, she began the experimental fiction blog Allison Hewitt Is Trapped. Allison Hewitt Is Trapped quickly spread throughout the blogosphere, bringing a unique serial fiction experience to readers.
Born in Minnesota, she now lives and works in Seattle, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 11, 2023
How dare this book end the way it did and then not have a listing for the next book's release date?? I am going through a crisis here!!
This book had less world building than the first one, and the plot/setting of this book was way too reminiscent of a mashup of the first and fourth harry potter plots, but man am i a sucker for these characters.
This book had less world building than the first one, and the plot/setting of this book was way too reminiscent of a mashup of the first and fourth harry potter plots, but man am i a sucker for these characters.
September 3, 2023
Malcolm really enjoys these books! When I finished he said “is there a third one? Can we go get it?” And when I said no, he said “there’s no third one, but there is a fifth one?! You talk about fifth edition all the time.”
😬😅👀
😬😅👀
March 16, 2024
Another great bedtime read for my 7-year-old daughter. We really love the characters and can't wait to see where this adventure takes them.
January 30, 2023
An exciting second book featuring necromancers, friendship, dragons, tourneys, skeletons, and a ton of exciting things!
So excited that I was able to get this newest book in the series. I devoured the first book during my vacation in August!
While I was happy to see Zelli and see all her adventures and see her kick some butt and do some amazing smart thinking in this one, I did want to give her plenty of hugs. She was still trying to hide her being human (though seriously, does anyone still believe that), then there is a necromancer around (though I loved what she did to him), then there are mysterious things happening (SHOCK), there are scary moments (EEE), so yeah, I just felt like it was too much for her. I was just hoping that she would get a moment of rest. Some quiet. Some moment of not having to go from there to here and back again.
I loved seeing Zelli’s friends again. Our mimic, Bauble who is still the smarts of the group and I loved seeing them try to turn into new things, Snabla who is still delightfully over the top and hyper but also brave and fun, and Hugo the owlbear whose love for plants came back a lot in this one and I just adored it. And then there is a new friend. A boy who seems x but is actually y and I loved that he was part of the gang. Yes, he had some things to learn on being kind (I guess that is what happens when you are with dragons that long), but he was a great addition to the team.
I absolutely LOVED that we got to meet dragons, just a shame that they were all, or at least most of them, insufferable dicks. For real. My lord. I guess this is what you get when you live as long as dragons do. I would have rather have them be cool but still OK to chat with. Not huffy and puffy. I did love that they were all sorts of colours. Now I wish the illustrations had colour, haha.
The tourney was fun! I love the game they were playing even if I wouldn’t want to play it. Sounds dangerous! Way too dangerous. XD I guess that is why either dragons or those slime monsters played it. I loved how dedicated both schools were to winning, even if the dragons kept winning. It definitely gave me, and I am so sorry, Quidditch vibes. All that fun. All that excitement. The colours and the flags. The magic. The snacks.
The ending was absolutely a freaking rollercoaster ride with twists and turns and more twists and turns and some dangerous situations. I was rooting for all the characters. Please stay alive, please stay alive.
And while I know that the next one will be even more exciting and more adventurous and more dangerous than this one, because of everything that happened and the hints we got… I am kind of hoping for a calm episode in between everything. Like how even the most exciting anime series have a beach or an onsen episode. I wouldn’t mind that here. Just some quiet fun. Something to also show the world. Because other than what we read and the small bits we saw from the world in the first book.. I actually have little idea of this world and how it looks. I want to see more.
The illustrations are still fab and totally finish the book for me. They make it all come more alive. I love the style and how well it fits with the D&D stuff and the story. Though if the text mentioned x has been burned in their face.. maybe also show that on the illustration.
All in all, I had fun reading this one and I am excited for the next book in the series.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
So excited that I was able to get this newest book in the series. I devoured the first book during my vacation in August!
While I was happy to see Zelli and see all her adventures and see her kick some butt and do some amazing smart thinking in this one, I did want to give her plenty of hugs. She was still trying to hide her being human (though seriously, does anyone still believe that), then there is a necromancer around (though I loved what she did to him), then there are mysterious things happening (SHOCK), there are scary moments (EEE), so yeah, I just felt like it was too much for her. I was just hoping that she would get a moment of rest. Some quiet. Some moment of not having to go from there to here and back again.
I loved seeing Zelli’s friends again. Our mimic, Bauble who is still the smarts of the group and I loved seeing them try to turn into new things, Snabla who is still delightfully over the top and hyper but also brave and fun, and Hugo the owlbear whose love for plants came back a lot in this one and I just adored it. And then there is a new friend. A boy who seems x but is actually y and I loved that he was part of the gang. Yes, he had some things to learn on being kind (I guess that is what happens when you are with dragons that long), but he was a great addition to the team.
I absolutely LOVED that we got to meet dragons, just a shame that they were all, or at least most of them, insufferable dicks. For real. My lord. I guess this is what you get when you live as long as dragons do. I would have rather have them be cool but still OK to chat with. Not huffy and puffy. I did love that they were all sorts of colours. Now I wish the illustrations had colour, haha.
The tourney was fun! I love the game they were playing even if I wouldn’t want to play it. Sounds dangerous! Way too dangerous. XD I guess that is why either dragons or those slime monsters played it. I loved how dedicated both schools were to winning, even if the dragons kept winning. It definitely gave me, and I am so sorry, Quidditch vibes. All that fun. All that excitement. The colours and the flags. The magic. The snacks.
The ending was absolutely a freaking rollercoaster ride with twists and turns and more twists and turns and some dangerous situations. I was rooting for all the characters. Please stay alive, please stay alive.
And while I know that the next one will be even more exciting and more adventurous and more dangerous than this one, because of everything that happened and the hints we got… I am kind of hoping for a calm episode in between everything. Like how even the most exciting anime series have a beach or an onsen episode. I wouldn’t mind that here. Just some quiet fun. Something to also show the world. Because other than what we read and the small bits we saw from the world in the first book.. I actually have little idea of this world and how it looks. I want to see more.
The illustrations are still fab and totally finish the book for me. They make it all come more alive. I love the style and how well it fits with the D&D stuff and the story. Though if the text mentioned x has been burned in their face.. maybe also show that on the illustration.
All in all, I had fun reading this one and I am excited for the next book in the series.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 4, 2024
Dungeon Academy - Tourney of Terror was our first read of the Dungeon Academy series as I bought the second book without realising there was a first one, but that became clear quickly since the plot made reference to a previous adventure.
Being familiar with D&D this was an enjoyable and fun read but very complex to read aloud. Some passages have very long and elaborate descriptions with many flourished words that sometimes slows the action in favour of the setting and it doesn’t feel like it is always necessary.
The characters are fun, relatable and full of personality and the plot very interesting, though as many have said to here, the book ends abruptly on a cliffhanger which leaves you wanting more. Also my son pointed out that, Bauble is in the last illustration and we were a little confused about it.
An enjoyable read for children 9-12 who like D&D, monsters and dragons, with lots of complex and elaborate words to learn!
Being familiar with D&D this was an enjoyable and fun read but very complex to read aloud. Some passages have very long and elaborate descriptions with many flourished words that sometimes slows the action in favour of the setting and it doesn’t feel like it is always necessary.
The characters are fun, relatable and full of personality and the plot very interesting, though as many have said to here, the book ends abruptly on a cliffhanger which leaves you wanting more. Also my son pointed out that, Bauble is in the last illustration and we were a little confused about it.
An enjoyable read for children 9-12 who like D&D, monsters and dragons, with lots of complex and elaborate words to learn!
June 8, 2023
A fun continuation to the first Dungeon Academy book, the profusely illustrated book is aimed for kids around the 8-12 years of age bracket, but it's still pretty enjoyable as an adult if you are a fan of D&D, there's plenty of winks to the lore and I do get the feeling that you could make a pretty successful animated series out of this.
The premise is the existence of a Dungeon Academy, where young kids learn how to be monsters, eventually graduating and being placed in a Dungeon. In this volume there's an inter-school competition where the Academy has to play against the team from a Dragon school, which allows some new characters to show up here.
A book about friendship, self-reliance, team work and acceptance, it's full of quirky characters and is a thoroughly enjoyable read.
The premise is the existence of a Dungeon Academy, where young kids learn how to be monsters, eventually graduating and being placed in a Dungeon. In this volume there's an inter-school competition where the Academy has to play against the team from a Dragon school, which allows some new characters to show up here.
A book about friendship, self-reliance, team work and acceptance, it's full of quirky characters and is a thoroughly enjoyable read.
January 23, 2024
a cute sequel to the first book! i read this for book club, and i liked tavian and his history. also the way the ending leads to a third book, as a writer i can appreciate that
April 16, 2025
Audiobook
April 28, 2024
I'm not always confident enough to buy multiple books in a series until I finish the first one. I purchased both books currently available in this series together because I was sure I'd enjoy them. The first book was fun, and I was excited to keep going. The first book sets us up for the big bad and the second book ramps up the tension. The Dungeon Academy is set to host a tournament with their rival school, the Waterdeep Dragons. Both schools become obsessed with the competition but Zelli has more important things to think about. She remains uneasy after their recent victory and is sure that something big is coming. Could it possibly derail the tournament and cause even more chaos?
In terms of story, this takes a lot of elements from other popular fantasy books, so it didn't feel particularly original. I found the story quite predictable and disappointing. However, I'm an adult, so not really the intended reader. This is the kind of story that kids could get stuck into. There's puzzle-solving, excitement and battling bad guys. I can see why it goes down a familiar route. It's also not as though it's a bad story. It gets a bit complicated as we learn more about the history and there are some large passages of exposition to get your head around. There are quite a few long passages that some kids might not find it easy to follow but it's mostly fine.
The characters are just as much fun as they were. Zelli, the human disguised as a minotaur, is as tenacious and brave as ever. She cares about her friends and wants to stop the bad buys. It's very inspiring to see her band of outcasts prove that they shouldn't be overlooked. This is an ode to friendship and lifting each other up. The friends all have their own skills and help make up for each other's weaknesses. The new addition to the group, a red dragon called Tavian, was another interesting and I can't wait to see more of him in the next book. This is a book that really highlights the theme of a found family and the importance of finding people who value you. It's got a great message.
As much as I enjoyed this book, there was one slight issue that was carried over from the first one. I'm still quite new to D&D, so I'm not as familiar with all of the monsters and figures that we meet in these books. I thought the first one didn't do an amazing job of introducing readers to this world and the second one is very similar. I think there was a bit more of an effort to explain what certain creatures looked like but it doesn't spend much time on it. I guess it assumes people who are reading it will have an idea of what everything is but it doesn't necessarily make it easy to visualise everything. The illustrations do help obviously and at least bring the major characters to life. However, I think this is something that the books could do better.
Overall though, I think the second book is just as strong as the first one. It's a quick read that doesn't drag. It moves a bit too quickly for my liking but, again, it's intended for children. It didn't need to spend too long getting to the narrative points. It needs to keep children engaged and it does. The ending perfectly sets up the next book and is sure to keep readers coming back for more.
In terms of story, this takes a lot of elements from other popular fantasy books, so it didn't feel particularly original. I found the story quite predictable and disappointing. However, I'm an adult, so not really the intended reader. This is the kind of story that kids could get stuck into. There's puzzle-solving, excitement and battling bad guys. I can see why it goes down a familiar route. It's also not as though it's a bad story. It gets a bit complicated as we learn more about the history and there are some large passages of exposition to get your head around. There are quite a few long passages that some kids might not find it easy to follow but it's mostly fine.
The characters are just as much fun as they were. Zelli, the human disguised as a minotaur, is as tenacious and brave as ever. She cares about her friends and wants to stop the bad buys. It's very inspiring to see her band of outcasts prove that they shouldn't be overlooked. This is an ode to friendship and lifting each other up. The friends all have their own skills and help make up for each other's weaknesses. The new addition to the group, a red dragon called Tavian, was another interesting and I can't wait to see more of him in the next book. This is a book that really highlights the theme of a found family and the importance of finding people who value you. It's got a great message.
As much as I enjoyed this book, there was one slight issue that was carried over from the first one. I'm still quite new to D&D, so I'm not as familiar with all of the monsters and figures that we meet in these books. I thought the first one didn't do an amazing job of introducing readers to this world and the second one is very similar. I think there was a bit more of an effort to explain what certain creatures looked like but it doesn't spend much time on it. I guess it assumes people who are reading it will have an idea of what everything is but it doesn't necessarily make it easy to visualise everything. The illustrations do help obviously and at least bring the major characters to life. However, I think this is something that the books could do better.
Overall though, I think the second book is just as strong as the first one. It's a quick read that doesn't drag. It moves a bit too quickly for my liking but, again, it's intended for children. It didn't need to spend too long getting to the narrative points. It needs to keep children engaged and it does. The ending perfectly sets up the next book and is sure to keep readers coming back for more.
March 5, 2023
What worked:
Zelli is a young, human girl currently living and learning in an academy for monsters. Seeing as how monsters view humans as the most despicable creatures, she must be careful that other students and teachers can’t see through her minotaur disguise. She’s been adopted by two minotaurs which creates an amusing mental image of completely mismatched characters. Zelli is inquisitive and daring as she often seems to be the one character most concerned about strange happenings around, and under, the academy. She’s uncovered some forgotten secrets that spell potential danger and she’s determined to get to the bottom of them.
Zelli is surrounded by good and loyal friends who are aware she’s actually human. They’ll never break her confidence and they trust her judgment, as she trusts theirs. Along with Zelli, the Danger Club is comprised of an owlbear named Hugo, a kobold named Snabla, a mimic named Bauble, and a blink dog named Flash. They have a blend of talents that enabled them to defeat a necromancer named Lord Carrion (another word for dead, putrid flesh) in the first book. Zelli is the leader of the gang, Bauble is the brains, Hugo is the “muscle”, Flash can be a distraction, and Snabla is the daring one. By the end of the book, they’ll add one new club member but two of them will be lost.
I had trouble at times remembering what the characters look like but the book includes illustrations to help. The black and white pictures are detailed and depict various events from the plot. It helps to visualize Zelli’s clunky costume and reinforces the humor of a little girl dressed as a terrifying minotaur. Some characters have extra eyes or other body parts and don’t frequently appear in the story. The illustrations help readers picture the minor characters when they pop up. The narrative and graphics work well together to present the Danger Club’s exciting adventure.
What didn’t work as well:
Readers can probably enjoy this book without reading the first one but some significant events have clearly already happened. It might be nice to read the story of how a human girl ended up attending a school for monsters. Also, Zelli and her friends have already defeated Lord Carrion and they’re being haunted by his mental messages from prison. This book mentions both of these past events but readers may want more details. Solution? Read the first book!
The Final Verdict:
Honestly, the Tourney of Terror in the title isn’t a huge part of the plot other than it brings dragons into the story. The plot moves at a nice pace and action scenes are mixed with solving the mystery of a missing Nexus. Young readers will enjoy the strange assortment of characters and the humor shared between the Danger Club members. I recommend you give this book a shot.
Zelli is a young, human girl currently living and learning in an academy for monsters. Seeing as how monsters view humans as the most despicable creatures, she must be careful that other students and teachers can’t see through her minotaur disguise. She’s been adopted by two minotaurs which creates an amusing mental image of completely mismatched characters. Zelli is inquisitive and daring as she often seems to be the one character most concerned about strange happenings around, and under, the academy. She’s uncovered some forgotten secrets that spell potential danger and she’s determined to get to the bottom of them.
Zelli is surrounded by good and loyal friends who are aware she’s actually human. They’ll never break her confidence and they trust her judgment, as she trusts theirs. Along with Zelli, the Danger Club is comprised of an owlbear named Hugo, a kobold named Snabla, a mimic named Bauble, and a blink dog named Flash. They have a blend of talents that enabled them to defeat a necromancer named Lord Carrion (another word for dead, putrid flesh) in the first book. Zelli is the leader of the gang, Bauble is the brains, Hugo is the “muscle”, Flash can be a distraction, and Snabla is the daring one. By the end of the book, they’ll add one new club member but two of them will be lost.
I had trouble at times remembering what the characters look like but the book includes illustrations to help. The black and white pictures are detailed and depict various events from the plot. It helps to visualize Zelli’s clunky costume and reinforces the humor of a little girl dressed as a terrifying minotaur. Some characters have extra eyes or other body parts and don’t frequently appear in the story. The illustrations help readers picture the minor characters when they pop up. The narrative and graphics work well together to present the Danger Club’s exciting adventure.
What didn’t work as well:
Readers can probably enjoy this book without reading the first one but some significant events have clearly already happened. It might be nice to read the story of how a human girl ended up attending a school for monsters. Also, Zelli and her friends have already defeated Lord Carrion and they’re being haunted by his mental messages from prison. This book mentions both of these past events but readers may want more details. Solution? Read the first book!
The Final Verdict:
Honestly, the Tourney of Terror in the title isn’t a huge part of the plot other than it brings dragons into the story. The plot moves at a nice pace and action scenes are mixed with solving the mystery of a missing Nexus. Young readers will enjoy the strange assortment of characters and the humor shared between the Danger Club members. I recommend you give this book a shot.
July 3, 2023
I like this, but I admittedly suffer from my longstanding exhaustion with high fantasy as a genre, that it takes a LOT to keep me interested in a high fantasy story than in some other genre I haven't read in a while.
Like, what makes this fantasy stand out is:
- brown-skinned main character who has two minotaur moms
- nonbinary mimic
- vegetarian owlbear
- teleporting blink-dog*
- new "dragon" character who is hiding his real identity
- all are FRIENDS
*I don't know if this is actually unique, but it's the only one I know about
...and yet, I had to fight to keep my attention on the book even when reading only a chapter at a time. I think the story is objectively good, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of D&D and/or "chosen family" in a heartbeat. Yet I have to be honest, I couldn't get myself into the story for extended periods due to my attention wandering.
I don't know if it's a seasonal thing (it IS muggy in my area now), or what. I'd like to think maybe in a different time, I could give the book an honest go. However, I can only report what I know, which is I had to make myself read, even though what I read was decent.
Like, what makes this fantasy stand out is:
- brown-skinned main character who has two minotaur moms
- nonbinary mimic
- vegetarian owlbear
- teleporting blink-dog*
- new "dragon" character who is hiding his real identity
- all are FRIENDS
*I don't know if this is actually unique, but it's the only one I know about
...and yet, I had to fight to keep my attention on the book even when reading only a chapter at a time. I think the story is objectively good, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of D&D and/or "chosen family" in a heartbeat. Yet I have to be honest, I couldn't get myself into the story for extended periods due to my attention wandering.
I don't know if it's a seasonal thing (it IS muggy in my area now), or what. I'd like to think maybe in a different time, I could give the book an honest go. However, I can only report what I know, which is I had to make myself read, even though what I read was decent.
September 9, 2023
The second in the middle-school D&D series about a human girl (Zelli Stormclash) trying to fit in at a school for monsters.
Like the first, this is an appropriate book for the age level, with its heart in the right place. There's lots of adventure and conflict, people learn and prejudices are challenged. For a middle school reader it's a fun read, and nice introduction to the world of D&D.
Unfortunately, I felt the first book did not bridge the gap between age appropriate but still fun for adults, and I felt this book went even further in the wrong direction. There are some tough confrontations in this book and some upsetting things happen to the main characters friends, but nothing feels very real or natural. Though the stakes are higher, they don't feel high, or even particularly believable. At one point a magic portal opens in broad daylight, with two schools worth of monsters and dragons around, and NO ONE but Zelli even notices. Ultimately, this book is not the challenging, despite attempts to have mature things happen. Plot twists feel very obvious to an adult reader, and potentially hard confrontations are not very significant when powerful monsters change their ways because they've been scolded by a ten-year-old girl...
Again, perfectly fitting for the intended audience, but I feel a better writer could have done a lot more, and appealed to a much broader audience as well.
Like the first, this is an appropriate book for the age level, with its heart in the right place. There's lots of adventure and conflict, people learn and prejudices are challenged. For a middle school reader it's a fun read, and nice introduction to the world of D&D.
Unfortunately, I felt the first book did not bridge the gap between age appropriate but still fun for adults, and I felt this book went even further in the wrong direction. There are some tough confrontations in this book and some upsetting things happen to the main characters friends, but nothing feels very real or natural. Though the stakes are higher, they don't feel high, or even particularly believable. At one point a magic portal opens in broad daylight, with two schools worth of monsters and dragons around, and NO ONE but Zelli even notices. Ultimately, this book is not the challenging, despite attempts to have mature things happen. Plot twists feel very obvious to an adult reader, and potentially hard confrontations are not very significant when powerful monsters change their ways because they've been scolded by a ten-year-old girl...
Again, perfectly fitting for the intended audience, but I feel a better writer could have done a lot more, and appealed to a much broader audience as well.
November 14, 2023
Another fun romp in a D&D world, but I think I liked it a little less than the last one.
First thing, this is badly named. There is a tourney of terror, but we don't see it at all and it is merely set dressing for the actual plot.
The Danger Club are back again, and we have a new joiner. The new joiner gets a lot of page time, and I think this diminishes the other characters slightly. In fact, I think the plot gets more focus and we don't have as many character moments generally. Snabla the Kobold gets a lot to do and a lot to say. Bauble the mimic has a couple of big moments. Hugo the owlbear really doesn't have anything to do. Zelli's main conflicts are not looked into too much. We don't see much interaction with her parents this time.
I think when I read the last one I thought it needed a bit more plot. This one has a lot more plot, and I didn't enjoy it as much. The strength of this book for me are the characters. I love how they support each other, and they are happy in their own skins. They get ignored by the teachers, but I saw that as more because they are students, rather than they are bad monsters.
The art is still amazing, and the plot itself did have a nice twist at the end. This left everything very unresolved, and I think that makes me feel a little short changed.
First thing, this is badly named. There is a tourney of terror, but we don't see it at all and it is merely set dressing for the actual plot.
The Danger Club are back again, and we have a new joiner. The new joiner gets a lot of page time, and I think this diminishes the other characters slightly. In fact, I think the plot gets more focus and we don't have as many character moments generally. Snabla the Kobold gets a lot to do and a lot to say. Bauble the mimic has a couple of big moments. Hugo the owlbear really doesn't have anything to do. Zelli's main conflicts are not looked into too much. We don't see much interaction with her parents this time.
I think when I read the last one I thought it needed a bit more plot. This one has a lot more plot, and I didn't enjoy it as much. The strength of this book for me are the characters. I love how they support each other, and they are happy in their own skins. They get ignored by the teachers, but I saw that as more because they are students, rather than they are bad monsters.
The art is still amazing, and the plot itself did have a nice twist at the end. This left everything very unresolved, and I think that makes me feel a little short changed.
November 22, 2023
New Words Learnt - 9
Barely better than the first one, though that is not much of an achievement. You can put dragons into anything and make it better, although all the other characters are just as forgettable and boring as the first book. The (failed) emotional manipulation in this book makes me laugh. When something bad happens to one of the characters, it is hammered down so many times how everyone is sad and affected by the oh so very traumatic event because the author knows, she just knows nobody reading this would even bat an eye at any misfortune at all that comes the characters' way. The book is trying, and failing miserably, to be the next Harry Potter. That ship sailed 15years ago. This can't even call itself a D&D story it is that shallow and devoid of substance.
Oh yeah, I have to do a dragon-o-meter because of Tavian, oh wait no I don't because he's not actually a...
Barely better than the first one, though that is not much of an achievement. You can put dragons into anything and make it better, although all the other characters are just as forgettable and boring as the first book. The (failed) emotional manipulation in this book makes me laugh. When something bad happens to one of the characters, it is hammered down so many times how everyone is sad and affected by the oh so very traumatic event because the author knows, she just knows nobody reading this would even bat an eye at any misfortune at all that comes the characters' way. The book is trying, and failing miserably, to be the next Harry Potter. That ship sailed 15years ago. This can't even call itself a D&D story it is that shallow and devoid of substance.
Oh yeah, I have to do a dragon-o-meter because of Tavian, oh wait no I don't because he's not actually a...
November 27, 2023
This book is above our 8 year old’s comprehension level, but the oldest (10) really enjoyed this. This has been the bedtime book that we’ve read to her for the last month or so.
We read the first book last year and she’s loved the series since. She actually named one of her fish Zelli after the main character.
I think we all enjoy seeing the different types of characters. It seems like an inclusive series in a way. We feel it has good morals and themes for kids. It’s also nice seeing that Zelli has two moms, and it handles topics such as coming to terms with things like meeting a biological parent who abandoned you, while also having two loving same-sex parents as your “real” parents (who raised you). There are many more topics like respecting identities and different backgrounds, handling feelings, making hard choices, bullying, conquering fears, and trusting intuition, and more.
No spoilers, but I’ll say that it explored characters’ deeper motivations more than our kid is used to reading about. It added some depth and new perspective to her critical reading skills.
We’ll be continuing with this series. It’s a family favorite at this point. Parent approved. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy, magic, adventure, D&D.
We read the first book last year and she’s loved the series since. She actually named one of her fish Zelli after the main character.
I think we all enjoy seeing the different types of characters. It seems like an inclusive series in a way. We feel it has good morals and themes for kids. It’s also nice seeing that Zelli has two moms, and it handles topics such as coming to terms with things like meeting a biological parent who abandoned you, while also having two loving same-sex parents as your “real” parents (who raised you). There are many more topics like respecting identities and different backgrounds, handling feelings, making hard choices, bullying, conquering fears, and trusting intuition, and more.
No spoilers, but I’ll say that it explored characters’ deeper motivations more than our kid is used to reading about. It added some depth and new perspective to her critical reading skills.
We’ll be continuing with this series. It’s a family favorite at this point. Parent approved. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy, magic, adventure, D&D.
August 8, 2023
Zelli has four close friends, and they make up the Danger Club. Zellie also has a secret she doesn't want to be revealed by her friends. She's human at a monster school—strictly forbidden.
It's tournament day, and everyone, teachers and students, are out on the oval watching the Goreball match that can be deadly and is hugely popular. Zelli has been having a nightmare, sent from Lord Carrion, a baddy, so she decides to go and see him in his prison in the school dungeons and stop the nightmares.
A red Dragon needs Zelli's help. He's getting bullied and has no friends. Zelli finds a strange door and, with her friends and the Red Dragon, sets out to find the Nexus Marker and stop Lord Carian and his friends from getting it and waking the dead.
What do Zelli and her friends find out about themselves, courage and deception?
I enjoyed the mystery, the hidden secrets under the school.
Recommended for readers eight years and older.
It's tournament day, and everyone, teachers and students, are out on the oval watching the Goreball match that can be deadly and is hugely popular. Zelli has been having a nightmare, sent from Lord Carrion, a baddy, so she decides to go and see him in his prison in the school dungeons and stop the nightmares.
A red Dragon needs Zelli's help. He's getting bullied and has no friends. Zelli finds a strange door and, with her friends and the Red Dragon, sets out to find the Nexus Marker and stop Lord Carian and his friends from getting it and waking the dead.
What do Zelli and her friends find out about themselves, courage and deception?
I enjoyed the mystery, the hidden secrets under the school.
Recommended for readers eight years and older.
April 3, 2023
The series continues and is a wonderful child friendly introduction to the world of dungeon and dragons. While perhaps of greatest interest to someone who has played the game before this is a fantastic take on a fantasy school adventure.
It is, however also very much a book that is a part of a series while it has a resolution it is very clearly also setting up for a subsequent book. This isn’t a flaw but if your child isn’t patient you might want to wait until the next book in the series is available to have them read this one, it ends in a place that many kids (and for that matter older readers as well) will want to keep reading to see where everything is leading.
This isn’t a book for folks who are nitpickers about the rules - this is a story about magic and monsters and family and friends and adventure and sports and knowledge and bravery. Highly recommended.
It is, however also very much a book that is a part of a series while it has a resolution it is very clearly also setting up for a subsequent book. This isn’t a flaw but if your child isn’t patient you might want to wait until the next book in the series is available to have them read this one, it ends in a place that many kids (and for that matter older readers as well) will want to keep reading to see where everything is leading.
This isn’t a book for folks who are nitpickers about the rules - this is a story about magic and monsters and family and friends and adventure and sports and knowledge and bravery. Highly recommended.
January 22, 2024
Ok, ok, I will give it a 2. It is a book with a moral story to it. Although, the process of reading it was a bit tortuous. It was a challenging book for Israel to read and along with that, it had very long chapters. So our nightly reading sessions were long and tedious and we were happy to see the book end. It uses many large words which is great for growing vocabulary but can be daunting and frustrating for a young reader. Although, I must say, that overall, Israel enjoyed the story, the fight scenes, and watching the characters evolve. Especially Tavian, as Israel was trying to determine through the story if he was a good person or a bad person. He was happy to discover that Tavian chose the good side at the end.
March 30, 2023
Zelli and her friends in the Danger Club help welcome dragons for the Tourney of Terror and discovers that the imprisoned Lord Carrion is giving Zelli vague clues to the coming of a threat greater than him. The Danger Club discovers that in the caves under the school is a possible portal and that a nexus to open that portal. So they make the nexus their new quest before another epic battle before this books end. A fun and adventurous follow-up to the first book in the series with a cliff hanger. 10 to 12 year-olds fantasy lovers will like this book even if they don't play Dungeons & Dragons.
Read
October 4, 2024What a wonderful, fun read. The book is obviously aimed toward middle school readers but it's entirely enjoyable for adults like me. The story takes place in the Forgotten Realms, and the main characters are students as a monster academy. Despite this, the story takes itself seriously despite plenty of silliness for younger readers, with necromancers and skeletons and magic providing real stakes for our heroes. This is the second book in the series, but provides enough background in passing in case someone reads this one first.
Also, there's a LOT of interior art, which is a lot of fun.
Also, there's a LOT of interior art, which is a lot of fun.
October 31, 2023
I really enjoyed this book and I loved being back in this world.
It was exciting to have the introduction of a Dragon School where they compete with monsters from Dungeon Academy in a friendlyish battle of sports.
Many of the pages were illustrated which I also enjoyed and how there was a purple tinge to the pictures.
Highly recommend this series to people of all ages particularly if you are a D&D fan who enjoys a younger twist on the world.
Trigger warnings: death, missing friends, some violence, bullying
It was exciting to have the introduction of a Dragon School where they compete with monsters from Dungeon Academy in a friendlyish battle of sports.
Many of the pages were illustrated which I also enjoyed and how there was a purple tinge to the pictures.
Highly recommend this series to people of all ages particularly if you are a D&D fan who enjoys a younger twist on the world.
Trigger warnings: death, missing friends, some violence, bullying
November 25, 2024
Book 2 of Dungeon Academy. This pushes our heroes a new generation and does a great job of building to the next book. Some puzzles and adventures that are written to be appropriate to any mid grade reader. Fun adventure that is not so heavy on Dungeons & Dragons that one would need to know anything about the game to enjoy the series, but a basic familiarity with D&D monster types would be helpful as the are not a lot of monster descriptions. A fun fast read.
Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
February 8, 2023
Another lovely instalment in the Dungeon Academy series.
It contains wonderful and heartfelt themes of friendship and courage in the face of adversity, all wrapped up in a quaint Dungeons & Dragons package.
Though the main character is very much a preteen protagonist, sometimes to the point of cliche and annoyance, the rest of the Danger Club make up for it with their adorable and unique personalities and appearances.
I look forward to further instalments.
It contains wonderful and heartfelt themes of friendship and courage in the face of adversity, all wrapped up in a quaint Dungeons & Dragons package.
Though the main character is very much a preteen protagonist, sometimes to the point of cliche and annoyance, the rest of the Danger Club make up for it with their adorable and unique personalities and appearances.
I look forward to further instalments.
July 11, 2023
I like to read books that are for children (this one is 8-12) and imagine I am young again. This book lost me with the protagonists two minotaur mothers. Maybe I forget what it's like to be 8, but I remember 12-13. I couldn't get very far into this book. This might be good for others but for me, it couldn't get my intrest after a few chapters so I put it down.
June 17, 2025
Gran libro que estoy leyendo con mis hijos. Varios valores chéveres dentro del mundo de DnD. Se siente uno a veces en una aventura.
lástima que el último no haya todavía salido en español. Tocará esperar.
lástima que el último no haya todavía salido en español. Tocará esperar.
December 27, 2022
This was another good book in the series. This one had a Harry Potter vibe mixed with D&D. It ended to set up the next book just like the first one did.
January 12, 2023
Enjoying this series.
January 25, 2023
Three stars rounded up. Not as good as the first. Two new vocabulary words though!
May 4, 2023
Super fun series - reading with my 8 year old and we both love it. Can't wait for the next one!
August 31, 2023
Ahh the Suspense! Hope we get a book 3 release soon so I can find out what happens next.
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