Minecraft: Mob Squad: Never Say Nether

Minecraft: Mob Squad #2

by Delilah S. Dawson

1CHUGSo here’s what you need to My name is Chug, I’m the greatest fighter around, and I have the four best friends in all the Overworld, one of whom is a pig. We live in a town called Cornucopia, which used to be entirely contained within tall, impenetrable walls. Our ancestors, the eight Founders, built it all by hand long ago to keep us safe, and our Elders have always been strict about the rules the Founders left behind.Maybe too strict.For generations, no one knew what was outside the wall—except Nan, the oldest person in town, and she never told anyone anything because she’s a feisty old bird. But then a vex started poisoning our crops, and the town Elders were going to send all the families away forever, so my friends and I had to go on an adventure to a woodland mansion to save our town from a bunch of illagers and this beet farmer dressed as a witch, and these brigands stole our llamas and threatened to throw us into a river, and—Yeah, that’s the past, and the past is boring. All you need to know is that now our town has opened up the wall, and life is different—better. My brother Tok and I live outside the wall in New Cornucopia, where he uses his big ol’ brain to craft items, and I use my big ol’ personality to sell them in our shop. It’s called the Stack Shack. I wanted to call it ChugTokMart, but Tok said it sounded like I was choking on an apple, and he was probably right.It’s morning, and my brother’s bed is empty. Tok is always awake before me. He says the early morning quiet helps him concentrate as he dreams up new recipes for tools and tries to master the art of brewing potions. I think he wants privacy so if he sets something on fire again, I won’t freak out. He makes lots of great things, but he also makes lots of huge messes—and loud, echoing booms. As I lie in my bed, curling and uncurling my toes against the blankets and thinking about breakfast, I strain my senses to figure out what Tok is working on. Bad smells usually indicate potions, while hammering suggests tools or armor and—Boom!I leap out of bed and run for Tok’s workshop. When I throw open the door, I’m relieved to see he’s been working outside in the yard and has therefore not damaged the roof. Again.“Gunpowder?” I ask.“Gunpowder,” he confirms, looking a little dazed.“One of your eyebrows is sizzling, bro.”He swipes at it and shakes his head. Gray powder surrounds his shoulder-length black hair like a cloud.“I’m getting closer,” he says. “I just need to tweak the recipe.”The problem is, he doesn’t have any recipes. Elder Gabe is the only person in town who can make potions, and he won’t tell Tok anything. I step closer and look at his brewing stand, but whatever ingredients he was working with are now various blackened stains. “Or you could make some nice, safe, unexploding pickaxes today. Or armor. People love your armor.”Tok’s cats, Candor and Clarity, meow plaintively from around the corner, where they’ve wisely been hiding. He kneels and holds out his arms, and they run up to rub worriedly against him. “We have enough armor. The shop is fully stocked. But these potions—I’m so close! Elder Gabe won’t share his recipes or give me any ingredients, and I’ve pored through all Nan’s books, but there’s just so much I don’t know. I’ve studied all the potions I can find, and I keep trying random concoctions, but it’s like I’m missing some vital ingredients, and just . . . ugh!”“You’re obsessed, bro,” I say softly, patting him on the shoulder.He’s always been like this. Before he learned about crafting tables from Nan, he was constantly trying to construct machines to save time on chores—to weed our parents’ pumpkin patches or pluck the eggs from underneath our fussier hens—but something always went wrong. I guess now that he’s mastered crafting, his brain still needs something tough to chew on.He stands up and gazes toward the mountains in the distance. “I wish we could go back to the woodland mansion library, see what’s on the shelves. I bet there are loads of books on potions.”“The Elders ordered us not to go back to the woodland mansion,” I remind him. “They agreed to open the walls, they understand that people need freedom to come and go, but—”“We’re still kids,” he finishes for me. “And it’s not safe.”I nod. It’s kind of funny—I used to be the one who got us in trouble, whether I was mouthing off when I shouldn’t or getting in fights with this bully named Jarro and his toadies downtown. But now I’ve settled down, and Tok is the wild card, because once he’s at his crafting table or brewing stand, it’s like he goes into a trance and doesn’t think about safety—or flammability. As I like to remind our parents, who still live on the much more boring pumpkin farm in town, I’m now the good son who hasn’t blown up a single thing.“Maybe we could get permission to go on an expedition,” Tok says, getting that mad gleam in his eye that makes me want to put on a helmet and duck. “Now that Lenna is compiling a library, surely everyone...

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Audiobook, Adventure, Chapter Books

Paperback

First published March 1, 2022

About the author

Delilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy's Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm.

She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.

Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.

Reviews

[Michael Hurt · Rating 5 out of 5]

nasty brigands but ok.

[Syd Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Jarro's evolution during this book. Started out despising him (based on book one) and ended up quite liking him.

My favorite quote is agin from Chug. IYKYK with my review on book 1.
Chug: you stole my brother. Did you really think we were just going to sit at home and be like, oh well maybe he'll turn up in the washing?
Brigand: I could've killed you in your bed. But I was kind enough to leave you behind.
Chug: yeah, super kind. You're the kindest thief and kidnapper I've ever met. Thank you so much for that.

Lastly, I think that this meme perfectly captures the friends. It came to me as I was reading.
1. Looks like a cinnamon roll is a cinnamon roll= Tok
2. Looks like a cinnamon roll but will kill you= Lenna
3. Looks like they will kill you but is a cinnamon roll= Chug and Jarro
4. Looks like they will kill you and will kill you= Mal

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son thought this book was epic and a good adventure story that isn't like all of the others. "Plus I like the piggies." (He's a big fan of pigs, so he also relates to Chug.)

I read the book to him (though he read ahead a couple of times on his own) and it was enjoyable to read. An entertaining book with well developed characters.

[Pika88 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minecraft: Mob Squad: Never Say Nether delivers exactly what fans of the first book are hoping for. It continues the story with a light, enjoyable adventure that doesn’t need to be groundbreaking to be engaging. Sometimes a good story just needs heart, and this one has plenty.

The tale picks up in Cornucopia, where the villagers still haven’t learned much from past mistakes. The kids have gained a little more freedom, but they’re still treated like second-class citizens. The book uses a rotating perspective, giving each character a few chapters to shine. Just like the first one, the audiobook is of excellent quality and really brings the story to life.

The main villain isn’t particularly memorable and is dealt with rather quickly, but that’s not where the heart of the story lies. The real focus is on character development, especially Jarro, the former bully who starts to see the consequences of his actions. His transformation is meaningful, though I found myself wishing he had grown a bit more. At times, his arrogance still shows through, and for all the hurt he caused over the years, a simple apology doesn’t quite feel enough. Sure, the book explains why he turned out the way he did, but does that really excuse his behavior?

Still, this is a strong second entry in the Mob Squad series and definitely worth reading—though newcomers should absolutely start with the first book. I’m already looking forward to seeing what part three has in store.

[Alley Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought my son, who is OBSESSED with Minecraft, all 15 of the Mojang official novels for his birthday, and we have been reading them together. The Mob Squad books are by far the best books in the collection.
They may be for middle readers, but even as an adult, I find myself excited to find out what happens next. The prose is accessible but still has some great vocabulary words for early readers, and the Bad Apples are all very loveable. Lenna is my favorite!

[Kerrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a very good yet intense read! So much happened that I couldn't stop reading. From the new (and broken) relationships to the crazy action of the adventures, this was another fantastic story of the Mob Squad.

[Lola Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has lots of funny moments and makes me feel like a true kid.

[X Zombie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong friendships, enemies to friends, and an intriguing adventure! I couldn't put it down!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Library copy

[Fuzzy Jalapeno · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT
it's as good, if not better, than the first book
CANT WAIT TO GET THE THIRD ONE

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss 10 enjoyed this as a set-in Minecraft audiobook and listened to all three books in the Mob Squad series.

[Kairi Coyour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Same as the other book. Not the best, not the worst. 3.5 stars.

[Jodi Deters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, created

[Evan Bever · Rating 3 out of 5]

Totally fine. Kinda funny!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved seeing the squad get back to exploring and discovering new things. I also really enjoyed their changing relationship with Jarro, and his changing perspective as well.
It was slightly disappointing that we don't get to see more of the kids' relationships with their parents, or at least, the relationships that aren't wholly terrible and abusive. Are Mal's, Chug's, and Tok's parents unaware or just indifferent to the discrimination their children are facing?
It was also disappointing to see our main characters be so immediately dismissive of Jarro's former friends and some of the villagers, even though they so recently befriended Jarro himself.
A bit of a downer ending for me personally, after such a good adventure. I find it depressing and bordering on unrealistic that NONE of the adults in their town (aside from Nan) can see their worth or stand up for them like decent adults.

[Nick Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are into the Minecraft novels, this one is a do not miss. Mob Squad's characters, the writing style by Delilah Dawson, and how the story flows and expands - it's just so good. I enjoyed reading this to my kiddo as much as he enjoyed listening to it. Even without knowing much about Minecraft, you could easily enjoy the Mob Squad series.

This book in particular features a really great storyline about personal growth, the redemption of a bully, and perseverance.

[Sonicpotato1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW ON:
MINECRAFT MOB SQUAD—NEVER SAY NETHER

Story
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[ ] Bad
[ ] Metroid
[/] Meh
[ ] Good
[ ] Superb
[ ] Excellent

OVERVIEW:
In Cornucopia, one night Chug's brother Tok disappears. Once Chug notices that morning, he calls his friends Mal and Lenna for help. Will they be able to find him?

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one even better than the first one. Thumbs up!

[Jacob Webster · Rating 2 out of 5]

An unnecessary sequel to a mediocre book