The Dirt Eaters

The Longlight Legacy #1

by Dennis Foon

When Roan’s parents and the people of Longlight perish in a raid, Roan is filled with rage. Torn between his desire for revenge and the legacy of peace he has inherited, he is taken in by a sect of warriors. Here he learns he has exceptional talent as a fighter. But Roan is haunted by visions he can’t understand. When he commits his first act of violence, he flees in disgust into the most wasted lands of all, the Devastation. It is only when Roan meets the strange girl Alandra that he begins to understand his life’s purpose and why the village of Longlight was destroyed. Dennis Foon has created an immensely powerful and disturbing look at a wasted world. Through the character of Roan, hope and the promise of renewed life seem possible.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopia, Fiction, Science Fiction, Adventure, Post Apocalyptic

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dirt Eaters is one of my favorite books of all time, and I credit it with helping to shape me into the person I am today. While I did notice some general flaws in the writing during this reread (mainly typos and some plot points that could be strengthened), the overall story is incredible. The world is imaginative, the plot is fast-paced, and the characters are vivid. I wish more people would read this awesome post-apocalyptic YA fantasy!

[Charles Streams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually only checked out this book because I saw it on a shelf at the library. After seeing it's title "The Dirt Eaters" I had to read it since the phrase "eat dirt" was used quite often around my neighborhood in my teenage years.

I was very much taken by surprise with this book. It was extremely interesting and very hard to put down. I was a littled worried about reading a post-nuclear war book, since those are sometimes too much for me, but I really enjoyed how the story occurs years later when some of the rebuilding has already been done.

The offset of Saint and the Brother's strange and over-the-top practices with Roan's I-don't-trust-them-but-have-nowhere-to-go-and-no-idea-what-to-do was very well handled. Most of the first half of the book I was waiting for Roan to decide the Brothers were all crazy, but I was very shocked when it turned out they were the ones who killed his village. Maybe I should've been able to see that earlier, but I was too enthralled in the story to notice.

There is very little detail and explanation about The Dirt Eaters, but hopefully in the second book there will be more. For me personally the book came to a too quick of an end. All of a sudden they're just saving the children and fighting and then the book ends. At least it's a tilogy, and I can't wait to read the second installment.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compelling yet chillling account of what can happen when brutal forces threaten to take over a society. 15 yr old Roan and his sisterare the only survivor of the people of Longlight. Roan trains with the "Brother" learning many warrior skills, yet would hs dead father approve of those violent skills he is acquiring. Haunted by stange dreams, Roan leaves the "Brothers" and encounters a strang girl Alandra where he begins to understand his tru life's purpose. How does his pet, a white cricket fit into his future and what does it mean that Roan himself may be one of the Dirt Eaters?

[Sheila Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dirt Eaters is an amazing book. This fascinating blend of post-apocalyptic science fiction with some fantasy elements manages to be both thought-provoking and exciting. Read my entire review:

[Arne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this at a book market. In a surge of nostalgia and I'm pleasantly surprised. The story is good. The pacifistic messages and ideals of the main character have the most potential in my eyes. I'm curious to see how this develops further. The moment Roan gives in to violence he will be no better than Sancto. Sancto and Roan share the same goals but they follow very different paths toward that goal. The way Roan holds onto his path is what makes him charismatic and noble as a character. My only point of critique for now is that Lelbit seems to be used to kill,so that Roan can remain the pacifistic idealist and that kinda defeats the purpose. Since they are a group all actions a group member makes are a conseauence for the group. He avoids to make a bloodbath the way Sancto did. He and his crew are undoubtedly not as cruel, but still they have killed.

[Hannah Belyea · Rating 3 out of 5]

No sooner has his village been ravaged that Roan is found and cared for by the Brothers, followers of Friend - but his strange dreams warn him of dangers, drawing him across a torn country in pursuit of answers and purpose. Foon offers dystopian fans an adequate journey of discovery with tentative but promising myth, rushing its plot but focusing on engaging characters. Will Roan discover the truth to his visions before those that killed his people come to finish the job?

[Jordan Duran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was a teenager, I am now 33 and still think of this series. I enjoyed the series that much. When I read this series, I was reading at least one book a day, that's a lot of books to digest and this one stuck out. It was unique. I will have to reread it, but I have never encountered another series with a similar concept or plot. I'm surprised that the series didn't become a hit.

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in present tense, it tells the story of Roan and his family who live in Longlight. It’s a post-apocalyptic world. But it feels more realistic than for instance, the Hunger Games or Maze Runner. After Longlight is destroyed by raiders, Roan struggles to find his way, wondering if his sister, Stowe, is still alive. It’s a gripping story, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

[Gem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, not sure if I care enuf to see where this goes

[Vladimir Putin · Rating 4 out of 5]

he eat durt

[Laras · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book turned out to be much better than I had expected. I'm not really into this kind of stories actually, but I decided to try and read this one, and I loved it. The world built is interesting, and unexpectedly this book got heart in it. I was really absorbed in the lives described in the story and I found myself just wanted to keep reading. It is a page-turner. The concept of the societies is interesting, including the kinds of people, or creatures, living in each of them; although I think the concept for the City is somewhat common, probably it's just because there is not enough explanation about what the City is and what they do, so I only got the general picture of the governing city which has a standard basic idea, I think.

My favorite part is the revelation about Saint. The thought popped out when I read about the first truth that Roan finds about the Friend is "smart". The story is folded one by one, and each one is a nice surprise; the tension slowly rising, which makes the reading more enjoyable. There are sufficient amount of adventures in the story to keep the excitement high, and Roan keeps meeting interesting characters, and creatures. Additionally, Roan also has "fun activities", like camping, foraging in nature, rock climbing, running, hiding. Reading him doing all those made me want to go out and have some adventures of my own. And they read, too. They appreciate books. I appreciate that.

I love this book, and I recommend it. It's got story, characters, actions, emotions, morals. It's got everything to make a storybook enjoyable.

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

It' a delight to discover a series that is not popular but is entertaining and fun to read. Such is Dennis Foon's The Long Light Legacy. I've had The Dirt Eaters on my shelf for some time but the title was not appealing enough to pick it up. Finally, I did.

The story begins with a young boy as the only survivor of his village in a world gone mad where roaming bands kill, maim and kidnap others. True, his sister survives but is kidnapped by the raiders. As he leaves the village, Roan is captured by men who seem to know more about him than he himself does. He does have strange dreams with the same reoccurring creatures who give advice that he senses he must follow. And, a white cricket resides in his pocket guiding his way. When he discovers that the creatures of his dreams are people with whom he is communicating, he begins to understand some of his world.

I found some of the incidents difficult to rationalize. For example, how can one valley by so polluted by toxins that life cannot exist while another is alive, verdant and safe for life. Putting such thoughts aside, the story is complex and exciting. I look forward to the next in the series, Freewalker.

[Sophie Pesek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised with how much I enjoyed The Dirt Eaters by Dennis Foon. I only picked it up in the first place because the title caught my eye in the library, and I was in need of a quiet reading novel. It ended up being about 15-year-old Roan, who escapes the massacre of his pacifist village in a post-appocoliptic world. He soon discovers the dangers of the outside world and eventually falls into a religious group of warriors that has darker intentions than he first imagined. Although I was sometimes bothered by the present-tense writing, I was entranced by the fantastical world the author created and the cast of charming characters in this novel. I would recommend to someone who is looking for something different to read.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-wrought world, probably post-apocalyptic, in which Foon sets the story of a boy who sees his village slaughtered and his sister stolen by warrirors dressed as birds. The boy falls in with a brotherhood religious sect, while the sister is held as a marketing tool by the keeper's in the city--magicians who are augmented by technology. This SF-fantasy hybrid takes many twists and turns and has a unique magick not seen in any other fantasy series. The main dilemma between seeing what violence has done and needing violence to stop more destruction plays out nicely in the main character.
Oh, and probably the coolest new version of vampires I've encountered in a while.

[Syhalla Ampula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in a post-apocolyptic world, the main character is thrown out into a harsh world when he and his kidnapped sister are the only survivors from their massacred village. His knowledge of history and philosophy, and his ability to read are his strengths as he sets off on a journey to save his sister, and understand the world he lives in. Thoroughly enjoyable read. I'm going to look for the next in the series at the library, and if it continues on the way this book started, I'll add them to my own library.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This young adult book was so great that I ran to the library for the sequels. It is from a Canadian author and is in the league with Phillip Pullman in the "dark materials" and Garth Nix in the Sabriel series of science fiction fantasy.

The main character is believable and the quest is as in many of these books, to help others and try to save the world from evil. It just grasped my imagination and I finished it in a day.

Even though it for young adults, I loved it too. I am on the book 2 in the Longlight Series

[Keyjo50 · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this book, I really thought it was not for me...I felt like there was an underlying theme of religion in it that was going to leave me feeling "preached" to. I discovered, though, that I was wrong. "The Dirt Eaters" proved to have messages that some could interpret as religious but that most would see as either spiritual or mystical and I found that the message was one of *how* the spirituality/beliefs of the different characters could be transformed to accept or change their worldview.

An excellent read for all ages.

[Diego · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think The dirt eaters is a great book for those who like science fiction. I like it because it is about adventure, an adventure living in survival with his pal after something that happened that I don't want to spoil otherwise it ruins the book. His village is ruined and he has to go on his own. Ever since that happened he had weird dreams that helped him through his journey. Hope you read and enjoy it.

[Neill Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roan and his sister are the last survivors of the slaughter of Longlight, a utopian community devoted to nonviolence after the Devastation. When they are separated Roan begins an apprenticeship to discover his legacy and to learn all about his powers and his responsibilities and his place in the disputes of his world.

[Joe Riedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book talks about Eragon's cousin. It wasn't as good as the original series, but over all it was okay. The story was somewhat predictable but still entertaining. I already knew what to expect because of Eragon. I wish it was as good as its parent series. Id recommend this book to anybody who has read the Eragon series and needs a good book to read.

[TiaHakunaMatata · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in middle school. Re-reading it 19 years later, from another perspective, has been immensely enjoyable.

[Samuel Sylvester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think there are words to describe how much I LOVED this book. Infatuated maybe, but not quite. That's too brief. Passionate, closer...ah I have it...
COMPLETELY AND TOTALY IN LOVE. UNDYINGLY PASSIONATELY AND AWED AT IT'S PERFECT BALANCE!!!!!!!I WOULD GIVE IT 100000 stars if I could.

[Pantopicon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost parable like, weighty, with a narrative voice that is evoked in the Forgotten's Storytellers -- a far different book than I expected. Some weaknesses with dialogue, but it takes the YA post apocalyptic genre in a refreshing direction.

[Trenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a bad book so far

[Joslins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book, reccommended by my son. Reminded me somewhat of Eragon.

[Heber Guevara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is going very awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only made it to page 46 and decided it was utter crap - inept writing, terrible characterization, juvenile. No more, thanks.

[Michal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic original YA fantasy. It is gritty and complex and the characters cannot be all easily assigned into good and evil catergories. Refreshing in it's scope.

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't make it through the book. I tried. I even tried reading near the end to see if that would get me interested. A lot of it seemed forced. It just wasn't the book for me.

[irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unpredictable but really fun read.