The Adventurers Guild Review

Hello my lovely readers! This week I’m working with the fantastic Rockstar Book Tours to bring you a review of the newly released midgrade novel “The Adventurers Guild,” by Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos. This fantasy midgrade was a tour de force; a character-driven, well-developed, laugh out loud funny, spooky, exciting read.

The Adventurers Guild is the most dangerous guild in Freestone, one of the last remaining cities. Those who join usually die young, fighting off the monsters that live beyond the wall. So when Zed Kagari, a young sorcerer, is drafted, he’s not exactly happy about the situation. His best friend volunteers to join as well, following Zed into the most dangerous adventure of their lifetime. While at the guild they meet Liza, a whip-smart, well-trained noble, and Jett, a brave and kind dwarf. Together the band of recruits must work together to save the city from the dangers lurking outside the walls and within.

Wow guys, this book blew me away. I devoured it in one sitting. It combined so many different elements- magic, dwarves, elves, monsters, fantasy, horror, and the apocalypse! You see, these are not things that I would ever think to put together. In fact, before I read this book, if someone were to have suggested this combination I probably would have looked at them funny. But Clark and Eliopulos did an absolutely fantastic job here. The components melded together seamlessly, seeming natural and flowing. They fit the storyline perfectly, mixing into a new cross-genre piece of art. Every time a new element was thrown into the mix, I was impressed by how well it fit.

This was also another one of those books in my favorite genre, that I have talked about a few times now. The “group of kids fighting evil while being friends” genre. It’s my fave you guys. The camaraderie and bravery between these kids was palpable, and I could really feel the friendships and group dynamics at play. Zed and Brock’s friendship was great of course, they were best friends from the start, but I also loved the new friendships that formed. The more tentative ones that start like crushes, testing it out, and then realizing that you like each other. This book had so many great new friendships, and they all made my heart so happy.

Also, this was a GREAT spooky book for October. The scenes with the monsters had my heart beating fast because the tension was written so well. Like these two could write some darn good thrillers. It was also so well balanced with the happy scenes. It wasn’t a scary book, just a fantasy book with intense scenes. And that’s such a hard combination to strike! You can usually only find fantasy books or horror books, no crossover between the two. This was so perfect for an October read.

The worldbuilding! Oh. My. Gosh. The worldbuilding. One of the hardest things to do with worldbuilding is to strike the balance between an information dump and not giving enough details about the world. You want the reader to feel grounded, to know the world that they’re in, to understand how it works, but you also don’t want to just throw information at them. These guys did it perfectly. I knew so much about the world, but it was put in bit by bit, letting the reader pick it up through conversation and narrative. It was so well done, and as a writer, I appreciated their skill.

This book was compelling, interesting, well-written, and most importantly, fun to read. I enjoyed reading this book so much and I would read it again in a heartbeat. Go get it you guys! Now! Not to be pushy, but this book needs to be read. You can get it here The Adventurers Guild

Final rating- 5/5

Thanks for reading my review, and until next time, happy reading 🙂

About the Book:

Title: THE ADVENTURER’S GUILD

Author: Zack Loran Clark & Nick Eliopulos

Pub. Date: October 3, 2017

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 320

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

 

Few ever asked to join the Adventurers Guild . . . Their members often died young.

In one of the last cities standing after the world fell to monsters, best friends Zed Kagari and Brock Dunderfel have high hopes for the future. Zed desperately wishes to join the ranks of the Mages Guild, where his status as Freestone’s only half elf might finally be an asset. Brock, the roguishly charming son of merchants, is confident he’ll be welcomed into the ranks of the Merchants Guild.

But just as it seems the boys’ dreams have come true, their lives take a startling turn . . . and they find themselves members of the perilous Adventurers Guild.

Led by the fearsome Alabasel Frond, the guild acts as the last line of defense against the Dangers-hungry, unnatural beasts from otherworldly planes. And when the boys uncover a conspiracy that threatens all of Freestone, Zed, Brock, and their new allies-including Liza, a fierce noble, and Jett, a brave dwarf-must prove their worth once and for all.

This start of a thrilling new series by talented duo Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos is sure to be a hit with readers who like their fantasies clever and action-packed, with a dash of snark.

About Zack & Nick:

 

ZACK LORAN CLARK and NICK ELIOPULOS grew up in Florida and now live in New York. Best friends, they get together to play Dungeons & Dragons every week. Zack fervently hopes that magic is real; Nick desperately hopes that monsters are not. The Adventurers Guild is their first novel.

 

Website | Zack Twitter |Nick Twitter |Facebook

 

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE ADVENTURER’S GUILD, US Only.

Rafflecopter link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2634/?

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/25/2017- YA Book Madness– Spotlight

9/26/2017- Don’t Judge, Read– Excerpt

9/27/2017- Here’s to Happy Endings– Review

9/28/2017- Word Spelunking– Review

9/29/2017- The Desert Bibliophile– Review

Week Two:

10/2/2017- The Life of a Booknerd Addict– Review

10/3/2017- BookHounds YA– Guest Post

10/4/2017- Bibliobakes– Review

10/5/2017- Mundie Kids– Excerpt

10/6/2017- Book Briefs– Review