The Questmaster's Trap
by Frank L. Cole
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Pub Date Oct 04 2022 | Archive Date Oct 18 2022
Shadow Mountain Publishing | Shadow Mountain
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Description
Teammates Lucas, Miles, and Jasmine—known as the Wild Crows—have been summoned by the wizard Gamemaster, Hob, to play another magical, adventurous game of Champion’s Quest. When the three friends are ambushed and forced into their second game, Lucas and his friends are ill-prepared to face what feels like an impossible quest—confront an evil centaur and outsmart a villainous, shapeshifting Questmaster to rescue a powerful magical ally.
An unexpected team member, Sierra, joins the Wild Crows to complete their band of champions. Can she be trusted or is she a spy? But Lucas has bigger problems to worry about. For starters, he struggles to keep his panic attacks in check as he leads his friends on a journey across unexplored lands filled with shadow elves, wyverns, hobgoblins, giants, and evil trees.
Using their wits, their powerful weapons, and hoping for some luck when rolling the magical game dice, the Wild Crows know what’s at stake: Complete their quest before time runs out, or the world of Champion’s Quest will be destroyed.
Advance Praise
"A fun read for those who wish their imagined adventures could become real." —Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fablehaven and Dragonwatch
Reviews from book 1:
"Champion's Quest may be one of my favorite reads of the year. I was hooked from page one. With adventure, humor, friendship, and courage, readers will love this middle grade fantasy! By the end, my only question was, "Where's the next book?"
—Jennifer Nielsen, New York Times bestselling author
"High-energy series starter. Scenes of cooperation particularly shine, making for a satisfying wish-fulfillment adventure that's especially appealing for those interested in RPGs."
—Publishers Weekly
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781639930494 |
PRICE | $17.99 (USD) |
PAGES | 288 |
Featured Reviews
A really good sequel.
i don't have much to add to it.
These 4 kids become a sort of found family in a way. What an amazing 1 they are too. They each have my heart & are so vital to the quest & the story itself. (If any were to have my whole heart, IG would be Goon & Madge-love!)Vanessa needing attention, Lucas & Miles in another foster home & needing to feel accepted, & Jasmine living w/her grandma w/her parents still back in the Philippines. They all have a weakness they need to face, but they have a better chance together. Lucas has always been on his own, no friends or anything. Trust & depend on no 1, & is always planning how he will runaway on his own. He also has severe anxiety in the form of horrible panic attacks. Miles is the picture of innocence, who loves learning anything & everything. Both he & Lucas struggle w/self confidence & needing to belong. Jasmine has a fierce temper & doesn’t make friends easily. Vanessa is 16, grumpy, & full of attitude-I couldn’t stand her most of the book, but every adventure needs a character like her, & you end up almost liking those characters the best in the end. To finish this quest they have to face their weaknesses, work together, & believe in themselves & in each other. They get to see what it’s like to be the character they are in the game, & it’s a wild adventure.
I liked all these things in the prequel too
Forget Harry Potter. Moving along, Percy Jackson. I don't recognize Eragon anymore.
Have you ever wanted to take Dungeons and Dragons campaign and actually be in it? Not just dressing up and rolling dice, but actually in the world?
This is it. This is the epitome of books.
You see, these kids are playing Champion's Quest with the help of the Questmaster, Hob. And Champion's Quest is when you get portalled into a fantasy world to complete a quest. You roll dice, you play cards, and you hopefully save the day. The world is SO immersive and incredible. I'm fighting the urge to play D&D right after it.
And the characters. I love all of them. Hob is a fantastic questmaster and his companion questmasters are equally intriguing, complex, and fascinating. The villains are well-rounded and the power plays involved in the story are fantastically done. Then we have our Champions.
I think Sierra is my favourite; but they were all relatable, well-rounded, and genuinely so fun to read about.
I'm probably not going to shut up about this book, ever.
Ever.
One other thing I absolutely adored is that you really can jump straight into the second book without much a problem. You'll miss a couple references but as they're explained fairly well in this one, you'll be able to enjoy the ride and the quest regardless of whether you start with Book 1 or 2.
Anyway, please, I need the full series now.
#thequestmasterstrap #netgalley
This was a great story to read. I loved the storyline and the characters, definitely recommend this book!
#TheQuestmastersTrap #NetGalley
Join, Lucas, Miles, Jasmine and a new player, Sierra, as they play another round of Champions Quest. This book is action packed, and reads quickly. With Sierra joining the team as an alternate, there are some clashes, between the players. Can the players become a team or will they choose not to unite in their quest?
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Lucas and his band of Wild Crows have been waiting for another opportunity to play Champion's Quest, but when they make a mistake and they are forced into their next quest. With a new teammate they aren't sure they can trust, will the Wild Crows be able to save the day or will the world of Champion's Quest be destroyed before their eyes?
This was an absolutely lovely sequel. I love it when authors take the time to expand on the worlds they've created and this story definitely delivered! You, Lucas, and the other characters learn more about not only the world of Champion's Quest but also about the two wizards who serve as the usual Quest masters.
Not only that but, due to spoiler-infested circumstances, Lucas and the others must find their self-confidence and really rely on and trust each other. This really builds on the found-family foundation we were given in the first book and I loved it.
As I mentioned above, I enjoyed encountering new fantasy elements in this book, especially troltusses. And it's not every day that you encounter centaurs in stories, especially not evil ones.
I cannot wait to see how this series continues to progress!
And as always the Content Warnings:
-Some violence (not super descriptive)
Note: I read this one without diving into the first book in the series, and while there were a few references, which I was missing out on, it was no problem to get lost in the adventure.
With the air of Dungeons & Dragons, this world and characters draw in and weave as much friendship into the tale as action.
The Wild Crows, a group of friends, managed to complete their first round in the exciting game world and are back in normal life. But when they are suddenly forced into another round with a new member, things get more interesting. Not only will the new quests stretch them to new limits, but no one is sure what to think of this new team member, especially since the only way to make it through is to give complete trust...considering she may be a spy, that might be what brings them down.
The author has created a rich world, which is easy to visualize and get lost in. While I assume most of this was set-up in book one already, I was pleasantly surprised that there was more to discover, right along with the characters. And what an enjoyable bunch of characters these are! The friends are enjoyable to accompany, and it's not hard to wish to be right there with them. My favorite character is actually the 'new' one, but then all of them have something to offer.
There's a great contrast with the good and evil. While the wizards are unique and not always transparent, it's the evil characters, which really grab. Plus, there's a large variety of imaginative creatures, including an evil centaur (which seemed unique). All of them create gripping scenes and make the world that much richer.
While action keeps the pages turning, there's also the message of friendship and trust. The Wild Crows share a close bond, and this gets tested over and over again, especially with the introduction of the new character. In order to make it through this adventure, this trust is key and trust isn't always easily won and held.
I really enjoyed this adventure and am looking forward to see where it is going next.
I love each book from this author. Oh the imagination he has to create these amazing worlds and adventures. The Questmaster's Trap is another perfect example of this. This book starts off quick and reads fast! Hold on for a great adventure story and how the kids are forced to work together in harrowing situations.
As the second installment of the Champion's Quest series, this book lived up to the hype. I loved meeting new characters, while diving deeper into some of the original. I can not wait for the next installment.
Book 2 in the planned trilogy (Champion's Quest) finds our heroes back at Hog and Boggie's Curiosity Shop. Another quest is in the works. This time a more hidden hooks await, including a new member to the Wild Crows, who may or may not be a friend. Filled with monsters and mayhem, including an evil Centaur. This past paced adventure would be a great selection for the reluctant reader. Like most trilogies, this volume ends on a cliff hanger with the world as we know it hanging in balance. Happily Book 3 is due out soon.
Recommended for fantasy readers in the middle grades. A lot of suspense without a lot of gore.
Full disclosure: I received this ARC from Netgalley and Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity
The Wild Crows minus one get tricked into joining a quest which they are not prepared for by a Gamemaster named Hobs. The other two Gamemasters join forces to do what they can to help the Wild Crows be successful down to sending in Sierra to fill out their group and give a bit more experience, but is she really there to help?
This is a great book and I like that the characters are real with real life issues that others their age (and older) experience, so it is easy to find yourself in the book. The characters are developed well, and the story flows smoothly. There is plenty of action and tons of suspense that is sure to please even a reluctant reader. This is a book that will keep you up past bedtime to find out what happens next. This is a great book for all ages.
This is the second in the Champion’s Quest series which follows Lucas and his friends as they play a Jumanji version of a role-playing game. It’s a grand adventure and will be sure to satisfy fans of the first book.
Personally, I don’t think it is as thematically strong as the first. This is, in part, due to using the same theme. The stronger element of this one is the reader beginning to see that there is something bigger going on with this game and the people who act as the questmasters. That is a mystery that I will enjoy seeing developed.
3.5 rounded up.
What a fun second book in this series. I would recommend reading the first book in the series before this one, as there is so much given in that first book that makes this one more understandable. It was fun to be able to just jump right into the Quest and go on an adventure with the Wild Crows. When they are thrown into a quest by a new questmaster, they have to figure out how to complete the adventure and save the entire world of the Champion’s Quest. All the twists and turns are creative and I can see my middle school boys loving this one! I’ll for sure share it with them and try to update once I get their review. Overall a fun story with plot twists, crazy monsters, funny characters and lots of adventure.
Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
After finishing the second book of “The Champion’s Quest” series, I was pleasantly surprised by how much the series improved. The characters were more likable the second time around and the story was a lot more compelling. The new characters had a great blend of fitting in while still developing their role throughout the book. The only complaint I might have is the pacing of the book was a little fast as things seemed to move from one location to another in a blink. Overall, I enjoyed this Champion’s Quest and would recommend it for others around the ages of 12-15 for a fun, easy read.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
A fun-filled second adventure for the Wild Crows! In this game they start out down one player and end up with an alternate that helps them accomplish their quest. This is a great book for readers who enjoy RPGs and quest games.