The plot moves very quickly, so it will keep the attention
of young, emerging, and reluctant readers. The characters face many obstacles
and dangerous creatures, although this part of the series offers new twists. This story finds Kit, Sandy, and Thorn on the last leg of the Dungeon
Runners competition. They must finish in the top two places to be promoted to the
Tryhard League (a new future book series?) or lose their hopes of being Dungeon
Runners forever. In addition, this competition will be held in Vostovia, a land
of vampires. Thorn is a vegan vampire, and this new setting provides
complications for him. A bully from Kit’s past is on the third-place Trogton
Terrors, and Kit’s sure the first-place Roost Raiders “earned” their position
by cheating.
Kit, Sandy, and Thorn form the team of Triple Trouble, and
they’re a stark contrast from the other teams. Kit has the roles of leader and
fighter, but he’s gotten this far with limited abilities and questionable
bravery. His best assets are intelligence, luck, and compassion. Sandy is the
team’s mage, even though she doesn’t know many spells. Plus, the spells she
tries to cast rarely work the way she intended. Thorn is the healer, and he’s
uncertain about returning to Vostovia. He’s afraid of what will happen if the
other vampires find out he doesn’t drink blood anymore. They’ll surely be angry,
and the consequences may result in the end of his eternal life. Readers can
easily predict that his secret will eventually be revealed.
What didn’t work as well:
The book jumps right into the action, so readers need to have read
the previous three books to understand what’s happening. There’s not enough
character and plot development to help readers connect with the backstory and
featured personalities.
The final verdict:
This is a fun series that features underdogs with admirable qualities.
Their kindness and empathy for others make them unpredictable Dungeon Runners
when contrasted with their ruthless, selfish, cheating competitors. I recommend
this book for a wide range of young readers.
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