Dungeon Runners: Ocean Chase - by Kieran Larwood

Book Synopsis

Kit and the Triple Trouble team are headed to the underwater world of The Orb in the third installment of the high-stakes Dungeon Runners series.

Dungeon Runners Kit, Sandy, and Thorn travel by dragon to the city of Saltport to compete in a dungeon run deep under the water in The Orb. There they must solve puzzles, escape traps, and battle a dreadful Narghoul. As the smallest and most inexperienced team of the Bottom Feeders League they are at a disadvantage, and worse yet, they start to suspect one of the other teams may be cheating. The three must remember what's important and work together, using all their skill, strength, and smarts, if they are to survive their most challenging dungeon yet.

Review Quotes

Sportsmanship, trust, and a flying sword move the Triple Trouble team through perilous, monster-filled chambers in this third series entry.
Kit, Sandy, and Thorne form Grotville's unlikely Dungeon Runners home team. They survived the second level and are on their way to the Orb, an underwater dungeon that harbors sea monsters including kraken, octowolves, and flame eels. Kit still feels like an underdog; his practice sessions aren't promising, and although team healer Thorne is trying to do better, his remedies are still far from perfect. Sandy, the team's mage, dreams of becoming a sea hag, which could give them an edge in this watery setting. During their previous run, Kit struggled with self-doubt and trust, but he's learned and grown. He acknowledges that his teammates are "usually right," allowing Thorne and Sandy opportunities to shine and reinforcing their strength as a team. Another welcome element is the way Triple Trouble displays courage, kindness, and sportsmanship by reciprocating the generous treatment of rival team the Yarn Stormers, which leads to a friendly temporary alliance. As before, Larwood's writing is fun, fast-paced, and kid-friendly. Todd-Stanton's illustrations, which show characters who vary in skin tone, remain a key part of the narration's success, enhancing the storytelling and adding to the humor. A cliffhanger ending will leave readers breathlessly awaiting the next outing.
Combines fun, page-turning adventure with sincere character development. (map, many-sided die template) (Fantasy. 7-10)

About the Author

Kieran Larwood is the author of several middle-grade fantasy books published around the world. His lifelong love of fantasy stories began when he picked up a copy of The Hobbit as a boy and saw the map inside. It just goes to show--you never know where opening a book will lead. Kieran lives on the Isle of Wight, a windswept island off the coast of England.

Joe Todd-Stanton grew up in Brighton, England, and was taught to draw by his mother, who is also an illustrator. He is author-illustrator of the Brownstone's Mythical Collection series, and has illustrated many acclaimed books for children in the UK. He now lives in London.