Son of a Wither! and Holy Notch!
- Book: Connor Shepherd and the Golden Apple, A Minecraft Adventure
- Series: Connor Shepherd Chronicles
- by: R. Fergus Moir (aka Mine_ma)
- Review Rating: 5/5 YA, 4/5 Adult
This book and genre is a departure from what I normally read. So if you’re thinking the same, you need to read this!
Parents, this book is one that you can read and enjoy with your kids, or you can give it to . Kids as young as preteen up through the late teen years will appreciate this story. At its heart, it is a fantasy. If you or your child plays Minecraft, this book is a great bridge from gaming into literature. However, I recommend that you don’t only give this to your child to read, but read it yourself. Don’t let the fact that it’s a Minecraft Adventure scare you away. R. Fergus Moir is a talented writer with a knack for well-developed characters that can span generations. Bottom line is… this book is just great storytelling!
The Chronicles follow Connor Shepherd, a young teenage boy who takes every saying literally. He reminds me a lot of my son (who I have been trying to get to finish the book, but that’s a different story….) When someone talks about a lucky rabbit’s foot, Connor’s response?
“Do we really have to kill rabbits?”
In the beginning of this story, he meets a girl his age, Wynne, whose middle name could be “Sarcasm.” She’s got a backstory that I’m still trying to figure out (stay tuned for book 2 – sigh!). Unwittingly, she declares that Connor is her new best friend. Imagine the fun that ensues from that. Once she learns how he took the statement, she rounds on him, saying…
“Just to be clear, Mister Literal, when I said I was your new best friend, I was making a joke. One which blew up in my face…”
The quotes like this throughout the story are simply endless. The character banter is appealing to all ages!
As for the adventure itself, it is set in-game, which should have mass appeal for pre-teens into their teenage years. The constructs will be very familiar to those who play, but they’re explained so well that having played is not necessary. And this world that R. Fergus Moir has built is purely from her imagination. The village is unique and relatable to any fantasy reader, and the adventure, an exciting quest to find the Golden Apple, is the type of story that everyone has been enthralled with at one point or another.
…and for those who are familiar with the lore around the game, I’ll push it to a whole new level: Herobrine. With some exciting new takes on the fun!
…for those not so familiar, read and find out!
Turn the page! This one is a fun ride!
Order your copy here:
