Wonder Land: Black Ice

by Cain S Latrani

Overview

Adventurer. The very word inspires visions of noble heroes, selfless champions, and epic legends. Larger than life individuals who laugh in the face of danger, know no fear, and spit in the eye of death itself.

Unfortunately for Rick Wonder, would-be adventurer, reality isn't on speaking terms with inspiring words or noble visions.

Eager to follow in his famous father's footsteps as a great adventurer, Rick leaves his tiny farming community to seek fame, fortune, and glory, but instead finds a world that has moved on from heroes, unless it can fit them on a novelty mug.

Rick quickly finds himself saddled with incompetent allies, beset by corrupt law enforcement, and frequently lost in a sprawling urban metropolis. Even worse, the only jobs available for a freelance adventurer tend to involve finding lost pets.

Desperate to chase his father’s legacy, Rick soon learns that even a simple missing person's case can go horribly wrong, and that a life of adventure is far more dangerous than he could possibly imagine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780960050536
Publisher:	Emery Press Books
Publication date:	03/10/2020
Series:	Wonder Land , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	1 MB

Table of Contents

Chapter One: For Those About to Rock

Chapter Two: Are You Ready?

Chapter Three: Guns for Hire

Chapter Four: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Chapter Five: Who Made Who?

Chapter Six: You Shook Me All Night Long

Chapter Seven: The Razor's Edge

Chapter Eight: Highway to Hell

Chapter Nine: Dog Eat Dog

Chapter Ten: Jailbreak

Chapter Eleven: Thunderstruck

Chapter Twelve: Back In Black

Acknowledgements

Editorial Reviews

2020-12-02
A young man goes in search of excitement in a novel that combines mystery and epic fantasy.

Nineteen-year-old Rick Wonder wants to leave his little town of Townglen to become a famous adventurer just like his late father, Max, and overprotective mother, Delilah—both of whom have saved the nation of Liaob many times from various creatures. After convincing his mom that he must follow this life path, Rick embarks on a journey to the city of Riscadil, carrying nothing but his dad’s fabled blades and the hope that he can live up to Max’s legacy. This proves complicated, as Rick travels through a world that seems to have moved on from heroic ideals. The once-legendary Adventurers League that he hoped to join, for example, is now nothing more than a glorified security company. But Rick and his dreams will not be deterred. His first step is to find faithful companions at the underground Shy Market; thus, Powerage is born: a ragtag team that includes a forgetful Cleric, a reprehensible Rogue, a laid-back Druid, and a failed Wizard.They start off with a seemingly easy missing person case, but what appears simple quickly turns deadly, causing Rick to wonder if he’s truly ready to be a hero. This diverting and sometimes-subversive take on epic-fantasy tropes appears to draw inspiration from the classic Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and noir murder mysteries to offer a tale that explores ideas surrounding legacy, found families, and disenchantment with old-school heroes. Sadly, the novel suffers from an inconsistent tone; the brisk pace and light, funny mood often clash with the narrative’s darker plot turns, leaving the reader emotionally adrift and disconnected from the charming characters. For the most part, though, this work remains entertaining, and a cliffhanger ending signals more adventures to come.

An often fun but unevenly executed fantasy romp.

Kirkus Reviews