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manwithanagenda's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The everyday world of dungeon delving, trap-springing, horde-looting, and lich-foiling can get a little wearying after awhile. That's why the game of Homerooms & Hall Passes has gained so much of a following in Bríandalör.
Once a week, despite the constant interruptions of mysterious strangers waving maps and villagers troubled by marauding beasts, a party of young adventurers gets together for an evening of H&H. If only for a brief time they can pretend to be middle schoolers vying to get into the right clique or extra-curricular instead of being 11 year old warriors and dungeon-crawlers. It means hours of dice-rolling, salty snacks and a bit of healthy (and SOCIAL! It really is social!) escapism.
This is a very funny fish-out-of-water story where a party of adventurers fall under a curse and get transported to the "fictional" world of their favorite role-playing game. Suddenly the paladin, wizard, barbarian, ranger and thief have to navigate the turmoil of middle school: passing algebra and creative writing, doing the school announcements, making friends, and, quite possibly, saving the world again. Let's hope they don't blow it.
The book works on a few levels, but I wish O'Donnell had gone for a few more jokes n' tropes that surround D&D culture. There were a few times where he held back from a joke or pun when he should have just gone for it. At its heart this is a book about true friendship and being yourself, which is nice, too.
Once a week, despite the constant interruptions of mysterious strangers waving maps and villagers troubled by marauding beasts, a party of young adventurers gets together for an evening of H&H. If only for a brief time they can pretend to be middle schoolers vying to get into the right clique or extra-curricular instead of being 11 year old warriors and dungeon-crawlers. It means hours of dice-rolling, salty snacks and a bit of healthy (and SOCIAL! It really is social!) escapism.
This is a very funny fish-out-of-water story where a party of adventurers fall under a curse and get transported to the "fictional" world of their favorite role-playing game. Suddenly the paladin, wizard, barbarian, ranger and thief have to navigate the turmoil of middle school: passing algebra and creative writing, doing the school announcements, making friends, and, quite possibly, saving the world again. Let's hope they don't blow it.
The book works on a few levels, but I wish O'Donnell had gone for a few more jokes n' tropes that surround D&D culture. There were a few times where he held back from a joke or pun when he should have just gone for it. At its heart this is a book about true friendship and being yourself, which is nice, too.
savvyj655's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a huge D&D fan, and this was the greatest love song to the game. I would absolutely love to read an adult version of this, as I feel like you cannot go as in-depth on fantastical lore in middle grades. I just wanted more because of how much this book amused me. This book is accessible to everyone, but like a Pixar movie, the author threw in jokes and references that longtime players of D&D would better understand. (#IsItThursdayYet?)
Absolutely loved this book.
Absolutely loved this book.
katherinenzr's review against another edition
4.0
You would think after dealing with evil warlocks, hordes of goblins, and poisonous traps, middle school would be a breeze. But when this plucky band of adventurers gets transported to the world of Homerooms & Hall Passes (where failing a class or getting expelled means it’s Game Over) Sanger follows their every footstep. This book is fantastically funny & had me at the edge of my seat!
lesserjoke's review
3.0
This middle-grade adventure story is lightweight but pretty fun, tracking a band of thirteen-year-old heroes who get magically trapped in the setting of their favorite tabletop roleplaying game, which happens to resemble a middle school of our reality. I have some issues with the worldbuilding that keep me from embracing the novel wholeheartedly -- like how generic the characters' home realm is, or how the text is inconsistent on whether the players have access to local knowledge like computer skills or not -- but I'm not sure if any of that would bother a younger reader.
I'd recommend the book for kids who like Dungeons & Dragons or the fantasy genre more broadly, but I don't know that I need to check out the forthcoming sequel(s) myself.
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
I'd recommend the book for kids who like Dungeons & Dragons or the fantasy genre more broadly, but I don't know that I need to check out the forthcoming sequel(s) myself.
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
katnovelswaffles's review
RATING: 4.5 Stars
Pitched as Dungeons & Dragons meets Jumanji, this book upends the familiar portal fantasy trope in a clever parody of roleplaying games. It's full of dry, tongue-in-cheek humor that never took itself too seriously, and I absolutely loved every hilarious second of it.
Novels & Waffles Blog・ Twitter ・ Instagram
Pitched as Dungeons & Dragons meets Jumanji, this book upends the familiar portal fantasy trope in a clever parody of roleplaying games. It's full of dry, tongue-in-cheek humor that never took itself too seriously, and I absolutely loved every hilarious second of it.
Novels & Waffles Blog・ Twitter ・ Instagram
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