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Distania Chronicles #1
An Unexpected Adventure
When ten-year old Christopher Knight gets an email from his best friend, now living two hundred miles away, he has no idea that it holds the key to another world. The two friends unexpectedly find themselves in the magical kingdom of Distania. There they must face a raging river, dragons, a mysterious prince and an angry king; and they need to get home in time for dinner!
99 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
4 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
D.X. Dunn
8 books1 followerD.X. Dunn lives in Western New York with a teenaged son and a not quite teenaged daughter. The Distania Chronicles were originally started to give her son, an early and avid reader, more to read. Years passed and that son got older and the Chronicles were largely forgotten. She recently dug them out for her daughter's amusement and was persuaded to try publishing them on Kindle Direct. She really hopes you enjoy them!
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 7, 2013
An Unexpected Adventure is the story of two young boys who, having grown up together, are now living hundreds of miles apart. Christmas is here and Chris is missing his life-long friend Alex. Bored with the same old round of family activities, Chris goes to his room to check his email for messages. Just as he hoped, there is one from his dear friend.
Alex is a whiz with computers, in particular interactive computer games, and he has just discovered a new website offering more interaction than usual. Via his computer, Alex found himself transported to the land of Distania and back. A land filled with adventure, mystery, magic and dragons, and a young prince who is hard to trust. Having come this far, he is more than anxious that the cautious Chris comes with him on his next trip.
Unsure of the wisdom of this adventure, and having been told by his mother he has only thirty minutes before leaving the house to visit a relative, Chris reluctantly follows Alex’s online instructions and finds himself on the same journey his friend had taken earlier. Alex travels the same route again. The two boys meet up for the first time since Alex and his family moved away. The adventure opens up before them.
An Unexpected Adventure is a sort of good old-fashioned adventure story, brought up-to-date with the introduction of modern technology. This is a great book with just the right amount of everything. Action, excitement, not too scary surprises, a few mysterious characters and a non true-to-type dragon. It is short, well-written and keeps the reader’s attention throughout the whole book. The scenes are well-described, as are the dragons. The idea may not be entirely original, but it is very well-executed. Both boys behave just as you would like innocent ten-year-olds to do; which is very refreshing, to say the least.
The ending of An Unexpected Adventure left me wanting to read more. So hopefully, the next book, in what I presume must be a series, will be out soon.
This review is also published at http://www.mungaiandthegoaconstrictor.me
Alex is a whiz with computers, in particular interactive computer games, and he has just discovered a new website offering more interaction than usual. Via his computer, Alex found himself transported to the land of Distania and back. A land filled with adventure, mystery, magic and dragons, and a young prince who is hard to trust. Having come this far, he is more than anxious that the cautious Chris comes with him on his next trip.
Unsure of the wisdom of this adventure, and having been told by his mother he has only thirty minutes before leaving the house to visit a relative, Chris reluctantly follows Alex’s online instructions and finds himself on the same journey his friend had taken earlier. Alex travels the same route again. The two boys meet up for the first time since Alex and his family moved away. The adventure opens up before them.
An Unexpected Adventure is a sort of good old-fashioned adventure story, brought up-to-date with the introduction of modern technology. This is a great book with just the right amount of everything. Action, excitement, not too scary surprises, a few mysterious characters and a non true-to-type dragon. It is short, well-written and keeps the reader’s attention throughout the whole book. The scenes are well-described, as are the dragons. The idea may not be entirely original, but it is very well-executed. Both boys behave just as you would like innocent ten-year-olds to do; which is very refreshing, to say the least.
The ending of An Unexpected Adventure left me wanting to read more. So hopefully, the next book, in what I presume must be a series, will be out soon.
This review is also published at http://www.mungaiandthegoaconstrictor.me
July 20, 2013
Chris wants to play with his friend Alex, but Alex’s family has moved away and playing together by computer just isn’t the same. Or is it?
Two schoolboys, computers and dragons star in this tale: What more could a young reader want? The writing’s fluid and easy to read, with just the right level of complexity to keep the brain engaged. The storyline’s intriguing and fun. And the characters are very true to life—bored son, weary parents, eager friend, neglected sibling of an “older, smarter, more wonderful, super handsome big brother,” and a most surprising ally.
The curious world of Distania has a nice mix of appealing mystery, places to explore, dragons (of course), and sudden splashes of danger. It’s an almost perfect computer game in fact, except it seems much more than that, and it’s clear Alex and Chris will be eager to go back after their adventure’s done.
A short pleasing story introducing nice lessons in friendship, sensible use of computers, a touch of magic and the promise of a really good series of boy-friendly stories—this one’s highly recommended.
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to grab a copy while it was free.
Two schoolboys, computers and dragons star in this tale: What more could a young reader want? The writing’s fluid and easy to read, with just the right level of complexity to keep the brain engaged. The storyline’s intriguing and fun. And the characters are very true to life—bored son, weary parents, eager friend, neglected sibling of an “older, smarter, more wonderful, super handsome big brother,” and a most surprising ally.
The curious world of Distania has a nice mix of appealing mystery, places to explore, dragons (of course), and sudden splashes of danger. It’s an almost perfect computer game in fact, except it seems much more than that, and it’s clear Alex and Chris will be eager to go back after their adventure’s done.
A short pleasing story introducing nice lessons in friendship, sensible use of computers, a touch of magic and the promise of a really good series of boy-friendly stories—this one’s highly recommended.
Disclosure: I was lucky enough to grab a copy while it was free.
August 1, 2013
What a great way to get away from my busy, hectic day! "An Unexpected Adventure" cheered me up as I read about two best friends taking a trip to another world by way of a computer game. The boys had grown up together but were separated when one of the families had moved away. They communicated by way of their personal computers and shared gaming websites but were totally unprepared when they both wound up in a strange place together after logging onto a new site.
I'm sure young people will enjoy this story just as much as I did since I'm still a kid at heart. Enchanting story, great fun!
I'm sure young people will enjoy this story just as much as I did since I'm still a kid at heart. Enchanting story, great fun!
June 17, 2013
I was gifted a copy of this book by the author for an honest review.
I had my 2 children (aged 9 & 10) read & review this book. Below is the review in their own words.
My son’s review (aged 9)
I really enjoyed this book. There is nothing I would have changed about it.
My favourite character is Arthur because he opened the door so that Chris & Alex can get into his world. I really liked the use of adjectives in the book as it helped me to see it in my mind better.
The fantasy world was full of imagination. The dragons were multi coloured and I liked the way they were described. I really like the way the book was written and I didn’t put it down until I finished the book.
My daughters review (aged 10)
I really the book. I wouldn’t change any of it.
My favourite character was Chris because he and Alex were having really good adventures and it made me feel like I was in the story & I liked the bit where he felt like he was falling and when Chris woke up he saw Alex was in his bedroom.
I think the book was full of imagination and I like the different colour dragons.
I had my 2 children (aged 9 & 10) read & review this book. Below is the review in their own words.
My son’s review (aged 9)
I really enjoyed this book. There is nothing I would have changed about it.
My favourite character is Arthur because he opened the door so that Chris & Alex can get into his world. I really liked the use of adjectives in the book as it helped me to see it in my mind better.
The fantasy world was full of imagination. The dragons were multi coloured and I liked the way they were described. I really like the way the book was written and I didn’t put it down until I finished the book.
My daughters review (aged 10)
I really the book. I wouldn’t change any of it.
My favourite character was Chris because he and Alex were having really good adventures and it made me feel like I was in the story & I liked the bit where he felt like he was falling and when Chris woke up he saw Alex was in his bedroom.
I think the book was full of imagination and I like the different colour dragons.
September 18, 2013
This is a perfect story for kids and they need more like this. There is a magical land, adventure, fantastical creatures, a bratty prince, a mysterious king...What's not to love?! What I liked best about this book is the innocence of it. The author took a plot that has been done many times before and put her own spin on it. She didn't try to make it more than what it was because (unlike some others I've read) Dunn obviously realized too many embellishments can drive kids away. This is a simple story, yet is rich where it counts the most -- the descriptions, the characters, and the way it makes the reader feel. This book is a breath of fresh air and I highly recommend it for kids ages 9 and up.
August 7, 2016
Fun Boys' Adventure
It's Christmas Day, and ten-year-old Chris is cranky. He's opened his wonderful presents, but he misses his best friend Alex. Chris won't get to see Alex again until the summer. For Chris, it feels like a lifetime in the future.
When Chris checks his email, he feels even more depressed. He expects an interesting email from his friend, but instead it's a single sentence: Try this website. When he clicks on the link, he falls headlong into adventure.
D. X. Dunn's An Unexpected Adventure, the first story in The Distania Chronicles, is a great work for a child to read. The author demonstrates great insight into the psyche of a ten-year-old boy, and presents the reader with a well-written adventure.
It's Christmas Day, and ten-year-old Chris is cranky. He's opened his wonderful presents, but he misses his best friend Alex. Chris won't get to see Alex again until the summer. For Chris, it feels like a lifetime in the future.
When Chris checks his email, he feels even more depressed. He expects an interesting email from his friend, but instead it's a single sentence: Try this website. When he clicks on the link, he falls headlong into adventure.
D. X. Dunn's An Unexpected Adventure, the first story in The Distania Chronicles, is a great work for a child to read. The author demonstrates great insight into the psyche of a ten-year-old boy, and presents the reader with a well-written adventure.
August 7, 2013
The opening situation and the kids in the book remind me a lot of my own household and children, which I like. I could see Bean Pole wanting to play and explore with Chris and his friend in the world they accidentally drop into. I’d never get my kids off the computer if they were constantly transported to a distant land. All in all this was a good story. In my opinion, it could have used a tad more action and/or drama. (I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review).
July 10, 2013
I'm writing this on behalf of my 9 yr old son.
In his words:
I really enjoyed this book. It had a wicked storyline. While I was reading it I was imagining it was me & my best friend.
I thought it was good that they talked bout e-safety in the story as that's what we are talking about at school.
Received this from author in return for an honest review.
In his words:
I really enjoyed this book. It had a wicked storyline. While I was reading it I was imagining it was me & my best friend.
I thought it was good that they talked bout e-safety in the story as that's what we are talking about at school.
Received this from author in return for an honest review.
July 26, 2016
This isn't a book I normally would get. I like YA but this is for a younger audience then I expected, but it help my attention. I'm sure some of the younger members of the family will find it even more interesting. The book is well written and I have no problem recommending it to them.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews