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Steampunk Sorcery #1
Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl and the Dungeon of Despair
Key had a very happy life on a farm — until her ninth birthday, when she lost her mom and dad, was changed into a vampire, and was ushered to the City of the Dead where she was thrown into the Dungeon of Despair. Key is now imprisoned for the rest of her immortal life in darkness, loneliness, and emptiness. But hope is not lost when Key is befriended by a ghost, a witch, and an immortal puppy. Through friendship, Key must learn that she herself is the key to freedom from Despair. Brought to life with the dazzling artwork of Raven Quinn, Becket - assistant to New York Times bestselling author Anne Rice - shares with you an enchanting world of vampire castles, glowing flowers, Crinomatics, and mostly dead Mystical Creatures.
242 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2013
4 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Becket
47 books78 followersBecket has a BA in music composition, an MA in Systematic Theology, and an MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
He was a diocesan seminarian for 3 years. He was a Benedictine monk for 5 years.
He has been working for Anne Rice since 2005, and he has spent that time learning from her the craft of writing.
He was a diocesan seminarian for 3 years. He was a Benedictine monk for 5 years.
He has been working for Anne Rice since 2005, and he has spent that time learning from her the craft of writing.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 28, 2014
On her 9th birthday, just as she was about to cut her cake, Key and her family are visited by an evil vampire and his two zombie henchmen. What should have been the happiest day of her life turns into the saddest night.
She is turned into a vampire, her parents have disappeared and might have been done in by the zombies, and to top it all off she is thrown into the dungeon of despair and quickly forgotten. As she lives her unlife in despair the years, decades and centuries pass by, yet she manages to find small things to cheer her up while she is chained in the dungeon.
Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl and the Dungeon of Despair is a great book for early readers, children who are just venturing into chapter books. It is wonderfully illustrated, the story is fun and even this 45 year old found it quite entertaining.
It would be a great book to give to children who find reading challenging.
She is turned into a vampire, her parents have disappeared and might have been done in by the zombies, and to top it all off she is thrown into the dungeon of despair and quickly forgotten. As she lives her unlife in despair the years, decades and centuries pass by, yet she manages to find small things to cheer her up while she is chained in the dungeon.
Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl and the Dungeon of Despair is a great book for early readers, children who are just venturing into chapter books. It is wonderfully illustrated, the story is fun and even this 45 year old found it quite entertaining.
It would be a great book to give to children who find reading challenging.
December 2, 2013
What a great book for young readers. It reminds me of the books I used to read when I was a child. Becket has created such an enchanting world with vampires, ghosts, witches, immortal puppies, smiling zombies, a diabolical unicorn and so much more! I especially liked the narration style. I swear I could hear Morgan Freeman reading it to me as I read.
While this book is fun to read, it also has some very important messages for young readers. It doesn't sugar-coat life for Key. Things are not all sunshine and roses. Key has to be strong in the face of adversity - a lesson all readers, both young and old alike, need to learn.
While this book is fun to read, it also has some very important messages for young readers. It doesn't sugar-coat life for Key. Things are not all sunshine and roses. Key has to be strong in the face of adversity - a lesson all readers, both young and old alike, need to learn.
March 11, 2014
As written by the reader:
This story teaches about there is always hope in your heart, sometimes you just have to look for it. My favorite part in the story was when Warthog came into the dungeon for Key’s birth-night and devoured the cake. This may be weird, but my favorite character is Raihe because she’s a vampire and she can do magic like make a very strong wind, or a flame of purple fire in her hands then throw it. She is not nice, but fun to read about because of her powers and she dresses nice. Key is a close second favorite character because she also uses magic, and she is kind and gentle. Key has a cute puppy named Tudwal. I think it is funny that Tudwal is 105 years old and he still acts like a puppy. I like it when a book ends with a cliff-hanger so you want to read the next book. This book ends just like that!
I only have ONE question: Are you writing more books? Because I sometimes look ahead at other pages and I saw a picture of Key’s mom and dad in book 2. Also, there was a picture of Margrave Snick so I’m worried he will do something bad to Key? I can’t wait (but am a little scared) to find out. I think readers who like trolls, gargoyles, cyclops, zombies, vampires, good witches, and good ghosts would like this story.
Mother’s Note:
Okay, a book about vampires, zombies, and trolls… oh my. Sounds like it could be scary story. Actually “Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl: The Dungeon of Despair” is an uplifting drama about resiliency and perseverance. The above was written by my seven year old (second grade) daughter. She was easily able to follow the plot essentials. Some parts were a little intense, but managed to not be too scary (unless Mama read them aloud, apparently, so she preferred to read this story to herself).
Would recommend it for a chapter reader who wants a little more meat than found in most children's books. Plenty of humor, but also a good amount of subtle plot to challenge their reading comprehension.
This story teaches about there is always hope in your heart, sometimes you just have to look for it. My favorite part in the story was when Warthog came into the dungeon for Key’s birth-night and devoured the cake. This may be weird, but my favorite character is Raihe because she’s a vampire and she can do magic like make a very strong wind, or a flame of purple fire in her hands then throw it. She is not nice, but fun to read about because of her powers and she dresses nice. Key is a close second favorite character because she also uses magic, and she is kind and gentle. Key has a cute puppy named Tudwal. I think it is funny that Tudwal is 105 years old and he still acts like a puppy. I like it when a book ends with a cliff-hanger so you want to read the next book. This book ends just like that!
I only have ONE question: Are you writing more books? Because I sometimes look ahead at other pages and I saw a picture of Key’s mom and dad in book 2. Also, there was a picture of Margrave Snick so I’m worried he will do something bad to Key? I can’t wait (but am a little scared) to find out. I think readers who like trolls, gargoyles, cyclops, zombies, vampires, good witches, and good ghosts would like this story.
Mother’s Note:
Okay, a book about vampires, zombies, and trolls… oh my. Sounds like it could be scary story. Actually “Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl: The Dungeon of Despair” is an uplifting drama about resiliency and perseverance. The above was written by my seven year old (second grade) daughter. She was easily able to follow the plot essentials. Some parts were a little intense, but managed to not be too scary (unless Mama read them aloud, apparently, so she preferred to read this story to herself).
Would recommend it for a chapter reader who wants a little more meat than found in most children's books. Plenty of humor, but also a good amount of subtle plot to challenge their reading comprehension.
November 12, 2013
Having been a fan of Becket's Blood Vivicanti serial novel, I was naturally eager to read his first foray into children's books as well. While not surprised I adored this story, I am ever more impressed at Becket's storytelling range. He is certainly most at home when bringing a world to light.
Key's world is a world that is party ours, but mostly created entirely from Becket's vivid imagination, with colorful names, places, and descriptions that jump out at you from the pages. Raven Quinn's stunningly vivid illustrations serve to give dramatic underscore to the words, painting pictures that are just exactly what you would imagine. Every character is unique and distinct, with just precisely the names you would expect them to have: Mr. Fuddlebee, Miss Broomble, Pega, Old Queen Crinkle. Beyond that, Becket has clearly created an encyclopedia of source material for Key's world, leaving me with hope that each subsequent book will expand on these things more and more.
The story and characters have the broad appeal of Harry Potter, making it a perfect escape whether you are eight or thirty-eight, or eighty. The themes are universal and inspiring, and despite some of the on-paper-horrific things that happen to Key, this feels more like a adventure than a sentence of doom. The other wonderful thing about this story is that it doesn't talk down to its readers; Key may be young, but she is insightful and curious, and her observations of the world are ageless. The story ends on the perfect note; enough resolution that you feel hopeful for Key's future, but with a wide expanse of possibility for the next book.
I highly recommend this story for all ages!
(Also: I think I speak for every girl, when I say that I need a Crinomatic in my life!)
Key's world is a world that is party ours, but mostly created entirely from Becket's vivid imagination, with colorful names, places, and descriptions that jump out at you from the pages. Raven Quinn's stunningly vivid illustrations serve to give dramatic underscore to the words, painting pictures that are just exactly what you would imagine. Every character is unique and distinct, with just precisely the names you would expect them to have: Mr. Fuddlebee, Miss Broomble, Pega, Old Queen Crinkle. Beyond that, Becket has clearly created an encyclopedia of source material for Key's world, leaving me with hope that each subsequent book will expand on these things more and more.
The story and characters have the broad appeal of Harry Potter, making it a perfect escape whether you are eight or thirty-eight, or eighty. The themes are universal and inspiring, and despite some of the on-paper-horrific things that happen to Key, this feels more like a adventure than a sentence of doom. The other wonderful thing about this story is that it doesn't talk down to its readers; Key may be young, but she is insightful and curious, and her observations of the world are ageless. The story ends on the perfect note; enough resolution that you feel hopeful for Key's future, but with a wide expanse of possibility for the next book.
I highly recommend this story for all ages!
(Also: I think I speak for every girl, when I say that I need a Crinomatic in my life!)
March 30, 2014
Key, was tossed into the Dungeon of Despair in the City of Dead, This story has such detail, you can feel Key’s desperation, hurt, and her surroundings. Everything seems to come alive in this book, the smells, the sadness, and the contentment she learns to live with everyday. Key, finally learns she really does have a few friends, slowly as she learns who they are and how to trust them. This is a page turner or a book. Its a emotion of survival. Becket, captures your attention at the first page. This is truly a remarkable book that will have everyone cheering for Key and her friends, and hoping that karma comes back to the ones who have hurt her. The illustrations by Raven Quinn, are a great detail by a beautiful talented artist.
November 16, 2013
Key has been dealt a difficult hand but amidst it all she finds magic, friends, and good reasons to see that good can be made out of things she didn't want to happen. Becket colors Key's world with descriptions that allow children (or in my case the child within) to get lost in the steampunk magic and cuddle up with an immortal puppy.
It's a delightful story with fun illustrations and a great message for kids (and adults too!!!). I can't wait to see where Key goes next and get to know more of the Necropolis and all who live (or rather mostly-live ;)) there.
It's a delightful story with fun illustrations and a great message for kids (and adults too!!!). I can't wait to see where Key goes next and get to know more of the Necropolis and all who live (or rather mostly-live ;)) there.
April 8, 2015
A wonderful children's book by Becket. Bought it this morning and now I am scratching my head trying to think of children I know who would love it. All my nephews and nieces are grown up now, and though they would probably enjoy this series, I think it will be perfect for younger ones.
The images by Raven Quinn are quirky, colorful and fun - I just wish they were a little larger in the epub version of the book.
The images by Raven Quinn are quirky, colorful and fun - I just wish they were a little larger in the epub version of the book.
October 9, 2014
A story of growth through despair, featuring vampires, an immortal puppy, witches and ghosts. The illustrations by the talented Raven Quinn are truly magnificent. Becket did a great job with this book. This may be a children's book but it is a fun read for all ages. The character's and places are described so well you feel as if you are a part of Key's family and have tagged along on her journey.
November 6, 2013
This book was soooo good!!! I will write a better review later!!
February 20, 2014
i LOVE Key. she is so cute. plus she is very relateable. the story is very creative and the characters are amusing. would make a great childrens movie!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews