Mossbelly MacFearsome and the Dwarves of Doom

by Alex Gardiner

Roger is just an ordinary boy, in an ordinary world – or so he thinks, until a grumpy dwarf warrior, Mossbelly MacFearsome, appears out of thin air and saves him from the school bully. If that isn’t incredible enough, now Moss has decided that Roger is the perfect human companion for his daring quest to defeat the dwarves’ arch-enemy Leatherhead Barnstorm and his horrifying horde of monstrous (but very polite) gorefiends. If Roger doesn’t help Moss, the world as we know it will be destroyed by ogres and dragons and the race of humans will be annihilated. If he does help, he will be late for his tea and his mum will be going mad with worry. A Highland castle, a trainee witch who knows karate, and an ancient spell to be broken – by King Golmar’s braces, just what has Roger got himself into?

A hilarious action-packed fish-out-of-water adventure, perfect for young fans of Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Cressida Cowell.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Alyce Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mossbelly MacFearsome is a dwarf warrior on a mission. His nemesis, Leatherhead Barnstorm, has stolen the Doomstone Sword and is planning to use it to bring about the end of the human race.

It’s up to Moss and his recently elected Destroyer, Roger – an ordinary boy who meets Moss on his way to get beaten up by a bully, impressing the dwarf with his ‘bravery’ in facing someone tougher than he – to save the day (and hopefully avoid getting grounded in the process…)

As this is the first book in a new series for children (the second book, Mossbelly MacFearsome and the Goblin Army, slated for release at the beginning of September) I wasn’t surprised that some aspects of the story were rather clunky. Establishing the lore of the world (introducing Moss and the dwarves, the Witchwatchers and Warlockwatchers, and goblins, ogres and dragons, too) causes the pace to suffer, the amount of exposition making it hard to keep track of the plot at times.

However, that’s both a negative and a positive thing. Although it makes the book feel a bit too long, it also proves Alex Gardiner has done a lot of world-building and has crafted this with potential for expansion in mind. The attention to detail shows Gardiner is invested in the story and the characters, and it wouldn’t surprise me if there are quite a few installments in the Mossbelly MacFearsome series to come.

There’s even a bonus chapter at the end of the book featuring a fairy tale which is referenced regularly throughout the story, making you feel even more involved in the world.

I read Mossbelly MacFearsome out loud to my partner and daughter, and had much joy trying to embody the various members of the gang. This book is a perfect bedtime story, as there are lots of made up words that will get children giggling, but it also features a few difficult terms that will help expand your child’s vocabulary.

If you’re looking for a series for your child which will be fun for you and them, give Mossbelly MacFearsome a try.

This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Blogger.

[Pip Snort · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mossbelly MacFearsome is a dwarf warrior and consort to the Dwarven Queen. He appears in Perth, Scotland right next to Roger, who is trying to find a way to avoid fighting the school bully. Mossbelly nominates Roger as the Destroyer who must assist Mossbelly in his quest to stop the Doomstone sword which will lead the dwarves and ogres on a crusade to destroy humanity. In a series of calamities and a close brush with the end of the life as we know it, Roger and Mossbelly defeat the Doomstone sword and apart from a strange story of an earthquake, life goes on.

[SHANE ELLIS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book. It is hard to make me laugh, but this actually worked. I giggled when the drawf flattened the bully's toes and when he scared the old lady while leaping up in a pram.
Alex Gardiner is an author to look out for. Pure genius.