The Mystery of the Griefer’s Mark: An Unofficial Gamer’s Adventure, Book Two – Book Review
It has not been long since the kindhearted Steve, the protagonist of Winter Morgan’s Minecraft novels, went on an adventure to save his village. He had to overcome many fears but also learned that with friends you can achieve that much more than on your own. Recently a new novel was released that will present Steve with a mysterious ‘griefer’. These so called griefers take a lot of joy in destroying properties of other players, stealing their items and even killing other, friendlier gamers. It seems there are even worse things than having to fight ‘creepers’ and a zombie army.
Note: As our site is based in Belgium, we were given the Dutch version of the book (De Mysterieuze Griefer). This means that the writing style might differ a tad at times from the original style. The book is also available in English and probably in certain other languages as well.
After saving the village of the NPC characters, thanks to his newly acquired magic diamond sword, Steve returned to his laid back life of hoarding materials, relaxing on his farm and decorating his home with the emeralds he gets by trading with the villagers. All is well, even with the new players who have established homes around his. Adam the alchemist is always brewing new potions, Thomas the adventurer loves to explore and Kyra is not afraid of a battle either. When Steve is stopped by Adam on his way back from the village, Adam tries to sell him some of his potions. Even though Steve was not that interested at first, he reconsiders and agrees to some potions that could aid him in a predicament. Suddenly Adam notices that a lot of his potions are missing but before the bartering duo can pay any attention to it, a huge explosion sounds from the distance. Steve immediately knows that the sound came from his farm and he fears the worst.
When inspecting the crater where his beloved farm used to be, Steve immediately senses foul play is in order. It was clear that TNT was used and this means another player is behind the explosion. Steve decides to check to see if any more damage was done to his private home and the surrounding fields. He notices all of his sheep were stolen and even worse – his magic diamond sword is missing too. He decides to call his friends, Max, Lucy and Henry, who helped him save the village, to apprehend the evildoer. When, in the middle of the night Kyra comes knocking on their door, telling them about her destroyed house, it all becomes a race against time to stop the griefer from destroying all of their beloved properties.
The flow of this novel feels a bit different compared to the first book of the series, as the book revolves around a cat and mouse story. The party of players will constantly go from one place to another, ending up in their original starting place again. They always come close to their assailant but let him or her slip through their fingers. You can feel the pressing need to capture the foe in the story and perhaps this is the reason that this second book is shorter than the first (109 pages instead of 127).
Simplicity again reigns supreme in this adventure. You’ll soon notice that this book is even more about companionship and teamwork. It becomes clear that these books are intended to learn things about friendship, conquering fears and of course tips about the Minecraft game(s).
Whilst the length of the book might only be shorter by 18 pages, compared to the first issue, it is quite noticeable. With the big font and the many white spaces, the book proves to be less than a two hour read for an adult. Luckily children will have to spend a bit more time to finish the story.
Even though the story itself proves to be less catchy than The Quest for the Diamond Sword, some items have been improved. There are no more inconsistencies about changing materials or weapons in the middle of a fight and as the story revolves solely around the players themselves, it’s easier to be emerged in the world where Steve and his friends find themselves in.
Conclusion
The second installment of the Minecraft novel series, ‘The Mystery of the Griefer’s Mark‘ shows that a children’s series of novels that depicts itself in the Minecraft universe is a great thing. Overall the second volume provides a fun new adventure, with several new characters, lessons and tips. Whilst there is still room for improvement, you can surely ‘dig’ this issue.
The Mystery of the Griefer's Mark: An Unofficial Gamer’s Adventure, Book Two - Book Review,
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