Scourge (A Grim Doyle Adventure Book 1)

Editorial Reviews. Review. "This book is one part J.K. Rowling, one part Lemony Snicket, one Scourge (A Grim Doyle Adventure Book 1) by [Burton, David H.
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Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Scourge by David H. Two dads, five siblings, and goggles! Grim Doyle has always known his life was not exactly "normal", and things get even more curious when he discovers a set of stones that sweep him and his family to the fantasy, steampunk world of Verne - a place they had escaped from years ago. Now that they've returned, Grim and his siblings must discover who is trying to kill them wit Two dads, five siblings, and goggles!

Now that they've returned, Grim and his siblings must discover who is trying to kill them with the deadly Scourge. Grim Doyle Adventures 1. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Scourge , please sign up. Lists with This Book. View all 6 comments. Dec 16, Sheila rated it really liked it Shelves: David H Burton's Scourge is one of those books. Grimwald has character and skill and wisdom too, as the story reveals. The reader is plunged immediately not just into a strange world but also into the world-view of a young boy.

Swift fight scenes are filled with just the right amount of confusion. Strange creatures, half-mechanical, half-invisible, interact with servants and lords, and the list of characters grows long but never overly so. Fights and flights race by with fascinating twists and turns through a cleverly imagined parallel world. Steam-punk designed for middle school, this book is definitely recommended.

I received an ecopy from the author in exchange for an unbiased review. Dec 29, Matt rated it it was ok Shelves: Cross-posted to my sci-fi blog, Android Dreamer David H.

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Burton's Scourge has pretty much everything going for it that it needs to be great in science fiction and fantasy: And if one were to judge a book by its cover, this would win every award. It is a lovely looking book. This sounds like the beginning of something great, but unfortunately it Cross-posted to my sci-fi blog, Android Dreamer David H.

This sounds like the beginning of something great, but unfortunately it doesn't quite get there. It is lacking in something that, most would agree, is enormously important in making a book like this work: The story essentially follows Grim, a young boy and son of two men who has a fairly normal life until his is whisked away into a faraway steampunky fantasy land.

The world is in the midst of a civil war, and there are many alien interesting races. Some of them will be familiar to people who have read a lot of fantasy, but there are some originals too, and I applaud that. Most interesting about he world are the steampunkish cybernetic implants that many of the inhabitants of the world have. I love the melding of steampunk tech with elves and dryads and the like. It gives a very distinct and quite original feel to the world of the story. That being said, I have an issue with how he gets there. There are many cases where a fantasy trope is used over and over again because it is a great way to tell a story, but I think that it was a bit of a misstep to have Grim and family appear in this other world rather than just starting the story there.

When you think of children's and young adult literature in fantasy and science fiction, chances are that the first series that come to mind are Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia. In Harry Potter, Harry goes to a wizarding world that, although on his planet, he didn't know existed. In Narnia, the kids are magically teleported to Narnia through the wardrobe. It is a really overused way of getting the story where it needs to go. I understand the practicality; it makes sense that if your character is experiencing a world for the first time, it is easier to teach the reader about the world, but it's such an overused idea that I feel like has gone stale just needs to be retired.

The story itself never managed to grab me throughout. Although I was into the world, it never really got anywhere in terms of the plot moving along in any interesting sort of way. Unfortunately, this made my overall experience less than satisfying. That being said, I still think there is a chance for a good story here.

The world is great, and I would be willing to read the next book in the series because I think Burton IS capable of writing something great. Dec 24, Karen Syed rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Now that they've returned, Grim and his siblings hide from the evil Lord Victor and his minions. And while learning about Jinns, Mystics, and the power of absinth they try to discover who is trying to kill them with th Two dads, five siblings, and goggles!

And while learning about Jinns, Mystics, and the power of absinth they try to discover who is trying to kill them with the deadly Scourge. I found it by chance when searching for Steampunk books to read on my Kindle. The cover jumped right out at me.

I'd never heard of David H. Burton before, but I can tell you that I look forward to the next Grim Doyle adventure. Burton has done a good job with a very large number of characters. There were a few times I got confused with so many creatures flittering about, but the story kept it interesting enough that I didn't dwell on it. I will admit one thing; the first 20 or so pages of SCOURGE were so filled with gadgets, contraptions, and sometimes a bit excessive description of things that I wondered if the author wasn't trying a tad too hard to convince us this was, in fact, a Steampunk novel.

It simmered down as we got into the book, but it almost made me put it down and not read on. Burton managed to get just about every kind of magical mystical creature into this story. The interesting story kept it from being too overwhelming. That said; I'm glad I read on. Kindle readers will be pleased at the smooth formatting, and fear not parents and librarians, there is a print version as well. Nov 20, Guido Henkel rated it it was amazing. Not only did the book immediately catch my attention with its vivid writing and immediate promise of a marvelous world, but more importantly, it became obvious from the start that author David H.

Burton takes his young audience very seriously. Perfectly balanced and riveting as it moves forward, the story of Grim Doyle and his siblings is imaginative in its setting of an alternate Steampunk world where traditional magic and mechanics collide as the forces of good and evil wage their war for dominance. Jan 25, Shari rated it really liked it. Scourge is the first Middle Grade book that I've read in quite a long time and it was my very first steampunk ever, and I gotta say, I was impressed.

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The story grabs you pretty quickly and the children find themselves in a whole new world. A world with dirigibles and mushrooms that attack! I loved the way Burton built up this world and described things to you while engaging you with the characters at the same time. I really enjoyed how the story was moving on and you didn't feel as if you were r Scourge is the first Middle Grade book that I've read in quite a long time and it was my very first steampunk ever, and I gotta say, I was impressed. I really enjoyed how the story was moving on and you didn't feel as if you were reading through page after page of description.

The characters are so much fun and range from pixies to robotic spiders. This is one of those books that you could read out loud to your children and not feel as if you are reading a "children's" book, while still feel good reading it with your child. I will definitely be looking forward to diving into another adventure with Grim and his brothers and sisters.

Aug 12, Emily rated it really liked it. Here's a great middle grade offering, and a steampunk adventure tale to boot! This is a story with something to offer everyone- intrigue, technology, drama, family issues and squabbles, comedy, the list goes on and on. Grim's life isn't normal, by his measurement- he has two dads, a somewhat tyrannical aunt that's ahhhhhnt, not ant like the bug, and don't you forget it , many adopted siblings, and lives, in his estimation, in the middle of a three-ring circus.

Things become even more wild when G Here's a great middle grade offering, and a steampunk adventure tale to boot! Things become even more wild when Grim finds out that all the family members are actually refugees from Verne, a parallel world to Earth, and that they are on the run from the evil Lord Victor, who usurped their estate. There's plenty of adventure and mayhem to satisfy readers who enjoy a good adventure story, with interesting observations from a child's point of view scattered throughout the story.

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There are events and concepts that everyone has to grasp and work through sooner or later, as well. Sibling rivalry, especially between Grim and his older adopted sister, Rudy, is addressed throughout the book in some detail. The pace keeps going when all of the children find themselves guests of a mysterious orphanage, and, as part of their keep, they get to do chores and study under the orphanage's mysterious staff. Since this is a parallel world, there are creatures here that Grim had only read about prior, and the whole thing becomes an adventure very quickly, as it should.

Not always a fun adventure, certainly, but an adventure nonetheless. Add in the Scourge and the surrounding mysteries and you've got plenty to sink your teeth into as a reader. Issues of gender and gender roles are brought up here as well, as well as issues of social class, privilege and entitlement and all kinds of other knotty issues that become things we have to deal with and determine our stance on as we grow up; reliving that transitional period was interesting to say the least. One of the things I enjoyed the most about this book was that new vocabulary relating to the fantasy elements was liberally used, but in a way that young readers would be able to figure out the word meanings and usages without it bogging down the text.

The flow of the story is great and there are plenty of explanations of the gadgets, magic concepts, and history of the world of Verne so that younger readers won't get frustrated while reading they way they might with other books of this ilk. We leave Grim and his family at the end of the book with plenty to contemplate and enemies regrouping all around. I'm definitely interested in reading what happens to them next. Dec 26, Marcie rated it really liked it. I love the cover to this book. It was designed by the author, David H.

So not only did he write a great book but he also designed a fabulous cover. He is a man of many talents. This story focuses around Grim Doyle. Grim's grown up in a house with five other kids. Each one with their own distinct personality. Things are relatively normal until a mysterious stranger appears, cloaked beings attack and a family secret is revealed.

Suddenly Grim and his family are thrown into a world that the I love the cover to this book. Suddenly Grim and his family are thrown into a world that they didn't know existed. This was a really fun book to read. I really liked the adventure, mystery and excitement in this book. Grim, the main character is very likable. He's intelligent, funny and resourceful. There are quite a few characters in this book but it's not confusing. I love the character development in this book.

I loved seeing the characters evolve throughout the story. There are all sorts of fantasy creatures such as gargoyles, mystics, sylphs, pixies and more. My favorite character in the book is Aunt Patrice. She is stern and full of surprises. There was only one thing that bothered me about this story and it was Scarlet, a mechanical spider. I really don't like spiders even mechanical ones. They give me the heebie-jeebies. However as far as spiders go, Scarlet is okay.

This is the first book in the Grim Doyle Adventures. I will definitely read the next one Dec 02, Crystal rated it really liked it Shelves: I'm not a steampunk-person, I don't dislike it, but I haven't read many steampunk books just Clockwork Angel and now Scourge. That being said, I really enjoyed Scourge. It's a great middle grade children's fantasy that will fascinate older audiences as well.

I quickly liked the character of Grim, he's inquisitive, wants to get away from his siblings but has a wonderful side to him as wel I'm not a steampunk-person, I don't dislike it, but I haven't read many steampunk books just Clockwork Angel and now Scourge.

I quickly liked the character of Grim, he's inquisitive, wants to get away from his siblings but has a wonderful side to him as well. I also enjoyed meeting his other siblings and the friends and foes he meets in the other world they get taken to. The characters are believable, fun and I hope to get to know them more in future books as well. Burton did a good job developing the characters in this book but leaving enough to be discovered in future books. Full of adventure and intrigue, this book is a great ride for the young and old alike.

It's hard to put down and enjoyable throughout. I look forward to the next installment in the Grim Doyle Adventures to see how things continue to go for the six siblings in this new world they have been sucked into. Mar 17, Mandy rated it really liked it. David Burton's book, Scourge: A Grim Doyle Adventure Volume 1 , is the first in a series of steampunk fantasy books for young children. The book begins with Grim Doyle, his five adopted siblings one of whom is his birth sister , their two fathers, and a cranky old nanny.

The story is slow at first but quickly begins to accelerate when the family finds itself back from the world they orginally fled from and which the children have no memory. Thrust into a world they know nothing about and hiding David Burton's book, Scourge: Thrust into a world they know nothing about and hiding in an orphanage while their fathers go off to lead the resistance, the siblings must discover their places in this new world, full of new races and gadgets which come to life.

The book is only the beginning of the story and promises to answer more questions in future books. I found Scourge to be a refreshing change to other chapter books for young children. It's a nice compromise for children with well devloped vocabularies and reading comprehension who are working on their reading skills.

A complimentary copy of the book was provided by the author. May 24, Maurice Alvarez rated it it was amazing. I was first drawn to this book by its creative and eye-catching cover. But it was the flowing writing style and interesting characters that kept me reading. David does a very good job of getting into the minds of children and seeing the world through their eyes, especially when they jump to conclusions due to their naivete.

I admit that I found that frustrating until I remembered that it's a book for kids: My children were as taken in by the misleading clues as the protagonists. Each child in I was first drawn to this book by its creative and eye-catching cover. Each child in the story is so distinct of personality that, despite there being several brothers and sister, each stands out from the other and has a unique role to play in the story. Some of the devices are too much to believe, but David doesn't try to explain them, so the reader can simply gloss over them as being part of the magic of Verne.

David leaves many unopened doors by the end of the book that left me looking forward to the sequel. Jan 08, Heather rated it really liked it Shelves: A fun romp through a steampunk world, this book felt a little like "steampunk Harry Potter" to me Grim, as our chief protagonist, often makes the decision to take matters into his own hands rather than letting things happen to him. He loves his brothers and sisters, no matter how difficult they make his life. Both of these qualities make him a character you delight in rooting for. I love the different personalities and strengths the siblings have and how they learn t A fun romp through a steampunk world, this book felt a little like "steampunk Harry Potter" to me I love the different personalities and strengths the siblings have and how they learn to work together.

And while learning about Jinns, Mystics, and the power of absinth they try to discover who is trying to kill them with the deadly Scourge. Paperback , pages. Published on November 12, by David H. Copy and Paste the code below to your website or blog. Inside the World of Roblox 11 reviews.

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