Going Rogue

Going Rogue is the third book in Drew Hayes’s series “Spells, Swords, and Stealth.” Our story continues to follow the two groups from “Split the Party.” Thistle, Grumph, Gabrielle, Eric, Timuscor and his boar Mr. Peppers decide to stop into the capital of Alcatham: Camnarael so they can do some quests and get the gear they will need to make their way to Baltmur. Sheri, Alexis, Bert, Tim, and Russel, the players from our world, are guided into Camnarael as well by the game module they are playing with. We also get a third party, Glenn, Terry, and Mitch are back with a new game master, a mysterious girl that contacted them through email to join her group, luring them in with a promise of a rare module to play. The same module Russel’s group is playing. All three groups make their way to the capital of Alcatham, to Camnarael, and to the Hall of Adventurers. Here all the quests in the kingdom are kept, ready for adventurers to accept and complete. When they arrive; however, none of them know they will be working toward a larger goal: to get permission to participate in the grand quest. All of the groups gain entry by accident, and must work to survive during a quest none of them are quite prepared for. A red dragon has built up a large nest, and has begun to attack surrounding areas for no reason. The adventurers who have gained entry to the grand quest must infiltrate the nest and stop the dragon from attacking again.

This third book in the series has included quite a bit of important character developments. Gabrielle, Eric, and Timuscor are learning more about themselves and trying their best to fulfill their roles within the party. The continual development of characters within these books keep it interesting and allow for dynamic characters that feel real. It is also enjoyable to continue to get a larger view of the world, both in the game world and in the real world. The development of both worlds makes the story more well rounded. The artifact that all the entire story is pivoting around “the Bridge” as it’s called is an interesting addition. These pieces of a powerful artifact that connects the two worlds and has an interesting affect on people both in the game world and outside of the game world. The whole idea behind this series is still very fascinating and the direction the author takes the story keeps a reader on their toes, itching for more.