FORGET HARRY POTTER…READ THIS INSTEAD
THE WARRENSBERG TRILOGY IS A "WILD ROLLER COASTER RIDE"
Okay, Harry Potter is a great character and J.K. Rowling’s novels are amazing. (The movies are pretty good, too.) But Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was originally published in 1997. That’s, like, almost 20 years ago if my math is right. So rather than read about Hogwarts for the sixty-fifth time, why not try something new and different? Something like…“The Warrensberg Trilogy.” (As an example.)
What is “The Warrensberg Trilogy”?
Good question. “The Warrensberg Trilogy” is (as you probably guessed) three books. (Plus one more. Sorry.) It’s: Waiting for the Voo, Escape from Dorkville, The Last Ma-Loo and Roadkill on the Flipside. Each novel features Wilkin Delgado and Alice Jane Zelinski, who live in Warrensberg, Minnesota. (Hence the name of the series.) In the first book, they need to plug a hole in the Outside of the universe to keep away the sewage and the monsters who live on the Inside. In the second book, they must track down the Source of the universe’s fresh water and somehow turn it back on. (Which is harder than it sounds.) In the third book, they have to locate the invisible (but cute!) Ma-Loos and keep the universe from crumpling. And in the fourth (and final?) book, they need to stop a rogue black hole from consuming everything and everybody.
“The idea that morphed into Waiting for the Voo (Book 1) began with the character Alice Jane Zelinski, one of the two narrators. Originally I envisioned her as a gritty young woman in a novel of greed, passion, murder and betrayal. That didn't happen. Instead, she ended up helping Wilkin Delgado battle ch-ducks and Gutrogs and try to save the universe. (Who'd have figured on that?)"
Why Should I Care?
Another good question. (You’re on a roll!) Believe it or not, Wilkin and Alice Jane don’t exactly get along all that well. So when they’re asked by flip-flop wearing, intergalactic plumber Cardamon Webb to help save the universe, there are some fireworks and challenging situations. (Not to mention Alice Jane’s anger issues.) The stories are told by Wilkin and Alice Jane in alternating first-person chapters, which Kirkus Reviews [in their starred review of Escape from Dorkville (Book 2)] called, “memorable storytelling.” (Along with “wild roller coaster ride” and “zany fun,” in case you’re interested.) IndieReader also named Waiting for the Voo one of the “Best Indie Books of 2014.”
Will They Hold My Interest?
There’s a lot going on in “The Warrensberg Trilogy.” The books are kind of science fiction/fantasy, so there are magical things, strange creatures and other worlds. But they’re also filled with adventure (attacks by Gutrogs, Wibgees, Spelunking Griniaks and tunnel rats!), lovable animals (a puffin named Loretta, a rat named Oscar, a nameless ferret, a pair of ostriches and maybe an alpaca), mystery (Who or what are the Voo? How do you turn on the fresh water? Where do you go to look for invisible Ma-Loos? How do you shut down a rogue black hole?). Plus, the books are fun. (Seriously.) Wilkin is replaced by a Metazoan Nard. Alice Jane tries to find her inner Chi—along with a good tan, gift shops, doughnuts and drinks with little umbrellas. And Leeblexes (the Canadian folk music-loving “Desert Piranha”) roam the Other side of the universe. And did I mention the maggots?
I'm Not So Sure…
Don’t be so wishy-washy. I mean, Alice Jane is attacked by dust bunnies on page 30 of the first book. In a January 22, 2016, interview with IndieReader (www.indiereader.com), the author was asked: “What’s the main reason someone should really read (Escape from Dorkville)?” He answered:“There are lots of deep and serious books in the world. This is not one of them.” That pretty much says it all. And if you’re a fan of Archimedes, levers and water displacement, “The Warrensberg Trilogy” is definitely the series for you.
Okay, I'm In
A wise decision. (You’re one smart cookie, if you don’t mind my saying so.) Unfortunately, this is the part where you have to actually do some work. (Sorry.) You can order any of the books—or all four, if you’re really smart—at your local bookstore. (They probably won’t have any of the books in stock, though. You see, Kabloona doesn’t have fancy offices, big expense accounts or a fleet of jets like Random House, Penguin, Simon & Schuster and those other big publishers, so store distribution is a bit thin. But your friendly neighborhood bookstore should be able to order hundreds of copies for you. Thousands, in fact.)