The First Official Minecraft Novel is Here! Learn About Survival, Minecraft-Style in Minecraft: The Island
What if you found yourself alone in a new world with no one to help you and only your bare hands to rely on to survive? Could you do it? Readers of author Max Brooks’ Minecraft:The Island will find themselves exactly there as they are swept up into the action starting on the book’s first page. Brooks is the well-known author of such adult books as World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide, so he is in his element here with the first official Minecraft novel!
The novel opens with a narrator who wakes up at the bottom of a deep body of water with one thought: survival! This character, who is nameless throughout the novel, guides us through the journey of finding food, shelter, learning the rules of the island he (or she?) eventually finds himself on, and of course, navigating dangerous nights filled with Minecraft monsters. No other dialogue is found in the book besides the survivor’s words, but he finds a confidante and a conscience in a cow (which is reminiscent of Tom Hanks and his volleyball), who turns a tolerant, bovine eye on him and his ramblings.
Minecraft: The Island (Signed Book)
Hardcover $17.99
Minecraft: The Island (Signed Book)
By Max Brooks
Hardcover $17.99
My ten-year-old son, who is a longtime fan of the creative portion of Minecraft, loved the book (calling it “cool and crazy”), and it inspired him to start his own survival world, using tips and tricks he learned from the book as well as those he knew already. The descriptions of the life within the game are interesting for a novice and master alike, taking each step of survival and learning slowly. People who are well-versed in the world of Minecraft will enjoy reading about the introduction of the newbie and his journey, and both the successes and foibles of the new survivor to the rules of the game. And the true beginner in the world will appreciate the step-by-step plays.
My ten-year-old son, who is a longtime fan of the creative portion of Minecraft, loved the book (calling it “cool and crazy”), and it inspired him to start his own survival world, using tips and tricks he learned from the book as well as those he knew already. The descriptions of the life within the game are interesting for a novice and master alike, taking each step of survival and learning slowly. People who are well-versed in the world of Minecraft will enjoy reading about the introduction of the newbie and his journey, and both the successes and foibles of the new survivor to the rules of the game. And the true beginner in the world will appreciate the step-by-step plays.
The novel bills itself as based on true events, with the story as a guidebook by the castaway who is leaving it to others who will discover the island, as the book is full of lessons on how to live there. Chapter headings allude to the current lesson that the chapter teaches, that are applicable both the Minecraft world (and to real life!), such as “Never Give Up” and “Panic Drowns Thought.” Brooks even includes a numerical list at the end of the book of 36 succinct lessons learned from time spent immersed in the world of Minecraft.
Ultimately, to succeed at the game, the castaway/survivor must figure out his basic needs, such as food and shelter and how this world works compared to the world he once knew, and then turn to exploring the island and the creatures he finds there. The animals, including the cow, sheep, and chickens, become like friends to Brooks’ survivor, keeping him sane, and the minerals and other treasures he discovers in the caves hold secrets to learning more about how to navigate the surroundings and to create more tools. The monsters, including creepers, zombies, skeletons, spiders and cave spiders (eek!), are seemingly never-ending, and the survivor works on ways to defeat them altogether, if that’s even possible. An exciting and adventurous read, fans of the game as well as those new to Minecraft will find themselves pulling for the survivor, and eager to try their own hand at winning as well.