The Dungeoneers

The Dungeoneers, by John David Anderson, 448 pages

Colm is one of many mouths that his parents have to feed- and as hardworking and well-intentioned as they are, Colm knows that they are struggling.  So he tries his hand at pick-pocketing, and it turns out that he is very gifted at it.  His father is less than happy to find the pile of gold that Colm proudly brings home, though, and declares that the only honest thing to do is turn him into the magistrate.  But a stranger offers to pay the fines in return for Colm accompanying him and learning the trades of a rogue.  What follows is an adventure that I can only describe as Hogwarts for D&D fans.  And if that sentence just got you excited, then I think that we could be friends.  This is a series with some potential, and one that I will be keeping an eye on.