The Dungeon Book
- Author Gareth Hanrahan
- Narrator Lawrence Neale
- Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
- Publish Date 11 August 2026
- Run Time 11 hours and 50 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Epic fantasy / heroic fantasy.
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What to expect
Enter a world of dungeons and dragons, magic and manticores, goblins and gargoyles in this captivating standalone fantasy from the author of The Gutter Prayer
'Full of wit and adventure, twists and turns, wonderful monsters and astonishing revelations. An absolute joy' M. R. Carey, bestselling author of Once Was Willem
Bait doesn't remember a time before the dungeon. Before the dragon stole her from her cot. She doesn't know what her name was before she was handed over to the monstrous denizens of the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower. Luckily for Bait, they decided not to eat her. And so, she grows up in the dark - the goblins her adopted family, a vengeful minotaur her protector, a sentient skull her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime her main source of nutrition.
But the labyrinthine dungeon, with its haunted halls, buried temples and forgotten magics, draws treasure hunters like moths to a flame. And as the outside world starts to intrude, Bait will learn what it means to be monstrous, and she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
'For a story set in the deepest, darkest dungeon, The Dungeon Book absolutely bursts with warmth, heart, and energy. One of the best things you're going to read this year'
Jackson Ford, author of The Bone Raiders
'The Dungeon Book manages the difficult task of being epic and heartfelt both at once, and does it with style. I fell in love with Bait and her menagerie of friends immediately'
Django Wexler, author of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
'Full of heart . . . will delight anyone who has ever been brave enough to roll the dice and delve a dungeon'
RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships
'The Dungeon Book is chock-full of wit and weirdness . . . This book was terrific'
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
'Sensational, brimming with as much heart as it is ghoulies and beasties . . . A great fantasy story told in a unique way. My dungeon crawl-loving heart was absolutely enamoured' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ FanFiAddict
Reader reviews:
'I loved this. I want this book to be my dad' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'If you are looking for a book that feels like a D&D campaign but doesn't take itself too seriously, this is for you' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A hoot and a blast from the get go, and I have to say it ended with an epic bang. Bait for president, that's what I say. BRAVO' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A wonderfully original story that stayed with me long after I'd finished it, and one I'll be recommending without hesitation' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I came away from the book with such a smile on my face . . . a love letter to outcasts and the found families we form. It's heartwearming, heartwrenching, really funny, and just a fantastic read!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Omg I LOVED this, it reminded me of when I first read Gideon the Ninth . . . I couldn't put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'What a funny and original fairy tale! I loved every sentence of this brilliantly inventive and magical story' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Full of wit and adventure, twists and turns, wonderful monsters and astonishing revelations. An absolute joy' M. R. Carey, bestselling author of Once Was Willem
Bait doesn't remember a time before the dungeon. Before the dragon stole her from her cot. She doesn't know what her name was before she was handed over to the monstrous denizens of the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower. Luckily for Bait, they decided not to eat her. And so, she grows up in the dark - the goblins her adopted family, a vengeful minotaur her protector, a sentient skull her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime her main source of nutrition.
But the labyrinthine dungeon, with its haunted halls, buried temples and forgotten magics, draws treasure hunters like moths to a flame. And as the outside world starts to intrude, Bait will learn what it means to be monstrous, and she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
'For a story set in the deepest, darkest dungeon, The Dungeon Book absolutely bursts with warmth, heart, and energy. One of the best things you're going to read this year'
Jackson Ford, author of The Bone Raiders
'The Dungeon Book manages the difficult task of being epic and heartfelt both at once, and does it with style. I fell in love with Bait and her menagerie of friends immediately'
Django Wexler, author of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
'Full of heart . . . will delight anyone who has ever been brave enough to roll the dice and delve a dungeon'
RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships
'The Dungeon Book is chock-full of wit and weirdness . . . This book was terrific'
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
'Sensational, brimming with as much heart as it is ghoulies and beasties . . . A great fantasy story told in a unique way. My dungeon crawl-loving heart was absolutely enamoured' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ FanFiAddict
Reader reviews:
'I loved this. I want this book to be my dad' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'If you are looking for a book that feels like a D&D campaign but doesn't take itself too seriously, this is for you' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A hoot and a blast from the get go, and I have to say it ended with an epic bang. Bait for president, that's what I say. BRAVO' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A wonderfully original story that stayed with me long after I'd finished it, and one I'll be recommending without hesitation' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I came away from the book with such a smile on my face . . . a love letter to outcasts and the found families we form. It's heartwearming, heartwrenching, really funny, and just a fantastic read!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Omg I LOVED this, it reminded me of when I first read Gideon the Ninth . . . I couldn't put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'What a funny and original fairy tale! I loved every sentence of this brilliantly inventive and magical story' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Critics Review
Full of wit and adventure, twists and turns, wonderful monsters and astonishing revelations. An absolute joy
The Dungeon Book manages the difficult task of being epic and heartfelt both at once, and does it with style. I fell in love with Bait and her menagerie of friends immediately
For a story set in the deepest, darkest dungeon, The Dungeon Book absolutely bursts with warmth, heart and energy. One of the best things you're going to read this year
The Dungeon Book is a wonderful thing. Witty and charming, it's a love letter both to Kipling's inspirational story and Hanrahan's enduring immersion in dungeon lore. As always, Gareth's imagination is the star, and the story flips your expectations every time you think you know where it's going. A completely delightful book
The Dungeon Book is chock-full of wit and weirdness. It's a heroine's journey turned (literally) upside-down, where you're rooting for the monsters and wishing adventurers would stay home and mind their own business. Gareth Hanrahan excels at creating wondrously unique settings, and he's done so yet again. This book was terrific
One of those books that leaves you feeling the world *can* be a better place after reading it. Recommended for everyone's bookshelves (and dungeon hoards)
The Dungeon Book is the kind of novel packed full of wonder and adventure that makes people fall in love with fantasy
Gareth has created something full of heart that will delight anyone who has ever been brave enough to roll the dice and delve a dungeon
Hanrahan triumphs by taking all you know about fantasy and setting it on its head, while it's clawed feet never quite leave the ground. A hilarious, witty and at times poignant stroll through a world of monsters and magic. Clever writing and memorable characters have become Hanrahan's trade marks and The Dungeon Book doesn't fail to deliver. A masterful and subversive comedic amble through dungeon life
As Bait fights her destiny, Cornelius narrates her story unreliably, roguishly and delightfully . . . Dungeon life is harsh and humans are cruel, but Hanrahan's harrowing and hilarious coming-of-age tale demonstrates that even a villain's skull can be full of heart
| Author | Gareth Hanrahan |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Lawrence Neale |
| Duration | 11 hours and 50 minutes |
| Release Date | |
| ISBN | 9781405568500 |
| Format | Audiobook |
| Publisher | Little, Brown Book Group |
| Genre | Epic fantasy / heroic fantasy |
| Availability | AU, GB, IE |
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