Clod Makes a Friend
by David J. Pedersen
Odysia Press
March 2018
Middle-Grade Fantasy
174 pages
Tour dates: March 26 to April 13, 2018
Content Rating: PG (There is no bad language, but there is one "boss fight" scene.)
Best Friend Ever?
Bullies love to hate Clod. Not just because he’s bigger, clumsier, and uglier than his classmates - he’s also the only student in his school without magic. In a world where all magic is possible and everyone else is born with great gifts to do amazing things, Clod is alone.
Living with his mum in a broken-down cottage on barely enough, the only thing Clod has to play with is the clay she occasionally brings him. Bleak is an understatement. More than anything, Clod wants a friend. The only way that’s going to happen, is to make one himself.
After an angry visit from the worst of the bullies, his teacher Learned Yugen, Clod’s clay sculpture of a little girl comes to life and introduces herself as Ada. For a clay girl barely the size of his hand, she has more confidence and courage than he knows what to do with. Every adventure she leads him on gets Clod into trouble. She may be the friend he wants, but is she the friend he needs?
After many years, and too many pranks, Yugen becomes convinced that Clod is tainted by the evil slowly infiltrating the Kingdom of Pag. Especially when Ada isn’t the only one Clod can bring to life.
Clod Makes A Friend is a bittersweet fairy tale for all ages from David J. Pedersen, author of the Angst series of fantasy novels.
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MY TIDBITS
Magic and true friendship abound in this wonderful tale about a very unexpected hero.
Clod's name says it all—his life is anything but perfect. He should be named Claude, after his father, but his mother can't spell. At school, he's treated like a clod, not only by the other students but even by the arrogant teacher. To make matters worse, Clod isn't smart, is rather clumsy, is too big for his own good and doesn't have enough magic to make him count. When a strange thing occurs and one of his clay 'toys' comes to life, not only does Clod have a friend, but now, he's accused of harboring black magic. And that is not something good.
This book was even better than I thought it would be—adventurous and bittersweet at the same time. Clod is endearing from the very first page, and immediately touches the heart. His frustrations are understandable, and the way his mother protects him is heart-warming. Clod is the kind of character to root for the entire way through, even when he stumbles and causes trouble now and then.
The messages in this book are clear but never preachy. Clod is being bullied, and there is no easy solution for it. It takes him years to work it out. The friendships he forms on the way are inspiring, and it's these bonds which help him through at the end.
Fantasy and imagination build a wonderful, magical world. Clod's home, school and town are easy to sink into and get lost in. The story itself is broken down into various times in Clod's life, each marked by his age. This allows time to pass easily as Clod grows and learns as he faces new problems and challenges as his magic increases and matures. Even when Clod reaches the ripe age of 57, in many ways, he doesn't seem to age at all, making it easy for readers to still feel connected to him.
I highly recommend this book, especially for fans of fantasy and magic.
And here he is. . .
David J. Pedersen is a native of Racine, WI who resides in his hometown Kansas City, MO. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He has worked in sales, management, retail, video and film production, and IT. David has run 2 marathons, climbed several 14,000-foot mountains and marched in The University of Wisconsin Marching Band and written 4 fantasy novels. He is a geek and a fanboy that enjoys carousing, picking on his wife and kids, playing video games, and slowly muddling through his next novel.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
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1 comment:
Thank you for the review, and for featuring Clod Makes A Friend on your site. I really appreciate it!
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