The Cursed Codex

By: Matthew S. Cox

Narrated by: Christopher James Mayer

Fantasy role players often get deep into their games, but 13-year-old Keith Croft is about to take it to a new level. He’s been invisible for seven years, smart but not working hard, athletic enough, but too lazy to excel. His parents are sort of cool, but only two weeks into his eighth-grade year, his friends are all busy with sports or projects and can’t hang out.

On the way home one day, he stops at a neighbor’s yard sale and discovers a book for Crypts & Creepers that the lonely old woman says belonged to her granddaughter who disappeared without a trace. Days after he convinces his friends to try this bizarre game that doesn’t require electronics, strange noises in his closet wake him. His increasing inability to focus on anything other than a girl who vanished before he was born - and his obsession with her NPC ranger - drives him to dig deeper into the past, searching for what really happened to her.

By the time Keith realizes the Gamemaster’s Codex holds something darker than rules within its pages, the curse that claimed the soul of a girl in 1987 has its claws in his group as well. Keith vows his friends will escape - even if he can’t.

©2017 Matthew S Cox (P)2018 Matthew S Cox

Very fun YA Game Lit Fantasy

The Cursed Codex is a very fun Young Adult Game Lit fantasy novel. It is meant for the younger audiences probably in the 8 to 16 age ranges but I think it really can be enjoyed by anyone. There may be a little too much fart humor for some but it really isn't too bad.

The book follows 13 year old Keith Croft who considers himself invisible which to him means he isn't in any real crowd or get noticed much at school. He does have a good set of close friends though. Keith seems like a good kid, he does get in some fights as he is one to stand up for other people especially his best friend Asher's little sister who is constantly picked on by Bully's at school. After one of these run ins Keith is left with a black eye and as he is procrastinating on the way home so he doesn't have to explain it to his parents and stumbles upon a yard sale where an elderly woman is selling things, he finds a Crypts and Keepers Gamemaster's Codex(think Dungeons and Dragons). The game belonged to the woman's missing grand daughter from over 20 years ago and it was her favorite game.

Keith soon falls in love with the game and ropes his friends Asher, Elliot, Carlos and Asher's little sister Kira who tags along. Keith is the Game Master(Dungeon Master) and the rest build their characters and begin to get really into the game as well. Keith becomes a bit obsessed with the game and its former owner Sarah and begins to have 'dreams' about the game and Sarah and the character she created in the game Tiera. Well with a name like cursed codex you know everything isn't as it seems and soon while the gang are playing the game they are transported into the book or the world of the book as themselves and the true adventure begins. Will they survive, will they make it out, will they find out what happened to Sarah?

This book was a very entertaining experience and seemed to pass by quickly, The kids had fun relationships and interactions and all had their own personalities. The narration by Christopher James Mayer was spot on for this type of book and added to the fun of it. I would definitely recommend giving this book a listen as long as you don't have a problem with young adult fiction.

"Please note I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

Enigmatic, Humorous, Enjoyable

If you have a history with playing D&D games male and female alike you may find this to be a delightful read. I absolutely enjoyed this book. The main character is a young boy in his teens that happens across a book at a yard sale that is old school to say the least. He has never played a sit down campaign before and decides to gather his friends around to try the game. One extra tag along is a friend's younger sister of 9. She seems to have some smarts of her own when it comes to learning about her own character and about the game. Keith, the main character, learns the book once belonged to a girl around 14 who disappeared in the early 80s. Her grandmother had sold him the book. He sees her notes in the book and starts to have a link with this girl in many more ways than reading her notes. He hears noises in his closet and begins to see things in there too! His friends reluctantly decide to play the game with him and they realize it is fun. Keith becomes obsessed with what happened to the girl who once owned the book and how the game is played. He becomes convinced that this young girl could be still alive. The kids end up in the book somehow. Keith does meet the previous owner. The love and protective nature Keith feels for this girl is so precious. I can say the banter between the children and the writer's humor will keep you laughing throughout. It is a worthwhile read and money well spent. It's most definitely an audible that I will listen too again and probably again. The narrator did an excellent job. Well done!!!

Natural 20

I was not expecting such a good book... Man this was a good book and a good introductory into dungeons & dragons. Well at least the basic mechanics and storyteller. Here it's called C&C (crips and creepers) I really enjoyed this book and Hope define more in this same style.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Enjoyable way to pass the time

I agree this book has some similarities as another storyline, but this was good on its own merit. I enjoyed this story and think it will be great for my preteens to listen to as well.

*I requested this book and am voluntarily leaving this review

Young adult game lit done right

Keith is your average teen now a days raised on technology and video games. After a rough day at school, he takes the long way home and decides to stop at a garage sale. He happens to find a copy of the game masters codex (D&D game masters guide). He quickly reads through the book and figures out what the game is and how it works.

When he gets his friends together to play, strange things happening. He and his friends end up sucked into the game and need to find a way to escape.

The author does a great job of explaining table top games and time capsules. I grew up with D&D and this book did a great job making me laugh and remember those gaming sessions.

This book does contain teen romance and mild racist bullying.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

very good

a very good and very well told story I loved it very much the whole concept was very good and very interesting it was very enjoyable and intriguing I love it
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

Great game story

This is the first book I’ve read/listened to by this author and I would happily listen to another. This is a great book for preteen and above. The story is well done. I liked how Matthew Cox did the scenes where the characters in the game could ‘hear disembodied voices’ as the kids played the game. It was an interesting viewpoint to show us the action. The girls in this book hold their own (if not take charge) which is nice to see, especially in a book likely read by lots of boys.
Although I never played Dungeons and Dragons, it had not been out long when I was old enough to play. I know how the game worked and this book seems realistic and true to the game idea. Human

This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator ( Christopher James Mayer) and I would listen to another. He did great with all the character voices, the action and emotion, and he brought out the kids individual personalities. Well done.

There are no explicit sex scenes, excessive violence, gore or swearing. There is mention of a few kisses but they are not described in detail and they are innocent.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.

Live Your D&D campaign!

Playing Crypts and Creepers is all fun and games until suddenly it isn't. Our hero, Keith Croft, is a normal 13-yo boy who is fascinated at the idea of bringing a world alive for his friends offline. Readers will see similarities to Jumangi as Keith and his friends are transported into the realm they thought was only fantasy. When roleplaying stops and the situation becomes real, will Keith and his friends be able to rescue the damsel in distress (who's done well surviving for 30 years as a teenager), defeat the evil wizard, and find their way home before they become as trapped as the words on the pages of the Gamemaster's Codex? A fun romp, delightfully spun by Mr. Cox and performed by Mr. Mayer. Perfect for any car trip!

A fun teen LitRPG adventure

Engaging, believable characters in a classic sucked-into-the-game story. I enjoyed this story from start to finish. The narrator did a great job of portraying a range of characters and making them come to life.
Great for teens and young (and old) adults although there are some scenes that would give younger kids nightmares.

Not So Cursed

This is a YA roll play themed book (think Dungeons and Dragons). It is fun no matter what age you are. The characters are likeable and the plot is interesting. The "Crypts & Creepers" game book is cursed and a group of intrepid preteens decide to play. The kids get drawn into the game both literally and figuratively. There are real life problems facing the children, but they always rise to the situation. This is a fun relaxing listen for kids of all ages.

The narrator, Matthew Cox, was great.
I was given a free copy of this book for an unbiased review.