What would you do if you were the monarch of a perfect,
tropical paradise without a care in the world? Well,
King Norr would like to leave, and the sooner, the better.

“Where else but Nibb?” his subjects would contend.
Venturing away from Nibb was heresy and could only
result in misfortune and “haddock.”

Oddly enough, a rash of “haddock” had recently befallen
the sleepy isle making it a veritable hotbed of curious
quandaries. For example —

Had Doctor Hinkus fallen prey to marauding drumbkins?

Whose prank had set the Palace afloat?

What’s a spudcake?

Do pirates bathe?

Did Uncle Fenwad roll into the bay?

Is snoring an art form?

Do Nibbian pigs have a future in aviation?

Were mollusks armed and dangerous?

It’s a “what-happens-next?” armchair adventure for
readers of all ages.

Captain Gadd may be Norr’s ticket off the island, but
it’s not going to be easy. The King isn’t entirely worried,
however. A lifetime of experience tells him most
challenges disappear by simply taking an additional nap.

Amazon

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but what I got was a fantasy that is unique and funny with quirky characters. I read the first edition, which was difficult for me to follow at times because it seemed to go around in circles, but the author sent me the most recent edition, and he has outdone himself. He’s rewritten a lot of it and made it so much easier to read! I had already liked the dialogue, but now it’s even better. I think middle-grade readers especially would get a kick out of it because of the silliness.

My favorite character is Yill. He is quite sarcastic and very funny. The king comes in a close second because he’s very non-kingly and unintentionally funny. In fact, at one point, his wife wonders if she married him for love or for entertainment.

I enjoyed the made-up words (words from Nibb). Some are self-explanatory, such as bloffix, which is a meaningless exclamation. Then there are others that I had to look up in the glossary at the end. One of my favorites was gabthrax: “ailment whereby one talks oneself to death; occurring sometimes in toucans, and more often in politicians.”

The Gift of the Quoxxel is a fun and light-hearted read. I can absolutely recommend the second edition for all ages, but I think middle-grade readers will enjoy the humor the most.

About the Author

The Gift of the Quoxxel is Richard’s debut novel. His life experience includes visual arts, truck driving, camp counseling, verb conjugating, and mastery of an adequate meatloaf.

A Michigan native and parochial school survivor, Richard resides with wife Marina close to, but far enough from New York City. How they ended up there, he’s not really sure.

Website http://richard-titus.com
Twitter Quoxxel1