When your favorite living author decides to write about a short-legged, big-eared dog with way too much power and a pure heart, you drop everything and go read it.
Roverpowered: Tales of an Aspiring Alchemist is the latest gem by Drew Hayes, otherwise known as the author who can do no wrong. Even knowing I was going to love this book, I didn’t know just how much. I have to admit, it’s a little too short for perfection, and I hate having to wait for the next installment. It’s a bit like being a fan of the Marvel Comics Universe and all you have in your hands so far is Iron Man, but you know it’s just the start of something great.
Roverpowered is about a young girl, Wanda, who has lost everything except her faithful hound, Wumble, and her desire to be an alchemist. Together they travel to the city, but not before Wumble accidentally ingests a magic orb that changes everything, even if no one knows it yet, not even Wumble.
Wumble is a brave and heart-forward dog that looks suspiciously like a Corgi for any dog fanatics out there. He’s short on legs, long on heart, and getting smarter all the time. Wanda is just as brave, a little longer in the legs, and not too far behind in the brain department.
The worldbuilding is seamless and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There are hints of LitRPG in the story without any actual gaming scaffolding, but the world definitely feels like it could host a good quest campaign. I love that Wanda isn’t a sword-slinging hero, but a mild-mannered apprentice alchemist who is just trying to get her license.
It was such a smart way to start the series, showing us not just who Wanda and Wumble are but sending them off on a quest all by themselves. They get to shine without comparison to others, which lets us see how very overpowered they are, while Wanda just assumes it’s all normal. I love a character who thinks they’re not very good while we’re laughing at how crazily competent they are.
My only complaint was that it ended too soon. I can’t wait to read more. Write, Drew, write!
5 Wumble-And-Wanda-Fan Stars
