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The Other Normals Book Review

The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini
HarperTeen
Release Date: September 25, 2012

Perry Eckert spends a large portion of waking life and perhaps some of his dreaming to the role-playing game Creatures & Caverns. In the world of C&C, Perry can create all manner of magical beings with spell casting abilities, weaponry, intelligence, speed, and honor. However, Perry's parent's do not see C&C as a very healthy habit and send him off to summer camp in hopes that a little social interaction will pull Perry out of the fantasy world he has created for himself.

Instead, Perry discovers that perhaps C&C is not such a fantasy after all and it may be up to him to help save a princess and two worlds. Perry Eckert may be a geek, but it is completely clear that his nerdy childhood has uniquely prepared him to be a great warrior.

Ned Vizzini, author of It's Kind of a Funny Story and Teen Angst? Naa..., has penned the perfect book for fantasy and role playing game geeks everywhere. As a gaming aficionado myself, I was pleased to see that although Perry is a little more anti-social than some, his character was in no way unbelievable. All of the characters in fact are quick witted, funny, and even with red skin and blue hair, believable.

Don't be afraid though, you don't have to be a Dungeons & Dragons, six-sided dice kind of person to get this book. This is an everyman quest of the epic sort with a one teen who quickly discovers that wielding a mace (even if your speed is a 7) may be a whole lot easier than kissing a girl.

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