The Dungeon Book
(As told by Cornelius the skull)
Will be published approx. on 11. August 2026
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-0-356-53120-5 (ISBN)
Description
'Full of wit and adventure, twists and turns, wonderful monsters and astonishing revelations. An absolute joy' M. R. Carey, bestselling author of Once Was Willem
Enter a world of dungeons and dragons, magic and manticores, goblins and gargoyles in this captivating standalone fantasy from the author of The Gutter Prayer
Bait doesn't remember a time before the dungeon, before the dragon stole her from her cot. She doesn't know what her name was before she was handed over to the monstrous denizens of the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower. Luckily for Bait, they decided not to eat her. And so, she grew up in the dark - the goblins her adopted family, a vengeful minotaur her protector, a sentient skull her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime her main source of nutrition.
But the labyrinthine dungeon, with its haunted halls, buried temples and forgotten magics, draws treasure hunters like moths to a flame. And as the outside world starts to intrude, Bait will learn what it means to be monstrous, and she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
'For a story set in the deepest, darkest dungeon, The Dungeon Book absolutely bursts with warmth, heart, and energy. One of the best things you're going to read this year'
Jackson Ford, author of The Bone Raiders
'The Dungeon Book manages the difficult task of being epic and heartfelt both at once, and does it with style. I fell in love with Bait and her menagerie of friends immediately'
Django Wexler, author of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
'Full of heart . . . will delight anyone who has ever been brave enough to roll the dice and delve a dungeon'
RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships
'Witty and charming . . . A completely delightful book'
Justin Lee Anderson, author of The Lost War
'The Dungeon Book is chock-full of wit and weirdness . . . This book was terrific'
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
Enter a world of dungeons and dragons, magic and manticores, goblins and gargoyles in this captivating standalone fantasy from the author of The Gutter Prayer
Bait doesn't remember a time before the dungeon, before the dragon stole her from her cot. She doesn't know what her name was before she was handed over to the monstrous denizens of the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower. Luckily for Bait, they decided not to eat her. And so, she grew up in the dark - the goblins her adopted family, a vengeful minotaur her protector, a sentient skull her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime her main source of nutrition.
But the labyrinthine dungeon, with its haunted halls, buried temples and forgotten magics, draws treasure hunters like moths to a flame. And as the outside world starts to intrude, Bait will learn what it means to be monstrous, and she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
'For a story set in the deepest, darkest dungeon, The Dungeon Book absolutely bursts with warmth, heart, and energy. One of the best things you're going to read this year'
Jackson Ford, author of The Bone Raiders
'The Dungeon Book manages the difficult task of being epic and heartfelt both at once, and does it with style. I fell in love with Bait and her menagerie of friends immediately'
Django Wexler, author of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying
'Full of heart . . . will delight anyone who has ever been brave enough to roll the dice and delve a dungeon'
RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships
'Witty and charming . . . A completely delightful book'
Justin Lee Anderson, author of The Lost War
'The Dungeon Book is chock-full of wit and weirdness . . . This book was terrific'
Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
Reviews / Votes
Full of wit and adventure, twists and turns, wonderful monsters and astonishing revelations. An absolute joy The Dungeon Book manages the difficult task of being epic and heartfelt both at once, and does it with style. I fell in love with Bait and her menagerie of friends immediately For a story set in the deepest, darkest dungeon, The Dungeon Book absolutely bursts with warmth, heart and energy. One of the best things you're going to read this year The Dungeon Book is a wonderful thing. Witty and charming, it's a love letter both to Kipling's inspirational story and Hanrahan's enduring immersion in dungeon lore. As always, Gareth's imagination is the star, and the story flips your expectations every time you think you know where it's going. A completely delightful book The Dungeon Book is chock-full of wit and weirdness. It's a heroine's journey turned (literally) upside-down, where you're rooting for the monsters and wishing adventurers would stay home and mind their own business. Gareth Hanrahan excels at creating wondrously unique settings, and he's done so yet again. This book was terrific One of those books that leaves you feeling the world *can* be a better place after reading it. Recommended for everyone's bookshelves (and dungeon hoards) -- Genevieve Cogman, author of THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY The Dungeon Book is the kind of novel packed full of wonder and adventure that makes people fall in love with fantasy -- Cameron Johnston, author of FIRST MAGE ON THE MOON Gareth has created something full of heart that will delight anyone who has ever been brave enough to roll the dice and delve a dungeon -- RJ Barker, author of THE BONE SHIPS Hanrahan triumphs by taking all you know about fantasy and setting it on its head, while it's clawed feet never quite leave the ground. A hilarious, witty and at times poignant stroll through a world of monsters and magic. Clever writing and memorable characters have become Hanrahan's trade marks and The Dungeon Book doesn't fail to deliver. A masterful and subversive comedic amble through dungeon life -- Ed McDonald, author of BLACKWING As Bait fights her destiny, Cornelius narrates her story unreliably, roguishly and delightfully . . . Dungeon life is harsh and humans are cruel, but Hanrahan's harrowing and hilarious coming-of-age tale demonstrates that even a villain's skull can be full of heart -- LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Little, Brown Book Group
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-356-53120-5 (9780356531205)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
approx. 08/2026
Orbit
€14.99
Not yet available
Person
Gareth Hanrahan's three-month break from computer programming to concentrate on writing has now lasted twenty years and counting. He's written more tabletop gaming books than he can readily recall, by virtue of the alchemical transmutation of tea and guilt into words. He lives in Ireland with his family. Follow him online at garhanrahan.com.