The Dragon's Gambit Audiobook By Hankthemoose cover art

The Dragon's Gambit

Underkeeper, Book 1

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The Dragon's Gambit

By: Hankthemoose
Narrated by: Daniel Thomas May
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Every mage wants to be an adventurer . . . if they can afford it.

Bernt might have graduated from the Mage Academy, but not everyone has the money or connections to launch a prestigious career as a mage.

Bernt finds himself working in the city sewers as an Underkeeper among the other rejects of Halfbridge's magery. He may spend more time unclogging pipes than fighting monsters, but hey, it's a stable job, and that's what counts. With the help of his unregistered soul-devouring demonic familiar, he'll save enough to launch his career as an adventurer—just as soon as he can afford some proper gear.

When a dungeon unexpectedly opens beneath Halfbridge, it's the golden opportunity he's been looking for to get ahead. But when a simple dungeon raid goes wrong, Bernt finds himself on the front lines of a battle against an ancient foe. To survive, he'll need to master everything at his disposal, from his pyromancy to the growing bond with his demonic familiar.

For most, waging a war in the sewers is a nightmare.

For Bernt, it's just another workday.

©2024 Hankthemoose (P)2025 Tantor Media Action & Adventure Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy
Engaging Adventure • Lovable Characters • Entertaining Storyline • Strong Supporting Cast • Good Pacing
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An interesting take on some behind the scenes type city worker. Loved it. Good read. may listen again. can't wait for the next 1.

fantasy city mechanics

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The story is well fleshed out and the plot really kept my attention. I do want to mention that it doesn't end up in any expected direction and that had me pleasantly surprised. Looking forward to listening to what comes next. Excellent narration as always by Daniel Thomas May.

Great story and premise.

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Amazing character development, lovable, losers, very entertaining, nonstop, draws you, and I’m very happy with this book more than worth a credit!

give this book a try amazing!

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This was interesting, the main character is stupid, but the story and side characters carries the story on. interesting world building going on too. Decent story for older young adults I think

Bernts a moron

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Bernts cooks grilled cheeses at night. Frankly the author making the main character this dumb is a rough read. especially since the side character are the ones making good decisions. not the worst read and the world building is okay.





example/spoiler the main character is given really powerful books that are very expense and will make him very powerful for free from his mentor. first thought are to complain about it. many more things like this throughout the book.

main character is an idiot but everything else is good.

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Perhaps this is a coming of age growth story that will take multiple books but in this one the MC is an ignorant dolt and does it on purpose. As other reviewers say the MC willfully ignores things and refuses to learn about his demon or adventuring. His whole goal is to be and adventurer yet he knows seeming nothing about the actual job. From how to fight to what to gain from monsters to make coin..

He is also a run of the mill mage with nothing special about him , his imp is low level and common giving him no advantage and any low level warlock could summon one. His mage is common fire mage and that's it.
He doesn't learn some special spell or anything, he even ignores the one unique scroll he finds , cold fire.
So really it's a book about a story and not the MC growth.
Which personally I found disappointing as I hoped to see the MC become unique and powerful. Not a bottom barrel basic level mage who gets worn out after 2 big spells and is useless after.

Good story , bad MC

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Instead of a dungeoun its the sewers and worst still l the things you find in the deep depths and cracks of the earth. Seems like the city has just been made aware of a dragon and the dwagar have been going at it right under them. Great story, awsome action. Cant wait to see more.

Interesting premise, A unique take on delving.

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This story has some good pacing to it. Good storyline, it's just the ending you were left. Questioning, is this a series? I want to keep listening to it wasn't insular. As it should have been, it should have given more. I bought the main character to help get us ready for the next story. That really didn't happen. Everyone else we got something to help with the next chapter. Especially the enemy, but we're not rather getting that west. The main characters.
The ending felt more like it was the metal of a story, not the ending

Great pacing problematic ending

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Really enjoyed the story. The MC is not OP and most interactions feel natural. I do wish he went into more details of the background of some of the characters but you can assume most of them. The poverty angle is played really well as is the discrimination between groups.

Really good start to this series.

The narrator is ok. he mixes up voices on occasion and his female voices are not good. What bothered me most was his narrator voice. It is the voice you hear most often and get really annoying especially when he enunciates every sound in a word rather than speaking naturally as he does when he is voicing the characters.

Great Story

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This is a progression novel where the MC struggles to improve his class skills due to his orphan beginnings and his refusal to ask or take assistance from just about anyone. His goal is to become a free wizard and to avoid offerings from others since they generally come with strings attached, making him beholding to the boon or help giver.

His job is that of a "Muck Mage" tasked to clean out the sewer drains from backing up from alchemists illegally dumping their failed concoctions down the drain. To assist with that task, he made an illegal pact with a young demon imp who scouted the sewers and protected the MC. That sets the stage for all of the drama and violence that would follow.

The pacing was a bit too slow for my liking and the MC, while likable, had a personality that screamed "bad luck magnet".

Daniel Thomas May's performance was very good.

I'm uncertain if I'll continue the series.

I enjoyed book's unique character choices

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