The Quest for the Diamond Sword: A Minecraft Gamer’s Adventure (Book) Review

Your little Minecraft fanatics are in for a treat when Steve sets off on a grand adventure to craft a diamond sword and save his entire village from rampaging zombies.

Steve is a pretty shy guy, a homebody who just likes to hang out on his farm and make the occasional visit to the local village for trading and small talk. But when the village is attacked by hordes of zombies after a griefer destroys the Iron Golem that protects them, Steve knows that he must overcome his fears and face the battle – after all, the entire village depends on him.

Terrified though he is, Steve puts on his iron armor and rushes into battle. Though he fights valiantly, there are just too many zombies for one guy to kill, and villagers are being turned into zombies as well. When he drops his armor by mistake, a zombie picks it up and becomes even more powerful. It is then that Steve realizes that, in order to save his village, he’s going to have to leave it. To defeat the armored zombie, Steve must go on a quest to create a diamond sword. Only then can he return to vanquish the rampaging zombies.

Of course, finding the forty diamonds that Steve estimates he’ll need is no easy task. As Steve soon finds out, finding any diamonds at all can be exceedingly difficult. But whenever Steve feels like giving up, he remembers his peaceful farm and the friendly villagers, and knows he must press on. The quest is not easy, and Steve encounters many obstacles along the way. From lava pits to griefers to creepy Ender Men, it seems as though everything is against him. But though Steve must fight tooth and nail on his quest, he might just find some new friends that will make it all worthwhile.

For kids obsessed with Minecraft (and aren’t they all?), The Quest For The Diamond Sword is a perfect piece of fan fiction. The Minecraft theme encourages reading in even the most diehard screen time fans, and the style of writing will keep them interested. The book is told from Steve’s perspective, but it plays out just like a session of the video game, with Steve picking up bones to tame wolves, harvesting carrots to feed his friends, and crafting portals to get to new areas. It stays true to the game while adding a cohesive story line and some nice little lessons about staying true to your friends, doing what is right, and making good choices. While it may not hold the attention of an adult fan, young readers from around 7-10 will be hooked.