MG fantasy that is reasonably done, despite some clumsy touches. In the world of giants, every youngster has to pair up with someone senior and go off into the outside world on a trek, where the young learns from the old and comes back an adult. Ash is one of three such trekkers this year, but instead of bossing shield building or learning everything about a battleaxe, he wants to seek magical knowledge. Oh, and the guy he gets stuck with on the trek is a loner, isolated from the village because the last time he did this very thing it went terribly wrong…

And so the pair have to travel across a lot of the map in the forepages, in search of four elemental dooflidonks – and for a lot of the book we have to wonder if they will get to all four, and if the quest entire is self-contained in these pages. The counter thought to that comes when the first dooflidonk is attained, which really feels like a major anti-climax. And yet I was still seeing this but the beginning of things – a definite series opener, needing a book without the world-building of a Book One to really have a full-sized adventure.

For this certainly didn't feel like a full-sized adventure. And as good as the world-building is, that did seem to be too much the focus of the writing at times, meaning we cinematically see place after place, domain after domain, but not a lot happens beyond trekking. Also, for all the outsider factor in the older giant, Avalanche, his character joins Ash's in being just too generic, and bland, not at all like the grumpy self-dependent old tough-love-delivering codger he might have been. He's not cranky enough of the time, to address a comment later on here.

It's not ever horrendously bad, but this does feel like a book in need of improvement. Characters could be as broad as you like and they'd still not be worse, nothing seems to have an importance until the final few pages (a whole chapter involving a wannabe warlock with stylite aspirations could easily be ditched it offers so little) and the whole kind of "be the best you you can be" moral is both over-done and ultimately of little importance. Despite the author's best imaginative efforts, not an essential purchase.

I really loved reading this book! I’m always a sucker for supporting the underdog - in this case - Ash. It’s a book that an adult could enjoy reading with a child as well as there’s lots that can be discussed. I will definitely be recommending to the children I teach!

This was a nice story about taking a coming-of-age journey both in the literal sense of leaving home and completing a quest as well as the learning more about one self and finding your own person.

it was well written and easy easy to read and overall enjoyable.

the cover is beautiful and defiantly draws the eye and make people interested in reading the book - so that’s a very well chosen cover!


this was an enjoyable nice read and i think a lot of middle graders that enjoy reading fantasy stories will enjoy this a lot!

It's three star for me. Troll were it follow character call ash another character trek was half throw

I was drawn to this book by the cover.
Awesome character choice to present us giants. They go on a coming-of-age ritual and journey helping others along the way and learning more about themselves. Magical and adventurous. I love books that take on a journey through nature facing all sorts of animals and creatures.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

We loved this coming of age story. It is magical. A story of the underdog(s) triumphing in the end and saving the day. A story with interesting characters and creatures. We love Ash and Syp and Avalanche. More please .

Nick Stella's A Giant's Trek is an imaginative and creative adventure about courage and staying true to one's path. It follows the story of two giant brothers, Ash and Oak, who go on a perilous journey to prove their worth as giant warriors. The setting and the creatures of Haven-Home come alive through Nick's vivid and detailed descriptions, making it a fascinating and delightful read.
The trek, in which Ash wants to use the magic of wood, stone, water and fire to aid them, proves to be full of adventure, unexpected twists, and meaningful life lessons.

Nick Stella's A Giant's Trek is a truly captivating story that encourages us all to follow our dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem.