The Gauntlet

Written by Karuna Riazi

Part of the The Gauntlet series

Trapped in a magical board game, three friends must escape to save themselves and others.

5.5/7 Bookroo expert·3.7/5 Goodreads · 1,958 ratings

304 pages· 50,876 words· Est. 7 hour read· HL700L

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Bookroo's summary

Twelve-year-old Farah and her friends are pulled into The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand, a mechanical board game with a sinister twist. To escape, they must outsmart the game's cunning creator and rescue Farah's baby brother, Ahmed. As they navigate this steampunk world filled with puzzles and dangers, the stakes rise with every move. Can they dismantle the game before it's too late, or will they remain prisoners forever? Discover the secrets hidden within the game's intricate design and the courage needed to face its challenges.

From the publisher

When twelve-year-old Farah and her two best friends get sucked into a mechanical board game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand, a puzzle game akin to a large Rubik’s cube, they know it is up to them to defeat the game’s diabolical architect in order to save themselves and those who are trapped inside, including her baby brother Ahmed.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 304
Words: 50,876
Reading age: 8–12
Audience: Middle Grade
Lexile: HL700L

Themes & topics

Books about teamwork Books about games Books about New York Books about escapes Books about quests

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Violence

This Jumanji-like story has some suspense and villains (such as a ghoul and the game keeper who has a long gash along his throat with a thin line of blood dripping down) in the story that might be a tad scary for sensitive readers. In one scene, they find bones and skeletons in the ground.

Language

There are four uses of profanity (taking God's name in vain) in this book.

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