No Country for Old Gnomes

The Tales of Pell, Book 2

By: Kevin Hearne, Delilah S. Dawson

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Go big or go gnome. The New York Times best-selling authors of Kill the Farm Boy welcome you to the world of Pell, the irreverent fantasy universe that recalls Monty Python and Terry Pratchett.

"A complete delight, as fluffy and fun as The Lego Movie and as heartfelt as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone." (Locus)

War is coming, and it’s gonna be Pell.

On one side stand the gnomes: smol, cheerful, possessing tidy cardigans and no taste for cruelty.

On the other side sit the halflings, proudly astride their war alpacas, carrying bags of grenades and hungry for a fight. And pretty much anything else.

It takes only one halfling bomb, and Offi Numminen’s world is turned upside-down - or downside-up, really, since he lives in a hole in the ground. His goth cardigans and aggressive melancholy set him apart from the other gnomes, as does his decision to fight back against their halfling oppressors. Suddenly Offi is the leader of a band of lovable misfits and outcasts - from a gryphon who would literally kill for omelets to a young dwarf herbalist who is better with bees than with his cudgel to an assertive and cheerful teen witch with a beard as long as her book of curses - all on a journey to the Toot Towers to confront the dastardly villain intent on tearing Pell asunder. These adventurers never fit in anywhere else, but as they become friends, fight mermaids, and get really angry at this one raccoon, they learn that there’s nothing more heroic than being yourself.

In No Country for Old Gnomes, Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne lovingly tweak the tropes of fantasy and fairy tales. Here you’ll find goofy jokes and whimsical puns, but you’ll also find a diverse, feminist, and lighthearted approach to fantasy that will bring a smile to your face and many fine cheeses to your plate.

©2019 Kevin Hearne and Delilah S. Dawson (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Hilarious...Dawson and Hearne present another puntastic adventure set in the universe of their Tales of Pell series [with] laugh-out-loud trials, tribulations, and wanderings of a completely new band of endearing eccentrics.” (Booklist)

“No Country For Old Gnomes is good fun, full of laughs, clever details, and characters...in whom you may see a little of yourself.” (Elitist Book Reviews)

“[A] hilarious new fantasy comedy.” (Bustle)

Fantastical tale!

Another knock-it-out-of-park collaboration between Kevin and Luke. A great story brought to life by the narration. I was sad when it ended. A++++

No Country for Old Gnomes - audible

The plot was interesting. The characters are well developed and likable. Even the bad ones are interesting. The author mixes in some humor. The narrator did a wonderful job. Overall, a great book. I look forward to the authors next book.

only 5 stars

the worst part is that I can only give this narrator 5 stars. He brought this fun and engaging story to life like no one else could.

Fun, Clever Writing

Apparently this is the type of humor I like! There were times I was literally rolling on the floor laughing. The references and play-on-words is a load of fun! I appreciate cleaver writing like that! Can get a bit crude at times, but not as bad as I thought it would be from other reviews (or maybe I'm just desensitized, I don't know).

What I needed in 2022

All three books in this series are something I have read At least once a year since I found them - the pins, the fantasy, the inclusivity it is all so well done and fresh - please write more together and thank you for these books ❤️❤️❤️❤️

fun and full of sillyness

I enjoyed this book. It is very well writen and the story and characters are engaging and Luke Daniels reads it beautifully. It is light funny and enjoyable. It made me chortle a few times and it It even made me cry a bit.

Even more delightful than the first in this series, I never wanted it to end!

A wonderful romp through new parts of Pell, with new friends to meet and adventures to be had. Luke Daniels is at his amusing best, with puns and tongue twisters at every turn. Can barely wait to listen to the last edition this Fall!

Great Writing, Amazing Narrator!

My boyfriend and I loved this book. We listened to it every morning on our way to work.
The story is hilarious. A great version of a quirky and enduring fantasy D&D party group.
Luke Daniels is able to cover a variety of accents making each character feel so unique.
We laughed, we teared up, and we were rooting for everyone, especially Mr. Boggy Beans.

Definitely recommend listening to!

Fantastic story and narration

I’m looking forward to further adventures from Pell
The story was engaging and the narrator very talented with a wide range of voices.

Refreshing and fun

The voices are terrific! Gustav cracks me up, especially when he thinks about boots or other "food". This second book was as good as the first. I hope the authors are as prolific as Terry Pratchett.