Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry

By: Ransom Riggs

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

The instant New York Times bestseller from visionary storyteller Ransom Riggs!

Weaving the familiar with the peculiar, this stunning tale of loss, triumph, friendship and magic, will remind readers everywhere that true heroes are made, not born—and when you’re never the chosen one, sometimes you have to choose yourself.

Seventeen-year-old Leopold Berry is seeing weird things around Los Angeles. A man who pops a tooth into a parking meter. A glowing trapdoor in a parking lot. A half-mechanical raccoon with its tail on fire that just won’t leave him alone. Every hallucinatory moment seems plucked from a cheesy 1990s fantasy TV show called Max's Adventures in Sunderworld—and that’s because they are.

Not a good sign.

In the blurry weeks after his mother’s death, a young Leopold discovered VHS tapes of its one and only season in a box headed for the trash—and soon became obsessed. Losing himself in Sunder was the best way to avoid two things: grieving his mother and being a chronic disappointment to his overbearing father. But when the strange visions return—at the worst possible time on the worst possible day—Leopold turns to his best friend Emmet for help. Together they discover that Sunder is much more than just an old TV show, and that Los Angeles is far stranger than they ever imagined. And soon, he’ll realize that not only is Sunderworld real, but it’s in grave danger.

Certain he’s finally been chosen for greatness, Leopold risks everything to claim his destiny, save the world of his childhood dreams, and prove once and for all that he’s not the disappointment his father believes him to be. But when everything goes terribly, horribly, excruciatingly wrong, Leopold’s disappointments prove to be more extraordinary than he ever could have imagined.

How do you battle darkness when no one believes in you—not even yourself?

Welcome to Sunderworld.

Critic reviews

★ "Riggs’s incandescent storytelling, exquisite worldbuilding, and vivid characterization kick off a propulsive series starter that subverts the chosen-one trope via a self-made antihero who learns to choose himself. If Leopold finds more questions than answers, readers will be heartened by the promise of more adventure and intrigue following this whirlwind opener."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Like the bittersweet Los Angeles it occupies, Leopold's offbeat Sunderworld is a little grimy and a little broken, but the magic is real and will stick with you."—Booklist, starred review

"Riggs' writing is tight and well paced. Some incredible action scenes leap off the pages, and Sunder is a blur of dangerous situations, well-drawn characters, and magical devices. The ending will make readers wish they couldimmediately reach for the second volume.... A fully imagined fantastical world with compelling characters and a nail-biting cliffhanger."—Kirkus Reviews

"This love letter to Los Angeles is brimming with magic, nostalgia, and eclectic characters. Riggs, in addition to creating a wildly imaginative world, handles topics of grief and loss with aplomb.... An intriguing and enigmatic first installment.”—Shelf Awareness

Praise for the #1 Bestselling Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series

“Boy, can Ransom Riggs tell a story.”—NPR.org

“A visually rich literary experience.”—New York Times

“Chilling, wondrous.”—People

“Pulse-pounding.”—Booklist

“David Lynchian imagery, and rich eerie detail.”—Entertainment Weekly

“A thrilling, Tim Burton-esque tale.”—USA Today

Another great series begun in this book

So seriously, when do we get to read the next book in this series? This is another direction from Ms P’s. Almost like RR paid an homage or two, with the honor of a wholly original story .

The author

I love this book and all the books by Ransom Riggs. He is my favorite author.

Imaginative and incredible!

A book for all the dreamers who spent their childhoods in their imaginations. This book was amazing and i thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. I can’t wait to binge volume 2!!

Amazing

I love the storyline and the writing Ransom Riggs your a genius From Miss Peregrine Peculiar Children (the Books never the movie).. to this your absolutely my favorite forever. Thank You

66-yr-old female Attorney/Eng Major loved this!

I read and listen to all different types of books - literature, fantasy, mystery, etc., and I read a lot and listen to many, many Audible books while I paint and cook and drive. I picked this because I enjoyed reading the "Peculiar Children" series. I rarely do reviews, but I just loved this audible book. I think it was absolutely wonderful - sad, heartening, imaginative, funny. The only reason I gave it 4 stars on the performance is because the narrator needs to work a bit on his pace and pitch on the narration between the conversations. His dialogue work was great though. Can't wait for the sequel.