
Review Fix chats with author Danica Davidson about her new Minecraft-themed novel, “The Rise of Herobrine,” breaking down its inspiration and goals. Her third book in the series, Davidson is always looking to expand the universe and give readers what they want.
Review Fix: What was your introduction to Minecraft?
Danica Davidson: My boyfriend came back after hanging out with some of his friends, and they owned Minecraft. He was really impressed with it and asked me if I’d played. When I went over to his friend’s place, I watched them play, and they were building a skyscraper. I’d never seen anything like it before. After that I started playing it myself!
Review Fix: What do you think makes the series so special?
Davidson: The most important thing to me is to tell a good story. My books are called “Books for Minecrafters†but I want to stress that even though there is a Minecraft element (because in the books Minecraft is a real world you can go to), they’re really meant to be for everyone. I have Minecraft fans and non-fans both reading, plus both kids and adults, even though the books are technically aimed for ages seven through twelve. The main character, Stevie, is an eleven-year-old boy living in the Minecraft world, and he accidentally discovers a portal to Earth, where he befriends an eleven-year-old girl named Maison. The series follows them as they go back and forth between Minecraft and Earth, and they deal with both Minecraft issues (monster takeovers) and Earth kid issues (dealing with a new school). I don’t know which is scarier.
Review Fix: Why do you think it continues to endure and grow?
Davidson: The characters have grown. Stevie and Maison have met new friends, and they continue to be challenged. When I wrote the first book in the series, Escape from the Overworld, I didn’t even know it was going to be a series. The publisher wanted to start with one book and see where it went. But readers have been getting into it, and Stevie and Maison keep seeming to find new things to do, so I keep writing!
Review Fix: What makes this book different from your three previous books?
Davidson: In book three, The Rise of Herobrine, we’re introduced to the villain Herobrine, the most dangerous monster the kids have ever had to face. Herobrine is so big, in fact, that I decided to do a three book arc with him instead of only having him be in one book. This is the second book in the arc, and the end of the Herobrine story will be in the fifth book, The Armies of Herobrine. That will be released in September.
Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?
Davidson: I hope as a fun book that keeps readers turning the pages. I have cliffhangers on almost every chapter for a reason. There’s also an angle to the books that’s about friendship and kindness. Because this is the world of online gaming, the issue of cyberbullying comes up a lot. I hope the books can help kids feel less alone and more empowered.
Review Fix: Is it the type of book people can just jump into? Or is reading the first three a must?
Davidson: They’re meant to be read in order, especially by the time we get to Down into the Nether. Here’s the order of the books: Escape from the Overworld, Attack on the Overworld, The Rise of Herobrine, Down into the Nether, The Armies of Herobrine and Battle with the Wither. The last two books in the series are being released this fall, in September and October, respectively.
Review Fix: Bottom line, why should someone read it?
Davidson: For a sense of fun. It mixes video game adventure, real world stuff, cliffhangers, cyberbullying, working together, and zombies. Those things can be mixed!
Review Fix: What’s next?
Davidson: This series is wrapping up in six books (boxsets will also be available once the whole series is out). But I’d like to keep writing about Stevie and his friends in a spinoff series. I also recently released a book on manga called Manga Art for Beginners, which is about how to draw manga. I’m a big fan of manga, and I worked with artist Melanie Westin, who came referred from an editor at VIZ Media, America’s largest manga publisher. My first graphic novel is coming out in September from Papercutz, and it’s called Barbie: Puppy Party. Yes, it’s that Barbie! I love to write on all different subjects for different age groups, so I hope to have a lot more books out soon.
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