The Wombanditos

A Standalone Prequel ToThe Western Lands and All That Really Matters

They’re absconding for a day. But when trouble pursues this monarch-in-waiting, can they make a crafty escape and survive?

Princess Eloise Hydra Gumball III rarely gets a moment to breathe. So when her old friend suggests they steal away to an autumnal festival, the sixteen-year-old sneakily hitches a ride from Court with him so they can spend time together. But while bored waiting for a return carriage and sampling some delicious berries, they’re ambushed by a gang of vicious wombats… leaving the young royal unconscious.

Waking to find herself bound and gagged in a dirty burrow has Eloise squirming in repulsive discomfort. And even after her buddy rushes in to rescue her, it’ll take some smooth-talking and quick thinking if they’re both going to make it out alive.

Can the queen-to-be convince the near-blind band to set them free before they’re permanently burrowed?

The Wombanditos is a standalone prequel to The Western Lands and All That Really Matters humorous fantasy series. If you like snappy dialogue, lively side stories, and avoiding violence with wit, then you’ll love Andrew Einspruch’s wild adventure.

REVIEWS

★★★★★

The longer the read, the more you will want…

When I started, I was a bit skeptical – it seemed the book was going to be like “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe” – and I never liked that one. But “something” told me to “just keep going”. VERY happy I did!
Eloise and Jerome are from a different universe, different planet; you already know that!
They are best friends.
They are smart.
They have flaws.
They are willing to learn.
AND they are hysterical to “oversee” as they are going through their adventures. I smile a good bit when I read stories; I laughed, chuckled and then guffawed while “adventuring” with these two!
Andrew has created these characters as “real” – all the things one finds in “real”: the courage, the fun, the silly things we can say, and do; the honor we find in ourselves too. Not “sappy”; real.
And I was really impressed with the viewpoints expressed re be responsible for ourselves and each other. The integrity expressed. These may not have been intended by Andrew, but these are things I found to be just a part of the story.
Above, through and under it all, the story is F-U-N!!! So go for it!

— Kindle Customer gsm, Amazon Review

★★★★★

Short story but it would be great for middle age to adult, The characters are human and animal who share conversions with each. A very stubborn princess, Eloise Hydra Gumball III no less, had a friend Jerome Abernathees de Chipmunk, her favorite buddy to keep her from getting bored on the rare times she is not “in training” and restricted to the palace. Eloise is being hampered by her teaching on “How to be a Princess” lessons from her mother. After a boring week of lessons, Jerome helps her play hooky and go to a fair in a nearby village. Suddenly she is kidnapped by the Wombanditos and held for ransom. She must escape somehow, her punishment and the trouble that follows disobeying rules can be quite a multitude of answers. The author’s the play of words involves a very amusing study of language, an interesting environment with the dignity of proper names by his actors. I laughed through the whole story and read it again.

— Lizard, Amazon Review

★★★★★

This book sneaks up on you, if you’re an adult who likes story time

At first I thought I was reading a kids book (once I finally figured out that the characters weren’t named for animals, they WERE animals). Behind the obvious storyline that any 8 year old could follow, there’s a cleverly hidden moral to the story. This book is a lot longer than your average fairy tale, so there are more stories, and morals, than you’d expect. Among all of them are reminders for adults that we occasionally need a moral to follow too.

— RosieB, Amazon Review

★★★★★

What would a Chipmunk know? Turns out, quite a lot.

Andrew Einspruch’s wacky sense of humor romps through this little taster for his new series “The Western Lands and All that Matters”. If this story is a guide to coming adventures for the Princess Eloise and her jaunty chipmunk companion, then I, for one, am tapping my foot in expectation. It is fun to have a new imagined world to jump into and Einspruch appears to have concocted a zinger.

— Cheryl Hannah, Amazon Review

★★★★★

Wow! What an awesome little prequel novelette that introduces us to the characters and world that is The Western Lands and All That Really Matters. Aimed at middle school (primary school here in Australia) I really think this could be enjoyed by all ages.
The world building us quite unique with both humans and animals treated as equal citizens and the animals talking. So far it looks to be an agrarian world with ruling Royals ensconced in a castle and grounds. I absolutely loved our protagonist Princess Eloise, who begins our adventure by growing tired of her royal duties and sneaks out with her chipmunk best friend to travel to an Autumn Festival. Her friend is too funny and I loved the constant back and forth banter between the two.
The most hilarious of the animals were the wombat bandits – The Wombanditos; the fiercest gang with bad eyesight in all the realms! Heeyahhhh! The animals were a wonderful mix of the common, American and Aussie and represent the author’s view as a US expat now living in Australia.
Such a fun, humorous read – I have added the next book to my TBR list.

— Cheryl, Goodreads Review

★★★★★

The Wombanditos was unique, eccentric, and exciting. With only these 70 pages, I’m captivated and intend to continue reading the series. The only way I can think to describe this book and its features is ‘unique.’ Einspruch’s style: unique. Plots and themes: unique. I’m happy to say The Wombanditos fits into the Young Adult genre yet satisfies the need for a change. There is no formula, no stereotypical characters, no cliche and overused themes. Although it was a shock to start reading, I was very happy with this prequel.

— Emma-Katherine, It’s a Novel Life