The Merchant of Death: The Pendragon Series, Book 1 - D. J. MacHale
Stock story and characters, but still gripping.
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- Author:D. J. MacHale
- # of pages: 374
- Publisher:Simon & Schuster
- Original Publication Date: 03/19/2006
- Genre: Fiction - Fantasy
- Paperback: $5.99
- Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 10-up
- Read Aloud: 10
- Read Alone: 11
Parents need to know
Families can talk about the formulaic plot and stock characters. Can you think of other stories that follow this same formula? Also, the females in this story are all pretty much Amazons. Is this an empowering portrayal?
Message
Social Behavior:
Consumerism:
Milky Way bars, L. L. Bean, The Gap.
Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:
A teen smokes a cigarette.
Violence
Lots, some fairly grisly: a man runs in front of a train, another is eaten by a monster, fantasy battles, various human and creature deaths, by spears, arrows, etc.
Sex
One long, open-mouthed kiss.
Language
Mild, infrequent swearing.
Common Sense says
What's the story?
Reviewed by Matt Berman
Bobby doesn't understand anything of what's going on, and all he wants to do is go home. But, challenged by Loor, a warrior-Traveler from another world, he hatches a plan to rescue Press from the Bedoowan stronghold. Getting Press back, though, is only the beginning of stopping Saint Dane's plans for sowing chaos across the planet and throughout the universe.
Is it any good?
Author D. J. MacHale is the creator of such shows as Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Ghostwriter. His screen work has given him a shrewd sense of pacing -- though the book is overlong, it will keep young fans of the fantasy/adventure genre breathlessly turning the pages.
Told in the form of Bobby's journal, which alternates with scenes of his friends receiving and reading the journal, the story careens along entertainingly, and parts of it are quite exciting.
The downside of the video connection is that the characters are from Central Casting, and the plot follows the stock formula: Boy discovers unsuspected powers, is thrown into dire situation against madly evil enemy before learning about them, finds wise mentor and warrior comrade, finds reserves of courage and strength he never knew he had, saves the world, etc.
It's a good formula, as formulas go, but it does give the books a certain been-there-done-that feel, exacerbated by the bizarre refusal of everyone to explain anything to Bobby, an obvious and annoying plot device.
Still, it's plenty of fun, and young fans of the genre aren't looking for surprises anyway.
Other choices
Other Books in this Series
The Lost City of Faar
The Never War
The Reality Bug
Black Water
The Rivers of Zadaa
The Quillan Games
More Fantasy Adventure Series
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Beyond the Deepwoods (The Edge Chronicles, Book 1) by Paul Stewart
Lionboy by Zizou Corder
Stormbreaker (Alex Rider Adventures, Book 1) by Anthony Horowitz
Related Web site
Official Site
Parents and kids say
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