The Merchant of Death: The Pendragon Series, Book 1

Book review by Matt Berman, Common Sense Media
The Merchant of Death: The Pendragon Series, Book 1 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 10+

Stock story and characters, but still gripping.

D. J. MacHale Fantasy 2006
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Parents say

age 10+

Based on 7 reviews

Kids say

age 10+

Based on 48 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that there's a fair amount of fantasy violence here, and numerous killings by spear, arrow, and explosives.

Community Reviews

PerryGF
PerryGF Adult
November 3, 2019
age 13+

Great start to an excellent series

A really excellent series with a lot of surprises and twists. Mostly action. Very creative setting. It starts with an intense kissing scene, but that is the steamiest scene in the whole series.
ktscarlett1982
ktscarlett1982 Adult
December 23, 2011
age 13+

Not for 11 year olds

The mention of the playboy magazine really bothered me. Not for my 11 year old boy definitley.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When Bobby Pendragon is taken by his Uncle Press to an abandoned subway station in the Bronx, he discovers that he, like his uncle, is a Traveler, with the ability to ride "flumes" through space and time. Press takes Bobby through a flume to a world called Denduron, where an evil Traveler called Saint Dane is inciting war between the ruling Bedoowan and the virtually enslaved Milago miners. But almost as soon as they arrive, Press is captured by the Bedoowan and scheduled for execution.

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?

MacHale is the creator of such shows as Are You Afraid of the Dark and Ghostwriter, and 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. 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 a stock formula. 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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • 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?

Book Details

Our Editors Recommend

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