A great book that was full of adventure, and humor. I liked the way the author kept us on our toes, but laughing at the same time. Michael Grant has written some great books, and this is another one. ( )

Can we say juvenile? Explaining the plot by using a double time line, with one in pre-historic times, with the cartoon mindlessness of cave-people (Grimluk), really drags this story down. I did like sidekick Stefan, but this is not one I care to visit again. ( )

Teen reviewer: There is lots of humor liberally woven into this adventure! The irony is apparent throughout the book, with average, unassuming Mack being the hero, and his Golem doppelganger, who interprets everything people say too literally, and brings Mack to the spotlight in school and at home due to his ludicrous behavior. The humor works with the hero-and-villain concept to form a whimsical, entertaining story.

Pros: Lots of action and humor that will tickle a middle schooler's funny bone.

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Rounding up from 2 and a half stars.

Disability tag for two elderly and debilitated characters, both portrayed as grotesque and horrible, even though only one is a bad guy.

Gender-politics tag because the major villains are female, and while there are some neutral-to-positive female characters, this is a great example of the puerocracy/paedocracy at work: 12 year old boy has to defeat the evil females and also decide how much to embrace the good females.

Warning for animal harm (against poisonous snakes) that read as all-too-realistic when compared to later, cartoonishly drawn, battles against high fantasy monsters.

Mack himself is 12, very clever, a smartass, and terrified of a long list of specific things, meaning he isn't at all afraid of the things people usually are. It's charming. He's a good Every-Kid.

Meanwhile, Mack's bodyguard and former bully is a 15 year old blond Adonis named Stefan, who can pass for 21 and who is devoted to Mack. If Mack weren't 12, the slash would write itself. As it is, I could happily read a G-rated romance between them while Jarrah (awesome mixed race Aussie girl) saves the world. Puppy love = adorable.

Anyway, I read this because it was free and decently reviewed among middle school set librarians. The writing is nothing great (and doesn't pretend to be, breaking the 4th wall all the time), but it's a fun little adventure.
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I enjoyed this book. It was funny and kept me entertained. I will be reading the other installments.