The Merchant of Death

I really enjoyed this. The idea was pretty imaginative and (aside from some things that were rather cliche) original. At first I really didn't like Bobby, but he really grew on me (and grew as a character in general). Near the middle and the end, things really got catching and everything was very very intense. The ending is really satisfying and gets you wanting to read the next one.

The only thing that bothers me a LITTLE is that Bobby probably would not have written those journals as detailed and as "prosey" as he did. But I would not have liked to read his experiences through vague telling. So yeah, I'm glad at how that worked. SPEAKING of that actually, that is a very interesting way to tell a story. It was a really, really neat show more idea. I can't wait to read the next! :D show less

Definitely a good start to the series. It took a while to get into, but once I started appreciating the plot, I knew I'd found a new series with real promise.

Bobby Pendragon is totally confused. One minute, he's ready for a major basketball game and the girl of his dreams has kissed him, and the next, his weird uncle is dragging him off with a cryptic story about saving the world.

It's about to get stranger.

Bobby's introduction into his first "territory", Denduron, is not too fast-paced, not too slow. Easy for the reader to slip into. Because Bobby is a Traveler, whether he wants to be or not, and it is his destiny to travel through worlds and times keeping chaos from getting the upper hand.

With his two best friends back home on Earth show more (or actually, "Second Earth"), reading the journals he sends home, Bobby, his Uncle Press, a warrior girl named Loor, and a knight named Alder must try to mediate an age-old conflict between one tribe enslaved by another. Bobby's narration really makes the book; he comes off as a perfectly real 14-year-old stuck in a wild situation, sometimes brave, sometimes crazy, often scared out of his mind, and not afraid to admit it.

I'm definitely looking for the other books in the series next. show less

I know I've read [b:The Merchant of Death|833710|The Merchant of Death (Pendragon, #1)|D.J. MacHale|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1351196725s/833710.jpg|1726608] / the Pendragon books before, but it's been long enough that I couldn't even say for sure when. It might have even been back when I was the same age as the eponymous protagonist Bobby Pendragon rather than more than twice that. I think I enjoyed it quite a bit though, so worth giving it a chance to reread.

On the plus side, the main characters were well enough done for the most part. They all felt distinct and for the most part felt real. The main counterpoints to that is the 'big bad' of the book Saint Dane--you can almost hear the mustache twirling and mwahahaing--and show more the 'little* bad'--an overweight caricature of the 'corrupt queen', constantly eating and laughing at the slaughter

On the downside, there are a lot of cliches going around (see Queen Caricature) and a lot of the worldbuilding just doesn't make that much sense when you really get into it. We never get an answer to just what would be so bad if this one event on this one world of all space and time could lead to the downfall of everything; nor do we get much into how and why the Travelers work they way they do. It probably worked better a decade ago... but we'll let it go for the moment.

On top of that, the book is written half in a journal style (the interesting half) and half from the point of view of Bobby's friends left back home, reading the journal. Honestly, it feels like padding. There's an abrupt slowdown every time it happens. I'd like to see an edit with only the main storyline.

Overall though, I'm glad I reread it and I'll give at least the second a try. It's not my favorite series ever, but amusing enough to spend the time. show less

I listen to young adult books when I go to or am trying to go to sleep. I have to admit this book was fun to listen to for the most part. I normally allowed one cd a night and had to turn it off once it was done. Although I found the main character to be whiny and a pain in the butt I rather enjoyed the story line and the somewhat coming of age adventure of Bobby Pendragon. He is a whiner and the guy reading the story truely portrays whinyness to a fault. Will listen to more once I make it to the library for more by this author.

I've had this book and audiobook for ages (we're talking nearly a decade) and just haven't got to them. I was impressed with the amount of world-building and imagination that this first book has. It was loads of fun and a real roller coaster ride. One MacHale started things rolling, the action never stopped. At times, it felt like the narrator was out of breath he was talking so fast. Although I enjoyed the story a lot, I think I would have liked it more when I first bought the books a decade ago. As a matter of fact, I would have loved them as a teenager.

A great adventure story filled with interesting characters who truly "breathe". I appreciate young reader books that don't talk down to their audience. Based on that, plus the energy of the story (and the fact that my own 14-year-old son has read this book more than once) I heartily recommend it!

I was afraid this would be another Harry Potter rip-off, but I enjoyed it. It's an interesting concept. Very exciting read. The reader on the audio CD captures the right voice and mood.