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Pendragon, Book 1: The Merchant of Death

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Pendragon, Book 1: The Merchant of Death Cover

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Bobby Pendragon is a seemingly normal fourteen-year-old boy. He has a family, a home, and even Marley, his beloved dog. But there is something very special about Bobby.

He is going to save the world.

And not just Earth as we know it. Bobby is slowly starting to realize that life in the cosmos isn't quite what he thought it was. And before he can object, he is swept off to an alternate dimension known as Denduron, a territory inhabited by strange beings, ruled by a magical tyrant, and plagued by dangerous revolution.

If Bobby wants to see his family again, he's going to have to accept his role as savior, and accept it wholeheartedly. Because, as he is about to discover, Denduron is only the beginning....

Synopsis:

Bobby Pendragon is a seemingly normal and somewhat reluctant 14-year-old boy who is swept into an amazing five-year quest. Each unique mission is part of an overall quest, which will be revealed and resolved in the breathtaking final chapter of the series.
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About the Author

D. J. MacHale is a writer, director, and producer of several

popular television series and movies that include Flight 29 Down;

Are You Afraid of the Dark?; Encyclopedia Brown, Boy

Detective; Tower of Terror; and Ghostwriter. Pendragon,

his first book series, is a #1 New York Times bestselling series.

He lives in southern California with his wife, Evangeline; his daughter,

Keaton; a golden retriever, Maggie; and a kitten, Kaboodle.

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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
wor375, January 9, 2009 (view all comments by wor375)
D J Machale is a real magician with words. Spelling a captivating tale from start to finish he publishes the rich and exubert joys of growing up along with a touch of unike magicality that will make you unable to put the book down. - pendragon is one of the best
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Shoshana, May 2, 2007 (view all comments by Shoshana)
The Merchant of Death is the first in the series and sets the grounds for the rest of the series: Bobby Pendragon appears to be a typical popular young teenager, but discovers in a Gaiman-esque scene in an abandoned subway station that he is a Traveler, a sort of interworld, intertemporal good-guy who has a role in the battle between good and evil. This premise is okay and generally well-executed. The device of having Bobby writing to his friends on magical parchment also works reasonably well.

The major problems with this first volume are the overuse of artificial-sounding teenager language in the narration, the formulaic feel of the plot, and implausible worldbuilding that decreases suspension of disbelief. To give two examples of the latter problem, one more throwaway and one more crucial: One of Bobby's earliest observations of Denduron is that it has three suns, which set simultaneously in three quadrants of the sky. Other than a chance conversion I don't see how this is possible. It has no relevance to the plot, so its only actual function is to irritate the reader. More critically, Bobby and his Uncle Press endure a dangerous and harmful journey from the subway to Denduron via a flume that deposits them atop a snowy mountain surrounded by evil creatures called quigs. Later it is revealed that there is a second flume, much more convenient to the village and with no mention of quigs. Apparently Uncle Press didn't choose this flume solely because the author needed Bobby and Press to be separated. This is poor plotting and not compelling.

I don't mean to be overly critical. This series is clearly beach reading, not enduring literature. It's entertaining enough, and judging by the reviews online, children enjoy it even when critics don't. The next few volumes should show whether this is a picaresque series in which a world is saved per volume, or whether a larger plot unfolds.

There are a number of books entitled "Pendragon" out there, including Lawland's Pendragon Cycle. You'd do best to search for this series by the name of each installment.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780743437318
Author:
Machale, D J
Publisher:
Aladdin
Author:
MacHale, D. J.
Author:
Lee, Victor
Author:
D. J. MacHale
Location:
New York, N.Y
Subject:
General
Subject:
Action & Adventure
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General
Subject:
Children's 9-12 - Fiction - Fantasy
Subject:
Legends, Myths, & Fables - General
Subject:
Fantasy
Subject:
Fantasy fiction
Subject:
Imaginary places
Subject:
General Juvenile Fiction
Subject:
Action & Adventure - General
Subject:
Fantasy & Magic
Subject:
Fiction : General
Subject:
Children s-Science Fiction and Fantasy
Copyright:
2002
Edition Description:
B102
Series:
Pendragon Quartet
Series Volume:
01
Publication Date:
September 2002
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
Children/juvenile
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
384
Dimensions:
7.62 x 5.12 in 9.38 oz
Age Level:
10-15
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Related Subjects

Children's » Action and Adventure » Adventure Stories
Children's » Middle Readers » General
Children's » Science Fiction and Fantasy » General
Young Adult » Fiction » Series
Young Adult » General

Pendragon, Book 1: The Merchant of Death Used Trade Paper
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Product details 384 pages Aladdin Paperbacks - English 9780743437318 Reviews:
"Synopsis" by , Bobby Pendragon is a seemingly normal and somewhat reluctant 14-year-old boy who is swept into an amazing five-year quest. Each unique mission is part of an overall quest, which will be revealed and resolved in the breathtaking final chapter of the series.
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