The Merchant of Death (Pendragon)

*Book source ~ Library

From Goodreads:
"Adapted and illustrated from book by D.J. MacHale. "Merchant of Death" is evil Traveler Mallos, who wants to destroy time-space universe "Hallas", and rebuild with himself in charge. In Denduron "Territory", he sells explosive clay-like "Tak" to peasant Milagos enslaved by fat rich Bedoowans. Bobby Pendragon 14, writes manuscripts for his friends Courtney and Mark back on Second Earth, transmitted by magic ring. Travelers via wormhole "Flume", Uncle Press, warriors calm Osa and her daughter fierce Loor, and puppyish knight Alder team up to save Denduron and all Hallas from Mallos, the Merchant of Death, and "Quigs" monsters, who both change appearances in different Territories."

I think this story doesn’t translate all too well from book to graphic novel. I didn’t really understand what the heck was going on. It was very confusing with the flumes and different worlds. Why Bobby? Who’s Press? What the flock is going on? But I did enjoy the artwork very much. I think I need to read the actual novel to get my answers.

Read more: [...]

the basics
The Pendragon series is an old and beloved favorite of mine. It has everything you could want from the fantasy and sci-fi camps, mushed together with some flavors of dystopian, romance, and adventure. Very basically, it's a young adult science-fiction. Digging deeper, it's a beautifully written series with detailed world building, twisty plots, and characters you can really stand behind. The first book is still one of my favorites. It's the moment Bobby finds out his world has disappeared, leaving him with a mission on another planet and a life that will never be the same. The atmosphere is very Hunger Games but with a much bigger scope. MacHale plays out the old good and evil battle with much more gray area than your typical young adult novel. He gives you one of the most delightfully insane villains and a hero worthy of Harry Potter all in one. Merchant of Death is a fast read that keeps you on your toes. I was never comfortable, because I knew that just when I thought I had a hang of what was happening, MacHale was going to pull out the rug. The final twist blew me away, and the cliffhanger had me clawing for the next book. Not to mention, I spent my early teen years half in love with Bobby Pendragon, who's an adorable, heroic, admirable main character with enough flaws to keep him real. The supporting cast is just as great. You get to know Bobby's best friends a lot through their interludes, so it's like having a Ron and Hermione who are just as important as Harry. I cannot overstate how magical, breathtaking, and creative this book is.

plot . 5/5
I'm rarely surprised in books. Call me narcissistic, but I just have a knack for guessing what will happen. Drives my friends nuts in the theater. But MacHale surprised me. Shocked me, in fact, more than almost any young adult writer ever has. Shocked me in the way that when I got to the twist, I had a small heart attack--but as I thought more about it, all the pieces started to make sense, and I wondered how I hadn't seen it coming. That's the kind of writing you can expect here. It's fast-paced and thrilling, always something going on from the first page. But you're still given plenty of time to savor the new world he puts you in.

concept . 5/5
Read this book and you'll want to be a Traveler as much as you ever wanted that Hogwarts letter on your eleventh birthday. The idea of people keeping the universe in line is insanely cool. Not overly new, but the way that MacHale writes it makes it feel fresh. Then there's Saint Dane, the baddie, a total sadistic crazy person who brings villainy to a whole new level. He's the Joker for young adult science-fiction, only much, much more terrifying. The world in Merchant is also great on its own. I've seen a lot of half-done worlds in young adults science-fiction and fantasy. MacHale doesn't settle for that. Denduron feels real--both new and familiar, like something out of The Time Machine with its own special twist. It's not even his most creative world, but you'll have to read the rest of the series to get to those. Just writing this makes me want to go read it again!

characters . 5/5
Can I give it a six? I rarely come across a book where I love all the characters so much. Even the ones I hate. Bobby is the perfect Arthurian hero, but not in an annoying way. He's the guy you want to be, or date, and half of what makes him so admirable is that he's so well-adjusted. No tormented bad-boy here. He's a normal guy, confident in some ways, scared to talk to his long-time crush, devastated over what's happened to his life but also curious and gracious about the opportunity he's been given. Don't worry--he's got enough flaws that you don't have to hate him for being perfect. His Uncle Press is a fantastic mentor figure and reminds me a lot of Merry in Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence, another favorite. Then there's Mark, his nerdy best friend, and Courtney, his crush, the only two people who seem to remember that he existed. You get their perspective in alternating chapters, which means that they become as real to you as Bobby. Their perspective on his adventures adds a whole other layer. Oh, and Saint Dane. Can I say three times in one review that he's the perfect villain?

style . 5/5
The style is typical young adult science-fiction with a little more prettiness to it. MacHale makes you feel like you're on Denduron, in the mines, or swishing through the crystal flume, or watching the effects of the explosive tak. Reading this book, I felt transported to a magical world in a way that few books can do. Honestly, I'd put him right up there with J.K. Rowling and I think it's a shame that he doesn't have a bigger fan base, because he's just as clever and polished.

mechanics . 5/5
The way the book is set up is really, amazingly clever. Basically, half the chapters are Mark and Courtney on Earth, and half are Bobby describing his adventures. Only the Bobby chapters are journals, sent via wormhole. At various times. Which means that when you're reading a Mark and Courtney chapter and they get a journal, that's already happened, and they have no idea what Bobby is doing now. Sometimes journals will come one after the other. It's such a clever structure for a story and it makes it feel even more urgent, because you are Mark and Courtney. I was just as much on the edge of my seat as they were and I had a hard time not skipping ahead.

take home message
Merchant of Death is a masterful science-fiction and fantasy hybrid with an atmosphere worthy of Harry Potter and a story that will keep you nail-biting until the last page.

Some fantasy aimed at young readers is nevertheless very enjoyable and satisfying for adults, for example "Harry Potter", "Hunger Games", "The Hobbit", "Narnia series", etc. However, what distinguishes those examples is that while aimed at young readers, they don't feel like they were actually written by a child. The Pendragon series is unfortunately not one of those.

In an apparent attempt to make it feel 'relevant' to young readers, D.J. MacHale has chosen a literary style that sounds more like young people actually talk. This, as you might imagine, is not generally compatible with good writing. Furthermore, the author feels it necessary to explain things to his readers that are patently obvious to an adult reader, bogging down the storyline and feels condescending.

Bottom line: This might be a good book to recommend to a middle-school-age child who has interests commensurate with his or her age but whose reading ability is not.

My brother recommended this book to me a few weeks ago, and, to say the least, I was pretty shocked at how much i enjoyed it. My brother and I have pretty different tastes when it comes to books, so I did not expect to enjoy myself at all when he told me that reading this book was essential. The Pendragon series introduces Bobby Pendragon, an average fourteen-year-old who is awesome at basketball and has just been told that his crush for years has a crush on him too. Unfortunately, his happy life is thrown a curve when his mysterious Uncle Press shows up randomly and tells Bobby that he is needed to save a world entirely separate from his own. Press whisks Bobby to Denduron, where Bobby is told that he is a Traveler and his mission in life is to protect the universe from disaster, mainly Saint Dane, a man who wants to submerge everything into total chaos. Denduron is where Saint Dane begins. The subservient Milago begin to revolt against the oppressive Bedoowan, and it's up to Bobby to save the day.

Although this plot may sound a little loose and almost like the author put down random names on his paper and tried to intertwine them, it truly is a well-thought out story and extremely entertaining. I read it all in one night because I could not put it down. Although the writing is not as sophisticated as it might be, Bobby is a likeable character and the reader is always rooting for him, even when it appears that he will be the reason Denduron collapses into chaos. This book will appear to both boys and girls, partly because of the sub-plot love story between Bobby and his crush, Courtney. This story is original, engaging, and funny, and will appeal to readers of all tastes.

Years ago there was a beer company that adopted as a slogan for its high alcohol beer, "It gets the job done". Well, that's what comes to mind after reading this book.
The "Traveler" premise is fine. The characters - hero, slightly nerdy friend, smart sort-of girlfriend - are engaging. Actually, the hero, who is very confident about his general coolness, is a nice change from some of the reluctant, klutzy, introverted protagonists that I've run across recently.
I can see why this a popular series, and would certainly recommend it as a good try-out for a ten and up crowd. I can also see the "Harry Potter" references, although this is more action/adventure with little magic, and is generally written at a lower age level.
Probably the main thing to keep in mind is that there is no overarching story arc, (each book involves travel to a different world and you could have two or twenty books in the series). Also, each book is practically a stand alone, since the Traveler premise is very simple and undeveloped, and just frames whatever story the author chooses. This means that questions about time travel, space travel, flumes, who are the Travelers, why Bobby, and so on , really take second fiddle to the action in any particular book.) That's fine, but it just means this isn't necessarily a book for kids who like deep fantasy world building.

In the world of fantasy comes another series targeted towards youth. First published in 2002, the Pendragon Series totaled ten books; the last one published March of last year (2009).

Story overview:
---------------
14-year-old Bobby Pendragon is one of those boys who is skilled in sports, outgoing, and known well among his peers. His life is what some would call a boy's dream. Not only is he the top star of his school's basketball team, but he recently received a kiss from the beautiful Courtney Chetwynde.

Mark Dimond on the other hand is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He's nerdy and gets picked on, but remains one of Bobby's best and closest friends. A friendship that gets put to the test when one day, Bobby disappears. Not only did Bobby miss the basketball semi-finals, but his entire family vanished. Including his house and family pet.

Mark receives a mysterious ring which teleports a journal, written by Bobby, from an entirely different world. It entails Bobby's adventure into this world with his uncle, Press. Bobby tells Mark that he has to help his uncle escape the clutched of a traveler named Saint Dane, who captured the man and sentenced him to die. In the process Bobby learns that he too is a traveler and with the help of some unlikely allies, the boy seeks to save both his uncle and the territory which is threatened with war.

My thoughts:
-------------
There is a good balance of humor, action, and originality. I particularly liked the modern and realistic way the main character thinks; nothing seemed forced or out of place. The way the author bounced back and forth with POV (First person and Third person) was interesting too. I recommend reading this one if you get a chance.

Things to consider:
------------------
There are no sexual situations or cursing. There is some action violence with a few gory descriptions, but nothing overly offensive. There was a comment about David killing Goliath as being, "just a story," but keep in mind that is coming from the head of the main character; which is just how he thinks. There is also mention of something called Halla (sounds like a play on the name Allah), which is supposedly the power behind all life. Not sure where the author intends to go with this, but keep in mind, I only read the first book in the series of ten. I would suggest this for teens; both boys and girls.

James D. Maxon
Author of Traphis: A Wizard's Tale

Justin Elsworth
Oct. 28, 2010
Writing

Pendragon

Have you ever read a book that you could never put down? Well, Pendragon book one: the merchant of death will make you read while you sleep! All 375 pages will thrill you. D.J. MacHALE has many books to this series. 11 to be exact. So go to your nearest bookstore and pick up Pendragon.

In Pendragon, Uncle Press takes Bobby Pendragon to the Bronx in New York. In the Bronx they go into a abandoned subway station. There they meet Saint Dane and he has a gun. Saint Dane takes out his gun and starts shooting. Uncle Press tells Bobby to go down on to the tracks, find a door, go in it, and yell DenDuron. Bobby does everything he said. All of a sudden, he's on top of a mountain. If you want to know more, read Pendragon.

My favorite part of the book is when Bobby travels through the flume because D.J.MacHALE describes a flume so well like when he said that the rocks were like crystal because they were clear and when he said there was a bunch of jumbled up music. Ialssso like when the quigs are chasing them down the mountain. That's because the quigs on Denduron are giant bears with rock like horns on their heads.

The most important thing I learned is to not trust my uncle unless I know what he's doing. And that I might be a traveler.

Another book by this author is Morphues Road the light. Its supposed to be really to be really scary, so scary that you'll have nightmares for the rest of your life.

Pendragon will put you at the edge of your seat for hours. So put down the book you're reading right now and go to your nearest library or bookstore and pick up Pendragon.

Have you ever had the feeling of being slapped in the face by a surprise, well Bobby has in the book known as Pendragon by D. J. MacHale. This book is about a boy named Bobby, who gets asked to go on a journey with his "uncle" Press on the most important game day, of his life, in his basketball career. What he finds out about himself and the life that he is now supposed to live. He doesn't want to accept it but as time goes on he learns that "this was the way it was meant to be." He has to start writing journals, because he never knows when he is going to need them, and sent them to his best friend Mark. But when Mark thinks that this is too much to handle, he involves Courtney, Bobby's girlfriend. In his journey, he writes about fights, territories, and flumes. He also writes about his evil enemy Saint Dane. Saint Dane is a traveler's worst nightmare. He tries to take over all the territories and he wants to bring all territories into chaos and fighting so that he can calm things down and take over. But since bobby has come, he will be the one in the end that puts a stop to Saint Dane and his troublemaking.

I would give this book a 5 rating because it puts you on the end of the line with suspense. This genre is mystery because you never know what's going to happen when he finishes a journal. This book was a really god book and I recommend this book to anybody that is willing to try it. If you really like mystery books, then really suggest this book to you and if you have already read this book, then I suggest the rest of the series. I think that this book was amazing and that it really deserves a try. So if you're reading this review, then read this book. Can't miss this amazing adventure. It will take you on a wild ride, the ride of a lifetime, so don't miss it.

- S.K

Bobby Pendragon was your regular everyday 14 year-old kid. He got good grades, was semi-popular, and was the Stoner Brook Middle School all star basketball player. All of that changed with one visit from his uncle press. Before he knew it, Bobby was in a strange territory (world) called Denduron. On Denduron, his uncle reveals to him that he is a traveler, a person who jumps from one territory to the next to protect them from a turning point that would send the territory into total chaos. So Bobby has to face all the challenges on Denduron and Saint Dane, an evil traveler. This book has an incredibly unoriginal idea but it is very well written making it enjoyable to read.

Bobby had to face many dangers during his adventure on Denduron, such as Saint Dain. Saint Dain is trying to send all of the territories into chaos so he can control Halla, which is everything, everyplace, and every time, so there is no room for failure of stopping him. Saint Dain makes several attempts to kill him (such as sending killer beasts called quigs after him) but fails.

MacHale did a very good job on this book. With how descriptive he is, I could see what the quigs actually looked like even though they aren't real (by the way, they look like rabid bears with giant yellow spikes on their back). I also loved how he described the sceanery. While Bobby was walking down a street you could picture even the small things that didn't matter like a plastic bag gliding through the air.

Sometimes while reading this book I would have been really scared for Bobby if I didn't see that there were still another hundred pages before the end of the book so I knew nothing was going to happen to him. One example is when Bobby is hiding from Saint Dane. It seemed like Saint Dane was looking straight at him, but he was stupid enough to not notice. It's actually sort of stupid that he didn't.

I really like science fiction so I was already drawn to the book. The fact that it was so good just put the icing on the cake. I recommend this book to anyone that doesn't mind reading a good book with an unoriginal idea.

D. Clayton

The book Pendragon is one of my all-time favorite books. It's some great action packed fantasy. Even if you have only read a couple pages, a true fantasy fan would be hooked. But it's not orks and elves, it's a new kind of fantasy, sort of futuristic. We should all very happy that D.J.MacHale wrote this adventure. And The Merchant of Death is just the beginning, only the first book in a series of 5.

In the book, a boy named Bobby must leave his home and friends, (Mark and

Courtney) to save a different territory* with his mysterious Uncle Press. While Bobby is leading the life of an average teen, Uncle Press whisks him away to an abandoned subway station. There they find Saint Dane, an evil shapeshifter who plans to destroy any territory that he can get his hands on. Quickly Bobby must then find, and ride a "flume". A device that transports you through time and space. This takes him to Denderon, the territory that he must save. And Bobby can't leave, for his life and family depend on it.

When I read this, I noticed that the book was written in two parts. One part is on "Second Earth" (our territory), with Mark and Courtney. They have to make sense of Bobby's letters. I noticed that this half flowed like a river, nothing was confusing and there was nice and "easy-to-read" sentences. The next half is what happens to Bobby. This half tells what happens to Bobby through the letters that he writes to his friends. So you get to read the letters that his friends read in the other half. Sort-of confusing, Huh? Anyway, in this half I loved how there was original details and phrases. This half also entertained me more because it had more action, with a perfect balance of suspense. Although this format may be confusing, I enjoyed it.

Personally I would recommend Pendragon to anyone who likes action/adventure with a twist. Yes, it is that good. Simply a must-read and "un-put-downable:" book!

*A planet or star that could in the future, past, or present. (We are on Second Earth)

Pendragon

D.J. Machole is a superb author who has written many good books but the one I am about to tell you about is the best of the best. The Pendragon series is about a teenaged boy named Bobby Pendragon. He lived at Two Linden Place, he was the star basketball player on his team, had decent grades, and was one of the most popular boys in school. He was about to leave for the semi-final basketball game when...Courtney Chetwynde knocked on his door, and confessed her love for him. Then he kissed her, which was pretty good up until Bobby's mysterious uncle, Uncle Press walked in, and would change his life forever. Uncle Press then leads Bobby on an awesome, breathtaking, thrilling, life-threatening adventure through worlds unknown.

In the first book, I liked the scene where Uncle Press takes Bobby to the "Flumes" where you can travel to other worlds, and they are attacked by "Quigs" (vicious "Flume" guarders that change appearance from world to world.). They travel to Denduron, to save the world from the clutches of the evil, destructive man Saint Dane. (His name and appearance changes from world to world though his eyes stay the same cold piercing gray/blue.) This scene made me feel like I was there with them, running to the "Flumes" for their lives.

Throughout the book there were a couple places I felt could be improved upon, but the book was almost like a tossed salad; you never know if you might get a spinach leaf or a cranberry. I learned many more adjectives that I will use to describe things, and emotions. This book was ideal for my reading level because there were some words I did not know, but I could guess what they meant. Over all I think that this book is great, and is the perfect read for someone who wants a realistic, fantasy, adventure series.

~Miriam

*****Slight Spoiler*****

The first edition of Pendragon is truly a magnificent start to an exciting, funny, and tragic series that is fun for adults, just as much younger audiances. Sometimes more so.
The world that DJ MacHale creates is so vivid, so different, and (in a good way) cheesy that many groups of Sci fi, fantasy, romance, and humor will adore.

THE POSITIVES:
1. The characters. yes, call Bobby annoying, cliche, boring, whatever. The direction of this character is SUPPOSED to take on this confused persona, because what would YOU do if all of this was thrown at you when you were only 15? Just ask yourself that next time.
2. The setting: this medeival world MacHale sets up may referance some people to Lord of the Rings, but once you focus your imagination on something New, you start to enjoy it more.
3. The Legacy: Kind of a given, what this book starts is a fresh, new series that I believe can rival Harry Potter. Written at an easy level, anyone can understand it,a dn be attatched to it.

*****SPOILER*******
THE NEGATIVES:
1. The lack of Osa's character development. I did not get attached to Osa's character at all honestly. I knew she was a great person, and was brave and such, but i had no emotional attatchment to her what so ever and when she was killed, it was very unexpected and I didn't feel sadness for it. if it happened in a later book, it would have been different, but within the first 200 pages... I just dind't find it sad.
2. The setup. While the setting and characters are solid, I find that the setup to events seem a little too "Movie-esque" for my taste. it feels like MacHale wrote this to be a movie, and seems like a script rather than a novel. That isn't entirly bad, because it makes it easier to read tham most books, however it makes me want it to see a movie release, rather than read it.

The characters were cliche of popular boy/girl and dweeb but hey. We are talking about 14 year olds if you don't recall your middle school years. A lot of people were very cliche in middle school. I find reading a lot of the low reviews was that people were just unable to relate to the characters. Don't bash me but I'm assuming because of age difference.

I like fast paced novels. No boring stuff I don't care about added in. I think this book may have seemed better to you if you started in the middle of the series like I had. The journals are meant to show how Bobby grows and changes as a character. I absolutely loved how Saint Dane did the generic evil villain thing of "until next time" like "I'll get you and your little dog too" it was just a lol for me. I like all the characters but that may be because I know they grow as the series go on.

Hate to break it to you but this is a story about kids. Sorry if we aren't as complicated as you adults ;)

I also noticed a few parents were upset of the...I guess you'd say inappropriate language. I'll let you in on a secret you probably are not going to like that much. This is how kids talk at school. I found middle school to be of the age where "cussing" is considered adult so it's cool. Of course as I got older I just thought it was stupid and didn't get why people get so offended over it. I don't really cuss now anymore. It's just a learning/growing stage of life.

When you're a kid, what other kids think/say about you is a big deal...but then you grow up. I'm not saying all kids care about the cliche's kids throw them into. Of course there are always exceptions.

Back to the book. I caught a part where the author messed up in his own rules he made up. As if he had not planned a certain character to be dead in the first place. I'll let you figure out what I'm talking about. I don't want to give it away but it is related to the "Traveler" rules of who he can understand at first. I'll admit nothing surprised me in this book but I don't really care. Lol. It's more about the journey for me than the destination.

First of all, to refute the reviewer who spoke of profanity. We do not use profanity in my family either and I can't think of any profanity that was in this series. Actually, there is one word used, and while we choose not to say "The name of the Lord in vain" in my family and get offended hearing others say it, I was grateful at least that was the only extent of the profanity. It was used by people in the same way millions of people use it daily and wasn't overused, it was used primarily to add emphasis to the intensity of what was going on. At least it wasn't some of the other garbage words that people use now days. It was easy to ignore it, like I said, it took me a minute to even recollect it's use.

My son got me hooked on these books. We recently moved to India and I was dying for something to read. His friends introduced this series to him and after watching him choose to read these books over video and computer games, as well as TV, I knew I had to give it a shot. I was impressed. It constantly keeps a good flow of movement and action. Like my son, I had a hard time putting this down. We have always been Harry Potter fans, and I dare say I think this series is even better.

I will admit the first book was a little dry, but that is to be expected when reading the first book of a series, there is a lot that needs to be introduced. In the ensuing books, the introductions are very small and fast as to be expected.

Bobby Pendragon lives a life most 14-year-olds dream about. He's popular, athletic, smart, and he's just kissed one of the hottest girls in school. Unfortunately right after he receives that special kiss his Uncle Press takes him away to another world called Denduron through an abandoned subway station in the Bronx. Denduron is a world much different from our own. Its ruled by the Bendoowan who treat the lower working class like slaves. But before he can find out what's going on his uncle is captured and two mysterious woman become his guide. They tell him that he is a traveler and now that his Uncle has been captured and will die soon it's his duty to lead the revolution of the working class against the Bendoowan. Bobby, of course, freaks. He doesn't want to lead a revolution but as it turns out he doesn't have much of a choice. He needs to help these people whether he wants it or not. His only link to our world, known to travelers as Second Earth, is the journals he writes and sends to his best friend Mark and maybe-one-day-girlfriend Courtney. Soon Bobby realizes that his job as a traveler isn't about Denduron, it's about something much bigger.
I didn't know what to expect with this book. The summary on the back of the book was rather vague. Still it was recommended to me so I felt that I had to read it. I was very pleasantly surprised. Bobby's journey is very suspenseful and covered with fantasy filled adventure. The thing I like the most about Bobby is the fact that he's not a warrior like Loor or Osa. He's a normal 14-year-old kid but somehow he manages to triumph over all, even though he stumbles a lot on the way.
Although on the outside this book may seem like a simple fantasy there's a lot of deeper issues imbedded inside of it about class relations, morality, and nuclear weapons. The younger readers probably won't get all of these issues but that won't impair their enjoyment of the novel at all. I really enjoyed this book and I look foreword to reading the other three books in the quartet, including the next book in the series, The Lost City of Faar. Enjoy!

1/13/06 Pendragon The Merchant Of Death

Through the door way an epic adventure beyond your wildest

imagination begins.

Bobby Pendragon is just an average every day teen or at least that is what

he thinks, but when his Uncle Press takes him to a mysterious place and launches

him into another dimension, he learns who he is and his destiny.

This is an exceptional read. This is a book for excellent readers, adults and

people looking for a challenge. This book is a lot like Harry Potter.

For example, Harry does not know he is a wizard. In this he Bobby does not know he is a

traveler.

The reason this book is an exceptional read is the story is complicated but not too complicated.

It is perfect for anyone 9+ and has a great story line.

The epic adventure starts when Bobby goes through the doorway.

When I read, I get great mental images of the characters. When I read, I do not want to stop.

At every chapter it leaves you with a question and that's why you want to keep reading.

I loved it!!!!!!!

At first sighting, this book looked distinctly, er, okay, boyish, from the apparently gruesome title and sinister looking cover. It took one of my friends saying "you HAVE to read this" to get me to buy it. Even then I suspected that "the Merchant of Death" was definitely not something I was going to buy into.
SUPRISE! I opened the cover and was shocked to discover that the first thing Bobby Pendragon (our protoganist) was doing was kissing a girl! The book was certainly more appealing now with a tad bit of romance and I started to enjoy the story.
Bobby Pendragon's Uncle Press shows up unexpectedly and sweeps him away to another "territory" called Denduron, through a doorway in a New York subway tunnel (no easy access here!) despite being chased by wild beasts called quigs. Bobby soon realizes that his notions of reality are way off.
Bobby is fated to help save the Milago people from their oppressors, the people of the neighboring Bedoowan. Reluctant and scared, Bobby wants to return to his perfect life at home, where he was considered smart, popular, a jock, and not to mention the love interest of the coolest girl in his grade. But no such luck; he must learn how to use his Traveler powers to help save this world...and all the others...from complete distruction...
I really enjoyed this novel. It is told in narrative form as Bobby writes scrolls back to his best friend Mark and sort-of girlfriend Courtney back on Second-Earth to tell them what is happening, and then switches to third-person once in a while to describe what Courtney and Mark are doing. It was fast-paced and Bobby's witty comments made me laugh.
Be warned, this novel also contains explicit language and the afore-mentioned making-out scenes. These parts are appropriate however, and I think that they added a sense of humanity to the read. I'd say do not let this stop you from reading the book!
So go grab the book at your local bookstore and spread the word: its not just for boys! 4 stars for lots of action, not a 5 because the plot was simplistic. I hope the sequel, the Lost City of Faar, is just as good! Happy Reading!

I love these books! "The Merchant of Death" was a very nice beginning to an even better series. It had the exciting little adventures and great plot that all Fantasy Adventure books need.

When fourteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon goes with his Uncle Press the night of the big basketball game, he doesn't know what is in store for him. His Uncle doesn't take him to the game, but instead takes him to the Bronx area near New York City. This one night changes Bobby's life forever.

Bobby had a normal life until that night. That is the night when he learns of his destiny. He is a Traveler, a person who flies through space and time to different worlds, or territories. The purpose of this power? To save the universe, Halla, from being destroyed by the evil traveler Saint Dane.

The first territory he visits is Denduron, where a war is about to break out, changing the fate of the world either for better or worse.

The author has written a very good series. The adventure just keeps going, with one danger after another. It doesn't slow down very much, and the plot is excellent.

I just got this book, and wasn't very enthusiastic about reading it. I know, I know, HUGE surprise, huh?
The first few pages, I started to think 'Who the heck uses the words 'yo' or 'coolio' any more? Oh, God, PLEASE don't tell me this is another one of those terrible tween novels...'
I got a surprise. A rather large surprise...
Pretty much everything fantasy-wise has been done before. You have to agree with me there. We have kids going into worlds through wardrobes, we have adults able to teleport themselves through fireplaces... all in all, everything has been done. Except for Pendragon.
They have doorways into other worlds and times that you access by saying a word. Magical beings with the same name but different coverings guard these doorways. The only people that are allowed to travel through these doorways are special 'Travelers' that exist solely to save the world and defeat the bad guy.
The bad guy, in this case, happens to be an evil man that can change shape at will and whose natural form is a guy with piercing blue eyes.
Bobby Pendragon knows nothing about this when he is enlisted by his 'uncle' to go and help some people do something. What? He doesn't know. How? Why? Those aren't answered either.
Turns out there's a revolution starting in a territory called 'Denduron'. And Pendragon has been enlisted to help a pretty much hopeless cause and make it so that the slaves of the Bedoowan end up living in peace with their masters...
I loved this book... and I'm about to persuade my friends to read it. Come on, kiddoes... you know you want to...

Destiny. Destiny pushes many to fates that we can not nearly begin to calculate. Even though life has many wonders it has one that prevails above all and a 14-year-old boy will experience just that wonder in Pendragon The Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale

Bobby Pendragon is a normal 14-year old boy living a normal 14-year old. He has a Mom, a Dad and a Sister. He also has a super cool uncle until tonight that is. He was about to pack up and go to his basketball playoff game when the doorbell rings. He opens the door and there in front of him was the girl he had a crush on since 4th grade. Freaky. A moment later his Uncle Press is standing behind him. Weird huh, but it gets even weirder when his Uncle takes him to an abandon subway. I told you it was weirder. Then they come to a door. Bobby doesn't know, but behind that door lays an epic adventure that will change his life forever. Bobby doesn't know yet, but he is a traveler. Travelers go from territory (another world accessed through time and space) to territory helping that region get through a turning point. That door that was looming over Bobby so high was a door to a flume (kind of a rip in time that gets you to one territory to the next). Unfortunately at that moment they had a little visit Saint Dane. Technically he is the pure evil guy who is trying to push all the territories into chaos. I' mean how can one guy be so evil. How can you access a territory through time and space until he tried. When Bobby got into the flume he yelled just as Uncle Press told him Denduron. Then it happened the floor turned into an endless abyss of time and space. To Bobby's astonishment he was lifted up and was sent on the ride of his life. It was like a slide, but through time and space. This might sound farfetched but there were actually stars, no joke. That's when he landed he was in a cave. He walked out to see the beautiful landscape of Denduron. The first of many territories bound to the same fate, but this time Bobby was there to stop it.

Speaking of stopping enough details, how about some info on the author. If you're wondering the author was very crafty. He gave you many little details to go with so many main ideas making you think, but at the end he miraculously pulled all those details and ideas into o one big finale. Interesting huh.

The book might be long, but with the vocabulary, voice and wonderful details this book would be a wonderful book to add to your collection. Go ahead read on.

Fantasy is one of the hottest genres for teens right now, and there's plenty to choose from. For those fans new and old who are looking for something more contemporary than, say, His Dark Materials or Lord of the Rings, check out Bobby Pendragon. He's 14. Lives a bit north of New York City. Plays a pretty mean game of basketball. Loves video games. Family, house, dog. Life is good. And then his ultra-cool Uncle Press shows up at his front door one evening, and whisks Bobby away to another dimension, one of ten Territories known as Denduron. And life, as he has always known it, ceases to exist.
Bobby's uncle tells him that he has been chosen to be a Traveler, and his job, should he decide to accept it, is to help his uncle save the Territories from a villain among villains, the evil Saint Dane (who can shape shift and raise all sorts of hell). In this first heart-stopping installment, Saint Dane pits two co-existing societies against each other. If either is destroyed, it'll be easy for him to come to power. Meanwhile, Bobby, who's been thrown into a completely alien environment, has to figure out how to prevent anarchy and manage to stay alive himself. There's nonstop action--and plenty here for girls to enjoy as much as guys, by the way. Bobby is helped out by the beautiful Loor, who can kick some serious butt!
Even if you don't like to read, you will love this book! Whatever you do, don't miss it!

I first found this just browsing through my school library. (Yes, school, i'm 10.) Pulled it out looked at the back and my first thoughts were "boyish", "whatever", "spacey". Didn't like it, couple months later I decided, "Eh. I'll check it out." That whole Courtney deal almost lost me (yes, I am a girl that does not like romance novels) :( But the rest of it was just addicting. The whole idea, the worlds, just hits my bullseye. I'm overimaginative, you can say, so I could really just lose myself in something like that. It is also the onle book I have stuck with ( other than Harry Potter for more than 7 books. I guess you have to count the unfortunate events series too. And percy jackson. You get the point. Rich and thought-provocative through and through. That part at the very end of the ninth and first bit of the tenth was pure wow.

Pendragon

D.J. Machole is a superb author who has written many good books but the one I am about to tell you about is the best of the best. The Pendragon series is about a teenaged boy named Bobby Pendragon. He lived at Two Linden Place, he was the star basketball player on his team, had decent grades, and was one of the most popular boys in school. He was about to leave for the semi-final basketball game when...Courtney Chetwynde knocked on his door, and confessed her love for him. Then he kissed her, which was pretty good up until Bobby's mysterious uncle, Uncle Press walked in, and would change his life forever. Uncle Press then leads Bobby on an awesome, breathtaking, thrilling, life-threatening adventure through worlds unknown.

In the first book, I liked the scene where Uncle Press takes Bobby to the "Flumes" where you can travel to other worlds, and they are attacked by "Quigs" (vicious "Flume" guarders that change appearance from world to world.). They travel to Denduron, to save the world from the clutches of the evil, destructive man Saint Dane. (His name and appearance changes from world to world though his eyes stay the same cold piercing gray/blue.) This scene made me feel like I was there with them, running to the "Flumes" for their lives.

Throughout the book there were a couple places I felt could be improved upon, but the book was almost like a tossed salad; you never know if you might get a spinach leaf or a cranberry. I learned many more adjectives that I will use to describe things, and emotions. This book was ideal for my reading level because there were some words I did not know, but I could guess what they meant. Over all I think that this book is great, and is the perfect read for someone who wants a realistic, fantasy, adventure series. I give this book four stars.

~Miriam

This book had excellent foreshadowing, irony and point of views. all these things helped grasp the reader. It makes you want to read more and you won't get bored with it.
Foreshadowing helped this book. Although you never know what is gonna happen precisly you still know some what of what you are gonna read. This keeps the reader guessing then being surprised.
Irony was anonther element key to the book. You would think you know what was gonna happen next. It feels as if you know it. Then you read it and you were way off. I think this is the best part of the book.
Finally point of view was the most confusing but great factor of this book. In the beginning it is confusing but you will get the hang of it. It is another thing that draws you in.
In the book a boy named Bobby Pendragon gets asked bye his Uncle Press to go and help a city on their revolt for freedom. The city isn't much compared to their ruling neighbors but later in the book they find an explosive called tak. They made a huge bomb out of this and are to use it in the beginning of their battle againts their neighbors the Bedoowan. Are they actually gonna use the bomb. Will it be a success if so? Will this war actually happen. All these answers plus more will be answered only if you read this book.

Ok, first off, why must every children's fiction book be compared to Harry Potter? This book is practically nothing like Harry Potter so to compare it to Harry Potter is unfair.

I think they main thing people should know about the Pendragon series is that is much more of a science fiction book than a fantasy/adventure. If you're expecting a bunch of magic wands and invisibilty capes, then look elsewhere. Let me say though, that I LOVE fantasy/adventure books. Fablehaven, Sisters Grimm and The Companion's Quartet are amongst my favorite series'. That being said, I think Pendragon is going to become another series that I love. I am currently 2/3 through the 2nd book and I love it!

It's not really fair to the series judge the entire Pendragon series on this first book. Especially since this is a 10 book series! Book one is just introducing you to the world of Pendragon and therefore I think the plot is not TOO complicated. I still really enjoyed the plot though and was eager to start reading the second book once I finished "Merchant Of Death".

If you think that this book was boring, just keep reading because the 2nd book is totally different. I was scared that each territory was going to have the same problem but the second book has proven me wrong. That was a relief. I can't wait to finish the second book so that I can read the next one. I definitely recommend this book. Although it is for slightly older audiences cuz there is some cursing in it. I think it's appropriate for ages 14 and up which is how old the main character is. Go figure.

Also, Pendragon's dialogue seems to be getting a little more mature in the 2nd book so if all his slang is bothering you in the first book, it will not be as bad as Bobby grows up. :)

After reading this book, my life is comeplete. The story is about this every day kid who lives out his everyday life finds out hes a traveler which means he can travel to other worlds. The world he travels to in this book is Denduron. Where people are at war with one another, and an evil guy who trying to destroy all teritories(halla)saint dane is egging them on.These little miner dudes who need to mine this shiny stuff called glaze or they will die because the other tribe loves that stuff. Along the way one of the miners find a rock called tak which is an exploding rock thing. The tak gives the small tribe a chance to fight back which only causes more caos. What makes this book and all of the series worth getting is that DJ Machale(the author) makes him seem like a kid just like us. He acts like us, talks like us, and even has the same feelings. If you like a good story with action, adventure, and a little bit of romance(espacialy at the endof book#3)you should buy this book. Worth every penny.

The Pendragon books are an excellent youth adventure series to begin with. You have a reluctant hero -Bobby Pendragon- that excels through a great mixture of brains, courage, loyalty, creativity, humor and heart. Although Bobby is no slouch, it's not his physical prowess that gets him out of tight situations time and again. All Pendragon stories are very fast-paced, captivating and unique and mostly written from Bobby's perspective - in the first person. So the language is that of a smart and hip teenager and therefore fun and very easy to digest for that age group. My three kids (9-11) inhaled the books and keep asking me to check when the sixth book will come out (July 1. 2005).

Our family loves audiobooks, we listen to them while we do arts/crafts or chores in the house or on car rides. Because most audio books are so expensive here in the States (in Europe the prices are significantly lower due to the much higher demand for audio productions there, especially for kids/youths) I usually get the CDs in the library, rather than buying them, even though I typically have to check out the good ones more than once. But I didn't have to think twice before I bought this set of 10 CDs, the price is perfect - just where a good hardcover book would be too. William Dufris is a marvelous narrator, he catches Bobby's spirit perfectly. I didn't care for the music at the beginning and end of each CD and the occasional slip into audio-production-like sound effects, as for instance when one of the characters speaks through a walkie-talkie. But those are nit-picks and wouldn't deter me for an instant to buy the set, which I will probably do many times as presents for kids in the future.

If you have never tried audiobooks for your kids, this is the perfect one to start. Do you have a 90 minute car ride to the grandparents? Slip a CD in and enjoy the trip in peace and quiet. (Caution, if you are the driver, you'll get hooked on the stories yourself)

Have you ever travel through time and space, to save an alternate universe? Well booby PennDragon has. In the page turning action packed book PennDragon: the Merchant of Death ,by D.J Matle, the popular teenager is forces to miss his high school championship basket ball game, to go to a place he has never herd of, Dendroun. During his stay his house disappears on earth and all of his records. His uncle gets kidnapped and he needs to make the decision, to save himself and leave Dendroun or to risk his life and go save his uncle. In Dendroun he learns a lot about himself, his family, and his past.

This book is great for anyone who like to a cliffhanger, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. During the whole book I could not put it down, the excitement and action made me want to read on. The anticipation was over whelming. If you want a fun exciting read, go and read the book PennDragon: the Merchant of Death, by D.J Matle.

Bobby Pendragon grows up a normal fourteen year old boy, until the day his Uncle Press comes to him for help. Not help for himself, but help for some other people Bobby has never met. The catch- those people are on another planet and the outcome for their lives could affect the outcome for the entire universe. It turns out, Bobby is a Traveler, someone who can travel through time and space and usually, is meant to help. But not all Travelers are created equal and one Traveler, Saint Dane, aims to plunge the universe into chaos.

One of the most refreshing things about this book is that Bobby is a very realistic character. He starts out fairly selfish, but not in an awful way, just in a "I'm a kid and I want to go home and I'm scared because people want to kill me!" sort of way. You can hardly blame him. But ultimately, he is a good kid who does the right thing, even though it is hard and dangerous. Nothing he does is particularly extraordinary and yet the end result is something unbelievable.

There are two types of chapters: journal chapters and regular chapters. The journal chapters are firsthand accounts written by Bobby about what has happened to him. The regular chapters are about Mark (Bobby's best friend) and Courtney (Bobby's sort of but not really girlfriend) as they search for Bobby and read his journals. The biggest flaw to the book is that it completely lacks suspense. There is never fear that they may not get out of whatever situation they are in. By the very nature of the format, you know it all worked out in the end (more or less). If Bobby wrote it, then he had to live long enough to do so. I also find Mark and Courtney's storylines 99% pointless. Think about how much more shocking the ending of the book would have been if we didn't know his parents had disappeared until the moment he discovers it?

I'm assuming that the journals will turn out be important later in the series (at least, there seem to be hints that they will be and if MacHale is a writer of any talent, they will be), but to be honest, I'm not sure I liked it enough to keep reading to find out. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, it just lacks the edge of my seat aspect that I've come to expect from an action-adventure novel.

I received all seven pendragon books as a gift for Christmas. At first I was a bit skeptical and feared regetting having bought all seven just to end up not liking the series. Luckily, I couldn't have been more wrong.

I won't go to much into the plot seeing as the summary explains it pretty well, but I will say that most of the story takes place in another world known as Denduron. The people of Denduron, or at least the tribe we get to see, are sharply divided into Beedowan (the aristrocratic rich class) and the slaves whom work for them. It has been like that for a while, and it's up to Bobby and a few allies to stop the abuse that the slaves have to endure and save the territory from going down the wrong path in "the turning point".

I love how Bobby took in and struggled to adapt in this new life of being a traveler. Machale didn't just make him perfect and made Bobby's character real and believable, with well written emotions and thoughts that helped the readers truly understand how he felt. The book is very fast also, I practiaclly devoured it. The action keeps you on the edge of your seat and there are many plot twists and surprises to keep you satisfied.

Overall, this installment is a fantastic start to what seems like a very promising series and I assure you that it won't dissapoint.

Pendragon:The Merchant of Death; what an interesting title, right? Well, though the title might not be an absolute gripper, the story is one of the most exciting,fun, and all-around-greatest books kids and adults can really love.

The story starts out with Bobby Pendragon having love with a girl he's had a crush on since fourth-grade named Courtney Chetwnyed. At first, I am utterly grossed out by such a begining;once again, not a gripper. But for those that had the sense to go on, you would find that Bobby Pendragon, all-around nice guy, basketball star, would have to embrace his destiny as a Traveler, cosmic figures who save territories [worlds] from utter destruction from a maniac demon named Saint Dane, who wants to rule Halla[time,space, everything]. Now things get exciting! Bobby and his mysterious Uncle Press must now save Denduron, a territory near its turning point, the time where the territory can begin anew, or crumble into destruction. Bobby must save his Uncle Press from armor clad knights, defeat monsturous quigs, outsmart Saint Dane, befriend new allies to save this territory, and along the way he may find questions and answers to his future he will not like, icluding the question, "Why did everything that told of his existence disappear, including his house, and his family?"...

Awesome adventure!! Bobby has a great sense of humor, though the SLIGHT cursing and slang could have been done without another thought. But stil, this series is even better than Harry Potter, in as many ways as you can think!

Hobey ho, let's go to Denduron!

Bobby Pendragon was a regular boy with nothing particularly unique about him. He had a good life, a dog he loved, and the prettiest girl in the school had kissed him. He should be on top of the world, but where is Bobby Pendragon?

It all started right before the basketball game. It was getting dark, and Bobby had just shared the most wonderful (first) kiss with his crush since fourth grade. Suddenly he found himself riding on his uncle's motorcycle to another planet, tainted by death and enslavement. It is now his job to fuel a revolution and preserve the peace of this place forever. Can he do it?

From the beginning, my eyes were glued to this book; I read it in home room, at lunch, in study hall, and went home and read some more. I read so long my hands got tinted black with the print. I always got so engrossed in the reading, I didn't realize it was eleven thirty when I finished reading. Pendragon Book One, The Merchant of Death has my recommendation to anyone with a good sense of humor and love for fantasy. To me it is the book series to beat. **** 1/2 (out of five stars)

Justin G.

P

Pendragon, this is the name of the new series that has just hit bookstores. It is a very adventurous tale of a normal sports loving boy who is leading a somewhat normal life until his Uncle comes to his house one day acting very strange. His uncle walks in on him and his new-found girlfriend makeing out and asksher to leave and his nephew to come along with him to an abandoned subway that starts his journey through what we would call another dimension.
This thrilling book starts out fast and gets better the whole way through it. This book truly keeps you at the edge of your seet. The writers masterful way of describing everything around young pendragon that it really takes you right along side him into a world of flumes and giant headed bears called quigs.
Would I suggest this book to a friend? Yes I would and therefore I suggest it to you.

These books are very very good i would recomend this book to anyone. these books are amazing, suspensful,has A LOT of action and it really increases your imagination. This book starts off with what seems to us a normal 14 year old boy, Bobby Pendragon. He has a family, a house, and even a dog, Marley. but there is something unique about Bobby, he is going to help save the universe, and not the earth that we know. And before he can decide what to do he is taken to another dimension called Denduron. but the thing is if Bobby wants to see his family and friends again, he is going to have to accept his role as a savior and learn to understand that this is the way it was meant to be. because, as he soon will discover Denduron is only the beginning of a nonstop mystery/action adventure through time and space. this book is amazing it starts off with a kiss with a gurl he has liked forever then he has no choice but to leave her behind and start his dangerous adventure through time and space. AN AMAZING STORY!!!

Robert "Bobby" Pendragon is the star of the local basketball team, the most popular kid in Stony Brook High, admired by the beautiful, spunky Courtney Chetwynde, best friend to computer whiz-kid Mark Dimond, brother to an annoying but supportive sister, and owner of Marley, the best dog a man could ask for. Bobby's got it all.

At least, until his enigmatic Uncle Press Tilton shows up at the night of the Big Game (capital "B" and "G"). Whisking Bobby away so that they can find "some people who need their help," Bobby quickly encounters a mysterious being known as Saint Dane, a man that can change to any form he pleases. After narrowly escaping certain death, Bobby is forced to dodge Quigs, evil creatures created by Saint Dane to guard the portals (called "flumes") to every other world in all of existence.

And now Bobby must enter this portal, beginning his long journey as a Traveler between Territories.

Bobby arrives on a medieval land called Denduron, where the advanced Bedoowan tribe enslaves the miners of the Milago tribe for their precious Glaze. Bloody war threatens to break out and destroy these two civilizations, obliterating the chance for harmony for eternity, and only Bobby can stop it. With nothing (and nobody) as it seems and far more than just Denduron at risk, Bobby and his friends have to learn to accept their differences and unite against Saint Dane for the first of many battles for Halla, all that ever is, was or shall be within existence.

But first, he needs a bathroom.

D.J. MacHale has created in his Pendragon Adventure not a world, but an entire universe chock-full of unique civilizations, cultures, geographies, histories, and individuals. The crux of the story is told in the first-person by Bobby, through a series of journals that he sends through time and space to his friend, Mark Dimond. Part of the story is also told in the third person through the eyes of Mark as he tries to make sense of the chaos happening around his friend, including the complete disappearance of every trace of Bobby's family's existence, while still keeping the mysterious journals a secret.

Machale does an excellent job in portraying the cascading emotions of a boy suddenly thrown into a responsibility no man could possibly handle. Bobby's frustrations, accomplishments, emotions and physical description all mature along with MacHale's story, making Pendragon (the book and the character) a major accomplishment in modern young adult literature, rivaling Harry Potter and His Dark Materials. MacHale ingeniously describes his worlds with fast-paced prose full of action, drama, and, yes, witty humor without over-describing Bobby's environments, making Pendragon a fast and easy read for almost any age above ten, creating a series of fantastic adventure that will be enjoyed by a wide audience for years to come.

The story was very interesting, and i looked forward to continuing when i would stop listening. The reader does very well in choosing the best voices for each character, and you can tell a lot of thought went into acting out each person. I like the take on different universes, and I am looking forward to the next book.

Pendragon the Merchant of Death

Ryan

Pendragon the Merchant of Death is about a boy named Bobby Pendragon. Then goes to an abandoned train station with his uncle. As they venture further in they have a shoot out with a Dane. Bobby found a portal and he went into an alternate universe.

Once in he sat in a cave and waited for his uncle. After his uncle came, they went into a village. They found out that a man named a Figgs and actually Dane and they fought but he got away so you would have to read the next book.

The main characters are, Mark, Bobby, Bobby's uncle, and Dane. Mark is Bobby's friend and Dane is the evil person in this book.

I thought it was a great book and I would like to get into the series. I don't think this is a book for everyone.

Bobby is a normal 14-year-old, concerned with everyday stuff like playing in a basketball tournament and kissing the girl he's had a crush on for years. Then his strange Uncle Press shows up to inform Bobby that they need to go somewhere to help some people. Bobby is a bit surprised, but trusts his uncle. Little does he know that the people they need to help are in another dimension. Bobby is somehow expected to help in the rebellion of an entire class of people on another planet, possibly in another time.

The concept of this book is a classic one--a young, unaware hero must rise to the task and come to the aid of people in need. Bobby is a fairly annoying hero, though. He is woefully unprepared for his task, which is strange since Uncle Press seems to know what will be expected of him. He is selfish and whiny, too. These are normal characteristics for a fourteen-year-old, but don't make for a great narrator of an adventure story.

I did like the fact that the girls in the story were incredibly strong and competent, but didn't think their strength had to be at the expense of the boys' strength and abilities.

Pendragon the Merchant of Death - By D.J MacHale

Pendragon the Merchant of Death is a good read for all interests. You never get bored. It's a fantastic journey about a boy named Bobby Pendragon who suddenly has to save another world. This story is mystery, action, comedy, and most other types of stories all put together. Bobby has no idea whats going on. He is attacked by huge quigs and strong knights wondering how things are back home. Most kids could relate to his thoughts about his situation. He starts with a regular life and all of a sudden his uncle comes over and tells Bobby to come with him. Bobby comes through a mysterious door to a new world called Denduron where he somehow has to help the Milago escape from the Bedoowan.

Like any other person in his shoes, he has no idea whats going on or what he's supposed to do. Bobby makes a few new friends and a few new foes as well. Most of the Milago have completly given up hope of being free. Bobbys' new friends Osa and Loor are the only people who can give him some answers, but it will take him a long time to understand it all.

This story has a few plot twists and you will most likely loosetrack of time while reading this book. Its not one of those books that defy the laws of nature even if in another world. I really do think highly of this book. Sometimes it gets a little predictable, but not in the way you would expect. You have an idea of what's going to happen but you don't know exactly when it will. From my opinion this book doesn't have many flaws. If you try to skim through it it will not make sence, but if your pacient you wont be disapointed!

The first book in the Pendragon series is about a boy named Bobby Pendragon and his uncle, Press Tilton traveling to and alternate dimension called Denduron to fight against a weapon too powerful to be held within the wrong hands. The book is very fast paced and medium length able to captivate any reader who is interested in fantasy or science fiction. I thought that the book was very cleverly written and was very creative. The story was unique, the names were unusual, and the setting was very original. I would personally recommend this particular toward any reader with significant interest in medieval-type storyboards or science fiction. In all cases, I would generally recommend this book specifically to those who are ten years oar older and hope they enjoy the book.

The popular Booby Pendragon is a normal kid until he his peculiar Uncle Press showed him a "flume" a portal that allows "travelers" to travel to different dimensions.

Of course there is no story without an evil villian, and that's where Saint Dane comes in. As you probably can guess Saint Dane wants to control all of "halla" which is everything that ever is, was, or will be.

The traveler's mission is to defeat Saint Dane, and all travelers have special powers. Travelers can only die when it was meant to be. Travelers heal extremely quickly. Every language spoken sounds like a traveler's costumary language. Saint Dane can transform into any creature he wishes.

This is the greatest series of books. It is well writen, very detailed, and most of all a great series of stories. Anyone who reads these books will become fans quickly, as the magic that D.J. Machale has written pull you into Pendragon.

First, in the interest of full disclosure, I am not a tween and the only reason I read this book is that it was free on the Kindle. Further, even though YA fiction is not something I typically read, I did very much enjoy the Potter books, the Narnia books, the Iron Cauldron books, etc. as an adult. In other words, I am able to appreciate a well-crafted novel targeted at a younger audience, but Death Merchant is a puff piece no matter who is reading it. On the other hand, I have little doubt that most 11 to 14 year-olds (boys and girls) will enjoy the universe and characters Mr. MacHale has created, thus the 3-star rating.

Parents can take heart in strong male and female characters, none-too-subtle themes of doing what is right instead of what is easy and that your child is reading a 300+ page novel that occasionally slips in a vocabulary word. Kids will appreciate that the framework Mr. MacHale has created allows for an unlimited number of adventures for Bobby and his cohorts. Sure, these adventures will be completely predictable, but so were The Three Investigators, and I loved those books.

** POSSIBLE SPOILER **

My inability to empathize with the fourteen year-old 1st person voice of the novel was not my biggest hangup with the book. Rather, MacHale employs an strange plot device in which the story is told along two timelines. Roughly a third of the chapters are in our here and now in which the protagonist's friends Mark and Courtney read about the adventure being had by our youthful hero, Bobby. The other two-thirds of the book are essentially Bobby's diary entries that have been sent to Mark and Courtney through a wormhole, and these two frames of reference alternate in a roughly Bobby's Diary...Bobby's Diary...Mark+Courtney discussing the diary fashion. While interesting at first, I quickly came to realize that because all of Bobby's narrative is told after-the-fact in journal entries, the reader need never worry about Bobby. Since he was able to write about this or that and send it to "Second Earth" for his friends to read, he obviously got out of whatever predicament he might have been in. So, all suspense removed from the plot, things got boring really quick. But I'm not 13.

H.G. Wells, H. Rider Haggard, Jules Verne, (some your see in the

Great Illustrated Classics genre) were kings of science fiction,

and I've got around to them but D.J. MacHale is the King carr-

ying the legends of the EARLY 1900's and 1800's.

1. The Merchant of Death

Bobby Pendragon: Loudmouth and charming boy in school, 14, is a-

bout to embark on a journey to territory Denduron to stop a civ-

il war, but it is boring as... well, it's boring at the first

30 pages but it paces up like a hot rod motorcycle. On the way,

Bobby and Uncle Press meet Saint Dane, the villian that wants s-

uperior ruling.

See YA!

The Lost City of Faar

The Never War

The Reality Bug

Black Water

The Rivers of Zaadaa

and The Quillan Games

The book, Pendragon, "The Merchant of Death",is an excellant book. It starts of with Bobby Pendragon, kissing a girl called Cortney, who showed up out of nowhere and told booby she had feelings for him.This was cool for Bobby considering the fact that Cortney was the best looking girl in Bobby's school. However while Bobby is kissin Cortney he takes the chance of opening his eyes to see his Uncle, Press standing about three feet away from him. After the embarrising encounter from Uncle Press, Bobby get's sent to a mythical place called, "Denduron", where there are huge monsters called, "QUIGS".
THIS BOOK IS SO AWESOME THAT YOU WILL HAVE YOUR EYES GLUED TO THE PAGES AT NIGHT, WHILE YOUR IN YOUR BED READING

Initially I thought and thought and thought some more about reading the pendragon series. After reading Harry Potter and becoming an avid fan of it I didn't want to spoil it with another series. So I pondered for about a month wondering whether I should buy the merchant of death or not and I finally gave in and bought it. Now the entire series is on my list of favorite books ever read... No kidding!! I have read all five books since about a month ago when I got the first one. I literally couldn't put these books down and I thought about them everywhere I went. I couldn't get them out of my head and now I can't wait until "The Guide to the Territories of Halla" is released in May of 2005. It will be a fully illustrated recap of the first five books before the rest of the series is completed. Speaking of which there are ten books in all. So for those who have read the books I say to you, "Hobey-Ho and away we go on another five book adventure!" I can't wait to read Bobby's Journals once again. My point is... Um... GET THE BOOKS!!!! And READ THEM!!!! They are the greatest. As for D.J. Machale... I've actually liked this guy for longer than I originally thought... I used to watch "Are You Afraid of the Dark" on Nickelodeon as a kid and I'd never miss an episode and to find out he was a writer on the show well that surprised the heck out of me. This guy has never ceased to entertain me as it goes. D.J. If you are reading this "Hobey-Ho Mate... You're Awesome!!!" "And so we go..."

Bobby Pendragon...a fourteen year-old boy with a normal life untill his uncle takes him away to a territory called Denduron. Press tells him he is a "traveler" and he must save Denduron from a terrible fate. But why him? He's fourteen. He doesn't even live on Denduron. Why should he help? If you would like to know, read the book! I would strongly recommend it. The action almost never stops, and Bobby is almost always in a life-threatening position. If you want to be in another state of mind and read through a book in one day, this book is for you. I give it a perfect five stars. I usually believe that a five star book is impossible, because no book can be perfect. This book isn't, but a measly four stars isn't enough! READ IT!!!!!!

Not a very fascinating book. There were few moments that kept me listening (audio book) but not too many.
What I liked were the girls - both strong characters with spirit and able to defend themselves and others if needed.
Bobby is a weakling and he keeps on reminding us about it all the time. I actually liked the bad guy more than little Bobby. I guess it's because he's way smarter than that kid. Seriosly in some moments I wanted to scream: "you idiot! it's so obvious".

Bobby Pendragon...a fourteen year-old boy with a normal life untill his uncle takes him away to a territory called Denduron. Press tells him he is a "traveler" and he must save Denduron from a terrible fate. But why him? He's fourteen. He doesn't even live on Denduron. Why should he help? If you would like to know, read the book! I would strongly recommend it. The action almost never stops, and Bobby is almost always in a life-threatening position. If you want to be in another state of mind and read through a book in one day, this book is for you. I give it a perfect five stars. I usually believe that a five star book is impossible, because no book can be perfect. This book isn't, but a measly four stars isn't enough! READ IT!!!!!!

Not a very fascinating book. There were few moments that kept me listening (audio book) but not too many.
What I liked were the girls - both strong characters with spirit and able to defend themselves and others if needed.
Bobby is a weakling and he keeps on reminding us about it all the time. I actually liked the bad guy more than little Bobby. I guess it's because he's way smarter than that kid. Seriosly in some moments I wanted to scream: "you idiot! it's so obvious".

Imagine this: One normal Friday afternoon you're at home going about your routine business. You feed your dog, watch TV, and maybe even do some homework. All of these things seem fairly normal, right? An average Friday afternoon...until unexpectedly your Uncle Shows up and tells you that you must come with him, travel through time and space to a war torn medieval world, and lead a revolution to free an oppressed people. Right, an "average" Friday afternoon. This is exactly what happens to Bobby Pendragon in the bestselling book Pendragon: the Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale. This exciting novel is the story about how an average 14 year old boy is tossed into the middle of a war, and is told he must save the world.

The characters in a novel are really what the story revolves around, and so they play a huge part in the book. This novel overall had well developed characters. First and foremost is the main character and protagonist, Bobby Pendragon. When Bobby was first introduced it was very clear the he was going to be the main focus of the book. In addition to his last name being the title of the book, he was described both physically and mentally. The first few chapters established who Bobby was and the setting of where he lives. Bobby is described as a 14 year old boy, medium height, gray eyes, brown hair, and athletic. The second character who so far has played a dynamic role is Mark Dimond, Bobby's best friend. Mark is nearly the complete opposite of Bobby. He is book smart, shy, and a little bit dorky. The third most important character yet is Bobby's Mysterious Uncle Press. He is described as a tall, built, man with short brown hair. Descriptions of characters personalities or traits so far have been

pretty blunt. For example, one sentence used in the describing of Uncle Press is, "Every once in awhile he'd show up, out of the blue, and do something amazing like take me flying in a private plane."(P.3).The fourth character that plays an avid role so far is Courtney Chetwynde. She plays a conflicting role with Bobby. It is evident early on that Bobby and Courtney are likely to become more than friends. So far, there have also been a few static characters that play minor roles and have never truly been described. An example is Bobby's parents. Also, all of the characters so far have remained consistent with their descriptions and have stayed in character.

To the reader, the setting is one of the more crucial aspects of a book that helps to establish a more developed connection to the text. There are two major setting points in this novel. One of which is a small town called Stony Brooks, which is on Earth. The other is a medieval fantasy world called Denduron. It's safe to say that the author spent much more time developing the world of Denduron, than the small town of Stony Brooks, as evidence by the descriptions of each. The town is said to be a small, peaceful place, whereas Denduron is a war torn medieval world covered in forests and mountains. The book takes awhile to truly establish the setting, but once established it's enticing. Another important aspect of the book is the plot. This is truly where the book excels. The story is about how Bobby Pendragon is transported through time and space to a medieval world that is in the middle of a war. Bobby is told he must lead a revolution to free an oppressed people. It took some time to fully develop, but after a few chapters the story takes off!

Dialogue is another aspect of a book that helps to maintain interest. The dialogue of the characters in this novel is fairly mediocre, and at times, even childish. While the dialogue does its job
of getting the story across, it fails to establish a deep connection with the characters and their setting or place in the novel. At certain points in the novel, the basic dialogue does provide some amount of
3
feeling or understanding, but it's certainly not where this book excels. For example, Bobby Pendragon
says the quote, "I was standing on a mountain!"(P. 45). While there is no arguing that the setting and some imagery is established, it fails to provide a more complete understanding of what is actually happening.
Conflict is an area that can either make or break a great novel; it is the draw that keeps the reader interested. Without sufficient levels of conflict, a novel will fail. Conflict in this book started off with an initial bang, and then stayed somewhat constant until the climax of the book. The initial external conflict happens when Bobby Pendragon is torn out of his familiar, normal world and tossed into an unfamiliar land of fantasy. At first, Bobby has a hard time accepting his situation. He feels he doesn't belong in this place, and people don't accept him because he is an outsider. Soon thereafter, there are a number of inciting incidents between the protagonist and the antagonist. These situations are what keeps the conflict flowing. Following these incidents is the climax. The climax of this book happens when Bobby has to make a decision that will either save the world he was destined to help or ultimately fail and in turn destroy his own world.

The theme of a novel is the universal life lesson or thought that can be taken from the text; it's the overall lesson presented. While reading Pendragon: the Merchant of Death, there are two themes that are very evident to the reader. The first obvious theme is that's the way it was meant to be. This theme is by far the more prevalent of the two. This theme is almost overused, but at the same time it is used appropriately. It's used after nearly every incident of conflict. For example, this theme comes up in one of the last scenes of character interaction in the book. Bobby says, "...and don't tell me that's the way it was meant to be. I don't want to hear that again."(p. 367). Whether or not some of the characters believe in this theme, it is an active part of the novel. The second major theme is always do your best. While this theme is not directly stated very often, it is implied in almost every chapter. It's safe to say

that this theme played a major role in the story. The characters were thrown into dynamic situations numerous times that required them to give all they had in order to be successful. If it was not for them trying their best, they would have failed.
Overall, this novel had a lot to offer. It had a great plot, well developed characters, and great conflict. It's exciting plot and scenes of action keep you hungry for more. This book would be a good novel for anyone looking for a solid, yet casual read, with easy to follow dialogue. More specifically, this novel would be great for any students in the middle school age group, because of the style of writing.

Works Cited

MacHale, D.J. Pendragon the Merchant of Death. New York, N.Y: Aladdin, 2002. Print.

"Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia." Goodreads. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. [...].

I thought this book was great especially how the author (D.J. MacHale) makes great visializations. This book had my attention from the very beginning. Pendragon or Bobby is an ordinary boy who gets sucked into this altenate deminsion by his uncle who needs him to save this world. Bobby is like a normal kid good at sports, friends and homework. Till one day his uncle comes to his house and asks him to help him so Bobby is like ok fine (what he doesn't know is that the truth is too much.) So he gets sucked into a midevil demension were two tribes are at the brink of war. That is were Saint Dane comes in he is a traveler like Bobby and his Uncle Press except Saint D. is the evil one. He is pushing this war secretly and know one knows. So basically Bobby has to stop the war with his friends Loor and Alder (both travelers) help him while Uncle Press is locked up by one of the Bedoowan tribe (the bad tribe.) My favorite part in the book is when the tak mine explodes beacause it gives so much detail it basically is sitting in front of your face. I thought this book was great and the second one is going good so far.

This book, about Bobby Pendragon is a fast~paced, action filled, absolutely thrilling book. It will captivate you so fast you just have to finish it on the spot. Anyone who loves books such as "Children of the Lamp" and "Tale of Desperoux" will never be able to put it down. It's also just one of those books that you enjoy to come back to over, and over again. If everyone would at least TRY to read it then eveyone would be contented. MacHale did a wonderful job of vividly pasting scene after scene of the book in your mind. This book is absolutely, positively a certain must~read.

In this book of epic adventure, trust, and friendship, a regular boy about 12 years old is going to save the world. Just tring to live a normal life, Bobby gets sucked into a stange world with his crazy uncle, he battles mean knights, crazy bears, and a greedy king. I thought DJ MacHale,s main message was be brave. At many points in the book, Bobby was very scared but faced his fear and completed his crazy quest. I really enjoyed this book because of its exciting action and deep thinking. I think you would enjoy it too.

Matt

One of the greatest kids/teen adventure stories of all time! If your younger child is an advanced reader, this is the way to go. Teen style action and plot with themes and language suitable for most kids. (Yes, there are a few cuss words, but I promise your kid has heard them before.) All in all a great read for kids and adults alike.

In this book of epic adventure, trust, and friendship, a regular boy about 12 years old is going to save the world. Just tring to live a normal life, Bobby gets sucked into a stange world with his crazy uncle, he battles mean knights, crazy bears, and a greedy king. I thought DJ MacHale,s main message was be brave. At many points in the book, Bobby was very scared but faced his fear and completed his crazy quest. I really enjoyed this book because of its exciting action and deep thinking. I think you would enjoy it too.

Matt

Pendragon is one of my favorite book series of all time. I picked it up, not expecting much, and honestly, the only reason I bought it was because it was one of those 2.99 deals that they have in Borders. And when I see those I feel compelled by to buy them. But as I read, I just fell more in love with the characters, and the writing style. Mr. Machale presents such an amazing plot, while still keeping with the cultural lingo that kids speak today. He's funny, and resourceful, and each new book gets better and better. I can't say I've ever got anything better for 2.99 then pendragon. It costs me three dollars, but I've read it enough times that it would have been worth paying so much more for. Since then I've recruited my brother, and many of my friends into reading them. Trust me, they will be worth your time.

Pendragon:Merchant of Death

By D.J. McHale

Reviewed By:Andy Tang

Period 1

Bobby Pendragon, a young boy, is the star at Stony Brooks Middle School. He is a smart, atheltic man, who's life is at his peak when he gets kissed by the girl of his dreams, Courtney Chewtynde. But, at that same moment, his Uncle Press comes and changes everything. He finds out that he is a "traveler," and travelers are very important. They supposedly are supposed to save the 9 different universes. Bobby meets this warrior girl named Loor, who is also a traveler, from the universe Zadaa. They are both in another universe called Denduron and Bobby finds out that in Denduron, the Milago being kept as slaves to the Bedoowan. Bobby must save them. He writes journals about his adventures back to his best friend Mark, and Courtney, who also help him in return. The Milago end up making a huge bomb, that not only destroys the Bedoowan Castle, but the Milago village as well. The two races decide to band together and try to help each other. Uncle Press, Bobby, and all the other travelers were the reason why the Milago and the Bedoowan got along in the end.

I liked the book, because I, personally, like the idea of being able to travel and save all these different universes. It would be exciting to be able to save the world and be able to make a difference. But, what I also liked about the book, was that the author, D.J. McHale, did a really good job of describing Denduron to us, and how Loor, Uncle Press, Bobby, and all the other characters looked like. He did a good job of not painting out the picture plainly, but instead he gave just the right amount of description, so that I can still imagine the characters and places myself.

My favorite part of the book was the ending part. The ending was one of the best endings ever. It ended with Bobby setting off the bomb and destorying everything in sight. After that,the Milago and Bedoowan leaders came and they decided to try and work together. I really like the idea of coming together and trying to work as one. I thought that it was really cool how one society who had hated the other society for so long, could have possibly even stood in the same room together. But, the Milago put aside their anger, and the Bedoowan apologized sincerely, so that they could come to build a new era between each other. Without a doubt, that was my favorite part of the book.

I borrowed the "merchant of Death" from a friend. I was a tad skeptical and was slow to getting around to reading it. I was amazed it had a lot of depth behind a basic plot. D.J. MacHale developed an amazing universe that has readers on their toes and draws them in with each word. The plot is so good with twists around every corner. There is always little mysteries of traveler life bobby (and i)are trying to figure out. I disagree that the age is 9-12 however. Bobby is easy to relate to as well (not that i am a traveler hoping through time and space.) I am now eagerly devouring the next book. I cant put it down!!