Pendragon: the Lost City of Faar

by D.J. MacHale
personal copy paperback 386 pages
genre: YA fantasy adventure

Like: Cloral, Spader, Faar, reading it rather than listening to it as an audiobook
Dislike: ponderous storytelling style, Mark being a wuss about Andy Mitchell the bully and not telling Courtney about the problems with him and the journals until the end, the author's use of outdated slang terms . . .

I don't think I'll continue with this series. I just don't enjoy his writing style (especially compared with Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series which are super-quick and engaging reads).

The Merchant of Death: Pendragon #1

by D.J. MacHale
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 discs
read by William Dufris
genre: YA fantasy adventure

This is one of those books that I am extremely confident I would have enjoyed better in a print version. Dufis' vocal work made the kid characters sound like clueless idiots. Judging by how much readers enjoy this (including Louie and Alex) and the contrast with my irritation listening to it, the challenge here is in the listening experience. I'll have to read #2 in print up at the lake and see.

Bobby Pendragon learns he is a "traveler" when his uncle whisks him away to Denduron. Without really having much of anything explained to him, he must help save a planet and the entire universe. Eh. We'll see. . . .