The Merchant of Death (Pendragon Series #1)

Author: D.J. MacHale

Publication: New York : Aladdin Paperbacks

Publication Date: 2002


ISBN: 0743437314

Pages: 375

Summary: Bobby Pendragon likes his life. He has a loving family and a dog. He's a star on his school's basketball team and he just kissed the most popular girl in school. His whole world is turned upside-down though, when his Uncle Press shows up and says they need to go help some people. Suddenly his life consists of flying through flumes, running from ferocious creatures called quigs, and battling the evil Saint Dane. Bobby discovers he is a Traveller and that it is his job to help the Milago defeat the Bedoowan, who have been treating them like slaves for centuries. All Bobby wants to do is go home, but when he learns that there is much more than just the fate of a village at stake, it will take all his courage and intelligence to complete his mission.

Major Characters: Bobby Pendragon, Uncle Press, Loor (another Traveller), Mark (Bobby's best friend), Courtney (a girl from school)

Comments: I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. Many of the elements seemed unoriginal and it seemed to be targeted at pre-teens, but the book was a literal non-stop adventure. MacHale took a lot of the fantasy clichés and repackaged them so that they seemed fresh. It was neat that Bobby could still communicate with his friends on Earth when he was off in some other world. I loved the way Bobby wrote, too. It seemed like I was really reading a letter written by a 14-year-old. I recommend this book for sci-fi and fantasy fans of all ages, especially boys.

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Rating: 5/5

Age Level: 10+

CSI : Crime Scence Investigation : Secret Identity

Authors: Steven Grant, Gabriel Rodriguez, Steven Perkins

Publication: San Diego, CA : IDW Publishing

Pulication Date: 2005

ISBN: 1933239403

Pages: 122

Summary: When a tourist is found dead in a seedy motel, the CSI team is led to investigate his connection to a corpse they found at the site of an imploded casino. The case gets strange when the corpse turns out to be a man who is already dead and buried. The team must use a combination of science and creativity to solve the mystery.

Major Characters: Gil Grissom, Katherine Willows, Sarah Sidle, Warrick Brown, Nick Stokes

Comments: I found this book to be very entertaining. The full-colour panels were eye-catching and the drawings looked very much like their real-life models. The dialogue was also very well done. The writers did a great job of capturing the characters' personalities, and so they talk like they do on television. The only knock I would give to the book is that sometimes it is hard to follow the story. When there are flashbacks, or when the team is trying to imagine a sequence of events, the panels become distorted, and it is difficult to make out details. Still, fans of the tv show will love this book.

Genre: Sci-fi/Mystery (graphic novel format)

Age Level: 15+

Rating: 4/5

Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography

Author: Chester Brown

Publication: Montreal: Drawn & Quarterly Publications

Publication Date: 2003

ISBN: 1896597637

Pages: 272

Summary: This graphic novel recounts the tale of Louis Riel, a Métis from Manitoba who led a rebellion against the Canadian government in the 1800s. Seen as a hero by the French, and as a traitor by the English because of his efforts to secure land rights for the Métis, Riel is one of Canada's most intriguing characters.

Major Characters: Louis Riel, Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, Gabriel Dumont, Doc Schultz

Comments: I think this book is a great way to introduce teens to an important event in Canadian history. The dialogue and illustrations are simple, yet entertaining, and the plot moves along at a fast pace. Even though Brown paints a sympathetic picture of Riel, he includes a bibliography that will guide readers towards writers with other points of view. It quickly becomes clear that Brown has done his research, and it has resulted in a great graphic novel.

Genre: Historical Biography (Graphic Novel format)

Age Level: 15+

Rating: 4/5