The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

Book 1: The Maze of Bones

by Rick Riordan

It’s no secret that I enjoy young adult books a little too much. For th most part there is a minimum of romance drama or sex that can drive a story down. As I have said before and probably will continue to say until I have no breath left I love Rick Riordan. All of his YA books are fun, fast and expect the reader to have a good vocabulary. There is no annoying attempt at slang or kiddie language that changes by the week. That said I found a new Rick Riordan book that I read cover to cover when I should have been sleeping.

The Maze of Bones is not just a book. It’s a game, too. Like dungeons and dragons was a book series with a matching game component. Only this time there are prizes to win, which because the state decides its workers shouldn't view a lot of really good sites, I don’t have access to and cant tell you what they are. I will be trying later this week to log on at the library so I can try the game myself. Back to the book.

He first book in The 39 Clues series is about the brother sister orphans of Amy and Dan Cahill, who upon the death of their grandmother find that they are part of a long and gloried family with links to most of the major names in history. Their task is to find the thirty-nine clues left around the world and figure out the family secret, which will not only save the family but also, [drum roll!] the WORLD! But the have to fight not only themselves but not so nice family members who see them as a threat.

I read this book in one night and then reread it again this morning at work when I should have been doing something else. What can I say? Its fun. Its fast. Its funny. I loved it. Unfortunately, the whole series will not be written by Riordan so it will be a toss-up if I enjoy each book as much as I enjoyed the first. Oh well.

If I didn’t have to return it to the library I would have given it to one of my nephews for Christmas to see what they thought. Instead I will have to ask for reader feedback.

Did you read the book? What did you think? Hard questions, I know.

Editorial Reviews
From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review.

Built around a ripe conceit—wealthy matriarch scatters cryptic clues to a mysterious fortune around the globe—this first installment in a projected 10-book series is tons of fun. Lead-off hitter Riordan (The Lightning Thief) mixes just the right proportions of suspense, peril and puzzles in a fast-paced read (Riordan mapped the narrative arc for all 10 volumes, but other high-profile authors will be writing for the series, too). Likable orphans Amy and Dan Cahill have moxie (plus Dan can memorize numbers instantly) and frailties (Amy hates crowds). As the siblings compete with less honorable members of the Cahill clan, all distantly related to Benjamin Franklin, to win the fortune by collecting all 39 clues (only two are found in this first book), they learn about their dead parents, each other and world history. The humor is spot on—one uncle is credited with inventing the microwave burrito. The only flaw? The story does not end so much as drop off a cliff. (The second book, One False Note by Gordon Korman, is set to arrive in December.) While waiting, readers can collect cards, each of which contains evidence, and play the online game (www.the39clues.com), for which Scholastic is offering over $100,000 in prizes. This ought to have as much appeal to parents as it does to kids—it's Webkinz without the stuffed animals, and a rollicking good read. Ages 9–12. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.