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The 39 Clues Book 3: The Sword Thief Review

Proceed with caution if you have not read book #1, The Maze of Bones, and book #2, One False Note, as this book begins just where the last book ended. I mean, you could have put the 2 books together and thought you were just flipping the pages between chapters. And, I will warn you again - do NOT start this series if you don't plan on buying all of the other books in the series as it is highly addictive! The series just keeps getting more action packed and more exciting as I learn more about the characters and what the clues lead to. I did not feel that this book was as strong in historical content as the previous two so I kind of missed learning about Japan & Korea through the eyes of the characters, however, from what little bit the author included, I can tell that the characters would agree with a lot of my descriptions of Tokyo, as I have had the good fortune to travel there twice so far. It was fun to learn a little bit more about ancient samurais and feudal Asia, though.

The characters are separated more in this book and there are a lot of other characters including Alistair Oh and Ian Kabra who play vital roles in moving the plot along so the author jumps around a lot on his points of view. You will read one chapter from Dan's POV, then jump to Amy, then Ian, then Alistair, then Alistair's uncle, etc. All of this helps move the plot along, but does make it a little bit more difficult to follow for younger readers and takes a little bit of the surprise out of discovering their motives as they simply tell you what is going on in their heads. I loved that some of the "villains" started to show some heart in this entry in the series. Ian starts doubting the Lucian way, which is to achieve your objective at all costs - including the cost of lives. Alistair feels guilty for trying to kill Amy & Dan and double crossing them in previous meetings as he finds they remind him more and more of his own loveless childhood. It seems that Amy & Dan have finally found some relatives who believe in them and want to help them succeed. This sets you up for a whopping shocker of an ending so brace yourself and make sure you have book #4 handy!

I think that boys in particular will enjoy this book as it is all about ancient warriors in feudal Japan and Korea. What boy doesn't like swords and dream of having the moves and stealth of a ninja? I also think it is great that the authors are going to take the characters around the world and not just focus on Europe. It opens up a little bit of a window to young readers about areas and people that they may not consider reading about until they are older. Through Peter Lerangis' clear and concise writing style, we find the plot rapidly moving forward and foreshadowing into what I believe will gradually happen throughout the rest of the books in the series. As with previous books, this title comes with a pack of 6 cards that you can use to play games and collect clues online. An installment not to be missed!

The 39 Clues Book 3: The Sword Thief Feature

ISBN13: 9780545060431
Condition: New
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The 39 Clues Book 3: The Sword Thief Overview

ATTENTION! Amy and Dan Cahill have been located once again, this time in the company of the notoriously unreliable Alistair Oh. Could they have been foolish enough to make an alliance?

Spies report that Amy and Dan seem to be tracking the life of one of the most powerful fighters the world has ever known. If this fearsome warrior was a Cahill, his secrets are sure to be well-guarded . . . and the price to uncover them just might be lethal.

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Customer Reviews

Perfect for a young reader - Lady Wynter - Chicago, Illinois
I know other reviewers have given this series a very low rating. They could be written better but you have to remember the age group that these are written for. I think the series is a great buy since it does get my daughter to read.

Alliances made and broken - Chris - Bountiful, UT United States
As the third book in the 39 Clues series, this book picked up where the last ones had left off both in terms of plot/story and in terms of expectations.

Another new author took over this time and did a great job of continuing the adventure in Japan and Korea. With the various details included, I wonder if part of the choice of author is based on his/her knowledge of the proposed setting for the book. In this book, we're given a fair amount of good details about the Japanese landscape, cityscape, culture and society.

The way the plot was handled in this book was interesting to me and more believable in terms of the globetrotting done by the kids. In book 2, they were essentially on their own (along with their au pair) racing around Europe. In book 3, they hesitantly take on first one alliance and then a second alliance with fellow clue seekers who help the kids maneuver through various countries.

The alliance aspect helped with the believability of travel but stretched a little thin in terms of the interactions with the temporary allies. The first alliance felt generally logical and believable especially with the subtle and enigmatic character development given during the story (I'm still not sure what to make of the guy...he generally seems "good" and like he cares about the kids, but at the same time, he seems brutal and frightening). The alliance that came a little later was less believable when considering the general character traits of the new allies. It seemed to me that they would have dropped the kids by the side of the road and stolen the kids' ally. Still, it played out well. The one character I was left a little confused about was Irina...what exactly was her initial role in the airport and with regards to those who took Amy and Dan's tickets? If she was involved in the ticket theft, why did she stay out of the picture further on in the book. I was a little confused as to where she was and why she never turned up again.

I really enjoyed the twists and turns and especially the new revelations that came. The story continues to be intriguing. The reading is quick and simple (to be expected as a children's book) but is still a lot of fun.

****
3.5 stars out of 5

very entertaining - Carol Reyes -
I started reading the series because I had nothing else to read, and because the first book of the series was written by Rick Riordan (a favourite). I found them very entertaining.

Engaging book - Neldam - Long Beach, NY United States
My son hasn't read a book this fast .....ever ! I can only summize that it is most engaging.

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Wednesday, September 8, 2010