The Merchant of Death: Pendragon Graphic Novel (Pendragon (Quality))
Grade 5 Up–An award-winning comics creator has adapted the first in D. J. MacHale's popular series (S & S). The Pendragon books take the elements of the classic hero and his journey (the orphaned young man with a great destiny, the mentor, the call to adventure, etc.) and mix in sci-fi, fantasy, and plenty of action to create a compelling story. This adaptation moves along at a brisk pace, establishing the characters and situations and then playing them out to their (literally) explosive conclusion, but not without first setting up the next volume in the series. The black-and-white illustrations do a capable job of presenting the events, although both story and image lack the spark that would elevate them above similar tales. Still, Pendragon fans and lovers of action comics will certainly be drawn to this title.–Douglas P. Davey, Halton Hills Public Library, Ontario, CanadaCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.