Pendragon 10: The Soldiers of Halla

By D.J. MacHale

It has all been leading to this. Every victory. Every loss. All the thrills and sadness; the hope and despair. Bobby Pendragon’s heart-pounding journey through time and space has brought him to this epic moment. He and his fellow Travelers must join forces for one last desperate battle against Saint Dane. At stake is not only the tenth and final territory, but all that ever was or will be. Everywhere.

This is the war for Halla.

Every question is answered. Every truth is revealed.

The final battle has begun.



I finally know it all. The mystery of the travelers, and the secrets of the universe that is the Pendgragon books. I was surprised to find that you find out pretty much everything within the first 60 pages or so. You know everything, except how it will all turn out. And I also admit, I’m still slightly confused at the mechanics of the ending (Which was happy). Wow. Longest series I’ve ever read; interesting, but not good enough to own in my opinion. If you find it in the library and like world-hopping adventures, go ahead and read Bobby’s journals. All in all, I give it a 6/10.

Pendragon 9: Raven Rise

By D.J. MacHale

This is where it begins. The showdown for Halla. At stake is nothing less than all that ever was and all that will be.

There's only one thing missing--Bobby Pendragon.

While Bobby remains trapped on Ibara, the battle moves to his home territory: Second Earth. Mark Dimond and Courtney Chetwynde are left on their own to defend Second Earth against the forces of Saint Dane. They must face off against a charismatic cult leader who has risen to power by revealing a shattering truth to the people of Earth: They are not alone.

The Convergence has broken down the walls. The territories are on a collision course. The final phase of Saint Dane's quest to rule Halla is under way.

And Bobby Pendragon is nowhere to be found.



It’s all coming to a head…finally. This book takes place on second earth and is surprisingly dark. Everything is falling apart for Bobby and the other travelers. But finally, finally we get some answers. I admit, I’ve gotten so attached to the characters, Bobby especially that at the end of this book I got a little teary. This is the penultimate Pendragon, the beginning of the end. Last book here I come!

Pendragon 8: The Pilgrims of Rayne

By D.J. MacHale

When Bobby Pendragon first arrives on the tropical world of Ibara, he finds paradise. As he works to uncover clues about the turning point this seemingly idyllic territory will soon face, all he can determine is that the people of Ibara are blissfully happy. It's not long before Bobby discovers, however, that they are also blissfully...oblivious.
The leaders of Ibara are keeping a devastating secret from their people, one that gives Saint Dane all the opportunity he needs to launch his final assault on Halla.
While Bobby struggles to learn the truth in time to thwart Saint Dane, Courtney Chetwynde desperately searches for Mark Diamond. On the heels of a shocking tragedy, Mark has disappeared. Worse, he seems to be under Saint Dane's influence. It's up to Courtney to find Mark and stop him from making a grave mistake that could change the future of all existence.

This book was by far the most frusterating to read of all the books so far. I was so incredibly mad at Bobby that with only 60 pages left I just had to put it away. I was thinking in my head, "ha! This'll show you, I just won't read about it!" That lasted about half a day until I was able to calm down enough to finish it. I honestly haven't gotten that worked up over fiction in a long while. I got to the point where I looked forward to getting away from Bobby's journals to read about what Courtney was doing to find the missing Mark. Bobby was just ticking me off. It was one of those instances where I was yelling at him in my head, "No you doofus! That's the completely wrong thing to do!" At least the book is going somewhere. I hope. Gah!

Pendragon 7: The Quillan Games

By D.J. MacHale

There are a lot of words that describe Quillan. Amusement park…fantasy land…fun house…nightmare. This is a territory that revolves around games. All kinds of games.
The pawns in the games are the people of Quillan. The games they play range from simple physical battles with cross-staves to speed-vehicle races over impossible obstacle courses to computer-driven fantasy games where the players are thrown into virtual reality worlds full of peril and excitement. For the poor players, you either win or you die.
This is the chaos that Bobby finds on Quillan. But Bobby also discovers another aspect of being Lead Traveler that puts him in mortal danger here: he can't kill. It's physically impossible. So Bobby must find another way to win or he won't survive.

Quillan is officially the freakiest place on earth....I mean Halla. It was just insane to read about this place. I swear that D.J. MacHale tries to come up with more and more twisted places as this series plays out. This whole story felt like Bobby was being strung along. I do admit though, it was quite funny (sort of) when Bobby has to stay in this clown room and practically yells in refusal. He classifies people like this: There are those that think clowns are freaky and...clowns. I thought it was hilarious because I myself hate clowns and they creep me out. I love how while all the horrible stuff is happening to Bobby, he finds these mundane little things to over-react about to ground himself. It's very...human. Let's just say the battle on Quillan was depressing, and while finding more answers about the travelers, all it does is provide more questions along with them. Touche MacHale. Touche.

Pendragon 6: The Rivers of Zadaa

By D.J. MacHale

The fight has moved to Zadaa, the home territory of Loor, the Ghee warrior and traveler that helped Bobby to stop Saint Dane on Denduron. Tension has reached ultimate levels on Zadaa between the warrior Batu tribe and the intelectual Rokadors; the fight stems from water. From all points of view it seems like the Rokador, who have controlled the flow of the underground rivers of Zadaa for centuries, are withholding the water from the Batu. The Batu are in a famine because of it, and ready to attack their once alies the Rokador. It's the first simple and straightforward plot Saint Dane has thrown at Bobby, or is it?

As the fight continues Bobby begins to see that he is changing. He's not the carefree kid he once was. Bobby is finding that the travelers themselves are far from ordinary in more ways than one. And in one desperate act Bobby finds that the travelers have an extraordinary power...the power of life and death.

Loor is a pretty cool character. And this is the book where it's her show. The desert planet of Zadaa is a savage place, except for Loor's home of Xhaxhu (don't ask me how to pronounce it!). This book you really see Bobby grow up a lot. In fact, it started in the last book, but the fight on Zadaa really shows how much he's changed. He learns how to fight after Saint Dane beats the crap out of him, and he really is starting to get the hang of being the lead traveler. But so many questions arise in this book. Who are the travelers really? Why can only they travel to different territories using the flumes? Don't ask me, I'm still waiting to figure it out...which is why I am still reading and hooked on every word. This just gets more and more entertaining as it builds to the ultimate climax. 10 books for 10 territories. I just hope I can make it until I finally figure out all the answers!

Pendragon 5: Black Water

By D.J. MacHale

Where is Gunny? That is the question Bobby asks as he travels to Eelong, the next territory on Saint Dane's list. What he finds is Paradise. Really. A lush beautiful jungle. But, like most cases Bobby has faced so far, this place is far from Paradise. Beautiful, yes, but also deadly. And worse...the inhabitants of Eelong are very different. Bobby is horrified to find that the humans of this planet are treated like dumb animals; in fact they are dumb animals. Bobby is the only intellegent human on Eelong, and Eelong's only hope. Will the locals ever listen to what they consider a stupid animal? Will Bobby ever find Gunny?

Eelong was the first territory where I got sick when I read what was happening. A bit surreal of a situation with the fantastical inhabitants (which I won't reveal exactly who they are). It was the first time that even I started to question if Bobby was cut out for this and if he would make it. And his friends, Mark and Courtney, they play a huge role in this one. It was, as usual, action packed and clipped along. Saint Dane is getting stronger, and Bobby is full of doubts. I admit, I'm getting anxious to see exactly where everything is leading, and find out about the mystifying and slightly annoying hints that Saint Dane drops whenever he and Bobby have a conversation. I'm sure Bobby feels the same way! If you haven't started reading these books and you enjoy fantasy/science fiction you should give them a try. As Spader would say, Hobey-ho lets go!

Pendragon 4: The Reality Bug

By D.J. MacHale

Veelox. A territory far more advanced than any society Bobby has ever seen...including the future of second earth, the present time for Bobby. It's a place that has reached paradisical harmony, or so says Aja Killian, the traveler from Veelox. What Bobby discovers is something far from paradise. He finds a society on the brink of crumbling into non-existance, and Saint Dane has bragged that Veelox is already his and there is nothing Bobby or Aja can do to save it. But Aja has a plan to save her planet, and it's called The Reality Bug. Will Aja's plan work, or has Bobby and the traveler's luck finally run out? And what has happened to Gunny, who followed Saint Dane to a territory called Eelong? He was supposed to come right back, but has yet to return...

Okay, now the series is getting completely heavy. Bobby faces a challenge different from anything he's faced so far. There is no war to fight, at least not a physical one. This one's all in his head...literally. The machine that was invented on Veelox called Lifelight has taken each of the citizens of Veelox into their own perfect existance, a place that only resides in their minds, a place so real that no one wants to leave. This book had the biggest feel of science fiction to it, and was kinda disturbing in the ideas it portrayed about people. It was crazy good though and left me wanting, as usual, more more more! If I wasn't interested before, I am now stuck for good with Bobby and the travelers in the battle for Halla.

Pendragon 3: The Never War

By D.J. MacHale

Bobby and Spader have now followed Saint Dane to First Earth-the past. 1937 to be exact. Bobby and Spader soon are swooped up in the gang wars of 1937 New York, and right in the middle of a turf war between the two top honchos. They meet Vincent "Gunny" Van Dyke, the traveler from First Earth, and go undercover as bellhops at the Manhatten Tower Hotel where Gunny works. It's action packed and full of unexpected twists. And where has Saint Dane gone to? He could be anyone, and while Bobby tries to take the lead he has to deal with Spader's quest for revenge. Will they stop the catastrophe in time, or is there something even more important and sinester going on? Find out in Pendragon 3: The Never War!

This book was interesting, because unlike the previous two books in the series, it happens in an actual place. Also, unlike the other books, you start to see that this series doesn't follow a set plot line. There are lots of things that happen that surprised me and made me feel like this series had a depth to it that I hadn't before felt. Bobby has to face the consequences of his choices, and it haunts him. He realizes that there may not be room for mistakes when Halla (everything that is or ever was or could be) is at stake. This book launches the more serious side of the series and was just as addicting as the others.

Pendragon 2: The Lost City of Faar

By D.J. MacHale

Bobby and Uncle Press are headed once more into the flumes to follow the tracks of the evil demon Saint Dane. Bobby is still mystified at learning he is a traveler, and what that actually means. But with Uncle Press to lead the way, Bobby feels he is getting more used to his new life, and he finds himself on the territory of Cloral. Cloral is a world covered in water, the people live on floating islands and have learned to thrive off of the water. What is the turning point for Cloral and why is Saint Dane here? Bobby finds that he is actually enjoying himself on Cloral, until terrible news finds its way to Bobby and Press. Everyone on an entire island has mysteriously died, and seemingly without warning. It’s up to Bobby, Press, and the Cloran traveler, Spader, to figure out what’s going on and to stop Saint Dane before he murders an entire world.


Finally! I got the second book from the library and sped through it within a day, and enjoyed every minute. It’s official. I’m hooked. Bobby’s adventure is fun, exciting, nerve wracking, and a complete mystery. I adore the story, which is original, and witty. I can’t wait to find out what the travelers really are and what they are doing. MacHale is able to write about multiple different worlds and not leave the reader confused. They are easily recognizable, but different enough to be thought of as a completely new place. I am heartily enjoying this series!

Pendragon: The Merchant of Death

By D.J. MacHale

Bobby Pendragon is as normal as a 14 year old boy can get; a nice family, living in the suburbs, an annoying sister, a dog, and (hopefully) his first girlfriend. The only anomaly is the rare visits from his Uncle Press, who Bobby considers the best Uncle a kid can have, showering him with presents and good advice. When Uncle Press shows up right before the big basketball county finals to ask Bobby to help him, how can Bobby refuse? How could Bobby have known that following his Uncle would lead him to a doorway to another dimension, where the people live like they are in the middle-ages? But there are many more problems than Bobby thinks as he struggles to find a way to help the people of Denduron and find his way back home.

Yes, I started another series. I should smack myself for getting into this one, but it was quite fun to read. This wasn’t the average series. Bobby wasn’t what I expected in a ‘hero’ of the story. He really struggled with deciding to help the people, and he was pretty stinking scared to do it. I enjoyed the very real problems and how Bobby (eventually) solves some of them. Instead of the whole, “I was scared, but I knew what I had to do,” kind of stuff, he was saying, “I started to cry and I wanted to go home, and I seriously might’ve wet myself.” It made me laugh, although it took me a while to adjust to his very honest way of saying things. Although there is a warning for this book: there is language. Bobby has a little bit of a potty mouth. It’s nothing like Jack Ryan from Clancy or anything, just here and there. It was the one thing that consistently bothered me. Otherwise, it was entertaining, and different as a series book, and it makes you think about how we treat each other as human beings, among other things. It was a good read and well written in the perspective of a 14-year-old boy.

Fun fact: This series has 8 books so far, so if you don’t want to get into that, it’s fine. I was a little reluctant myself. And trust me, MacHale leaves the ending with just enough to hook you into reading the next book. That’s going to be my first stop on Monday after work. Book 2….here we go!