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Thursday, May 8, 2008

Are You Hooked? Blurb #2

Merlin’s Bookshelf: Mason and the Pirates

Shiver me timbers!

Minutes after entering the new bookstore, Merlin’s Bookshelf, nine-year-old Mason finds himself marooned on a deserted island with no way home. Could things get any worse? That question is answered all too soon when he uncovers a coded message buried in the sand—a message belonging to Captain Silverfang and his pirate crew.

Caught red-handed with coordinates to a treasure hoard, Mason is forced to join Silverfang’s crew and search for their stolen booty. Codes, puzzles and deadly traps await, but even if Mason can recover Silverfang’s loot, how will he ever unravel the biggest mystery of all—finding the way back to Merlin’s Bookshelf?

9 comments:

  1. Hehehe. I do like the MB books... but I'm not quite sure. :S

    It just doesn't quite stand out for me. I like pirates, of course, and I'd probably read since I enjoyed the zombie one %-) but nothing about this situation for Mason quite "grabs" me from the blurb itself.

    I kinda want to see what makes this different from the other pirate books, y'know? Like what the twist with the pirates is, or something. 'Cause I'm sure you have one. ;)

    ~Merc

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  2. Yes. I think you've done a great job. I would read more. Although, it might help to add some detail about Mason's character arc. What does he have to overcome to find his way home.

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  3. I might get this for my daughter or a friends child. I like the premise and since it's aimed for the younger set I know it won't be to violent.

    I'd buy.

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  4. Yep, I'm hooked. I love the very first sentence -- he enters a bookstore and wham! He's in another place. Love it! Love portals! And I adore pirates, too.

    If I were shopping for a MG novel for a boy (hard to find good ones!!!) I would definitely be thumbing through more of this one.

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  5. I love portal stories, so this hooked me. It's a little convoluted -- coded message, treasure hoard, puzzled, deadly traps -- so I had to read it a few times to get it. Most book browsers won't be so patient, so I suggest tightening it a bit.

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  6. Great advice guys--I appreciate the comments!

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  7. Yes, I would certainly consider buying this for my son (though I might be influenced by the fact that I've read some chapters of the MB books already). I think I'd get rid of the 'Shiver me timbers' though.

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  8. I love the connection between the bookstore and the portal...after all, what are books except portals to other worlds? :)

    The first paragraph feels a bit long and my attention waned at the "Could things get any worse?" bit. We assume things will get worse or else we won't bother to read the book, so I'm not sure this adds much.

    The second paragraph moves much quicker, and really piqued my interest. Especially that last sentence.

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  9. "That question is answered..."
    I felt this was a little flat, in an otherwise great voice. I'd like so see something like...

    Could things get any worse? Mason knows the answer when he finds...

    It sounds like a fun book, just as I've thought Merlin's Bookshelf seemed like a great series.

    But I agree with other posts in that I'd like to see what is original about Silverfang and his crew.

    Great blurb! So smooth and professional.

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