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The sign is small, tucked into the corner of Mr. Clutter's bookshop window: "Adventurers Wanted. Apply Within." No one but fifteen-year-old Alex Taylor even seems to notice it is there. And for Alex, who has wished for a change in his life, it is an irresistible invitation. Upon entering Mr. Clutter's shop, Alex is swept away to a faraway land filled with heroic warriors, mysterious elves, and hard-working dwarves. Alex becomes the eighth man in a band of adventurers seeking the lair of Slathbog the Red—an evil dragon with a legendary treasure. Along the way, Alex and his new friends must battle dangerous trolls and bandits, face undead wraiths, and seek the wisdom of the Oracle in her White Tower. Alex's adventure takes him to distant and exotic lands where he learns about courage, integrity, honor, and, most important, friendship.
Book-Dad
Posted December 30, 2008
My 12 year old son is a reluctant reader. I acquired an advanced reading copy of Adventurer's Wanted: Slathbog's Gold and gave it to him. I thought the dragon on the front cover would peak his interest. It did! I was very pleased and shocked that it kept his interest. I kept waiting for him to get tired of the story or tell me that he didn't want to keep reading. But I only heard the opposite. He loved the adventure, the weapons, and the treasure-finding. The more he talked the more I realized this is a real boys book. There is no romance here. Just a band of eight adventurers, including a fifteen-year-old named Alex who is destined to be a true wizard on a quest to find and claim the enormous hoard of Slathbog the Red--a legendary evil dragon. Seriously, I think there is something in the male DNA intrinsic to treasure-hunting. And there's lots of treasure to be found in Slathbog's Gold. On several occasions, my son would tell me what the adventurers were finding: precious gems and gold ooins and true silver weapons. I would constantly have to tell him to turn off his light and go to bed and he'd reply with, "Okay, just let me finish this chapter with the troll or the bandits or wraiths or whatever exciting opponent he was fighting next and the treasure associated with it. Thank you, M.L. Forman, for writing a book that connected to a twelve-year-old boy. I knew when he chose reading this book over playing his video games, it was a winner.
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Slathbog's Gold. Awesome cover, easy read, but unoriginal. Of course, I was expecting it to be unoriginal. I only bought the book because the description on the back cover sounded so much like 'The Hobbit' that I just had to see how much it was like it. Yes, it was very much like it storywise. I was almost laughing at all the similarities, and it was enjoyable to compare. The characters, though, were what I didn't like about it. I would have been fine with the rest of the book, but the characters were very bland and shallow. To me, characters will make or break a book, so they have to be well thought out and identifiable. The main character, Alex Taylor, was so clueless through the whole thing. He was always asking someone to explain something simple to him. Then the rest of the characters seemed to have only one personality trait about them, and there were a few of them that I forgot were even in the story until they suddenly popped up out of the blue.
I wouldn't say this book is bad, since the writing was actually pretty good, but it didn't have a lot of substance. There was one scene I particularly enjoyed though, and that was the part with the wraiths. They should have been the main villains for this story, or at least should have had a larger part.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.RationalReader
Posted January 29, 2012
Instantly captured by the mythological, fire-breathing, over-sized lizard on the front cover, you might just make a great mistake from which you may never recover. If reading this book to your kids, you may just be saved from an overwhelmingly-visceral reaction to lose your lunch by the fact that you're sharing the pain with your kids. If not, soul-scars and a mental institution may be your next trip. Not only does Slathbog's Gold lack solid characters and an interesting and/or deep plot, if this book can be considered the stereotype for all Fantasy books, "nerds" around the globe are in serious trouble.
I enjoy reading and writing Fantasy and Sci-Fi, as well as analyzing good characters. In Slathbog's Gold, there are characters who make Flat Stanley appear deeper than the Atlantic Trench. The story's main protagonist, a certain Alexander Taylor, is about as realistic as my chances of spontaneously growing to tremendous size, and rampaging throughout Downtown Tokyo. He's too "holier-than-thou," a paragon of virtue, a pillar of purity, a puddle of putrefying pus.
How many fifteen-year old boys have you seen that are thick as ten (thousand) short posts, and sets out on his adventure, already a perfect human? He's probably too wonder-stricken with his sojourn into a magical world (where adventurers sign up to a potentially-deadly trip, where they happily frolic through Mordor-ish landscapes to slay the evil, EVIL dragon), to ask basic questions about the land.
Another reason for my wellspring of ire is Alex's involvement with the plot in the first two books. The whole universe appears to revolve around him. Who is the one chosen as the final member of a dragonslayin' team? Alex. Who is chosen by an incredibly powerful sword? Alex. Who has the potential to become one of the greatest wizards ever? Alex. Whatever next? A prophecy proclaiming him as "The Frozen One," or some such stereotype? Speaking of which, stereotypes are too commonly used in this book, such as anything that hasn't happened for 100 or 1,000 years. Whatever happened to a nice, exact figure, like 2,928 years?
The other, less universally-inclined characters, such as the elf, Arconn, or the dwarf, Thrang, have practically no solid background. Most every character are composed of a single facet, whereas in other books, say, Kitty Jones, from Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy, can be equated with a glorious and magnificent jewel. Even the main antagonist, Slathbog, has no real reason for his death warrant apart from "He's EVIL! E-V-I-L!" Is this the inherent nature of all dragons with no comprehensive back-story, or is Slathbog lacking sentience? Unwarranted animosity, that's what this is! Thinking rationally, what if Slathbog had been "evil" in his past due to a nearby village slaughtering Slathbog's relatives/young?
There is only one original creature in Slathbog's Gold: the bi-headed messenger, the "geeb." I thought I had a Fantasy book in my hands, not a Dr. Seuss book! Other creatures are variations of widely used fantastical/mythological creatures, albeit accompanied by very little description. I mean, come on; an elf (Arconn) is first described as a man with pointed ears and a happy, glowing face, if I remember correctly. Such lack of description is a major issue that encompasses the whole book, making for a very simple, easy read.
But apart from the bad, this book isn't bad reading material
3 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Fishy75
Posted September 3, 2011
I didn't appreciate the review that said this was just like "The hobbit" and that Forman broke all the Fantasy rules. In Fantasy there are dragons Dwarves elves etc.... I'm sorry but the Lord of the rings Tolkien did not make up those up. All Fantasy's have them. This is an Original story with awesome characters!!! I enjoyed this book more than I did any of the the Lord of the rings because of it's depth and right to the point simplicity writing style. I think some fantasy writers get way too much into detail that it makes it boring and it takes away from the story and the action. Ml Forman does a great job in pulling his audience into an adventure that is Magical! It's like watching a movie in my head!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 15, 2011
This is a great solid story. From the first page i felt like i was in the book. A lot of action and a lot of friendship.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 9, 2011
awesome the excitement just keeps going
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 1, 2011
i have had the book two times alredy so would highly recommended to all both girls and boys.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I have to admit that I like this book. It's a fun read and fans of fantasy fiction will eat this book up. It's something you can burn through in a couple days, easy reading, and such. There's not much in-depth detail in the book. It's what I call a very, VERY simple read.
The characters are very flat, predictable, and sometimes boring. Alex Taylor, the lead character, had no backstory, description, or motive. I would have liked to see a more realistic, in depth, three dimensional main character.
What really annoyed me about this book was how much Forman smacked off of Tolkien. Arconn was literally Legolas, the wizard, Slathbog was a wanna-be Smaug and the whole plotline...dwarves, elves, quests was so Tolkienesque, I thought I was reading "The Hobbit" all over again. It had the same story line and had maybe 2% originality.
I myself am an avid fantasy writer, and I can't stand cliched fantasy. What this book did was break EVERY single rule of cliched fantasy and put it in one 300+ paged book. The only original thing in this story was the expandable bag. Other than that, it's a complete copy off "the Hobbit".
The one thing that really annoyed me about this book was ALEX TAYLOR!!!! He is the most slow, dense, stupid character I have EVER seen. Everything that comes out of his mouth is some dumb question that's OBVIOUS if he'd just use his brains to think it over."I don't believe this is happening to me, but it must be real!" Or "What is an ice room?" Or "Hunt game? What kind of game?" "What's a dragon?" "What's my name, again?" (Just kidding on the last few, but it's that terrible.
Well DUH, Sherlock. Alex makes me want to scream. He's so gosh darn stupid. His I.Q. is no higher than 4.5
3 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 25, 2009
This is a great book. It took me a little to pick up but after I pick the story I could not put the book down. Can't wait fir the next book.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 13, 2009
This book is wonderful! I can't wait for the rest of the series1
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 6, 2009
This book hold's your attention and would be great in any library.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 26, 2012
This book is one of the best books iv read
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 17, 2012
It is the best series that I hav ever read! I it is a must read.. BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 2, 2012
Simple and fun.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 18, 2012
Best book I've ever read. Very unique, very entertaining, and it is very creative. I HIGHLY reccommend this book to those that love fiction.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 10, 2012
If you dont like this book it i beyond your cmprehention . This is one of the books i couldnt put down an will read over and over again. Everythin came alive. I had dreams evry nigt i read this sowing what happened like a movie. You should read it again when you are a couple years older nd your mind gets sharper. This book is wnderful. Mabet fantacy isnt your thing. Mabey you like other genras. If this is the case you should have gotten another book.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 6, 2012
This book is my favorite book
-D
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 10, 2012
All the carecters, creatures, and story entirley creative.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Review by Jill Williamson
Fifteen-year-old Alex Taylor walks by a bookshop one day and spots a small sign that says, "Adventurers Wanted. Apply Within." Inside he meets the talkative Mr. Clutter, who treats him as though he is on an interview for a great adventure. Alex was merely curious, but the next thing he knows, an elf and a dwarf are brought into the interview to ask him some more serious questions. The adventure? A quest through a portal to another world to faraway Varlo to kill the evil dragon Slathbog and seize his treasure. Alex isn't sure what he's gotten himself into, but he has always wanted a little adventure in his life.
If you liked The Hobbit, you'll like Slathbog's Gold. It's practically the same premise, though for a younger audience. There are trolls, bandits, elves, and dwarves, as well as an Oracle and some creepy wraiths. I enjoyed that Forman created a unique set of rules all adventures must follow. My favorite magical item in the story was the adventurer's magic bag. Each owner chooses his or her own password. Inside, the bag is like a small apartment, though extra rooms can be added later if need arises. This is a fun book for anyone who loves adventures. I expect a long and enjoyable series from the new author. Recommended.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.BooksAplenty
Posted May 3, 2013
From an adult's perspective: 3 stars
From a kid's perspective: 4 stars
This is one of those books that doesn't really fit a rating model. Adults will probably find it fun, but annoying. Kids are likely to find it just plain fun.
The fun:
* Elves, dwarves, wizards, and dragons.
* Battles with trolls and visits with oracles.
* Magical swords and hoards of treasure.
* Need I say more? This books bills itself as an epic fantasy, and it's just that.
The annoying:
* The main character: Alex is 15, but I found his way of speaking to be very grating. He speaks like a 50's bourgeois. Here's an example - "I shall pledge as Bregnest has. I will do as you ask."
* The world: Forman does little to develop the world of this book. There aren't enough details to accurately picture the setting and most of the things we learn about the world is from Alex's questions. He constantly says, "What's that?" and "I don't understand" so that other characters can describe the world. Blah.
* The plot: Ever heard of the Hobbit? This is the same book, just with different character names and more simplistic writing.
Even with all the annoying things, somehow I still enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend this book to MG, YA, and adult readers who enjoy a good adventure, but not to readers who want to be immersed in a compelling story.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
The sign is small, tucked into the corner of Mr. Clutter's bookshop window: "Adventurers Wanted. Apply Within." No one but fifteen-year-old Alex Taylor even seems to notice it is there. And for Alex, who has wished for a change in his life, it is an irresistible invitation. Upon entering Mr. Clutter's shop, Alex is swept away to a faraway land filled with heroic warriors, mysterious elves, and hard-working dwarves. Alex becomes the eighth man in a band of adventurers seeking the lair of Slathbog the Red—an evil ...