The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues, Book 1)

by Rick Riordan

book data

1,596 ratings, 3.93 average rating, 516 reviews (more data...)

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5		32%
4		34%
3		26%
2		5%
1		1%

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published

September 9th 2008 by Scholastic Press

binding

Hardcover, 224 pages

isbn

0545060397 (isbn13: 9780545060394)

description

Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her descendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars o...more

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09/14/08

Karin rated it:

bookshelves: 2008-reads, youngadult

Grace Cahill changed her will moments before she died. For Amy and Dan, the loss of Grace, their grandmother, is a terribly sad event. They will miss their weekends spending time at the family mansion hearing stories of Grace’s past adventures and exploring the many rooms.

After the funeral, certain family members are invited to the reading of the will. Amy and Dan are included. Everyone is anxious to find out what their inheritance will be. No one expects what happens. Everyo...more Grace Cahill changed her will moments before she died. For Amy and Dan, the loss of Grace, their grandmother, is a terribly sad event. They will miss their weekends spending time at the family mansion hearing stories of Grace’s past adventures and exploring the many rooms.

After the funeral, certain family members are invited to the reading of the will. Amy and Dan are included. Everyone is anxious to find out what their inheritance will be. No one expects what happens. Everyone is given a choice - take one million dollars or give it up for a clue. A clue that will lead to a deep family secret. The one who follows all 39 clues and uncovers the secret will become the most powerful Cahill in the world.

Amy and Dan are 1 of 7 teams competing for the clues. The other teams may be made up of family members, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous. Everyone wants Amy and Dan out of the way. They think they have inside information since they were Grace’s favorites. The problem is, Amy and Dan know even less than everyone else. They were never told how much influence the Cahill family has had in the world throughout the years. Because of their lack of knowledge and kind natures, Amy and Dan’s lives are put in danger several times as they fly to Paris and search for Clue #2.

39 CLUES: THE MAZE OF BONES is a fast-paced, adventure-filled, mystery. Each book comes with a set of clue cards. You are encouraged to visit the website, create an account, and begin solving the puzzle. You can win over $100,000 in prizes. The second book in the series is called ONE FALSE NOTE and is written by Gordon Korman and will be released December 2, 2008. Book Three is THE SWORD THIEF by Peter Lerangis and will be available on March 3, 2009. Seven more books are planned and the series will be completed in 2010. OH - and if this the clue cards and interactive website aren’t enough, the books have already been optioned for a movie. Word has it, Steven Spielberg is going to direct. WOW!
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Like this review? yes (5 people liked it)

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09/22/08

Becky rated it:

Read in September, 2008

recommends it for: 5th grade and up

Reads like Luke W. was the ghostwriter. (Which means it's really good!) Starts with a bang!

I read this one pretty quickly, as it is definitely a page-turner. My expectations may have been excessively high, due to the fact that I like Rick Riordan and I've heard so much buzz about Scholastic's hope to keep themselves big in the post-Harry Potter market with this new "multi-platform" series (books, trading cards, internet game, and cash prizes). I'm giving this four stars and...more

Like this review? yes (4 people liked it)

5 comments

07/26/08

Monica Edinger rated it:

Well, I've read MOST of it. The ARC is missing the ending. Scholastic did that on purpose because it is all part of the game, the cards, etc.

What I read was fun, but not amazing. It appears to be an Amazing Race sort of book --- a bunch of different groups all chasing around the world for clues that will solve a big mystery. This first one sets things up. Two kids (younger boy is a gaming/computer guy while the older sister is a shy bookworm) and their au pair (just happens to know...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

4 comments

09/14/08

Cindy rated it:

Read in September, 2008

I've signed up for an online account, and am told I am a Lucien. Let the hunt begin. One of my 7th grade teachers read aloud the first chapter to her 130 students on Friday. Guess how many requests I have for the book now?

I finished the book last night, have entered one set of cards and unlocked my first clue, and have mastered the first five tasks the online game has presented to me. I wanted to be able to answer student questions about how to play or what was required. I plan to ra...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

08/14/08

Eva rated it:

Read in August, 2008

My review copy of The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan (Scholastic, 2008) came with 6 game cards embedded in the cover. After musing about how this would work in the public library, it occurred to me to read John Mason’s accompanying letter – library editions, of course, will feature reinforced binding and NO game cards.

Game cards? Yes, this is one of those “it’s a book! And a trading-card game! And an online game!” multi-platform series thingies. There will be ten books ...more My review copy of The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan (Scholastic, 2008) came with 6 game cards embedded in the cover. After musing about how this would work in the public library, it occurred to me to read John Mason’s accompanying letter – library editions, of course, will feature reinforced binding and NO game cards.

Game cards? Yes, this is one of those “it’s a book! And a trading-card game! And an online game!” multi-platform series thingies. There will be ten books (outlined by Rick Riordan and written by various authors including Gordon Korman and Patrick Carman), hundreds of playing cards (starting September 9, you can buy Card Pack #1, containing 16 random cards, for only $6.99!), and over $100,000 worth of prizes. Oh, and maybe Dreamworks movie as well. Seriously.

Luckily, the online game isn’t up yet, as the street date for the book is September 9, 2008, so I didn’t have to worry about that aspect. (The website is up, though, and I did learn that Rick Riordan’s last name is pronounced not “Reer-dun” but “Rire-dun.”) I’m a book reviewer, damn it, so I’m going to review the book!

Not that I got to read the whole thing – due to the highly secretive and lucrative nature of The Game, only the first ¾ of the book was made available to reviewers, and the first clue was not revealed.

That said, this book is part Westing Game, part Da Vinci Code, part National Treasure, and part The Amazing Race. 11-year-old Dan and his 14-year-old sister Amy (orphans, of course) are plunged into intrigue and adventure when their beloved grandmother Grace Cahill dies and they learn that they are part of a huge and mysterious family that wields huge power and prestige. Members of the various branches of the Cahill family are offered a choice – receive $1 million now or forfeit the money in favor of one clue that will lead them on a worldwide hunt for the secret of the Cahill family. Teams compete viciously against each other, and there is danger and excitement galore.

As fans of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series know, Riordan has an accessible and appealing writing style, and he knows how to move a story forward. Dan and Amy are relatively fleshed out (Dan is a whiz at numbers and collects odd stuff; Amy is a shy and cautious reader), but most of the other characters, and especially the assorted evil family members, are completely implausible caricatures. That would be okay if this were a game of Clue, but I personally like my villains to have a bit more juiciness and moral ambiguity about them, not to mention a weensy bit of believability.

If this series encourages kids to read, I will be content (and so, he says, will Rick Riordan). If this series also encourages kids to buy many trading cards as well as millions of copies of the books, Scholastic will be content. Will children be content? Is this the next book-based craze?

We shall see.

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10/17/08

Jessie rated it:

Read in October, 2008

If you liked The Westing Game, Chasing Vermeer and enjoyed the movie National Treasure, this book will at the very least not put you to sleep. But if you're looking for a piece of kids' fiction that will knock your socks off the way Harry Potter knocked most of our socks off, this ain't it.

This is the first in a series that publishing house Scholastic hopes will buoy its financial success along after the conclusion of the Harry Potter series. If only this book were nearly as compl...more

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11/10/08

fairrosa rated it:

bookshelves: 2008, 4-6grade, childrensbooks, mystery

Read in November, 2008

Since this one comes with games and such and I anticipate a lot of students reading it, I feel obligated to read it. Not that there isn't some interesting stuff in the book -- some of the history can lead to further interest from the readers, but there are also so many issues: full of cliches, flat/cardboard characters, easy-ways-out without intricate patterns, and remarkably draggy for this type of supposedly fast-paced, action-packed thriller. So far, some kids really enjoyed it and yet I al...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

1 comment

09/13/08

mellymel rated it:

bookshelves: childrens-lit

recommended to mellymel by: school librarian

The school librarian mentioned this to me, and I decided to see what the fuss was about. My tendancy is to run away from books with slick marketing ploys, but I'll probably get caught up in the madness anyhow. Just like that darn Twilight series.

after finishing:
I think this will be a neat series for older elementary readers. It's got a lot going on, but isn't hard to read. And it is fun for the parents to get involved too.

reminds me of the movie National Treasure mi...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

1 comment

09/27/08

Tori rated it:

bookshelves: fiction

Read in September, 2008

If only I were 14 again... Rick Riordan would be my idol. I am excited about this new series, and sure hope that a lot of kids pick this book up and enjoy the new adventure. Riordan had a great idea - an interactive mystery, with prizes even available. If only I could enter....... I love the way he mixes interesting historical facts with a present-day mystery - a mystery that could determine the fate of the whole world! It's kind of like a Da Vinci Code for kids. A very entertaining ...more

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03/06/09

Brittany rated it:

Read in December, 2008

Rick Riordian is one of my favorite adolescent authors. I thought he did a good job with The Maze of Bones but I’m not as crazy about it as I am his Percy Jackson series.
Parentless Dan and Amy Cahill are from a very famous and wealthy family. When their favorite aunt Grace dies, they are thrown into a race across the globe after… well… 39 clues that lead to some sort of family secret that will bring world power to the winner.
Some of the things I’m liking about this serie...more

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01/31/09

Words rated it:

bookshelves: kids-ages-11-13, kids-ages-7-10

I was impressed with the first book in the "39 Clues" series.
I thought that it was going to just be a non-stop action adventure book for boys but it turns out to be something more.
The first book in the series "The Maze of Bones" is written by Rick Riordan, the author of the very popular Lightening Thief series. And each book following will be written by an acclaimed junior fiction author; Gordon Korman has penned the second in the series.
What I enjoyed is ...more

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01/25/09

Tamir rated it:

bookshelves: 2009-reads, childrens

Read in January, 2009

I can't decide fully how much I liked this book. It really depends on the rest of the series. It was fun to read. It was very much like National Treasure though, which I do love.

These relatives of a deceased woman are put up to a challenge that could make them the most powerful of their family...or of the world...

It was a bit annoying...and this could be a little bit of a spoiler (so sorry if this bugs you...but I don't think it gives much away)....at how often when Amy ...more

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11/13/08

Debbie rated it:

Read in December, 2008

Supposedly the next "Harry Potter" according to the publishers, I got the book at the book fair and began reading it to my 4th graders. It definately reads like it is written as a screen play, not a novel. I hear a movie, action figures, etc. are in the works. The characters are flat and unlikeable, the plot was difficult to follow, and the clues weren't even remotely close to anything a grade school kid could figure out. Add to the fact that the first few clues were in France with to...more

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01/17/09

Phillip Sawyer rated it:

bookshelves: youth

Read in December, 2008

recommends it for: 4th-7th grade boys, history lovers, treasure hunters,

I read this book to my 3rd grade son who ate it up. He's a big fan of the film "National Treasure" and this book follows the vein of that plot- an around the world treasure hunt through history.

Following the death of their rich grandmother Grace, siblings Amy and Dan Cahill race around the world to gather the 39 clues before their extended family members can find them. Lots of action, stereotypical character development, and fun historical scavenger hunt through the life o...more

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12/01/08

Amanda rated it:

Read in November, 2008

I was neither disappointed nor impressed with this book. My cynical self wondered how good the story could be if you need books, trading cards, and the internet to tell it; my Rick Riordan fan self just said, yay! The plot is quite engaging, if DaVinci Code-esque (or rather, The Eight-esque, but I digress). I'll read another one or two to see how the different authors affects the storytelling. The concept reminds me of Click and it will be interesting to compare the two. I haven't gone o...more

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12/19/08

Lisa rated it:

bookshelves: teen-fiction

Read in December, 2008

The 39 Clues is a series of books that just began a few months ago. Scholastic, which published the Harry Potter series, concocted this series. Rather than turn the whole series over to a single author, it contracted with several prominent teen-lit authors. It also wisely retained all the marketing rights.

The first book is by Rick Riordan, who wrote the Percy Jackson series. I enjoy Riordan's writing, but felt like this was watered down and aimed at 8-year-olds. I prefer the books th...more

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07/29/08

Luke rated it:

bookshelves: favoritebooks

Read in September, 2008

This was an AWESOME book! Rick Riordan is one of my favorite authors and he definitely comes through on this one. I felt like the effort to come up with "witty" clues fell a little short, as I was expecting a large, challenging puzzle that wouldn't be revealed for quite a long time, much like the Spy X series. Unfortunately, it seemed as if Amy or Dan or someone with them (Nellie, Allstair Oh, etc.) instantly knew the answer. Most of this book was focused on the action from getting fr...more

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02/23/09

Claire jantzen rated it:

This book is incredible, if you like mysteries read it. i've also read the 2d one to. they are both fantastic and i'm waiting for the 3rd!

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

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09/14/08

Laura rated it:

Read in September, 2008

recommends it for: EVERYONE

Parents, get your kids involved in this series! It is a mystery, a spy thriller, and a covertly educational choice for them. It has cross appeal for so many genre's, plus the online gaming appeal. The book is cleverly written, the educational stuff so discreetly tucked into the text that I didn't realize I was learning anything until a day later when I used a piece of trivia from this book in conversation! Boys, girls and adults who are kids at heart, this book is an entertaining read. Ther...more

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09/17/08

Carrie rated it:

A kids version of National Treasure! This is the first in a series of 10 books. But no long wait since they're using different authors and the next is due out in December. Rick Riordan (of Percy Jackson fame) wrote the first one and was involved in the developing the overall story arc. Very easy to read and entertaining. Finally a young girl leading the way! And of course I'm playing along online to find the treasure! There are trading cards also which come with clues. Since the clues are d...more

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