In this deeply affecting novel Scott Oa world that is at once somber and many-colored. Though they may have been ruthless, these steel-helmeted you...
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reviews
Nov 11, 2011
William
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This book was very good. It is staged in the eyes of a 17 year old cartographer, in 1541, along the gulf of California. The book does a great job of showing the different types of people in that time; the greedy Spaniards, the hopefull catholic priests, and the confused and scared Indians. Scott O'dell has a large variety of parallel characteristics in his book, including geed and generosity, hate and love, evil and good, acts of hatred and kindness, and fear of the unknown. All in all
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Sep 30, 2010
Jason
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In my continuing quest to read all that is historical fiction based during the Spanish conquest of the Americas, I finally jumped into Scott O'Dell's "The King's Fifth." I recently finished O'Dell's "Seven Serpents" trilogy which follows the young Julian Escobar as he travels from Spain to the New World in a quest to save the savage souls of the New World's natives. While his early journey established his innocence, his travels across the Yucatan, central Mexico and eventuall
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Sep 28, 2010
Bonnie
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An exciting adventure story for middle school and above readers set in Mexico during the time of the conquistadors. Fifteen year old cartographer Esteban has signed on with a sea going expedition. His only ambition is to make maps of the new world and see new places. Because of his ambition he ends up being put ashore with the vicious gold hungry Captain Mendoza, three musicians, a horse trainer and the captain's horses. They are soon joined by a gentle priest and a young Indian girl who is a
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Oct 29, 2009
Megan
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An interesting look at a group of Spanish conquistadors searching the New World for gold. The story is told from the viewpoint of Esteban de Sandoval, a young cartographer who travels with a group of conquistadors from Coronado's army is search of the riches of the Seven Cities of Cibola. The story opens with Sandoval imprisoned and accused of withholding the "King's Fifth," or the Spanish crown's portion of the gold Sandoval discovered on his journeys. When he is brought to trial,
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Nov 13, 2009
Marija
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I was introduced to this book over the summer at the Skokie Public Library. It made their VOYA list, so I decided to see why this book was chosen. This is not the type of book I would choose, but I am very glad I did. I absolutely loved it. I could not put it down. I read it in a day, (which is very rare) I would have never thought that the story of a young Esteban de Sandoval, an aspiring mapmaker, (who also happens to be in jail while he narrates the story)would be so heart warming and eye ope
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Apr 05, 2011
John
rated it:
This book took some time for me to get into, but by the end, I was pleased.
The setting is 16th century Mexico/Arizona/New Mexico.
The setting is an unfamiliar one to me, so I struggled with some of the descriptions as I tried to visualize the locations that Sandoval (the protagonist) visited.
As for what you came away with from the story, it is well worth the read.
In the end, Sandoval is a 17-year old boy/young man who has gone through much and fortunately, live More...
The setting is 16th century Mexico/Arizona/New Mexico.
The setting is an unfamiliar one to me, so I struggled with some of the descriptions as I tried to visualize the locations that Sandoval (the protagonist) visited.
As for what you came away with from the story, it is well worth the read.
In the end, Sandoval is a 17-year old boy/young man who has gone through much and fortunately, live More...
Sep 27, 2009
Erin
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I found the concept for this book intriguing, and the historical details seemed well researched. However, The King's Fifth did not grab and hold my interest as I hoped it would. O'Dell's use of flashbacks distracted me. As a reader, I felt more interested in what was going to happen to Sandoval in jail, and less interested in his back-story. Therefore, I was more captivated by the sub-plot than by the main plot. Perhaps a reader who is more interested in adventure than in character developm
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Jul 29, 2011
Catherine
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I very much enjoyed this young adult historical fiction/action adventure novel, which takes place with Spaniards in South America. Estaban is a young (fifteen year old) mapmaker who joins a ship crew heading for the new world. He makes several choices through out the novel--the first choices seem to be directly related to his passion to produce accurate maps of the region, better than those that anyone before him has made. He then gets sucked into the gold lust--like so many before and after
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Sep 28, 2011
Shawn
rated it: 
I gave up. I tried to read it. I got through about a third of it. It didn't grab me. I found to plot tedious, too full of description. I was not captivated by the protagonist. I didn't care about the conflict.
What I find interesting is that when I decided to quite reading, I noticed the author. Scott O'Dell wrote Island of the Blue Dolphins, the first book I ever gave up on as a kid. I was an avid reader, devouring books with passion. My best friend LOVED IotBD. I wanted to l More...
What I find interesting is that when I decided to quite reading, I noticed the author. Scott O'Dell wrote Island of the Blue Dolphins, the first book I ever gave up on as a kid. I was an avid reader, devouring books with passion. My best friend LOVED IotBD. I wanted to l More...
Jun 21, 2010
Alena
rated it:
As a child in the early 1980s, I was fortunate enough to experience the somewhat psychedelic French anime program The Mysterious Cities of Gold when it first ran on television in the United States. That show was loosely -- and I mean very loosely -- based on this Scott O'Dell title, which (supported by the fact that I'd also read a dozen or so Scott O'Dell books in grade school) was my primary incentive for picking up The King's Fifth.
For the record, the book and the television prog More...
For the record, the book and the television prog More...
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May 28, 2009
Corinneecomly
rated it:
Interesting book about a young mapper maker who travels to Central America with a group of gold seekers. The boy tells his story from jail where he writes down what he remembers of his journey and what happened. Tension is heightened as the story alternates between the boy's trial and the reason he's in jail. Get a sense of the power of gold and the destruction it brought to the Americas.
Sep 24, 2008
The other John
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This book is a tale about "gold fever", the malady where one becomes so obsessed with obtaining gold that one loses all sense of morality and common sense. The year is 1541 and a cartographer named Estéban de Sandoval is sitting in prison awaiting trial. He is accused of not paying the king a fifth of the treasure he discovered, as required by law. In flashback, Sandoval recounts how he came to travel through the lands of Nuevo España (modern day Mexico and Arizona) searching for gold.
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Dec 31, 2010
East
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This was a really great book I am still amazed that Estéban pleaded guilty right away. And I loved how we got to see what truly happened during the trip. I feel bad for Estéban's guilt.
Jul 30, 2011
Becky
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A group of 16th century Spanish explorers begin an obsessive search for gold in the new world. 'The Mysterious Cities of Gold' was loosely based on this novel, although the novel is much darker.
Jul 27, 2011
This is an aspect of Colonization that I never get to teach about and I wish I did. I guess the closest I will get will be to recomend it to my students.
May 04, 2011
Stephanie
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library book I got for alex, but decided to read it since i liked it when i was a kid. not as good as i remember. very confusing at times, but riveting too.
Mar 16, 2009
Oscar
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UMM THIS BOOK IS LIKE AN OK BOOK. ILL ADD ANOTHER REVIEW LATER WHEN IM HALF WAY DONE OR WHEN IM FINISHED WITH IT. I DONT KNOW SO UNTIL LATER
Nov 07, 2011
Sarah
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I did not like this book. I found it boring and difficult to understand. Some people may like it, but I would not recommend it to anyone.
Jan 28, 2009
Megan
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This book was historical fiction and based on a mans search for true wealth in dealing with his greed.
Feb 09, 2011
Laura
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Historical fiction by a YA master writer. About a boy on Coronado's search for the seven cities of Cibola.
May 11, 2011
Beth
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I particularly liked how the author starts at the end of the story with the main character in jail.
Feb 03, 2011
Richard
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Very good book and involves alot of action and supense.You need to read
Jul 30, 2008
This is another book from my son's reading list for history. Set in Mexico when the Spaniards were conquering Mexico. It is about a young boy who is a cartographer who gets caught up in searching for gold with some unscrupulous people. It is really a good historical novel and also very suspenseful and interesting to see what will happen next. We really enjoyed it.
May 11, 2008
Ronya
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I found a reference for this book in the credits for the 80s animated series "Mysterious Cities of Gold." The series is loosely (very!) based on this book and on another trilogy which he set in the Mayan region. It's a Scott O'Dell book, and I have always loved Scott O'Dell, so it's hard for me to give it anything less than 4 stars.
Mar 03, 2008
Jo
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I liked it more than I thought I would. The author did a good job of balancing the physical action and the inner conflict in the book. I also liked the alternating POV, from the main character in prison to his adventures elsewhere.
May 13, 2010
Sonja
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An interesting take on the gold fevered conquistadors. I really wanted to like this book more than I did. To me it felt lacking. It could have been so much better? Maybe that's what I'm trying to say.
Aug 21, 2008
Elizabeth
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I really liked how this book is a history book but they make it so interesting. I think that there is alot you can learn about people in this book too.
Apr 29, 2008
I read this in fifth grade. My dad read it with me. I'm not sure either of us totally understood it, but it changed my life!
