Tim is in paradise. Vacationing with his parents, the Raffifis, and Grk in the Seychelles, he is looking forward to two weeks of fun.
But one afternoon, while walking the beach with Grk, Tim stumbles over a body in the sand. Washed up from the ocean and barely alive, the man utters a few words and then dies.
Frantic to help the police discover the cause of the man’s death, Tim and Grk search for clues on their own. But what starts out as a baffling mystery soon becomes a bone-chilling investigation as they encounter armed guards who’ll shoot to kill, a mad scientist’s dream laboratory, and a powerful man determined to live forever, no matter what the cost.
But most puzzling of all is the mysterious Calypso. What is this place? Where is it? And if Tim and Grk venture there alone, will they come back alive?
When he isn’t traveling the world, or writing about Grk, Joshua Doder is a reporter for The Guardian. He lives in London, England.
Grk: Operation Tortoise is the best Grk book so far. The story is jam-packed with action and adventure as Tim tries to find out who needs help on the island of Calypso. Not only must he lie to his parents about still having a cold, he ends up stealing their boat and leaving them stranded on an island that they are forced to spend the night on with little food or water.
Why does Tim do these seemingly bad things? Not to hurt is parents, that's for sure. He does these things because of his insatiable curiosity and his need to set things right. I find it lucky that Tim's parents are able to take so may vacations. Last time they went to New York and this time they went to the Seychelles. I want to take vacation like that!
What I liked better about Grk: Operation Tortoise is that Max and Natascha were used a little more in the story, although they still weren't involved in the main adventure. I also liked the intense action and found the book to be quite thrilling. After all, how many twelve-year old boys get to drive a boat really fast across the ocean by themselves? Of course, Tim ends up smashing the boat into a palm tree up on the beach.
Now, that is quite exciting. And then he gets thrown into a cell with the threat of being experimented on by Goliath's scientists! How will Tim get himself out of this one? Plus, Grk has been taken away and isn't there to help him.
Overall, Grk: Operation Tortoise is an excellent story and the best Grk tale yet. I cannot wait to see what kind of trouble and boy and his dog get into next in Grk Smells a Rat. Atta boy, Grk!
I acquired this book during a library sale when looking for a chapter book to read to my dyslexic granddaughter. It has languished at the back of the bookshelf as she wrinkled her nose at the cover, announcing it was 'too babyish'. And then Oscar scooped it up and asked me to read it. And I was hooked...
Welcome to paradise! Welcome to white beaches, warm seas and blue skies! Welcome to the best holiday of your life! But something is not right in paradise. Tim and Grk thought they had come to the Seychelles for a peaceful holiday, but instead they find themselves fighting a private army to get to the bottom of the unexplained death of Monsieur X.
This is part of a series featuring Tim, a small boy and his black and white dog who get into all sorts of bother. I was quite shaken at the drama and genuine shock conveyed when he finds a man washed up on the beach and runs for help. The man doesn't survive and the sense the death is a big deal is very well handled.
Great childhood book of mine. As a lady in her twenties, I still like to revisit the Grk stories. They are somewhat like the Tintin series in the sense that they cover adult themes such as violence, politics and gang behaviour. Great action-packed summer read.
Book 4 in the Grk series. This is a fun, fast read. A great read for boys, especially reluctant readers. Lots of adventure, humor and danger. There's just nothing like a boy and his dog.