The Mutt in the Iron Muzzle

Adventures of Wishbone #7

by Michael Jan Friedman

An intrigue involving the election of class president reminds Wishbone of the twin brother of King Louis XIV of France who must decide if he should risk everything to escape his iron mask and trade it for the king's crown. Inspired by the Man in the iron mask by Alexandre Dumas.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Middle Grade, Chapter Books, Dogs, Retellings

141 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Michael Jan Friedman is an author of more than seventy books of fiction and nonfiction, half of which are in the Star Trek universe. Eleven of his titles have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. Friedman has also written for network and cable television and radio, and scripted nearly 200 comic books, including his original DC superhero series, the Darkstars.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Jan Friedman is a versatile writer. Not only has he written multiple Wishbone novels, he also has made several literary contributions to the Star Trek universe! What he has done well in his other works, he continues to excel at here. Fans of this series know what to expect from these books, and that's just what they'll get.

[Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Wishbone adaptation. I haven't read the original but I kept making references to the movie version that I have seen.

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

2016
Wishbone was one of my favorite series to read when I was a kid. I especially loved this one though, of all of them. The classics, mysteries, adventures. I loved them all but I especially loved the translation from the adult novel to the children's adaption story. I don't even think I would have read the adult version if I hadn't read this when I was a child.

2015

[Anomaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't have much to say about this book, because I don't want to spoil anything for those unfamiliar with the source material.

It's an interesting, if also abbreviated and abridged, take on The Man in the Iron Mask interspersed through a tale of Wishbone trying to help his human friend Joe through a tough situation regarding school presidency. It's a fun romp through the world of quirky adventure which will prove familiar in format to any Wishbone fan: the precious doggo's adventures in life inspire him to daydream himself into the species-swapped (to be a dog like himself) role of a main character in a classic novel, surrounded by otherwise human characters.

I found this one to be a bit more show-like than the previous one I read, Be A Wolf!, but only because the presence of Wishbone was a touch more subdued and he didn't jump in with facts about the fantasy world in this novel. I'm mostly neutral to that, because I happen to adore Wishbone so much I happily welcome more presence of the character's interjections but I also appreciated the way the story flowed here. There were still informational and educational bits at the end, so overall the experience was different but the same goal was achieved.

I'm glad I bought this book recently while seeking a trip down Nostalgia Lane, because it filled me with all the contented emotions I expected and helped make me feel better for a little while during bad times.

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I've long had a soft spot for Wishbone; and also that I enjoy Michael Jan Friedman's writing. So this is a good combination of both. The pup with the great imagination dives into "The Man In The Iron Mask", and also helps out his best friend Joe, who is being conned. This is a very entertaining tail - er, tale. Enjoy!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Wishbone book, but I hope not my last. Otoh, I feel no need to read the original Dumas... but at least now I have an idea what I'm missing by skipping it. Also, I have had my respect for Friedman confirmed.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always loved Wishbone as a kid, and I came across this old book of his last year while I was pulling out books from boxes to finally give them a home on a bookshelf.
This one didn't disappoint. It's a super cute read and reminds me why I always enjoyed Wishbone's adventures.

[Twyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite part was when Philippe started to rule France better than his twin brother, who was very, very mean. The worst part was when Philippe was trapped in jail for no reason, other than that he was the twin brother to the king of France. My favourite characters were Joe because he tried to be the class president and never gave up, and Philippe because he helped to rule France better than his brother which helped it. The worst characters were Philippe's twin brother because he was very mean to everyone in France, and Damont because he tricked Joe into thinking he could join a baseball team that he couldn't join because of a new rule. Auryn 12 years old, 2015

[Mikey W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a book like no other it is a great replication of The Man In The Iorn Mask. WishBone is imagining being the brother of the king of France.

[Trinity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo goooooodddd.... Just like all the other Wishbone books.