Customer Reviews

Peter and the Starcatchers

5 star:		(166)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Fourteen-year-old Peter is an orphan who doesn't exactly know how old he truly is, just like he doesn't know his last name. So when St. Norbert's Home for Wayward Boys places him aboard a ship called The Never Land, along with four of his mates, on a trip to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff, where they will be forced to serve as slaves, Peter doesn't know exactly what to think. But when he meets up with fourteen-year-old Molly Aster, a rich passenger, traveling with her governess Mrs. Bumbrake, mysterious things begin happening. For instance, Molly can speak to porpoises, and she's hiding information about the strange trunk located in a holding cell upon The Never Land. Information about the magic, and mystery, that the trunk is holding inside. But when the notorious Black Stache learns about the treasure, the passengers upon The Never Land are in for a lot of trouble. Trouble that leads them all to fight with pirates, and become stranded on a desert island.

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have created an absolutely amazing re-telling of PETER PAN. Peter is an exciting character who is kind, and fun, while at the same time intelligent, even though he hasn't received any formal education. Molly, on the other hand, is brave and hard-headed, and will appeal greatly to female readers, as she possesses true girl power, which shines through in every page that she appears in. Readers who enjoyed the recent movie PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN will adore the character of Black Stache, as he puts the mean into PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS, what with his nasty attitude, and vicious orders. Overall this is an amazing adventure story that will be enjoyed by male and female readers of all ages, whether they are a fan of the original story of PETER PAN or not.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Incredible! I have read many, many stories to my children including the original Peter Pan. This book stands out as one of the most difficult to put down. My son is always begging for just a few more pages, and I have received many a reprimand from my spouse for reading past his bed time. My son expressed how much he enjoys the believability of the story, because it has a logical beginning to it, in his words, "the other Peter just comes out of nowhere, but this story tells the beginning."

Every chapter is quick, engaging and each one leaves you hanging. You find yourself desperate for the "and then what happened?"--almost irritated that the authors interrupt the excitement with a pan (pardon the pun) to the other characters. Except with each new pan you get caught up in those characters as much as you were with the one's you left. This tactic never leaves you with a decent option for "just one more chapter before bedtime". A wonderful story, beautifully illustrated and a must read before you or your children get a chance to grow up!

And as for those one star people-I feel genuinely sorry for them, as they probably don't like ice cream either.

I've always liked the basic Peter Pan story, but was never as big a fan as I am of other classics like L. Frank Baum's "Oz" books, so ordinarily a prequel wouldn't necessarily interest me, but with Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson writing this, I absolutely had to give it a chance. This unlikely collaboration turns out one of the best fantasy novels I've read in quite some time.

Like all great "children's" fantasy, the book is written on a level that's wonderfully accessible for kids but never condescends and alienates older readers. Our hero, Peter, is an orphan who is being whisked away across the ocean for purposes unknown. Aboard his ship is a mysterious trunk and a mysterious girl who seems to know a lot about it. The trunk is highly sought after, and a Peter finds a pirate ship hot on their trail.

Each of these writers bring something to the table -- Pearson's talent for writing the fantastic and Barry's sharp comedic wit combine to tell an excellent story that I enjoyed so much I'm anxious to go back and rediscover the original J.M. Barrie novel, just to see how many dots I can connect.

The book fills in a lot of the blanks for the original "Peter Pan," and one could easily read this and then leap to the original with no further bridges, however Barry and Pearson supposedly have two more "prequel" novels in the works. I'll definitely be in line to read them.

I read this to my 8 and 6 year old at bed time. It was so enjoyable for all of us that we couldn't wait to get back to it each night. The story does such a great job of explaining how Peter became who he is. The kids were both crying last night when we finished it - appropriately sad that Peter, having to remain a boy forever, would miss out on the same life his aging friends would have. I thought it was great that they both got the emotion of the goodbyes.

We are anxious to read the Shadow Thieves and hope they just keep coming!

Some previous reviewers have criticized this book for it's lack of "authenticity." That it does not exactly follow the original story (and pre-story) laid out by J.M. Barrie. To this I say, so what?

In the tradition of the old "Fractured Fairy Tales" bit from the Rocky and Bullwinkle show, Peter and the Starcatchers puts a new and delightful spin on the old story.

Yes, they take some liberties with the original tale. But the truth is, most people's knowledge of the Peter Pan story comes from Hollywood... the movies, which no doubt took their share of liberties from the original story as well. Yes, true die-hard Peter Pan fans (if there are any *winks*) will object. Just like any "remake" of any piece of literature or film or music is bound to earn it's own "booing section", so will this book.

But that doesn't make it unworthy of praise. Barry and Pearson are geniuses! ...in my humble opinion. It's incredible, some of the things they thought up to explain everything that's taken "as is" by the general public when it comes to the original story. Mermaids? Pixies? Little boys who don't age and can fly? Barry and Pearson have given simple, and at the same time complex, explanations for these phenomena. A little bit of science-fiction never hurt anyone.

And PIRATES! What more can I say? Arr, matey!

If the book had been different and, as one reviewer suggested, the authors had done more "research", what kind of book would we have then? A regurgitation of J.M. Barrie's original words and ideas? BORING.

Barry and Pearson are funny, creative people and they wrote a great piece of fiction fit for children and adults alike (I'm 26 by the way). I've recommended this book to anyone who would let me!

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's "Peter and the Starcatchers" may provide good fodder for childhood reading, but beware if you are looking for a true prequel to J. M. Barrie's masterpiece "Peter Pan." Barry and Pearson have certainly capitalized on Barrie's original characters, but they have not at all written a prequel.

True, the plot of an orphaned Peter Pan and friends fighting to keep a magic substance that enables flight out of the hands of the villainous Black Stache (soon to become a famous one-handed pirate) and his crew is a lively and highly marketable choice for a children's book -- but J. M. Barrie took care of the "Peter Pan" prequel with his much more artfully written and intriguing "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens." This is a good point at which to start a critique of Barry and Pearson's so-called "prequel."

Clearly, and unfortunately, neither Barry nor Pearson seem to have done their homework where a prequel is concerned. The most glaring example is that we are presented not with Barrie's Peter Pan, who breathes more quickly because it is said in Neverland that every breath kills a grownup, but rather with a Peter Pan who insists that he is the oldest of his friends. Peter's conflicts with Black Stache and others do not provide enough of an explanation for the hatred of growing up that he has in the original novel.

We're given a teenage sidekick for Peter, a girl named Molly. Needless to say, Barrie's Peter would have been horrified by anyone around him who was growing up -- which is exactly what a teenager is in the process of doing.

We're told that fairies and fairy dust are not the products of magic, so fondly described in Barrie's works, but rather are derived from some kind of science fictionish chemical substance.

Black Stache, who is Barry and Pearson's answer to "how did Peter Pan meet Captain Hook," speaks like a common sailor, his dialog replete with "ain't" and double negatives -- yet Barrie tells us in his novel that Hook attended Eton College, was most eloquent, and possessed "a touch of the feminine," hardly the sort of man who belts out grammatical errors in conversation.

In response to those who believe that a prequel in keeping with the material in Barrie's original works would be "BORING," I say: (1) not in the hands of a skilled author, and (2) if Barrie's original material is so boring, then why are so many capitializing on it?

If you're looking for fluff to read, by all means pick up this latest offering. If you're looking for the real Peter Pan, however, go back to Barrie's original, and much more brilliant, material -- and enjoy!

Peter and the star catchers is one of my new favorite
books! I love how it shows what Peter was like before
he new about magic. It's surprising that other reviewers
complained about how Peter wasn't as daring and adventurous
as in the other books and movies! I mean he lived in an
orphanage in England. Before coming to Neverland Peter
was just a boy, and he didn't have the same attitude because
he new he was just a boy. Peter didn't have nearly as
much pride in him self. This book has action and lots
of adventure. It tells the side of Peter pan that has never bin
heard. Peter and the star catchers has a great story line.
It really should get five stars. But, due to the authers
it doesn't because of a fue simple flaws. Ones that could have
bin fixed and should have. Now, everyone has there "own"
character in a book. The person they like best. When I got
peter and the star catchers I thought it would be Molly. But,
I was sooo wrong. Through out the hole book she is an
anoying worried little snob. Always telling Peter what to do
and thinking she knows best! The more anoying thing is that
Peter likes her! That is realy out of character. The names
for important things where really lame, like "the others"
(bad people) and star stuff (magic.)Even star sand or
star magic would have bin better! Some reviews are right
both of the auther's parts in the story didn't always mesh. But,
it did mesh with the movies and other books. Over all Peter and the Star Catchers is a GREAT book!


***Tink***

This really cool "prequel" answers once and for all the burning questions you have been harboring about the man-child who lives in Neverland with other little boys. No, no - not THAT one, I'm talking about Peter Pan, the fairy-loving, pirate-hating leader of the Lost Boys. (Same thing, you say - but that's a different story altogether)

It seems that Peter Pan was an orphan, who was put aboard a ship with other orphaned boys, en route to a shortened life of serving the evil King Zarboff the Third, when a chance meeting with a little girl and a mysterious crate leads to a wonderful adventure beyond his wildest dreams.

The answers to the following questions are just 480 well-spaced quick-turning pages away:

1. How did Peter Pan get to Neverland?
2. Where the heck is it anyway?
3. Where does pixie dust come from and why is it addictive?
4. Tinkerbell - fairy who looks like Julia Roberts or bird brain?
5. Mermaids - fish or just plain foul?
6. What made the natives restless?
7. Should you ever give a crocodile a hand?

An often funny, action-packed piratical yarn that's sure to delight most young readers.


Amanda Richards, October 19, 2006

This is the best book I have ever read! I do not usually like to read thick books, but when I started reading this one I couldn't stop. For anyone who has ever wondered "what if?" this book is definitly for you.

Dave Barry has long been a favorite of mine and Ridley Pearson is on my list of writers to look for as well so when I saw that they had taken on the Peter Pan storyline and created a prequel I just had to read it.

Happily, I was not disappointed. This is fun, escapist fiction at its best. The book works on multiple levels - adults will understand several double entendres while kids will love the quick pace and high adventure.

I am more than happy to recommend this one to readers of all ages and I am proud to add it to my classroom's library. Well done Barry and Pearson. I hope you have more on the way.

I give this one a grade of A+.