Customer Reviews

Steel Trapp: The Challenge

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I am 13 1/2 and read this - the latest by Ridley Pearson. He is probably my favorite author. His books are not for little kids and not for adults, although my mom enjoys reading all of his, even my books. I think this is a super book for all kids, ages 10+ to read! It's full of adventure, fun and mystery! It is a quick read - I read it in 2-3 days going to/from school and soccer. It's hard to put down like all of Ridley's books. Get it! Read it! Enjoy it!

Fourteen-year-old Steven Trapp's photographic memory earned him the nickname "Steel" because anything and everything he sees gets locked down in his brain like a steel trap. While his talent comes in handy when trying to impress teachers or distract his mom, he doesn't feel it's enough to make him intelligent. But that's where Steel is wrong, because he's incredibly smart --- ingenious even. He's definitely brainy enough to compete in the National Science Challenge held in Washington, D.C.

So now Steel sits on a train bound for the Challenge with his mother, his dog Cairo and an invention of his own called FIDOE. Like dogs, his computerized robot singles out a specified scent and then tracks it; FIDOE is short for Fully Integrated Digital Odor Evaluator. While he's not worried about the invention itself, or even so much his presentation (the speech is locked in his memory), he's concerned about his father. Originally, his dad was the one planning to go with him to the Challenge, but for some strange reason --- one that his mom refuses to discuss --- his dad was delayed while on a business trip. But Steel is starting to believe that his mom isn't telling him something. Are his parents heading for divorce?

When his mom walks to the other end of the train for yet another private phone call, Steel notices something. A woman who boarded the train with a briefcase is now leaving without it. Steel jumps up and grabs the briefcase out of the overhead bin and chases after her. When he finally catches up with her, she defiantly refuses ownership of it. But Steel knows he's right; the image of her boarding is stored in his mind. Why would she lie? Not knowing what else to do, he turns the abandoned briefcase over to the conductor, yet he can't stop thinking about it.

Steel does find some comfort in having Cairo along, though she is locked in her travel crate in the baggage car. He finally manages to track down a conductor to let him in the secured car, and while he's happy to visit with his dog, he quickly becomes distracted by the lost-and-found section next to her crate. The briefcase is there! He decides to take a peak inside for more information, and what he finds leads him into a life-and-death international espionage adventure with the FBI.

Ridley Pearson has a list of published books a mile long, so he obviously knows what he's doing with his clever imagination. STEEL TRAPP: THE CHALLENGE has every ingredient needed to serve up an exciting adventure. The pages turn with fast-paced action, revealing the interlocking mysteries piece by piece. His characters offer a variety of personalities --- from secretive FBI agents to ultra-intelligent teens, all battling with right and wrong, and making choices. Pearson wraps up all the ingredients with his sense-awakening descriptions that really bring the surrounding scenery to life. Another winner from this bestselling, award-winning author.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND

This book is a definite winner! Ridley Pearson is just incredible! I started off reading his wonderful mysteries, then got hooked on the Peter Pan series -- the very best of his stories in my opinion!!!! Because I love his writing, I purchased this book too. I am so glad that I did... the story grabs you and keeps the action coming! I couldn't put it down! Although geared to teens, the book is a great read, no matter what your age. Enjoy! It really is worth reading! (Then try his Peter Pan books -- WOW!)

I'm enjoying this book (reading it on Kindle). Fun, adventurous, high stakes, and an interesting set of protagonists. I like that Steel Trapp (a nickname for Steven) has a photographic memory, but is upfront that this does not necessarily make him smart, he has to work at applying the photographic memory... it's a more human and modest approach than, say, Encyclopedia Brown. I also like that it presents science and invention in such a positive light to kids (I'm an adult, thinking about the future of our country, yada yada).

There are some logical gaps though that really bother me and get in the way of my enjoyment - Steel keeps saying he's going to turn over the briefcase to the police, but then goes way way WAY out of his way on several different occasions to lie, hide, and generally keep the police (both local and Federal) from knowing about the briefcase and the kidnapped woman. Especially considering how cool the Marshalls are when he does tell them - they believed him, took immediate action, kept him in the loop, and generally supported him in every way - his continuing to lie/hide after that was really confusing, and didn't make sense.

I had never really read an "adventure" book before Steel Trapp. Even though I've read mysteries, none of them have ever been as exciting as this! Teen Steel Trapp has an exceptional gift: a photographic memory. But this unusual gift is nothing but a source of trouble on his trip to Washington D.C. for the National Science Challenge. On the way, he meets a runaway girl, gets involved with US Federal Marshals, tries to thwart an alleged terrorist gang, helps save a kidnapped woman (not to mention National security), AND discovers a shocking secret about his father. All in one book! This story is absolutely brilliant, but the only thing I don't like about it was the fact the Kaileigh and Steel bypassed adult authority and safety to chase down extremely bad people in an unknown and huge city. But as long as kids understand that is something they should NEVER do, I think it's okay because otherwise, we wouldn't have much of a story. Other than that, love it! I hope the Steel Trapp series continues on for a long time.

I gave this book to my grandson as one of his Christmas gifts. He has since read the book and really loved it. He is looking forward to reading more books in this series.

This book is one of the best action/realisticfiction books I have ever read. It starts out with Steel and his mom on a train on the way to washington for the science challenge. Steel sees a woman leave a briefcase on the train. He tries to return it but the lady says its not hers. So he gives it to the conductor who puts it in the lost and found in the baggage car. When he goes to the baggage car later to visit Cairo his dog he unscrews the breifcase to see whats inside. Its a photo of a woman duct taped to a chair. Written on the photo is some sort of code; G23: 3-4. He tries to put the screws back in the case but one will not go back in. Steel is scared of what would happen if someone found out he saw what was inside the case so he hides it in the back of Cairos dog crate. Read the book to find out more.

I love reading spy novels - anything with international intrigue or the FBI or the CIA - I just devour it. And when I found out that Ridley Pearson had written a kid-spy-type novel, I was definitely intrigued. I've been somewhat of a backseat fan of Pearson after reading his PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS novel, co-written with Dave Barry. So I thought I would give STEEL TRAPP: THE CHALLENGE a chance. And I'm glad I did.

Things start out with a fourteen-year old boy named Steel Trapp, who is traveling to Washington, D.C. with his mother for the National Science Challenge. But when a mysterious lady drops a briefcase off on the train and then disappears onto the platform, Steel can't help but wonder what is going on. And soon, he finds himself swimming in a plot that could change the face of the United States of America forever - unless he can outsmart the people after him just long enough to figure things out. But with time sliding away and lives in danger, it's going to take a miracle to save them all.

I had read Pearson's THE KINGDOM KEEPERS a while back, and I must say, that book left me a little under-impressed. The writing had seemed to jump all over the place, never really sticking very solidly to the story. The plot of KEEPERS soon became so convoluted that it was very difficult to follow. I kind of expected something similar with The Challenge, but I was really surprised at the linear way that Pearson holds the story together. Things don't jump around out of control and hard to follow. Instead the story keeps moving right along, pausing here and there at the right moment to develop an interesting side plot with Steel's parents and their failing relationship.

The characters are fun too. There's Steel, who's not your typical Alex Rider hero. Instead, he's a self-proclaimed science fair nerd, who just has a photographic memory. He's not even that smart; he can just remember the things he's seen. And then there's his new friend Kaileigh, a girl who's trying to outwit her governess, oust whoever stole her science project for the National Challenge, and just keep up with Steel's antics.

With a ton of fun adventure/action, THE CHALLENGE is definitely one that will please readers who might like a more light-hearted ALEX RIDER book. And with a very decent surprise twist or two, Pearson has given us something good to read and enjoy.

This is my first book by Pearson, and the odds are I'll check out the next one.

Meet Steven "Steel" Trapp. He your average teenage genius, he has a photographic memory, and his mind is a steel trap, hence the name. Once he sees something, or reads something, he'll always remember it. He and his mother are on their way to Washington, DC for a Science Fair for building a robot. On the train he saw a woman bring on a brief case and stated to get off the train. Steel saw it, grabbed it and tried to give it back to the women. She said it wasn't hers, and left it there. That's not good enough for Steel, he can't get it open the regular way, so he came up with a way to open it, and sees a picture inside it, and his life is changed. It seems that some terrorists are after him. With the help of a girl he just met and US Marshals, he'll have to find a way to stop the terroriest, and keep his family safe. As the plot thickens, he finds out his father isn't really who he said he was.

Over all, it was an oaky read. I found Steel an interesting characters. I felt the mom and him argued a lot, and it didn't seem to fit. I'd have liked to see more of a cat and mouse chase between Steel and the bad guys.

Pearson has one or two plot twists that should keep the reader interested in the story. Is it perfect? No, but it's not a bad read.

Challenge, The Per usual, Pearson is exciting. Difficult to put down. One of his better books and fast reading.