Customer Reviews

Terrible Times (Eddie Dickens, Book 3)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As the final book in his Eddie Dickens trilogy, Philip Ardagh has made "Terrible Times" a fitting end. The mishaps and adventures of Eddie Dickens began in the first book when he was mistaken for an orphan. The general whackiness that began the series is ever-present in the third and final installment.

In "Terrible Times" Eddie finds out that he is supposed to go to America to see what is wrong with the family's newspaper known as the 'Terrible Times'. Eddie never makes it to America because his adventures at sea include a traveling companion whose previous employers have all died and left all their money to her. What could she possibly have planned for Eddie on their fateful voyage?

Philip Ardagh has a sharp and ready wit. The story is quickly paced in spit of all the wanderings off course. Yet some of the novelty has worn off by the third book, especially since some of his shtick is a take off of Lemony Snicket's style. Still it is a light-hearted and enjoyable read that will make the reader laugh.

Terrible Times is Book 3 of the 'Eddie Dickens Trilogy' and requires familiarity with the past plots, but will nonetheless delight fans who have enjoyed the story of hero Eddie, who now finds himself en route to North America aboard the sail ship The Pompous Pig. Zany misfortunes and disreputable traveling companions abound with mystery and an involving, lively plot.

Philip Ardagh is one author who knows precisely how to grab the attention of young readers and never let it go. He's wry, humorous, and incomparable. Attesting to his winning ways is the popularity of the first two books in his Eddie Dickens Trilogy: "A House Called Awful End" and "Dreadful Acts."

Now comes "Terrible Times" read by the immensely talented Martin Rayner.

Expressing surprise at the success of these books Mr. Ardagh relates that their genesis is found in letters that he wrote to a nephew at boarding school. Whatever the case, they're gems and, in this reviewer's estimation will be enjoyed by generations of young people.

North America is the destination of Eddie, the young protagonist, in "Terrible Times." He finds himself aboard a sailing ship carrying an unlikely cargo - countless left shoes. The unforgettable Dog's Bone Diamond has also booked passage, along with a gaggle of shipmates who should be forced to walk planks.

As if that weren't enough, of course, there's a stowaway.

Before long the hapless Eddie is set adrift in a leaky rowboat. Chances are slim that he can backstroke all the way to America. What's to become of him now?

- Gail Cooke

I liked "A House Called Awful End". I thought it was a welcome mellow antidote to the increasingly sour and sort of pointless Lemony Snicket series.

But, Ardagh has now written the same book three times, and each volume is a little weaker and thinner than its predecessor. "Terrible Times" has the same basic cast of characters, and has a lot more exposition and chatty fill. Everything just seems a little too forced and sort of tired. So, bottom line, I would certainly want one Eddie Dickens book in my kids' library, but probably don't need more and probably not this one.

The whole Eddie Dickens series is fabulous.

I enjoy reading it to my wife and son (7) on an evening.

My son goes on to read it himself after we have finished one.

Start from the beginning with Awful End and go from there.

5* to Philip Ardgh and his rather odd sense of humour :)

Terrible Times
By: Philip Ardagh
Reviewed by: A. Quizon (Firecracker)
Period: 1

A young boy named Eddie Dickens was forced to go to America because his mom wanted him to. Of course, he certainly did not want to go there. Then one unpleasant day, Eddie found himself sailing on a ship, on the way to America. He was so worried. He did not even know if he would make it through the ship ride. Eddie was so scared sailing on a ship alone, with strangers all around him. He was in one of those leaky ships, not the real fancy, cruise looking ships. Anyways, Eddie thought he would never make it. This ship ride took forever. Eddie was sailing with some of the most dangerous people in which of course made him extremely frightened. On this leaky ship, there was a mysterious stowaway and some faces he knew of from his own past which was not very good. With the familiar faces he knew of, they tied him up and set adrift a leaky rowboat. He hated this and surely wanted to go back home. There was absolutely no doubt about that! He was waiting to reach America, and it seems like it is taking years to get there. Every time Eddie thought of this, he was thinking "Unbelievable!" because he was on a ship with many bad guys who had the world-famous Dog's Bone Diamond along with a cargo hold full of left shoes. Then in conclusion, Eddie's most dangerous companions got caught, and Eddie happily got sent back home to England, and went to trial.

What I like about this book is that Eddie did not go to America, and the most dangerous companions of his got caught! This ending was one of the best endings I have ever read. This ending was so unexpected, which I loved about this. "Once the cargo of left shoes was unloaded and the Dog's Bone Diamond delivered, there were brought back to England and ended up on trial. I also love the fact that he got back home, and went to trial. This keeps him safer, and more away from these bad guys because they probably got sent to a jail for what they did. Now Eddie wouldn't have to worry about dying because of his horrible companions. It makes me happy in the end because no one really got hurt in this story.

What I dislike about this book is that Eddie was forced to go to America in the first place. Then, on the day he found himself on the ship, sailing to America, he started freaking out. I did not really like that part because if someone imagined if that was them, they would have a very unpleasant time on the ship. I also disliked the ship. I don't like those nasty, creepy-looking, leaking ships. Those ships looks like it sunk a long time ago and many people died on it. Then, people found the boat, took it out of the water, and cleaned it a little bit. It is scary, imagining people who died on it, and thinking that the ship would be haunted. Those kinds of ships give me the creeps. I feel very sorry for Eddie because it was bad enough that he had to stay on that nasty old ship, sailing to a place that he didn't want to go to. But there's more: "The poor Eddie Dickens finds himself sailing to America with some of the most dangerous traveling companions anyone might have the misfortune to share a ship with." Of course I certainly would not want to share a ship with those kinds of people.

My favorite part of this book is the ending (obviously). This is because the ending was so unexpected. What I thought was going to happen was that Eddie would not even make it on the ship ride. By the time that ship reaches America, he would probably already be dead by then because some of the familiar faces he knew and the other most dangerous companions would probably kill Eddie. That is certainly not a pleasant idea to think of. I was so wrong once I read the ending because the ending ended up as something good happening. I love it when Eddie goes back home because everything is back to normal and he feels safe again, and not like on the ship. He felt very unsafe, worried, and as if someone would kill him. I love the feeling whenever a person feels so safe. That was how Eddie felt when he went back home to England. My least favorite part of this book was in the beginning. This was when Eddie's mother wanted him to go to America. This is when the whole thing started. I thought that it was sad that he got sent on a ship with a bunch of strangers who were very dangerous. Other than that, this book was fantastic!

Philip Ardagh is one author who knows precisely how to grab the attention of young readers and never let it go. He's wry, humorous, and incomparable. Attesting to his winning ways is the popularity of the first two books in his Eddie Dickens Trilogy: "A House Called Awful End" and "Dreadful Acts."

Now comes "Terrible Times" read by the immensely talented Martin Rayner.

Expressing surprise at the success of these books Mr. Ardagh relates that their genesis is found in letters that he wrote to a nephew at boarding school. Whatever the case, they're gems and, in this reviewer's estimation will be enjoyed by generations of young people.

North America is the destination of Eddie, the young protagonist, in "Terrible Times." He finds himself aboard a sailing ship carrying an unlikely cargo - countless left shoes. The unforgettable Dog's Bone Diamond has also booked passage, along with a gaggle of shipmates who should be forced to walk planks.

As if that weren't enough, of course, there's a stowaway.

Before long the hapless Eddie is set adrift in a leaky rowboat. Chances are slim that he can backstroke all the way to America. What's to become of him now?