The Isis Pedlar

Isis #3

by Monica Hughes

Michael Joseph Flynn has devious plans to cheat and corrupt the inhabitants of the planet Isis, and he appears to be on the verge of success. Few among the planet’s simple agricultural community can resist his magic firestone, his strangely delicious Ambrosia, and the Forever Machine. Only Flynn’s daughter, Moira, can unmask this smooth-talking pedlar. But can Moira avert disaster in time?

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Canada, Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Fantasy

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Monica Hughes was a very popular writer for young people, and has won numerous prizes. Her books have been published in the United States, Poland, Spain, Japan, France, Scandinavia, England, and Germany. She has twice received the Canada Council Prize for Children's Literature, and was runner-up for the Guardian Award.

She is the author of Keeper of the Isis Light, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, which also received a Certificate of Honor from the International Board on Books for Young People; Hunter in the Dark, also an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Sandwriter, among many other titles.

Reviews

[Megs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, The Isis Pedlar is my least favourite of the Isis trilogy.I didn't feel the same connection to Moira that I did to Olwen in the first book, or Jody in the second. The dystopian aspects of Isis, which were very prominent in book 2 felt muted and less exciting now that so much time has passed.

So, I didn't have much of a connection with Moira and David felt one dimensional and boring, so that leaves us with our only really interesting character: Michael Joseph Flynn. But even then, I couldn't find any redeeming qualities to make me like him. And to be a fan of the rogue-ish spaceship captain not always working on the proper side of the law. But Mike was such a weak, despicable character, that I just felt pity for Moria for having such a shitty dad.

Oh, the instalove! I never noticed instalove when I read Monica Hughes when I was younger, but it is definitely some of the craziest instalove I've ever seen. Like they barely meet each other for one day, then David's ready to propose and I'm very lost. Did they even talk? But the book is so short at only 152 pages, that it's not enough space to put together a good love story, let alone have lots of adventure in the mix.

Finally, the ending just came together a little to neatly for my liking. Like BAM, everything is solved and nothing will ever go wrong again. When has that ever worked?

This review is coming off much more negative than I wanted it to, because, honestly, I enjoyed my re-read of the Isis trilogy, including The Isis Pedlar. It's a great cautionary tale about naivety and taking advantage of people. Overall, I recommend the Isis trilogy to young readers who want to get started read sci-fi.

[Shaun · Rating 1 out of 5]

I adored The Keeper of the Isis Light. The Guardian of Isis was not my favourite, but I can at least appreciate that it continued the tragic themes set up in book 1 - I was frustrated by the fate of Isis because Hughes created a world I cared about. The Isis Pedlar doesn't garner that same respect. While the first two books are short, and possibly rushed, The Isis Pedlar is roughly 25% shorter still. Without getting into everything I didn't like about the book, I can summarize my thoughts by saying The Isis Pedlar reads like a bad episode of Star Trek: some zany character shows up to mess with the regular cast, but all is made right in 44 minutes (which is roughly how long this book takes to read, give or take). This is more like fan fiction than the conclusion to a trilogy.

[Pam Baddeley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The third volume of the Isis trilogy - unlike the first two, which I kept and have recently re-read, I didn't enjoy this one and passed it on to a charity shop some years back. It doesn't feature the main characters of the first two stories, though I think young Jody is in it, older, but it deals with how some of the wrongs of the colony are finally eased.

I think the reason I wasn't keen was the theme of the villain from outside who intrudes to con the colonists, instead of having them somehow come out from the deluded attitudes seen in the second book. It would've been better if Hughes had instead written another book set between the first 2 volumes, which dealt with how Mark Taylor took over the colony and showed the struggle between him and the older Jody - that would have made for a tense and dramatic story that came out of the original set of characters.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

About as good as the last book, which is not very. I liked Moira but I found the rest of the characters to be really frustrating. Apparently nothing really changed since the last book. Jody didn't manage to convince anyone of anything and President London's son just continued what had been happening in book 2. At least at the end of this one things had somewhat been wrapped up and resolved. I can't recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book, it's vastly different. The only thing that seems to be the same across all the books was how stupid and frustrating all the characters seemed to be. 2/5 stars.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This time there was no dust cover to spoil the plot. I was skeptical after reading a summary on Goodreads, but pleasantly surprised by the finale of the Isis trilogy. Isis has aged another 15-20 years, but nothing has changed. The usual cast of characters is there as are the old beliefs and simplistic society. I liked that some story lines wrapped up and there wasn't an epilogue. The only irking thing was the instant relationship between David and Moira, otherwise an enjoyable conclusion.

[Bethany Lawrence · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved the first book in this Trilogy. I don’t think it needed 3 books. Sometimes it’s better to just imagine for yourself what might have happened to a main character as the years went on. I did find the end outcome interesting but only because I read the first 2 books.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took forever to read, kept falling asleep. Not as enjoyable as the first two.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the last installment of the Isis trilogy, Isis is rocked by the mysterious presence of a stranger. Michael Flynn and his daughter, Moira, are on the run from Michael's latest failed caper. When they accidentally arrive at Isis on their battered old ship, Michael smells an opportunity to fleece what he thinks will be a bunch of naïve, simpleton farmers. It is up to Moira to stand up to him and rescue Isis from his exploitation. Along the way, she gets the help of Jody (our hero from book 2) and his nephew, David. Michael London has since died, and now his weak-willed son is president. David and Moira must rescue the colony, both from Michael and itself.

I didn't like this story quite as much. Perhaps it was the absence of Olwen. Most likely it was my aversion to Michael and his complete lack of moral compass. As much as I applaud loyalty, I was annoyed by Moira standing by her father. Seriously, if someone were willing to literally sacrifice me for their own greed, not learn a lesson from it and THEN expect me to still love them and tag along? They would be dead to me. Period. It made Moira look like a pushover. I also disliked the lack of spine in most of the Isis colonists.

Still, a good adventure, and an awesome trilogy. Very thought-provoking.

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a number of Monica Hughes' books back in 1999 because she is the favorite author of a friend. Though some were harder to find, I enjoyed all I could lay my hands on.

This is another wonderful book by Monica Hughes. It is about some Irish space tramps, Mike and Moira Flynn, a father and daughter and his attempts to swindle a backwater planet. He ends up leading the world with their pseudo god, the robot guardian.

It was a wildly fun book to read and is part of the Isis cycle. Well worth tracking down for the young readers in your life.

(First written as Journal Reading Notes in 1999.)

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebellion comes to Isis in the form of a pedlar or "flimflam" man, shaking up the deeply cowed colonists.