The River of No Return

The Jaguar Stones #3

by Jon Voelkel, Pamela Voelkel

A hurricane is brewing in the jungles of the Maya, and the ancient Death Lords are on the warpath. Across the world in Venice, Italy, hanging out with his blogger friend Nasty (Anastasia) Smith-Jones and eating Pizza Gelato, Max Murphy thinks he is safe from their clutches.  But when a rogue octopus pulls him off his gondola and tries to drag him down to the underworld, Max realizes that the Death Lords have not finished with him yet.
 
Soon Max is back in Central America and reunited with the only ones who can help him in his battle—Lola, the mysterious Maya girl, and the howler monkeys Lord 6-Dog and Lady Coco.  Once again it’s up to the four of them to save the world as they fight off mutant cave spiders, zombie warriors, and, of course, the twelve villainous Death Lords. With the hurricane about to hit land, Max and Lola embark on a one-way journey to danger down the blighted Monkey River. They take shelter in a subterranean hotel, only to stumble upon Death Lord central. Torn between rescuing themselves and rescuing one of the last wild jaguars of the Monkey River region, Max and Lola find themselves drawn into an ever more bizarre series of tests, culminating in a terrifying ballgame that they can never win.
 
The River of No Return is filled with the same outrageous humor, heart-stopping action, and fascinating details of Maya culture that fans of the Jaguar Stones series have come to love.  Readers will be intrigued as secrets are revealed about their favorite characters while Max and Lola try to stop the world from ending . . . at least for now.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery

352 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2012

About the author

Jon and Pamela Voelkel (collectively known as "J&P") are the author-illustrators of the Jaguar Stones series; Pamela does most of the writing and Jon does most of the illustrating. The Voelkels met in London, where they both worked at the same advertising agency, and now live in Vermont.

To research the Jaguar Stones, they and their three adventure-loving children have explored over forty Maya sites in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico; canoed down underground rivers; tracked howler monkeys in the jungle; and learned to make tortillas on an open fire. Jon's most frightening experience was being lost in a pitch-black labyrinth under a Maya pyramid.

Reviews

[Luke]

Unrealistic, she’s way out of his league.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much. I am not very into fantasy but this series has kept me into the books. I think they are very well written and they do a good job of making you want to read more.

[Ushma Hathiwala Shroff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy

[Jatin Hathiwala · Rating 3 out of 5]

can't read online,can anyone suggest how is it done?

[Berkay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her bir kısımda ne olcağını merak ettiğim kitaptır, hiç bir zaman değeri bilinmeyecek olması çok üzücüdür.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book filled with action, drama, suspense, and more! I can't wait to read the next book!!

[Cindy]

The River of No Return

[Marcus Freeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read an exciting point in my book. Max and Lola have reached the Xibalba hotel, ran by the death lords. Max and Lola , the hero twins must win a game against 12 death lords that has been rigged. They must somehow escape and save a jaguar. Also they have to retrieve the white jaguar, before the death lords use it to harness a power of mass destruction. This chapter ended right before the game started and its a really big cliff hanger. Ω«

[Sam_mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

The theme of this book never giving up on your friends, no matter what. In this book,Max Murphy is taking a nice vacation in Venice, when a giant squid drags him under a canal. Later,he ends up back in San Xavier, where he reunites with Lola. Max, Lola, Lord 6-Dog, Lady Coco, and a jaguar go on a perilous adventure through the jungle to save the white jaguar stone. If the lord of evil, Ah Pukuh gets the stone,the world will turn into a living hell. The adventure includes zombies, demon hotels, hurricanes, giant spiders, and deathly ball games. There are many surprising secrets about the characters.

In my opion, this is the best book in the Jaguar Stones series. This book is not cliche at all, like the other books, and had many unexpected events. This book is exciting, funny, cool, and suspensful. It also has lots of new characters, good and bad, dangers, and secrets. There is one event at the end of the book that will make you rethink the entire series. I think this book has a great plot, and I higlhy reccomend it to the class.

[Belle the Book Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

**4.5**

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still a great series, very much for the Rick Riordan action with mythology (only Mayan Mythology)crowd. Unfortunately, stretching the plot beyond a trilogy may have taken away from the solid progression of the story. I thought it out of character for Max to be so blind about the truth about the hotel - After the first night with the blackout and the events that followed. I thought it would be Max who wanted out since he had the reputation of being a whiner and fraidy cat. For the plots sake it was necessary but a bit of a stretch. The end does bring about unexpected surprises. Having said that its IS a good fun read, and learning about Mayan Mythology is great especially for Middle graders. I await the rest of the series.

[Carolina Colleene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Language - G, Sexual Content - PG; Violence - PG
After Max's last adventure, he thought he was safe. Unfortunately, his life is in as much danger as ever--even halfway around the world. The Death Lords will not rest until the White Jaguar Stone is in their possession, and now they're making up all the rules.
I loved following Max and Lola on their adventures through jungles and Mayan temples as well as the awesome Mayan traditions and mythology that comes with that. However, I feel like their challenges became very repetitive and predictable. As long as readers are picking up Max's story strictly for entertainment and not for developed plots and characters, they will be happy with the results. Plus, the book has great pictures.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/

[Sammcnair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Waking up in a modern London hospital 200 years after meeting his death on a Napoleonic battlefield, Nick Falcott is indoctrinated into a time-traveling society and returned to the side of a woman he loves to reclaim a vital talisman, a mission that places the fate of the future in his hands. (library's blurb) I'm not sure why this says Jaguar Stones, #3, but it definitely felt like it needed a follow-on book--too much left unresolved/hanging. I enjoyed the book, though, and the premise.

[Kimball W 8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The river of no return is a very good book by, Jon Voelkel. Some parts are a little creepy like the part when max finds a guy that is wering a mask that looks like a bird. He takes Max to a place with a whole bunch of dead people and cascets floating in the water. While they are there they find zombie warrior's mutant cave spiders and some other things. While they are there they are trying not to die. It is a very fun and thrilling book and I liked it a lot.

[Daisy Sellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt a sense of familiarity while reading this book. It reminded me of Percy Jackson, but I thought it was BETTER.
I loved the way the authors created this story of something that happened over 1,000 years ago and plopped it right down into the present day. The characters were likable, there were plot twists and turns, and it was very well written!

[NVTony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every book in series only gets better with action/adventure galore. Characters have natural reaction to unusual situations. Mayan history again plays a part in story line. Be sure to review material at end provided by author to explain Mayan culture. Excellent read which provides a learning tool.

[Michelle Huss · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent continuation to the series. I loved the parallel's with the Maya "Hero Twin" story, though I did feel that Max was a bit too oblivious about The Grand Hotel Xibalba. I was surprised by Lola's backstory (that was definitely not the direction I saw things going), but it was an interesting twist. On to the conclusion!

[Jakenv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series just keeps getting better with each adventure. Fun for whole family while educational. As others have stated do not skip information at end of book. Will enhance your reading enjoyment to learn facts about Mayan culture.

[Lindsey Richard]

In this third book, Max finally gets away from Maya and goes to Venice, but eventually gets drug back to hunt for the Jaguar stones. Again, this book is full of incredible diction for students to tune into new, interesting words. Along with some helpful pictures and quite a few chapters.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fact-packed, fast-paced, action-filled adventure in the Mayan supernatural.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exciting adventure and suspense book that lures its readers into the story. It is the 3rd book of the Jaguar Stones series and I liked it a lot.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was disappointed that it did't end in this story. Its getting stretched out way too much.

[Lauren Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love this series! This was a great addition to the series. I can't wait until book 4

[Joshua R Korte · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was good just not as good as the first two

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

My daughter would give this a 4 or 5 and asked to listen to the 4th book. I, on the otherhand, dread book 4 if it's anything like this one.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun packed adventure with two lead characters you might already know. Series continues to intrigue, provide surprises with a touch of magic. Even adults will enjoy series.

[Unicornluyoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bence serinin kurtarıcı kitabıydı. İlk iki kitabı her ne kadar sevmesem de (özellikle ikinci kitabı, okuduğum en kötü kitaplardan biriydi) bu kitabı baya severek okudum.

[CYA]

The Jaguar Stones series
Middleworld
The End of the World Club

[Eeyore2468 Gaming · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

that was.......