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[ [ [ Last Message (Seven) [ LAST MESSAGE (SEVEN) ] By Peacock, Shane ( Author )Oct-10-2012 Paperback
Adam has a good life in great parents, a cute girlfriend, adequate grades. He's not the best at anything, but he's not the worst either. He secretly lusts after Vanessa, the hottest girl in school, and when his dead grandfather's will stipulates that he go on a mission to France, Adam figures he might just have a chance to impress Vanessa and change his life from good to great. When he gets to France, he discovers he has not one but three near-impossible tasks before him. He also discovers a dark and shameful episode from his grandfather's past, something Adam is supposed to make amends for. But how can he do that when he barely speaks the language and his tasks become more and more dangerous? Despite the odds, Adam finds a way to fulfill his grandfather's wishes and, in the process, become worthy of bearing his name.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
22 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Shane Peacock
35 books132 followersShane Peacock was born in 1957 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, one of four brothers. He attended school in the northern town of Kapuskasing, Ontario, before attending university, where he studied History and English literature. A biographer, journalist, and screenwriter, he is also the author of eighteen novels, a picture book and three plays, and has been won and/or been nominated for numerous awards including two Arthur Ellis Awards for crime fiction, the Geoffrey Bilson Award for historical fiction, the Violet Downey Award, the Libris Award, seven times honored with Junior Library Guild of America selections, and has been on three shortlists for the Canadian Children's Literature Award, and one for the Governor-General's Award. His books have been published in 20 languages in 18 countries. He and his wife, journalist Sophie Kneisel live in Cobourg, Ontario and have two daughters and a son.
Series:
* The Dylan Maples Adventures
* The Boy Sherlock Holmes
The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim
The Seven Series
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2008): Eye of the Crow
The Arthur Ellis (2013)
The Violet Downey Award
The Libris Award
The Geoffrey Bilson Award
The Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Award
Anne Izard Storyteller Choice Award
Junior Library Guild of America Selection (7 times)
Governor-General's Award (shortlist)
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award (shortlist)
Series:
* The Dylan Maples Adventures
* The Boy Sherlock Holmes
The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim
The Seven Series
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2008): Eye of the Crow
The Arthur Ellis (2013)
The Violet Downey Award
The Libris Award
The Geoffrey Bilson Award
The Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Award
Anne Izard Storyteller Choice Award
Junior Library Guild of America Selection (7 times)
Governor-General's Award (shortlist)
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award (shortlist)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 31, 2014
well this was a interesting book. first of all I didnt like how adam finish the tasks so fast. especially the second one. there were good parts here and there but there was more bad parts then good.
but there is one thing that bothered my quite a bit was it was boring! and very unrealistic. like let's be honest, I dont think Adam's parents would let Adam do all this stuff and like let him go without calling or anything like... what?
but there is one thing that bothered my quite a bit was it was boring! and very unrealistic. like let's be honest, I dont think Adam's parents would let Adam do all this stuff and like let him go without calling or anything like... what?
November 4, 2012
This is the first book I've ever read where the plot is captivating while I dislike the main character. Sure, he comes to appreciate things in the end but he starts out as an asshole.
February 11, 2018
In “Last Message” Adam McLean Murphy leads a mediocre life with average grades, a cute girlfriend and caring parents. Yet he hungers for more especially after hearing his grandfather David McLean tell his mother that “he’d never amount to much.” Lusting after Vanessa Lincoln the hottest girl in school when he’s assigned three difficult tasks to fulfill in France after the death of his grandfather, Adam boasts to her about it, making himself look heroic. His friend Leon Worth cautions him to look beyond what is visible to the eye in determining a person’s worth, to forget about Vanessa and to look to the qualities in his girlfriend Shirley that make her the best. But caught up in his desire and discovering the difficulty of his tasks which include a shameful dark secret that his grandfather wants to undo; finding a cherished keepsake; and discovering the meaning of life in a protected cave, Adam ignores his friend’s sage advice, leaves his parents in Marseille and barely speaking the language sets out on a quest that proves not only life changing but dangerous.
Fast-paced, intensity and suspense quickly mount when Adam discovers the source of his grandfather’s shame hidden in the Noels barn where David MacLean was concealed after his plane was shot down in WWII and he remained undetected by the Nazis and “Milice” until his escape. Without the courage to divulge the truth Adam makes a decision that undermines his own integrity as he proceeds to the next task, one that has him learning about the heroism of a French pilot and author and diving to the site of an old plane wreck in a submersible. Tension and action escalate when the adventure takes him to a cave near the town of Vallin-Point-D’Arc. Scheming with a rebellious author Adam finds himself in danger, frightened of being arrested and running for his life; the threat altering his outlook and the decisions he’s made.
Shane Peacock brings the story to life with the complexity of memorable characters like Adam McLean Murphy, an average teen who wants to be more. A worrier who’s driven to achieve, he lusts after the unattainable but shows caring concern for a young handicapped friend. Similarly, his grandfather David McLean a daring WWII pilot and loving husband and father is observant and very intuitive, seeing the best in people but like his grandson is all too human, making several bad decisions in his life.
Gripping from start to finish this well-written story sparks with emotional-intensity as Adam struggles to complete the tasks and be worthy of the McLean name. Inspired by his research on Vincent Van Gogh, the life of Saint-Exupéry and the Chauvet Cave Shane Peacock blends this legendary place and people into an enthralling story that flows quickly and smoothly to Adam’s awakening at the end.
I liked Sean Peacock’s effortless writing style in “Last Message”the sixth novel in the innovative "Seven series", each book written by a different author. And I hope we'll see more by this talented author in future.
Fast-paced, intensity and suspense quickly mount when Adam discovers the source of his grandfather’s shame hidden in the Noels barn where David MacLean was concealed after his plane was shot down in WWII and he remained undetected by the Nazis and “Milice” until his escape. Without the courage to divulge the truth Adam makes a decision that undermines his own integrity as he proceeds to the next task, one that has him learning about the heroism of a French pilot and author and diving to the site of an old plane wreck in a submersible. Tension and action escalate when the adventure takes him to a cave near the town of Vallin-Point-D’Arc. Scheming with a rebellious author Adam finds himself in danger, frightened of being arrested and running for his life; the threat altering his outlook and the decisions he’s made.
Shane Peacock brings the story to life with the complexity of memorable characters like Adam McLean Murphy, an average teen who wants to be more. A worrier who’s driven to achieve, he lusts after the unattainable but shows caring concern for a young handicapped friend. Similarly, his grandfather David McLean a daring WWII pilot and loving husband and father is observant and very intuitive, seeing the best in people but like his grandson is all too human, making several bad decisions in his life.
Gripping from start to finish this well-written story sparks with emotional-intensity as Adam struggles to complete the tasks and be worthy of the McLean name. Inspired by his research on Vincent Van Gogh, the life of Saint-Exupéry and the Chauvet Cave Shane Peacock blends this legendary place and people into an enthralling story that flows quickly and smoothly to Adam’s awakening at the end.
I liked Sean Peacock’s effortless writing style in “Last Message”the sixth novel in the innovative "Seven series", each book written by a different author. And I hope we'll see more by this talented author in future.
June 18, 2019
This book was amazing to read. I love the fact that it was Canadian. There were some obvious spots that helped me figure out how it was Canadian.
One being motifs and patterns. In the novel, there is a lot of humour that the writer purposely put in there. Adams character is very relatable to a lot of people, that is an obvious reason why the author made his character that way. Most of the things that Adam does throughout the whole novel makes it funny and a page-turner.
Another big quality is setting. Throughout the whole novel, Adam explores in an urban area (Buffalo, New York) the second largest city in the world. He starts out in an urban area then travels to another urban area (France, in Western Europe). Therefore making him stay in urban areas throughout the entire novel. He is always in big cities throughout the whole novel, the author wanted readers to easily realize this.
Adam starts out in a city that he grew up in, that he knows his way around well and ends up going into another big city which he does not know his way around and the people there speak a different language than him. This makes it very difficult for him to continue his missions because part of them requires him to talk to many people to find out information. He finds out soon enough that all of his missions are going to be difficult, and they will take him a while to complete.
Interwar and postwar is one last huge quality. Throughout the whole novel, Adam was reading letters that his grandfather had written before he passed away. In these letters, he was talking about World War One and how he and his friends had participated in it. He wanted Adam to do missions that involved his grandfather’s friends from the war. The author specifically put these types of things in the novel. A good example of this would be when his grandfather is explaining his first mission to him, about trying to find a special rock.
In conclusion, this novel was amazing. It was really easy to figure out the Canadian qualities. This just made it way more interesting and fun to read.
One being motifs and patterns. In the novel, there is a lot of humour that the writer purposely put in there. Adams character is very relatable to a lot of people, that is an obvious reason why the author made his character that way. Most of the things that Adam does throughout the whole novel makes it funny and a page-turner.
Another big quality is setting. Throughout the whole novel, Adam explores in an urban area (Buffalo, New York) the second largest city in the world. He starts out in an urban area then travels to another urban area (France, in Western Europe). Therefore making him stay in urban areas throughout the entire novel. He is always in big cities throughout the whole novel, the author wanted readers to easily realize this.
Adam starts out in a city that he grew up in, that he knows his way around well and ends up going into another big city which he does not know his way around and the people there speak a different language than him. This makes it very difficult for him to continue his missions because part of them requires him to talk to many people to find out information. He finds out soon enough that all of his missions are going to be difficult, and they will take him a while to complete.
Interwar and postwar is one last huge quality. Throughout the whole novel, Adam was reading letters that his grandfather had written before he passed away. In these letters, he was talking about World War One and how he and his friends had participated in it. He wanted Adam to do missions that involved his grandfather’s friends from the war. The author specifically put these types of things in the novel. A good example of this would be when his grandfather is explaining his first mission to him, about trying to find a special rock.
In conclusion, this novel was amazing. It was really easy to figure out the Canadian qualities. This just made it way more interesting and fun to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2017
The story started strong, but for me it faded as it went along. Maybe there were just a few too many hints as to what was to come. And too much certainty on my part as to how it would end.
Fine as standalone or read as part of the Seven series.
Fine as standalone or read as part of the Seven series.
February 15, 2018
Adam is a very interesting and relatable character. All of the tasks his Grandpa sets for him are really cool to watch unfold. Overall, great book.
September 11, 2018
It was a very good adventurous book.
Want to read
March 8, 2022afasdfadsfasdf
August 5, 2022
This book was pretty good - also liked that my name was mentioned as the hottest girl :)
January 3, 2017
At the reading of his grandfather's will, Adam and his six cousins learn that their inheritance is dependent on them each completing some difficult challenges. Adam is to travel to France and complete three tasks.
I was not very impressed with Adam when he was first introduced. He is dating a girl who seems to be solid and likable person, yet at the same time he is trying to impress a girl deemed to be a big catch.
The challenges that Adam has to complete are not only physical in nature, but also have a mental component. It was interesting to listen in on his thoughts while he struggled to do the right thing with regard to the first challenge. Even though it must have been difficult to learn of one of his grandfather's shortcomings, he did learn so much more about him and about himself and about the type of man he wants to become. I felt that learning his grandfather wasn't perfect gave him the needed permission to make normal kid mistakes and to learn from them. He certainly did a lot of growing up during the trip, which I suspect is what his grandfather intended by having the boys complete these challenges. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this unique series.
This book is part of Seven the Series, which is a set of seven books, by seven authors about the seven grandsons. The books don't have to be read in any particular order, though the publisher recommends that the reader start with the books from Seven the Prequel, followed by Seven the Series, and finally by Seven the Sequel.
#IndigoEmployee
I was not very impressed with Adam when he was first introduced. He is dating a girl who seems to be solid and likable person, yet at the same time he is trying to impress a girl deemed to be a big catch.
The challenges that Adam has to complete are not only physical in nature, but also have a mental component. It was interesting to listen in on his thoughts while he struggled to do the right thing with regard to the first challenge. Even though it must have been difficult to learn of one of his grandfather's shortcomings, he did learn so much more about him and about himself and about the type of man he wants to become. I felt that learning his grandfather wasn't perfect gave him the needed permission to make normal kid mistakes and to learn from them. He certainly did a lot of growing up during the trip, which I suspect is what his grandfather intended by having the boys complete these challenges. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this unique series.
This book is part of Seven the Series, which is a set of seven books, by seven authors about the seven grandsons. The books don't have to be read in any particular order, though the publisher recommends that the reader start with the books from Seven the Prequel, followed by Seven the Series, and finally by Seven the Sequel.
#IndigoEmployee
November 3, 2016
David McLean lived a long and spectacular life but there was still so much he wanted to do but for some reason or another, couldn't. So when he died, he passed on his bucket list to his seven grandsons. Each boy was given a task in a secret envelope and told not to tell anyone about it. Each adventure is different but each boy gets something out of the experience.
Adam Murphy is David McLean's only American grandson. His task was actually three-fold but all took place in the south of France- where his grandfather was stationed as a pilot for a time during the war.
His first task: go find the family that saved David McLean from the French Milice (French Nazis) and tell them they are in possession of a Van Gogh painting. They thought it was worthless but it hangs in their barn. David McLean himself was tempted to steal it and avoided that area long after the war as he felt shame for these thoughts.
His second task: find the rock that David McLean gave to this friend, author of the Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Expery to confirm that the wrekage found in the early 2000s was indeed the plane that he was flying in (and also to confirm that the friendship was a true one).
Task three: See what no public person has seen before- go the the Chauvet Cave and see the images crafted over 30,0000 years ago.
I really enjoyed the tasks and following Adam on his adventures through France. I loved the fact that this Canadian author made his protagonist American. It made it funnier and I loved how it kept refering back to Canadians in humourous ways.
The whole premise of the seven books is just such a brillant idea I keep thinking "why hasn't it been done before?!" The fact that its Canadian means even more to me.
The only reason I'm giving it four stars out of five is that it was just a little too unrealistic. Yes I know its suppose to be a mystery for boys and a little out there and all but I felt that Adam met too many nice Frenchmen who were more than willing to help him out when the reality would have been very different indeed.
I think what I liked the most about the book was the fact that it introduced me to parts and history of France that I knew very little of and now have a curiousity about. If this was the author's intent, he did a very good job of it.
The book has just enough adventure, mystery, action and even romance to keep any young teen or pre-teen boy hooked.
My first book in the series and looking forward to reading another!
Adam Murphy is David McLean's only American grandson. His task was actually three-fold but all took place in the south of France- where his grandfather was stationed as a pilot for a time during the war.
His first task: go find the family that saved David McLean from the French Milice (French Nazis) and tell them they are in possession of a Van Gogh painting. They thought it was worthless but it hangs in their barn. David McLean himself was tempted to steal it and avoided that area long after the war as he felt shame for these thoughts.
His second task: find the rock that David McLean gave to this friend, author of the Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Expery to confirm that the wrekage found in the early 2000s was indeed the plane that he was flying in (and also to confirm that the friendship was a true one).
Task three: See what no public person has seen before- go the the Chauvet Cave and see the images crafted over 30,0000 years ago.
I really enjoyed the tasks and following Adam on his adventures through France. I loved the fact that this Canadian author made his protagonist American. It made it funnier and I loved how it kept refering back to Canadians in humourous ways.
The whole premise of the seven books is just such a brillant idea I keep thinking "why hasn't it been done before?!" The fact that its Canadian means even more to me.
The only reason I'm giving it four stars out of five is that it was just a little too unrealistic. Yes I know its suppose to be a mystery for boys and a little out there and all but I felt that Adam met too many nice Frenchmen who were more than willing to help him out when the reality would have been very different indeed.
I think what I liked the most about the book was the fact that it introduced me to parts and history of France that I knew very little of and now have a curiousity about. If this was the author's intent, he did a very good job of it.
The book has just enough adventure, mystery, action and even romance to keep any young teen or pre-teen boy hooked.
My first book in the series and looking forward to reading another!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2013
Adam’s adventure starts with his dead grandfather’s letter. His grandfather wants Adam to go to France to complete three different missions that are all related to his grandfather --- Adam will learn more about his grandfather’s experiences in France during the war. Adam has a good life in Buffalo but when he meets Venessa, the hottest girl in the school, he lusts after her so he decides to impress her with his great and special adventure. When Adam gets to France, he faces a lot of challenges. He has to complete the three missions by himself, and he is not keen on speaking French. Also, he discovers his tasks are nearly impossible --- the tasks become more increasingly dangerous so that Adam is eventually involved in a crime. Through the tasks, Adam discovers and understands and finds out an impressive and interesting story about his grandfather. In order to fulfill his grandfather’s wishes and hopes, Adam finds himself in deep trouble because he does something really unbelievable --- he tries to steal a painting. Luckily, Adam is not arrested, he fulfills his missions, and he is proud to be his grandfather’s grandson.
I love this book because it kept me turning the pages and reading. The author kept me guessing through all the missions in the story. The missions are very exciting and unusual, and this is the reason why I couldn’t stop reading. My favourite part of the book is the last part --- Adam’s final task. This task may lead Adam into a serious crime, but Adam doesn’t care because he wants to fulfill his grandfather’s wish and make him happy in Heaven. This last task is the most exciting part in the book and I am sure that it would entertain most teenage readers.
I was happy and impressed after reading this book because I believe Last Message is an excellent adventure story for any teenager. This is definitely a young adult book worth reading, and it will keep readers excited and engaged from the first page to the last.
I love this book because it kept me turning the pages and reading. The author kept me guessing through all the missions in the story. The missions are very exciting and unusual, and this is the reason why I couldn’t stop reading. My favourite part of the book is the last part --- Adam’s final task. This task may lead Adam into a serious crime, but Adam doesn’t care because he wants to fulfill his grandfather’s wish and make him happy in Heaven. This last task is the most exciting part in the book and I am sure that it would entertain most teenage readers.
I was happy and impressed after reading this book because I believe Last Message is an excellent adventure story for any teenager. This is definitely a young adult book worth reading, and it will keep readers excited and engaged from the first page to the last.
November 4, 2016
When I started reading "Last Message" by Shane Peacock I thought that it would be about Adams grandfather telling all of his war stories to the grandsons but only a small portion into the book I realized that there would be much more action than I had anticipated. "Last Message" is now my favorite book that I've read. I loved this book so much because I'm very interested in World War II and enjoy books with suspense and mystery. After reading about half of the book I started to make many connections between Adam and I. I was able to relate with Adam on many different levels. A problem that I have with some mystery books is that they usually have only one mystery or one climax. This book contains three mysteries and each one has its own rising action, climax, and falling action. Whenever I thought that the book slowed down all of a sudden Adam was traveling a new part of France trying to solve a brand new task for his past grandfather. My favorite moment in the entire book was when Adam was reading about the missions that his grandfather had been. When his Grandfather wrote those letters he explained in detail what it was like and I was able to clearly visualize it and put myself in his shoes. When Adam was actually there he was always thinking about what his grandfather did here which is what I was able to do in my head while reading. The background information was crucial in this book because without it you would wonder why Adam is all the way in France by himself looking for a single rock. After the background information you knew that the one single rock that Adam was searching for was actually a belonging of one of the best pilots in the entire war and had been given to him by Adams grandfather. That rock was so special that the pilot and taken the gift with him to his death. Overall this was a great book and there was not one part that I didn't like or started to bore me. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes suspense and treasure hunting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2015
SPOILERS: WARNING, this review contains spoilers.
I read this book in one setting and I was riveted. However, after reading some of the other reviews, I decided to knock my star rating down a notch.
For the parent who wants to recommend this book to her/his son or daughter, I would suggest reading it yourself first because there is indeed some moral ambiguity. Then, after your kid reads it, it could make for some good discussion.
My initial "this is amazing and I can't put it down" reaction is because I'm a Francophile and I have been to Arles 3-4 times. So it was like a trip to my old stomping grounds.
I appreciated the way the author gives "Americans" a look at themselves by comparing them to Canadians. I enjoyed the mystery and was hooked by the 3 tasks and the envelopes. His writing style flows and is very natural. But I stopped in my tracks when he said the boy would take a cab to Arles -- from Marseille! The boy takes cab rides as if he's zipping across town, not an hour-plus drive away. And then, if I read correctly, the whole family takes a cab from Marseille to Lyon, which is at least 2-1/2 hours away.
That aside, the history Peacock packs into the three quests is amazing and told in a natural storyteller way.
However, I was let down by the ending. It seemed contrived. In the end, the boy did do the right thing in regard to the painting. I kept envisioning him having a revelation from his grandfather, maybe one final confession, that helped the boy to see that his grandfather wasn't near as heroic as he made himself out to be, he was human, too. But that's the power of storytelling: we embellish. And it's OK to embellish as long as we are honest with ourselves.
I read this book in one setting and I was riveted. However, after reading some of the other reviews, I decided to knock my star rating down a notch.
For the parent who wants to recommend this book to her/his son or daughter, I would suggest reading it yourself first because there is indeed some moral ambiguity. Then, after your kid reads it, it could make for some good discussion.
My initial "this is amazing and I can't put it down" reaction is because I'm a Francophile and I have been to Arles 3-4 times. So it was like a trip to my old stomping grounds.
I appreciated the way the author gives "Americans" a look at themselves by comparing them to Canadians. I enjoyed the mystery and was hooked by the 3 tasks and the envelopes. His writing style flows and is very natural. But I stopped in my tracks when he said the boy would take a cab to Arles -- from Marseille! The boy takes cab rides as if he's zipping across town, not an hour-plus drive away. And then, if I read correctly, the whole family takes a cab from Marseille to Lyon, which is at least 2-1/2 hours away.
That aside, the history Peacock packs into the three quests is amazing and told in a natural storyteller way.
However, I was let down by the ending. It seemed contrived. In the end, the boy did do the right thing in regard to the painting. I kept envisioning him having a revelation from his grandfather, maybe one final confession, that helped the boy to see that his grandfather wasn't near as heroic as he made himself out to be, he was human, too. But that's the power of storytelling: we embellish. And it's OK to embellish as long as we are honest with ourselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2012
No. Seven in the Seven series - Shane Peacock's Last Message has it's moments but the Boy Sherlock Holmes this ain't. Peacock is good but not great as he takes readers on trail of the three tasks that Adam Murphy has been left by Grandpa McLean in and around Arles in France. Three definitely interesting tasks - the recovery (or not) of a van Gogh painting, retrieving a personal connection with Antoine de St Exupery and finding meaning (or not) in a long forgotten cave lead us on some interesting adventures but none of them are as satisfying as they should be. And if the strength of some of the novels has been the first rate back-stories - here I'm thinking particularly of Scrimger and Brouwer - Adam's relationship with the lovely Vanessa didn't do much for me.
Kind of glad the adventures are over and I don't have to hear anymore about how great Grandpa McLean is but it's a shame that the boys don't get to meet the lost cousin or to talk over their respective tasks - seems a mistake to me but hey - Seven ain't my baby!
Kind of glad the adventures are over and I don't have to hear anymore about how great Grandpa McLean is but it's a shame that the boys don't get to meet the lost cousin or to talk over their respective tasks - seems a mistake to me but hey - Seven ain't my baby!
March 25, 2014
This is the final book I read in the Seven series. The series' great claim is that the books do not have to be read in any specific order and I ended up with this one because Peacock was my favourite author from the seven presented. This was a satisfying book for me to end with, but generally it would not have mattered when I had read it throughout the series as it has no connection with the other stories. This is one of a handful of the books that delves deeply into the Grandfather's adventure quests for the grandson's, the Grandfather's past and brings another dimension to his personality which we have gradually gleaned from some of the books. This is the most dangerous quest any of the boys have been sent upon, they seem rather grandiose and could be life-threatening, if not illegal. Making for an adventurous read though. I had high hopes for this volume, what with Peacock as the author, but he strays from his usual writing style somewhat and while I enjoyed it immensely this is no "Boy Sherlock Holmes" nor did it become my favourite book of the Seven series.
August 2, 2020
2020 Review: This book is slightly more far-fetched than some of the others, but overall quite entertaining. The character of Adam was interesting, and the challenges his grandfather asked him to do were fun to discover. Looking forward to seeing what now happens in the Seven Sequels.
2016 Review: Final book of the Seven Series (although they can technically be read in any order). The grandson in this novel is American, and not Canadian, which changes the overall feel of the book. Adam Murphy is the only American grandson that his grandfather had. His grandfather's last words to him before his death were that the grandfather did not believe that Adam would amount to anything. Because of this statement, Adam vows to complete all 3 parts of his grandfather's task, which takes him to France. He wants to prove his grandfather wrong. Along the way, Adam learns much more about himself as he tried to complete each challenge.
There are two other sets of books in this series - the Seven Sequels and the Seven Prequels. I enjoyed these books so much that I would like to hunt them down.
2016 Review: Final book of the Seven Series (although they can technically be read in any order). The grandson in this novel is American, and not Canadian, which changes the overall feel of the book. Adam Murphy is the only American grandson that his grandfather had. His grandfather's last words to him before his death were that the grandfather did not believe that Adam would amount to anything. Because of this statement, Adam vows to complete all 3 parts of his grandfather's task, which takes him to France. He wants to prove his grandfather wrong. Along the way, Adam learns much more about himself as he tried to complete each challenge.
There are two other sets of books in this series - the Seven Sequels and the Seven Prequels. I enjoyed these books so much that I would like to hunt them down.
Read
November 19, 2014This book was about a boy named Adam discovering the secrets of his grandpas past life. His grandpa is a world war 2 veteran that tells Adam and the rest of his grandchildren his war stories. But when he dies he sends his grandchildren on adventures to find the truths of their grandpas true past. And along the way of this hard journey of Adam's he learns the truth about his grandpa and his true past. In the book I really liked how Adam could't tell his parents what he was doing. He could only tell them where he needed to go. Which was interesting because he had to go to Europe and couldn't even tell his parents why they were paying to go to Europe. This book should be for young adults because of the difficulty of reading, and the general knowledge you need to have to understand the book.
March 10, 2014
Though the writing is solid the story doesn't really come off as an adventure because of the emphasis on more adult personal issues. The protagonist's moral repugnance is not resolved in a realistic or thorough manner, making the punch or lesson at the end of Adam's 3 tasks lack any impact. If this story were intended for an older audience, dealing with moral ambiguities that go unanswered might be acceptable, but in this case it is too plain to see that it is an adult writing for youth, unsuccessfully.
The research into Van Gogh, St. Exupery and the Chauvet cave make for an interesting setup, but again the excitement therein is undermined by the protagonist's uninspiring motives.
The research into Van Gogh, St. Exupery and the Chauvet cave make for an interesting setup, but again the excitement therein is undermined by the protagonist's uninspiring motives.
January 21, 2013
Adam is one of seven cousins who must follow the directions in the will of their grandfather. Adam goes to France and expecting to use the story of his three dangerous exploits to win a hot girl at home learns something about himself and his grandfather.
Not an original idea, a grandfather's will leading kids to adventure (39 Clues), this title stands alone and provides a mysterious adventure with interesting plot content. The books in this series can be read in any order.
Recommended: 12+ years
Subject/Theme: adventure, mystery
Part of the Seven series
Not an original idea, a grandfather's will leading kids to adventure (39 Clues), this title stands alone and provides a mysterious adventure with interesting plot content. The books in this series can be read in any order.
Recommended: 12+ years
Subject/Theme: adventure, mystery
Part of the Seven series
April 16, 2016
While it was an enjoyable enough book, the story didn't really stand out much to me. There wasn't really a lot of descriptive moments; a lot of the time it was just a short paragraph summarizing the events of a few days. I think that's mainly because it was probably meant for a younger audience then me, but it did take some of the excitement out of the story. If you've read all the other books (I only read two) and enjoyed them, or are at a grade 5-7 age or reading level, then check it out. If you're looking for an intricate plot line and detailed chapters, I'd suggest something else.
October 16, 2013
"He will never amount too much." That is the last thing Adam heard his grandfather say. In the story Adam starts at his grandfather's funeral and gets a task to do that his grandfather never got around to or did not have the heart to do. As he does these tasks he finds out more about his grandfather and more about himself. I rated this book all five stars due to the amount of action contained in the book and how easily relatable the main character was.
February 11, 2015
I enjoyed this book. It was very suspenseful and mysterious as the main character travels to France. It's interesting to see the different perspectives of each grandson and how they feel about themselves, their position in the family and their grandfather. Some of the events were a little far-fetched, but it didn't stop you from having anxieties to see if Adam would be successful. Overall, a good read.
July 12, 2016
The Seven series is seven books all by different authors, that can be read in any order. This one was pretty good, exciting if a bit unbelievable. All main characters are boys (in every book). I didn't love the objectifying of the teenage girls, even though he chooses the "right" one at the end. Good for grades 4/5 and up I'd say, with discussion about his romantic choices and why he's making them.
March 13, 2013
An excellent hi-lo read-alike for the Alex Rider series.
When Adam’s grandfather passed away, he left behind some very specific directions for his grandsons to follow. Adam is sent to France to complete 3 tasks that are dangerous, difficult – and possibly even illegal. As if the tasks weren’t hard enough, Adam is also forced to reflect on his own and his grandfather’s fallibility.
When Adam’s grandfather passed away, he left behind some very specific directions for his grandsons to follow. Adam is sent to France to complete 3 tasks that are dangerous, difficult – and possibly even illegal. As if the tasks weren’t hard enough, Adam is also forced to reflect on his own and his grandfather’s fallibility.
October 19, 2012
Great adventure book! This writer reminds me of Haddix's "Among the -" series. I enjoyed how the main character goes on an adventure and a self discovery trip at the same time. I want to read all the books by Shane Peacock. Its a real page turner for girls and boys alike.
January 17, 2013
This was one of the better books in the series. I liked the aspects of the three different challenges, where as some of the others were more of a "find this out", but this one was straightforward and I liked that.
March 5, 2015
It's an exciting book because there are lots of interesting events following. I really enjoyed reading it but I challenged because of the level of English. I suggest this book to Aslı, Ebru and Yeliz. I think they will enjoy this book.
December 18, 2015
i ended up picking up this book from the library just by chance. i am glad i did it surprised me. it was a very good book, it had a great story line and you never really knew where the book was going to take you.
October 8, 2012
Good adventure story for boys. Story seemed a bit rushed though.
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