The Inventors

The Inventors #1

by Alexander Gordon Smith, Jamie Webb

Nate and Cat absolutely love inventing. You name it, they've tried to build it. After accidentally turning their headmaster blue, they win a year's scholarship with the world's richest, cleverest, most charismatic inventor, Ebenezer Saint. And along with twenty-three of the brightest scientific minds in the land, they begin their year-long stay in the Saint's Solutions paradise, a vast industrial compound filled with unimaginable inventions. But it soon becomes clear that all is not what it seems. Ebenezer Saint is hiding a dark agenda - and if Nate and Cat ever want to see their families again, they will have to out-wit, out-run and out-invent the world's greatest inventor.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 29, 2007

About the author

Alexander Gordon Smith is the author of the Escape from Furnace series of young adult novels, including Lockdown and Solitary. Born in 1979 in Norwich, England, he always wanted to be a writer. After experimenting in the service and retail trades for a few years, Smith decided to go to University. He studied English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, and it was here that he first explored his love of publishing. Along with poet Luke Wright, he founded Egg Box Publishing, a groundbreaking magazine and press that promotes talented new authors. He also started writing literally hundreds of articles, short stories and books ranging from Scooby Doo comic strips to world atlases, Midsomer Murders to X-Files. The endless research for these projects led to countless book ideas germinating in his head. His first book, The Inventors, written with his nine-year-old brother Jamie, was published in the U.K. in 2007. He lives in England.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/alexan...

Reviews

[kevinn Yi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very interesting in many ways. It was about two inventors named Nate, and Cat. They were a team, and whenever a new invention was made, they accomplished it together. One day, their hero, ebenezer saint, creates a contest for inventors they make an entry and send it in. Turns, out that they made the final competition and they were allowed into the factories,and they were scheduled to live in that complex until the contest was over. They were given food, shelter and everything needed to survive. They were set to each build inventions and enter the final competition. Turns out that ebenezer saint, is a crazy man, and he intends on blowing up the earth using an atomic bomb. He says he gathered the worlds most inventive inventors so they could help him conquer the world. They realize he is crazy and plot against him. They eventually escape from him and kill him. The book ends ona interesting note. It pictures a computer, that says reincarnation, completed. I think a succesor series will follow this book and continue the story of Nate, and Cat, wherever their inventive journey takes them.This book in my opinion is rated a 8/10 because it ended with many questions in your mind. I would reccomend it to maybe sci fi readers?

[Krishu Wadhwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Inventors is a book about two kids by the names of Nate and Cat. They are bullied in school because of their love for inventing. However, one day, they decided to put some of their "Bully Blow", an invention if theirs which turns the person who eats it blue, in the school bully's brownie. This doesn't go according to plan as the principal takes her brownie and then eats it. When they go to the principal's office, he wants them to take part in Ebenezer Saint's competition. Saint is the greatest inventor of all time, and the 23 winners of the competition get to have a whole year of training under his guidance. Cat and Nate decide to form the bully blow into a helmet, which the army could use. Saint loves their idea and they are accepted. However, things take a change when they realise that Saint is evil. He wants to create a nuclear bomb so big that it destroys the world so that Saint can start a new world. The other kids escape, but Nate and Cat stay to stop Saint from destroying the world...

I feel that anyone who loves a little bit of action, comedy, mystery, and adventure in the book will love this book.

[Wallawoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my. I just remembered the existence of this book. It was one of my childhood favourites! And that's saying a lot, since up to 3 years ago I read fantasy almost exclusively. I don't remember much about the plot, just that Ebenezer Saint was a very charming villain, especially in the second book, and the two leads' creativity and inventing genius were awesome. I was so inspired I borrowed from the book for one of my secondary school assessments. We were supposed to speak about one of our great achievements (it could be real or imaginary) and then answer questions from the class and teacher news conference-style. Most of my classmates talked about their sports or other real-life achievements. My story was that I had won an inventing competition creating some sort of contraption for my cat. I had so much fun.

Now that I've finally found out who the author is, I'm interested in their other books! Though I may be too old for them now...

[E.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read some of Alexanders Gordon Smith's other books, and while I enjoyed them, I liked THE INVENTORS more. I think the reason why I liked this book so much is that it left me feeling more hopeful about the future. The story follows Nate and Cat who are childhood friends. They enter an inventing contest hoping to win the chance to spend a year with the world's greatest inventor. What they get is not only an opportunity to invent to their hearts' content, but a chance to really put their skills and knowledge to the test.

This book was fun and I really grew to like the characters, even Clint. It is a little more dark at times than I expected it to be but I was glad nothing was overly described. I am hoping I get the opportunity to read the next one.

[Daniel Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked 'The inventors' because it is a very unique book. It is about two best friends- Nate and Cat- who have a great talent for inventing. The book is about the two when they win a competition for a year-long scholarship with the worlds greatest inventor, Ebenezer Saint. Along with 23 others of the countries best and brightest, they are looking forward to the year with high anticipations. But something is wrong. Ebenezer Saint seems to be up to something. And if he's not stopped, he could end thousands, millions, even billions of lives. And now it's up to Nate and Cat to out-smart, out-wit, and out-invent the worlds greatest inventor.

[Nils Andersson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original and - eventually - totally capturing. At first I couldn't quite get into it. Not sure why, it just didn't grab me. So I put it down. Came back to it weeks later. Gradually, it grew on me. I started caring about the characters - not just Nate and Cat, all the young inventors - and the story finally grabbed my attention. From that point on, about halfway into the book through to the end, it was a whirlwind read. Definitely recommend it, although it may be a bit scary for some younger readers.

[Roanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an exciting book that always kept me going when I read it. It's very interesting how the plot unfolds and how it ends up and the inventions that the kids made. It does leave you with questions at the end though. so 4/5

[*unregistered_animagus* · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic thriller about two young inventors fighting against millions for a spot in the scholarship with the world's best inventor.

[Luke Ranjan-Das · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book started off pretty fun... but its quickly became *meh*