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The Jaguar Stones #2
The End of the World Club
With the end of the Mayan calendar fast approaching, fourteen-year-old Max Murphy and his new friend Lola, the modern Maya girl who saved his life in the perilous jungle, are racing against time to outwit the twelve Lords of Death. Following the trail of the conquistadors, their quest takes them back to the wild heart of Spain―a forgotten land steeped in legend, superstition, and ever more bizarre tourist festivals. With a pack of hellhounds on their heels and the cape-twirling Count Antonio de Landa in hot pursuit, the teens must face madness and betrayal, bluff and double-bluff, to uncover the terrible secrets of the long-lost Yellow Jaguar. But no matter where they run, all roads lead to Xibalba. There, in the cold and watery Maya underworld, we finally discover why only Max Murphy can save the world from the villainous Lords of Death.
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 28, 2010
37 people are currently reading
711 people want to read
About the author
Jon Voelkel
10 books51 followersJon 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 10, 2012
This is one of the worst books I've ever slogged all the way through. I've put down other books before because they were incredibly boring, or badly written, or contained a lot of graphic sex and violence. This one has just enough interesting plot and fantasy elements to keep me reading, but everything else is terrible. The characters are clever at one moment, and unbelievably stupid the next. The main character, a 14-year-old boy, turns from a mooning, love-sick idiot in one sentence, to a brave warrior in the next. He whines so much, and makes stupid decisions so often, I found myself rooting for the Mayan death lords to win! The plot twists and turns, but there is no foreshadowing, no logic to the changes of direction. The author's attempt to appeal to teenage boys by frequently discussing pus, flatulence, and other disgusting body effluvia is so transparent as to make me roll my eyes and groan on about every other page.
I'm not sure I can slog through the next one. I'll have to put it off for a while.
I'm not sure I can slog through the next one. I'll have to put it off for a while.
November 9, 2011
Max Murphy is having nightmares that he is being chased by12 ancient Mayan gods of death because he is indebted to them for having saved his archeologist parents from Xibalba. His parents are in denial that this happened. He has a week to return the yellow Jaguar stone to the Mayan gods or face death along with his family. Pretty far fetched and there are errors in the text. At one point the father says he will buy a dehumidifier (p.38). A few pages later the word humidifier is mentioned twice(p 45).
September 26, 2017
I enjoyed this book very much. It was probably my favorite in he series. There was a lot of action and a lot of twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
Want to read
October 15, 2019I've only read the first book but it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good
July 6, 2019
It picked up pretty much where the last book left off. Like the first book it was full of surprises and twists that were interesting. I didn't like it as much as the first book but it was still good. The one big complaint I have is that a lot of the names of characters from the first book had been changed without any explanation, which bothered me.
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January 3, 2024The End of the World Club
May 7, 2011
SUMMARY:
In The End of the World Club we start off in the home of Max Murphy. He is dreading the day with the ancient Maya Lords of Death come to redeem the favor he owes them. Except he's having trouble convincing his parents that the Lords of Death are actually coming. After all the years they tried to get him interested in ancient Mayan civilizations, now is the time when they think he's lost his mind. The Death Lords send their messenger and he lets Max know that he's to find the long-lost Yellow Jaguar Stone and return it to Xibalba (the Mayan underworld) in just six days.
With Lola, Lord 6-Dog, and Lady Coco in tow, Max heads to Spain in search of the Yellow Jaguar Stone. At every turn in their journey something pops up in their way, causing them to have to backtrack and mingle with some crazy foes in order to get the stone and to Xibalba before his six days are up!
REVIEW:
I wasn't as impressed with The End of the World Club as I was with the first book, Middleworld, mostly because it took us out of the interesting and beautiful Mayan culture and plopped us in Spain. After so much growth in the first book, Max seems to be falling into the same old patterns. He is whiny and Lola has to tell him several times to man up! Lola is the saving grace in these books for me, because without her we'd just be following Max around while he whined about not knowing what to do next. Lord 6-Dog and Lady Coco, though absent for a portion of the book are still quite the characters. They are funny and Lord 6-Dog is having extremely difficulty getting used to being stuck in the body of a howler monkey.
What you can expect when beginning this book is a lot of history; however, it's presented on a child's level, and the facts are given throughout sporadically to not overload young minds. Along with the history is the action and adventure, because Max and Lola find themselves in some tight spots and have to think quick to get out of them.
Something that bothers me about these books is the length. When I think we're getting close to the end, it seems to keep going and going. It comes in at almost 400 pages, and I think a lot of this could be shaved off to keep kids interested for longer periods of time. There were many times that I had to just put it down because it was taking too long to get to a certain point in the tale.
Overall, it's a fun and comical read. These books would be good to use when looking at other cultures in the English classroom as well.
In The End of the World Club we start off in the home of Max Murphy. He is dreading the day with the ancient Maya Lords of Death come to redeem the favor he owes them. Except he's having trouble convincing his parents that the Lords of Death are actually coming. After all the years they tried to get him interested in ancient Mayan civilizations, now is the time when they think he's lost his mind. The Death Lords send their messenger and he lets Max know that he's to find the long-lost Yellow Jaguar Stone and return it to Xibalba (the Mayan underworld) in just six days.
With Lola, Lord 6-Dog, and Lady Coco in tow, Max heads to Spain in search of the Yellow Jaguar Stone. At every turn in their journey something pops up in their way, causing them to have to backtrack and mingle with some crazy foes in order to get the stone and to Xibalba before his six days are up!
REVIEW:
I wasn't as impressed with The End of the World Club as I was with the first book, Middleworld, mostly because it took us out of the interesting and beautiful Mayan culture and plopped us in Spain. After so much growth in the first book, Max seems to be falling into the same old patterns. He is whiny and Lola has to tell him several times to man up! Lola is the saving grace in these books for me, because without her we'd just be following Max around while he whined about not knowing what to do next. Lord 6-Dog and Lady Coco, though absent for a portion of the book are still quite the characters. They are funny and Lord 6-Dog is having extremely difficulty getting used to being stuck in the body of a howler monkey.
What you can expect when beginning this book is a lot of history; however, it's presented on a child's level, and the facts are given throughout sporadically to not overload young minds. Along with the history is the action and adventure, because Max and Lola find themselves in some tight spots and have to think quick to get out of them.
Something that bothers me about these books is the length. When I think we're getting close to the end, it seems to keep going and going. It comes in at almost 400 pages, and I think a lot of this could be shaved off to keep kids interested for longer periods of time. There were many times that I had to just put it down because it was taking too long to get to a certain point in the tale.
Overall, it's a fun and comical read. These books would be good to use when looking at other cultures in the English classroom as well.
September 14, 2013
To be honest when I first started this book I was annoyed. In the first book I was very happy to see the growth in Max - he matured so much. But when this book started it seemed like he had slid backwards. He was almost back to his self-centered annoying ways. When him and Lola join up again it became really clear. I wanted to shake him and remind him of all that he had learned! Thankfully as the story went along he gained by the mature growth I'd see before. If he hadn't I fear I might have given up on the book!
Ok beyond Max's behavior the story was really strong. Once again it took the reader on a roller coaster ride through action packed adventures. The action started strong, and it really pulled me through the story. I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times wondering how they were going to get out of their current situation. I also liked that this one didn't just follow the same pattern as the first book. It went off on it's own, going places I never saw coming. I liked that because it made the story fresh. So many times I read a sequel and it's just the same story pattern repeated. The End of the World Club had events that I would've never thought could happen. Seriously a few times I really did think "wow didn't see that coming!". How fun is that when reading a book!
I want to comment on Lola just because I love her character. She was just as great in this book but in new ways (see it really kept thing fresh!). I so loved how she was able to just keep calm in situations where Max was kinda freaking out or, at the beginning of the book, sulking. It's because of her character that I recommend this series to girls in my class. She's a fantastic role model.
Final thought: Once again action packed with great fresh twists
Best stick-with-you image: The wedding announcement "party".
Best for readers who: Like action mixed with ancient history
Best for ages: 10-14
Ok beyond Max's behavior the story was really strong. Once again it took the reader on a roller coaster ride through action packed adventures. The action started strong, and it really pulled me through the story. I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times wondering how they were going to get out of their current situation. I also liked that this one didn't just follow the same pattern as the first book. It went off on it's own, going places I never saw coming. I liked that because it made the story fresh. So many times I read a sequel and it's just the same story pattern repeated. The End of the World Club had events that I would've never thought could happen. Seriously a few times I really did think "wow didn't see that coming!". How fun is that when reading a book!
I want to comment on Lola just because I love her character. She was just as great in this book but in new ways (see it really kept thing fresh!). I so loved how she was able to just keep calm in situations where Max was kinda freaking out or, at the beginning of the book, sulking. It's because of her character that I recommend this series to girls in my class. She's a fantastic role model.
Final thought: Once again action packed with great fresh twists
Best stick-with-you image: The wedding announcement "party".
Best for readers who: Like action mixed with ancient history
Best for ages: 10-14
February 16, 2011
I was so excited when I got this book from the library a few days ago. It is the sequel to J&P Voelkel's book, Middleworld. I read and reviewed Middleworld a few months back and absolutely loved it. And when I got the sequel, The End of the World Club, I couldn't wait to start reading.
Okay, cutting right to the chase here, I didn't like this book as much as I liked the first in the series. At some parts, it was a little disappointing. I just think it could have been a lot better if you are going off the greatness of the first one. But, it was still a pretty good book. The non-stop action was great. It wasn't a very long book (by the ending of the book I couldn't stand the fact that I would have to wait till the third comes out) but no pages were wasted. The ongoing, and secret, war between the Mayans and the Death Lords makes you hang onto every word. But, I will admit that I was a little disappointed in the villains. I just didn't feel like they were... Villainy enough. Not evil enough. I felt as if the authors didn't want to make the book to scary, or to violent. The most violence in the book was some-what comical dead bodies. That sounds odd, but if you've read the book you will understand my point. And sometimes I find a hard time believing that the ancient Mayans came up with such weird names for immortal beings. Try telling me with a straight face that a powerful Death Lord's, who commanded how and when you would die, name is Scab-Scraper. But, it's hard to not love the protagonists of the book. Every book needs a couple of good guys. And whenever Max isn't whining about something or other, this book has a great team of people who do good stuff to save other stuff.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who has read the first and I would recommend the first to anyone who hasn't yet read it. This is truly a great series and I applaud the Voelkel's for putting together such and imaginative story.
-Austin http://ReadingTeen.net/
Okay, cutting right to the chase here, I didn't like this book as much as I liked the first in the series. At some parts, it was a little disappointing. I just think it could have been a lot better if you are going off the greatness of the first one. But, it was still a pretty good book. The non-stop action was great. It wasn't a very long book (by the ending of the book I couldn't stand the fact that I would have to wait till the third comes out) but no pages were wasted. The ongoing, and secret, war between the Mayans and the Death Lords makes you hang onto every word. But, I will admit that I was a little disappointed in the villains. I just didn't feel like they were... Villainy enough. Not evil enough. I felt as if the authors didn't want to make the book to scary, or to violent. The most violence in the book was some-what comical dead bodies. That sounds odd, but if you've read the book you will understand my point. And sometimes I find a hard time believing that the ancient Mayans came up with such weird names for immortal beings. Try telling me with a straight face that a powerful Death Lord's, who commanded how and when you would die, name is Scab-Scraper. But, it's hard to not love the protagonists of the book. Every book needs a couple of good guys. And whenever Max isn't whining about something or other, this book has a great team of people who do good stuff to save other stuff.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who has read the first and I would recommend the first to anyone who hasn't yet read it. This is truly a great series and I applaud the Voelkel's for putting together such and imaginative story.
-Austin http://ReadingTeen.net/
March 10, 2012
Well. Pretty much feel the same way about this one as the last.
Lots of fun adventure and funny lines. Way cool.
Lots of totally ridiculous past the point of even slightly believable in a book parts. Way uncool.
So ... the two averaged together come out as a low to mid three stars. I will keep reading. I'll just curse myself a little bit every time.
Don't have a copy of this in our library collection. Send the kids to Jake Ransom And The Skull King's Shadow. But our public library has these. And if I found a student that was interested in the Maya I'd suggest this series as a second fiction read.
Still remember seeing who I guess now was the author dressed up in the most ridiculous sort of Mayan costume at ALA a couple years ago.
pg 98
"She cupped her hands around her mouth to make the sound of a howler monkey, the loudest animal on the planet. And if Santino Garcia was surprised to hear the girl of his dreams roaring like an angry dinosaur, he was too polite to mention it."
(a very very SMALL spoiler)
pg 333
"We're becalmed in the Sea of the Dead, off the Coast of Death. That can't be good."
Lots of fun adventure and funny lines. Way cool.
Lots of totally ridiculous past the point of even slightly believable in a book parts. Way uncool.
So ... the two averaged together come out as a low to mid three stars. I will keep reading. I'll just curse myself a little bit every time.
Don't have a copy of this in our library collection. Send the kids to Jake Ransom And The Skull King's Shadow. But our public library has these. And if I found a student that was interested in the Maya I'd suggest this series as a second fiction read.
Still remember seeing who I guess now was the author dressed up in the most ridiculous sort of Mayan costume at ALA a couple years ago.
pg 98
"She cupped her hands around her mouth to make the sound of a howler monkey, the loudest animal on the planet. And if Santino Garcia was surprised to hear the girl of his dreams roaring like an angry dinosaur, he was too polite to mention it."
(a very very SMALL spoiler)
pg 333
"We're becalmed in the Sea of the Dead, off the Coast of Death. That can't be good."
April 18, 2015
Back in Boston after his fearful adventure in Central America, Max Murphy is haunted by the deal he made with the Mayan Lords of Death. In exchange for the release of his archaeologist parents from Xibalba, the ancient Mayas’ version of hell, Max has promised to do them a favor, and he thinks they’re coming to collect. Otherwise why would his house be the only one in the city where torrential rain is falling, and why would the rain forest start to grow inside it complete with toucans and venomous crawling vermin? But worst of all, his parents seem to think all this is perfectly normal!
In the second in their Jaguar Stones series, the Voelkels deliver another thrill ride with grody bad guys from this world and the next. The setting this time is the Old World, as Max and Lola fly across the Atlantic to Spain in search of the Stone of Truth, the Yellow Jaguar of K'awill, a quest that will take them from Madrid to the end of the earth at Finisterre and beyond.
In the second in their Jaguar Stones series, the Voelkels deliver another thrill ride with grody bad guys from this world and the next. The setting this time is the Old World, as Max and Lola fly across the Atlantic to Spain in search of the Stone of Truth, the Yellow Jaguar of K'awill, a quest that will take them from Madrid to the end of the earth at Finisterre and beyond.
March 7, 2016
The book The End of the World Club is a thrilling sequel to the Jaguar Stones series. Max saved his parents from Xibalba, the underworld, and the death lords call in a favor from him. He has to find the long lost yellow jaguar stone. He has a short amount of time until they kill him and his friends, and drag his parents back to Xibalba. The death lords need to have the yellow jaguar stone to complete the set, which will make the world a living hell! Max is accompanied by his friend from Maya, Lola and two humans trapped in the bodies of howler monkeys, Lord 6 Dog and Lady Coco, or Lady Ix Kan Kakaw. Max's friends, Hermanjilio Bol and Lucky Jim, are stuck in Xibalba, whack piles Maxes plate enough. On the way to find the yellow jaguar stone, Max gets framed for murdering Lola, and got arrested; fights headless phantoms; and crashes a wedding. Max has to do it again. He has to save the world. This is a really intresting book, but not as thrilling as the first book, Middleworld.
January 5, 2011
This tells a new adventure for Max and Lola and how they fight off the evil gods of the Mayan underworld. I really enjoy the details about ancient Mayan culture and history and also Spanish conquistadors history. These things intrigue and lend an added layer of depth to the story. I find Max annoying most of the time, though Lola has her moments as well. The action is fun and the story fairly fast-paced, with its Indiana Jones feel. However, I thought the book went on too long for its story. There were too many things that really didn't contribute to the plot. There was remarkably little said about the "end of the world" according to the Mayan calendar. An ok story that will probably appeal to kids who like adventures. Full review at One Librarian's Book Reviews.
April 7, 2013
Sigh...It's amazing how you can have an exciting story and audiobook while having a totally irritating, clueless, whining, immature, and cowardly main character. Max falls for ever play that evil makes for him and is always saved by other characters in the story (who are way more interesting and of much braver and more intelligent stuff than him!!!). Many times I was tempted to stop listening in disgust but the story itself pulled me one. I don't know if the grating quality of Max would me more easily passed over by those reading (rather than listening to) the story because they would be rushing through that aspect of the story as they gobbled up the adventure. I will have to read/listen to the next book but am dreading Max's complaining and uselessness in advance!
January 14, 2016
This book is about a boy named Max and his Friend, a modern Mayan girl, who have to fulfill a mission by a few days notice determining Max's life. He made a deal with the Death Lords of Xibalba(the Mayan underworld) that if they retrieved the yellow jaguar stone, their friends would be released from Xibalba. The book is filled with suspense, curiosity, and there were a few parts that really had me on the edge of my seat. There really wasn't much of a down side or a boring part to the book. I recommend this book to anyone 6th grade and up, and for people who like a good fantasy, and a good adventure. One of my favorite parts was the fight in the Spanish palace, that had a lot of action and I was very intrigued. I really like this book and I am excited to read the next one
August 6, 2016
„Каменните ягуари” е младежка приключенска поредица със силен фентъзи елемент, чиито създатели Джон и Памела Волкил са базирали историите върху собствените си проучвания из десетки екзотични локации в Южна Америка. Точно така, вместо с познатите ни фентъзи същества, книгите от серията са изпълнени с материал от митологията на Маи, Ацтеки и Инки! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
July 6, 2016
I was terribly confused when I read the first two chapters of this book. And that is all I read. I did not like at all the change in a main character's name, the supposed pronunciations given in the first book of the Aztec words were different, and overall it seemed cheesier than the first one. I couldn't stand it and I'm considering I read this because I can put a review on it. It bugged me so much that a character had his name changed that I couldn't continue.
*Oh, and Lord Six Rabbit changes to Lord Six Dog. What the heck? Continuity much?
*Oh, and Lord Six Rabbit changes to Lord Six Dog. What the heck? Continuity much?
September 10, 2015
The second book really picked up and the pacing was much better than the first. Though there was definitely a lot of dumb mistakes made by Max, when you remember that he's just 14, you gotta cut him a little slack! The introduction of Santino and Nasty created just the right amount of tension between Max and Lola. While I was a bit surprised about the setting change in this book, I found myself enjoying it all the same. The little tidbits of history woven into the series are great. Looking forward to the next one.
September 30, 2010
(MLM)
I just started reading this book. I like it so far.
This is the sequel to the 1st book (Middleworld).
Before the end of the Maya calendar, Max Murphy has to pay back a favor to the Maya Lords of Death. He has ten days.
Fast paced with symbols/codes, b&w illustrations, maps and photos. You learn a bit of Mayan History. But, actually you feel as if you were inside a video-game. This is a good choice for those who enjoy adventure/history and fantasy.
I just started reading this book. I like it so far.
This is the sequel to the 1st book (Middleworld).
Before the end of the Maya calendar, Max Murphy has to pay back a favor to the Maya Lords of Death. He has ten days.
Fast paced with symbols/codes, b&w illustrations, maps and photos. You learn a bit of Mayan History. But, actually you feel as if you were inside a video-game. This is a good choice for those who enjoy adventure/history and fantasy.
April 27, 2014
This book was just as awesome as the first one. The plot was great, it was interesting, had lots of action, and had monsters! This book was really good. There were lots of unexpected twists and turns. There were also engaging new characters. Although, smae as the first book, some things were a little cliche. Like there was a person who looked exactly Lola, so you knew she would save her in the end. Even though, this book is really exciting, and is a great book to read.
March 6, 2012
This is a really good book although i think i am going to pick up another book as well i am actualy reading bridge to terrabitha with the little girl i baby sit and I may finish that than do my report on that it is a good book it is not so much my age level but where as im reading it to her anyways might as well right... Ill post it on good reads soon
May 1, 2012
Warning, this book has continuity errors with the previous book, Middleworld. Such as instead of calling Max 'Hup', Lola now calls him 'Hoop'. And Lord Six Rabbit's name changed to Lord Six Dog. No explanation, it just changed, like the authors forgot his name and didn't bother to check. It was annoying the whole time.
I did like the actual story part of the book though, so 3 stars.
I did like the actual story part of the book though, so 3 stars.
July 5, 2012
Although there were some inconsistencies with the first book (how is Max all of a sudden likes gourmet cheeses and meat pies when he wouldn't even eat a granola bar in book 1?), it is even better than the first book. Once again, I love the twists of the plot. These are excellent books for boys, by the way, especially boys who like "gross" stuff like pus and guts and flatulence :-)
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September 29, 2016A second book in the series where character Max is still involved in a lot of Maya traditions. This time talking about the end of the Maya calendar. This could be related to our "end of the world" issues that have been experienced in the past.
January 3, 2011
Review to come!
January 6, 2011
Sequel to Middleworld with more of the same. Kids who like that book will enjoy the sequel.
August 29, 2011
second book in the Jaguar Stone trilogy. Max and Lola go to Spain. They find the yellow jaguar stone and turn it over to the lords of the dead.
January 3, 2012
It was an ok book. There were way too many fantastical (word?) twists and turns to give it any more than three stars. I was, however, very invested in the characters. That is why I kept reading.
August 1, 2014
Personally..I thought this book was not as great as the first- for one most of the details WERE WROOONG! Im kinda sad really :(
July 4, 2012
I didn't finish this one. It just got to be annoying.
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