King's Fifth

by Scott O'Dell

While awaiting trial for murder and withholding from the king the obligatory fifth of the gold found in Cibola, Esteban, a seventeen-year-old cartographer, recalls his adventures with a band of conquistadors.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Historical, Middle Grade, Classics

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Scott O'Dell was an American author celebrated for his historical fiction, especially novels for young readers. He is best known for Island of the Blue Dolphins, a classic that earned the Newbery Medal and has been translated into many languages and adapted for film. Over his career he wrote more than two dozen novels for young people, as well as works of nonfiction and adult fiction, often drawing on the history and landscapes of California and Mexico. His books, including The King’s Fifth, The Black Pearl, and Sing Down the Moon, earned him multiple Newbery Honors and a wide readership. O'Dell received numerous awards for his contribution to children’s literature, among them the Hans Christian Andersen Award and the Regina Medal. In 1984, he established the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction to encourage outstanding works in the genre.

Reviews

[Alena · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child in the early 1980s, I was fortunate enough to experience the somewhat psychedelic French anime program The Mysterious Cities of Gold when it first ran on television in the United States. That show was loosely -- and I mean very loosely -- based on this Scott O'Dell title, which (supported by the fact that I'd also read a dozen or so Scott O'Dell books in grade school) was my primary incentive for picking up The King's Fifth.

For the record, the book and the television program have nearly nothing in common apart from character names and setting. That said, The King's Fifth is a very solid piece of historical fiction -- far more historically sound than its Saturday-morning counterpart, in keeping with the rest of O'Dell's works -- and it's a great young-adult read that brings the period of European exploration in South America to life.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whooooaaaaa. I very excitedly made this my first purchase with my new Kindle, in anticipation of finishing up watching Mysterious Cities of Gold on Netflix. You see, this is the book on which that series was based. Now that I've read it, I am almost surprised they felt the need to claim any relationship between the book and the show.

The similarities between the book and the show:
- There are characters named Esteban, Zia and Mendoza.
- The plot is based on Spaniards' search for gold. Gold, gold, gold.
- A lake with gold at the bottom gets drained.

Yup, that's about it. The book is, admittedly, much more realistic, painting a seriously painful picture of the relations between the native populations and the conquistadors. It is horrifying thinking how these Europeans marched into Cibola and just took whatever they wanted. They lied, cheated, stole, killed whoever they wanted, killed sacred animals, just did whatever they wanted with the assumption that a) there would be no repurcussions and b) the gold (or turquoise, or anything else that struck their fancy) was theirs for the taking. Mendoza and his cronies, in the show, are definitely obsessed by gold, but they don't reach the level of jerkwad that they do in the book - Mendoza in particular sees no problem at all with killing, lying, stealing, whoever and whatever he wants.

Esteban is at heart a good character; in some ways he is the moral compass of the expedition even more than Father Francisco, since Mendoza as the leader feels very free to totally ignore the priest, but sometimes listens to Esteban. still, even Esteban struggles to stay true to his beliefs in the face of the ever-present lure of gold.

Zia is almost a side character, an attempt to include one native to show some of the restrictions placed on them by the Spanish.

What really cracked me up is that one of the scenes they DID get from the book involves the native ceremony where they paint their cacique with gold dust and wash him off in the lake. This is an iconic image for any fan of the show because they actually showed it in the live-action bits about the culture, etc., at the end of each episode.

Overall this is a quick read and shows many aspects of the conquistador/native experience: that of the conquistadors themselves, the natives caught up in an overwhelming tide of technology and greed, the priests looking to convert a whole new world of "heathens," etc.

Definitely worth a read, but for fans of the show, don't expect any fun temple puzzles, a golden condor, a Solaris ship, Tao, almost-magical golden medallions... you know, any of the stuff that made the show so much fun.

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not often I find a book that is almost perfect and has a very surprising ending but that is exactly what this one is! I can't really find any gaults with it. Which is like so rare, as generally there is something annoying about most books even though in some it may be small. And I think this is also something I would like to reread again as the story is just so great at capturing the time and place. It talks about a time out west that I am not really that familiar with.

At first I had no idea what this book was about. I just saw it had horses on the cover and that was good enough for me. I do that a lot you know. But this tale is just so fascinating! It is about a young map maker from Spain who travels to the New World and he ends up traveling in what would become the western USA. The year is 1541. At the very beginning we learn he is locked up in jail for not giving the Spanish King his rightful share of the treasure they had found: gold. But what had happened to the gold? Esteban says he doesn't have it.

The story then goes back to the long trip Esteban made with a group of travelers including a young Native American woman named Zia. They have many adventures as they search for a legendary city of gold called Cibola. I have never heard of Cibola before. I wonder where this story came from? But this is definitely an adventure story and they meet many tribes and have to deal with the environment too.

There are indeed horses in here too. The leader rides a big blue roan mare that is the fastest horse in the party. And Zia falls in love with the foal she names Blue Star but she is forbidden to ride because of some unfairly created rules. Curry combs are mentioned and so are the problems with feeding the horses in often hostile environments. The group needs to have their wits about them if they are to survive! But the most startling horse related bit in here are the stories they tell the natives, natives who had never seen horses before and have no idea what these large animals are! You see they don't want the horses to get stolen so they create some scary stories to prevent theft.

One character in here I disliked was the leader of the party, Mendoza. He was too greedy and just didn't care about others at all. Basically he was willing to do anything to get the gold and didn't care who got hurt.

Esteban was more honest, which is why he is the main character I think. And what he did at the very end was a huge surprise to me! I don't think most people would have the guts to do that but it was probably the best.

I also enjoyed the famous, well known locations featured in this book. They may be under different names in here like the Abyss or the Inferno but if you know anything about the western USA these national parks are easy to recognize!

A great read! I can see why this book won an award. The story also keeps moving at a good speed too. Never boring. And so much historical details too. Amazing! Will definitely check into more books by this author.

[Kate Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This being the first book in my reads from Joshua, I was at first skeptical I would enjoy it due to the themes of colonialism and the fact that I don't read much historical fiction nowadays.

In the end, I really liked it. It was a nuanced, searing look at what the promise of treasure does to people and the story of those who lose their soul or find it. The main character was an interesting narrator and I liked the dual timeline of him remembering events.

This would be a great addition to a homeschool curriculum.

[Marija · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to this book over the summer at the Skokie Public Library. It made their VOYA list, so I decided to see why this book was chosen. This is not the type of book I would choose, but I am very glad I did. I absolutely loved it. I could not put it down. I read it in a day, (which is very rare) I would have never thought that the story of a young Esteban de Sandoval, an aspiring mapmaker, (who also happens to be in jail while he narrates the story)would be so heart warming and eye opening. This book is written about the time of western exploration in the areas of modern day California. O'dell does a wonderful job of giving us a look into an era that is widely misunderstood. These conquistadores, although frowned upon in history, were human and had joys and sorrows just like the rest of us. On his journey young Esteban learns just what people are willing to do and go through for the pronise of treasure and gold. This book shows us an decent side of humanity in Esteban and the greedy, insatiable side in Captain Mendoza. I like to think of this book as an experience where you can almost feel the emotions going through the characters, and you can't help but love young Esteban for his bravery. This is a great book and should be in the classroom to show a different perspective on exploration.

[Gil K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Iconic take to greed and its consequences. I have enjoyed Scott's work before so I was excited to get into it... but then not really, kinda dropped the ball on reading for a month. Anywho, these characters are GOLDEN. I personally had a lot of stock into them. Very simple and ready style of writing, reminds me a little of Lois Lowry, anywho, it was awesome, you should read it, end of story.

[Karissa C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no idea how to take this book.

It's truly beautiful. Scott O'Dell's writing style is the most distinct I've ever read, and it shines in this story. The pacing between the present and the past is masterfully done.

As the story opened, I fell in love with Esteban. His mild manner coupled with quiet dreams fit his occupation as a cartographer well. You could see him following his superiors yet not fully agreeing with them, staying in the shadows and thinking things over. . .

But then he got harder. 💔 Especially when he found the gold, and then, later, when he gained it all. . . he lost it all, then.

I loved Zia. She was delightful as a child, and she deepened and matured throughout the story yet stayed herself. She was one of the few characters who didn't lose themselves through the journey.

The priest was. . . messy. You could see his love for God, and his love for people, truly! Yet, at the same time, his methods and theology were. . . insufficient. 💔 At the same time. . . what more was there to do? He couldn't stay. . . 💔

I was not expecting the ending at all. It. . . fits? When you think about it? But it's still a bit unraveled, and I wanted Esteban to have a better ending. It's. . . strange. I wonder what he'll write, in that prison for the next three years. . .

I would recommend this, though, and I would love to talk about it, with anyone.

[The other John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a tale about "gold fever", the malady where one becomes so obsessed with obtaining gold that one loses all sense of morality and common sense. The year is 1541 and a cartographer named Estéban de Sandoval is sitting in prison awaiting trial. He is accused of not paying the king a fifth of the treasure he discovered, as required by law. In flashback, Sandoval recounts how he came to travel through the lands of Nuevo España (modern day Mexico and Arizona) searching for gold. It's an interesting peek back into the lives and times of the Spanish invasion of North America. As for the tale itself, well, it's almost a stereotypical tale of greed and arrogance. I kept flashing back to the movie Mackenna's Gold as I read the book. But the characters were interesting and the ending is somewhat positive. As waiting room material goes, it's pretty good.

[Shawn Bird · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave up. I tried to read it. I got through about a third of it. It didn't grab me. I found to plot tedious, too full of description. I was not captivated by the protagonist. I didn't care about the conflict.

What I find interesting is that when I decided to quite reading, I noticed the author. Scott O'Dell wrote Island of the Blue Dolphins, the first book I ever gave up on as a kid. I was an avid reader, devouring books with passion. My best friend LOVED IotBD. I wanted to like it for her. Nope. I even tried again several years afterwards, but I didn't have success then either.

Plainly O'Dell just doesn't it for me. There are enough authors that I love. I'm not going to worry about it!

[Racheli Zusiman · Rating 3 out of 5]

בילדותי ראיתי את סדרת האנימציה, כולנו היינו מכורים אליה, וכשראיתי את הספר בספריה כמובן שהייתי חייבת לקחת אותו...
קודם כל קרא אותו בן ה11 שלי, שאמר שהסיפור יפה אבל שהוא לא אהב את הסגנון ואת צורת הכתיבה. אני מסכימה איתו. הספר לא קל לקריאה (ועכשיו אחרי שסיימתי אותו, אני מעריכה מאוד את הבן על כך שהצליח לקרוא אותו...). השפה גבוהה ומכילה הרבה מילים לא מוכרות. אני לא זוכרת כלום מסדרת האנימציה, אז אני לא יודעת להשוות האם יש דמיון או לא (מהביקורות שקראתי, הבנתי שאין ממש דמיון).
היה מעניין לקרוא את הסיפור מבחינה היסטורית - כיבוש/גילוי אמריקה ע'"י הספרדים, והבהלה שלהם לזהב. גם המסר של הסיפור יפה, ומדבר על תאוות הבצע המשחיתה את הנפש, על כך שהראייה שלנו את המציאות בעצם משקפת את מה שקורה בתוכנו, ועל הבחירה שיש לנו האם להמשיך לשאת איתנו את מה שמכביד על חיינו או להשליכו. חבל שהכתיבה ממש מקשה על הקריאה. היא פגעה בהנאה שלי מהספר, ולמרות שהסיפור היה כאמור מעניין ומלא תובנות, ממש רציתי לסיים את הספר ולגמור עם זה...

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It is your duty to save souls,” Mendoza said. “It is mine to save lives. Our lives.”
Excellent historical fiction for young adults. O’Dell drops the reader into the periphery of a well-known historical event—Coronado’s exploration of the American southwest during the sixteenth century—and spins an engaging
But as the two men left the camp and went up the trail with the bags and implements loaded on a mule, I said to myself, “I shall never in this life see them again.”
Published in 1966. Historical fiction of this quality is now rare. O'Dell recognizes issues present in his narrative, but doesn't derail the story by sermonizing. Current offerings tend to emphasize message over history.
"Let your manner be courteous. Do not forget that when there is no honey in the jar, it is wise to have some in the mouth.”

[Cheryl]

Gave up on, despite it being a Newbery Honor, as it does not appeal and I hope we've given up on teaching O'Dell in favor of more authentic, accurate, respectful, and #OwnVoices by now.

[Tommy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting storyline and good character development

[Jon Meyers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't even know that Mendoza was a bad dude for the first half of the book and they still talked about him like they had known all along 🤦‍♂️ nah

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not really sure what the point of this book was supposed to be. The ending left a lot to be desired. I would say it was about the friends I made along the way, but I didn’t befriend any of the characters. So oh well. At least it wasn’t that long.

[Rodger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a 17 year old map maker, who went on a journey to acquire gold, which the king is entitled to 1/5 of the treasure, as a tax. He returns empty handed and is arrested for withholding the King's share. The situation gradually unfolds to clarify what happened and why.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read about 50% and had to DNF.

I've been trying not to DNF any of the Newbery books while I read the list, but I've decided to give myself the option of DNF'ing 20 out of the 400+ books on the list. This will be book #3 that I've given up on.

I know a lot of people love Scott O'Dell and I think that's awesome. I love when people love books, even if I don't. I barely made it through "The Black Pearl" a couple days ago and I have feelings of utter loathing from being forced to read "Island of the Blue Dolphins" so many times as a youth. I'm thinking I just don't really connect with O'Dell's books. They're not my speed.

I'm about to start "Sing Down the Moon," so we'll see if I like that any better.

[Lori McKinley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins as a kid, so I was excited to read another Scott O'Dell book aloud to my kids. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for us. The writing is wonderful, as always, but the story didn't engage us and we were bored the whole way through.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

History read aloud for "the Age of Exploration" which covered Mexico and the SW US in the 1500s. This is the time of conquistadors from Spain eager to find gold. I really liked that it was told from a teenage mapmaker's point of view, chapters alternating in current time when he is on trial for withholding a fifth of the gold from the king, and chapters where he tells of his travels and how they came to find the gold. This style was engaging and gradually reveals details of the story where you are anxious to know what happened!

Everyone wanted to hear it so we'd have to wait for all of us to be together. It was not always easy being patient. 7 year old boy, 13 year old girl, husband, and myself all listened. While the story was a little confusing as it starts I soon was engaged with it. Loved the maps at the front and referred to them many times in the story. I loved Zia's character and how she guided them similar to Sacagawea helping Lewis & Clark.

It is definitely a moral story about what happens when you set your heart upon riches and what can happen when gold fever gets to a person. It is interesting how obsessed the Spaniards were with gold and how it meant little to the native people, or was important for ceremony, but not for wealth or why the Spaniards wanted it.

[Emily M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting peek into the Spanish explorers in North America, but it was also just a great character study of a young man. Scott O'Dell manages to make his characters flawed but likeable. The portrayal of the Spanish was harsh but realistic. My girls and I really enjoyed this one and appreciated the plotting of flashbacks interspersed with the trial. The end was satisfying though not the happily ever after that most children's historical fiction gives you. Definitely a good choice for our homeschool read alouds this year.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical fiction book for kids about a young cartographer from Spain who joined Coronado's expedition to find the Cities of Gold in the Land of Cibola. The story begins with the boy awaiting trial in Vera Cruz, New Spain, in 1541, for defrauding the king (Charles V) of the "King's Fifth" - the cut due to the king of any gold found in the New World. As he tells the story of his adventures and finding of some gold, the story switches back and forth between his account in flashback and his trial. My kids really enjoyed this one.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the same author who wrote Island of the Blue Dolphins and it's about a young cartographer, so I basically had to buy it when I came across the book at a used bookstore last winter. The story alternates between the boy recalling events that led to his incarceration and his experiences in jail and on trial in the 1500s. I passed along the book to my nephew who is a great reader and enjoys maps.

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book. Why is it my lititure books are almost as good as mine? Anyway I liked the journal entries.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good novelization of the early days of the Spanish in America and the search for gold at any cost.

[CassieV]

Found this one boring. I got about halfway through and decided I'd rather spend my time on more interesting reads.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pre-reading for Emma next school year. Engaging story.

[Emilia Emilika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, realistic and engrossing story. I enjoyed this one.

[Isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personall response
I really enjoyed this book because of how the guy in the jail is telling us about his jail time and what happened at the same time. I also like this book because of the history in the book. I think it being in the 1600s is great because you learn a lot about history.
Summary
In the beginning of the book the guy Sandolev is in jail. Then he starts expaling why he is in jail. Sandalev then recalls when he was on a ship making maps. Mendolev comes in and ask sandalev to join a mutiny with him. Sandolev declines and says no that he is a map maker. Mendolev asks him to think about it then he leaves. The capatain knows there is going to be a mutiny so he asks Mendolev to search for cornandos army. So Mendolev and Sandalev leave for the land. That night there is a storm and they do not make it back to land. After a week in the water they finally make to land. Sandolev is then explaining his jail again. The jailer takes him to his trial and Sandolev dosent deny his charges of taking the kings fifth of the gold. Then Sandolev is explaing how they found cornando. Cornandos army goes of to find gold with Mendolev. Mendolev goes and finds gold miles away from where cornando is. Mendolev dies on the way back. Sandolev then throws all the gold in to a lake with crater. Then sandolev is sentenced to jail for not giving the king his fifth of gold and goes to jail for three years.
Recomendation
I recomend this book for adults who enjoy a book in history and excitment. The reason I recomend this book for adults because of how the book is kind of hard to understand.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

From 1500 to 1650, Spain imported 180 tons of gold from the Americas. This may not seem like very much, but it was enough to drive men mad with lust. Many embarked on doomed expeditions and committed horrific atrocities in search of the precious metal, enticed by promises of never-ending wealth and splendor. Into this time period, Scott O’Dell inserts his blissfully innocent, 15-year old character, the young Esteban de Sandoval.
The King's Fifth is a tale of both a physical journey and a mental one. While the plot is exciting and the characters colorful, Scott O'Dell drives a point deep: wealth at the price of everything else is worthless.
I haven't read many books set in this time period, and I truly found this book interesting. It is written as a framed narrative- a story within a story. Esteban is in jail, awaiting trial, and recording his adventures. I enjoyed the double plot line, as well as his commentary. Over the course of the story, Esteban undergoes several transformations. Reading about his adventures provided an entertaining way to immerse myself in the realities of that time. I read this for school, but I really did enjoy it.

[mairiachi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I "read" the book, it was read aloud to me. I think that's why I thought for the longest time that it was an incredibly slow, boring book.

I started (and finished) it today and I loved it the whole way through. The characters don't seem flat anymore, and the plot is compelling. I kept wanting to read more and figure out the mystery all over again. The book does a great job of painting a picture, and of telling you...without actually telling you. There are many things that went over my head the first time that, reading a second time, made the book much more vivid, colorful, and real.

I used to think it was slow and uninteresting because there wasn't any (or enough) action and fighting. Rereading it, I realized it's more about the fight going on in the air, the words spoken and the actions taken to prevent or pursue something. It's about an internal as well as moral war, and it's just as intense as a physical war.

It's well worth the read - I strongly suggest reading it twice!