Blart: The Boy Who Was Wanted Dead Or Alive Or Both

Blart #2

by Dominic Barker

Blart is wanted, dead or alive. It's nice to be wanted, although not if you're gong to be skewered horribly by the Duke's army as a result. But it isn't just Blart's life that's at stake.

The greatest sorcerer alive has made a very big and rather embarrassing mistake, and now Blart must embark on a perilous mission to save his own life, his friends' lives and potentially the world (again).

And so begins another hilarious, unforgettable and utterly fantastic adventure (with pigs).

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fiction, Comedy

Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Dominic Barker was born in Southport in 1966. He graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in English and then spent two years as part of a comedy double act before deciding to become a teacher. He currently lives in Barcelona.

Reviews

[Maryam Behzadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

بعد از مدت‌ها بالاخره کتابی خوندم که باعث شد موقع خوندنش قهقهه بزنم! البته این کتاب رو به لیست در حال خواندن اضافه نکردم چون خوندنش پروسه‌ی طولانی‌ای شد. نه که خوندنش لطفی نداشته باشه و بی میل باشم‌ها... اتفاقا کاملا برعکس! با برادرم هر شب قبل خواب چند صفحه‌ایشو میخوندیم (بله با تک تک صدا گذاری ها و اهن و تلپ(!!) شخصیت‌ها) کتاب فوق‌العاده جذاب خنده‌دار و صد البته مثل جلد قبلی منطقی‌ای بود!
سر نمره دادن کلی فکر کردم... به نظرم کتاب عالی‌ای بود ولی دست و دلم به پنج دادن نمی‌رفت... ولی خب هر چی فکر میکنم نکته‌ی غیر مثبتی درباره‌اش پیدا نکردم! درسته برخی پلات‌هاش احمقانه بود ولی قرار بود که احمقانه باشه و دقیقا همونقدر که باید احمقانه بود... ولی خب من میدم چهار شما بخونید پنج
(اینکه نمره‌ی کامل ندادم کمی تعریف از خود بود که فکر میکنم شاید صدا گذاری های خارق‌العاده‌ام جذابیت کتاب رو تا این اندازه بالا برده بود :)))) )
و در نهایت باید بگم وقتی میگم با برادرم خوندم منظورم این نیست که برادرم کوچیکه‌‌‌.. اتفاقا روی هم ۵۳ سال سن داریم و تازه من فرزند کوچیکه خانواده‌ام! فکر کنم همین توضیح حق مطلب رو ادا کنه =)))

[Jay Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blart 2.

Gosh.

I, uh, I'm not really sure how to talk about Blart 2. I'll keep it vaguely vague in case you, dear reader, are planning on embarking on your very own Blart journey.

Blart 2 is ridiculous. Honestly, at times, it's quite enjoyable, but it's amazing how many side quests could be cut from this book. The story is mostly small, 2-3 chapter long side quests of varying quality, but it does pick up quite a bit when they finally get going on the main plot. I'd happily trade some of the bumbling for a more detailed confrontation with the evil Zoltab.

Uther really steals the show as a character - out of our main adventurers, he's the one that is the most fleshed out and fun, which worries me because I've heard he wasn't in the first book. I don't intend to read Blart 1 though, so I guess it's fine.

While the plot twists were pretty predictable, this is a children's book, but I did struggle with the authorial presence in this book. I did some research and it turns out Dominic Barker started off as a comedian, and you can feel that comedian-turned-childrens-writer energy seeping off of the text (especially in the character of wacky, grumpy Capablanca). The funniest parts of this book were the ones that I think weren't meant to be the funny parts, and the humour felt a little forced at times. I've read a lot of young adult/children's lit that doesn't try as hard and gets better results, but I think any 12 year old pre-2010 would enjoy this book. I don't know that it fits with the kids lit of today.

I have one major issue and I'll talk more about that in the future, and that's the character of Princess Lois. As the main female character and one of I think 3 female characters in the book, there's way too much of character that is dedicated to being a stereotype of an ungrateful and angsty teenage girl, and the fact that marriage follows her even though she states many times it's not for her makes me feel. Weird? Idk I feel like it's obvious that Dominic Barker was writing this with a young male audience in mind and I couldn't quite get that energy out of my head.

Blart the pig boy (or Blob as he was known once) is the worst child ever written and honestly he drags the book down. Blart 3 better kill off Blart in the first 5 pages and redeem Lois's character, but I doubt that will happen, and I doubt I'll ever find out.

[Alex George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well its finished. I have to say I was absolutely dumbfounded as to how Blart is the titular character of this chaos because he does absolutely fuck all until literally 3 pages to go where he saves the whole world (again! (Apparanetly)). On the whole this was a wild ride, every like 5 pages was it's own microadventure and after a while it essentially became a D&D quest with the gang zapping all over the earth at a frightening speed on their giant horse. Totally obsessed with lard and pigs but tbf the writer ties together all the bullshit pretty well in the story by the end. He does, however, go to extreme lengths to dig himself out of plotholes and the reasons why certain things dont happen when they should are explained to us in the most roundabout way possible. Its entertaining to watch ngl. The dialogue becomes like yu gi oh level of expositional. But for all its glaring faults and wall punching ridiculousness, I have to say I enjoyed Blart II. But I am absolutely thrilled that the story wrapped itself up and I dont have to read Blart III.

[دانیال بهزادی · Rating 5 out of 5]

‫آخ که چه‌قدر من این مجموعه رو دوست دارم!

‫کتاب یکش رو خیلی وقت پیش خونده بودم و اصلاً نمی‌دونستم که دو تا کتاب دیگه هم داره. ولی به طور تصادفی کتاب دومش رو هم دیدم و خریدم. و چه‌قدر خوشحالم که خریدم.

‫این کتاب رو به صورت نوبتی با مریم خوندیم و کلَی با همدیگه خندیدیم و به نویسنده فحش دادیم ((:

[Madeleine Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blart books were the books of my childhood. I laughed when I read it, when I reread it, and I laughed so hard when I read it to my brother that he didn't know what was going on anymore! Perfect for children and young teens

[Clarisse · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[kazhin_rasoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

جلد دومش قشنگتر بود~~

[Nolann Legezynski · Rating 4 out of 5]

on reste dans la lignée du premier, même si reste moins bien je trouve

[Meo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subtitled "The Boy Who Was Wanted Dead Or Alive - Or Both" this book debunks more of the fantasy tropes with wicked warlords, wise witches and a quest to discover the imprisoned Zoltab in order to prove our heroes' innocence. Our regular band of heroes is joined by the merchant Uther, always with an eye on profit and with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of lard for any occasion. With its trademark blend of action, adventure and asides to the reader, Blart II (whilst lacking some of the freshness of the original) is still a fun and entertaining romp.

[Brii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part 2 of the boy who didn't want to save the world, Blart.
If you've read the 1st book, you'll know that Blart is the first son of the first one of the first son (ect till the start of time), which I find pretty funny. He is getting closer to the princess and I found the book funnier then the first one.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

the greasy lard man was so annoying but the was the point so it’s okay. THE MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE BAHAHA. blart still simping after his pigs to the point where i kinda want my own….i should not have a bank account i might just buy a pig now. beo is as always an icon and an idol for braincell-minimalists everywhere

[Blitz The pure black doghorse]

Loved Blart, so Ima now gonna read this one XD

[Priscilla E. Wong · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is more like on the comedy side instead of the adventure side.

[Knjiznica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super zgodba. Fant, ki je znal pasti prašiče, se je podal na odlično potovanje ... Na poti je spoznal sopotnike, ki ...

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll always have fond memories of this wildly entertaining and humorous book. It is silly, it is fun, and I distinctly remember reading it in class during a less-than-stellar time in school.