Ok, fun idea but not a favorite read ( )

Monstrous Devices starts with Alex receiving an old tin robot to add to his collection. This, however, is no ordinary toy robot. Some very nasty people are quite anxious to lay their hands on the robot and will stop at nothing to get it. Alex and his grandfather are catapulted into a dangerous, nail-biting adventure through the rooves and streets of Paris and then Prague, trying to stay one step ahead of the baddies and their diabolical mini robot creations. Grandad obviously knows more than he is letting on while Alex tries to solve the mystery of the robot.
This is Damien Love's first book, but it doesn't show. Alex is a totally believable 12-year old boy and his grandfather, with his idiosyncrasies and amazing martial arts skills, is a delight. Monstrous Devices is fast-paced and well-written with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. I loved it and think it would be enjoyed by most adventure-loving 10 - 13 year-olds, as long as they weren't too easily scared. Not all the loose ends were tied up by the end of the book and the second book in this series, The Shadow Arts, has been published. ( )

I would call this novel steampunk or possibly a light horror novel.

Alex and his grandfather are close even though his grandfather comes and goes. One day, Alex receives a gift from his grandfather: a robot. This robot is different and changes Alex’s life. Alex is bullied, but he does have his reliable good friend, so he’s not completely alone. He’s raised by his mother and the man she’s currently dating. Upon receiving the robot, Alex is working on a essay and falls asleep after looking deep into the robot’s eyes. When he awakens, two strange things occur. His essay is finished and the robot is in his backpack when Alex goes to school. The presence of the robot gives Alex a certain amount of manipulative ability that helps with the bullies.

Alex’s grandfather arrives and quickly discerns that they need to leave. Other people are after the robot. The idea is that this robot has something very valuable that will give people power/influence that is from God. You might was to look up Rabbi Loew and his golem. As Alex and his grandfather try to take care of the robot and get to someone who can help, they are constantly trying to evade the bad guys who want the power in the robot as well. Their journey is full of danger, action, and suspense as they try to keep the bad guys from getting the powers they shouldn’t possess.

The novel has an interesting premises--mixing the golem with robots. This is another novel that I didn’t love or hate; it was okay. I’m not a huge steampunk fan, so bear that in mind as you decide whether you read it or not. ( )

This book surprised me with how exciting and sometimes scary it is. Every chapter ends on a cliff-hanger, leaving you wanting to read the next chapter right away! This is the story of a boy who gets pulled into a dangerous, mysterious adventure involving dark figures and robots and other insidious devices.

Young Alex is just trying to get through his days, avoid the bullies, and make it to Christmas vacation, when suddenly life takes a mysterious turn. The antique robot his grandfather sent him starts acting peculiar, and Alex wakes up one night with a motley crew of robots trying to attack him. His grandfather ends up taking him to Prague where they embark on an adventure to stop the bad guys and save the day.

This first time novel by Damien Love is the perfect fit for those 4th-6th graders who crave a good mystery. ( )