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    Thalia Book Club: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's Peter and the Sword of Mercy
    Thalia Book Club: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's Peter and the Sword of Mercy
    Thalia Book Club: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's Peter and the Sword of Mercy
    Audiobook1 hour

    Thalia Book Club: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's Peter and the Sword of Mercy

    Written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

    Narrated by Matthew Cody

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson sit with Matthew Cody to discuss and read from their children's book Peter and the Sword of Mercy.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSymphony Space
    Release dateMar 15, 2010
    ISBN9781467664028
    Thalia Book Club: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's Peter and the Sword of Mercy
    Author

    Dave Barry

    DAVE BARRY is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor writer and bestselling author whose work has appeared in hundreds of newspapers.

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    Reviews for Thalia Book Club

    4/5

    1,133 ratings90 reviews

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    • 2/5
      The only reason I keep this book is that it is autographed. Barry and Pearson's Peter Pan books would probably be entertaining to somebody whose only familiarity with the source material was the movies. However, the unanswered questions which they set out to answer are all too often answered in the original book: where do fairies come from, how did Peter wind up in Neverland, et cetera. Captain Hook is unrecognizable. The astonishing part is that when the authors were promoting the second book in the series, Pearson explained that he got the idea while reading Peter Pan to his daughter. I could understand this book from authors who had not read the original, but for somebody familiar with canon to so blatantly ignore it is something that I can't accept in my reading.
    • 2/5
      Read aloud to the boys in the car. Good concept (reimagining the origin of Peter Pan) but poor execution. EXCEEDINGLY repetitive and with a limited vocabulary - the word 'said' is on each page a dozen times if it appears once. Would have worked better at half the length.
    • 5/5
      Excellent prequel to Peter Pan. Barry and Pearson “explainâ€? how Peter the orphan came to be Peter Pan, where the lost boys come from, who Captain Hook is, and where Neverland is. Simply magical. I listed to the unabridged book on tape read by Jim Dale. Highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      Well, it is about a couple. The guy is obsessed with a singer called Tucker. The story make you think about several things.1. What is it about relationship, that is more like habit than love. These two act like everyday normal boring couple. Yet there seems to be problem underneath it all.2. What a celebrity is from the eyes of fan, maybe very different with who this person is. This should not be news, but then it nicely illustrated in the story.3. Man who are normal, boring, could suddenly decide to fall for a new younger woman. It happened. But the man rarely think through of what it meant for him, and even less likely to think what it does to his current partner. And when there is consequence, they all act like common Hugh Grant character, that he has no idea how to deal with it. The second half, the once celebrity and singer Tucker finally got out and visit his daughter. This is just how this story goes in wrapping it all up. Some moments are good, and the characters is pretty much "alive". A good read, if you ever date someone just because you want to date someone.
    • 3/5
      My kids and I listened to this on audio in the car on the way to flute lessons and homeschool co-op and in the house during lunch when I got tired of reading aloud between bites of cold warmed-over leftovers.

      Imagining Peter Pan's origin story is a lovely idea, and it was well executed. There were a few too many twists and turns for my taste (they just became exhausting by the end), but the main thing I didn't like about the book was that it was so violent. Yes, the original is violent, too, but I don't remember J.M. Barrie's version having quite so much gushing blood.

      I also have mixed feelings about how often my 4.5-year-old tells me to walk the plank since we started listening to this story. It's cute, but I'm not a strong enough swimmer for that kind of thing.
    • 4/5
      Plenty of adventure and humor in this prequel to Peter Pan.
    • 4/5
      Peter and the Starcatchers is another book that I listened to after looking at it sitting on my shelf for 6 years, since I brought it home from Ireland back in 2009. Why? I have no idea – I love Peter Pan stories. So in looking for books that would be decent to listen to while driving for work, I figured this would probably be a good bet.

      Read by Jim Dale (whose voice I fell asleep to for years as he also read all 7 Harry Potter books), Peter and the Starcatchers is a prequel to the classic, Peter Pan. It tells the story of Peter, an orphan, who is shipwrecked on an island and in search of a box of “starstuff.” But before the ship he was on, the Never Land, splintered on the reef surrounding the island, Peter befriended the mysterious and alluring Molly, protector of the magical starstuff, who tells him of the great power the material wields – it can change animals into otherworldly creatures and give humans special abilities, most notably that of flight.

      But Peter and Molly and Peter’s orphan mates are not the only ones shipwrecked on the island. The miserable first mate and his brute of a lackey are after the starstuff as well, but their intentions are more sinister. A pirate ship, captained by the terrible Black Stache, follows the Never Land to the island and are in search of the treasure as well.

      Peter and the Starcatchers is a fast paced, highly enjoyable and entertaining tale of mischief and mayhem on the island that those familiar with the original story will quickly pick out as the wonderful Neverland. It is a story about children, but much like J.M. Barrie’s fantastical tale, it is not necessarily a book for children and highly enjoyable by readers (and listeners) of all ages.
    • 4/5
      children's fiction; adventure. Lively new telling of Peter Pan's beginning, makes great bedtime reading (I fell asleep easily, but also wanted to know what happened next--glad to know there are many more in this series).
    • 5/5
      Peter Pan + Lord of the Rings + TitanicPeter and the other orphans he has grown up with are being sent away from the orphanage/school they have grown up in. They have been sold into servitude, but must travel by ship to get there. Along the way, Peter meets a friend, Molly, and is also allowed by a strange box. As always, there be pirates along the seas...This is one of my favorite series of all times! I’m sorry that I let the insane work hours take priority over keeping track of the series. This is one of my rereads that has me more excited for my reread than new books this year. Also, between a combination of time and memory loss after a medical procedure, it’s like I’m reading it for the first time again.Ridley Pearson’s daughter asked her Daddy how after and a pirate met, and this is the result. It is one of those stories that may be classified as middle grade, but easily appeals to young adults and adults alike. The world-building is marvelous, with the bulk being new masterful storytelling with touches of classic J.M. Barrie to summon loving nostalgia. Characters, new and old, are well fleshed-out and brought out string emotions from this reader. Greg Call’s illustrations are jaw-dropping (THAT COVER!!)! Buy this for yourself or anyone who loves retellings. If you’re twisted, get it for someone who gets seasick.
    • 5/5
      Prequel to Peter Pan....listening with kids. Dave Barry as author makes it quite funny. Jim Dale as narrator makes it fantastic!
    • 3/5
      Pleasant prequel to "Peter Pan". The audiobook edition enhances some of the exciting adventures so I will give it 3½ stars.
    • 4/5
      LOVED it! I'm not a big Peter Pan fan but this was fantastic! It's set "pre" Peter Pan.
    • 4/5
      I decided I needed to read this since we are seeing the show in San Francisco next month. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed every minute of it and when the book ended found myself wanting to read the next one.
    • 4/5
      Finally read this one for myself! I just read the original Peter Pan so I thought it was time. I enjoyed this, and it stays fairly true to the original story if not quite the characterizations (I found Hook to be more sympathetic in the original book, and Peter to be a little meaner and certainly more forgetful). It was fun to see what these authors imagined for the sources of the mermaids and other parts of the island. The "savages," I was glad to see, were given far more depth.Overall, this was quite fun!
    • 5/5
      This was a simply stunning and lively book! If you like Peter Pan, if you like Harry Potter, if you just like clever tales full of excitement and wonder - this is for you! I was completely caught up in the story and liking the first half. But then, half way through, pieces started falling into place, laying the ground work that connected this prequel to the Peter Pan tale we all know. I haven't been able to stop smiling! Can't wait till my boys are old enough for this. And I am looking forward to reading the other books in this series!
    • 5/5
      Summary: This book appeals to boys & girls due to the familiarity of the topic, the action, the pirates and more. This story begins with Peter and the “Lost Boys” getting on a ship. They meet Molly who is a member of the Starcatchers. They’re trying to protect a trunk from Black Stache. The books explains how they’re able to fly, how mermaids came to be, etc. Personal Response: I really enjoy reading this book to my class every year. It can talk about the parts of the ship quite a bit so I would draw a ship on the board and label its parts so students can follow along a bit better. I would also illustrate which ship is which, as there are more than one in the story, and who is on which ship to help the students keep better track. Curriculum Connection: Comprehension: I often have the students illustrate what they hear me read as well for students who are having comprehension issues. Students have blank paper where they can draw what they hear me read as well. It helps them remember the story better and summarize what we read. I always tie in similes and metaphors during read aloud as well. When students hear a simile or a metaphor they give me a thumbs up. Another read aloud activity: Alphaboxes….students get a paper with each letter of the alphabet in a box. When they hear an important word in the story, they write the word in the box.
    • 4/5
      How did Peter Pan and that whole story come to be? Read Peter and the Starcatchers and all your questions will be answered. Great book. Middle School Boys especially will love this book. And... it is part of a series if you want more in the fantasy genre.
    • 5/5
      Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson invent an origin story for Peter Pan.Peter is an orphan in London. Along with a few friends, he is being sent to King Zarboff of Rundoon, essentially to be a slave. But between the villainous captain of the ship he's on, the secret treasure it carries, a band of pirates, a tribe of primitive people on a mysterious island, a giant crocodile, and assorted other mysterious characters and events, things don't go as expected.It's a fabulous adventure tale with a healthy dose of magic. No morals, no deeper lessons... just a fun story.(Curious note: There are occasional illustrations by Greg Call, which a beautifully done. But he must have been obsessed with the pirate Black Stache, because illustrations of the pirate are far more frequent than those of any other character, although certainly Peter, Molly, and probably Mr. Slank, are all more important characters to the story.)
    • 4/5
      Peter Pan's origin story. Put on a boat from the orphanage where he was living, Peter and his crew suddenly find themselves on an adventure with a mysterious trunk, a girl named Molly, and a pirate named Black Stache. Action abounds as many groups vie for the Starstuff and the giant storm capsizes the ships that the various groups had been on. Two groups of pirates vie for the starstuff as do the Shadowcatchers as do the mermaids and native of the island that becomes Neverland.
    • 4/5
      Ever wonder how Peter and lost boys came to be?

      My husband and I began reading this aloud to our 7-year-old son, but we soon found that we were way more interested in it than he was. We'd rush home and eagerly resume the story, while our boy wanted to draw or play instead. So, it became our book to read to each other. We'd read aloud at night after putting him to bed, and we pretended not to notice that eventually he was at the end of his bed, peaking out the crack in the door, listening for hours. He ended up loving it, too. We will read the sequel soon!
    • 4/5
      Thrills and spills in the origins of Peter Pan is a fun read. There is quite a bit of silly dialogue and I happened to be irked at one point at just a few too many ripe adgectves but the plot twists and turns and I was happy to finish it in two days. Apparently the first in a series which I may or may not continue. I have to admit I'm not compelled but I'm open.
    • 3/5
      When Peter and a group of five boys are escorted from the St. Norbert's, the orphanage where Peter has lived for most of his life, to the run down ship the Never Land, Peter has every intention of escaping. But then a strange trunk is brought aboard and Peter meets Molly who knows far more about the trunk than she's telling anyone. Suddenly strange things begin to happen, the threat of pirates who are also interested in the trunk begin to loom, and Peter discovers that the world is far stranger than he ever knew.I love Peter Pan in every incarnation and reinterpretation so I was very excited when I heard about this book, a prequel to Peter Pan, establishing how Peter (and everyone else) ended up in Neverland. But with the book completed, I'm left with a reaction of "meh." The book isn't bad, the pacing is quick, and the magic that is brought in is interesting enough. Unfortunately, I never felt super connected to the characters. This Peter wasn't quite the Peter of Barrie's imagining nor one I could see turning into the Peter of Barrie's version. Additionally, the build towards the climax felt more repetitive than intense. The book may be better received by its intended audience but this one didn't win me over and I don't plan to pursue its sequels.
    • 4/5
      As a Peter Pan prequel this is, perhaps a little odd. With its not-at-all-fey Peter and its science-fantasy explanation for Peter's eternal youth and Neverland's magic, it has a very different sensibility from Barrie's original story. What it does share with the original, though, is a great sense of adventure and fun, and the ability to appeal both to kids and to adults who are willing to let their inner child out to play. Since I very much qualify on that score, I found it wonderfully entertaining, and am now looking forward to reading the sequels.
    • 5/5
      I read this series a while ago. It was REALLY good. It provides the background for how Peter Pan and the Lost boys, Captain Hook, Smee and the Pirates got to the island, how Peter got the magic to fly and explains Tinkerbell. It's sort of a prequel to Peter Pan. Except it's so much more. It's an adventure story with excitement and fantasy, brave children and girls who don't just stand back and let boys defend them but who are self-actualizing and equals--despite the time period. I read this series to my 8 year old daughter and we both could not wait until it was "reading time" each night and we tended to drag our time over a little to just see what was going to happen NEXT! Because we HAD to know. I caught myself wanting to peak and read ahead when she went to sleep. So, yes it's really quite a good series of books if you like fantasy. Very enjoyable and highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Peter and other orphan boys are placed on the ship Neverland and set sail for Rundoon not knowing that they are accompanying Molly Aster, a starcatcher. When the ship is attacked by pirates searching for a trunk filled with starstuff, the adventures begin!This book was loads of fun, sort of a prequel to Peter Pan showing how Peter became the way he is, why he can fly, how Neverland got its name, and even the birth of Tinker Bell.Looking forward to the next adventure!
    • 5/5
      Who knows where Joseph & I stumbled across this book, but fall in love we did! We read each book in the series as avidly as any young readers would, or perhaps more so, since we were already huge fans of Mr. Barry. We used to read his newspaper columns aloud to each other; now we were reading this book, savoring his distinctive voice and humor weaving in and out of this so-called children's book. Hah!

      We met the co-authors at a very fun and entertaining book-signing locally, where the audience was 99.9% children and we were asked to stand at the back of the signing line. When we finally got our copies signed, they agreed that a good percentage of their readers were adults who were afraid to admit it. Don't expect adult literature, but if you're in the right mood, you'll just delight in the pure entertainment value of this series. How relaxing to we adults! (Can't speak for Book 5, though, because I haven't read it.)
    • 2/5
      The back story to Peter getting to Neverland. fun, light read.
    • 3/5
      A great book that is a prequel to Peter Pan. It explains how Peter came to fly, never age, and live in Neverland. I liked it quite a bit
    • 4/5
      Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry (2004), 1st ed
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this imagining of the backstory of Peter Pan. We find out about Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys...really fun!