The Pocket and the Pendant

Rating:
Summary: The Pocket & the Pendant -- a wonderful ride!
Review: A wonderful ride, the Pocket and the Pendant! Jeffrey makes us care for the well-developed and wry characters, we see their humor and pathos, and the plot twists are ever-changing while still within the realm of the real (surreal)... The histories and mythologies offer us glimpses of age-old wisdom, an understanding of Time, and access to the simple confrontation of choosing good over evil, one choice at a time. A book for readers of all ages, and hopefully soon a movie and a sequel!

Rating:
Summary: Just remember: The tyranny of the page is absolute
Review: I do not think you can really say that someone is being too imaginative, because these is nothing about an overwhelming collection of creative concepts that could not be cured by a solid academic essay or an annotated edition. But then few people have jammed as much imagination in a 212-page book as Mark Jeffrey has in "The Pocket and the Pendant." For this one you need to be up on your knowledge of the mythology of the ancient Sumerians, both the basic and complex rules of traveling through time and realities, a few of the fundamental laws of science, and how to read between the lines.

If you note that the book does not have a dedication, but rather a statement of ownership, then you are aware that you have entered into a special place before you get to the first page of the story itself. The first chapter introduces so to "A Very Strange Little Boy" by the name of Max Quick. But our attention is diverted from Max before we even meet him because the first line of the novel tells us that "On April 8th at exactly 3:38 in the afternoon the world STOPPED." Virtually everybody and everything on the planet is now frozen in silence. But, of course, there are some exceptions to the rule, one of whom is Max Quick, the aforementioned strange little boy.

The first part of "The Pocket and the Pendant" is rather reminiscent of an episode of "The Twilight Zone" (a couple of them actually, if you count all of the versions of the series), where the world is frozen but you can run around and do anything you want, crossed with "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," the archetype of stories where kids get to do anything they want. Well, not everything, because there are some limitations, as well as some pressing practical concerns, given the situation. Max explores this new state of the world and finds that he is not the only one who is still capable of moving about. But the simple idea that this stoppage in time, the "pocket" of the title, is related to the solar eclipse quickly gives way to a more interesting explanation that puts Max Quick and his friends at the center of a mystery involving the "pendant."

"The Pocket and the Pendant" is a story where telling you the hook is necessary and sufficient information for you to determine if you are interested in reading the book, so there is no need to expand further. Max is twelve years old, but Jeffrey's book reads quite a bit older than the pre-teen age group. Of course, comparisons of Max Quick to Harry Potter are inevitable, but they are valid only in the limited sense that "Charmed" and "Stargate SG-1" are comparable. There is much more imagination involved here and it is the unusualness of the situation and the speed with which things more (think Saturday morning serials) more than anything else that hampers the development of the characters. Also, do not be surprised if you go running to the Internet between chapters to find out more about Gilgamesh and other interesting tidbits that Jeffrey drops into the mix (not that I did that, because I have taught "The Epic of Gilgamesh," but even if you have heard of the first epic hero of Western Civilization does not mean you remember anything specific about him, unless, of course, you caught the "Darmok" episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation")

That last digression and its various relations in this review should give you an indication of the creative scope of this novel. My only complaint, idiosyncratic and minor as it might be, is that I wish "The Pocket and the Pendant" had been printed as a paperback. Given the size of the type font relative to the size of the pages we end up with a whole lot more one-line paragraphs than we would otherwise. It gives reading this book a different feel than I think it should have. If the next book is printed in this same size I would really like to see a bigger font used.

Rating:
Summary: A Thrilling Page-Turner!
Review: I have known Mr. Jeffrey since about 1995 and have known him to be an incredibly inventive, creative and dynamic businessman. I had no idea such vast resources of creativity in the form of a book were within him as well! Of course, it shouldn't have come as surprise.

I'll use the same adjectives to describe "The Pocket and The Pendant." It is a most wonderful, inventive, creative and deliciously fun read! The storyline is written with tempting hooks leading you into the next chapter and even more eager to get to chapters further along. The only dilemma is whether to read fast, so you can read what happens next, or to slow down and enjoy the ride.

I loved all the Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and other mythology references and the "science" behind it all was genius.

As a fan of the thinking of wrinkles-in-time and other quantum physics films, books and schools of thought, I relished the concepts in the book that made the premise and subsequent events possible.

The characters and their experiences were written in such detail that I felt as if I was there with them, experiencing the same sensations. The places and locations "we" went to in the book were described with such a richness that I felt as if I was whoosing away and unsticking things to use them!

All I can say, in the end is, "more! more! more!" and "when is the movie coming out?!"

Rating:
Summary: A great fresh read
Review: It took me a little while to get into the groove of The Pocket and The Pendant, but once I did, I was sucked in. Jeffrey manages to throw down novel idea after novel idea. I'm a lover of sci-fi of all types and Jeffrey manages to pull together disparate sci-fi realms into a cohesive whole while at the same time introducing lots of new fare. The book is definately suited to young adults, but I know that less-young adults (adult adults?) will enjoy the story just as much.

Rating:
Summary: While you're waiting for the next Harry READ THIS
Review: Jeffrey's THE POCKET AND THE PENDANT is an extraordinary first novel by a major writer-in-the-making. A cross-between the compelling Harry Potter series and Lemony Snickett's tales, Pocket takes you on the adventure of a lifetime-- cross-cultures, time zones and back and forward in history with its twists and turns of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. An easy read for parents and kids over 12, Pocket begs for a series of additional volumes. The author, a recognized new media entrepreneur weaves fact and fiction with the skill of best-selling writer. Already gathering a fan-base (see his website)the volume transcends time and space with it's fast pace that powers the reader from today back to the lore of Sumerian civilization and into a mythical "Neverland" that rivals the literary heights of LORD OF THE FLIES. I couldn't put it down and I'm not even a fantasy buff. Don't miss this winner.

Rating:
Summary: Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi......
Review: Mark's book is a wonderful mixture of similar styles such as the Harry Potter stories, Narnia, Never Ending Story, Alice In Wonderland, and more.
He has reached into his imagination and pulled out the beginning of a wonderfully exciting and imaginative tale which leaves us wanting more.
His characters seem familiar because we recognize them as ourselves at different stages of our lives and our journey through "time". We remember the times when we felt that there just "might" be something more to all of "this" than meets the eye.
Mark's story lets our fantasies fly and explore the wonder of
"maybe" and "what if" and lets our imagination conjure up lots of possibilities with his "Pocket" and "Pendant" thrills.
I love it, and I hope every fantasy/adventure/action/sci-fi lover will read it and tell someone about it.
Don't let your friends miss out on this new and wonderful series, because I'm telling you.......
This is ONLY THE BEGINNING. The Pocket and The Pendant is the beginning of not only a new and thrilling series, but the beginning of a lot of wonderful books for all of who love to read.
Thanks for reading my review. Cate (from Kevinswatch.com)

Rating:
Summary: Next, best step for the Phillip Pullman/Harry Potter set!
Review: My daughter is 12 years old and has read the Harry Potter books three times and Philip Pullman's "Golden Compass" series twice. She wants more!!

I've searched for books with the same level of quality, and that enticing combination of terrific readability and thought-inducing intellectual structure -- and haven't found much at all. I received an early version of this book and shared it with my daughter. When the draft stopped after Chapter Four, she immediately (and continuously) badgered me for more. When explained that I had no_way_to_control_the_writing, she demanded a phone call with the author and proceeded to pester him to write FASTER.

She keeps asking me when the next book in the series is coming out -- and frankly, I'm pretty excited too.

This book is fabulous for young adults and a fun read for everyone else. The characters are interesting and likable, and the story flows naturally. The writing style is intense and breathless and reminds me of the energy of my daughter's middle-school friends (all of whom are reading The Pocket and The Pendant with equally positive reviews). I look forward to seeing what's coming next from Mr. Jeffrey!

Rating:
Summary: A masterful job.
Review: On April Eight at exactly 3:38 in the afternoon the world STOPPED. Every person, every animal, every insect, every leaf that had been falling from a tree simply froze. The birds hung in mid air as if by string. No tree moved. No wind blew. The world and everything in it simply STOPPED.

However, there were a few beings that still moved. Some special children seemed to be immune to the stopping of time. Max Quick, Casey Cole, and Ian Keating were such. They seemed to have some super abilities too, thanks to "the Pocket" of time stop. But there were aliens too. And the alien queen was searching for a pendant, an ancient artifact.

Max and his friends must recover the pendant first. Yet the closer they get to it the more dangerous things become.

***** Even adults will be fascinated by the theories in this tale. Author Mark Jeffrey has done a masterful job of blending facts and theories together smoothly for an amazing story that readers will find utterly delightful. Very well done indeed! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi readers young and old enjoy Time Adventures
Review: Reading about kids foiling adults is a time tested success story. When you add elements of Sumarian history, the origins of man, and the possibility of aliens, then you have a Science Fiction story worth reading. "The Pocket and the Pendant" is a quick read. Not too long for kids and certainly a roller coaster ride to the end. I'll be looking forward to the many adventures of Max Quick! This story is enjoyably complete while still allowing the tales to go on.... I think some parents would not approve of the anti-creation based themes, but kids love to learn what their parents find taboo. This adventure through cities frozen in time and lost-boy gangs will spark the imagination and keep readers hooked.