The Black Circle - 39 Clues Book 5 - Patrick Carman

The Black Circle
The 39 Clues - Book 5
Patrick Carman
Scholastic
ISBN 9780545060455

Patrick Carman does an amazing job on the hingepin book in this series. This series is 10 books by seven different authors. The flow of the story is continuous, and nearly seamless. Patrick's adventure takes place in Russia. In this segment of the story, The Cahill children Amy and Dan have a secret benefactor who is leaving them clues and guiding them along. The problem is they have a time limit to research clues all over Russia. So the Cahills form an alliance with the unlikeliest of teams, the Holts. Fortunately they negotiate and go back and forth with the son of the Holt clan, Hamilton.

The history lesson in this book focuses around the Romanovs, Rasputin and general Russian history. Patrick Carman does a great job of including a lot of information without the fictional book appearing like a history lesson. The story flows and has an amazing pace. Once you pick it up and start reading it you will not be able to put it down. With any book in a series there is always hesitation to pick it up, knowing it will be months before the next one comes out. However once I started this one I could not put it down.

This series is amazing. First the concept was intriguing - one continuous story told over 10 books but 7 different authors. It will introduce fans of some of the authors to other authors. All of the authors have won multiple awards across different areas. Together they are telling an amazing story of an adventure around the world and through history. Following members of the 4 clans in the Cahill family, the Janus, the Ekaterina, The Lucians and the Tomas, these families have been the movers and shapers of history and now they are on a chase for 39 clues that will lead them to the greatest treasure in history. The Black Circle is a great book in a great series.

Sites With More Info:
http://various.wikibruce.com/39Clues
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_39_Clues
http://39cluesworld.com/
http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27257
  
The 39 Clues:
The Maze of Bones - Book 1 - Rick Riordan
One False Note - Book 2 - Gordon Korman
The Sword Thief - Book 3 - Peter Lerangis
Beyond the Grave - Book 4 - Jude Watson
The Black Circle - Book 5 - Patrick Carman
In Too Deep - Book 6 - Jude Watson 
The Viper's Nest - Book 7 - Peter Lerangis
The Emperor's Code - Book 8 - Gordon Korman
Storm Warning - Book 9 - Linda Sue Park
 Into the Gauntlet - Book 10 - Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Black Book of Buried Secrets - Rick Riordan
Vespers Rising - Book 12 - Rick Riordan

Card Pack #1 - Books 1-3
Card Pack #2 - Books 4-6
Card Pack #3 - Books 7-9
Rare Card Pack

The 39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers
The Medusa Plot - Book 1 - Gordon Korman
A King's Ransom - Book 2 - Jude Watson
The Dead of Night - Book 3 - Peter Lerangis
? - Book 4 - Roland Smith
? - Book 5 - Linda Sue Park
? - Book 6 - David Baldacci

The 39 Clues Rapid Fire:
Legacy - Book 1 - Clifford Riley
Ignition - Book 2 - Clifford Riley
Hunted - Book 3 - Clifford Riley
Crushed - Book 4 - Clifford Riley
Turbulence - Book 5 - Clifford Riley
Invasion - Book 6 - Clifford Riley
Fireworks - Book 7 - Clifford Riley