- Paperback: 236 pages
- Publisher: Faber and Faber; New edition edition (7 July 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0571226043
- ISBN-13: 978-0571226047
- Product Dimensions: 18.8 x 12.6 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 291,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Do the Minimoys really exist? Arthur has read all about the African tribe in his grandfather's notebooks, but he can hardly believe they are less than an inch tall . . .
Until one day he discovers a secret message and a map to the land of the Minimoys, hidden by his vanished grandfather, which sets him on a wild adventure. Arthur has three days to discover the Minimoys, recover stolen treasure, fight a force of mosquito-riding warriors, defeat an evil wizard and return to save the family home.
All the more difficult if you have been shrunk to the size of a Minimoy . . .
This in the first exciting part of the Minimoys adventure, by the acclaimed writer and director Luc Besson. Both books are being made into a film, released in 2006.
About the Author
Luc Besson is the award-winning writer/director/producer behind such movies as The Fifth Element, The Big Blue and Nikita. Arthur and the Minimoys is his first novel for children, soon to be followed by the sequel, Arthur and the Forbidden City.
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First Sentence
The landscape was green and gently rolling, grazed closely by the hot sun. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The landscape was green and gently rolling, grazed closely by the hot sun. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Although the plot of Arthur and the Invisibles may be slightly predictable, this book is full of vivid and magical descriptions that will inspire a child's imagination. Luc Besson uses a fantastic array of linguistic features, making this an excellent book for children to learn from. You would never know it was a translation. He develops the characters beautifully through the portrayal of strong personalities and determined natures. The settings are brought to life through powerful, descriptive language that takes you on the journey with Arthur.
As a teacher, I have used this book very successfully with my class. A magical fantasy that I highly recommend.
As a teacher, I have used this book very successfully with my class. A magical fantasy that I highly recommend.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
19 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Read it to get to the sequel..but only the first!
25 Oct 2006
Format:Hardcover
Take my review with a grain of salt: I have read all of the books to date in the original French (up to the 4th: "Arthur et la guerre des deux mondes"), so I can comment on the story and original writing, but it is possible the translation may have exacerbated any problems regarding use of language.
"Fun" is the most appropriate word for this work. Originality is unfortunately lacking to some degree. The premise of "Honey I shrunk the kids" + some character elements from "Harry Potter" = "Arthur and the Minimoys"
Even in French, Besson is a somewhat sloppy writer, relying too heavily on almost infantine similes. I am assuming these only worsen in translation.
I did however enjoy the characters. There is something typically French about the relationships of the personages that makes this book worth plugging through, which further matures in the 2nd installment. I would recommend this book just to get to the sequel.
To help you decide whether or not this is worth your time investment, I've included a note about the following books (no spoilers included)
"Arthur et la Cite Interdite" - 4 stars
The character development is heart-warming. This book really shines and creates a genuine desire to read more.
"Arthur et la vengeance de Maltazard" - 2 stars
Terrible. 75% of this book is flashbacks to help you better understand the characters. Almost no action is involved. I felt like it would never end. It could have worked if the stories told about each character related to what was currently happening (or not happening!) in the plot, but things almost tie together near the end.
"Arthur et la guerre des deux mondes" - 2 stars
Boring. Besson decides to come back to the actual hear-and-now, but the events really aren't that interesting. This could have been a platform to further explore the relationships between the characters, but of this opportunity Besson never takes advantage. I was expecting some interesting, almost cataclysmic event (the title translates to "Arthur and the war of the two worlds"), but even this is dissappointing.
Unless more sequels of note are released, I would suggest reading the first two books and stopping.
"Fun" is the most appropriate word for this work. Originality is unfortunately lacking to some degree. The premise of "Honey I shrunk the kids" + some character elements from "Harry Potter" = "Arthur and the Minimoys"
Even in French, Besson is a somewhat sloppy writer, relying too heavily on almost infantine similes. I am assuming these only worsen in translation.
I did however enjoy the characters. There is something typically French about the relationships of the personages that makes this book worth plugging through, which further matures in the 2nd installment. I would recommend this book just to get to the sequel.
To help you decide whether or not this is worth your time investment, I've included a note about the following books (no spoilers included)
"Arthur et la Cite Interdite" - 4 stars
The character development is heart-warming. This book really shines and creates a genuine desire to read more.
"Arthur et la vengeance de Maltazard" - 2 stars
Terrible. 75% of this book is flashbacks to help you better understand the characters. Almost no action is involved. I felt like it would never end. It could have worked if the stories told about each character related to what was currently happening (or not happening!) in the plot, but things almost tie together near the end.
"Arthur et la guerre des deux mondes" - 2 stars
Boring. Besson decides to come back to the actual hear-and-now, but the events really aren't that interesting. This could have been a platform to further explore the relationships between the characters, but of this opportunity Besson never takes advantage. I was expecting some interesting, almost cataclysmic event (the title translates to "Arthur and the war of the two worlds"), but even this is dissappointing.
Unless more sequels of note are released, I would suggest reading the first two books and stopping.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
They Might Be Mini, But This Story is BIG
10 Jun 2005
Format:Hardcover
It all begins when ten year old Arthur and his grandmother are being forced to move out of their house. Arthur needs to find a treasure that his grandfather left behind before he went to the world of the half inch tall Minimoys to help fight M.the cursed (the most evil Minimoy of them all). But he never came back. Arthur thinks that he got captured by M. and will soon be killed. Then Arthur solves a riddle to get to the land of the
Minimoys to save his grandfather and his home.
"Arthur and the Minimoys" is a great book that's full of action, adventure, and a cliff hanging "to be continued..." end that makes you want to keep on reading. It leaves you with so many questions like: "Will Arthur survive?", "Is his house going to be saved?", and "Will Arthur find his lost grandfather and escape from M. the cursed?". It's a great book for people that like a little fantasy and a lot of action.
Reading this book will make you want to read the sequel, "Arthur and the Forbidden City" where Arthur's adventures with the Minimoys continue. You'll be speechless after you read this story. I sure was. From sword fights to sibling fights, "Arthur and the Minimoys" is a great book for those action adventure lovers. So go to your nearest library and get a copy of Arthur and the Minimoys".
Minimoys to save his grandfather and his home.
"Arthur and the Minimoys" is a great book that's full of action, adventure, and a cliff hanging "to be continued..." end that makes you want to keep on reading. It leaves you with so many questions like: "Will Arthur survive?", "Is his house going to be saved?", and "Will Arthur find his lost grandfather and escape from M. the cursed?". It's a great book for people that like a little fantasy and a lot of action.
Reading this book will make you want to read the sequel, "Arthur and the Forbidden City" where Arthur's adventures with the Minimoys continue. You'll be speechless after you read this story. I sure was. From sword fights to sibling fights, "Arthur and the Minimoys" is a great book for those action adventure lovers. So go to your nearest library and get a copy of Arthur and the Minimoys".
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Just Plain Fun Reading!
25 Dec 2006
Format:Hardcover
Reading Arthur and the Minimoys is like watching a movie...and after reading some reviews, I can see way. It's being developed as a CGI movie in 2007, that said it's also a romping good adventure...a kind of Honey I Shrunk the Kids meets The Secret of Nimh with a smidge of Indiana Jones. As the story starts out, we meet Arthur who is staying with his Grandma and both sorely miss Grandpa who disappeared without a trace four years before. Family love is clearly present and Arthur really loves to visit with his Grandfathers collection of African books and masks, reliving through this the many adventures his Grandfather had as a younger man. It is the day of Arthur's tenth birthday the dastardly Mr. Davido shows up and tells them they have three days to come up with the money they owe or he's taking the house and everything in it...it's at this moment that Arthur refuses to take it "lying down" sets out to find his grandfathers long lost treasure.
From there, Arthur is transported to the miniature world of the Minimoys where he meets the feisty princess Selenia and her somewhat silly (but quite loveable) brother Beta. They set out together on an Adventure that spans the garden (which is a vast and dangerous as the wildest jungle from the height of ¾ of an inch) to stop the evil M, the cursed! As they make their way to the Forbidden City they face innumerable obstacles with courage and a bit of humor! Will they make it to the Forbidden City? Will they be able to stop the evil M, the cursed? Will Arthur get the treasure back before the cruel Mr. Davido boots his grandma out of her house? Those things are left to a second book...but readers won't be too disappointed with the build up to the arrival at the city because the journey there is half the adventure and a whole lot of fun to read.
Overall...this isn't great literature; it's just plain old fun reading. The story is easy to follow, the good guys are all good (and likeable even) the bad guys are all totally evil and the parallel story line between the "real" world (the M, the Cursed and Mr. Davido) and the world of the Minimoys adds a nice second layer to the story. This book would make nice light reading for a couple of nights for readers aged 8-12...nothing too taxing, but highly entertaining for a few hours! I give it four stars.
From there, Arthur is transported to the miniature world of the Minimoys where he meets the feisty princess Selenia and her somewhat silly (but quite loveable) brother Beta. They set out together on an Adventure that spans the garden (which is a vast and dangerous as the wildest jungle from the height of ¾ of an inch) to stop the evil M, the cursed! As they make their way to the Forbidden City they face innumerable obstacles with courage and a bit of humor! Will they make it to the Forbidden City? Will they be able to stop the evil M, the cursed? Will Arthur get the treasure back before the cruel Mr. Davido boots his grandma out of her house? Those things are left to a second book...but readers won't be too disappointed with the build up to the arrival at the city because the journey there is half the adventure and a whole lot of fun to read.
Overall...this isn't great literature; it's just plain old fun reading. The story is easy to follow, the good guys are all good (and likeable even) the bad guys are all totally evil and the parallel story line between the "real" world (the M, the Cursed and Mr. Davido) and the world of the Minimoys adds a nice second layer to the story. This book would make nice light reading for a couple of nights for readers aged 8-12...nothing too taxing, but highly entertaining for a few hours! I give it four stars.
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