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    The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma
    Unavailable
    The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma
    Unavailable
    The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma

    Written by Trenton Lee Stewart

    Narrated by Del Roy

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    IF YOU FAIL,
    ALL IS
    LOST.

    Join the Mysterious Benedict Society as Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance embark on a daring new adventure that threatens to force them apart from their families, friends, and even each other. When an unexplained blackout engulfs Stonetown, the foursome must unravel clues relating to a nefarious new plot, while their search for answers brings them closer to danger than ever before.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 27, 2009
    ISBN9780307582409
    Unavailable
    The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma

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    Reviews for The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma

    4/5

    1,700 ratings151 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Contrived? Yes. Very. But fun.
    • 5/5
      A modern, mysterious, puzzling adventure for today's middle readers.
    • 2/5
      Actually this was a pretty good one for falling asleep to, because I found it a little flat and boring. The world seemed flat. The Disney style Winnie the Pooh voice of the narrator didn't help. Four more or less orphaned yet brilliant children are recruited for a mission to save the world from a mind control takeover. The bad guy has an academy on an island along with a mysterious way of transmitting messages over the television. It never quite fits together, nor is everything explained (though I may have been missing a part of a track and missed something because of that) I was happy to jump to the next audiobook I had queued up...
    • 3/5
      What a fun read (and easy, as it's a kids book). Very concrete characters. A plot to take over the world. Mysterious puzzles. All the classic elements of a heroic children's book.
    • 5/5
      4.5 stars!

      JUST WOW! What on earth did I just read!?

      This was a crazy fun wild ride from beginning to end! I wish I had known about these books growing up, and will now definitely hand them off to my younger siblings.

      I'm rather sick of the trite, cliche, dumbed-down, and weak junior fiction novels that line the shelves these days. I have very few favorites in that genre because there is just so little good in it. But this is one that I've added to my list of favorites! Unique, deep, fascinating, and "brainy", this breaks all the molds of J-fic!

      The characters were all so fantastic, and I quickly became attached to all of them and their journeys. Each of them were distinctive and one-of-a-kind.

      The ending was beyond fabulous. They all got their family!!!! <3 <3 <3 It made me cry. And if a J-fic novel can make me cry . . . well, then it's pretty good!

      I did dock a half star off my rating because it was SUPER long, and I found myself losing interest in some places. Also, it's pretty . . . outlandish, I guess? Speculative isn't really my thing, so there was some aspects I didn't love. But overall, still 4.5 stars!

      Highly recommended!
    • 4/5
      Digital audiobook read by Del Roy From the book jacket: When the peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious mind-bending tests. But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. My ReactionsA fun adventure story of friendship and loyalty. Reynie, Kate, Constance and Sticky (real name George) are quite the team. They’re chosen for the mission based on their intelligence, creativity, determination and courage. And they definitely have to use all those attributes, as well as other talents to thwart the evil Mr Curtain’s scheme for taking over the world. I can certainly see the appeal for middle-grade readers. There are issues common to all children (and adults) here – what makes us afraid, bullying, learning to get along, tolerance for other people’s difference. The scenarios are somewhat ridiculous, but that’s all part of the fun, and will certainly get the reader’s imagination fired up. Del Roy does a marvelous job reading the audiobook. He set a good pace, quick enough for the adventure to come through, not so quick as to lose the listener. The characters really come alive in his narration as well.
    • 4/5
      For those of you who don't know, my husband passed away recently. That first night without him, I stayed in the room of the 11-year-old daughter of some family friends. I had been reading some vaguely depressing novel on my Kindle prior to the news, and obviously was in no shape to go back to that, but I badly needed an escape from the overwhelming sense of loss. Fortunately, the daughter's bookshelf was crammed with children's/young adult literature, which was the perfect thing for me in my zombified state. This book was interesting enough to keep me from thinking about my husband's death for minutes at a time, which I think is rather a high compliment; it was also filled with healthy "children can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles with good planning and a bit of pluck!" lessons. In that way it reminded me a lot of A Series of Unfortunate Events, which may be something I reread in the near future.
    • 4/5
      This is a fun, adventurous, and exciting book written for ages 8-13 years. The four main characters, two boys and two girls, take a test to qualify for Mr. Benedict's "team" (the test section of the story is very funny and rather unusual!). At the time of the test, the children don't know what they are actually qualifying for, but as Mr. Benedict explains that the world is in danger and only children can save it, they are up for the challenge! Each child has his/her own special talents like being good at thinking and solving riddles/problems, or remembering everything they see/hear, etc. (but nothing magical or supernatural). So they each use their talent to help and, of course, you can guess how it ends! I really enjoyed this book and can see how children would like this adventurous thriller! It would also be fun to read with a child :)
    • 4/5
      I first came across this book when working on the children's library at our children's elementary school, a few years ago. Whew, this was a rather long book for this age group. It reminds me of the story in A Series of Unfortunate Events, not in the writing style, though. The sorry is based on farcical elements.i can handle that. I didn't find it terribly interesting. Two characters who play lead roles in the story could be perfectly portrayed by Steve Martin of this ever makes it to a streaming or cinematic platform. If he were playing those roles, I wpyld absolutely watch it.
    • 4/5
      A society of gifted children. The mysterious Benedict Society, a group of kids on a mission. Reynie (Reynard), George (a.k.a "sticky"), Kate, and Constance, are all gifted kids working together to stop Mr.Curtain, Mr.Benedict's twin brother. The children complete a series of tests before being sent to the institute, Mr.Curtain's school. Which is where children are used to send messages so that Mr.Curtain can takeover and become falsely famous. While the children attend the school as spies they work their way up to the top and gain Mr.Curtain's trust. They learn about his device, the whisperer, which would record children's thoughts so Mr.Curtain could use them for his plan. They use morse code to keep in touch with Mr.Benedict while they complete their mission. With careful planning Mr.Benedict shuts off the whisperer and they get out of the institute. I gave this book a 4 out of 5 star rating. I gave it only 4 stars because, though it was a good book, it was long and the story took awhile to develop. Also, the book seemed never ending. Towards the end it seemed to drag on. The Mysterious Benedict Society was a great book, I would recommend it to anyone who likes long, mystery-like books. All in all it was a good read.
    • 4/5
      A great "tween" novel, well-written, clever, and a few surprises. A more "quiet" novel, it's story and characters are intriguing and there's still some action involved. Perfect for an established middle-school reader who isn't quite ready for Young Adult novels.
    • 4/5
      cute story
    • 5/5
      I have really been enjoying the exploration of my library's middle grade fiction section. For the most part, I just grabbed books from the shelves that had interesting covers. This led me to The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart with illustrations by Carson Ellis (I told you she'd be mentioned again). If you're looking for a contemporary adventure story mixed with science fiction then you've found the right book (and series). The reader follows 4 orphaned (or semi-orphaned as the case may be) kids as they are taken under the tutelage of Mr. Benedict, a narcoleptic genius intent on saving the world. These aren't your typical children either. They are all gifted in very distinct ways and their combined powers make a heckuva team and that's what Mr. Benedict is counting on to turn the tide in their favor. The kids are set a seemingly impossible mission and are beset with obstacles at every turn. And that is what makes this such a fun and exciting read. I'm being deliberately vague in regards to their gifts and the specific peril that they are fighting against as it would no doubt ruin the twists and turns of Stewart's narrative. Suffice it to say, this was a really enjoyable book and I fully intend to continue the series.
    • 4/5
      This story was quite long (clocking in at nearly 500 pages) but worth every moment it took to read!The story was jam packed with action and memorable characters, and I would like to be their friend in real life. The mystery and the story was wrapped up nicely at the end. By the end of the book, I couldn't believe it was over!I'm intrigued to read the second book, but at the same time I liked how this story ended and I sort of don't feel the need to read more...I don't know.I highly recommend this book, and happy reading!
    • 5/5
      This is a wonderful book that I loved as an adult and would have cherished as a kid. This whole book had my mind reeling-- I was on the edge of my seat from the suspense. Also, I really enjoyed that each of the characters was quirky and cunning in their own way. I would love to read this book out loud to my class. This book contains a lot of underlying messages about education that could lead to greta discussions.
    • 2/5
      A quick summer read, fairly juvenile.
    • 3/5
      Quite enjoyable book, really cute, fast paced and no nonsense. Ended up getting a tattoo from the line "Schools and rules are tools for fools I don't give two mules for rules." really loved that bit. Worth a read, a quick read too.
    • 5/5
      The Mysterious Benedict Society challenges your imagination. It leads you on a journey with a group of children who think deeply and like to challenge their own abilities in various ways. They respond to an advertisement for gifted children and after being given some unexpected tests are engaged in a mission to save the world. There are many twists and turns in the story where I found myself trying to solve puzzles and enjoying unexpected events. There was a moment at the end of the book especially which completely surprised me!
    • 5/5
      It was EXCELLENT! I have to read the whole series now...

      Each character is an awesomely exaggerated caricature of a trait recognized in Gifted children: Contrariness/stubbornness, good with puzzles, good at remembering material we have read only once, very resourceful, etc. I think that may be the best young adult novel I have read since T.A. Barron's Lost Years of Merlin series. It definitely surpassed Harry Potter and Hunger Games, in my opinion. Of course, since I grew up in Gifted classes, I may be a bit biased.

      My favorite quote in the book is from pages 256-257:

      "I was wondering if you ever wish you had a family," Reynie sputtered. He hadn't meant to speak so directly, but once he'd begun to ask it, the words just tumbled out.

      Mr. Benedict nodded. "Certainly when I was your age I did. But not anymore."

      Reynie wasn't sure whether to be comforted or depressed by this revelation. He'd been wondering how it would feel for him to grow up without relatives. "You . . . you grew out of it, then? You stopped wanting it?"

      "Oh, no, Reynie, you don't grow out of it. It's just that once you acquire a family, you no longer need to wish for one."

      Reynie was caught off guard. "You have a family?"

      "Absolutely," Mr. Benedict replied. "You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family."

      Reynie had drunk up those words like life-saving medicine.
    • 4/5
      "ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?" read the newsprint ad.

      I was at the bookstore a couple weeks ago, and I noticed this book. It looked very interesting, but it wasn't exactly a must read book for me, especially if I had to buy it. I'd actually never heard of it, and so the title didn't jump to mind. A few weeks later, after I had finished reading my latest book, I took a look at my bookshelf for what I should read next. My friend had recently left the country, as I'm in Korea right now, and she dumped a whole mess of books on my lap at the time. And so, while scanning the books, I realized that I already had this book. Maybe it was a sign for me to read the book.

      The Mysterious Benedict Society is a wonderful children's book by Trenton Lee Stewart. After four gifted youngsters are admitted to a mysterious school, granted they had to pass some tests of virtue and cleverness, things begin to unravel. As the story progrosses, you'll learn more about what makes each of these kids tick. Although this is a children's book, the issues that they're dealing with are still delving into serious issues. I personally would have liked it more if the issues were taken a step further than they were presented, but I'm not complaining.

      Some of the other themes, as opposed to the issues of the children themselves, were a bit more covert. There is obvisously the symbol of The Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened (LIVE), which is a representation for businesses in general. The things that the Institute could get away with is preposterous, even going so far as to manipulate and control the public. To overcome them, it would take the innocence and craftiness of four children to thwart the evilness.

      The other big symbol I thought was interesting was that of Mr. Benedict/Mr. Curtain. Mr. Benedict is thi all knowing character, as if he could read the minds of the children. He's very eccentric, and very loving. He kind of reminds me of Professor Dumbledore (if you don't know who that is, I might punch you). I think his characterization is slightly cliche, but at least his narcolepsy adds in some levity. Mr. Curtain, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of Mr. Benedict, and at least his character felt a little more unique.

      "Being a Messenger is a responsibility, a matter of leadership. When you're a Messenger, you're so busy helping Mr. Curtain that you hardly have time to think. In fact...it seems like only yesterday I was made Messenger, and now I'm going home already. I've been so busy that everything in between seems like a blur" (pg 230). Does this remind you of anyone? If so, then just remember to slow down in life sometimes. All work and no play makes a dull human being. This quote, spoken by a child, sounds more and more common nowadays as children are made to study long hours and do homework, having no time for themselves. And just because one is an adult shouldn't mean they shouldn't have time for themselves to. Take some time to relax. Take some time to read a book. Who knows...you might just learn something.
    • 3/5
      The plot lines and characters were well thought out and pretty engaging but the book was way too long!!!!
    • 3/5
      This is a very cool premise for a story. I had to keep reminding myself what age group this was written for as I was reading it, since i had a bit of a hard time with some of the elements in the story. I think it is a good read for upper elementary students.
    • 4/5
      A good, solid, enjoyable read. This book has all the cornerstones of a classic children's/young adult novel - four children of various ages and talents all working together to combat the bad guy, adults to be fooled, slimy swamps, trap doors, sneaky inventions, close calls - which is probably why people keep comparing it to Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket. I don't think these are necessarily fair comparisons. This story stands perfectly well on its own and any tricks it is stealing from other young people's fiction it is stealing from a tradition far older than Harry Potter. The flavor of it felt much more to me like Roald Dahl, in fact, one of my favorite authors as a child. I look forward to seeing what is next from Stewart.
    • 3/5
      The Mysterious Benedict Society is a group of kids that agree to help Mr. Benedict try and save the world from Mr. Curtain a man who is basically attempting what all villain's attempt; to take over the world. The four children, Reynie, Sticky, Kate and Constance are all selected by taking a series of grueling tests. My favorite part of the book was definitely the tests and the parts immediately following it where the children, Mr. Benedict and his helpers all grew into a family (these parts were also interspersed throughout the book). (Don't get me wrong, the adventure was good too, but for some reason watching them all turn into a family made me really happy.)

      This is a really great tween read.
    • 4/5
      What fun! And also: how weird! For a middle grade book, this one was awfully long. But it wasn't quite like anything else I've read, which was very refreshing!

      I knew Constance would probably end up playing a pivotal role, to justify all her annoying behaviors early on, but I didn't expect the reveal at the end -- and find it kind of hard to believe that no one had guessed her age already.

      I look forward to seeing what kind of trouble the society gets itself into in the next book!
    • 4/5
      I am reading this book and it is delightful, it makes me smile. A very fun read to the whole family or for an older audience like me :)
    • 4/5
      Christmas gift 2014, we read it aloud over the next six weeks, both of us charmed. It's genuinely clever, and a fun read: the puzzles are clever (both for the characters and for us), as are the premise and adventure; and, there's fun in the quirky personalities, the villain, and generally the friendships among main characters and minor. Both fun and clever were many plot twists and puzzle solutions, perhaps my favourite the unexpected reveal of Constance's secret. (It's clear something is coming, but I did not suspect that!)Upon completion, we reserved the second book from the library and began it immediately. //This edition features line drawing headpieces incorporating the chapter title.
    • 5/5
      This book is about four extraordinary children and how they save the world. Reynie, Sticky, Kate and Constance are four gifted children that met each other while taking a mysterious test. After passing these tests the children meet a man named Mr. Benedict. He tells them that the world is being bombarded with mental messages that cause confusion and fear. he needs their help to stop these messages. Mr. Benedict enrolls them at the Institute for Higher Learning. The messages are being transmitted from this location by a man named Mr. Curtain. After finding out how the messages are being transmitted, the children stage and assault on Mr. Curtain and foil his plan to take over the world. The Mysterious Benedict Society is an amazing book that challenges your mind. It keeps you guessing in every chapter. Trenton Lee Stewart is an awesome author who makes you think. The plot is interesting and exciting. The characters are all lovable in their own ways. This is honestly one of my favorite books of all time. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to work out their minds.
    • 3/5
      This is a book about orphans who are selected to save their country from a diabolical crazy man who wants to control everyone and uses technology to do so. The books is interesting in the way it follows the children and also describes the way they were selected for this mission. The author accurately depicts different kinds of intelligence as well as different kinds of fear. She also describes, well, how power corrupts when she writes about the hierarchy of the school leaders. I was surprised at one of the characters who takes on a prominent role at the end. I thought for sure he would turn out to be on the good guys side, but it wasn't meant to be. My son thought the audiobook voice was too boring and wouldn't listen to it.
    • 4/5
      Really good! I love the "clever children" trope and this definitely didn't disappoint. I'm looking forward to reading the next ones.