Book Review - The Inventors

Title: The Inventors
Author: Alexander Gordon Smith & Jamie Webb
Series: The Inventors (book 1)
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Release Date: 5 April 2007
ISBN-13: 978-0571233106

Synopsis
Nate and Cat absolutely love inventing. You name it, they've tried to build it. After accidentally turning their headmaster blue, they win a year's scholarship with the world's richest, cleverest, most charismatic inventor, Ebenezer Saint. And along with twenty-three of the brightest scientific minds in the land, they begin their year-long stay in the Saint's Solutions paradise, a vast industrial compound filled with unimaginable inventions. But it soon becomes clear that all is not what it seems. Ebenezer Saint is hiding a dark agenda - and if Nate and Cat ever want to see their families again, they will have to out-wit, out-run and out-invent the world's greatest inventor.

My Review
I have had this book on my shelves for a while now, as some of you may have realised from earlier posts I am a massive fan of Alexander Gordon Smith so was looking forward to this one. It is joint written with his then 11 year old brother and is very different to his other books.
Nate and Cat are always getting in trouble for making a mess. They are young inventors, always trying to come up with the next big thing. They enter a contest to win a years scholarship with the world's greatest inventor. The opportunity is a once in a life time deal and the pair do everything they can to get there, but not everything is as it seems and soon they are fighting for their lives and the lives of their families.
Overall I really enjoyed the book, Nate and Cat are great characters and they work so well together, I love how their personalities match and they bounce off each other and that their friendship is so strong. Some of the ideas for inventions in this book are incredible, I don't know how Gordon & Jamie came up with them. I would love some Laser Specs and a camouflage helmet (I could disappear at work and hide from customers with difficult questions hehe)
Saint is a great character, a complete and utter nutter, practically bouncing out of the book, he is the Willy Wonka of the inventing world, and an excellent villain, there's something creepy about an overly cheerful person trying to take over the world. 
Clint the robot is my favourite character with his sarcasm, wit and cheek. But you'll have to read it if you want to know who and what he is!
I also loved the idea for the plot, and the secret lab sounded incredible if not a little scary. I will have to say that in places the book seemed to drag a little bit. There were some bits that could probably have been cut out, but they were few and far between so didn't hamper the book too much!
This book is great fun and imaginative, but for me didn't have the spark that the 'Furnace' series had. I still enjoyed it though and have already got book 2 in my hands!

My Rating
I would give this book 8/10, a great idea and a fun read. Would recommend for 11-12 year olds, think boys would love it especially. Great book for a holiday or lazy afternoon.