Drift House: The First Voyage

Written by Dale Peck

Narrated by Richard Poe

New York-based author and teacher Dale Peck was inspired to write this amazing story after the events of September 11, 2001. The three Oakenfeld children-Susan, Charles and Murray-are perplexed. Their parents aren't letting them turn on the television. Something strange is going on in the city, that's for sure. And now Mom and Dad are sending them off to Canada to stay with their Uncle Farley-who they've never even met!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 15, 2008
• ISBN: 9781440796746

Dale Peck

Dale Peck is the author of twelve books in a variety of genres, including Martin and John, Hatchet Jobs, and Sprout. His fiction and criticism have earned him two O. Henry Awards, a Pushcart Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship. He lives in New York City, where he teaches in the New School’s Graduate Writing Program.

Reviews for Drift House

[pussreboots · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The reviews I've read of Drift House by Dale Peck either ignore the World Trade Center destruction or gloss it over. Regardless, it is the grim starting point of the book and the loss of life is one of the dominant themes of the book. It is also a pirate tale full of derring-do and time travel.The book begins with Susan and her brothers, Charles and Murray, being driven to Canada from their home in Manhattan. Their mother wants them out of the city until she feels it is safe again for them to return. Although they never speak of the attacks in a direct manner, Susan, as the oldest, is well aware of what has happened. Their flight north, much like the evacuation of the children in WWII at the start of The Magic Bed Knob by Mary Norton, leaves the oldest children with a good sense of how much danger the remaining parents may very well be in.Susan reminds me a lot of Wendy Darling in that she both wants adventure but also wants to protect her younger brothers. Where Wendy is brought on board to be the mother of Captain Hook's pirates, Susan, briefly gets to captain her own ship. She also has to save her brothers and uncle from some treacherous mermaids.Susan is the brave sibling. Charles is the clever one. But Murray is extraordinary. He starts as just another annoying youngest sibbling but goes on to have the most amazing and sometimes heartbreaking growth as a character.I listened to the audio version of the book, performed by Richard Poe. He brings the characters to life and there were times I had to pause the book when I was getting too emotionally caught up in the story.

[satyridae · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It starts right after 9/11 in NYC, but quickly moves into the territory of magic. Three children, Susan, Charles and Murray are adrift and at sea in more than one fashion. The ways they cope with the strange and unfathomable happenings, as well as Peck's wonderful writing style, kept me turning pages well into the night. This book had me biting my lip trying to stay awake to finish one more page in the wee small hours, and when I finally gave up, it followed me into my dreams. I can't remember the last book that's made me so intensely a participant. The Drift House recaptures the spirit of some of my favorite books from childhood- the L'Engle books (can Charles Wallace Murray be far from the boys named Charles and Murray, one of whom is very scientific and one very wise?) in particular. The way Peck explains why events seem to be rushing so fast past us in these times is brilliant.

[dragonfreak · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Three siblings, Susan, Charles, and Murray, has to go to their Uncle Farley's house who lives at The Drift House. Uncle Farley is kind of weird. He studies the nature of time and hates electronic things especially TV. At first the kids were very apprehensive about staying here, but soon they find really strange things about the house. For one thing, The Drift House is crooked, a mysterious person seems to be serving Uncle Farley, but clearly doesn't exist, a painting shows all of them on the house, and a small radio plays without being plugged in. After Charles and Susan ditch Murray to find out the mysteries of the house, they get caught and lost Murray. They find him in the dumbwaiter and he seems to have knowledge of the future. Then mermaids come to The Drift House and beg Susan to help her save another mermaid Ula Lu La Lu who's lost and captured in the Sea of Time, the sea that transports them to any place or time that has or will ever exist. But sinister forces become apparent, and Susan Charles, and Murray are whisked into one great adventure.

[mckall08 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I gave this an extra star b/c I'm an adult male. I suspect this might appeal to younger teens. It seemed to drag a bit in the middle. I only finished it b/c I had already gone through three-quarters of it.

[readingpenguin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This Book is a very fun adventure fantasy that reminded me a lot of the book Attica. 3 kids go to stay at their uncle's house... little do they know that it is acually a boat that sails the sea of time, and that the controls for it are broken! It leads to an amazing and exicting adventure. This is a very fun book if you enjoy escaping with the charaters and entering new worlds! Highly recommended!

[escondidolibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After the September 11 terrorist attack in NYC, the three Oakenfeld children are sent to live with their uncle in Canada until their parents feel that New York is safe again. Uncle Farley lives in a huge boat-like mansion near the water. The children start to notice strange things about the house and decide to investigate. This takes them on an adventure where they encounter mermaids, pirates, and talking animals and even travel through time!

[bobcatbrarian · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Overall, I was pretty disappointed and I'm still not sure if it was because of the reading or the book itself. While Richard Poe really truly is an excellent reader, his voice didn't seem to match the story at all. As I was listening, I couldn't help but feel like something was a little off. The story itself seemed promising, but, like Drift House, it felt like it took an eternity to get anywhere. Despite a compulsion to finish it, I finally gave up about halfway through (and, for anyone who knows me, that's a long time). I may pick up the print version sometime, to read the end if nothing else.